Whether you’ve been on three cruises or you’ve never set sail on the seas, we have our top 6 tips for your next cruise. After being on three cruises each, we are excited to share what we’ve learned about this unique vacation and how to make your trip a success!

1. Get There Early

Thankfully, we have never missed a cruise due to weather, but we do know of people who have had to skip their cruise because of bad weather. We have always flown in the day before the cruise departs to avoid this dilemma.

Whether you’re flying or driving, give yourself lots of extra time to get to the port itself which can be in a different area of the city than you may expect.

2. Plan Ahead

Once you arrive on the ship, you will be able to find schedules and information pages in your room waiting for you. We usually take some time to look at the schedule and circle the activities we are interested in before the day begins so you don’t miss anything!

3. Eat in the Dining Room

There are so many options for every meal on the cruise, but one of our favorite things has been the formal dining room. You pick a set time that you’ll eat for the week (like 6 or 8 p.m.) and then you are seated at the same table every night. During this three-course meal that includes delicious breads, fun appetizers, fancy entrees, and incredible dessert, you also get to know the wait-staff and interact with them. We love getting dressed up at night and being able to try new food, since it’s all included!

4. Save Money with an Interior Cabin

If you’re wanting to go on a cruise, but not wanting to spend a lot of money, consider an interior cabin. This means you won’t have a window or balcony, but since there are so many other places to be outside on the ship, you’re not in your room much anyway.

5. Take Advantage of the Room Service

A lot of people don’t know this, but you have free room service available everyday! We definitely suggest taking advantage of them because well, it’s room service and who doesn’t love room service?

Pro tip: Be super nice to all the workers on the ship! They work so hard and deserve to be extra appreciated.

6. Attend the Planned Activities!

There’s so much going on on the ship at a time! Seek out the activities that interest you most, and enjoy them.

Some of our favorite activities we’ve been to are the shows, the movies on the deck (there’s popcorn y’all!), the comedy shows (be aware that the 18+ shows can be a little swear word-heavy!), and the dance party on the deck!

Photos by Alice Grace Photos and Carmen Syverson