After a particularly bad embarkation day on a cruise a while ago, I decided it was time
to sit back, and think about how to make an embarkation day successful and stress-free.
I spoke to a bunch of experienced and smart cruisers to check my approach was right, tested
it out on a series of recent cruises and I am sure now I have come up with THE definitive
way on how you can make a massive difference to your embarkation day, setting you up for
an incredible cruise.
By the way, if you are new here, I'm Gary Bembridge.
And it's my goal to make it more fun and easy to discover, plan and enjoy unforgettable
cruise vacations.
Including, on how to ensure a totally phenomenal embarkation day.
I realised as I thought things through that the reason that embarkation day did not go
well, had all been created by me.
It's all about preparation.
It's not sexy.
It doesn't sound fun, but it absolutely makes all the difference.
There are seven key things I do before embarkation day that make for a successful day.
First, when booking a cruise, I schedule and budget to arrive at least the day before,
and longer if long haul.
This has paid off frequently.
For example, on my recent Oceania Panama Canal cruise there was a storm passing through Europe
and my flight was cancelled with just 10 hours to go before the flight.
As I had built in getting there early, there was time to find new flights and routings
arriving still the day before boarding.
Second, and this is even more important post shutdown, is I book as early a time to check
in as possible.
Before the whole Covid shutdown, most smart cruisers just got to the port as early as
they could, as the check in and boarding was first-come first-served.
Things have changed.
Now you either book a time to check-in, or you are allocated at a time if you don’t.
Lines usually turn you away if you arrive before your allocated time
As soon as the system allows you, book your time.
I've been able to get a check in time and be on board as early as 11 o'clock in the
morning, giving me lots of time to max out embarkation day.
Thirdly I download the cruise line app at home while I have good Wi-Fi.
These have become fundamental to the cruise.
Often, I must use the app to check in and complete the pre-boarding health checks on
there.
Fourth, and this is also more important today, is well before embarkation day I check exactly
what I’m going to need to have to check in.
And I have digital and paper copies of all the documents.
The mistake I made a couple of cruises ago is, I had all the documents I needed.
In this case, proof of vaccine, test results, Country Passenger Locator Forms, and check-in
QR code.
I had them all digitally, but the cruise terminal Wi-Fi was rubbish and were hard to retrieve.
So now I have paper copies but also, I put all those digital files in a folder that works
offline.
I use Dropbox and set to make available offline, but you can use Google or the file section
on your phone.
Fifth, I pre-book everything I can.
Drinks, Wi-Fi, speciality dining, Excursions, the spa and so on.
They're normally cheaper booking them in advance, I’m usually get exactly what I want and
frees up time on the day to do some other important things, as I will discuss.
Six, when it comes to packing, there's a couple of preparations I find makes embarkation day
much easier and less stressful.
I pack a carry-on bag and deciding what goes in here I ask, “what do I absolutely need,
or would hate to lose, if I don’t get my main bag?”.
For me, it's medication, passport, credit cards and money, cameras, phone, and chargers
for those.
I could wing the rest of the cruise with those.
I can buy clothes, toiletries and so on.
I use that same rule when flying to the cruise.
The other packing rule to make embarkation day smooth is I make sure that I’m not including
in my bags, anything that I’m not allowed to.
I've a whole video around what you can't bring on a board ship.
But, where I see most people fall foul is they pack extension cords, which most lines
do not allow, and pack more alcohol than they are allowed to.
For me it’s around checking if I can bring a drone or not, as most lines will not permit
them
If prohibited items get picked up when your luggage is screened, you're going to be called
to security, and it's going to disrupt your embarkation day.
With this preparation in place getting on board is now smooth and stress-free.
But then once on board is where I see so many people slip up.
So, what should you do once on board?
Early on in my cruising life I would rush around the ship with great excitement, until
I discovered I was missing out on putting things in place and setting the rest of my
cruise up perfectly.
This is what I find works best.
First, I go to my cabin to check everything, and do a few key tasks.
If I’ve booked a guaranteed cabin, I check I am okay with the location?
If I’ve got a balcony, I check outside, and see if there’s anything likely to trouble
me like an obstructed view, or potentially noisy areas?
Are the beds in the right layout?
Does everything work?
I check the lights, the safe and the air-conditioning.
Is the cabin set up for my quirks?
For me, I check the pillows because, I like feather pillows, and what’s in the mini
bar if that's included.
I only drink alcohol-free, caffeine-free and no sugar drinks.
So, I know what I'm going to ask to be adjusted, fixed, or changed when I see the cabin steward,
or with Guest Services.
The next key thing obviously is, I meet my cabin steward and ask them to correct any
of those things before they get busy and swamped with all their other guests.
If I am unhappy with the cabin, it also means I can get to Guest Services early before the
inevitable embarkation day lines.
I put all my valuables in the safe now.
And I also take photos – and video clips - of the cabin while it's at its neatest and
tidiest.
I check the daily program to see what restaurants are open for lunch.
I avoid the buffet for embarkation lunch, both because it's always the busiest and because
I can get some other things that are essential to do on this day done in either the Main
Dining Room or one of the speciality restaurants, as I will explain.
Finally, before leaving the cabin, I now watch the E- Muster video and then go to my Muster
station.
Very few lines now do the old-fashioned group Muster Drill.
So, I get all this over and done with.
From there it’s to the restaurant.
Over lunch there are some important things I get out the way.
I usually go for lunch in main dining room as if on fixed dining I can check my allocated
table and if unhappy with it can early on ask the Maître d' to change while they still
have flexibility
Also, if you have any dietary issues or concerns, you can then talk to them about these such
as vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and they can assist and make plans to address these.
While at lunch, I put my phone into airplane mode to avoid huge roaming costs if the phone
connects to the ship satellite phone service.
And I set the time zone manually, so I can adjust myself as we change times and keep
my phone on official ship time.
I then log onto the ship Wi-Fi and open the app so I can access things like the daily
program and to complete any dining, excursions, or spa bookings I did not do before.
Another reason for going to the Main dining room is if you have not booked speciality
or anytime dining, want to change plans and the App does not allow that, here are usually
able to do all your restaurant bookings here, or there will be a desk outside or close by
set up to do that.
One of my big tips for embarkation day is I book a specialty restaurant for this first
night.
Because, it's normally much cheaper.
And they are much quieter.
After lunch, if you've got kids, now is the time to register them at the Kids’ Club.
Register them.
If you want to book extra services, if they're available, like babysitting you should do
it now while there's lots of bookings still open.
Now with all that out the way, I explore the ship.
I recommend using the map often in the cruise card holder, on the App or one of the tours
run by the ship.
So, there is some structure, and importantly, you don’t miss the hidden and hard-to-find
spots.
I've been on a couple of cruises like, Celebrities Silhouette where, I didn't get to the amazing
Sky Lounge because I hadn't used the map properly, until halfway through the cruise.
On Virgin Scarlett lady I totally missed some tucked away lounges and quiet deck spaces
to relax and chill out on that my friends did by not being systematic in my touring.
I also ensure that I go look at things that I may want to sign up for, like the Retreat
or Sanctuary area., which have a fee to use.
They are open on embarkation day to explore but after that free access is closed so you
don’t really know what they are like and if worth it.
I also take photos of the ship now as it’s usually still quiet.
As I'm touring the ship, I keep an eye out for embarkation day deals and offers.
The area I focus on is the Spa.
They usually will have a raffle draw on embarkation day with free treatments.
You must be there for the draw, so check what time you need to be back.
Twice now I have won that draw and had a free massages and treatments.
It may sound a bit regimented approach to embarkation day once on board, but I have
found it really sets things up well for the cruise.
But what to do to make the day great once you set sail?
Go to the sail away party.
I love it as it is exciting as I feel the trip has really begun, I get a sense of the
other people on the cruise, I see the entertainment team for the first time, and I often meet
people that will become friends or familiar faces on the cruise.
This is often where I get to meet a lot of people who follow the channel, who come and
introduce themselves.
To make the most of my first evening, as I mentioned, I go to a speciality restaurant
and usually early, so I have time to check out what venues are popular and buzzing and
have time to go to the introduction show in the theatre.
This will showcase what's on, and what to expect.
And I get a sense of what shows I may want to go to.
That’s how to get embarkation right.
If you want to know about how to get disembarkation day right, look at this video where I start
with the one big mistake that you absolutely do not want to do, on disembarkation day.
See you over there.