Unpack your bags and put away your clothes.
The simple act of unpacking goes a long way in officially making your cabin feel like a home away from home. It signals to your mind that you are truly on vacation and ready to relax and enjoy the cruise.
Cruise ship cabins are often compact, so unpacking and putting your clothes away frees up valuable floor space, making the cabin feel more spacious and comfortable.
Bonus tip: Consider using packing cubes to further organize your belongings and maximize space within your luggage and cabin.
Find out where is your Assembly Station for the Muster Drill
Of all the embarkation day activities, the muster drill is the only one you can’t miss. The International Convention of Safety of Life at Sea’s regulations state that all passengers must attend this safety exercise within 24 hours of a ship’s departure.
In any case, familiarizing yourself with your assembly station is one of the first things you should do when entering your cabin. Typically, you will this information printed on the safety card in your cabin door.
Put on a Fresh Change of Clothes
It doesn’t matter if getting to your cruise consisted of a complex combination of planes, trains and/or automobiles, or you only had to move a short distance to reach your cruise ship’s homeport. Getting out of your ‘travel commute clothes’ and into your ‘cruise clothes’ is a great way of reaffirming that your vacation has indeed begun.
Put your Phone on Airplane Mode
Getting an eye-watering phone bill for roaming charges isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. But that’s exactly what may happen if you forget to toggle your cell phone to airplane mode before leaving your embarkation port. If you’d rather keep your phone operational until your ships sails away to make any phone calls or upload pictures to your Instagram account, set your phone alarm to at least an hour before sail away.
Activate Your Wi-Fi (If you purchased one)
If you purchased a WIFI Package, make sure to activate as soon as possible. The process should be straightforward, but if you were to run into any issues, it’s best to iron them out while you still have cell phone coverage at your embarkation port. Also, the quicker you set up your Wi-Fi connection, the sooner you can start sharing fabulous pics on social media of your cabin and the ship.
Take the Time to Meet Your Cabin Steward
Chalk this one down to common courtesy. Room Stewards will likely introduce themselves at some point during embarkation. Beyond the few introductory pleasantries, take this opportunity to let them know your preferences. For instance, let them know if you’re an early riser, so they can plan to clean your cabin among the first ones. Also, tell them if you’d rather not get your daily planner in hard copy because you like to stay informed about the cruise activities via the cruise line’s app. In short, share any relevant like/dislike so they can be better prepared to make your journey more enjoyable.
Peruse the Daily Planner
It’s no secret that embarkation day can be a little on the chaotic side. Therefore, you can’t be expected to know everything that’s going on the ship. That’s where your daily planner comes in handy, and it should be waiting for you in your cabin on embarkation day. Take a few minutes to review, as it will also contain obligatory material, like muster drill times and assembly station information. Depending on your cruise line, you might also have access to a list of the day’s activities on the cruise line app, so be sure to check if this feature is available.
Book Appointments and Reservations
You may have been able to cross these off your list pre-embarkation day, but if your cruise line doesn’t allow it (or you simply forgot to do it ahead of time), make a priority to book any appointments or reservations in the comfort of your cabin as soon as you can. Spa appointments, such as massages, facials, and hydrotherapy sessions and popular Specialty Dinning reservations tend to fill up quickly. If you have your heart set on that deep tissue massage or a table at a particular restaurant, schedule your appointments as soon as possible. Pro Tip: Check to see if the Cruise Line you are on has specials the first day of embarkation. Some Cruise Lines offer discounts on the first night because the demand is lower on the first day. So don’t wait, book your spa treatments and dining reservations as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
