I’ve had so many questions from cruise beginners. Honestly there is so much information in my brain that I could easily chat for hours over coffee on what to expect. I decided to help matters I would create a short and quick list of my tips for beginners on cruising.

General Tips:

-Bring an Over the Door Shoe Hanger. Trust me, this will save your small space problems. I like to fill mine with all of my bathroom essentials, medications, pretty much anything that will fit. I have a clear one and it fits perfectly on the back of the bathroom door. Great for keeping your cabin tidy!

-Bring a Power Strip. Even in a world with spotty internet and no reception you still have lots of electronics and never enough outlets. Just make sure that it’s not a surge protector, as those aren’t allowed on the ship. I picked mine up at Lowe’s for like $3.

–Don’t Overpack. This is a tough one for me. Especially being a fashion blogger who has plenty of wardrobe changes. It honestly takes a lot of planning and being real with what you’re planning on doing every day. But there is nothing worse than packing up to disembark realizing you haven’t worn half of your suitcase.

–Order Water for your Cabin. Before leaving on your dream vacation you can sign onto the Carnival website and there is a whole store that you can shop from to be in your room when you arrive. My favorite? The bottled water. No, it’s not really environmentally better but it tastes a whole lot better. Plus it helps me keep track to make sure I’m staying hydrated.

-Choose an Oceanview or Balcony. You won’t be sorry. At first you might think that you won’t be in your room much so it won’t make a difference. It does. I have stayed in every type of room and there is just something about seeing daylight that helps with your demeanor and overall relaxation. Not to mention there is something special when sitting on your private balcony.

Cabin Tips:

–Research the Islands OUTSIDE of the Carnival excursions. I have found a tour will cost $10-25 on my own and $125 when using the provided excursions. The only thing is that you will be on your own and the ship will not wait for you. I always plan on being back to the ship at least an hour or two before it sets sail. Speaking of which, the ship is pretty awesome and peaceful when everyone is ashore not to mention that’s when the pool is empty.

-Pack a Swimsuit in your carry on. You will not be allowed in your room at first, so if you’re eyeing that pool after downing a mixed drink and a pizza it would help a ton if you had you’re suit. There are bathrooms near there so it makes it easy to change quick and there are towels on deck so it’s a win win.

-Get the Messaging on the Carnival Hub App. Because you won’t have service so texting is out, messaging is the next best thing. It brings back the days of AOL but is useful when connecting with your family while on different parts of the ship. I carry my phone around for pictures anyways so it’s a breeze to message where we are meeting up or what event is next on our list to attend.

Dining Tips:

–Early Dining. I’m the kind of person that likes the assigned dining, but I always choose the early time. I believe it’s at 5:30pm but it ends up being perfect as I never miss a show afterwards. Dinner can last up to two hours and in order to attend all of the nightly events on your list getting dinner out of the way is the best idea.

–Eat in the Dining Room as much as possible. The food is so much better, and I always ask for my dinner server just in case their working that shift. I much prefer all of my meals in the dining room with the white table cloths, ever changing menu and knowing that 100 people didn’t just eat from my dish.

Hope this helps my fellow cruisers!