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For me, biggest mistake is over-planning. You need to leave some room for resting and for more spontaneous decisions. Don't plan every minute of every day and end up feeling like you HAVE to do things you no longer feel like.
not keeping clothes for last day when putting luggage out the night before. I packed my wife's clothes while she was in the shower and put the bags out. When she was done, the bags were gone. Had to be creative with swimsuits and whatever else was left in the cabin. Still hear about this 20 years later.
My dad left his wife’s suitcase on the bed when he loaded up the car to drive to the port for a two week cruise. No one realized most of her clothes were missing until we were about to board. He was lucky she took it so calmly.
❤ “We are on vacation. There is nothing to complain about!” Attitude can make all the difference in our experiences. Don’t forget to pack an extra supply of joy to share with everyone you meet. Sprinkle it in your coffee, even 😊
The biggest mistake I’ve ever made was forgetting my passport. I got lucky though because this was a cruise I was going to my mom’s house to leave out of & she had a copy of my birth certificate but not following my usual routine before leaving my house I forgot it & didn’t realize it until I was already at the airport. To your drinking one my mom told me about her experience on her very first cruise back in the mid 80’s. My mom didn’t really drink much but she figured this was one of her rare vacations without kids & she didn’t realize how strong the drinks were. She said after a couple she went to stand up and said “this boat is really rocking.” She then told me that the bartender told her “mam, we haven’t left yet.” 😂
As long as you have your passport and credit cards you can solve almost any problem that comes up. Not so much without them. We always do a document check right before we leave for the airport.
Never had to test how helpful it would be, but I also have those documents as well as the information needed to cancel any credit cards saved in a password protected file on my laptop.
I absolutely agree that cruising with the wrong people is a big mistake! On one of our first cruises to Alaska we went with relatives and they complained incessantly about the wait staff, the food, the cost of excursions, the casino and on and on. It was so embarrassing to be with them, especially at dinner. People that complain are absolutely the biggest drag on a cruise.
I wish that I had explored the ship more thoroughly. There are parts of the ship that I did not even see, and wish that I had sat in the aft area and watched the sea from there. A week goes by way too fast!
Not ordering the morning room service coffee is one I regret, I will not forget on my next cruise! ☺ The other one for me is not taking enough pictures of my husband and kids and myself all together when we cruise without friends. I have been shy to ask other travelers to help, but in the future I will just ask 😊
@@LifeWellCruised I guess I'm just surprised your Facebook group didn't talk about it, evidently. They're probably mostly experienced cruisers and they all just know better than NOT get insurance.
Good video, as usual. I am guilty of not putting the "Do Not Disturb" sign out while taking a shower. The poor young cabin attendant saw things that just can't be unseen. I would add, not using sun screen on the first couple of days. You see a lot of lobsters walking around during the first couple of days of a cruise.
Eggs were not in Ice. I had omelette made. 15 min after eating. Sharp pain hit me. Sick, then all of us were rocking and rolling in a storm . Feb 😢 I found the bathroom is the safest place . Nothing was falling
Love your channel. I travel SOLO because my friends and family are jerks 😂 I go to meet people and have fun living life. Huge recommendation, LOOK AT THE DECK PLAN!!!! I picked one of the highest balconies I could and it was amazing, until the first day at sea. I was directly below the water slide. Find a cabin. Look at the deck plan. What is above and below you? Book it if it looks good. (NCL gave $200 back on my stupidity but my cabin stew made fun of me daily. I gave him the $200 in cash last day)
We just did out first cruise. I regret spending ages looking at review websites, it's just full of scaremongers. I was unnecessarily concerned. Best holiday ever, another 5 booked
Yes I bring an extra pair of glasses and shades too! I have biker shorts I wear on cruises under my dresses, and I never thought to put “Donot Disturb sign on my cabin door when taking a shower, this is a great tip! Thanks for sharing 😎
Many years ago, the driver taking me to the airport asked if I had a spare pair of glasses with me. He told me I should ALWAYS have a spare pair in my luggage. Since I’m blind without my glasses, I took that advice to heart. Always made sure I had a spare, even though I never needed them. Until I did. Shortly after arriving in France a few years ago, I did a face plant on the streets of Paris. Physical damage was not as bad as it might have been, but the glasses were destroyed. At least I knew I had the spares.
@@Reneemfenn Many charge between $3-$5 now (Norwegian, Celebrity), even for coffee. Holland America still offers free room service for most items at any time of day (or night). Some fancier foods (e.g., surf and turf, souffles, etc.) come with a small upcharge.
@Reneemfenn Royal, Celebrity, Holland, etc. It's usually patries, fruit, coffee, cereal like a continental breakfast. Holland includes eggs and stuff also.
We took a guaranteed cabin and wound up under the lido deck. We heard chairs scraping at all hours, music, and other noises. We learned to always pick the cabin we want and to add no upgrades.
Husband and I are going on our first cruise ever next week and just wanted to say thank you for your videos. They have been very helpful preparing us on what to expect 😊
We cruised last May and one thing i did that I thought was really helpful was looking at the weather forecasts online for our embarkation city and our ports of call and it was the same everywhere, "very hot and humid". We started drinking a lot of water throughout the cruise and while at ports. We were in Grand Cayman and as we were waiting at the tender port to get back on the ship, we had heard about some people getting heat exhaustion. Alcohol is a diuretic, so when it gets hot, you need to be careful.
Fortunately I don't need glasses for distance, but I keep a backup pair of reading glasses and sunglasses in each bag. By the way, the best place to get sunglasses is in the fishing section of the sporting goods. They look just like regular sunglasses, but you get polarized lenses without paying a premium for them. And yes, polarized lenses make a ton of difference.
I bought "travel shirts" for husband and me. They are light weight quick dry button shirts with chest pockets that seal closed. When we're about to board, we put our passports in one pocket and boarding documents in the other and seal the pockets shut. This has "cured" the fumbling to retrieve the documents, can't remember, and oh no I forgot.... It really speeds up the boarding process because we can easily drop the documents back in the pockets until we have time to put them in a more permanent spot. Before we return, we repeat that process, put the debarking documents in our travel shirt/jacket so they're all handy for leaving and not in our hands or zipped up in a bag, or left behind. It's so easy to put down the documents and forget to pick them back up, but it's just as easy to slip them in those chest pockets and seal the pockets shut so they don't fall out. Some pockets have a button or snap, some have velcro closing. Some of the shirts are "river" or "fishing" shirts.
I always tip Bar tender and Butler. It always get great returns.... They ofter give higher quality booze above basic Drink packages. Butler always leaves additional Bottles of liquor and mixers to our room.
Something I regret on my first cruise was not booking a debarkation tour. We booked an airport transfer and our flight wasn't until 6pm. By 9am we were already out and had to wait in the floor for about 6hours in the airport because we couldn't check in. Then, I realized there are actually tours that pick you up in the cruise on debarkation day and drop you off in the airport in time for your flight
We were like that although I did originally book one but worked out our flight was going to be too close so we cancelled it. Then not long before our cruise and after booking another way to airport our plane time changed to a later time so we would have ended up having enough to see the original booking.
We did this in Ft. Lauderdale and really enjoyed the debarkation tour. The coach bus then took us directly to the airport. It’s a great way to pass some time if you have a later flight and luggage to deal with.
I always bring an older pair of Rx glasses and Rx sunglasses on the trips, and also little eyeglass repair kits. Also: To make sure I don't have the wrong ship time or local time in a port, I set a Timer on my phone for the amount of allotted hours. Example: If we arrive at a port at 9 am and have to be aboard at 4 pm, I set my phone to sound an alam in 5 hours to let me know to start heading back.
I regret not bringing my own mask, snorkel and swim fins. Provided masks and fins didn't fit, were not clean enough and easily fogged. Yeah, this kind of stuff take a lot of room in our bags, but snorkeling was a big part of our trip and I think it would have been worth it.
I use reading glasses, and I am completely dependent on them for anything close-up. I take an extra pair so that if anything happens to them, I will be able to function for the rest of the cruise.
I usually bring a pair of my old glasses on my cruises. I try to get back on the ship at least 2 hours before departing from a port. I book early excursions just in case something happens.
I#1 mistake - I cruised with a neighbour who seemed perfectly nice to live beside. Sleeping in the same cabin was a nightmare. She drank like a fish, was inappropriate in public and snored like a chainsaw each and every night! Longest 10 days of my life. 😮
On a recent Norway cruise with P&O I booked what every cruise blog told me was one of the worst cabins: at the stern (engine noise), above the open smoking deck, one deck above a late night venue. Didn't hear a thing from the venue, didn't feel engine noise, didn't smell any smoke. In fact, I didn't even know there was a toddler in the cabin next to me until the third day when I met them in the corridor. I am glad I didn't book below the pool deck though: I'd much rather put up with late night noise than early morning noise. I haven't spent so much as a penny in cash on the last few cruises I've been on. I don't even bother taking local currency these days, unless I know I'm going somewhere that won't take card payments. I'm guessing the 'tipping' thing is an Americanism. Totally agree on the drinks package - on many cruises you need to drink a *lot* to get value for money. I almost always book excursions through third parties - the savings can often be >50% per trip.
I’ll say you kind of contradicted yourself by saying you didn’t hear anything, not even the toddler, but then said you are glad you didn’t book under the pool as you’d rather have night time noise vs morning. Maybe I read it wrong 🤷🏻♂️
We booked specialty dining in advance with a free bottle of wine. What we didn't know is that you had to go on the first night of the cruise in order to get it
My family and I went on vacation in August and all my husband did was worry and complain. He said it was one of the worst vacations we had but didn’t realize he caused most of the problems. I may need to go without him next time.😆
I wear prescription sunglasses so I usually bring a back up pair of those. As far as my Passport goes, it never gets packed in checked luggage. I always keep it with me just like my other valuables. The one thing I regret not bringing with me on our last cruise with anti-diarrhea medication. We had it on our list but couldn’t find the small bottle of Pepto-Bismol that we had. And of course, we couldn’t find any on our first port either. I’ll never go another cruise without it.
One thing I learned is a mistake; perceiving the difference a balcony will actually make for you. Five cruises in, or last one was our first balcony, and the difference is nearly palpable. I'm going to hate it if we have to go back to an inside cabin again. Not enough to not cruise but i will scower a bit on the inside.
Adding this separately. I have added this to your wonderfully informative vids before. Print off extra bag tags (they are double sided so you can cut them down for 2 per page) and put one in each checked bag (for the ship).
We always fly in a day early so we don't worry about missing our cruise. I also wear a watch (with a $20.00 battery) so we won't miss embarkation from a port. I set my watch to ship time and we are good.
Oh Illana the story about the rum punches hit home..In the 70s I dated a cruise director, he was coming off contract in PR and i was coming off another ship where we met up for vacation, he had to do so many errands and we were running around and it was hot and i was thirsty. I am not a big drinker the sweet rum punches were so good and i matched his drinking..well..you know what happened then…never again! The other thing is I am a Princess cruiser so when i am traveling with friends who love another line…I really keep my mouth shut! Its a benefit for all involved..just enjoy….A while back my in-laws left their passports at home…fortunately it was in Florida, they paid one of my sons friends to drive 2 hours to the port to hand it to them..just in the nick of Time…phew! Thanks Ilana🚢🙂
I remember being in Asia , when we went to Cambodia quite a few people came back with food poisoning back onto board ship , we ate out a few times in Asia, and was fine, Singapore and Malaysia very clean, even cleaner than some of the places I have ate in United Kingdom
I took a behind the fun tour on Carnival once and the chief engineer told us that the most common alarm they get is because of people taking showers with their bathroom door open. It’s usually a silent alarm that triggers in the engineering room and they call down to verify that that is what it is before sending security.
Regarding glasses, we wear readers And I always have at least 3 with me for travel. Normal days I have 2. The one I always have on me and one in my purse. 9 out o 10 times my husband forgets his and always asking for mine. 😂. He even wore my pink "cat shaped" ones like his mom wore in the 60s. He looks good in pink.😂
I always travel with an extra pair of glasses. I've never needed them, but there's always a first time. I did once forget to change my watch, but fortunately all I missed was most of a lecture I wanted to attend. Still, lesson learned.
Ilana, on the first few cruises we noticed that the lines were long in customer service, buffets, etc. Having a few cruises under our belts, I recommend going early (guaranteed spot) or avoiding peak times. It has always worked out!😉
Great tip, I didn’t realize they are open 24/7 😳 I ask them their hours, because we wanted to return to check something and we told they are always ope! So if lines long, wait until late at night or early am!
I had a brief moment of panic when you included Thanksgiving on your list of holidays because I never thought of that and my next cruise is that whole long weekend. But then I remembered I’m on Virgin 😂😂🎉
Sometimes a cabin located beneath an open deck can yield an unexpected joy. We noticed a lot of foot traffic directly over our cabin. We soon realized a rhythm to them. It turned out to be where a very good Cajun band was playing. Theyvwere a lot of fun..enough to keep us in the audience and out of our cabin
We always bring our old prescription sunglasses and regular glasses. Also all the medicine we hope we won't need. We too love the Princess medallion. We travel with a group of 10 and can locate our friends.
Good Morning Ilana, thank you for these helpful tips and everything you, Frank, and Ethan do to help everyone enjoy their cruises more. I have yet to do my first cruise and I have many fears, some of which you have voiced here; prescription glasses, illness, oversleeping, port excursions, etc... Thank you again for the reminders. Happy cruising 🛳 Blessings and Peace 🕊 🙏 ✝️
@@LifeWellCruised Thank you Ilana, ♥️ Someday my cruise will happen and when it does I will be prepared because of you and your family. Happy cruising 🛳 Blessings and Peace 🕊 🙏 ✝️
My biggest mistake is over planning our cruise when we got on the ship. I had a schedule for everything that was a big big mistake. We’re going on a cruise again next year. This will be my fifth or six crews this time no overplanning!
Some great points here! I have to confess that for my first several cruises I always used to just book inside cabins as the theory was "only using them for sleeping and the extra money can be used for other things". Well for a special occasion I booked a suite on HAL and well, no I only book cabins or good verandas. The balcony is such a great place to just relax, have a drink etc., especially on a sea day or you just want to unwind. As for the rum punch, being from the Caribbean rum punch isn't like rum punch in the USA etc., it's way stronger. I used to help out on a catamaran many years ago in Barbados and we always had a chuckle at the tourists who started drinking hard and were worse the wear halfway into the excursion, but sadly this also ruined their experience so yes, beware of the rum punch!
Mistake I've made was overpacking for a cruise. I find that booking excursions too far ahead is dangerous as they can be cancelled and you end up with cruise credit for a cruise company you may not go on again. Bringing my own water bottle- no drinks package.. the right cabin location are all things we got right thanks to your videos on TH-cam.
Not so much overpacking, but I always manage to have something I don't need and a corresponding thing I should have brought instead. I always bring a Hawaiian shirt to tropical places but rarely wear it and on a trip last year one restaurant required a collared shirt for men and that Hawaiian shirt was the only thing I had with a collar because I forgot to pack a polo. No worries though, there were several other guys there with similar shirts.
I wear contacts but always bring my prescription glasses as a backup. However, on my first two cruises (earlier this year), I definitely overpacked and didn't have room for some of the things you've mentioned in other videos as being essential. On my last cruise (from Hawaii to Vancouver in April/May) I packed warm and cool weather clothes and ended up with some clothes that were never worn. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson for the next cruise.
Got back 2 weeks ago from New England/Canada on Emerald Princess. Drink package was included in Princess Plus package. We bought that because it included crew gratuities, unlimited WiFi, unlimited room service, premium coffees, teas and desserts. Totally worth it even though we didn’t drink a lot of alcoholic beverages! And, BTW, the Princess Medallion worked like a charm. I could find my husband wherever he was on the ship.
Always pack two or three reading glasses, and 2 or 3 sunglasses. That came in handy...first day in Barcelona before the cruise and my "original" sunglasses broke. Glad for the backup!
Flighting in to a cruise port , this has been included in the holiday, flights included , we were delayed 9 and a half hours from Birmingham (UK) to Barbados , was quite interesting the safety briefing before the cruise ship
Not so much a regret, as a lesson learned. First cruise last December thru Panama canal I spent 2 nights in Panama City before the cruise. I did not know their Mother's Day is in December. I was told you’ll never get into any restaurant, even 4 star hotel I was in said I had to eat breakfast by 7am because Mother's Day brunch. Had I known I would have gone to nicer restaurants the day before and eaten at fish market when restaurants were full.
I started months before cruise, saving my single dollar bills, this way always had bills for tips. It worked put great. I already started again for April 2025 cruise
I would add checking holidays in other countries if you're traveling outside the US (cruising or not). My husband and I decided to visit Niagara Falls before the US national holiday, the 4th. So we went... on the FIRST of July. Had no idea Canada Day existed. I always check now if I'm leaving the country for anything. If you can't prevent going during another country's holiday or school break, at least you'll be prepared for it.
We definitely always travel with spare glasses because my FIL has broken his multiple times. We also always travel with a first aid kit geared towards wherever we are traveling, learned the importance of this one on a trip to China. Recently added a thermometer to our first aid kit just in case anyone feels icky I can check for fever so I can better assess what is wrong.
Regarding he drinks package I think if you get it in the lower en of 85-90 dollars it’s worth getting it just for peace of mind but if you’re getting it late and it’s at 120+ then it’s just probably best to get the non alcoholic package and pay on a drink by drink basis.
The family next to me were very noisy late at night. They were not partners but children were very loud and slammed the doors several times. My first cruise but I’m going to cruise again😊
Only done to 2 cruises so kind of a newbie but I'm hooked now sok got 3 more booked over the next 18 months . Definitely taking an extra pair of reading glasses next cruise, & not going to overpack again. Also taking magnetic hooks which will come in useful...Happy Cruising all🛳🙂
Hi allana , speaking of rum punch, in st Thomas , Jamaica, other Caribbean ports they probably use 100 proof or 151 rum cheap but very very powerful it only taks a couple and loaded it’s not just Bacardi or if they say it is they can pour in a different bottle be careful
Hi Ilana! Yes, I also caused our cabin fire alarm to go off while drying my hair last year while cruising with Carnival Venezia. I received a phone call just immediately followed by a visit from a fire safety engineer. He was very nice and just suggested to leave the bathroom door open next time so the bathroom extractor fan helps with air circulation.
Yes I took a ferry when in Spain and started getting anxiety about missing it to get back on time since not familiar. So I got of bought my ticket to get right back on.
Omg glasses thing yes. My vision is -4 and if I don't have my glasses I may as well be blind. I take an extra pair of glasses on every single vacation!
Always felt that I was packing too many medications until this past March my husband and I got Covid. So happy for the Tylenol, anti acid and Imodium! Next cruise I will pack just as much plus a little more just in case.
The drink package on Viking is well worth it, the cost of the package averages only $25.00 a day, so just 3 drinks, you will break even. Another advantage is you can choose from premium wine, which is not part of free wine with meals.
Cruising with the wrong people. I am going on my 13th and 14th cruises solo later this year. I did go on a cruise with a friend of mine. I thought we were close but I found out on the cruise on the Carnival Splendour in June that my Friend was a complainer. I am a smoker and a drinker and although we agreed before the cruise that it would be fine if we didn't spend all our time together she was upset she couldn't spend much time with me. I was enjoying the company of others. She was so angry we haven't spoken since. She was a real complainer. I'm going solo from now on
This is my mistake. I had a great cruise last time and I expected to have a great time again. Nope I had too high of hopes. Now I humble myself and be grateful for everything.
the first time I cruised I definitely over packed. Last year my daughter, granddaughter and myself went on a 10 day cruise and I warned my daughter about over packing. She said she didn't care and she was going to make sure she wore everything she brought. I have to say she almost did lol. Me on the other hand, made sure I had just enough and I did great lol. plus less to wash when I got home 😊
I always pack a well stocked first aid/medicine case. A few pills of all the basics for headaches, cold, sinus, allergies, sore throat, upset stomach. I will often have a basic antibiotic, too. I wear rx glasses so two pairs are a must along with sunglasses. The hubs wears contacts so he brings a spare pair plus back up glasses.
I am super paranoid of missing the ship in port so now that I’ve had an anaphylactic reaction I will only book excursions through the cruise line just to be safe. At least this way the ship will know if anything happens to me and will know if our excursion is running late for any reason.
My fellow cruiser left his passport at home. Before going to Seattle to board the ship, we visited my friend’s sister and brother for a few days. If we didn’t do that, we would have had to forget the cruise altogether. We ended up asking my neighbor who had a key to my house to get the passport and FedEx it to us where we were staying. That was a $100+ mistake. The stress was high too!
Worst mistake, booking thru the cruiseline. It's been 10 years since my last cruise and using some cruiseline certificates, I booked directly thru them. Had heard about freestyle cruising but no one told me you had to make dining room reservations as soon as you got on. By the time we found out, the only times available were 8:30 or later. As someone used to eating around 5, that wasn't do-able. A week of the buffet was not impressive. Of course, now there's FB and TH-cam. But still make reservations with a TA that can tell you all the little extra stuff that is not a given. My next cruise is next August. Doing another Alaska cruise, but a different cruiseline this time and going solo. I have higher expectations and looking forward to it.
I always take a backup pair of my prescription glasses-even though the previous prescription is not as strong 😊, they are certainly better than no glasses! And I don’t have to ask my husband to read the menu for me 😂
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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/
For me, biggest mistake is over-planning. You need to leave some room for resting and for more spontaneous decisions. Don't plan every minute of every day and end up feeling like you HAVE to do things you no longer feel like.
I bring an old fashioned watch to always set it to ship time in case my phone automatically sets to the time zone.
not keeping clothes for last day when putting luggage out the night before. I packed my wife's clothes while she was in the shower and put the bags out. When she was done, the bags were gone. Had to be creative with swimsuits and whatever else was left in the cabin. Still hear about this 20 years later.
Omg 😂
My dad left his wife’s suitcase on the bed when he loaded up the car to drive to the port for a two week cruise. No one realized most of her clothes were missing until we were about to board. He was lucky she took it so calmly.
This was priceless 🤣
Our cruise line told the story of a guy who left in a beach towel. 😂 true or not, it drove the point home.
Everyone needs to hear this story!
❤ “We are on vacation. There is nothing to complain about!” Attitude can make all the difference in our experiences. Don’t forget to pack an extra supply of joy to share with everyone you meet. Sprinkle it in your coffee, even 😊
The biggest mistake I’ve ever made was forgetting my passport. I got lucky though because this was a cruise I was going to my mom’s house to leave out of & she had a copy of my birth certificate but not following my usual routine before leaving my house I forgot it & didn’t realize it until I was already at the airport.
To your drinking one my mom told me about her experience on her very first cruise back in the mid 80’s. My mom didn’t really drink much but she figured this was one of her rare vacations without kids & she didn’t realize how strong the drinks were. She said after a couple she went to stand up and said “this boat is really rocking.” She then told me that the bartender told her “mam, we haven’t left yet.” 😂
Haha love that story
@@LifeWellCruised Me too. That's a really good one and a good warning.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
As long as you have your passport and credit cards you can solve almost any problem that comes up. Not so much without them. We always do a document check right before we leave for the airport.
Never had to test how helpful it would be, but I also have those documents as well as the information needed to cancel any credit cards saved in a password protected file on my laptop.
I never get a passport on my loop cruises plus I'm a military veteran
I absolutely agree that cruising with the wrong people is a big mistake! On one of our first cruises to Alaska we went with relatives and they complained incessantly about the wait staff, the food, the cost of excursions, the casino and on and on. It was so embarrassing to be with them, especially at dinner. People that complain are absolutely the biggest drag on a cruise.
I always take my previous prescription glasses on a cruise, just in case. Good recommendation!
Same here!!
Yes, indeed!
I wish that I had explored the ship more thoroughly. There are parts of the ship that I did not even see, and wish that I had sat in the aft area and watched the sea from there. A week goes by way too fast!
Not ordering the morning room service coffee is one I regret, I will not forget on my next cruise! ☺
The other one for me is not taking enough pictures of my husband and kids and myself all together when we cruise without friends. I have been shy to ask other travelers to help, but in the future I will just ask 😊
I'm very surprised 'not getting travel insurance' wasn't on the list. I honestly thought that'd be number 1.
@@AlienFrequency very true! It’s in other videos, but you’re right it’s an important one
@@LifeWellCruised I guess I'm just surprised your Facebook group didn't talk about it, evidently. They're probably mostly experienced cruisers and they all just know better than NOT get insurance.
Good video, as usual. I am guilty of not putting the "Do Not Disturb" sign out while taking a shower. The poor young cabin attendant saw things that just can't be unseen.
I would add, not using sun screen on the first couple of days. You see a lot of lobsters walking around during the first couple of days of a cruise.
Oh no 😂
Regarding food poisoning- my husband and I bring charcoal capsules. (Walmart) take and it will absorb the yuck
Eggs were not in Ice. I had omelette made. 15 min after eating. Sharp pain hit me. Sick, then all of us were rocking and rolling in a storm . Feb 😢 I found the bathroom is the safest place . Nothing was falling
Love your channel. I travel SOLO because my friends and family are jerks 😂 I go to meet people and have fun living life.
Huge recommendation, LOOK AT THE DECK PLAN!!!! I picked one of the highest balconies I could and it was amazing, until the first day at sea. I was directly below the water slide. Find a cabin. Look at the deck plan. What is above and below you? Book it if it looks good. (NCL gave $200 back on my stupidity but my cabin stew made fun of me daily. I gave him the $200 in cash last day)
We just did out first cruise. I regret spending ages looking at review websites, it's just full of scaremongers. I was unnecessarily concerned. Best holiday ever, another 5 booked
@@familyfrost1399 so awesome!
Same! Ended having the best time!
Yes I bring an extra pair of glasses and shades too! I have biker shorts I wear on cruises under my dresses, and I never thought to put “Donot Disturb sign on my cabin door when taking a shower, this is a great tip! Thanks for sharing 😎
YES on those biker shorts…..Shorter dresses will get blown up to your waist😅😅😅😅nmaxi dress hem will get sooo gross if it’s dragging the ground
Many years ago, the driver taking me to the airport asked if I had a spare pair of glasses with me. He told me I should ALWAYS have a spare pair in my luggage. Since I’m blind without my glasses, I took that advice to heart. Always made sure I had a spare, even though I never needed them. Until I did.
Shortly after arriving in France a few years ago, I did a face plant on the streets of Paris. Physical damage was not as bad as it might have been, but the glasses were destroyed. At least I knew I had the spares.
@@Ape4Apes wow, lucky you had them
I order the complimentary coffee and breakfast in my cabin every day of my cruise. It's a great way to start the day.
I’d like to hear more about this plz. Which cruise lines offer complementary breakfast in cabin? ❤
@@Reneemfenn Many charge between $3-$5 now (Norwegian, Celebrity), even for coffee. Holland America still offers free room service for most items at any time of day (or night). Some fancier foods (e.g., surf and turf, souffles, etc.) come with a small upcharge.
@Reneemfenn Royal, Celebrity, Holland, etc. It's usually patries, fruit, coffee, cereal like a continental breakfast. Holland includes eggs and stuff also.
We took a guaranteed cabin and wound up under the lido deck. We heard chairs scraping at all hours, music, and other noises. We learned to always pick the cabin we want and to add no upgrades.
Husband and I are going on our first cruise ever next week and just wanted to say thank you for your videos. They have been very helpful preparing us on what to expect 😊
@@helenhiltibidal2871 so exciting!! Enjoy
Same! First cruise ever next week and Ilana's videos have been the best and most helpful.
Have a great cruise and hope you make many great memories from my wife and I who are booked on our 37th cruise next month.
@@cheryln6685 Same for me! I watched many of her videos before my cruise and I’m glad that I did as I learned so much.
Bon voyage. Don't over pack you stay in bathing suit more if you swim or snorkel
We cruised last May and one thing i did that I thought was really helpful was looking at the weather forecasts online for our embarkation city and our ports of call and it was the same everywhere, "very hot and humid". We started drinking a lot of water throughout the cruise and while at ports. We were in Grand Cayman and as we were waiting at the tender port to get back on the ship, we had heard about some people getting heat exhaustion. Alcohol is a diuretic, so when it gets hot, you need to be careful.
@@stevengolden9009 good idea
Fortunately I don't need glasses for distance, but I keep a backup pair of reading glasses and sunglasses in each bag. By the way, the best place to get sunglasses is in the fishing section of the sporting goods. They look just like regular sunglasses, but you get polarized lenses without paying a premium for them. And yes, polarized lenses make a ton of difference.
I bought "travel shirts" for husband and me. They are light weight quick dry button shirts with chest pockets that seal closed. When we're about to board, we put our passports in one pocket and boarding documents in the other and seal the pockets shut. This has "cured" the fumbling to retrieve the documents, can't remember, and oh no I forgot.... It really speeds up the boarding process because we can easily drop the documents back in the pockets until we have time to put them in a more permanent spot. Before we return, we repeat that process, put the debarking documents in our travel shirt/jacket so they're all handy for leaving and not in our hands or zipped up in a bag, or left behind. It's so easy to put down the documents and forget to pick them back up, but it's just as easy to slip them in those chest pockets and seal the pockets shut so they don't fall out. Some pockets have a button or snap, some have velcro closing. Some of the shirts are "river" or "fishing" shirts.
Do you have a brand that you recommend?
Great idea!
Overpacking, bringing too many fancy dresses, too much cash and not enough t-shirts and shorts were my mistakes.
Too much cash? I have never heard of that. 😁
I always tip Bar tender and Butler. It always get great returns.... They ofter give higher quality booze above basic Drink packages. Butler always leaves additional Bottles of liquor and mixers to our room.
Something I regret on my first cruise was not booking a debarkation tour. We booked an airport transfer and our flight wasn't until 6pm. By 9am we were already out and had to wait in the floor for about 6hours in the airport because we couldn't check in. Then, I realized there are actually tours that pick you up in the cruise on debarkation day and drop you off in the airport in time for your flight
@@kaukabah that’s a great one
We were like that although I did originally book one but worked out our flight was going to be too close so we cancelled it. Then not long before our cruise and after booking another way to airport our plane time changed to a later time so we would have ended up having enough to see the original booking.
We did this in Ft. Lauderdale and really enjoyed the debarkation tour. The coach bus then took us directly to the airport. It’s a great way to pass some time if you have a later flight and luggage to deal with.
I always bring an older pair of Rx glasses and Rx sunglasses on the trips, and also little eyeglass repair kits. Also: To make sure I don't have the wrong ship time or local time in a port, I set a Timer on my phone for the amount of allotted hours. Example: If we arrive at a port at 9 am and have to be aboard at 4 pm, I set my phone to sound an alam in 5 hours to let me know to start heading back.
I regret not bringing my own mask, snorkel and swim fins. Provided masks and fins didn't fit, were not clean enough and easily fogged. Yeah, this kind of stuff take a lot of room in our bags, but snorkeling was a big part of our trip and I think it would have been worth it.
I use reading glasses, and I am completely dependent on them for anything close-up. I take an extra pair so that if anything happens to them, I will be able to function for the rest of the cruise.
Smart idea
I usually bring a pair of my old glasses on my cruises. I try to get back on the ship at least 2 hours before departing from a port. I book early excursions just in case something happens.
👏👏👏
I#1 mistake - I cruised with a neighbour who seemed perfectly nice to live beside. Sleeping in the same cabin was a nightmare. She drank like a fish, was inappropriate in public and snored like a chainsaw each and every night! Longest 10 days of my life. 😮
@@bonniephelps9481 sounds awful!
You just don’t know till you’ve done it.
On a recent Norway cruise with P&O I booked what every cruise blog told me was one of the worst cabins: at the stern (engine noise), above the open smoking deck, one deck above a late night venue. Didn't hear a thing from the venue, didn't feel engine noise, didn't smell any smoke. In fact, I didn't even know there was a toddler in the cabin next to me until the third day when I met them in the corridor. I am glad I didn't book below the pool deck though: I'd much rather put up with late night noise than early morning noise.
I haven't spent so much as a penny in cash on the last few cruises I've been on. I don't even bother taking local currency these days, unless I know I'm going somewhere that won't take card payments. I'm guessing the 'tipping' thing is an Americanism.
Totally agree on the drinks package - on many cruises you need to drink a *lot* to get value for money.
I almost always book excursions through third parties - the savings can often be >50% per trip.
I’ll say you kind of contradicted yourself by saying you didn’t hear anything, not even the toddler, but then said you are glad you didn’t book under the pool as you’d rather have night time noise vs morning. Maybe I read it wrong 🤷🏻♂️
Drink package just depends on how much you drink, and not just alcohol. Coffees, milkshakes, energy drinks, etc can add up quick.
We booked specialty dining in advance with a free bottle of wine. What we didn't know is that you had to go on the first night of the cruise in order to get it
My family and I went on vacation in August and all my husband did was worry and complain. He said it was one of the worst vacations we had but didn’t realize he caused most of the problems. I may need to go without him next time.😆
Not going to the steak house is a mis-steak
One I won’t make. I love steak.
Cruising with the WRONG people is the #1 mistake, if you can't stand the person being confined to a cabin together for Days is not fun.
💯
I'd love to avoid going with someone who complains a lot, but I don't really have a choice about taking my wife. 😺😺
@@HariSeldon913lol
😂😂😂😂
That's why I cruise alone
Gracias por sus consejos, intentaré no equivocarme 😅😅
I wear prescription sunglasses so I usually bring a back up pair of those. As far as my Passport goes, it never gets packed in checked luggage. I always keep it with me just like my other valuables. The one thing I regret not bringing with me on our last cruise with anti-diarrhea medication. We had it on our list but couldn’t find the small bottle of Pepto-Bismol that we had. And of course, we couldn’t find any on our first port either. I’ll never go another cruise without it.
Oh no!!
I have IBS so I always have a couple of bottles handy. It's nothing worse than having to worry about that on a cruise and the airport
I have IBS also and take plenty of Imodium with me.
@@ICONICPARIS You are right. Not going to let that happen again!
Think of the drink package as turning your cruise all-inclusive, most includes soda, waters, and specialty coffees
One thing I learned is a mistake; perceiving the difference a balcony will actually make for you. Five cruises in, or last one was our first balcony, and the difference is nearly palpable. I'm going to hate it if we have to go back to an inside cabin again.
Not enough to not cruise but i will scower a bit on the inside.
Adding this separately. I have added this to your wonderfully informative vids before. Print off extra bag tags (they are double sided so you can cut them down for 2 per page) and put one in each checked bag (for the ship).
We always fly in a day early so we don't worry about missing our cruise. I also wear a watch (with a $20.00 battery) so we won't miss embarkation from a port. I set my watch to ship time and we are good.
Oh Illana the story about the rum punches hit home..In the 70s I dated a cruise director, he was coming off contract in PR and i was coming off another ship where we met up for vacation, he had to do so many errands and we were running around and it was hot and i was thirsty. I am not a big drinker the sweet rum punches were so good and i matched his drinking..well..you know what happened then…never again!
The other thing is I am a Princess cruiser so when i am traveling with friends who love another line…I really keep my mouth shut! Its a benefit for all involved..just enjoy….A while back my in-laws left their passports at home…fortunately it was in Florida, they paid one of my sons friends to drive 2 hours to the port to hand it to them..just in the nick of Time…phew! Thanks Ilana🚢🙂
@@eminiarvii wow!! That third story! Thank goodness 👏
Definitely 2 pairs of glasses! And sunglasses..
👋👏
I remember being in Asia , when we went to Cambodia quite a few people came back with food poisoning back onto board ship , we ate out a few times in Asia, and was fine, Singapore and Malaysia very clean, even cleaner than some of the places I have ate in United Kingdom
I took a behind the fun tour on Carnival once and the chief engineer told us that the most common alarm they get is because of people taking showers with their bathroom door open. It’s usually a silent alarm that triggers in the engineering room and they call down to verify that that is what it is before sending security.
Regarding glasses, we wear readers And I always have at least 3 with me for travel. Normal days I have 2. The one I always have on me and one in my purse. 9 out o 10 times my husband forgets his and always asking for mine. 😂. He even wore my pink "cat shaped" ones like his mom wore in the 60s. He looks good in pink.😂
I learned on my second cruise that three rum punch is okay, but four rum punch is bad! Know your limits!
I always travel with an extra pair of glasses. I've never needed them, but there's always a first time.
I did once forget to change my watch, but fortunately all I missed was most of a lecture I wanted to attend. Still, lesson learned.
Oh no!
Ilana, on the first few cruises we noticed that the lines were long in customer service, buffets, etc. Having a few cruises under our belts, I recommend going early (guaranteed spot) or avoiding peak times. It has always worked out!😉
Great tip, I didn’t realize they are open 24/7 😳 I ask them their hours, because we wanted to return to check something and we told they are always ope! So if lines long, wait until late at night or early am!
I had a brief moment of panic when you included Thanksgiving on your list of holidays because I never thought of that and my next cruise is that whole long weekend. But then I remembered I’m on Virgin 😂😂🎉
@@KK-FL haha no kids 👏🤣
Sometimes a cabin located beneath an open deck can yield an unexpected joy. We noticed a lot of foot traffic directly over our cabin. We soon realized a rhythm to them. It turned out to be where a very good Cajun band was playing. Theyvwere a lot of fun..enough to keep us in the audience and out of our cabin
We always bring our old prescription sunglasses and regular glasses. Also all the medicine we hope we won't need. We too love the Princess medallion. We travel with a group of 10 and can locate our friends.
Good Morning Ilana, thank you for these helpful tips and everything you, Frank, and Ethan do to help everyone enjoy their cruises more.
I have yet to do my first cruise and I have many fears, some of which you have voiced here; prescription glasses, illness, oversleeping, port excursions, etc... Thank you again for the reminders.
Happy cruising 🛳
Blessings and Peace 🕊 🙏 ✝️
@@betruetoyourself8738 you’ll have a wonderful time!! :)
@@LifeWellCruised
Thank you Ilana, ♥️
Someday my cruise will happen and when it does I will be prepared because of you and your family.
Happy cruising 🛳
Blessings and Peace 🕊 🙏 ✝️
Yes, I definitely take an extra pair of glasses, Haven't needed them yet, thank goodness.
My biggest mistake is over planning our cruise when we got on the ship. I had a schedule for everything that was a big big mistake. We’re going on a cruise again next year. This will be my fifth or six crews this time no overplanning!
@@nancystarkey2916 that’s a great point, I have done that in the past too
Some great points here! I have to confess that for my first several cruises I always used to just book inside cabins as the theory was "only using them for sleeping and the extra money can be used for other things". Well for a special occasion I booked a suite on HAL and well, no I only book cabins or good verandas. The balcony is such a great place to just relax, have a drink etc., especially on a sea day or you just want to unwind.
As for the rum punch, being from the Caribbean rum punch isn't like rum punch in the USA etc., it's way stronger. I used to help out on a catamaran many years ago in Barbados and we always had a chuckle at the tourists who started drinking hard and were worse the wear halfway into the excursion, but sadly this also ruined their experience so yes, beware of the rum punch!
Oh bringing an empty suit case for the extra stuff I and up getting !! Gifts ect ..
Mistake I've made was overpacking for a cruise. I find that booking excursions too far ahead is dangerous as they can be cancelled and you end up with cruise credit for a cruise company you may not go on again. Bringing my own water bottle- no drinks package.. the right cabin location are all things we got right thanks to your videos on TH-cam.
Not so much overpacking, but I always manage to have something I don't need and a corresponding thing I should have brought instead. I always bring a Hawaiian shirt to tropical places but rarely wear it and on a trip last year one restaurant required a collared shirt for men and that Hawaiian shirt was the only thing I had with a collar because I forgot to pack a polo. No worries though, there were several other guys there with similar shirts.
I wear contacts but always bring my prescription glasses as a backup. However, on my first two cruises (earlier this year), I definitely overpacked and didn't have room for some of the things you've mentioned in other videos as being essential. On my last cruise (from Hawaii to Vancouver in April/May) I packed warm and cool weather clothes and ended up with some clothes that were never worn. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson for the next cruise.
Got back 2 weeks ago from New England/Canada on Emerald Princess. Drink package was included in Princess Plus package. We bought that because it included crew gratuities, unlimited WiFi, unlimited room service, premium coffees, teas and desserts. Totally worth it even though we didn’t drink a lot of alcoholic beverages! And, BTW, the Princess Medallion worked like a charm. I could find my husband wherever he was on the ship.
Absolutely we bring the old pairs of glasses with us.
Good points.
If you have to fly in and are cruising with Princess - fly with Princess EZAir. They guarantee holding the ship if something happens with your flight.
Always pack two or three reading glasses, and 2 or 3 sunglasses. That came in handy...first day in Barcelona before the cruise and my "original" sunglasses broke. Glad for the backup!
I do that
Hi Ilana, Thank you for all the very helpful tips & tricks always helpful to know all the best Lin 💖👍
Flighting in to a cruise port , this has been included in the holiday, flights included , we were delayed 9 and a half hours from Birmingham (UK) to Barbados , was quite interesting the safety briefing before the cruise ship
I actively only get the non-alcoholic package and it helps me keep my drinking in check.
I wear glasses but don't have a backup. I think I'll get a pair before our cruise
Not so much a regret, as a lesson learned. First cruise last December thru Panama canal I spent 2 nights in Panama City before the cruise. I did not know their Mother's Day is in December. I was told you’ll never get into any restaurant, even 4 star hotel I was in said I had to eat breakfast by 7am because Mother's Day brunch. Had I known I would have gone to nicer restaurants the day before and eaten at fish market when restaurants were full.
I started months before cruise, saving my single dollar bills, this way always had bills for tips. It worked put great. I already started again for April 2025 cruise
I would add checking holidays in other countries if you're traveling outside the US (cruising or not). My husband and I decided to visit Niagara Falls before the US national holiday, the 4th. So we went... on the FIRST of July. Had no idea Canada Day existed. I always check now if I'm leaving the country for anything. If you can't prevent going during another country's holiday or school break, at least you'll be prepared for it.
We definitely always travel with spare glasses because my FIL has broken his multiple times.
We also always travel with a first aid kit geared towards wherever we are traveling, learned the importance of this one on a trip to China. Recently added a thermometer to our first aid kit just in case anyone feels icky I can check for fever so I can better assess what is wrong.
Regarding he drinks package I think if you get it in the lower en of 85-90 dollars it’s worth getting it just for peace of mind but if you’re getting it late and it’s at 120+ then it’s just probably best to get the non alcoholic package and pay on a drink by drink basis.
The family next to me were very noisy late at night. They were not partners but children were very loud and slammed the doors several times. My first cruise but I’m going to cruise again😊
Only done to 2 cruises so kind of a newbie but I'm hooked now sok got 3 more booked over the next 18 months . Definitely taking an extra pair of reading glasses next cruise, & not going to overpack again. Also taking magnetic hooks which will come in useful...Happy Cruising all🛳🙂
Hi allana , speaking of rum punch, in st Thomas , Jamaica, other Caribbean ports they probably use 100 proof or 151 rum cheap but very very powerful it only taks a couple and loaded it’s not just Bacardi or if they say it is they can pour in a different bottle be careful
@@judiloffdircks2220 seems stronger it’s true
Hi Ilana! Yes, I also caused our cabin fire alarm to go off while drying my hair last year while cruising with Carnival Venezia. I received a phone call just immediately followed by a visit from a fire safety engineer. He was very nice and just suggested to leave the bathroom door open next time so the bathroom extractor fan helps with air circulation.
@@migdaliagarcia5166 lol I’m glad I’m not alone 😂
Yes I took a ferry when in Spain and started getting anxiety about missing it to get back on time since not familiar. So I got of bought my ticket to get right back on.
I take two pairs of glasses and sunglasses.
Omg glasses thing yes. My vision is -4 and if I don't have my glasses I may as well be blind. I take an extra pair of glasses on every single vacation!
We now take an old pair of glasses as a just in case. Learned that lesson the hard way.
Taking our first cruise in April next year.
Always felt that I was packing too many medications until this past March my husband and I got Covid. So happy for the Tylenol, anti acid and Imodium! Next cruise I will pack just as much plus a little more just in case.
The drink package on Viking is well worth it, the cost of the package averages only $25.00 a day, so just 3 drinks, you will break even. Another advantage is you can choose from premium wine, which is not part of free wine with meals.
Yes, I did that on my Viking cruise last year. Will do it on my next Viking cruise in January.
On our first cruise people were literally passed drunk before the ship left 😮
Cruising with the wrong people. I am going on my 13th and 14th cruises solo later this year. I did go on a cruise with a friend of mine. I thought we were close but I found out on the cruise on the Carnival Splendour in June that my Friend was a complainer. I am a smoker and a drinker and although we agreed before the cruise that it would be fine if we didn't spend all our time together she was upset she couldn't spend much time with me. I was enjoying the company of others. She was so angry we haven't spoken since. She was a real complainer. I'm going solo from now on
This is my mistake. I had a great cruise last time and I expected to have a great time again. Nope I had too high of hopes. Now I humble myself and be grateful for everything.
Alaska Cruise in late April. I regret not masking up. Many, including me, got Covid (i also got an additional sinus infection).
always travel with my old glasses in suitcase
the first time I cruised I definitely over packed. Last year my daughter, granddaughter and myself went on a 10 day cruise and I warned my daughter about over packing. She said she didn't care and she was going to make sure she wore everything she brought. I have to say she almost did lol. Me on the other hand, made sure I had just enough and I did great lol. plus less to wash when I got home 😊
I always pack a well stocked first aid/medicine case. A few pills of all the basics for headaches, cold, sinus, allergies, sore throat, upset stomach. I will often have a basic antibiotic, too. I wear rx glasses so two pairs are a must along with sunglasses. The hubs wears contacts so he brings a spare pair plus back up glasses.
Always bring an extra toothbrush. I dropped mine as I was unpacking. On the dirty floor. Yuck.
Good tip!
I am super paranoid of missing the ship in port so now that I’ve had an anaphylactic reaction I will only book excursions through the cruise line just to be safe. At least this way the ship will know if anything happens to me and will know if our excursion is running late for any reason.
I always bring a second pair of glasses.
NCL in February. Looking forward to relaxing & making new friends❤
My fellow cruiser left his passport at home. Before going to Seattle to board the ship, we visited my friend’s sister and brother for a few days. If we didn’t do that, we would have had to forget the cruise altogether. We ended up asking my neighbor who had a key to my house to get the passport and FedEx it to us where we were staying. That was a $100+ mistake. The stress was high too!
Worst mistake, booking thru the cruiseline. It's been 10 years since my last cruise and using some cruiseline certificates, I booked directly thru them. Had heard about freestyle cruising but no one told me you had to make dining room reservations as soon as you got on. By the time we found out, the only times available were 8:30 or later. As someone used to eating around 5, that wasn't do-able. A week of the buffet was not impressive. Of course, now there's FB and TH-cam. But still make reservations with a TA that can tell you all the little extra stuff that is not a given. My next cruise is next August. Doing another Alaska cruise, but a different cruiseline this time and going solo. I have higher expectations and looking forward to it.
I always take a backup pair of my prescription glasses-even though the previous prescription is not as strong 😊, they are certainly better than no glasses! And I don’t have to ask my husband to read the menu for me 😂