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First Time Cruisers need allllll the tips


Tara182

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Hi everyone!

Setting sail in April on Symphony of the Seas with my mom for a once in a lifetime mother/daughter trip. I am super excited but my *type A list making over-plans everything* personality is now incredibly overwhelmed with things I don't even know I don't know...I randomly read somewhere you're allowed to bring 'X' amount of your own booze and water on board and that would have never ever everrrrrrr crossed my mind to put on our packing list...so now I feel like I know nothing and don't want to screw this up, haha. 

Are there specific forum posts I should bookmark? Insider websites? Lists I need to print off? I find the Royal Caribbean website incredibly unhelpful and waiting on hold for over an hour on the phone every time I think of a question to ask has officially gotten old...sooooo I'm here for the insider pro tips. Help?!

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Click on the GETTING STARTED link at the top of the page to begin with.  There is a wealth of information and links to more.  Then ask away.  I’ve found this to be an incredibly helpful community.  They’ve put up with many if not stupid then less than intelligent questions from me without snark!  Most are type A list makers too! 😉😉

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Number one on the list is to get to the port at least a day early.   If there is a flight delay or your driving and car breaks down etc the ship will not wait for you.  So start looking into a hotel reservation now.  What kind of cabin your in will help with advice from this board.  I'm sure you will get some excellent advice from this blog.

 

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This sounds like so much fun!  I cruise w/ my sister 🙂

Try to identify what type of cruiser you think you are:  Busy, busy, busy, go, go, go!  Or Let's relax by the pool w/ a book and a fruity drink.  

Try not to overpack!

Most of all - have lots of fun!  

(I'm type A, too.  I already have a full blown spreadsheet with details for our Norwegian Fjords cruise in 2023)

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Another first is to make sure you have the correct paperwork with you for check in.  A passport is ideal,  if no passport then you will need a CERTIFIED copy of your birth certificate (no copies from your computer printer).  If you have a name change, like marriage,  then you will also need a certified copy of the marriage license to show your legal name change.  The combo of birth certificate and marriage license must match the name you gave when signing up for the cruise (the name Royal Caribbean has on their manifest)   Not trying to scare you but this is important for getting on the ship.  Then of course you will need to have your vaccine cards with your covid test results

 

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June will be our first RCCL Cruise, BUT...have been on a few cruises prior.  Here are my tips (NOTE: some may overlap or have been already addressed above):

Take a deep breath.  Cruises are supposed to be the vacation where you are supposed to get the optimal rest, relaxation, and fun.  

1. Get familiar (not necessarily become an expert) with your ship and destination.  Casually start watching YouTubes of your ship and destination.  Tons of stuff out there.  Then move to the googling and reading forum topics stage.  Take mental or written notes.  Don't go crazy and have fun.

2. Make sure all travel documents, doctor's visits, etc will be ready/done at least 1 month prior to cruising.  Why 1 month?  Give yourself some time to have things corrected if necessary.  This means passports, driver's licenses, other documents (Vaccine records).  Make sure all names match all cruisers EXACTLY.  This is the least fun part.

3. Get your travel to and from port situated now.  This can include lodging before and after.  It doesn't make sense to book air travel at the last minute.  

4. Start a bi-weekly/monthly budget for pre-cruise purchases.  DON'T rely solely on numbers/dollars when looking at dining or drink packages.  My wife put it bluntly: I am on vacation.  I may drink 1 glass of wine, or have 8 cocktails on any given day, but it doesn't matter because I have the no hassle option to drink/eat or not if I want.  Who wants to spend the last day of your cruise going over charges and settling up bills?  Peace of mind is NEVER factored into the alcohol drink packages.  It should be.  Same with dining.  In short, put away a little money every paycheck until you can check off a drink package or dining package prior to cruising. Once its paid for, its paid for.  Peace of mind and freedom to go nuts with food and alcohol.  Priceless.

5. Balance the destination(s) with the ship. Lots of people say things like "I'm going to visit Alaska, not explore the ship."  Really?  Why not just fly into Alaska?  Why cruise?  While sometimes, it may be cheaper to cruise, the point of cruising and choosing certain ships is to enjoy the SHIP while you get to the destination.  Pick a couple of shore excursions, but remember that on port days, the ships are pretty empty and you can enjoy a quiet and less-crowded ship while at port.

6. Don't overpack.  Don't underpack. LOL Don't risk taking things that are iffy.  Why do you need to take a wine corkscrew/pocket knife?  The ships have tons of corkscrews.  You aren't going to need to be MacGyver on a cruise.  If you forget something, there are shops and other ways for you to make up for it.  

7. Enjoy the planning process.  Have fun pre-cruise by planning with excitement, NOT anxiety.  Also, leave some mystery for the actual vacation.  You don't need to memorize the menu at Chops or Izumi.  Just get an idea, and enjoy a few unexpected things on the ship.

8. Don't underestimate the little activities like bingo, the trivia, the napkin folding classes.  They are short, fun, and engaging.  Fun to do with the family.

9. Ask questions.  People on this forum (from my short experience) and the cruise employees are here for you.  Ask, ask, ask.  You can't decide on the prime rib or lobster tail on formal dining nights? Ask for both! Ask.

10. Go on a moderate diet prior to AND after the cruise.  I do not say this because of the gaining weight factor alone.  Most of us aren't eating three square meals a day and having a mimosa at breakfast, cocktail at the pool, wine at night, on a consistently daily basis.  The before cruise diet is for the expected weight gain.  The after cruise diet is for the detox and for your body to get back to your normal intake routine.  Ease into and out of the cruise.

Last but not least...cruises are what one makes of them.  Our first cruise was amazing.  It was a cheap Carnival cruise.  We didn't have much money and it was our first vacation as a married couple.  We DID not spend more than $200 on board.  We took advantage of all of the activities and food/beverage that were paid for and included.  We enjoyed each other on the ship.  Our second cruise, we planned ever minute and splurged.  Our third cruise, we moderated spending and planning.  All three (3) cruises were as amazing as we made them to be.  So, remember, you will have ups and downs prior to, while cruising, and after cruising. but the entirety of the experience should be fabulous!

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1 hour ago, CruisingNewb said:

Why do you need to take a wine corkscrew/pocket knife?  The ships have tons of corkscrews.  You aren't going to need to be MacGyver on a cruise.  If you forget something, there are shops and other ways for you to make up for it.  

🤣

1 hour ago, CruisingNewb said:

7. Enjoy the planning process.  Have fun pre-cruise by planning with excitement, NOT anxiety.  Also, leave some mystery for the actual vacation.  You don't need to memorize the menu at Chops or Izumi.  Just get an idea, and enjoy a few unexpected things on the ship.

8. Don't underestimate the little activities like bingo, the trivia, the napkin folding classes.  They are short, fun, and engaging.  Fun to do with the family.

9. Ask questions.  People on this forum (from my short experience) and the cruise employees are here for you.  Ask, ask, ask.  You can't decide on the prime rib or lobster tail on formal dining nights? Ask for both! Ask.

Yes, yes and yes! I agree with all of @CruisingNewb's advice but especially these!

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10 minutes ago, jbrinkm said:

🤣

Yes, yes and yes! I agree with all of @CruisingNewb's advice but especially these!

Unfortunately, there is one source of anxiety that I personally cannot seem to get over....the dreaded negative Covid test part. We are all vaccinated and already had covid last summer, BUT...anxiety will loom for the next 4 months! 😐

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We fell into a black hole yesterday that we knew to avoid…. 

It’s our first time on an Oasis class ship and when we boarded yesterday we started to plan our whole week and lock down everything onboard that isn’t offered on smaller class ships.  
 

We forgot an important rule:  Don’t try to do it all in one week. 

After dinner last night we gave ourselves a reality check and feel much better  

 

 

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Create a packing list and then winnow from there - it's easy to overpack and every port has places to shop.

"Formal" nights are as formal as you want to be; a nice scarf over a blouse and slacks that dresses your look up is often enough. You don't have to pack a gown, though if you want to, feel free as some people go all out.

You can check ahead both on ship and on the Royal Caribbean app for meals to plan what you want to eat. TIP: the dining room staff wants you to be happy; the chefs will try to adapt for you as best they can. For example, I speak with the head waiter the first night and request low-salt options where possible.... soups and sauces they can't do much about but most of the entrees they can reduce the salt on, especially steaks and other food that is cooked to order. The main dining meals are all fantastic but a little light on the veggies, so I usually ask for a side of grilled asparagus or steamed broccoli. 

Tip your bar tenders and they will do you right for drinks. Guest Services will break down large bills upon request so you don't have to have a bunch of singles. If you run low on cash don't use the on-ship ATM (high fees) if you can avoid it. Ask the casino staff to show you how to put money on your sea pass card to play the slots, then play a nominal bet and cash out the rest. 

You're paying gratuities but I always tip extra to my bar tenders, wait staff and the cabin steward. Depending on how long the cruise is, an extra $20 for people is worth it.

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Congratulations!  Symphony is an awesome ship.  So much to see and do, you might need to plan a 2nd cruise!!

Don't forget to bring cash with you, always handy for the casino, tips to hard working staff, and small trinkets in port.

Make sure you are registered for Crown and Anchor Society, the cruise line loyalty program, and start earning points for future cruises.

 

Most importantly, don't overthink or overdo it.  Planning is important but too much can cause stress.  Sometimes the best trips occur when you allow random things to just happen.  Enjoy your time together, the ship, the destinations, and vacation time.

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