My husband had never been on a cruise. I’d only been on one and that was about 10 years ago. Clearly, we were long overdue. We booked a three day cruise on the Norwegian Sky, out of Miami that stopped in Naussau in the Bahamas, and at Norwegian’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay. Along the way, we learned some things (some we were prepared for and some we were not), that will definitely make our next cruise even more of a pleasure. We wanted to share those tips with you, in our cruise tips for newbies. It’s all practical and totally doable information.

The view of the Norwegian Sky ship as we returned from Great Stirrup Cay, their private island.

Follow these cruise tips for newbies:

Booking your room:

There are interior rooms and exterior rooms. The interior rooms don’t have a window, whereas the exterior rooms do. Interior rooms are less expensive and are a good option if you plan to be out of your room pretty much from morning to night. The only negative is that if you’re feeling some motion from the ocean and are wondering what might be going on (it’s probably just normal waves), you’d have to leave your room and go outside to check, which can be a bit of a trek. The benefits of an exterior room include magnificent views, being able to see when you are pulling into port, including watching the twinkling lights of your port city early in the morning – dreamy. We sprang for a balcony room and it was so worth it.

Our state room with a very comfy bed and balcony.

Pulling into Miami port early in the morning after a Norwegian cruise.

Newbies Guide to Packing for Your Cruise:

There isn’t much room in a stateroom so pack with “double duty” in mind – neutral items that can be worn more than once but whose look can be changed with jewelry, or a shawl.

Just in case, pack anti-nausea pressure bands that press small buttons onto pressure points of your inner wrist that help prevent sea sickness. We saw a lot of people using them and we had ours ready if we needed them.

The bathrooms are small so whittle down your toiletries to the essentials.

Bring a lanyard in which to keep the card you are given when you check in. That card is your ID, your room key, and your “charge card” during the trip. Don’t lose it!

We saw a couple with some adorable, animal-shaped clips that kept their towels from flying off their lounge chairs – brilliant! Get some and be ready to be asked about them.

Eating and Drinking While Cruising:

Okay, this is a biggy. On the cruise we were on, and on many others, food is included and so is booze (except for the “nicer” restaurants which you have to make reservations for and pay for separately). We saw people going to town on food and drink and it wasn’t pretty. Just because you can have two hamburgers, a hot dog, chicken, beans, salad, and biscuits, for example, doesn’t mean you should have all of that in one sitting. And at every meal. A ridiculous amount of food was wasted because people’s eyes are bigger than their stomachs and they wanted to get their money’s worth. There are multiple restaurants on board, each serving something a little different. Check them out, decide what you really want, then be reasonable. You can also eat pretty healthfully on a cruise if you make a point of it. There are plenty of veggies and fruit and high quality proteins that still provide a great cruising experience. You want to be able to fit in the cozy airplane seating when you go back home.

Now, alcohol… same thing. We saw people drinking like fish, and the aftermath of some of that too. As with so many things in life, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. You don’t want to miss out on the cruise experience because you’re nursing a hangover every day.

Seagulls. Oh, the seagulls. While it’s so tempting to take your food and eat on the restaurant decks with the sun shining down on you, depending on how close you are to a port, the seagulls will descend the moment you step away to get a drink or whatever, and you’ll come back to a picked-at, mussed up, spilled over meal and you’ll see your toast being carried off over the ocean. I mean, flocks of seagulls will descend. Eat inside when you can or under the canopy. Save your deck-time for other areas of the ship where the gulls don’t flock.

There are some restaurants on the ship that are not part of the all-inclusive deal. They are usually themed like a steak place or French restaurant. You can make reservations for those ahead of time and we highly recommend that. We dined at a French restaurant on our Norwegian cruise and it was one of the most elegant, pampering, and tasty dining experiences we’ve ever had – and you can’t beat the view out your window – ocean for as far as you can see and dramatic sunsets. Other people arrived, hoping to get in but all reservations had been booked. Also note that you should dress up for these dinners. Not gowns and tuxes, but like a nice dinner out back home.

Delicious scallops and toasted pinon nuts, an appetizer at Le Bistro, the French restaurant on the Norwegian Sky.

A delicious chocolate Napolian for dessert at Le Bistro on our Norwegian Cruise.

Cruise Excusion Tips:

Book these ahead of time too because they fill up. Like restaurant reservations, we saw many people trying to book an excursion while on ship only to find they were full.

Some people will advise you to forego the ship-organized excursions and book them with companies once you get off the ship. Believe me, there will be plenty offering to take you around for less money than the ship charges. That may work for some people (and I did do that on my first cruise and lived to tell about it), but we found that the ship-organized excursions, which are done with companies they partner with, were well-organized, safe, and fun. AND, there were no worries about getting back on the ship on time because they got us back well within the timing window. Just be sure to take note of who your driver is and what the vehicle looks like, and its number if it has one. Whenever we were dropped off at a stop so we could walk around and explore, we returned to numerous vehicles that all looked similarly. But remembering our driver’s face and the vehicle number got us where we were supposed to be, on time. Also, set a timer on your phone for when you have to be back at the van. It’s easy to lose track of time and they’ll leave without you! Then it’s your responsibility to get back to the ship on time. If you don’t, it sails without you!

Nassau’s government building.

Rick Steeves has a great tip for excursions when you are going it alone – plan ahead and go to the furthest place you want to see first, then work your way backward. You avoid the hoards and don’t run into the problem of being far away from the ship, having lost track of time, scurrying to get back on time. He says he ends his last 45 minutes or so of excursion time, enjoying the beach or a nearby cafe, until the last minute, then gets back on the ship. We’d add, get off and on the ship earlier than you need because the lines to get off and back on were ridiculous. We got off the ship as soon as we were allowed in the morning and walked around Nassau on our own and then returned prior to the time we were supposed to meet up with our tour group.

See colorful buildings while walking and driving around in Nassau.

One note on security, remember how we recommended the lanyards? Wear them inside your shirt. And tuck away your excursion ticket in a safe place. I learned this the very hard way – I had put my excursion ticket on the same side of my purse as my wallet. When I went to pay for something, the ticket fell out on the ground and I never knew it. Fortunately, I was able to replace it pretty easily but I had some really nervous moments there for a while. Also, you may feel something of an assault by all of the vendors. They are small businesses waiting for the cruise ships to let off. It’s what they do to stay in business and you aren’t obligated to go into any of their booths or say “yes” to any of their tours. Just smile and say “no thank you.”

The Norwegian Sky remains in view across turquoise waters, and through lush trees and lounge chairs on Great Stirrup Cay. It’s Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island where you get to spend the day.

Enjoying Your Days and Nights on the Cruise:

When you first arrive on the ship, everyone will be required to line up on the promenade deck for messages about evacuating in an emergency and how to get on the lifeboats which are suspended over your head and a little menacing. Pay close attention – just in case. But also take note of this deck because it may be the only one that goes all around the ship, uninterrupted. This is where people can get some daily exercise in, making the rounds, and it’s great for strolling arm-in-arm at night.

Spend the first hour or so of the cruise, with the map, getting to know where everything is, including each bar, lounge, and restaurant. You’ll be given a schedule every morning of what’s happening when, and where and you want to know where to head for the events you want to attend, like shows, games, etc.

Dancing on deck on the Norwegian Sky.

There’s a store on-board that carries things you might have forgotten, and souvenirs. Everything goes way on sale the last night of the cruise so that’s a great time to shop.

Wear plenty of sunscreen. Those lovely ocean breezes may be cooling you, but the sun’s beating down. A sunburn is a lousy thing to show for your time sailing the seas.

Plan your gratuities and have the money ready. You aren’t expected to tip at the casual restaurants, but it’s nice to leave a little something at the nicer of the inclusive restaurants and at the bars where the bartenders are making you whatever you desire. Definitely tip at the specialty restaurants. And, plan on about $10 per passenger in your room, per day, for your cabin steward who is your point person, making your bed, replenishing everything, and making sure you are free to enjoy.

Appreciate that your cruise staff is like a little United Nations. Their name badges will say what country they are from. They work very hard for months on end and then have time to go back home for awhile. This is your chance to expand your horizons and find out more about where they are from. It’s so interesting!

Step out of your comfort zone and talk to other guests. Get to know them and the staff. You’re all on this big ship together so it’s your community for those few days. We loved seeing family reunions (they all wore the same t-shirts), bachelorette and bachelor parties (also in t-shirts and sashes), friends, couples, solo travelers – it was a huge variety. Also, be bold and dance, do karaoke, and enter contests. You’ll never see these people in your temporary community again so what the heck. Who knows, maybe your new-found sense of adventure will stay with you once you’re back home.

— Story and photos by Courtney Drake-McDonough

Get out of your comfort zone when you’re on a cruise. You’ll probably never see any of these people again. Be bold! And if you do make friends with others, and they cheer you on during a lip sync contest, then they are your kind of people! 

Hungry for more? Get some great tips for planning your shore excursions from this award-winning article. Find out about a different kind of cruise philosophy, the UnCruise. Some cruises have themes to them, like this foodie cruise. See what that’s like.

Pin these tips to Pinterest so you don’t forget them. And share them with your fellow cruise newbies.

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