What happens when you get on a cruise ship..

The day has finally come round and your first cruise that you have been looking forward to, and have been planning for possibly a couple of years, is happening.

So, what happens on embarkation?

You will have received an allocated time slot to arrive at the port. If you are sailing from the UK, you have several ways to get to your port which we can advise you of at the time of booking.  You can pre-book parking and drive yourself there or you may be taking a taxi which will drop you off at the ship. There are also various coach connections and train services available. If you are flying to your cruise, you can have a transfer pre-booked or you may want to stay in a hotel the night before.

On arrival at the cruise terminal, porters will take your luggage straight to your cabins and you will need to check-in in a similar way to checking in at an airport. You will be asked to register a card to pay for any on board expenses and will also need to complete a brief health questionaire. It is always a good idea to carry your travel insurance documents with your cruise tickets as you may be asked to provide this. Your photo will be taken at the desk and you will then be given your cruise card. This card acts as a door key to your cabin and also as your passport to get on and off the ship whilst in port. You will need to show this every time you leave or get back on and also to make any purchases whilst on your cruise including ordering drinks from the bars even if you are on an all-inclusive package. As you need to carry your card around, you will see a lot of passengers wearing lanyards to keep the safe and you can also purchase card hotels that stick onto mobile phone covers.

After going through a scanning procedure, like in an airport, you will finally make it onto your ship. Many staff will be on hand to direct you to your cabin. Luggage will usually take a couple of hours to appear so make sure you carry on any essential items. You are then free to explore your new home and can go and enjoy a drink, lunch, sunbed, swim or whatever you wish, you’re on holiday!

Muster drill is compulsory on embarkation day and prior to sailing. You will be notified of the time and then every passenger will need to attend the safety briefing. This is another occasion where you have to show your card so get into the habit of having it with you at all times. Muster drill takes place at various points throughout the ship and takes about 30 minutes.

After this, the best place to go is up on deck for Sail Away. There is no better way to start your new adventure, especially when accompanied by a beautiful sunset and a G&T.