Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips for First Time Cruisers
- SueQ Travel
- Aug 11
- 8 min read
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I remember how excited (and nervous) I was for my first Royal Caribbean cruise… I also remember how many little things I had to figure out before my cruise and also just through experiencing it. If you are planning your first sailing, I have some tried and true Royal Caribbean cruise tips that will help you feel prepared, relaxed, and ready to have the best time possible.
These are the exact things I was told or wished I had known before I boarded, based on my own experience sailing with Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean Tip #1: Get the App
First things first, have you downloaded the Royal Caribbean app yet? If not, you must. You can put your reservation number into the app to pull up your ship details. It took us a minute to figure out how to navigate it, so do yourself a favor and play around with it before you go. The app is where you will check in, make reservations, and see your daily schedule.
Royal Caribbean Tip #2: Check In Early for the Best Boarding Time
Check in usually opens 90 days before your trip and the app will tell you the exact date. If you are staying near the port the night before and want to get on the ship early, check in the moment it opens. Boarding times are assigned during check in, so earlier check in usually means earlier boarding.
I set my alarm for the exact moment it opened. I was in France at the time, so my check in was at 6 a.m. instead of midnight, and I snagged the first boarding slot at 10:30 a.m. This gave us almost a whole extra day on board before the ship even left the dock at 4 p.m. We spent the day exploring, eating way too much food, and jumping into fun activities right away.
When you check in, have your passport information ready and take a quick selfie for your headshot. That worked perfectly for us.
Royal Caribbean Tip #3: Book Royal Caribbean Shows Early
One of the best Royal Caribbean cruise tips I can give you is to reserve your shows as soon as possible in the app. Even though seating is first come, you still need a reservation to enter. Arrive early for the best seats.
Josh and Aden’s favorite was the Aqua Show. My tip is to book this earlier in your trip because it can get canceled due to weather or ship movement. If it is canceled you can rebook for another night unless you booked it for the last night, in which case you are out of luck.
Royal Caribbean Tip #4: Make Dining Reservations Early
The app will show you which restaurants are complimentary and which have an extra fee. If you want to try a specialty restaurant you will need to make a reservation, and they fill up quickly.
Royal Caribbean Tip #5: Enjoy the Main Dining Breakfast
For breakfast, we skipped the buffet and went to the main dining room every morning. It felt calmer, the food was better, and the service was wonderful. We never had to wait because we showed up before they opened and were the first seated. By the time we left, people were waiting in line to be seated.
Royal Caribbean Tip #6: Organize Luggage with Royal Caribbean Bag Tags
Your travel documents will arrive before your trip and will include printable bag tags. You will fold them and attach them to your luggage. For some reason, this made me anxious the first time, so my in-laws gave us these reusable plastic bag tag holders. You do not need them, but I loved having them and they made the process stress free.
When you arrive at the terminal, you will drop your bags, go through security, and wait for boarding. We each kept a backpack with swimsuits, a change of clothes, medication, and money so we could enjoy the ship while waiting for our luggage to be delivered later.
Royal Caribbean Tip #7: Complete Your Muster Drill Check-In Right Away
Once we arrived at the cruise terminal, we had to walk a bit before going through security. From there, we ended up in a large waiting area where we sat for a while until they opened the doors to the ship. When boarding began, passengers were excused row by row to scan passports and step onboard. It was extraordinarily organized, which impressed us from the start.
As soon as you board, go straight to your muster drill check-in. This is your assigned safety station, and every passenger must check in before the ship can leave. Doing it immediately means you can relax and enjoy your first afternoon without it hanging over you. The ship will not depart until everyone has completed the muster drill, so don’t be the one who holds things up. Take care of it right away and then get back to the fun.
As soon as you've completed your muster drill check-in location, go get lunch! Do this early on so you can get a seat. It will fill up fast!
Royal Caribbean Tip #8: Use a Lanyard
We could access our room around 1 p.m., but our luggage would not arrive until after 3 p.m. We spotted our bags in the hallway waiting for delivery and just carried them to our room ourselves. Then we unpacked completely and stored our suitcases under the bed for more space.
Your SeaPass card will be waiting in an envelope on your stateroom door. It is your room key, ID for boarding and disembarking, and your onboard payment method. You will need it for everything, including renting towels. We kept ours in these lanyards so we could access them quickly. There are also wrist options if you prefer. I thought the lanyards we used were a bit thick around the neck, so I’d probably get thinner ones next time.
Royal Caribbean Tip #9: Prevent Seasickness
Josh felt seasick our first night because he forgot to take Dramamine before boarding. It was windy, and the boat was rocking. After that, he remembered to take it daily and felt fine. Sea bands are another option, although they hurt my wrist more than they helped, but some people swear by them.
Royal Caribbean Tip #10: Be Prepared - Gratuities and Tipping Advice
We prepaid our gratuities, but if you do not, they will be charged to your onboard account at the end of your cruise. We also brought cash to tip our room attendant and dining staff because they were fantastic. It is not required, but it is a nice gesture.
Royal Caribbean Tip #11: Be Aware! Dress Up Nights are a Thing
Each night has a dinner theme like Caribbean night, white night, or formal night. You can go all out or skip it entirely. On longer cruises, formal night can feel like the MET Gala. On our three night cruise, fewer people dressed up, but it is still fun to participate if you want to.
Royal Caribbean Tip #12: Participate in Onboard Activities
One of my favorite parts of the cruise was the variety of onboard activities available every day. The great news is that most of these activities do not require advance registration.
For example, I took a napkin folding class just because I saw it on the daily schedule and thought it looked fun. It was a relaxed, easygoing way to try something new.
Whether it’s crafts, games, trivia, or dance lessons, you usually don’t need to book ahead. Just check the app or the daily schedule to see what’s happening and jump right in.
If there are special events or popular classes that do require reservations, those will be listed in the app (ice skating was super popular). Otherwise, the majority of activities are first-come, first-served and super casual. It’s a great way to make the most of your time on board and enjoy the ship beyond the pool and buffet.
Royal Caribbean Tip #13: Visit the Ports
When your ship docks at each port I highly recommend getting off and exploring even if it is just for a short time. Royal Caribbean offers many excursions you can prebook if you want a guided experience or something more organized. But if you prefer to skip the extra cost you can simply wander around on your own and soak up the local vibe.
For example Royal Caribbean has an island in the Bahamas called CoCo Cay that was definitely worth a morning visit. We got off the ship right away and headed to the farthest beach on the island. We scored seats right at the front before it got busy. We just relaxed and enjoyed the views until the crowds arrived and then headed back to the ship. The rest of the day we enjoyed the almost empty ship because most people were still on the island.
Just keep in mind that many port areas are very touristy so it is important to stay aware of your surroundings and keep a close eye on your belongings. Pickpocketing can be a concern in some locations so use a secure bag and do not carry more than you need when you are out and about.
Whether you book excursions or explore independently getting off the ship is one of the best ways to add extra adventure to your Royal Caribbean cruise.
Royal Caribbean Tip #14: Be on the Lookout for the Hidden Ducks
Here is a fun little secret for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers: keep an eye out for the hidden ducks around the ship. Royal Caribbean has a playful tradition of hiding small rubber ducks in unexpected spots for guests to find.
We loved hunting for them as a fun way to explore and notice little details we might have missed otherwise. It’s a simple thing but it adds a bit of extra joy to your time on board. If you find one, it makes a great souvenir or a fun photo op to share with friends.
Look for these little surprises during your cruise! It’s a quirky Royal Caribbean cruise tip that makes your experience just a bit more memorable.
Final Thoughts on Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips
Cruising with Royal Caribbean is a fun way to travel, and these small tips will help you make the most of it. From getting an early boarding time to grabbing the best seats at shows, these little things make a big difference. Most of all, relax and enjoy every moment because you're on vacation!
What are YOUR cruise tips and tricks? Leave them in the comments!
Alternative to Cruising:
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