After boarding your cruise ship, your first instinct is probably to head straight to your cabin. Unfortunately, that isn't always possible.
Depending on your cruise line, your cabin may not be ready until early afternoon while the crew finishes preparing hundreds, or even thousands, of staterooms. Guests staying in suites or those with elite loyalty status may be allowed access a little earlier, but most passengers will need to wait.
Once your cabin is ready, it's finally time to see your home for the next several days. Here are the first things we recommend doing after opening that cabin door.
Unpack and Get Organized
If you're lucky, your checked luggage will already be waiting outside your cabin. If it isn't, don't worry. It usually arrives throughout the afternoon.
As soon as you have your bags, unpack as much as you can. Cruise cabins aren't large, and living out of a suitcase quickly becomes frustrating.
Start with your carry-on bag. By now you've already checked in, so you can safely store your passports, travel documents, extra cash, jewelry, and other valuables in the cabin safe. It's also a good time to put away any medications and plug in your phones, cameras, watches, and other electronics so they're fully charged for sail away.
We like to unpack everything we'll need during the first few days and place our suitcases under the bed. Later in the cruise, we use the empty suitcase to store dirty laundry while bringing out anything we packed for later, such as water shoes or heavier clothing.
Hanging up clothes right away also helps reduce wrinkles, especially if you're planning to dress up for formal night or take professional photos.
Give Your Cabin a Quick Inspection
Before you settle in, take a minute to make sure everything is working properly.
On our very first cruise, our bed had been left as two twin beds instead of the king bed we requested. The funny part was the room was beautifully decorated for our anniversary! Over the years we've also found a safe that wouldn't lock and a burned-out ceiling light.
Take a quick look at:
- Does the safe work?
- Is the air conditioning cooling properly?
- Do the lights and outlets work?
- Does the bathroom have hot and cold water?
- Are there enough towels?
- Is anything damaged or missing?
It's much easier to report these issues on embarkation day than to discover them later in the cruise.
Meet Your Stateroom Attendant
Embarkation day is one of the busiest days for the cabin crew, but it's also the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself.
A friendly greeting goes a long way. If you need extra pillows, additional towels, more hangers, an ice bucket, or your bed changed from twins to a king (or vice versa), simply let your stateroom attendant know. They are usually happy to help.
Building a good relationship from the start can make your cruise even more enjoyable.
Make the Cabin Feel Like Home
One of our favorite traditions is decorating our cabin door.
Not only does it add a little personality, but it also makes your cabin much easier to find after a long day exploring the ship. Trust us—all those hallway doors can start looking the same after a few days. (Especially if you've been enjoying the drink package!)
Just remember that some cruise lines have restrictions on decorations. Magnetic decorations are usually fine, but avoid tape, glue, or anything that could damage the door.
Learn Your Cabin
Spend a few minutes getting familiar with your room before heading out to explore the ship.
Locate the light switches, thermostat, outlets, USB ports, safe, closet space, and storage areas. Every cruise line designs cabins a little differently, and knowing where everything is will save you time throughout your vacation.
One More Tip...
Before you unpack completely, take a few photos or a short video of your cabin while it's spotless. It's fun to look back on later, and it can be helpful if you ever need to document damage or missing items.
Now that you're settled in, it's time for one of the best moments of embarkation day—head up on deck, grab your favorite drink, and enjoy sail away. Your cruise vacation has officially begun!
Below are a few of our favorite cabin organization products that help us make the most of the limited space on every cruise.
We are Tim & Lori and are known as "The Cruising Together Couple"
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