It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. You’ve counted down the days, packed up the essentials and sorted your spending money. Now you’re ready to set sail, flick that “holiday on” switch and enjoy yourself.
If you’ve never cruised before, however, there’s more to your first day than simply rocking up to port and stepping onboard. Before you can hit the sun loungers, there’s a whole embarkation day to enjoy ahead of your voyage.
For all first-time cruisers out there, we’ll guide you through what you can expect from embarkation day and how you can prepare for it so that everything goes off without a hitch.
Basically, embarkation day (sometimes known as boarding day) is the first day of your cruise. Arriving at the cruise terminal, it’s a straightforward process, but there are a few things you can do before and during it to make sure it’s as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Think of embarkation day as the cruise equivalent of boarding a plane.
After arriving at the cruise terminal, you’ll make your way to a specific check-in point. Congrats, embarkation day is well and truly in motion. Once you reach the check-in desk, you’ll be asked to present the following:
You’ll then be asked to set up your onboard account and receive a key card for your stateroom. Say cheese because you’ll be having your photo taken for your account profile. This is so the ship can confirm who you are every time you get off and on the ship.
Some cruise lines might issue you with a wearable device instead, giving you access to your stateroom or suite and functioning as your card so that onboard expenses can be added to your account.
Although you’ll probably want to head straight to your room at this point, there’s a chance you might not have access to it just yet. No worries, you’ll be told when it will be available, either at the desk or over the ship’s public address system.
In the meantime, why not make yourself comfortable at one of the ship’s many bars or eateries, which most definitely will be open at this point.
Don’t worry, you won’t have to hold onto your luggage while you wait for your room.
Upon arrival at the cruise terminal, you’ll hand over your luggage to porters, who’ll then take them to be screened by security before being loaded onto the ship. From here, everything will then be delivered to your room.
You can make this process easier by printing off your luggage tags, which have your name and stateroom on them, at home when you check in online.
You can – and probably should – bring a carry-on bag with you for small essentials while you wait to board. If you can’t wait to get in the pool, you might even want to keep your swimsuit in this bag too.
You might have heard the term muster drill used in relation to embarkation day. It’s a key part of the process and is a legal requirement under maritime law. Essentially, you’ll be asked to gather in a specific part of the ship at a certain time, where you’ll be guided through the onboard safety procedures.
You’ll be informed about all the details, including what you need to take along with you, during the embarkation process.
If you’ve travelled a long way to your cruise terminal, then the weather may be different to what you’re used to back home. So why we’d say keep it casual, be aware that things might be colder or warmer than usual, so be ready to dress accordingly. No one wants to be stood in a queue while it’s cold or baking hot!
It’s a matter of preference really. Depending on the ship’s schedule, boarding can begin between 10am and 11am and then ends one or two hours before the departure time, which tends to be in the late afternoon or evening.
So it’s up to you whether you want to be one of the first or last onboard. An early start will obviously give you more time onboard but might mean long waits and queues. Showing up later, on the other hand, means you’ll be on the ship far quicker with far fewer queues, crowds and waiting to contend with.
If you’re having to fly to your port, then consider doing it a day early. This way you can deal with any potential delays or cancellations in good time without having to stress about whether you’ll make it to the ship on time. Plus, you’ll have plenty of time to have a nice, relaxed breakfast too.
Likewise, if you’re flying to a foreign country, be sure to have your cash on you before you do so. Getting your spending money at the airport is always a bit of a risk: there’s a chance its ATMs might not be working, and it’s rare you’ll find competitive exchange rates there anyway.
Aiming to get there early? Be prepared to queue – and then some. Keep everyone’s patience levels low by preparing for all that standing around as best as you can. Bring snacks and drinks, pack entertainment for the little ones, and if you don’t fancy standing for long periods, bring a travel stool or folding chair. You can even strike up a conversation with other passengers – find out what they’re doing and get a bit more inspiration going ahead of your travels.
Sounds obvious, but we can’t stress this enough: make sure you have the right documents on you at all times. Do this before you even leave your house; the last thing you want is to reach the port only to find that’s as far as you can go.
This goes without saying. Want a stress-free embarkation? Make sure you’re familiar with what you can and can’t bring onboard – unless you fancy a long conversation with the ship’s security.
We know you’ll probably be hungry by the time you’re onboard, but try to steer clear of the buffet for the time being. Chances are, everyone will have the same idea and the place will be heaving. Wait a few hours for things to calm down before sitting down to treat yourself.
Embarkation day complete – now it’s finally time to sink into that sun lounger and look forward to the trip of a lifetime. Not booked your cruise yet? What are you waiting for?! Go here to see the brilliant cruise deals we have on offer.
