- 1). Arrive there a day or two in advance if your port of embarkation is out of state, It will give you a chance to rest, explore the city and allow leisurely boarding on your ship when it's time to do so. Take into consideration time zone changes as well for your physical well being. Nothing spoils the start of a cruise more than flying into your embarkation city the day of your cruise, then rush to the ship tired and agitated.
- 2). Arrive early at the cruise ship terminal on the day of your cruise, ready to board when it begins, usually around noon. A porter will have taken your luggage for processing through security (your travel agent will have provided you with luggage tags for your cruise). You'll see your luggage some time after you've left port outside your stateroom. You may be traveling on a ship that holds 2,000 passengers, or the terminal has other cruise ships leaving the same day. That means a few thousand more passengers, all waiting to board their ships. Once you've gotten through check-in, you'll be directed to a waiting area for a short time. Take this opportunity to chat with other passengers about the cruise.
- 3). Find your stateroom and get settled in and figure out how the safe works. In your stateroom, you may find the ship's daily bulletin on activities, lectures and shows and more. Since the ship doesn't leave until 5 or 5:30 p.m., you can relax, find your way to the dining room for an enjoyable lunch and explore the ship. If you are on a cruise that has assigned seating, this is a good time to make those arrangements. If it's a cruise that doesn't have assigned seating, your dining options are open which means you can eat when you want, where you want ("premium" restaurants are extra). Dining with different people can be a pleasant experience.
- 4). Know that the ship has many land tours available (you probably got a long list with your tickets). As good as many are, you may have little time left to shop or visit other attractions in town. If you choose to explore port stops on your own, head to the visitor center (at the dock) as soon as you disembark and pick up brochures, maps and other information. Be very aware of the time you have on shore--you need to be back on board no later than one-half hour before the ship sails.
- 5). Talk to people who have taken cruises before. Some have favorite cruise lines, favorite ships and favorite destinations. Before you've decided which cruise to take, it's best to study travel guides, chat with travel agents and attend travel lectures if possible. There will be many opportunities to explore new places, meet interesting people and try a new experience. No cruise is the same no matter where you travel.
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