This past Summer, I went on a cruise to Alaska with my family. I’m definitely not a cruise expert (it was only my first cruise) but I discovered certain things about cruising that may be useful to you or someone you know!
DO: order an appetizer and a dessert (if it’s included, you might as well)!
DON’T: only eat at the buffet. There are multiple restaurants that may be included, so check them out! Although the buffet can be great because it has a variety of foods, try heading over to one of the restaurants! (Just be careful about how much you’re eating. Sometimes I didn’t even realize that I was eating when I wasn’t even that hungry!)
DO: talk to people! It may not be too often that you get to go on a cruise, or maybe it is! Either way, try to meet new people. I met someone who works in a field very similar to my college major and he gave me helpful advice. Another man that my family spoke to had really incredible stories to tell, and he was traveling alone.
DON’T: be the person who hogs the Jacuzzi (we were very lucky to get in there once)!
DO: pack accordingly. If you’re on a Caribbean cruise, packing for this trip may be fairly easy. However, if you’re heading to Alaska, LAYERING is my best tip.
DON’T: be the person who ruins dinner. On our cruise, there was a restaurant that we went to where there was a dress code. Before you even leave for your trip, make sure to pack an outfit for a fancy dinner night.
DO: remember to check with your cell phone carrier for information and rates if you’re not buying a Wi-Fi package on board.
DON’T: stay on the boat and sleep all day when you stop at a port. GO explore! See what’s out there. For my family, if you stayed on the boat to sleep you were 100% getting left behind, so go! You may never get another chance!
DO: plan excursions ahead of time. It can be more expensive to plan an excursion while on the boat, so pre-planning is always a good idea! Or, do what my family did, and plan your own adventures (in advance of course)! We were able to go whale watching and hiking and we did it on our own time. Just make sure you are back at the boat on time!
DON’T: forget sunscreen! I guess I thought that I wouldn’t need to wear too much sunscreen in Alaska. Needless to say, I was wrong! I only wore it a couple of times, but a few of my family members, myself included, got a bit sunburned on this trip!
DO: attend as many raffles and events as you can! My sister and I attended a girl’s spa day event where we got to do our own facials for free and get tips from the experts! We also went to the theater almost every night and we went to check out the clubs on board as well!
DON’T: forget your cruise card. You will need to use it as ID, to get on and off the boat, to make reservations, to make purchases, and it is your room key, so DON’T lose it! Keep it on you at all times!
DO: be polite to the cruise staff members.
And lastly…
DON’T: leave anything on the boat. I left a hair straightener in our room, and my Mom was not too happy with me. Double check your room before you go!
Thank you for reading! I hope that you found some of these do’s and don’ts helpful for your next cruise! Leave me a comment below and tell me if you’ve ever been on a cruise and where you went, or where you would want to go!
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