What do first-time cruisers need to know before boarding? — featuring Cruzely.com

0:00 taking your first cruise the only thing that can match the excitement of an upcoming vacation is the overwhelm feeling that comes with trying to navigate and plan for your first sailing that's why I have taken the time to round up a boatload or should I say a ship load of tips and things to know

0:20 that will help you prepare for your trip when you go through check-in you'll receive the key to your room this key it's actually like a credit card that you slide into your cabin door to unlock it but it also does a lot more it is also linked to your shipboard account and you'll use your room key just like a

0:40 credit card to charge items to your account no matter if you are buying a drink or a souvenir on one of the ships you'll use this card to pay the only time you'll use cash is when you are off the ship in port or if you want to gamble on board this is much more convenient than having to carry around

0:57 dollar bills just be sure to keep a close hold on that card wondering if you should get an interior cabin or a balcony room don't sweat it balconies they are great but there are some big advantages for interior cabins as a first time Cruiser it's doubtful that you'll be spending much time in your

1:17 room anyway especially if you're taking a shorter Cruise as you will want to be out and about exploring having it into your cabin is a cheaper way to get on your first sailing without breaking the bank when you prepare for your cruise you're either assigned a boarding time or you

1:36 get to choose one Cruise Lines designate a boarding time to avoid having everyone arrive at the Port all at once to get on the ship when boarding is open many people try to get there as early as possible leading to extremely long lines to get on the ship right at the start of boarding spreading out passengers helps

1:55 to keep any one person from having to wait too long what you don't want to do is to show up before your boarding time sure you might be able to board early as they aren't usually too strict on timing but you'll add to the crowds and there's also the likelihood that you'll be asked

2:12 to wait until your designated time that means that you'll just be hanging outside the terminal until you're finally allowed inside one nice thing about cruises is that on many trips they allow you to sail with only a birth certificate and a photo ID if the cruise begins and ends at the

2:31 same port if you don't have a passport you can still leave the country and don't have to go through the hassle and the expense of obtaining one even so it is much smarter to sail with a passport not only does it come in handy should you need to leave the ship early due to an emergency but it can also save you

2:49 time these days many ports use facial recognition that's matched with your passport photo for re-entering the country you snap a photo and you're on your way out the terminal those with birth certificates sometimes they still wait in line to be checked by a CBP officer headed to the Caribbean it's likely that

3:10 you'll visit several countries with several different currencies within just a few days the good news is you don't have to think about converting currencies at each Port these ports that you visit they thrive on tourism and make things easy for cruise passengers they will all gladly accept US Dollars

3:28 and often take credit cards too just bring some smaller bills for your Port days and you'll be all set when you get on a ship there is no shortage of places to spend your money that's why I suggest passengers take advantage of any chance that they have to save a little bit of cash case in

3:47 point Carnival and Royal Caribbean two of the biggest players in cruising they allow you to bring on a small quantity of non-alcoholic drinks considering that's soft drinks we're talking sodas water things like that they are about three dollars each on a cruise that can save you a nice chunk of change

4:07 now most people don't realize it but the cruise lines will often bend over backwards to make you happy case in point you can order multiple items from the dining room menu so say that you want an appetizer but you can't choose between two of them don't choose instead just order them

4:26 both this makes it a great way to try new dishes that are out of your comfort zone if you don't end up liking it then there's no big loss since the dining room food is already included in your fare Cruise Lines know that people want to let loose and have a drink or tin on their Cruise that's why they charge high

4:45 prices for the booze still most Cruise Lines they allow you to bring aboard some alcohol when you Embark at the start of your trip it is very restrictive and that it's typically only a bottle or two of wine or champagne still I do recommend taking advantage as that is much cheaper than buying the

5:04 drinks once you are on the ship if you've been tempted by the drink packages do the math before you buy one drink packages they seem like good deals but the rules can make them quite pricey for instance many lines they force each adult in the cabin to buy the package if any one adult buys it already even if

5:27 that second person doesn't want it as well you have to buy the package for the entire cruise that means even on days when you are in Port and not on the ship for most of the day you're still paying for that drink package finally with high daily prices you usually have to drink between seven to ten beverages each and

5:46 every day you are on the cruise to come out ahead for many passengers they are actually better off buying drinks individually if you're driving through the cruise port then you should know that it doesn't get any more convenient than with the official Port parking lots they are typically right at the cruise

6:05 terminal so you unload your baggage and you head right to check-in of course they do charge for that convenience if you search for parking lots near the port you can usually find independent lots that are nearly as convenient but at a sharp discount to parking at the Port these Lots almost always offer a

6:25 free shuttle to drop you off right at the ship as well in addition if you were staying at a hotel before your cruise many will offer discounted Cruise parking tipping is a fact of life on a cruise cruise lines have included gratuities with your cruise fare or they are charged daily to your onboard account so

6:44 that they are taken care of automatically that means when you eat in the free restaurants on the ship like the buffet or the main dining room there's no bill to pay or tip to leave it can feel a little wrong the first time but when you were done with dinner you simply get up and walk out now this

7:02 doesn't go for those specialty restaurants where there is a fee if you eat there then you're expected to sign the bill and the gratuity is tacked on to the price now there are horror stories after horror stories of people coming back from their cruise with unexpected cell phone charges the reason is either they

7:22 use their phone willingly without realizing they're connected to a roaming Tower or their phone used data without their knowledge for things like updating apps or downloading messages no matter the reason you don't want to accidentally get things with a Sky High phone bill put your phone on airplane

7:42 mode before your cruise leaves ashore if you're worried about sounds traveling through the walls of your cabin you should be to be clear the walls are not paper thin so you won't hear the cabin next to you watching a TV at a normal volume but if you were the type that makes a lot of noise maybe enjoying your

8:03 vacation with your partner perhaps then you should try to keep it down you'll also be able to hear people in the Halls through the door so keep it a little quieter when walking down the hall back to your room most passengers will eat their dinners in the main dining room on the ship but

8:20 they actually serve breakfast and lunch there too the buffet it's quick and easy for these meals but the quality and the freshness I think it's usually lower than what you'll get in the dining rooms so head over if you want something that's a little better but just know that the meal it does take a little

8:39 longer to eat now it's not a big deal so don't be self-conscious but just so you don't sound like a Ricky Cruiser it's good to understand some terminology it is a cruise ship that you were sailing on calling it a boat during your trip may get you some funny looks there's no real cut off on what is considered a boat

8:58 versus what is considered a ship other than ships are known as large ocean-going vessels there's no doubt that the size and scale of any cruise ship you sail will definitely put them firmly in the ship category have your heart set on Cozumel can't wait for that private island just know

9:17 that cruise itineraries can change for any number of reasons whether it be an issue with the ship weather or even riots in the port yes this has happened often the cruise lines will try to sup one port for another but it isn't unheard of for them just to scrap a port altogether keep this in mind that it's

9:37 very rare occurrence but it does happen now if you were flying in for your cruise then you're going to need a ride to the cruise port from the airport cruise lines they're happy to offer the service for a price all of the cruise lines they will offer a shuttle that runs from the airport to the cruise port

9:54 but catches that they aren't really that great of a deal for example Carnival they offer a ride from Miami International to the cruise port for about 23 bucks a person one way the trip is only about 15 minutes and Uber costs about 20 for the entire car in other words a round trip on the cruise shuttle

10:13 would cost more than 180 dollars for a family of four but only 50 bucks for an Uber or a lift from portable fans to laptop and tablet chargers to Night Lights to curling irons the need for outlets in a cruise cabin is always increasing that's why I suggest bringing a board in outlet

10:32 adapter to plug in and give you more plug space one thing to note adapters with surge protectors they are forbidden on a cruise ship a simple multi-plug adapter is all you really need and it is worth its weight in gold the cruise line might sell it as a private balcony but there isn't a whole

10:51 lot of privacy to be honest your balcony on your cabin will have walls that Shield you from the adjoining rooms but the walls often don't go from floor to ceiling they can easily be looked under or above and someone could look around the side of them even by accident keep this in mind if you're out on the

11:10 balcony win the mood for romance strikes with upwards of 20 decks on some cruise ships going up and down via stairs it is time consuming and tiring but with so many people using the elevators it's common to have to wait a while before you get one that's why if you're only going up or down three decks or fewer

11:30 it's usually faster just to take the stairs plus it will help you work off some of those Buffet calories grab a drink from the bar your bill will typically include a gratuity automatically keep this in mind and double check the itemized receipt before you sign so there's often another line

11:50 for additional write-in tips unless the service was simply above and beyond there's no reason to give a second tip on your drink if you don't want to most of us we are used to air travel where you were charged Sky High fees for checking in baggage cruise ships are completely different there are no fees

12:09 for luggage and no hard rules on how much you can bring it is a nice change of pace from flying but don't go too crazy remember that even though you can bring more on board you still have to Lug all of that luggage around chances are high that you'll need to visit guest services at least once

12:29 during your trip if you do have to go to add something about a reservation or your onboard account try to time your visit to off hours the desk it's open 24 hours a day times like just before dinner can see long lines when you'd really rather be out enjoying yourself early in the morning like before 8 A.M

12:49 and late at night like after 11 pm these are the best times that see the shortest lines elevators are the heartbeat of the cruise ship with 4 000 Cruise passengers and sometimes more trying to go up and down more than a dozen decks elevators are constantly busy no matter the time

13:07 of day that's why you should always wait to enter only after other people have gotten out it's polite but it also makes getting on and off much easier just stand far enough back to give people plenty of space to exit before you hop on so if you have a pair of cheap flip-flops that you like wearing around

13:26 the pool then it is time to upgrade those foam sandals usually have slick bottoms that get worn down really easy when you hit a puddle it is easy to lose your grip and slip on a ship there are way too many places where you can slip and fall especially around that pool deck upgrade to a pair that has a nice

13:47 rubberized sole with plenty of tread on the ship the casino is a popular spot there are familiar games but the payouts are usually worse than what you may know on land for example on most ships Blackjack is going to pay six to five instead of the usual three to two craps games heavily limit the amount of odds

14:07 bets that you can make video poker also has low payout tables in general head to the casino enjoy yourself but and don't always think that you're getting a great deal now even if you are headed to the sunny Caribbean it's still a good idea to bring some warm clothes when the ship is

14:24 sailing and the sun has gone down the combination of cooler temps and a strong Breeze from the ship's movement they make it downright chili on deck in addition mini spots around the ship are extremely well air-conditioned meaning you can be cool indoors as well so if you want to have a calmer quieter

14:44 Cruise then look for trips that are seven days or more shorter cruises which are less expensive overall they tend to attract younger and more energetic crowds that's not to say that it's going to be like going to Mardi Gras in New Orleans but shorter cruises especially those traveling during the summer months

15:02 they will definitely be a bit rowdier than what you'll see from a week-long cruise your first thought when you see the prices of some shore excursions might be that they are expensive it's not unusual for a short Excursion that is just three or four hours to run more than a hundred

15:19 dollars per person but I think this is one spot to splurge on your trip excursions they give you a chance to do things that you won't have the opportunity to do anywhere else in the world from exploring ancient ruins in Mexico to taking a submarine under the Caribbean after your trip you probably

15:39 won't remember the money that you spent but you will not forget the experience that you had want to check email surf the web or call or text back home prepare to pay I didn't see the only communication is via satellite every cruise ship will have packages that allow you to call or get

15:57 web access they charge a high price often around 15 it's 25 per day and the connection speed it isn't anything to brag about want to save money book the internet or any other packages ahead of time for a discount when you are in Port the All Aboard time will be announced post it as you leave

16:18 the ship and mention in the daily planner these times are not suggestions you should be back on board by that time and not a moment later the last thing you want to do is to be what's called a peer Runner who are those people running down the pier to the ship at last minute or worse they miss the ship altogether

16:38 now if you think that bottle of tequila you just bought in Cozumel would make for a fun evening think again just like edit embarkation you can't bring bottles of booze from ports anything by import will be held on the ship and then delivered back to your stateroom the night before you leave

16:56 thank you for watching before you go I hope that you'll like And subscribe all those good things and real important if you are about to cruise then check out cruisley.com where I have tons of details on everything from parking to packing you can also see more tips on this YouTube channel till next time

17:15 happy sailing foreign