First Time Cruisers: Things to Do
We hear this question often: Are there any must-do activities for first time cruisers?
I recommend you try to sample as wide a variety of experiences as possible on your first cruise. Your first cruise is likely to inform if you have a second...or an eleventh. I still think back to my first cruise quite fondly and it’s a driving force behind the priority I give future cruise planning. I recommend a first time cruiser try the following at least once (in alphabetical order):
Dive in Movie (if available)
Guy’s Burger Joint (if not available, cover fries in cheese sauce)
Italian restaurant for lunch (if available)
Main Dining Room (at least once each casual and cruise elegant night)
Port with no excursion; see where two feet and a heartbeat will take you
Get off the ship at each port, even if it’s just for an hour. If there’s a tender port make sure you take the tender, it’s a fun ride all on its own.
Okay, that was a list of 20 things. That might seem a little intimidating. Don’t let yourself feel obligated to do anything though; not by us, not by your travelling companions, not by your own pressure to do it all or maximize your time on board. If you’re feeling rushed or stressed, you’re doing it wrong. But those 20 things, some will happen naturally (you gotta eat) and others only take a few minutes (an appetizer at the taste bar or a song at karaoke or the piano bar each only take 5 minutes). Take the smorgasbord approach – try a little of everything but if you find something you love don’t feel bad about dropping everything else and gorging yourself on your new favorite thing.
That’s what my advice boils down to: try a little of everything until you fall in love with something, then go to town.
How do you do this? Every day a Fun Times is delivered to your stateroom. It lists everything happening in the day. See what works for you. You can tear off the hour-by-hour list on the side or download a pdf of the Fun Times via the free WiFi on the ship so you can take it with you. If you’re lucky enough to be on a ship with the Carnival Hub App you can create an itinerary just by favoriting things that look good to you. If you don’t get around to everything it’s a great reason to cruise again!
