Sailing out to sea for the first time? It can be quite overwhelming if you’re not sure what to do. Here are first-time must-do activities on a cruise ship for you to know and do so you can get the best out of your trip.
First-Time Must-Do Activities On A Cruise Ship
By doing all these first-time must-dos, your first experience onboard ship will be memorial, and if nothing else, you’ll know what to do on your second trip.
If you do these 10 first-time must-do activities on a cruise ship, you will no doubt enjoy your ride a whole lot better.
Explore the entire ship – top to bottom
This must-do activity will take some time, but be sure to explore the entire ship, top to bottom. Many people see only a fraction of what’s offered on a cruise ship simply because they don’t explore the whole ship. With the deck plan in hand, start at the highest level accessible to passengers. Walk bow to stern, portside in one direction, starboard in the other. Many might be unending lines of staterooms, but sometimes ships put little lounges or bars in unusual places. Move one deck lower. Repeat the process.
Visit every bar on each deck.
There are usually several bars on every deck, so make sure you visit every bar on each deck to find your favorite. When you spot your favorite, find out when you need to get there to reserve that perfect seat. This includes bars in specialty restaurants and poolside bars. Bars can get overly crowded, and if you don’t like crowds, find a bar that’s well-hidden or at least unpopular.
Get as close to the bow as you can
For an exciting, loud experience, get as close to the bow as you can. At least one outside deck probably doubles as a jogging track. On a perfect day, while the ship is at sea, feel the (stiff) wind in your face. Look for dolphins. Look for other ships on the horizon.
Read the ship’s program guide – front to back.
On your first day on board, read the ship’s program guide, front to back. Don’t skim it; read it thoroughly because 60% of information will be missed if you don’t. There are lots of activities spelled out in the fine print. You may not be into needlework or trivia, but you might like blackjack lessons or cooking classes.
Visit every public space.
When you’ve got time to spare, visit every public space, which means every room that’s not a restaurant or someone’s stateroom. In addition to the theater and casino, there’s likely a card room, library, cigar lounge, gym with steam room and sauna, spa, tennis courts, and a pool with a retractable glass roof. Get outside your box and visit places that you wouldn’t usually go to.
Try at least one dining venue you might have ignored at home
Don’t do like you might do at home, but try at least one dining venue you might have ignored at home. So, you’re a casual person, and that’s okay, but try the formal dining room. If you eat every meal in the dining room, try a specialty restaurant. If you always go for steak and potatoes, try the Asian restaurant.
Study the room service menu
Everything is probably free or included in your fare. How about a romantic dinner for two on your balcony?
Find a quiet spot
If you’re like me, you like your alone time. Find a quiet spot. Large ships mean large crowds. Whether indoors or out, find a place to sit and read or for some shade. It’s there somewhere.
Peruse all the channels On The Room TV
Your selection is limited at sea, but the cruise ships do what they can to provide variety. You’ll probably find news stations, movies, lectures, and talks. But, hey, you didn’t go on your first-time cruise ship to watch TV!
Pamper Yourself
Vacations are meant to help us decompress. So, with that, I’d say pampering oneself is high on the list of these ten first-time must-do activities on a cruise ship you can do for self-care. So go for it – get that full body massage or that 25-year-old scotch, or perhaps you might want to order caviar and champagne – do it! Pick something you enjoy that you don’t usually do or get at home.
Pick one or two and do them well, but as I said above, if you do all of these first-time must-do activities on a cruise ship, you’ll want to book another one so you can do them all again!!
PIN IT!