Advice & Tips

If you’ve cruised before, you know staterooms on a cruise ship can be notoriously small, with most staterooms onboard measuring less than 200 square feet in size. 

Unless you decide to splurge on a larger stateroom, such as a suite, your cabin might feel smaller than you expect. Some standard cabins can accommodate up to four adults, making these small cabins feel cramped.

Prior to booking a cruise, it is important that you know that cruise ship cabins are smaller than traditional hotel rooms. While they pack a lot of essentials into a small space, they may fall short of meeting your needs. 

Even if you only have two people staying in your stateroom, keeping it organized can be a challenge. To make the most of the space, you will have to be creative and use some smart cruise cabin hacks to help improve your cabin's functionality. 

Losing luggage while traveling is a common concern, particularly for those traveling on airplanes. There is nothing more disappointing than getting to your final destination just to find out your bags got lost in transit.   

When going on a cruise, this is another important reason to arrive the day before your ship is scheduled to depart. What happens if you book a same-day flight, just to find out that your bags did not make the same flight? That is a whole other painful issue!

Once you have booked the perfect cruise and the countdown has officially begun, you're going to need a cruise essentials packing list.

Packing for a cruise varies on the duration and destination, among other things. What you will want to bring on a Caribbean cruise, for instance, will differ from an Alaskan cruise. 

When you check in for your cruise, you will either be assigned a check-in time or be able to select one yourself. This means that your cruise is approaching quickly! 

Do you have to stick to this time, though? What happens if you have to check out of your pre-cruise hotel hours before your scheduled time? 

Arrival times are meant to stagger the number of passengers boarding the ship at once.  It would not be fun if thousands of people all had the same idea of wanting to board the ship as early as possible. 

When planning any vacation, nobody wants to think about wasting money. In fact, you want to do the opposite; you want your money to go as far as possible! 

On a cruise on Symphony of the Seas in January 2023, I booked a last-minute excursion to the water park on Perfect Day at CocoCay. I paid about $149 for this experience, while a family that I met onboard said that they secured tickets during a Black Friday sale for around $50 each. 

When you book your cruise vacation, you will notice that you have two options for dinner. You can either select a set time, meaning that you will dine at the same time each evening, or a flexible option that allows you to either make reservations in advance or show up to the main dining room whenever hunger strikes. 

The worst part about any vacation is when is it over and realizing that reality is right around the corner. It is hard not to get a little upset when you think about returning to work or school, cooking your own meals, and having to clean your home. 

Unfortunately, your cruise will come to an end, but you will return home with precious memories to share with others. You may even be planning another cruise before your current one ends! Before you can get home, though, you have to disembark the ship one final time. 

Alaska makes for an exciting cruise destination. However, be prepared to trade in your flip-flops and sundresses for winter gloves and jackets. 

During your voyage to The Last Frontier, you will encounter snow-capped mountains, abundant wildlife, beautiful glaciers, and once-in-a-lifetime shore excursions!