My first cruise was in 2006, and I made so many mistakes. Now I’m here to help you avoid making these same mistakes!
The mistakes I am talking about are probably not the ones you usually see talked about. I’m not talking about forgetting to pack something or bringing the wrong item. Instead, let’s discuss mistakes that can really make or break your vacation.
My first cruise was on the Carnival Destiny (now the Sunshine) over 15 years ago. At that time, I knew nothing about cruising, and despite how much I usually research everything, I wasn’t the one who planned the cruise, so I just was going with the flow the whole way. That was years ago, but I honestly don’t remember bothering to learn anything about the ship prior to boarding.
One of my closest friends asked if I would be willing to go with her on this cruise and offered to cover my cost of the cruise since she would be paying for double occupancy anyway if she went solo. I was fairly broke at the time, so a vacation where I only paid for flights and some excursions seemed right up my alley. However, this did mean that I felt a little more obligated to let my friend make all the decisions when it came to the cruise, its itinerary, and any excursions, which is definitely not like me!
What were some of the mistakes I made on this first cruise so many years ago?
1. Not Exploring the Ship!
Not only did I not research anything about the ship, but even after getting onboard, I never intentionally explored the ship. We went to the MDR. I remember going with my friend so she could play BINGO one day. Pizza? Check. I definitely found that! I remember how overwhelmed I felt by how big the ship was and never feeling like I really knew where anything was. It’s kind of funny now since the Destiny is such a smaller ship than anything I’ve been on since, but you have to realize that I’m from a small town (very small town) and up to that point had never experienced anything like a crowded cruise ship.
I honestly don’t even remember spending time on the Lido, although I’m sure we at least walked through it. I don’t remember ever going to a show, but it seems likely that my friend would have wanted to go to at least one.
It wasn’t until 2019 before I boarded a ship again, this time the Carnival Dream. Everything changed when I not only researched what the ship had to offer, but actually took the time to intentionally explore the ship and see everything for myself. Feeling comfortable with the ship that will be your home for the next week or so is important when it comes to actually enjoying your trip and getting the most out of the experience.
2. Not Researching your Cabin
Luckily, on that first cruise, we ended up with a reasonable cabin. It was even a little bigger than your normal interior cabin since it was handicap accessible. I honestly don’t know if my friend chose that cabin or if it was a guaranteed cabin. However, it was tucked away at the end of the hall and seemed far away from everything. Knowing what kind of cabin you want, where the best location is for you, and if there is anything above or below that might mean noise that will affect your ability to sleep is something the experienced cruiser is well aware of. Since that cruise, I research deck plans to help me pick the right cabin for us. That doesn’t mean I haven’t made a mistake when picking a room though. Let’s just say, if you are getting a spa room, make sure you aren’t under the gym!
3. Choose things YOU like to do
Despite having a type-A personality, I took that back seat during my first cruise. My friend was an early-to-bed type person, but just like today, I was a late-night person even then. Luckily, we were seated at dinner with some other young ladies our age who I ended up hanging out with a few nights during the cruise. I’m glad I made those connections, but I know now that I missed out on a lot by not stepping out on my own, learning the ins and outs of the ship, and making the most of my cruise. I honestly think if I had made more of an effort to explore and enjoy the ship on my own I wouldn’t have waited so long to get back on a ship!
No matter who you cruise with, you need to be able to do the things you like to do. If it is your first cruise, maybe you don’t even know what those things are yet, but you need to be free to explore the possibilities available to you. Whether it is an excursion, or just hanging around the ship on a sea day, it is important to discuss compromise so everyone in your cruising party gets to experience the things they enjoy. You don’t need to spend every moment together, and it is important for everyone in your group to agree to that or there could be some hurt feelings by the end of the cruise.
I learned a lot from that experience even if I can’t actually remember a whole lot about the cruise itself. When I next went on a cruise with a friend, we talked about being okay just doing things together if it was something we both wanted to do yet feeling free to go off by ourselves if not. I’m sure there are definitely people out there who are not comfortable going off by themselves, and that is okay. However, it is still important that both they, and whomever they are sailing with, compromise on their activities both onboard ship and at port. There are things mom and I both enjoy doing, but when it comes to sea days, we tend to go our own way for the majority of the day then come together for dinner. Both of us get to do what we want without feeling guilty.
When mom and I plan a cruise, we discuss everything from the type of ship to the itinerary to excursions. I may take point on planning and booking everything, but we spend a lot of time discussing what excursions we want to take, going over deck plans and virtual tours of new ships so we know what we might want to do once onboard.
I’d love to know if you have made any of these same mistakes in the past and how that might have affected your vacation. Are you a planner or do you prefer having someone else do the planning for you?
Cruising From The Ozarks 