20 Things to Know When Going on a Cruise

Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, here is Lili, your co-editor. Today we take you on a journey with the sea waves 🙂 We always try new things and new ideas and although we avoided going on a cruise until now, friends of ours recommended a specific route. It included visiting twelve different islands in the Caribbean in the course of two weeks. We talk about ten island-countries plus two French territories, which otherwise would be difficult to visit in such a short time span. We were cruising during the night and every morning we were waking up on a different piece of land. In case it is of interest for you, we booked our cruise via urlaubsexpert.de, but no doubt there are thousands of agencies/ websites offering cruise ship packages.

Certainly, cruise isn’t adequate for exploring bigger islands or countries. However, we find it a perfect solution for the dozen Caribbean countries, most of which are very small and one could get some impression even if the stay is less than a day.

We will share our impressions from each island we visited, so in case you find this interesting, follow the links to the respective articles. Please be patient, they will come one by one.

• Antigua & Barbuda 

• Barbados

• British Virgin Islands

• Dominica

• Grenada

• Guadeloupe

• Martinique

• St. Kitts & Nevis

• St .Maarten

• Saint Lucia

• St Vincent & The Grenadines

• Trinidad & Tobago

Before going on the cruise, I did a profound research. I remember I had a lot of questions, many of which remained unanswered prior to our journey. To name a few- does it take long to get on and off the ship, is it expensive on board, what kind of clothes I should bring, etc. I was especially concerned about too cold air-conditioning and potential sea sickness.

That is why I think it would be useful to share my findings after our first cruise. We are far from being experts as obviously each route and cruise ship company is different. However, it will bring a bit of light to all of you who are considering going on a cruise. At the end I will also share my thoughts whether we would go on a cruise again (if we have the chance of course).

20 things to know when going on a cruise:

1. Do not be afraid of the size of the ship the and the number of passengers

The ship we traveled with was MCS Preziosa. Its capacity is 4000 passengers and 1400 crew members. Our biggest concern was that we would lose a lot of time when getting off and going back on the ship. We found out this is not the case. All people on the ship have different agendas and preferences. Some prefer to sleep late and are not keen on exploring, others wake up early in an attempt to see as many things as possible when on the island. For all twelve islands, we did not wait for more than 15 minutes when getting on/off. Usually we were the first on the queue when going out, so we were on the shore just after the moment the ship received the permission to let passengers out.

Usually the process is that when the ship stops in the harbor, local authorities have to come on board and give permission for people to go out. This takes around 15 minutes and then the passengers can leave the ship.

Force majeure

Due to different force majeure, the local authorities might keep the ship closed for some time. E.g. a kind security officer explained that once in Europe there was a passenger who died in the ship casino during the night. He got a heart attack after loosing a lot of money (so sad :(. When they landed the next morning, the local authorities had to investigate the case. This resulted in longer waiting time before being able to go on land. However, this happens rarely (hopefully). 

We always took the stairs when moving up and down the ship. Only when preparing to go out, we took the lift to get to the lowest deck. In order to avoid people queuing only on the lowest deck, the ship crew did not allow all the people to go there, but rather wait on the upper floors. Just as a tip- take the lift, so that you can reach the lowest deck.

2. Sea sickness

This was another concern before going on a cruise. Certainly, there is no rule which applies to everyone- you might or might not suffer from sea sickness. Yet, it depends on the ship size and also on the weather and water conditions. It might be because we were in the Caribbean sea (and not in the ocean) or because of the size of the ship, but none of us (we were four) had issues with sea sickness. 

We were even doing our morning routines (some yoga and a short training) on board. One could barely feel the movement of the ship. 

3. Staying in a cabin without windows is not that bad

When booking your cruise, you will find out that the difference in the prices of the same ship depends on the type of cabin you chose. The cheapest option is an inner cabin without windows. The second option is a cabin with a window and the highest class is a room with a terrace (of course depending on the ship you might have other options). The price difference between the cheapest version and the most premium one is normally significant. Certainly, the best thing is to be in a cabin with a terrace. However, depending on the type of cruise and your budget, the inner cabin is a proper alternative to experience cruising on a budget.

Our cruise included stopping on an island every day and sailing at night. Basically we woke up before sunset, did some training, then we went out for exploring. We were coming back on the ship around sunset, when it was again dark outside. We did not miss the view. Plus you can always go to the open decks on top of the ship and enjoy the view from there. 

Maybe it depends on the ship itself, but actually the cabins with windows had worse location compared to the inner ones. I have read that the lower decks feel the vibration from the engine more intensely. The cabins with windows were located on the lower decks. Anyway, when booking your cruise package, consider the cabin you are choosing.

4. Room cleanliness and hosting

On the day of your arrival, your housekeeper will introduce himself/ herself. They take care of your cabin during your stay. I’m not sure whether this is the case on each cruise, but we were extremely pleased with the overall cleanliness- not only in the room, but on the whole ship. Not that we requested so, but they changed our towels sometimes three times a day. Of course you could ask to change them less frequently to be more environmental-conscious. 

In addition to this the ship was perfectly maintained. I was seeing the crew taking care of each detail every morning, no matter that it already looks perfectly clean.

5. Do not underestimate the distances on the ship 

As mentioned above, we have chosen one of the relatively big ships for our cruise. It takes some time to get from one end of the ship to the other. Furthermore, it has so many activities, that it literally takes time until you learn about them all.

We rarely used lifts, so it was also a good cardio 🙂 Getting from the 4th to the 14th deck makes 10 floors. And you can do this several times a day. 

6. If you travel with checked-in luggage, it will be delivered from the plane directly to your cabin

This is one of the reasons why many people prefer going on a cruise. The organization is amazingly smooth. If you have bought a package which includes a flight, the cruise company takes care of everything. They wait for you at the airport and the transport to the ship is included in the package. What is more, they deliver your checked-in luggage to your cabin. Isn’t this convenient? We travel with hand luggage only and this was not a service we benefited from. Same applies with the way back. You do not bother bringing your luggage and checking it in. They do this for you. And you receive the boarding passes delivered to your cabin the night before departure. Love this simplicity!

7. Go to the compulsory safety demonstration instruction

Upon getting on the ship for the first time, the crew organizes a safety demonstration. This is compulsory for all passengers. After all, they do this for your safety. They know pretty well how to use life jackets, but maybe you don’t. Do not miss it. 

8. There is no need to dispose with money when on the ship

Once you check in, you receive a plastic card. This card is both your ID and your credit card for the whole stay on the cruise ship. You get off the ship with it, you pay in the bars, shops and restaurants with the same card. At the end of the trip they just charge your credit card with what you have spent (paying cash is another option). You have to register your credit card in the first two days you get on board.

9. Before leaving tips, check whether they are included

Check the conditions of your package. It should be written somewhere how much is the “service fee”. In our case it was €10 per day. This sums up to €140 for a two-week trip. No additional tips are recommended as this is a general ship policy.

10. Drinks on board

Unless you have bought a special package, the only drinks included are tea, coffee, water and juices from the vending machines at breakfast and water from the same machines during lunch and dinner. Anything else is subject to additional charge. Although some people fill their containers with water from the vending machines, it is not allowed. 

What we did was buy bottles with mineral water from the shops on the islands. This is allowed and you can bring the water on board. However, if you buy alcohol either from land or from the the duty free shop on board, this will be stored by the crew and you will receive it by disembarkation at your final stop.

11. The prices you see in the menu do not include certain surcharge

Besides the service (tip fee) they charge in the end of the cruise, all drinks have a 15% service fee. What you see in the menu is the price without this amount. It is just for you to have it in mind when ordering. 

Depending on what you booked though, it can be that the drinks are within your overall package. For the majority of cruises you pay for the drinks separately. You can buy different packages on the spot as well. They vary depending on the quantity and type. Just for reference- a full all-inclusive drink package on our cruise was around €400. And the prices of the drinks are more or less the same as in standard restaurants in European capitals- a beer and a glass of wine costs €5, the cheapest bottle of wine is €18 and the cocktails are between €8 and €12. A good option is to order a bottle of wine. In case you cannot drink it all, the waiter stores it for you and you can use it the next days. All information is stored on your ship card.

12. Wi-fi is (most probably) not included in the price and is also not very reliable

If you want to have an Internet connection on board, you have to pay separately. Unless free wi-fi is within your package. Again there are different packages you can choose from, but they are quite expensive. Dimo had to make an important video call and bought the highest-quality package. It was supposed to be fast enough to make video calls, but unfortunately this was not the case (satellite internet isn’t the same as cable internet or 5G networks).

If you do not want to pay for wi-fi, you can use the free one on land. Usually most of the ports offer free wi-fi in shopping and cafe areas.

13. You have the possibility to dine in a restaurant or at the buffet 

When booking the cruise, we had to state our preference for dining time. We chose the later option which was 21:00 (and not as initially announced 20:30). You have this slot only if you want to have your dinner in the assigned restaurant. We went there just once and the rest of the evenings we spent in the buffet. For us this was the preferred choice due to several reasons. We could go whenever we wanted, to pick up whatever meal we were in the mood for and we could choose the quantity. Plus on our cruise ship the buffet was located on one of the upper decks and it had French windows. We could enjoy the view especially in the mornings. But everyone has a different preference- the good thing about cruise ships is that they offer something for each taste.

In the restaurants the dress code is a bit more formal. Not that you cannot go with shorts and a T-shirt, but the majority of people are dressed as if they are going on a business meeting or a prom 🙂 The dress code is stricter especially on the so called Captain’s evening and the formal evening.

Besides the free restaurants, there are also premium restaurants where you have to pay for your meal. E.g. there was a steakhouse on our ship. Having all the variety in the buffet, honestly we did not feel a necessity to try it. 

Above all, there was food available during the whole day. Not only did the breakfast last from 6:30 until 11:30 and the lunch started at 12:00, but also in between the meals you still have certain stands in the buffet open. Quality of food was one of the most impressive things during the whole cruise. 

14. The air-conditioning on the ship will not make you freeze 

Funny enough, one of my biggest concerns was that I will be freezing on the ship due to the air-conditioning. You know the feeling when it is 30 degrees outside and inside it is just 18. Well, even for a person like me who hates the cold, it was OKish. Sometimes I took my light scarf with me at breakfast and dinner, but it was never too bad.

15. Do not feel obliged to dress formally 

Another thing which we were concerned about was the formal dress code. According to what I have read online, the different cruise companies are following these rules with different level of strictness. In our case there was nothing compulsory. We could go very casually dressed even in the restaurant. So, if you are not in the mood to bring a tuxedo or a suit/ dressing gown, you do not have to. You can enjoy your casual holiday.

Usually there are two formal “events” during a cruise. The first one is the Captain’s evening. This is the moment when the whole crew of the captain greets the passengers with a glass of wine/ Prosecco. The other one is the formal evening- this is when you should wear your tuxedo/ dressing gawn. Even if you do not have one, do not worry- not all people followed this dress code (including us). We also had a “white” evening when the dress code was white. This was quite cute- to see all people wearing white clothes.

16. Smoking is allowed only at certain areas

Even if you chose a cabin with a terrace, do not light a cigarette there. This is against the safety rules, so stick to them. There are designated areas usually at the upper decks or close to the restaurants/ bars. Usually they are marked with the respective signs. 

17. If you have the possibility, organize your own trips 

Each evening while you are at dinner, your housekeeper would prepare your bed for sleeping. He will also leave a leaflet with information about the program on the day after tomorrow. A short summary of the destination you are going to, including the trips you can book on board, as well as the onboard entertainment. We have compared the fares for the trips they offer to what we actually paid when booking them on land.

One example was British Virgin Islands. We wanted to visit a neighboring island of the one where we landed at. The trip organized by the cruise ship was €100/ person and we would have just a limited time on the island. In comparison, we took a ferry which was leaving very close to our ship. The total price per person was $38. Quite a difference, isn’t it?

Cruise ship trips are a safe choice though

Above all, the advantage of these trips organized by the cruise ship is that you know the ship will not leave without you. You pay a premium for this. And you have to follow the dynamic of the whole group. If this is what you like, then these trips will be the best option for you.

At first we had a lot of uncertainty- how are we going to get to a point of interest. We had made our research for each island in advance. We knew where we wanted to go. Additionally, we knew that there would be a lot of taxis at the ports. But what was not clear for us was how we are going to go back. No worries- as mentioned above, the whole cruise industry functions quite well. Your driver will ask you when you want to go back to the ship and he will come to pick you up. And they always come 🙂  In the end this is their job. 

Some friends also asked me whether it is too busy when getting off the ship and trying to take a taxi. As we were always among the first, we never experience crowds. And remember what I said above, all passengers on board have their own program. They do not leave the ship at once.

18. What happens if you miss your ship

Especially on the islands we visited, there were some risky situations in which we could have been late for the ship departure. If you organize the trips on land on your own, pay special attention to the boarding time. Even if the ship leaves at 18:00, you have to go on board at 17:30. The crew has a list of all the passengers and by your ship ID card they know who is on board and who is not yet there.

There was a phone number on your ship card which you need to call in case you miss your ship. Our assumption is that you will have to find a way to get on your own to the next port where the ship stops. As it might be quite costly, you better take some precautionary measures to avoid such situations.

19. Entertainment on board

We spent our daytime on the islands and cannot say anything about the daytime entertainment, but on several occasions we tried the entertainment program in the evening. Inside the ship you have a whole theater (huge one) where you will see professional performances. There are two performances per evening in order to serve the two dining slots. There were dance lessons, live concerts, kids entertainment- basically everything you need in order to enjoy your holiday. The bigger ships even have a small aqua park on the upper deck. If you want to enjoy a retreat- like massage and spa, they also have this for you.

There are also duty free shops on board. Clothes, perfumes, watches of renown brands are cheaper because you are in a duty-free zone. You can even buy some cosmetics (toothpaste, shampoo, sunscreen,etc) in case you forgot yours at home.

20. Certainly you will wish to go back on a cruise again

This last thing is something which has 100% validity. So far I have not met a person who has been on a cruise and said that he/ she will never go again. If you find any, please ask them to write to us :-). 

I hope that now you have a better overview of what to expect when going on a cruise. If I missed something, you have other tips or experiences, I will be happy to hear from you in the comment section below. 

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