First Time Cruise Tips: What To Know Before Your First Sailing

On a cruise, your vacation starts as soon as you set foot on your cruise ship. In fact, day one has the makings to be as memorable as every other day of your getaway. Each ship is packed with adventures, restaurants, entertainment and more, and you can get in on the action right away.

Now, where do you start? Glad you asked. This guide is packed with expert tips and hacks to navigate your first day on board because every minute of your time off is a minute to enjoy.

Read on for first-time cruise tips, including familiarization, activities and dining, to help you make the most of your time on board from the get-go.

Key Takeaways: Cruise Tips for First-Time Cruisers

●  App check-in: Use the mobile app to check in early, scan documents and get a mobile boarding pass.

●  Luggage drop-off: Leave your heavy bags with the terminal porters, who will deliver them directly to your stateroom.

●  Carry-on essentials: Pack a small tote with immediate necessities like swimsuits and sunscreen to start the fun right away.

●  Ship exploration: Wander around or use the app's deck plans to familiarize yourself with your new home at sea.

●  Activity booking: Personalize your trip by booking shore excursions, dining and activities ahead of time using the mobile app.

●  Kids registration: Take advantage of the day one open house at Adventure Ocean® Youth program to register kids.

●  Dining reservations: Grab an early bite and make your specialty dining reservations on the app or in person.

●  Show reservations: Check the app and reserve spots for incredible deck-defying acrobatics, ice skating or original Broadway productions.

●  Safety briefing: Quickly complete your mandatory safety briefing via the app or TV, then visit your designated muster station.

●  Sail-away party: Head to the top deck to toast your trip with a tropical cocktail and enjoy live music.

●  Explore sailings and start planning your first cruise like a pro.

What Should I Know Before My First Cruise?

Before you set sail on your first cruise, familiarize yourself with the tools and processes there to help you, such as the Royal App (which can help you get a mobile boarding pass and book shore and excursions), the helpful porters at the luggage check-in and the process to get your SeaPass® card set up.

Remember to pack a light day bag with shades, sunscreen, your swimsuit and other essentials, so you can start the fun as soon as you step on board. Finally, make sure to complete the safety briefing and orient yourself with the ship’s layout so you know where you want to spend the most time.

1. Making Access Easy

Set yourself to vacation mode early and check in for your cruise with the Royal Caribbean mobile app. You’ll get all the information you need before you arrive, and you can scan your passport and upload a selfie as a security photo to generate a mobile boarding pass and choose your arrival time.

The pass is your ticket to quickly get on board. Several terminals even have facial recognition for an experience that’s as hands-off as it gets. It doesn’t really matter if you check in with the app or online; as long as you have the right identification documents handy, getting to your ship will be a breeze.

Next, you’ll want to pick up your SeaPass card, which functions as your room key, ID and credit card. It’ll be in a sealed envelope that’s waiting for you right outside your stateroom.

2. See You Later, Luggage

When you get to the cruise terminal, leave your baggage behind — literally. One of the best cruise boarding tips is giving the porters your packed luggage once you’ve tagged it with the necessary details, like your stateroom number. They’ll work with the ship’s crew members to deliver it to your stateroom later that day.

Pro tip for first-time cruisers: As you’re planning your cruise, prepare a small bag or tote with a few essentials — like a swimsuit, sunscreen and shades — so that you’re ready to jump in on the action on board at places like the pool and on the waterslides, the Rock Climbing Wall or the bumper cars at SeaPlex®.

3. Explore The Ship

Go on and familiarize yourself with your home away from home and all it has to offer. You can simply wander or plan out your path with the deck plans (AKA maps) on the app or digital wayfinders throughout the ship.

Pro tip for first-time cruisers: Use the mobile app (for iOS or Android) to personalize your cruise, especially when traveling with a group. Book adventures ahead of time and easily map out your adventures, from shore excursions to activities, dining and more.

4. Get Playing

There’s something for kids and adults of all ages and interests on a Royal Caribbean ship. If you like to be active, you can head to the ice-skating rink, bumper cars, LASER TAG, the Royal Escape Room®, simulated surfing (on the FlowRider®) and skydiving (on the RipCord® by iFly®) and the Zip Line, to name a few onboard experiences.  

Want to relax? Enjoy a shady casita by the pool, book a spa treatment, head to the adults-only Solarium area or take a stroll in Central Park®, the neighborhood that’s filled with more than 10,000 real plants. You can quickly find out what’s open by checking out the Cruise Compass on the app or as a printed copy that you can pick up at Guest Services or in your stateroom.

Pro tip for first-time cruisers: Visit the VitalitySM at Sea Spa & Fitness Center to check out the lineup of treatments and classes. For the kids (6 months to 12 years old), take advantage of Adventure Ocean, which has an open house on the first day to register for this award-winning kids’ program.

5. Grab A Bite

If you’re hungry, you can have your choice of dishes from several restaurants that are open as soon as you board. There are spots like Windjammer Cafe, which serves up a variety of foods that reflect the many places — including the Caribbean, Europe and India — and El Loco Fresh®, which serves up casual Mexican fare like DIY tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more.

You can also take a peek at the menus at the main dining room and specialty restaurants, which will open for dinner that night. If one spot — like The Mason Jar Southern^SM Restaurant & Bar — catches your eye, you can make reservations right then and there or on the app.

6. Line Up Your Entertainment

Next, scope out the playbill and make reservations to watch the jaw-dropping entertainment on board. Each Royal Caribbean ship has a lineup of full-scale performances that every member of the family will love — some even put on shows across four stages: air, ice, water and theater.

Enjoy deck-defying acrobatics, slacklining, high diving and more at AquaTheater; Olympic-level ice skaters at Studio B; and original and Broadway productions like Mamma Mia! and Hairspray. Remember, many of these activities are included in your cruise fare.

Or, simply kick back to live music at one of the many bars and lounges.

7. Relax and Unwind

Sit back and relax by the pool, where you can enjoy a front-row seat to ocean views. Really settle into your vacation vibes with the signature Lime & Coconut cocktail — a delicious blend of coconut rum, coconut milk, guava syrup and lime juice — while at The Lime & Coconut poolside bar, where DJs and live bands play. And if zero-proof cocktails are your thing, those are on the menu, too, like the Blueberry Nojito and the Watermelon Mint Lemonade.

If you splurged on a luxe two-story suite, have multiple connected staterooms with your family or just want to check out the views from your balcony, your stateroom will be ready by the early afternoon. This is a great time to unwind and unpack (which you only have to do once on a cruise).

8. Complete The Safety Briefing (In Minutes)

Before setting sail, everyone on board needs to complete a safety briefing, and it’s especially important if it’s your first time cruising with Royal Caribbean. Luckily, with the mobile app, you can do it whenever and wherever you like in just a few minutes.

You can also find it on your stateroom TV and do it from the comfort of your bed. The final step is to visit your designated location (AKA muster station), so you can check in with the crew.

9. Set Sail

Head to the pool deck for incredible views and a sail-away party with live music. Post your ‘gram-worthy shots and toast to your trip by making use of your beverage package and grabbing a tropical cocktail inspired by several of the destinations Royal Caribbean visits, like the Bahamian Goombay Smash and the Jamaican Planter’s Punch.

Wrap up day one with a movie under the stars with your family or have a night out on the town with your friends. You can start with dinner, then grab front-row seats to a show and end the night on a high note with a cocktail at one of the bars and lounges where you can karaoke, see a comedian perform or listen to live musicians.

Get Ready for the First of Many Incredible Sailings

There’s a lot to think about before you board your first cruise, and Royal Caribbean has designed simple tools and processes to make the experience seamless and intuitive from the moment you arrive at check-in.

By taking care of the essentials on day one, you can step into your cruise as you plan to continue it: relaxed, care-free and ready for a new world of ocean adventures.