When I started cruising, I made some pretty big mistakes. As I’ve taken more cruises, I’ve been increasingly surprised to find that so many other people out there are making the same mistakes that I did. Hopefully this post will help you to avoid making these mistakes, in order to get the most out of your future cruise.

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In this post, I’m going to share with you 10 of the big mistakes that I find first time cruisers repeatedly making. Some cruisers make some of these mistakes over and over again - don’t be one of them!

1. Cruisers often choose the wrong cruise line, or the wrong cruise ship!

It’s so important to understand what you want to get out of your cruise, and it’s also key to spend time researching what the various cruise lines offer, in order to ensure that you’re not going to be disappointed by choosing the ‘wrong’ cruise. I’m a HUGE believer in the fact that there’s a cruise line (and cruise ship) out there for everyone, but I’m also a huge believer that not ever cruise ship will suit everyone.

*It’s really important to choose the right ship (and cruise line) when you cruise!*

For example, if you’re looking for a cruise with all of the famous attractions that you see online (think aqua theatres, water parks and rollercoasters on the top deck…), then you’ll probably want to look at a cruise product like Carnival or Royal Caribbean. If you book a product like Cunard instead, you’re probably going to be surprised to find none of those adrenaline-fuelling attractions that you’re craving from your cruise experience.

It’s also important that you carefully consider which SHIP you choose - not just the cruise line! You’ll usually find that different ships from the same cruise line will differ massively. For example, some Norwegian Cruise Line ships are HUGE, and feature some incredible attractions. However, NCL also operate much smaller and much more traditional ships in their fleet. Neither is ‘worse’ than the other, but one choice might not be ‘right’ for you - something to think about!

*Want waterslides? Be sure to book a ship that’s got some onboard - not all cruise ships will have facilities like this!*

Don’t worry - it’s fairly easy to do your research on this one. You’re already doing your research, simply by reading this post! You can also check out a huge volume of YouTube channels and videos - they’ll usually do a really good job of showing you what to expect from specific ships out there. You can see two examples of VERY different ship styles in these two YouTube videos below. One video shows you around Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, while the other shows you around Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. These ships probably couldn’t be much more different to each other…!

2. Cruisers often choose the wrong type of cabin!

Before I took my first cruise, so many people told me that a cabin simply isn’t an important part of the cruise experience, due to the fact that you tend to not spend a huge amount of time in there. I was told that I’d spend most of my time exploring the ship and enjoying the onboard facilities, and I’d therefore be better off booking an entry-level inside (or interior) cabin.

For my first few cruises, I’d tend to agree with this advice. However, as I’ve taken more cruises, I’ve grown to realise the importance of not just choosing the CHEAPEST cabin, but choosing the BEST cabin for me. If I book a cruise for an itinerary that I know I’ll spend more time in the room, I’m far more likely to pay slightly more to book a better grade of accommodation. Examples of this would include particularly scenic itineraries, but also itineraries where I’ve been to lots of the ports before, and so I might be taking the cruise with the aim to relax and reset.

I meet lots of first-time cruisers who book an inside cabin (a cabin with no window), and they feel that they really don’t like it once onboard. Realising this on day 1 can then mean that you have another 6 nights (or more) in that cabin before it’ll be time to go home.

*Be careful when choosing your cabin type - think carefully to avoid feeling ‘cabin fever’ during your cruise!*

My top tip to ensure you’re going to be happy with your cabin? Head to Youtube and search for the grade of cabin that you’ve booked - there’s a pretty high chance that someone out there will have filmed a room tour and uploaded it to show you around! Yes, this removes the element of ‘surprise’ when you open the door, but at least you know you won’t be disappointed with what you find inside…

3. So many cruisers don’t choose their cabin location!

When you book a cruise, you’ll have the option to pay a little extra to book a specific cabin. It’s similar to when you book a flight with a low-cost airline - you can choose not to book a specific seat and the airline will assign it to you, or you can pay a little extra to sit in the exact seat that you’d like to book. It’s exactly the same on cruise ships!

There are so many things that you can take into account when choosing the ‘perfect’ location for your cruise ship cabin. I’ve actually released a YouTube video specifically on this topic. Here it is - maybe one to add to your watch list?

To be honest and clear on this one - I usually don’t pay to choose my cabin location, but if some things are important to you (for example, noise levels, or your distance from certain venues or facilities), then you will probably want to closely consider choosing your cabin!

4. Lots of cruisers don’t purchase any ‘packages’ before they cruise, and they end up paying MORE once onboard.

This one drives me crazy. I meet so many cruisers who think about buying things like drinks packages or wifi packages before they cruise, but they opt not to purchase them in advance when they see the price. The mindset is often that cruisers think that cruise lines will probably offer reduced prices for their packages once passengers are onboard, as they’ll be trying to sell them to maximise sales.

This isn’t the case - I’ve never seen a cruise line offer discounted packages for passengers to purchase once their onboard. Infact, it’s the opposite that’s the reality - passengers should expect to pay more to add a ‘package’ to their account once onboard. Yes, cruise lines will be trying to maximise sales once you’re onboard, but those sales will usually be at a higher cost than they would have been before boarding. After all, you’re now within a captive audience!

Long story short - add your drinks packages, wifi packages, speciality dining packages (and so many others others - check your online account) to your booking before you cruise, and you’ll usually save some money as a result!

*If you’d benefit from a ‘package’ when you cruise, order it and pay for it before you board the ship!*

5. Cruisers often don’t budget properly for their onboard spending!

This one is so important, especially if you haven’t cruised before. When I cruise, I’ve been known to spend more onboard than I did on my initial cruise fare in the first place. That said, this isn’t always the case - I’ve also left some cruises where I’ve had an onboard bill of ZERO, meaning that I spent NO MONEY while on the ship!

It’s important that you understand how much things are going to cost you while you’re on your cruise. You can do this pretty simply by checking out various blogs and YouTube channels to find details like spa pricing, or maybe drinks pricing etc. You should also think about any onboard gratuities that cruise lines charge - you’ll need to build this sort of thing into your budgeting.

Another example of something to consider when you cruise is the cost of exploring your ports of call. I was surprised during a cruise to Alaska by the prices of most of the excursions - it was very difficult to not spend in excess of $100 per person (but usually a lot more) to get booked onto a good cruise line excursion. This could blow the budget for so many people, so be alert!

*Alaska’s a beautiful cruise destination, but be aware that excursions here can be expensive!*

6. Cruisers think the best way to see the port is to book a cruise line excursion.

Okay, a cruise line excursion does offer you a degree of ‘security’. For example, if your excursion is late back to the ship, you’ll find that the ship will wait for you before leaving to travel to the next port. You might also find that this element of ‘security’ expands to cover general security. At some ports of call, you might not like the idea of exploring independently - in these examples, that’s absolutely fine (don’t worry!).

Thinking about the ‘time’ example above, it’s key for you to look at the length of the excursion here. You’ll often find that your cruise ship will be docked in port for a full day (so 8-10 hours), but most of the excursions available will last just 3-4 hours. In these examples, you don’t need to book the excursion to ensure you get back to the ship on time - you’d have more than enough ‘safety margin’ built in here to explore independently.

You can use so many third-party websites to book excursions. One that I really enjoy using to save LOTS of money on my shore trips is Viator. To search for your ports of call and see what Viator could offer you, just click here! (AD - Affiliate)

*Cruise line excursions are often the easiest way to see the attractions, but they’re rarely the most cost-efficient!*

7. So many cruisers don’t pack any motion sickness medication!

I meet so many cruisers out there who are trying this type of vacation for the first time. I’m always really surprised when I meet first-time cruisers who haven’t thought about packing motion-sickness medication. Compared to the cost of the cruise itself, motion sickness medication is SO inexpensive - it’s worth packing in order to prevent having a day ruined by feeling unwell while you’re out ‘at sea’.

I’ve created an Amazon store, and have filled it with useful things for your next cruise. You’ll find things like motion sickness medication listed in here, including bands, pressure point adhesive plasters, ginger medication and so much more. Just click here to go there now!

*This view’s amazing, but it’s always best to travel with some motion sickness medication, just to make sure it won’t be spoiled by you feeling unwell!*

8. So many cruisers don’t pack for the weather!

One aspect of cruising that so many people can overlook (and this might sound ridiculous, but hear me out…) is the fact that a cruise takes place on a moving ship. This means that there’s a high chance that the weather will change during your cruise.

Cruise ships can cover hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of miles during a cruise. It’s so important to check the weather at your origin, but also the weather throughout your cruise, to ensure you pack the correct type of clothes.

An example that I would give you would be when you cruise from Southampton, England. When you sailed out of Southampton, it can often be cold and wet, but a few days later it can be glorious sunshine in the south of Spain. If you’ve packed for the weather that you had back in England, it could be a shopping trip in Spain to buy summer clothing, which could be expensive!

So - remember - cruises are on ships that move, so pack for the weather throughout your cruise!

*Although it’s wet at your first port or call…*

*… It might not be at them all! Pack accordingly!*

9. So many cruisers don’t know about the little things that you can pack to make your cruise so much better (and easier)!

There are so many things that cruisers (especially those trying it for the first time) just don’t realise will make their cruise experience so much better. One small example I’d give would be magnetic hooks, or wall magnets. Most new cruisers don’t realise that most of the walls and doors (and even the roof) of their cabin will usually be made of metal, therefore meaning that they’ll be magnetic.

Taking things like magnets or magnetic hooks on the cruise will then allow you to stick things like your daily received paperwork onto the walls, rather than throwing it into a messy drawer for the duration of the trip. You can also use magnetic hooks to hang things like caps, belts, lanyards and so many other things that you use often, to give you easy access whenever you need them!

You’ll find so many of these things in my Amazon store. Click here to check them out!

10. So many cruisers fail to do the correct level of research before they board their cruise ship!

Don’t worry - if you’ve made it to this point of this post, I’m not talking about you here. I meet so many cruisers on ships who step onboard on day 1, and they have no idea where anything is, and they have no idea what that cruise ship’s got to offer. This means that they’ll often miss out on so many things during their cruise.

Think about things like YouTube cabin tours, ship tours, dining guides, or maybe even cruise reviews. All of these sorts of YouTube videos will be packed with useful hacks and tips from experienced cruisers, many of which will really help you to get the most out of your future cruise.

*More research and planning will help you get the most out of your cruise!*

That’s it! That’s 10 of the top mistakes that I find cruisers making out there on ships. Some of these are made by first-time cruisers, while some are made over and over again - don’t let it be you!

If you’ve enjoyed this post, then why not check out another? This website is packed with content that you should (hopefully) find useful to help you prepare for your next trip. You’ll also find so much more over on my YouTube channel - click here to go there now.

Don’t Make These 10 MISTAKES on Your Next Cruise…