Whether you’re planning your maiden voyage or have already sailed the seven seas, you can always get more out of your cruise with some smart advance planning. Here are some cruise tips and tricks for everybody from first-time cruisers to experts.
Make Creative Stateroom Choices
Suite
If you’re traveling as a multigenerational group, be creative with the configuration of your accommodation. For example, parents and grandparents would appreciate a private veranda, while kids could have an inside stateroom across the corridor. Consider interconnecting rooms—there are plenty on Celebrity’s ships—or The Retreat, where your family of four could enjoy the comfort and space of a two-bedroom suite.
Take a look at The Retreat if you’re a couple, too, as the extra amenities in this blissful sanctuary make a romantic vacation that much better, from premium beverages to an exclusive restaurant, Luminae, and a serene, private lounge and deck.
Pack Smart
Experienced cruisers have all sorts of cruise tips and tricks for packing, some more unexpected than others. For example, magnets will attach loose pieces of paper, like excursion tickets and party invitations, to your cabin wall. Colorful towel clips will stop your beach towel from flying off your lounger on a breezy day. Compression cubes are perfect for squeezing more into your luggage, while hanging washbags mean you can store toiletries vertically, rather than cluttering the bathroom.
Invest in a travel pill organizer for any meds to avoid packing endless bottles, and a jewelry roll to keep everything together. A USB octopus means you can charge multiple devices from one USB socket, although power extension strips are not allowed. A thermal water flask will keep your drinking water cool all day and is more environmentally sound, as you won’t be discarding half-full plastic bottles once they warm up.
A tote bag is perfect for the beach (if you’ve chosen The Retreat, you’ll find a very chic complimentary one waiting in your suite). If you’re planning kayaking trips or are headed to the Galapagos, where you’ll be zooming around on Zodiacs, a roll-top wet bag keeps valuables dry.
Finally, pack everything you need for the first afternoon of embarkation day in your carry-on, not least swimwear, a cover-up, and sunblock, so you don’t have to wait for your suitcases to be delivered to your stateroom.
Read: Expert Cruise Packing Tips
Arrive a Day Early
Venice, Italy
If you’re traveling long distance, why not add on a night in a hotel before joining the ship? You’ll be able to enjoy a little local culture on your first night—for example, a stroll through Venice, or fresh seafood in Athens with a view of the floodlit Acropolis—and sleep off some jetlag. You’ll arrive at the port fresh and ready for an adventure at sea.
Get to Know the Ship
Camp at Sea
Part of the fun of the first day is exploring your new home, and a wise cruise tip from experienced sailors is to take a self-guided ship tour. This way, you’ll figure out where you want to sunbathe, eat, and relax, find classes you like the look of, and see the array of activities on offer in Camp at Sea.
You’ll be given a map of the ship, or can use your Celebrity app to explore. Start on the highest possible deck and work your way methodically down. You’ll be amazed at how much you learn—which restaurants beckon, the enticing treatments on offer in the aromatic haven of the spa, the best spot from which to enjoy the thrill of sailaway on your first evening.
If you’re traveling as a family with young children, knowing the shortest routes around the ship is always a good idea, as you’ll inevitably be dashing back to your stateroom every now and then for forgotten items.
Budget for Beverages
Sunset Bar
Depending on your habits, investing in a beverage package can be one of the best cruise tips to follow. It’s easy on the carefree, sunny days of vacation to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine with lunch, a sundowner as you set sail, more wine with your evening meal, and then some cocktails in the nightclub.
It’s not all about booze; other beverage packages offer non-alcoholic drinks, some cater to kids, and others include just soda or mineral water.
Match Your Tech To Your Itinerary
Alaska
There’s no need to bring an entire mobile office, but think about what you might need at the destinations you’re visiting on your cruise itinerary. In Alaska, binoculars are essential for wildlife spotting, as is a camera with a zoom lens. An essential cruise tip here is to bring a spare battery, as nobody wants a dead camera just as that pod of orcas appears.
You can’t fly a drone from a ship—but some of the tiniest models, for which you don’t need a license, are appropriate for catching those ‘wow’ aerial shots of, say, the Stockholm archipelago, or the dazzling gold and turquoise sweep of a Caribbean beach. Always check, though, whether your mini-drone is legal.
Bermuda
If you’re sailing somewhere tropical and are likely to be snorkeling or diving, consider a GoPro or a waterproof case for your smartphone for underwater shots. For long city tours involving a lot of walking, a heavy camera can be a burden, but a smartphone is perfect for street shots and video.
Use the Celebrity Cruises App
Celebrity Cruises app
If you haven’t tried the Celebrity Cruises app on previous cruises, now’s the time. On a practical basis, the app makes boarding swifter and allows you to snap up dining and excursion reservations. But it’s fun, too. The in-app calendar is a fantastic tool for scheduling your day, rather than scribbling on the printed daily program.
The chat function is the perfect way to keep track of friends and family on board. You can manage your expenses, too. You can even use your smartphone to open your cabin door or control the lights and shades from your bed.
Try a Capsule Wardrobe
Stockholm, Sweden
If you prefer to travel light, a good cruise tip is to plan a wardrobe that works hard. Each item needs to match other items, so keep the color palette minimalist. One pair of pants, for example, can be paired with any number of floaty tops, or with sneakers by day and strappy sandals by night.
One relatively simple summer dress can be accessorized with statement jewelry, scarves, and different shoes, and worn by day after it’s made an appearance for dinner. Lightweight travelers suggest just three pairs of shoes: one pair for walking, flip flops for the ship, and something more dressy for evening.
Roofdeck Garden
The dress code on Celebrity Cruises’ ships is smart casual throughout, with a couple of Evening Chic evenings per cruise. You don’t need a ball gown or tuxedo for these—although some cruisers nonetheless love stepping out in full sparkle. The reality, though, is that everybody is having too much of a good time to judge what you’re wearing every day.
Skip the Travel-sized Toiletries
Small bottles are generally environmentally unsound, so buy a set of reusable travel-sized bottles and decant your favorite products before leaving home if you like to travel with a particular brand. Shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, and soap bars are provided, in any case.
Royal Suite bathroom
If you are bringing big bottles, like sunblock, double wrap them in plastic. Nobody wants to open their suitcase to a gooey mess. Aromatherapy oils, too, have a habit of leaking, and while tea tree is great for insect bites, and lavender for sleep and soothing sunburn, wrap them tightly unless you want to wander around the ship smelling like an intense herbal aroma.
Make Breakfast an Occasion
While the choices in the Oceanview Cafe are undeniably mouth-watering, mix it up a little, especially if you have kids in tow and you’re eating at peak time, when everybody is getting ready to go on tour. Change out the bustle of the cafe for a more serene experience in the main restaurant, where you’ll enjoy table service, made-to-order omelettes, and delicious specials like eggs Benedict or pancakes with maple syrup.
Plan Specialty Dining
Lawn Club Grill
You’ll probably be booking several of the specialty restaurants on board, so plan your time wisely. If you’re ashore all day on a long excursion, you’ll most likely be tired, so this might be the night for a quiet dinner in the main dining room.
If there’s a sunset sailaway from somewhere exceptionally beautiful, like Santorini, for example, make that the day you dine at the Lawn Club Grill or the Rooftop Garden Grill on Edge or Apex. If you only choose one specialty experience and you’re cruising with kids, go for Le Petit Chef, a spectacular animation experience that thrills and entertains all ages.
Murano
Booking spa treatments early evening, when there’s usually more availability, is tempting, but don’t leave it too late on big evenings like the cocktail hour. On the other hand, on a sailing day, especially if there’s an Evening Chic dress code, soak up some sun, dress up to the nines, and make this your night in Murano, where an elegant outfit matches the beautiful setting.
Take Time Out
SEA Thermal Suite
If you’re a seasoned cruiser and are perhaps revisiting old haunts in Europe, why not take a day off? This is particularly rewarding—and feels slightly decadent—in the heat of the Mediterranean summer, but with so much sightseeing on offer, exhaustion is a real issue. So book a spa treatment for a port day when there are usually special offers, or occupy prime position by the pool, enjoying the sensation of having the ship to yourself, like a luxurious private yacht.
If you do venture ashore, do as the locals do. Sit for hours in a beautiful square with morning coffee and head back on board for a siesta. If your ship has a late sail, take a stroll in port at sunset and stop for aperitivos, followed by a late dinner on board.
Document Your Voyage
Portofino, Italy
Most of us take photographs and videos, but thinking of other ways you could document your vacation is one of the best cruise tips to help you remember your vacation. You could pack a sketch pad and pencils and give drawing a try—nobody will judge if you can only manage a stick figure. Try creative writing; sit in some gorgeous waterfront café, or on deck at sunset, and describe what you see. Or try a video app and get creative with micro-movies.
You could even try a sound diary, recording snippets of sound on your phone as a memory—the chatter of dolphins, the cry of a bird, the clackety-clack of a train, the bustle of a restaurant. Ask the whole family for their best shots at the end of the trip and create a photo book. Or collect ticket stubs and other scraps—more of a challenge in the digital age—for a good, old-fashioned vacation scrapbook.
Keep the Family Happy
Pool
One of the joys of cruising in a multigenerational group is that there’s enough variety on board for everybody. A ship is the perfect environment in which families can scatter, do their own thing, and meet up at an agreed time and place to enjoy quality time together.
For example, your teens might want to visit the Teen Club, while grandparents may head out on a tour while you work out in the gym or relax in the privacy of your veranda. Maybe agree to meet for lunch, or take a couple of fantastic family-friendly excursions. There’s no pressure to do everything as a group, though, and the joy of a cruise ship is that it’s safe for all ages.
Read: How to Plan a Cruise for a Large Family
Make Exercise Fun
Yoga class
If you exercise regularly at home, there’s every possibility on a Celebrity Cruises ship to keep up your routine with some exciting classes. On Edge-series ships, join a high-energy, live-streamed class on the Peloton bikes. Get the whole family signed up for a salsa class, or simply inhale the sea air on an early morning power walk. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Wear an activity tracker and see if you can hit 10,000 steps a day—it’s really not difficult on a ship.
Manage Your Time Ashore
Barcelona, Spain
There are some ports that invite wandering. Mykonos Town and Barcelona, for example, are easy to navigate. Venice is a place to lose yourself among the tranquil canals and alleyways, while Juneau in Alaska is a joy to wander at your own pace or try the friendly public bus service to reach the Mendenhall Glacier.
On the other hand, from Naples, you’ll want to visit the excavations at Pompeii, which is infinitely better with a guide. A tour is a reassuring and more effective way to navigate the teeming chaos of Bangkok. South American ports are trickier if you don’t speak Spanish, and cities like Buenos Aires and Santiago are, in any case, sprawling.
However you spend your day, though, be back on time! Unless you’re on an official excursion, the ship won’t wait.
Reinvent Yourself
Martini Bar
Cruising is undeniably exciting and romantic, so let go of your everyday stresses and rediscover the real you. Nobody here knows you, so you can be whoever you like. This is the time for sartorial expression, so let your fashion imagination run wild. At home, you may not sit at a glamorous cocktail bar, sipping a martini and wearing a sparkly dress, or a suave summer tuxedo, but in the elegant setting of a Celebrity Cruises ship, why not?
Push your boundaries, however gently. Boost your adrenaline with a new activity, like zip-lining or a high-speed RIB tour. Stay up insanely late, dancing. Try karaoke. Or get up early, head up on deck, and watch the sunrise. You can always snooze during the day.
Join a class on board and learn a new skill. Meet new people and let them see the you that isn’t encumbered by school runs and office commutes. You may surprise yourself.
Never Buy a Cruise on Price
Alaska
The worst way to plan a cruise is purely on price. Choosing a ship and itinerary to match your personality is way more important. So think about your itinerary. Do you want a cruise with several days at sea? Or do you want to be in port and off the ship every day?
Do you prefer a cruise that hugs the coast, with something to look at most of the time? Then try the Norwegian fjords, or Alaska. Are you looking for a hefty dose of culture? Then pick a voyage that calls at some of the big-hitting ports in the Mediterranean, such as Rome, Athens, and Naples.
Is it your dream to watch the sun set over Santorini? Then check the departure time of your cruise carefully. Some ships leave before sunset, while others stay later specifically so their guests can enjoy the spectacle.
The Porch
Pick the right ship for you, too. Think about whether you want nightlife, a wide range of restaurants, a bigger, state-of-the-art ship, or something more cozy and traditional. This is where the advice of an experienced travel agent, ideally one who has been on multiple ships and has a wealth of cruise tips, is invaluable.
Encourage Kids to Use the Kids’ Club
Camp at Sea
Not all kids are extroverted; some may be a little shy, or nervous about the prospect of going to a kids’ club on vacation. So when you board your ship, go together to the kids’ club—Camp at Sea on Celebrity’s ships— to meet the crew there and take a tour. The facilities are so much fun, and the counselors are so friendly that your child is bound to be excited when they see what’s on offer, from campouts to movie nights and silent discos.
Also remember—and reassure a nervous child—that there’s no obligation to attend the kids’ club for the entire cruise. You can dip in and out of it.
Make the Most of Space
Infinite Veranda
Some travelers like to unpack fully, with everything stashed away, while others are content to spend their vacation with clothes spilling out of a messy suitcase. You know which you are. But a word of advice: while cruise ship staterooms are super-spacious nowadays, you’re still in a limited space.
As such, cruise ship accommodation is carefully designed to maximize smart storage. So one of the best cruise tips is to look carefully for hidden storage and make the most of every drawer, cupboard, and shelf. If you need more coat hangers, ask your stateroom attendant. Look for portable smart storage solutions, too, like a washbag that unfolds and can hang from a towel rail, or a fold-flat portable fabric shoe rack.
Be Kind to your Stateroom Attendant
Your stateroom attendant will introduce themselves on the first day and will work tirelessly to keep your accommodation spotless throughout your cruise. There are ways to make their work easier and more pleasant, beyond paying gratuities.
Address them by name; they’re a human being. Leave the stateroom as tidy as you can when you know they’re coming to clean. If you’re sleeping in, put your “do not disturb” sign on so they won’t interrupt you. And if you’re heading out to breakfast, it’s always helpful to them if you use the “please make up the room” sign.
Respect their culture and the fact that, although they will speak good English, it might not be their first language. So if you want something, whether it’s an ice bucket or a feather pillow, explain it clearly, or make it clear in a written note.
Bring Your Own Wine
Tuscan Grille
Every cruise line has different rules about bringing alcohol on board, but if you enjoy a glass of wine in your stateroom while getting ready for dinner or relaxing on your veranda, it’s worth noting that you can bring one bottle per guest of drinking age onto a Celebrity ship for private consumption.
There will be a corkage charge if you want to consume your own wine in a restaurant—and it’s probably not worth doing this as every Celebrity Cruises ship already has an impressive wine list—but it’s worth knowing if you do like a glass or two in the privacy of your stateroom.
Carry the Ship’s Contact Details When You Go Ashore
Malaga, Spain
While it’s very rare for cruise ships to leave passengers behind, you can take steps to make sure you’re not a “pier runner”, as latecomers are known in cruising circles. Getting back to the ship on time is obvious; the absolute latest boarding time is 30 minutes before sailing, and it’s critical to make a note of this if you’re going ashore independently.
If there’s a real disaster, you’ll need to contact the ship. The phone number for the ship or for the local handling agent will be printed either on your SeaPass card or will show in the Celebrity Cruises app on your phone. One of the best cruise tips is to make sure at least one person in your party has cell service in your destination in case of an emergency.
Learn a Little Cruise-Speak
The Retreat Sundeck
Cruise lines nowadays are cutting back on nautical jargon to make cruising more inclusive and remove some of the mystique. But shipping-speak is deeply ingrained in seafarers, so it’s worth understanding a few simple terms.
Forward, which is pretty obvious, is the front of the ship, while aft is the back. Port is the left side and starboard the right. The galley is the kitchen, while what you might know as a floor is a deck on a ship.
A ship’s speed is measured in knots, not miles per hour. One knot is equal to one nautical mile per hour, and a nautical mile is the equivalent of 1.15 statute miles. So when you hear the captain’s address over the PA, you’ll be able to figure out how fast you’re going.
Santorini, Greece
A tender is the ship’s lifeboats, which are used in ports where the ship can’t go alongside—next to—the dock. The water might be too shallow, as it is in Belize, for example, or the dock sometimes simply isn’t big enough, as in the case of Santorini, Greece. At tender ports, the ship will anchor near the port, and you’ll be ferried ashore in the lifeboats.
The gangway is where you get on and off the ship—but it moves. Depending on tides and the layout of the dock in any given port, the gangway could be on a different deck from where it was the day before, so always listen for announcements when you arrive at a new port.
Read: Forward vs. Aft of a Ship: What’s the Difference?
Make the Most of Butler Service
Suite
If you’ve chosen The Retreat on your Celebrity cruise, you’ll enjoy butler service throughout your vacation. So don’t be timid; enjoy the moment. Your butler will pack and unpack for you if you wish, as well as make spa appointments, book specialty dining, and book shore excursions.
They can secure priority seating in the Theatre on Evening Chic nights. They’ll arrange for your minibar to be restocked, your champagne to be chilled, and your shoes to be shined. You can contact your butler via Butler Chat on the Celebrity app, but just remember, you can’t take them home with you.
Book a Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Who isn’t fascinated by what goes on below deck? Look out for Celebrity’s special Insider Access: Behind the Scenes tours, during which a privileged few get a glimpse of the inner workings of the ship.
You’ll visit the galley to learn how thousands of meals are prepared daily, as well as the stores. Marvel at the complexity of the Engine Control Room and take a peek at the massive laundry as well as the “i95 Celebrity Way”, the main artery for crew use that runs the length of the ship.
The tour ends with a visit to the bridge, where you can see the controls, communication, and navigation equipment used to steer the ship. A cruise tip worth remembering is to book this tour as soon as you can, as it sells out quickly.
FAQs
What is the first thing you do when you get on a cruise ship?
Ocean Grill
Everybody behaves differently when they first get on a ship. Most will make a beeline for the buffet, as embarkation is normally around lunchtime, so a good insider tip is to see if there’s anywhere else open for lunch to avoid the crowds.
Staterooms aren’t usually ready until the afternoon, so some sun-lovers head straight to the pool and start the vacation there. Others prefer to orient themselves with a tour from the highest deck to the lowest and get organized, booking spa treatments, specialty dining, and excursions, if they haven’t already done so. There are no rules; your vacation starts as soon as you step on board.
One thing that’s compulsory on embarkation day before the ship sails is a muster drill, which is quick and easy. But there’s no getting out of this—it’s for your own safety and the safety of others, and it’s maritime law.
What should I not do on embarkation day?
Don’t panic on embarkation day. First-time cruisers sometimes get into a spin the minute they board, racing around trying to book things with a rising sense of FOMO. Stay calm. You will get into the spa, and you will get into that specialty dining restaurant.
Of course, securing all these bookings is much easier now as you can plan ahead online. So while it’s best not to overschedule your cruise, you can secure the dining times you want and the restaurants you want before you leave home. If plans change, you can always change bookings on board.
Also, don’t suffer in silence. If, for example, you’d requested twin beds and you have a double, simply ask your stateroom attendant to make the switch. If you need a tour of the features of your stateroom, just ask. If you don’t have enough coat hangers or want an ice bucket delivered to your stateroom every day, simply request it.
What should I know before going on a cruise?
Infinite Veranda
A cruise is like any other vacation, really; you don’t require specialist knowledge in order to have a good time. There are a few things it’s good to know, though. Check the ports of call carefully, and the arrival and departure times, to make sure you’ll be able to do what you want. Choose the location of your stateroom when you book if you’re particular about not being near an elevator, or being close to the pool.
Look at what’s included in the price of your cruise, too, so you can budget in advance. You may want to add a drinks package, for example, or pre-pay for streaming Wi-Fi. And check the weather; the Mediterranean or Alaska, as the season changes in September and October, can be rainy and a little cooler than in summer.
How do I avoid seasickness on a cruise?
Villa
There are more “cures” for seasickness than you could imagine, but here are a few pointers. You can use motion sickness skin patches or oral medication as a preventative measure, although you should be aware of possible side effects. Wear acupressure wristbands if you prefer an alternative remedy; there’s strong clinical evidence that these work.
Avoid heavy and fatty food until you have your sea legs, and don’t drink too much alcohol. If the sea is choppy, some people find it helps to stay on deck in the fresh air, focusing on the horizon. Others prefer the lowest possible deck and most central part of the ship, which is where you’ll feel the motion the least.
Then there are the folk cures: ginger tea, sharp green apples with salt, herbal remedies—every seafarer has their own solution. Why not ask your crewmembers what they recommend?
Resort Deck
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