Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
Something I learned on my last cruise this month was from another passenger. He and his wife take a photo of their luggage tag as it has their cabin number on it. They then add it their lock screen wallpaper on their phone. If they accidentally leave their phone somewhere, anyone will know where/who it belongs too. I thought this was great as I saw phones left on tables or bars. What a tip. You of course can change it back after the cruise.
Wipe down frequently touched items in your cabin with lysol wipes: door handles, tv remote and buttons on the tv, the phone, drawer and cabinet door pulls, bathroom faucets, and all counter surfaces.
I like to do the muster drill and grab a bite to eat, then explore. Those are the things I like to do right away. Then I go to my cabin as soon as I can and unpack.
I get a beer in a beer mug and then keep the mug until I go home. I use the mug for my coffee. Cruise ship coffee cups are just too small and I hate juggling 2-3 cups of coffee from the coffee machine to the table. An iced latte in the afternoon made from the milk at the cereal station is another bonus.
I just checked in for my next cruise in 21 days and have already watched the safety video. I always study the deck plans before the cruise, so I’m not lost when I get on board. I will even look at menus online to see what specialty restaurants to go to, or if I even want to go to anything besides the main dining room. I have never been to a sail away party because I’m not crazy about crowds, but I enjoy watching the shore fade away. I either watch from my own balcony or find a quieter space on one of the decks to watch.
I've never been on a real cruise, but before we went to Vegas, we did that for our resort!! Sadly, my husband was injured, badly, and we never got to go. 😢
I always do this, still get lost! For some reason my brain says we are going the right way but my subconscious is niggling saying nooo, it's the other direction. I'm always lost!!!😂 I usually park myself at a bar until my husband finds me and gets me back on track. It's all part of the fun
At sail away we like to watch for the pilot boat to come pick up the harbor pilot from the ship. It’s fun to watch him exit the ship, often via a hanging ladder, onto the pilot boat. We will cheer for him/her and they might wave in return if many cruise passengers are joining us. Best to do this from the panorama deck. You might have to go from side to side to find the pilot boat as it approaches. Sometimes the cruise captain will announce which side of the ship they will be using in his sail away announcement.
We are fortunate to travel as we are retired. We do choose to travel with just carry on luggage. We have learned to enjoy a big brunch before boarding and watch the safety video at the hotel. I will select an 11:30 or noon boarding time to allow the original crush at the port to clear. Once onboard we will stop at muster before we head to the cabin to drop off our bag. As soon as we can get into the cabin we will unpack. Then we head out to explore the ship.
Agree with the carry-ons. My wife and I laugh when we see people coming on board with two or three big suitcases, and we have a carry-on each. The other people are on board for 7-14 days, and we're on for 21.
7:53 when meeting our cabin steward I made sure to tip him over and above the automatic gratuity. I also made sure that he took all the chargeable items out of the cabin refrigerator so I would have room for my caffeine-free sodas I brought with me.
Just want to tell you how special it was for me (and my husband) to meet you yesterday in Fort Lauderdale 😘.We enjoy your channel so much as you always give us relatable material and I have used several of your tips like the- put safe contents in a bag so nothing gets lost under the lip by the door. You and your family are just as lovely in person as you appear on video. From Glynda the Good Witch of the North 😘😘
Here are some of my embarkation day rituals: 1. I keep a brief list on my iPhone of items for my room steward; e.g., Are the items I specified pre-embarkation in the room? Will housekeeping always be in the early afternoon as I requested? How best reach the room steward. You know, practical stuff. As I am an old geezer, I keep a list, again on my phone, of the names of the staff who’ll be my guardian angels during the cruise. Of special note is any bartender who knows how to make a great Bloody Mary. Although the cruises I take are always “gratuities fully included” I ensure those who make me happy are acknowledged with some spending money. 2. I unpack my iPad, Apple Watch and iPhone chargers, get those plugged in, ensuring the plugs actually work; 3. Magnets for the walls for announcements, tickets, etc. 4. Are there plenty of towels and boxes of Kleenex? Yes, I am old and those things matter! 😎 Then I head off for lunch, a cocktail or two, then a nap. Exploring the ship is tomorrow’s big adventure!
I would have loved to see some info on procedures ‘before’ getting onboard, like parking in the terminal, walking or shuttles to the terminal from parking, process through customs, times to arrive, where your bags get dropped, how your bags are tagged, etc.
I much prefer a late embarkation. The crowds are gone from the terminal and there’s no waiting to board. I also want to go directly to my stateroom and not lug any baggage around longer than necessary. Still, I do understand your reasoning and preferences 👍🏽🛳️
Great advice!! Unpacking is a must and not rushing around on that first day makes things so much more enjoyable...leave lots of time to get to the port...viv
In your cabin, check for bed bugs before you unpack. If the Cruise line has to put you in a different room, you don't want to repack everything that may noe have been exposed to the bugs.
On a cruise from Singapore, where I dilocated my knee in the airport (days before cruise), I waited until 2:30 to board and that was my greatest embarkation day. No lines, went straight to muster drill then to my cabin and unpacked as my luggage was already in my cabin, plus the attendant was right there and able to assist with anything I needed as I was the last passanger in his cabins to arrive. Since then, either h ave the hotel hold my luggaage or drop off luggage at the ship, do some sightseeing, and watch safety video before getting on the ship.
I hope you were able to enjoy your cruise despite the knee dislocation? How was the cruise? I was considering a cruise out of Singapore on Princess or NCL to explore SE Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia.
I loved the art classes on MSC and P&O. The cocktail making and show cooking demo on NCL. My husband went to a talk in the theatre on Vision of the Seas, they were telling everyone about shops and discounts etc and everyone that attended was entered into a draw at the end. He won several things including a rather fabulous Tanzanite necklace 🎉 So my advice is definitely go along to stuff and enter the draws you just never know!!
As soon as we get onboard, we will do the muster drill. Next steps would be to get a bite to eat and explore the ship a bit until we are able to head over to our cabin.
I have been going on cruises before 5 times on Royal Caribbean and the most important thing is to register before you go on a cruise that is important because so you can get an early time when you going on a cruise Safelite example morning might be the earliest time that is available
I actually like to play my embarkation time by ear. I agree that if you are a first time cruiser or even if it’s the first time at a particular port you should probably get there early. However depending on how the port is laid out I like to drop my bags off early then leave, go get something to eat and maybe walk around for a bit but as I said, that depends on the port. For example the port in Vancouver is easily accessible to walking to the port from your hotel, dropping off your bags then finding somewhere to get something to eat. You can even take time to walk to the steam clock which is only about 5 minutes away. However the port in Seattle can be a bit confusing and it’s probably better to just get there early and get on the ship as soon as possible. Also one tip for anyone leaving out of Vancouver, don’t try going in where all of the taxis and ride share drop everyone off. If you go up the ramp and use the entrance to the convention center (on the other side of the Pan Pacific) you can find the entrance to drop your bags off and not have to wait in that long like for the elevator for the elevator.
I'm team early embarkation, normally have a drink package. Why not take advantage of what you pay including lunch. Most cruise line don't require room card if they're not ready, you can use your boarding pass.
We like to go right to the MDR for lunch. THAT feels like vacation to us! We've done the Panama Canal and Quebec City to Boston this year. Maybe Alaska next year?? Fun to be cruising again. And your videos have been so helpful and fun.
I love getting to cruise port as early as possible, after all you're paying for that first day! I get FTTF for CCL for that reason, also for early debarkation as I'm an early riser by nature.
I love to book a specialty restaurant for lunch on embarkation day when I can catch a good sale. ( booked several this week on black Friday sales!) I hate the buffet crowds.
What cruise line state room is at 6:00 in this video please? 😻 the one with the seating area on the left across from the bed on the right. And what level state room?
If you want to eat in MDR on embarkation day, remember to wear appropriate clothes to board ship. We always arrive at least the day before and stay in hotel in cruise port. This makes organizing our suitcases, picking out what to wear, etc easy to do. First thing I do once on board is find our room and grab our cards. If possible, we will leave our carry on bags. Check in at muster station and then grab a drink.
Since we have only done charter cruises one of first things after muster is go to our cabin and mark our door with our sign so we can find it later. We do this because all the doors are the same.
I find the main bars, atrium so crowded on embarkation day and long waits. So I suggest heading a more out of the way bar for that mimosa. Also if your room is forward or aft, walk down and take those elevators, the middle main elevator bank is the busiest. ( and people bring on a lot of large luggage themselves idk ,so they fills up quick ) . Is nice to look around right away but avoid elevators as much as possible. Guess it depends on length of your cruise but it is much more relaxing to look around the next day. Never miss sail away, stop unpacking and just go up ha !! I do agree with unpack right away but not on sail away time.
Hi Illana..50 days to embarkation. Yes whenever it is on my app I watch the safety video ahead of time…then i head straight to the muster station…then i am up having a 2 slices of pizza and a Heineken. Thats where i was when i called out to you😂😂For me my ‘ vacation’ does not officially start until I am unpacked😂
I saw this somewhere, but it was mentioned when you put items in your safe, you also leave your house keys and your car keys (if necessary) in there, so when you leave for your return trip home, you aren’t frantically looking for your keys!!! One time I slipped my house keys into an outside pocket on my suitcase, only for the wrong suitcase to be delivered to my home and I had to wait over 1-1/2 hrs for my suitcase & keys to come back. Fortunately, the other lady only lived about 10 minutes from me so she was able to drive here to get her suitcase! Because she knew the remaining suitcase wasn’t hers, the driver took it back with him! So glad it wasn’t winter!! I used to keep a “secret” key hidden outside, but haven’t done it for a few years. Now, I have to make plans to do it again. (I’m getting too old to clamber up some outside shelving, move a small window, then do contortions to undo my 2nd lock, then my door lock! Then, climb back down without killing myself!! 😊 )
I have a fanny pack I wear on the airplane. I keep my keys in that and place into the safe so that my keys are always on me when I'm traveling back home. I accidentally left my keys in my suitcase once and found myself late at night outside my place frantically trying to locate my keys.
I took an Alaska cruise in May, first time solo. Went to my cabin and got my card. It didn’t work so I got a new card. I went in and started to put my jewelry away and my safe didn’t work. No problem, they came and put a new battery in it. A few days into the cruise, my door wouldn’t open. They had to change the whole lock. 😂. No worries, it made the cruise more interesting. Looking forward to my next cruise next month.
Off topic but just wanted to say is I bought the portable hangars you recommended on Amazon and I absolutely love them! I used to bring several wire hangers with us and leave them there on the ship. However since we’ve retired we no longer get things to the dry cleaners!! Thanks for the tip!!❤
On our last cruise in May, embarkation was horrible. On our upcoming cruise, we are going to do a late arrival time and we have priority boarding. Also there is an NFL football game nearby so anyone going to the ship early is going to hit a crowd going to the stadium.
I guess that another thing to think about if you’re staying at a hotel before you go on the cruise then check if that hotel has a shuttle to get to port and when that shuttle leaves for the port when you do your port time
I usually add to it the top of the nightstand, light switches, faucets and the toilet seat. I had to spend too much time in hotels when travelling for work, so it's already a habit is really the first thing I do in the room.
Lots of helpful tips in here, although it feels a little jumbled at times. Thanks for the reminder about where to pick up our cruise cards if they're not given to us in the terminal, and thanks for reminding us to book the shows we want to see ASAP once we're onboard 🙂
We went on one cruise for our 15th anniversary. We were so stupid as we were up the night before packing so we were so tired that we took a nap and missed all the sail away events. Then other than going on a couple shore excursions we pretty much stayed in our tiny dark room except for meals and taking a walk around ship. I forgot we went to coco Cay but even then we stayed to ourselves. I enjoyed our cruise and would love to go again but doubt if we could afford it and my husband is partly disabled now and we live on his retirement. Would love to go on our 45th anniversary next year. I would definitely check out more of the ship and events.
For me, tomorrow is embarkation day. Since my cruise is 21 days, I've got two large checked bags, a carry on, and a personal. I hope I can dump my carry on, into my cabin, after I board. I should be at the ship by 10:00.
The first thing I do is muster station after getting the card. Make sure to eat something because the drink package might sneak up on you early on. Sorry, but I'm one of those that lives off the suitcase. 😂. I travel solo, so I use the "neatly folded pile system " used vs. clean 😂😂😂. Ziplock bags to sort undergarments in a similar fashion. 😂😂😂
I never commit to a time to board the cruise ship. We always fly in to the cruise port city and we cannot predict whether we’ll be on time or not. My main priority is getting a good flight.
I wish they (carnival at least) enforced the arrival time, sucks when the line is super long and you can see peoples arrival time on their sheet and they arent supposed to be there for a few hours. Very frustrating
I’ll be honest, as soon as I board the ship, I do the muster drill and then I post up in the casino. I pick my favorite machine, grab a seat, and then wait until the casino opens!
This time, using a carry-on . Once you arrive at the port. Does your carry-on have to be dropped off like the other luggage? Then you head inside to go through security and check-in desk. or you can roll on with your carryon .
Thank you for your video. Do you know if Royal Caribbean has a chat feature throught their app? I know Carnival has that and it helps us stay in touch with family members while onboard.
One channel recommended taking photo of passport, and emailing to ourselves. I am also going to email my Medicare card and supplement in case I am passed out...Solo traveler.
Hi can you give a name of good 3 party shore excursions company in these ports. Antigua, st Lucia, Barbados, and st Martin ? We go on celebrity Beyond 10 night southern on Nov 15 2024. Thanks ❤😊
As a D+ cruiser on Royal and an Elite cruiser on Celebrity (my two favorite cruise lines), I always plan on getting to the port by about 10:30 AM so can enjoy the early boarding that those frequent cruiser clubs offer.. The most stress that I have when cruising is fear of an accident or mishap that prevents me from getting on the ship. (like a huge traffic accident that completely blocks the highway; of if we are flying to the port, a plane delay). So I never mind getting to the port early and just waiting to board. Once I/we are there the delays boarding and getting our cabin do not bother me. Our first stop is generally an eating place, buffet or cafe. Then we generally go to the main dining room to check out our table (we always request a table for 2 so need to make sure that's honored). Then we just find a place to relax until the cabin is ready.
@@Nrustica YES, we have been at larger table with "strangers" on some cruises. Our experience is that can be good some times and bad other times because some guests don't want to be at the table with the group. We have had people disappear from our table after the first night never to be seen in the dining room again. And we have had great people who were super friendly and loved to make conversation every evening. AND, we have had tables for two where the table were so close together that it was like being at a large table; we eventually made friends with the people at table on both sides of us ........ had a great time too.
Missing thing to do: Locate your table in the MDR in the afternoon before dinner time. When you go to dinner you will be able to walk directly to your table and not have to wait for directions.
I did this and it was wonderful! Just show each other respect. Most people who choose to share a room are social types who are comfortable meeting new people. It will be just great!! Enjoy!
Awesome info another thing I do as soon as I get in cabin is send any items that are wrinkled to cleaners to steam or iron clothing so everything’s ready for dress up nites etc 😊
I bring a spray bottle with me when I travel, and I spray my clothes with water to get the wrinkles out. I understand that this is not suitable for all fabrics. 😊
We're going on 2 / 7 day cruises back to back on the same cruise Carnival ship...and staying in the same cabin...Do we pack everything, leave the ship and come back on or can we leave everything in the cabin and stay on board...? Also celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary on the cruse...Going to bring decorations, string, magnets.... Do you think it would be inappropriate to ask the cabin steward to put the decorations in the room, giving them extra money , while we are out ?
Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
why do I need to download the app?
Something I learned on my last cruise this month was from another passenger. He and his wife take a photo of their luggage tag as it has their cabin number on it. They then add it their lock screen wallpaper on their phone. If they accidentally leave their phone somewhere, anyone will know where/who it belongs too. I thought this was great as I saw phones left on tables or bars. What a tip. You of course can change it back after the cruise.
Great idea!
Very smart!
I always want to unpack as soon as possible- I can’t really relax and feel “on vacation” until that’s out of the way.
I agree
I agree, wholeheartedly! When I’m unpacked, then I’m on vacation!
Same here once everything is put away, organized, hand sanitizer in purse then the fun starts 😊🙏🚢
Same
Do you have tips for special needs cruisers requiring mobility assistance?
Wipe down frequently touched items in your cabin with lysol wipes: door handles, tv remote and buttons on the tv, the phone, drawer and cabinet door pulls, bathroom faucets, and all counter surfaces.
Toilet paper holder. Toilet handle.
The drawers themselves prior to putting clothes in them!
I do the same thing
Spray lysol everywhere , bed , pillows and the carpet..
Unless you are using Lysol correctly it is not doing any good, most people do not know the proper way. Read the instructions.
I like to do the muster drill and grab a bite to eat, then explore. Those are the things I like to do right away. Then I go to my cabin as soon as I can and unpack.
You’re right!! Thanks for sharing
Embarkation day tomorrow!!! Can't wait! RC Wonder of the seas
We are going on that ship for the sencond time, cruise is January 12, can't wait. They have the best bacon I have ever eaten in my life, try it.
I get a beer in a beer mug and then keep the mug until I go home. I use the mug for my coffee. Cruise ship coffee cups are just too small and I hate juggling 2-3 cups of coffee from the coffee machine to the table. An iced latte in the afternoon made from the milk at the cereal station is another bonus.
great idea, although I don't drink beer, I'll have my husband purchase a beer mug, and I'll be set for my coffee and latte's. Thank you for the tip!
We do the same with embarkation drink in RedFrog Tervis cup and use for coffee the rest of the trip &. @ home 😊
I just checked in for my next cruise in 21 days and have already watched the safety video. I always study the deck plans before the cruise, so I’m not lost when I get on board. I will even look at menus online to see what specialty restaurants to go to, or if I even want to go to anything besides the main dining room. I have never been to a sail away party because I’m not crazy about crowds, but I enjoy watching the shore fade away. I either watch from my own balcony or find a quieter space on one of the decks to watch.
I've never been on a real cruise, but before we went to Vegas, we did that for our resort!! Sadly, my husband was injured, badly, and we never got to go. 😢
I always do this, still get lost! For some reason my brain says we are going the right way but my subconscious is niggling saying nooo, it's the other direction. I'm always lost!!!😂 I usually park myself at a bar until my husband finds me and gets me back on track. It's all part of the fun
At sail away we like to watch for the pilot boat to come pick up the harbor pilot from the ship. It’s fun to watch him exit the ship, often via a hanging ladder, onto the pilot boat. We will cheer for him/her and they might wave in return if many cruise passengers are joining us. Best to do this from the panorama deck. You might have to go from side to side to find the pilot boat as it approaches. Sometimes the cruise captain will announce which side of the ship they will be using in his sail away announcement.
We are fortunate to travel as we are retired. We do choose to travel with just carry on luggage. We have learned to enjoy a big brunch before boarding and watch the safety video at the hotel. I will select an 11:30 or noon boarding time to allow the original crush at the port to clear. Once onboard we will stop at muster before we head to the cabin to drop off our bag. As soon as we can get into the cabin we will unpack. Then we head out to explore the ship.
Eat a big meal before you board?
@ Yes, I refuse to scramble into the eating frenzy so a nice leisurely brunch before boarding is my treat.
Agree with the carry-ons. My wife and I laugh when we see people coming on board with two or three big suitcases, and we have a carry-on each. The other people are on board for 7-14 days, and we're on for 21.
7:53 when meeting our cabin steward I made sure to tip him over and above the automatic gratuity. I also made sure that he took all the chargeable items out of the cabin refrigerator so I would have room for my caffeine-free sodas I brought with me.
I put my clothes in packing cubes- unpacking is a breeze/ put my luggage under the bed and I’m good to go.
Packing cubes are fabulous, only way to cruise.
Just want to tell you how special it was for me (and my husband) to meet you yesterday in Fort Lauderdale 😘.We enjoy your channel so much as you always give us relatable material and I have used several of your tips like the- put safe contents in a bag so nothing gets lost under the lip by the door. You and your family are just as lovely in person as you appear on video. From Glynda the Good Witch of the North 😘😘
You’re so sweet! Thanks for your kind words & it was lovely to meet you & your husband as well :)
Here are some of my embarkation day rituals: 1. I keep a brief list on my iPhone of items for my room steward; e.g., Are the items I specified pre-embarkation in the room? Will housekeeping always be in the early afternoon as I requested? How best reach the room steward. You know, practical stuff. As I am an old geezer, I keep a list, again on my phone, of the names of the staff who’ll be my guardian angels during the cruise. Of special note is any bartender who knows how to make a great Bloody Mary. Although the cruises I take are always “gratuities fully included” I ensure those who make me happy are acknowledged with some spending money. 2. I unpack my iPad, Apple Watch and iPhone chargers, get those plugged in, ensuring the plugs actually work; 3. Magnets for the walls for announcements, tickets, etc. 4. Are there plenty of towels and boxes of Kleenex? Yes, I am old and those things matter! 😎 Then I head off for lunch, a cocktail or two, then a nap. Exploring the ship is tomorrow’s big adventure!
Great suggestions!
Mustering is much easier than it used to be. It’s really fast and you might meet some fellow cruisers if you are a social person.
I would have loved to see some info on procedures ‘before’ getting onboard, like parking in the terminal, walking or shuttles to the terminal from parking, process through customs, times to arrive, where your bags get dropped, how your bags are tagged, etc.
It depends so much on the cruise line and the port. So many variables.
I much prefer a late embarkation. The crowds are gone from the terminal and there’s no waiting to board. I also want to go directly to my stateroom and not lug any baggage around longer than necessary.
Still, I do understand your reasoning and preferences 👍🏽🛳️
Great advice!! Unpacking is a must and not rushing around on that first day makes things so much more enjoyable...leave lots of time to get to the port...viv
In your cabin, check for bed bugs before you unpack. If the Cruise line has to put you in a different room, you don't want to repack everything that may noe have been exposed to the bugs.
Yes! I always travel with bedbug spray on every cruise and hotel and spray the room down. Then I Lysol everything
On a cruise from Singapore, where I dilocated my knee in the airport (days before cruise), I waited until 2:30 to board and that was my greatest embarkation day. No lines, went straight to muster drill then to my cabin and unpacked as my luggage was already in my cabin, plus the attendant was right there and able to assist with anything I needed as I was the last passanger in his cabins to arrive. Since then, either h
ave the hotel hold my luggaage or drop off luggage at the ship, do some sightseeing, and watch safety video before getting on the ship.
I hope you were able to enjoy your cruise despite the knee dislocation? How was the cruise? I was considering a cruise out of Singapore on Princess or NCL to explore SE Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia.
10:14 Love your videos .! You always remind me of something I forgot . Also some great tips on things that may have changed . Thank you 😊
Heading to Bermudan! My first cruise . Leaving Nov 3rd ❤🎉
Awesome! Enjoy!
NEVER, EVER put detailed information like this.. your home/car etc is vulnerable to theft. Post photos after trip etc
Enjoy 😊
Norwegian Breakaway? I'm on that cruise.
Have a great time!!! Cruising is a blast! 🎉
Thanks for this info. Going on our first cruise in February on Princess. Super excited and but nervous.
Nothing to be nervous about at all. Just get to the boat on time, don’t overpack, don’t overthink anything.
I loved the art classes on MSC and P&O. The cocktail making and show cooking demo on NCL. My husband went to a talk in the theatre on Vision of the Seas, they were telling everyone about shops and discounts etc and everyone that attended was entered into a draw at the end. He won several things including a rather fabulous Tanzanite necklace 🎉 So my advice is definitely go along to stuff and enter the draws you just never know!!
Once you've unpacked you will feel free and actually on vacation.
As soon as we get onboard, we will do the muster drill. Next steps would be to get a bite to eat and explore the ship a bit until we are able to head over to our cabin.
Exactly what I do in that order
I'm going on my first cruise in March with carnival your videos are so informative
I have been going on cruises before 5 times on Royal Caribbean and the most important thing is to register before you go on a cruise that is important because so you can get an early time when you going on a cruise Safelite example morning might be the earliest time that is available
I actually like to play my embarkation time by ear. I agree that if you are a first time cruiser or even if it’s the first time at a particular port you should probably get there early. However depending on how the port is laid out I like to drop my bags off early then leave, go get something to eat and maybe walk around for a bit but as I said, that depends on the port. For example the port in Vancouver is easily accessible to walking to the port from your hotel, dropping off your bags then finding somewhere to get something to eat. You can even take time to walk to the steam clock which is only about 5 minutes away. However the port in Seattle can be a bit confusing and it’s probably better to just get there early and get on the ship as soon as possible.
Also one tip for anyone leaving out of Vancouver, don’t try going in where all of the taxis and ride share drop everyone off. If you go up the ramp and use the entrance to the convention center (on the other side of the Pan Pacific) you can find the entrance to drop your bags off and not have to wait in that long like for the elevator for the elevator.
Perfects tips Ilana.... Thank you!
Muster first, lunch second, but never in the buffet!
I'm team early embarkation, normally have a drink package. Why not take advantage of what you pay including lunch. Most cruise line don't require room card if they're not ready, you can use your boarding pass.
We like to go right to the MDR for lunch. THAT feels like vacation to us! We've done the Panama Canal and Quebec City to Boston this year. Maybe Alaska next year?? Fun to be cruising again. And your videos have been so helpful and fun.
Hi Ilana, Thank you for sharing some really good tips all makes your cruise 🚢 a lot easier & happier all the best Lin 💖🙂👍
I love getting to cruise port as early as possible, after all you're paying for that first day! I get FTTF for CCL for that reason, also for early debarkation as I'm an early riser by nature.
Many thanks to your infos! As I am getting ready for my first long cruise, your video is definitely a great help.
This is my first time on the cruise ship.Thank you for all the informations.
Hi Ilana, I do the Muster Drill, grab a bite to eat and hangout on the Lido Deck😁 Thank you for sharing
Stay away front the crowded buffet for embarkation day lunch. I like the small bite options at Princess International Café
I love to book a specialty restaurant for lunch on embarkation day when I can catch a good sale. ( booked several this week on black Friday sales!) I hate the buffet crowds.
First I heard of that 😊
What cruise line state room is at 6:00 in this video please? 😻 the one with the seating area on the left across from the bed on the right. And what level state room?
If you want to eat in MDR on embarkation day, remember to wear appropriate clothes to board ship. We always arrive at least the day before and stay in hotel in cruise port. This makes organizing our suitcases, picking out what to wear, etc easy to do. First thing I do once on board is find our room and grab our cards. If possible, we will leave our carry on bags. Check in at muster station and then grab a drink.
Thank you so much for this good info!!!
Since we have only done charter cruises one of first things after muster is go to our cabin and mark our door with our sign so we can find it later. We do this because all the doors are the same.
I find the main bars, atrium so crowded on embarkation day and long waits. So I suggest heading a more out of the way bar for that mimosa. Also if your room is forward or aft, walk down and take those elevators, the middle main elevator bank is the busiest. ( and people bring on a lot of large luggage themselves idk ,so they fills up quick ) . Is nice to look around right away but avoid elevators as much as possible. Guess it depends on length of your cruise but it is much more relaxing to look around the next day. Never miss sail away, stop unpacking and just go up ha !! I do agree with unpack right away but not on sail away time.
Thank you for another informative video. Always wonderful tips and advice.
Blessings and Peace 🕊 🙏 ✝️
Very informative, thanks. Getting a lot of tips for my upcoming first cruise. Solo on NCL.
Hi Illana..50 days to embarkation. Yes whenever it is on my app I watch the safety video ahead of time…then i head straight to the muster station…then i am up having a 2 slices of pizza and a Heineken. Thats where i was when i called out to you😂😂For me my ‘ vacation’ does not officially start until I am unpacked😂
Going on my first cruise in two weeks! Your videos have been very helpful! Thank you so much!
I saw this somewhere, but it was mentioned when you put items in your safe, you also leave your house keys and your car keys (if necessary) in there, so when you leave for your return trip home, you aren’t frantically looking for your keys!!!
One time I slipped my house keys into an outside pocket on my suitcase, only for the wrong suitcase to be delivered to my home and I had to wait over 1-1/2 hrs for my suitcase & keys to come back. Fortunately, the other lady only lived about 10 minutes from me so she was able to drive here to get her suitcase! Because she knew the remaining suitcase wasn’t hers, the driver took it back with him! So glad it wasn’t winter!!
I used to keep a “secret” key hidden outside, but haven’t done it for a few years. Now, I have to make plans to do it again. (I’m getting too old to clamber up some outside shelving, move a small window, then do contortions to undo my 2nd lock, then my door lock! Then, climb back down without killing myself!! 😊 )
I have a fanny pack I wear on the airplane. I keep my keys in that and place into the safe so that my keys are always on me when I'm traveling back home. I accidentally left my keys in my suitcase once and found myself late at night outside my place frantically trying to locate my keys.
Love your boarding outfit with shorts under dress. What brand is it. Love your videos
I took an Alaska cruise in May, first time solo. Went to my cabin and got my card. It didn’t work so I got a new card. I went in and started to put my jewelry away and my safe didn’t work. No problem, they came and put a new battery in it. A few days into the cruise, my door wouldn’t open. They had to change the whole lock. 😂. No worries, it made the cruise more interesting. Looking forward to my next cruise next month.
Great attitude!
Off topic but just wanted to say is I bought the portable hangars you recommended on Amazon and I absolutely love them! I used to bring several wire hangers with us and leave them there on the ship. However since we’ve retired we no longer get things to the dry cleaners!! Thanks for the tip!!❤
I just got them too for our next cruise. And yep I used to bring the wire ones but I ran out too! ha
We always go to the dining room and find where we are sitting for dinner. And change it if needed.
Absolutely! Request a table by the window nice and early if you would like one. It really does pay off! ☺️
We failed to do this last cruise and were stuck in an undesirable location the entire cruise.
All about the window! 🪟
On our last cruise in May, embarkation was horrible. On our upcoming cruise, we are going to do a late arrival time and we have priority boarding. Also there is an NFL football game nearby so anyone going to the ship early is going to hit a crowd going to the stadium.
I guess that another thing to think about if you’re staying at a hotel before you go on the cruise then check if that hotel has a shuttle to get to port and when that shuttle leaves for the port when you do your port time
My strong suggestion is to bring disinfectant wipes & wipe down the phone AND the TV remote. Perhaps the door handle and drawer handles.
so your cleaner can touch everything every day all over again?
I usually add to it the top of the nightstand, light switches, faucets and the toilet seat.
I had to spend too much time in hotels when travelling for work, so it's already a habit is really the first thing I do in the room.
Lots of helpful tips in here, although it feels a little jumbled at times. Thanks for the reminder about where to pick up our cruise cards if they're not given to us in the terminal, and thanks for reminding us to book the shows we want to see ASAP once we're onboard 🙂
Thank you, Ilana! Next cruise for us is November 9 out of Ft. Lauderdale.
So exciting!!
I learnt a lot! I'm going for the first time very soon!
First time cruising with fam in 2025 icon royal carribean . Your videos have been so helpful!
Unless things have changed, Airplane Mode on a cell means you can not connect to the ship intranet
My first cruise is in april 2026. Love your videos. Carnival horizon abc islands
You picked a great first itinerary!
@@ErikaEmody yep! TH-cam group meetup as well @CME Traveling, @SeaLeg Journeys, @Ocean2Ocean and more
Great videos! And you look great too - good dress style!
Your videos have been very helpful. Going on my first cruise on NCL this coming week and I’m going Solo. And suggestions for solo cruisers?
We went on one cruise for our 15th anniversary. We were so stupid as we were up the night before packing so we were so tired that we took a nap and missed all the sail away events. Then other than going on a couple shore excursions we pretty much stayed in our tiny dark room except for meals and taking a walk around ship. I forgot we went to coco Cay but even then we stayed to ourselves. I enjoyed our cruise and would love to go again but doubt if we could afford it and my husband is partly disabled now and we live on his retirement. Would love to go on our 45th anniversary next year. I would definitely check out more of the ship and events.
Thank you I am going 2 time I enjoy it we are going on 28 Feb my self and wife thank you
Yes, we did not all the way around the outside of the ship. They had outside food only on ses days.
Thank you very much for your videos and tips! I like your top. Is there a link for it on Amazon?
For me, tomorrow is embarkation day. Since my cruise is 21 days, I've got two large checked bags, a carry on, and a personal. I hope I can dump my carry on, into my cabin, after I board.
I should be at the ship by 10:00.
Happy sailing!!!
The first thing I do is muster station after getting the card. Make sure to eat something because the drink package might sneak up on you early on. Sorry, but I'm one of those that lives off the suitcase. 😂. I travel solo, so I use the "neatly folded pile system " used vs. clean 😂😂😂. Ziplock bags to sort undergarments in a similar fashion. 😂😂😂
I never commit to a time to board the cruise ship. We always fly in to the cruise port city and we cannot predict whether we’ll be on time or not. My main priority is getting a good flight.
I wish they (carnival at least) enforced the arrival time, sucks when the line is super long and you can see peoples arrival time on their sheet and they arent supposed to be there for a few hours. Very frustrating
How can I obtain a priority check-in with Disney cruise lines?
I’ll be honest, as soon as I board the ship, I do the muster drill and then I post up in the casino. I pick my favorite machine, grab a seat, and then wait until the casino opens!
is it you, my aunt Nora?😂
Great presentation. Is there another one for the end of the cruise?
This time, using a carry-on . Once you arrive at the port. Does your carry-on have to be dropped off like the other luggage? Then you head inside to go through security and check-in desk. or you can roll on with your carryon .
I remember 1 cruise we didn't try the free pub onboard until day 5 and were so sorry we had missed out on it!!😅
Free pub? As in free beer too?
Out of them all, Princess, but I cruise on carnival
Thank you...much appreciated.
Thank you for your video. Do you know if Royal Caribbean has a chat feature throught their app? I know Carnival has that and it helps us stay in touch with family members while onboard.
What ship was the one you showed ? It's BEAUTIFUL ❤
Use Clorox wipes to wipe down phone receiver, light switches, door handles, etc.
Two weeks from now on my way to Boston Port for 7-day Canada cruise on Jewel of the Seas!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
We’re right now heading toward our last port of Halifax. Weather has been fantastic. In the pool and hot tubs daily.
One channel recommended taking photo of passport, and emailing to ourselves. I am also going to email my Medicare card and supplement in case I am passed out...Solo traveler.
Perfect tips llana thank you! 🎃🤎🧡🛳️🛳️🛳️🧡🤎🎃🖤🎃🧡🍂🍂🍂🍃👻👻🍃🧡🛳️🛳️🧡🤎🖤🤎🧡🍂🍂🍂👻🍃❤️🍂🛳️🛳️🧡🤎🎃🖤🖤🖤🎃🤎🛳️🛳️🧡🧡🍂🍂❤️🍃👻👻👻🍃🧡🧡🤎🎃🖤🖤
Hi can you give a name of good 3 party shore excursions company in these ports. Antigua, st Lucia, Barbados, and st Martin ? We go on celebrity Beyond 10 night southern on Nov 15 2024. Thanks ❤😊
As a D+ cruiser on Royal and an Elite cruiser on Celebrity (my two favorite cruise lines), I always plan on getting to the port by about 10:30 AM so can enjoy the early boarding that those frequent cruiser clubs offer.. The most stress that I have when cruising is fear of an accident or mishap that prevents me from getting on the ship. (like a huge traffic accident that completely blocks the highway; of if we are flying to the port, a plane delay). So I never mind getting to the port early and just waiting to board. Once I/we are there the delays boarding and getting our cabin do not bother me. Our first stop is generally an eating place, buffet or cafe. Then we generally go to the main dining room to check out our table (we always request a table for 2 so need to make sure that's honored). Then we just find a place to relax until the cabin is ready.
Have you ever been seated at a group table with strangers? I love it. By the end of the crews we're all familiar and conversant
@@Nrustica YES, we have been at larger table with "strangers" on some cruises. Our experience is that can be good some times and bad other times because some guests don't want to be at the table with the group. We have had people disappear from our table after the first night never to be seen in the dining room again. And we have had great people who were super friendly and loved to make conversation every evening.
AND, we have had tables for two where the table were so close together that it was like being at a large table; we eventually made friends with the people at table on both sides of us ........ had a great time too.
Totally agree we fly in, a little stressed until u actually make it there cause sometimes flights can get cancelled or delayed 😊🙏🚢
Missing thing to do: Locate your table in the MDR in the afternoon before dinner time. When you go to dinner you will be able to walk directly to your table and not have to wait for directions.
I’m solo cruising with a room share option with another solo cruiser…any tips for co-existing with a stranger for a week?
I did this and it was wonderful! Just show each other respect. Most people who choose to share a room are social types who are comfortable meeting new people. It will be just great!! Enjoy!
If you have main dining room table reservations. Then go to main dinning room and find out where your table is located.
Where can we find the beach tote you have with the frill ?
What beverages are u allowed to bring aboard ship &how much....or where do i find this info out??
Miss pooparie ! Thanks for all these tips xx
Awesome info another thing I do as soon as I get in cabin is send any items that are wrinkled to cleaners to steam or iron clothing so everything’s ready for dress up nites etc 😊
I bring a spray bottle with me when I travel, and I spray my clothes with water to get the wrinkles out. I understand that this is not suitable for all fabrics. 😊
with the drink packages are you allowed to fill a refillable bottle with soda and bring it to your room if you've already drank your allotted 12 cans?
We're going on 2 / 7 day cruises back to back on the same cruise Carnival ship...and staying in the same cabin...Do we pack everything, leave the ship and come back on or can we leave everything in the cabin and stay on board...? Also celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary on the cruse...Going to bring decorations, string, magnets.... Do you think it would be inappropriate to ask the cabin steward to put the decorations in the room, giving them extra money , while we are out ?
How many hangers do we get to start with on Princess?
Please let me know if I can use the cruise phone to call to another cavin, and take a stroller for my baby
Yes you can use the phone to call another room. And yes, you can bring a stroller.
Your hair looks fabulous.