This is a list for first time cruisers and experience cruisers.
1. Make sure that you have completed the required cruise pre-registration information so that you are not delayed when you get to the port. Plan to get to the port a minimum of 90 minutes before the scheduled departure time; that's pretty much a requirement so that the ship can send a complete passenger manifest to Homeland Security 60 minutes before departure. Regardless of what your travel documents from the cruise line say, boarding generally starts between 11:00 AM and noon.
2. Make sure that you have a passport, OR the documents required to cruise including your original or certified copy of your birth certificates with a raised seal and a photo ID.
3. Make sure that you have all of the cash you want to take (typically about $300 for a 7 day cruise is all that you may need) You will not need an local currency anywhere in the Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexico. If you are cruising to Europe get some Euro currency before you leave home (from your local bank possibly) you'll need it as soon as you get there for taxi fare and the exchange rate will likely be better than you'll get in an airport.
4. Make sure that you have planned carefully your arrival day and time at the cruise departure port; i.e., plan to travel there a day early, especially in winter months, and /or if you will be required to make flight connections. You don't want to miss your cruise due to a flight delay.
5. Pack for the various activities of the cruise including exercise wear, swim wear, formal wear, casual clothes for the daytime and sports/resort casual clothes for after 6:00 PM. After you pack look at what you have and try to eliminate as much as you can; think mix and match tops and bottoms and plan to wear each piece twice; or do laundry on ship (or use the laundry service); Royal Caribbean brand ships do NOT have self service laundry but they will all do it for a fee. Here's the price schedule:
http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/LaundryPriceList.pdf
6. Pack shoes for the various activities like beach shoes, sandals and/or flip flops, sneakers and good walking shoes, and shoes to wear sports casual and formal.
7. Make sure that you have any prescription medicines for the entire trip plus a week. Your cabin will have towels and soap provided, including pool and beach towels, and a hair dryer. It will also have a generic hair shampoo so you do not need to bring that unless you like a specific brand. Don't bring an iron or steamer. Those are prohibited items and it will be confiscated until after the cruise.
8. Pack clothes using those vacuum travel bags (cost about $20 for 3 at Target) so you can get more in bags and also so that if the airport security folks (TSA) opens the bags they can see stuff without rummaging through things.
9. Include in your carry-on bag: MP3 player and its charger and headphones, camera and its charger or extra batteries, a couple books to read (or a Kindle or Nook); a large insulated cup with a seal-able lid. Always pack your medications in your carry on bag.
10. Plan carefully what you want to wear when you board the ship because the ship's photographer will take a boarding photo which you may want to purchase and you will be in those clothes all day and evening. Your luggage may not get to your cabin until about 5-6:00 PM
Other tips:
-Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about midnight so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and your clothes that you sleep in. Best thing to do is to pack everything, then put on the clothes that you will wear off the ship the next morning and then put your luggage out. Then undress and hang up what you will wear the next morning.
- If you are taking your cell phone, PC, MP3 player or other item that needs to be plugged in take an extension cord or power strip, as the plugs in the cabin are generally not in the best places and there are usually only one. You'll need to put these away when not in use so the cabin steward does not confiscate them.
-If you plan to get into the pools or hot tub as soon as you get on ship (they will be open), bring those clothes in your carry on bag; you other luggage may not get to your cabin until much later in the afternoon.
-Most cruise ships will push drinks on you, especially the first couple days. Don't think you have to buy drinks to have fun. If you don't drink all day at home or on other vacations, then don't drink all day on ship. Plus you'll quickly run up a very high drinking bill. Other days of the cruise the drink of the day is usually cheaper than others by about $1. to $2.00; don't be ashamed to ask how much the drinks are. Order drinks in plain glass vs the souvenir glass and they will be about $1.00 to $1.50 less.
-The cruise line will offer a lot of interesting tours but they will be expensive. You DO NOT have to buy tours to get off the ship in port stops. You can go off on your own and many times in Caribbean and Bahamas ports you can find cheaper tours on the pier. The cardinal rule of going on your own is DO NOT be late getting back to the ship; it will not wait for you if you are late getting back.
-Cruise line will take lots of photos of you boarding the ship, getting off in ports, at dinner, on formal nights, around the ship and these are expensive. So take your camera with you all the time and ask others to take photos of you.
- Your gratuities will be $12.00 per day per person in your cabin and you can pre-pay or pay that in cash or charge it to your on board charge account that will be set up when you first board the ship. If you select the "My Time" dining you must pre-pay gratuities. The gratuities cover your cabin steward (who will clean your cabin twice a day every day), your waiter, assistant waiter and head waiter. You don't have to plan to tip anyone else; but each drink order will have a 15% gratuity added to the check. Remember the service workers on ships get the vast majority of their income from tips, so please don't try to short them, unless the service is really bad. If you do have a problem with service from any of the four persons listed above just go to the purser's desk and ask them to adjust the gratuity amount. If you prefer to pay cash you can get envelopes from the purser's desk
-Don't leave home without your Passport and Travel Insurance. It is wise to check with your cell phone provider before you sail if you have a smart phone. A surprise phone bill could put a damper on your vacation.
-Sign activity waivers online before the cruise, so when you get on you don't have to waste any time. Be aware there are height and weight restrictions on some of there.
- If you are going on Oasis or Allure, make show reservations on line before the cruise. Also, fill out the on-line waivers to do all of these fun activities before you leave.
- The official Royal policy is that you cannot bring soft drinks and bottled water on the ships. HOWEVER, in practice people do it all of the time. So if you have a favorite soft drink just bring a six-pack or twelve pack in your carry on.
-Bring a sports bottle and some Crystal Light and mix your own soft drinks.
-Lock your luggage whether you are driving or flying, for when it goes on and off the ship. NEVER put jewelry, cameras, Ipods, PC's phones, etc in checked luggage. You can buy TSA approved locks for about $5. each at Target. In lieu of lock use zip ties. You can buy a pack of 100 for about $5. at any hardware store.
