The cruise is booked, and you are all packed, and travel day is looming. If you haven’t cruised before, you will be wondering about the first steps and what to expect on the first day of your cruise. Read on for our top Cruise Embarkation Day Tips for couples and families. If you are prepared when Cruising With Kids, then embarkation day is such an exciting day for families. It’s all about getting it right, especially with all the new cruise and testing policies.

How to Prepare For The First Day of Your Cruise How Families Navigate Embarkation Day

Download The Cruise App

If your cruise ship has an app, download it. Many now offer online check-in, ordering systems for dining plans and drink packages, room service, and show booking, which makes life so much easier.

Pre Purchase Drinks Packages and Speciality Dining Plans

It is generally better value to book drinks packages in advance. Keep your eye out for deals and special offers, most cruise lines run a drinks package sale once a year which you can add to your booking.

Check In Online Before Your Cruise

All cruise lines have apps or online check-in options where you can upload your passport, add your bank details and photos. Once completed, you will receive a QR code to scan at the port to expedite embarkation.

Print out your luggage tags and any other documentation needed, and have your app qr ticket code ready. It saves a lot of time and faffing. I always print my luggage tags on matte printable sticker paper and cut them out with a guillotine, which makes it so much easier at the cruise port. Note, don’t use glossy as the details rub off.

Fly The Day Before Cruise Embarkation Day

If there is a delay and you have booked your flights separately, the ship will not wait. This has happened to us before, and it’s stressful; travelling the day before takes the stress out of it. And if you get an early flight, you’ll have a day and night to explore the port area before boarding your ship.

If You Are Driving To The Port Pre Book Parking

Look at maps of the port to find the nearest parking; it’s so much easier when trying to negotiate with cases and children. And you will be glad of it when you disembark. And check that parking companies are reputable with companies like Trustpilot.

Tell Your Bank You Are Cruising

Make sure your bank knows you’ll be using your credit/debit card in a different region or country every day. You will have pre-registered your card during online check-in.

Cruise lines check credit and debit cards every night so any errors are quickly highlighted. Our card was stopped on one occasion when we did not inform our bank, it took a lengthy and expensive call for our bank to sort it out. Advising the bank prior to your cruise will prevent the bank flagging uncharacteristic use patterns as a security risk.

Be Prepared And Get Cash Out Ready For Port Days

It costs more to change money onboard so have so cash ready for port days. Research local currency’s of all the ports of your trip and be prepared.

What To Expect on Cruise Embarkation Day, Prior To Boarding

What Time Can You Board The Cruise Ship?

Recently, cruise lines have been giving passengers an hour-long slot to board the ship. This is to ensure smooth embarkation and minimise queues and packed terminals. We have found it much easier to board this way, the terminal is more organsied and boarding is quicker.

Arrive in time for your slot. It helps complete as much admin via the app or online as possible prior to embarkation day. You book your spots online when you check in for your cruise, and this time

You Will A Need A Buggy At the Cruise Terminal

There can be a bit of walking and waiting about. Cruise terminals will have either a travelator or a lift for buggies and wheelchairs.

Drop Luggage Off With The Porters Before You Enter The Terminal Building

Before you enter the terminal building, book your cases in with the porters. Have your documentation ready, and have the luggage labels filled out and attached to your suitcases. You will not see your cases for several hours. They usually appear outside your cabin around 6 pm; for this reason, cruise lines rarely hold a formal night on the first night of your cruise.

Be Prepared to Queue, But Look Out For Family Lines

Queues can be long, sometimes not so much; it really depends on how many people arrive at the port at any given time and how long test results take. However, cruise lines usually cater well for families. If you are travelling with children, ask where the family lines are.

Pack A Cruise Embarkation Day Bag

Be prepared and pack an embarkation bag; you may not see your luggage for hours. Items to pack include swimwear, armbands, sunglasses, sun cream, and any small toys to keep little ones busy.

Don’t forget medication, nappies and wet wipes. It’s an exciting, busy day, and if you have kids, they will want to jump straight into the pool. When our boys were younger, we always took a Disney play set, these fit into a little bag and are perfect for travelling.

Your Carry-on Bag Will Need To Be Scanned Through Security

Once checked in, you will go through security, where your bag will be scanned. This is similar to airport security. If you have any scanable medications, such as Dexcoms for type 1 diabetes, as we do, check if the scanner is safe for these. If not, ask for a manual bag check.

Can you Take Alcohol on a Cruise?

You are permitted to take a bottle of champagne or wine per person onto your cruise on embarkation day. The amount can vary, so check with your line; however, it’s usually one bottle (750 mL) per adult in a cabin, but limited to 2. Keep this in your carry-on luggage to prevent breakages. However, should you have a drinks package, this may not be necessary.

Cruise Embarkation Day, Once On The Ship

Find A Spot For Lunch

Embarkation day is manic and it’s so easy to get swept along and forget to eat. Once onboard its natural to want to explore, but this is a great time to find a spot for lunch.

The buffet restaurant will be manic. My advice is to find a quieter spot. Ships have many dining options, so take time to enjoy a glass of wine, enjoy a meal, and chill. Usually, by the time you have had lunch, the cabins are ready, so you can check out, unpack if any luggage has arrived, and watch the muster video.

Complete The Muster Drill?

Yes, there is a muster drill, but to avoid big crowds, cruise lines have changed how it works, and it’s so much better. You can now watch a safety video on your cruise app or in your stateroom on the way to the cruise port, which takes you through where the lifeboats are, your muster station, and what to do in an emergency. You must then head to your muster station to register.

This is logged with the bridge so everyone on board must watch it and register with the muster station before sailaway, and as it’s maritime law the ship can not set sail until it’s done.

Check Out The Cruise News

Don’t underestimate the cruise news; it’s an essential part of cruise life. One will be delivered to your stateroom every night detailing everything that will be happening on board the next day. Although many cruise lines are going digital and posting on their apps, you can still ask for a paper copy.

If you are cruising with children they will also receive their own copy. On your first day look out for kids club sign up, any shows you may want to register for and meet and greet times.

Visit The kids Club to Register

The kids’ club registration on embarkation day is so important. The kids crew are on hand to meet and greet kids and answer any questions. There is also paperwork to fill out to sign your kiddies up, so make sure you take your passport and cruise card along with you. Although many cruise lines have now added this as a feature to their apps.

Now there are strict policies in place, and you may have to pre-book your children’s session, which can be limited due to social distancing. If you sign up the children straight away, they can attend the kids club and join in all of the children’s activities throughout your cruise.

Even if your kiddies are not sure about attending still sign up, its easier to do on the first day.

Find Out if There’s a Sail-away Party

The sail-away party is a huge cruising tradition; it’s wonderful to stand waving to people in port as you set off on your cruise adventure. There is so much going on on embarkation day, and ships have so much area to cover and explore. Note the time and bob in it, it’s a wonderful family experience.

If You’ve Booking Speciality Dining Consider if you will Need Babysitting Too?

We love trying out the speciality dining, and as our kids have got older, they love it too. However, younger kids may not have the patience for long, drawn-out meals.

Whether you’re booking with or without your family, there can be some great deals available on cruise embarkation day. It’s also better to snap up those babysitting slots if you do want a romantic meal. ( This is not the case for drinks packages, they are better booked beforehand)

A top tip is to book a later slot in the restaurant and take the kiddies to the buffet restaurant for dinner before the kids club or babysitting.

Set an Emergency Meeting Point Somewhere Inside the Ship on the First Day!

Cruise ships are HUGE, and it’s so easy to lose each other. It only takes for an older child to wander off, and you nip to the bathroom, and you are lost. This has only ever happened to us once, and it can occur anywhere you travel.

Agreeing on an inside meeting point is a great idea, so that in the event of this happening, you all know exactly where to go. Stick to an inside point on a mid deck, maybe the concierge or guest relations desk, as this is easily accessible. Also, check your cruise app to see if it has a free in-ship messaging service.

Set Balcony Rules With Older Children.

There may be times when older children are alone in your cabin. It may only be for minutes if they run ahead to let themselves in. Ensure you have a safety discussion as soon as you enter your cabin.

Our rules include no standing on chairs, no climbing, and no opening the balcony doors if there are no adults in the cabin. This is a non-negotiable rule for us, but we still have that discussion every cruise.

Ready to Cruise Like a Pro?

The first day of your cruise sets the tone for the whole trip, and a little preparation goes a long way. Check in early, pack smart, keep your essentials with you, and have a simple plan for those first few hours onboard. Do that, and instead of feeling rushed or confused, you’ll be relaxed, organised, and ready to start enjoying your holiday from the moment you step on the ship. Bon voyage!

If we have missed anything, let us know, or if you have any questions, message us or ask in our Facebook group, the link is in the sidebar. And happy cruising.