The first day of a cruise is one of the most exciting moments of any holiday. You’ve spent weeks counting down, your bags are packed, and the ship is finally waiting for you…
It’s the start of your adventure, a chance to explore somewhere new, meet interesting people, and settle into life at sea. But amidst all that excitement, there are a few smart moves that can make your embarkation day run far more smoothly – and a few common mistakes that can make things stressful.
Whichever cruise line you’re sailng with, these practical do’s and don’ts will help you start your voyage in the best possible way.
1. Do: Arrive Early, But Not Too Early
If you can, arrive in your embarkation city the day before your cruise. It might feel like an unnecessary extra night in a hotel, but it’s well worth it.
Flights can be delayed, trains can be cancelled, and traffic jams can happen at the worst possible time. Getting there the night before gives you a safety cushion and lets you start your holiday without that frantic travel-day rush.
Once you’ve arrived, treat that extra morning as part of the holiday itself. Go for a walk around the local area, have a relaxed breakfast, or do a bit of sightseeing before heading to the terminal.
The only exception to this rule would be if you live within a couple of hours’ drive, and even then I’d be setting off with a few extra hours to spare. There’s always somewhere near the car park where you can go for a coffee if you end up having the easiest drive possible and you’re too early (more on ‘too early’ later…)
2. Do: Hand Off Your Luggage (But Keep a Carry-On)
When you arrive at the port, you’ll see porters waiting to collect passengers’ larger bags.
Hand yours over so it can be delivered directly to your cabin later. In the United States, it’s customary to give them a small tip – a few dollars per bag is fine. In the UK, I noticed that the Americans usually tip the porters, but British people don’t. So you do whatever you feel comfortable with.
Keep a smaller carry-on bag with you for essentials such as travel documents, medication, phone chargers, a swimsuit, sunscreen, and a change of clothes for dinner if you want one. Your main luggage might not reach your cabin until early evening, so anything you’ll want before then should stay with you.
And whatever you do, don’t have your passport in your suitcase that you send onto the ship before you’ve checked in! People do that all the time and it’s an absolute nightmare trying to get them back.
Suggested read: Can you carry your own luggage onto the ship?
3. Do: Keep Important Documents Handy
The check-in process involves a lot of small steps, and you could be asked for your passport, boarding pass, and travel documents several times.
Keep them all together in a travel wallet or small folder rather than buried in your main bag.
Having everything ready when you reach the desk makes the process smoother for you and everyone else in line. It’s a small detail, but one that saves a lot of unnecessary rummaging and stress.
Also, it’s a similar point, but you’ll be passing through airport-style security scanners. So if you’re taking electronics, or have watches/belts etc, plan ahead a little so that you aren’t scrabbling to get everything ready when it’s your turn to put your bag on the belt.
Read more: 43 Essential Cruise Packing Tips Every Traveller Should Know
4. Do: Bring Your Own Drinks (If Allowed)
Many cruise lines allow passengers to bring a small amount of wine, champagne, beer or soft drinks on board in their hand luggage.
Check your cruise line’s policy before you go, as the rules vary, but it’s often a nice way to start the trip with your preferred drink waiting in your cabin – and it’ll always be cheaper than buying onboard.
Just make sure you carry it on yourself rather than leaving it in checked luggage. Some cruise lines specify that this is what they want you to do.
Snacks are allowed too, and while there is plenty of food on the ship to enjoy, if you want sweets, crisps or chocolate you usually have to pay for these and they can be very expensive.
5. Do: Complete the Muster Drill
What’s involved in the safety drill will vary quite a lot depending on which cruise you take.
Most cruise lines now have an electronic muster drill, which involves watching a short safety video on your phone or cabin TV and then checking in at your designated muster station.
However, on a recent Star Clippers cruise, we had to put on our lifejackets and go to the muster station, then go again the next day for a second in-person drill that was an hour long and involved us being tested with questions about exactly what we should do in an emergency!
Usually, the muster drill only takes a few minutes, so it’s best to do it as soon as you board. That way you can get it out of the way early and won’t have to listen to repeated announcements later in the afternoon.
Or if you do have to listen to the announcements, at least you can be smug that you got yours done already.
6. Do: Make Reservations for Shows and Dining
Popular shows and restaurants can book up quickly, especially on larger ships.
This is another area where the procedured vary. On many cruises, you can make your reservations a few weeks before you sail. But on others, you can only do it once onboard the ship.
For example, on Virgin Voyages, you can reserve your dining from home, but there aren’t many slots available, so you may only see options to reserve 5pm or 9pm. But once you’re on the ship, more open up, so you can snap up those 7pm slots if you do it immediately after embarkation.
If you wait until the second day of your cruise, the best slots might be gone. So this is something that’s definitely worth doing as soon as you board. I like to sit down with a beer and make sure that I’ve reserved everything I can straight away.
If there’s a particular show you’re keen to see, try to reserve it early in the cruise, just in case weather or scheduling changes force a cancellation later on.
This is also a good time to double-check your dining arrangements. If you’d prefer a private table or need to confirm a dietary request, a quick visit to the main dining room staff can save any confusion later.
7. Do: Enjoy the Pool Before It Gets Busy
When passengers first board, most head to the buffet or start exploring, which means the pools and sun decks are often wonderfully quiet and you can have a fresh, clean hot tub to yourself!
Pack your swimwear in your carry-on so you can enjoy a relaxing dip or simply lounge by the water before the crowds arrive.
There’s something special about starting your cruise with that first swim under the sun while everyone is rushing around!
8. Do: Have Lunch Onboard, But Skip the Buffet Rush
One of the first things everyone loves to do on a cruise – and rightly so – is eat.
The main buffet will almost certainly be packed at lunchtime on embarkation day. If you’re onboard early enough, you’ll often find that the main dining room is open until about 2pm, which is a much more relaxing option.
You can also look for alternatives such as a café, pizzeria, or grill near the pool. All good options to avoid the mania that is the buffet on embarkation day.
If you’ve booked a speciality dining package, some restaurants even offer embarkation day discounts – a nice way to ease into your holiday without the crowds.
9. Do: Meet Your Cabin Attendant and Check Your Room
Once cabins are officially ready, take a moment to meet your cabin attendant. They’ll be the person looking after you for the week, and introducing yourself early helps build a friendly rapport.
Check that everything in your room works properly, including the lights, air conditioning, and safe. If you notice anything amiss, report it straight away so it can be sorted before you unpack.
Don’t be one of those people who endures a problem for the duration of your cruise, only to moan about it in a review once you leave! I find that most problems are fixed by the maintenence team within the hour.
And if you’d like any extras such as more hangers, extra pillow or an ice bucket, just ask and they’ll be happy to help.
Read more: 17 Extras You Can Get From Cruise Cabin Stewards (For Free!)
10. Do: Visit the Gym and Spa
Embarkation day is a brilliant time to explore areas of the ship that will be busier later on.
The spa usually host short tours and may offer discounts for early bookings. So if you want a peek inside all the treatment rooms and the relaxation area, now’s the time to do it.
Even if you’re not planning to spend hours exercising, it’s worth seeing what’s available – from saunas to sea-view treadmills – and maybe reserving a treatment for a later sea day.
11. Do: Carry a Few Small Notes for Tips
While most gratuities are automatically added to your onboard account, it’s still thoughtful to have a few small notes in your wallet.
A tip for the porter, a helpful bartender, or the person who carries your drink to the pool is always appreciated. It’s a nice personal touch that sets a positive tone for your trip.
Also bear in mind that ATMs may not be easily accessible once you’ve set sail, and any on the ship will likely have a hefty charge involved and may only dish out $50 notes as the smallest denomination. So, if you want to leave cash tips for your cabin steward, make sure you’ve been to the ATM before you cruise.
Read more: The Truth About Tipping: What Crew Members Really Think
12. Do: Celebrate with a Sailaway Drink
There’s nothing quite like that moment when the ship’s horn sounds and you begin to move away from the port.
Find a good spot on deck, order a cocktail or mocktail, and soak it all in.
Most ships host a sailaway party with music, dancing, and a lively atmosphere. It’s a fun way to mark the start of your holiday, whether you’re right in the middle of the party or quietly watching from a balcony with a glass in hand.
13. Do: Explore the Ship
Spend some time wandering around to get your bearings. Cruise ships can be vast, and knowing where key spots like the dining rooms, spa, theatre, and lounges are will make life easier later.
I don’t know why, but I always feel a bit uneasy if I go to bed on day one and I haven’t walked around the whole ship yet!
You might even discover a hidden corner or quiet deck that becomes your favourite spot for morning coffee or sunset views.
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1. Don’t Fly In on the Same Day
This is one of the biggest mistakes first-time cruisers make. Flights are unpredictable, and the ship won’t wait for delayed passengers.
The only exception is if you’ve booked a fly-cruise package with Marella or P&O Cruises as they charter the whole plane for cruise guests.
That why I’ve said you should always arrive at least a day early. It’s far less stressful and gives you a proper rest before boarding.
I admit I have flown on the day of the cruise before, but only if the flight is under 2 hours and only if it’s at 6 am to make sure I land before 11 am. I didn’t enjoy it though and wouldn’t recommend it.
2. Don’t Arrive Before Your Assigned Check-In Time
Cruise terminals can only handle so many people at once, which is why lines now assign check-in windows.
Turning up hours early usually just means sitting around until your group is called. Stick to your designated time slot, breeze through the process, and you’ll board in a much better mood.
Yes, sometimes you’ll just be able to join the queue and board earlier, but if everyone does it then it means the queues are manic. So don’t be that person who assumes the time is just a suggestion.
Read more: The 8 Most Infuriating Cruise Habits (According to Fellow Passengers)
3. Don’t Go to Your Cabin Before It’s Ready
When you first board, it’s tempting to head straight to your cabin, but the crew are still cleaning and preparing rooms at that stage.
Let them finish without interruption.
On rare occasions, passengers have found their door open, assumed it was ready, and left bags inside – only to discover later that their belongings had been removed by staff who thought they belonged to departing guests. Wait for the official announcement that cabins are ready before going in.
4. Don’t Rush to Guest Services
The Guest Services desk is often one of the busiest places on the ship during the first afternoon. Unless you have a genuine issue, such as a key card that won’t open your cabin, save your questions for the next morning or later in the evening when it’s quieter.
Most things can be sorted through the ship’s app anyway. And you don’t want to spend the first day of your cruise queuing unless you really have to.
Suggested read: 19 Cruise Freebies You Can Get From Guest Services (Just Ask!)
5. Don’t Forget to Switch to Airplane Mode
The moment the ship leaves port, your mobile will search for a signal, and it may connect to a maritime network.
Those roaming charges can be astronomical. Seriously, people often come home with hundreds in charges.
I actually made this mistake very recently when I forgot to switch on airplane mode. Over the first night, my phone used up all my data. Luckily, I had a cap in place so it only cost me £10, but then my phone wouldn’t work until I went online and bought more data.
Switch to airplane mode before the ship sails away and connect to the ship’s WiFi if you need to stay in touch. Or get an eSIM that offers cruise coverage. They often give you a much better deal.
Read more: 6 Reasons To Use An eSIM When You’re Cruising
6. Don’t Blow Your Budget on Day One
It’s easy to get carried away once you’re on board – souvenir photos, cocktails, spa offers, and duty-free shops all calling your name.
Take it slow and remember that you’ve got several days ahead. You want to enjoy the cruise, not live in regret as you watch that cruise account with its unsettled bill ready to pounce at the end of the sailing.
A little restraint early on keeps your account under control and prevents that dreaded shock. Plus spreading out the fun is a lot more, well, fun.
7. Don’t Try to Do Everything at Once
The first day on board is exciting, but you don’t need to cram in every activity. It can be tempting, but relax, you’ve got plenty of chances.
Take time to settle in, explore, and enjoy being at sea.
The beauty of a cruise is that you’ve got several days to experience it all, so start slow and savour the moment.
You’ll know the must-do attractions and shows for your family, so prioritise booking those but at a time that’s convenient for you. Day one doesn’t have to be the best day of the cruise, after all.
8. Don’t Wait to Book Shore Excursions
The most popular excursions sell out quickly.
If you haven’t already booked online before sailing, make it one of your first priorities once you’re on board. If you leave it too late, you could miss out, and that’ll just be disappointing.
Alternatively, research local options in each port if you prefer to explore independently. Some people view it as risky, because if you don’t book with the cruise line and something happens to stop you getting back in time, the ship would leave without you.
But there are third-party companies you can use to book in advance that offer return-to-ship guarantees, and that could get you a better deal anyway.
Read more: Shore Excursions Group Review
9. Don’t Expect Everything to Be Perfect
Embarkation day can be hectic. There might be queues, delayed luggage, or the occasional technical hiccup. Something might be wrong with your cabin, or you might not see everything you’ve pre-booked in the app.
It’s not common for there to be issues, but sometimes, things happen.
Go with the flow and keep your sense of humour. Once everyone’s settled and the ship is at sea, everything will quickly smooth out. A relaxed attitude makes all the difference, so don’t start your holiday stressed if you can avoid it.
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Your first day on a cruise sets the tone for everything that follows.
The key is to stay organised but not rushed, plan ahead while leaving space to relax, and let the small stuff slide.
Once you’re settled on deck with a drink in hand, watching the shoreline drift away, you’ll know the holiday has truly begun.
So, relax – and enjoy it! Day one is part of your cruise, after all!
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