Trip Bacon — The secret ingredient to the perfect getaway logo

30 Cruise Do’s & Don’ts for Your First Day (Avoid These Mistakes)

Cruise Insider - Videos
Cruise Insider - Videos
🏅Authority
👁️ 534K views📅 7 months ago⏱️ 21:02

Key Moments

Editorial Summary

The creator provides a comprehensive guide consisting of thirty essential tips for passengers navigating the first twenty-four hours of a cruise. The advice is organized into four distinct phases: terminal survival, business hours, settling into the cabin, and preparing for the first full day. During the boarding process, the creator emphasizes adhering to specific boarding windows, keeping essential medications and electronics in a carry-on, and maintaining accessible travel documents. Once on board, the creator suggests prioritizing tasks such as connecting to the ship's Wi-Fi, completing the muster drill, and making dining reservations to avoid crowds. The guide also covers cabin management, including performing a systems check on amenities, securing valuables in the safe, and unpacking to maintain organization. Finally, the creator advises on logistical details like verifying ship time versus phone time and checking the daily schedule via the mobile app to ensure a smooth transition into the vacation. The video concludes by encouraging passengers to rest early to prepare for their first full day at sea.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.

How This Review Compares

This review's score for Princess Cruises
Barely Crispy
All-time creator consensus for Princess Cruises
A Nibble

This review is more critical than the all-time creator consensus.

What This Creator Said
Creator RecommendsTips & Advice🏅Authority Creator

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

In 2026, the first 24 hours of your cruise are a tactical mission. Because one wrong move can cost you big.

Don't arrive whenever you want. Heading into 2026, cruise lines have completely changed how they handle crowds.

Don't head straight to the buffet. This is the rookie mistake that 90% of passengers make.

Do find a secret saila away spot around 400 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. The ship will leave port.

Creator's Tips & Advice

Stick to the time on your boarding pass to avoid long outdoor lines.
Keep a small carry-on with medications, electronics, and a change of clothes.
Bring allowed wine or soda in your carry-on, not checked luggage.
Switch to airplane mode immediately to avoid roaming charges.
Connect to the ship's Wi-Fi and log into the app as soon as you board.
Avoid the buffet on embarkation day and go to secondary free venues.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Lost luggageKeep a carry-on with essentials and consider wheeling your bag on board if it fits.
Overpaying for drinksCalculate day one spending and consider buying a drink package if needed.
Missing the ship due to time confusionCheck ship time versus phone time and trust the captain's time.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhat are the essential do's and don'ts for the first day of a cruise?
QHow can I avoid common embarkation day mistakes?
QWhat should I pack in my carry-on?
QHow do I save money on Wi-Fi and drink packages?
QWhat are the best ways to board faster and avoid terminal chaos?

Topics Covered

Embarkation1½ Happy BaconDrink Package1 Happy BaconWifi Connectivity1½ Happy BaconValue Pricing1½ Happy BaconCrowd Capacity1 Sad BaconService Crew2½ Happy Bacon
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon — creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon — creators took issue with this
Meh — no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology

Video content sourced from the creator's original upload. Watch on YouTube