I Thought I Was Ready for My First Cruise... I Was Wrong.

Name: I Thought I Was Ready for My First Cruise... I Was Wrong.
Uploaded: 2026-06-13T00:00:00+00:00
Duration: 11 min 1 s
Channel: Family at Sea

Family at Sea

🥈Expert

👁️ 2K views📅 5 days ago⏱️ 11:01

MSC Cruises USA

Disney Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Princess Cruises

Celebrity Cruises

Royal Caribbean Group

P & O Cruises

Carnival Cruise Line

What This Creator Said

2 Happy Bacon

Creator RecommendsTips & Advice🥈Expert CreatorSponsored

First-Time Cruiser

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

Creator's Key Takeaways

I thought I was ready for my first cruise. But I was wrong.

Because your first crew has a way of humbling you fast.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned after more than 50 cruises is that there's no such thing as a perfect cruise.

If you go in with the mindset that no matter what happens on this cruise, I'm going to find the good, well, you're going to find it.

Creator's Tips & Advice

✓Choose a cruise line and ship that matches your desired vacation atmosphere.

✓Book cabins with other cabins above, below, and on both sides to avoid noise.

✓Use a good cruise travel agent to save money and avoid mistakes.

✓Book dining reservations, excursions, and other services through the cruise line app before sailing.

✓Check in online as early as possible to get the earliest boarding times.

✓Fly in the day before your cruise to avoid stress and delays.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Choosing the wrong ship for your vacation style — Research cruise lines and ships to match your desired atmosphere.

Cabin noise from public areas — Book cabins surrounded by other cabins to minimize noise.

Overpacking — Pack light; focus on essentials and use a packing list.

Missing the ship due to flight delays — Fly in the day before to ensure timely arrival.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhat should I know before my first cruise?

QHow can I avoid common first-time cruiser mistakes?

QWhat are the most important lessons from a first cruise?

Topics Covered

Crowd Capacity1½ Sad BaconPool Deck2 Sad BaconBooking Process2 Happy BaconValue Pricing1½ Happy BaconExcursions1½ Happy BaconEmbarkation1 Happy BaconService Crew1½ 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

YouTube Video Description↓

🛒 My essential cruise packing list on Amazon: https://bit.ly/cruise-essentials 🚢 Book your next cruise at the GUARANTEED best price: https://bit.ly/dream-cruise-fas I spent months researching before my first cruise. I read the forums, studied the ships, and thought I knew exactly what to expect. And then I stepped onboard. And some of the things I worried about never mattered. Some of the things that mattered most were never mentioned. And a few lessons completely changed the way I cruise to this day. If you’re planning your first cruise, these are the things I wish I had known before I sailed. ----- ⚓ Our Trusted Travel Partners: 🤝 🛳️ Ready to Book Your Next Cruise? Cruises It makes planning easy! Get expert advice and the best deals here: 👉 https://bit.ly/dream-cruise-fas 🌍 Save Big on Excursions! Skip the overpriced ship tours and book directly to save money: 👉 https://bit.ly/fas-excursions ----- 🎉 Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for weekly tips & hacks + immersive vlog experiences: https://bit.ly/subscribe-cruise-hacks ----- 🛒✨ Cruise Products We Recommend ✨🛒 - Sea Bands (to prevent seasickness): https://amzn.to/3YOTGjX - Sea Bands for Kids: https://amzn.to/4cvG1RS - Sea Bands w/ Built-In Aromatherapy: https://amzn.to/3SQ0zO8 - Seasickness Patches: https://amzn.to/3AmF94L - Portable Charger: https://amzn.to/4dNGmAx - Towel Bands (for pool loungers): https://amzn.to/3SXARHx - Water Shoes: https://amzn.to/4dIWxPA - Magnetic Hooks: https://amzn.to/4dqHr1j - Power Strip (w/ no surge protector): https://amzn.to/3yJzuoX ----- 👀 Watch Next 🍿 https://youtu.be/qMiHVOql4_g https://youtu.be/bM4ZI8FS3xo https://youtu.be/cggiftmgowA https://youtu.be/69N7oMQ5DcI https://youtu.be/fLUgYfN5qAA ----- Join our NEW Facebook Group for all sorts of cruising tips, tricks, and deals! Cruise Tips, Tricks, and Deals: https://facebook.com/groups/familyatsea ----- Disclosure: Hey there! Just a heads-up – some links in my video descriptions are affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase through them, I may earn a little commission, but don’t worry, it won’t cost you anything extra! I only recommend stuff that I genuinely love from companies I trust. Thank you for your support! ----- Business & Media Opportunities: Please contact Evan at partners@familyatsesa.travel ----- 🌍🙋‍♂️ Who We Are 🙋‍♀️🌍 Family at Sea chronicles the cruising adventures of our family of four as we set sail across the globe aboard different cruise ships and cruise lines, including MSC, Disney Cruise Lines (DCL), Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), P&O, Explora Journeys, Costa, Margaritaville at Sea, and more! ----- 📧💬 Contact Us & Follow Us on Social Media! 📱📲 - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FamilyAtSea - Facebook: https://facebook.com/FamilyAtSea.travel - Facebook Group: Family Cruise Tips, Tricks, and Deals: https://facebook.com/groups/familyatsea - Instagram: https://instagram.com/FamilyAtSea.travel ----- #CruiseTips #Cruise #FamilyAtSea ----- 00:00 Intro 00:49 Same Ocean, Different Experience 01:33 Wake Up Call 02:11 Looked Good Online 03:57 Timing is Everything 04:31 Appsolutely Necessary 05:08 The Calm Before the Chaos 05:48 Everything But the Right Things 06:29 The Usual? 07:05 Boarding Pass Panic 07:40 The Tour Trap 08:05 One Last Look 08:45 Before You Go 09:35 Get Your Mindset Right