8 things seasoned cruisers say you should know before setting foot on your first cruise

Sharon Taylor, who has been on five cruises, told Business Insider that first-timers should be careful not to overpack.

"New cruisers think cruising is a fashion show and pack way too many clothes and shoes, but you wind up just wanting to be comfortable," she said.

For a seven-night cruise, Taylor said she brought two bathing suits, four pairs of shorts, two pairs of shoes, one formal outfit, eight pairs of underwear, and six tops. She planned to buy two more tops on the trip.

Paul Gallifrey, who has been on 30 cruises on various lines, said to pack what you need for the length of the cruise but add a few extra options just in case.

"Maybe you decide to change clothes between pool time and the buffet," Gallifrey said. "An extra shirt and pair of shorts will come in handy."

Gallifrey added that some activities on ships and excursions required specific clothing, like lace-up shoes for zip lining. Check the cruise line's website for these requirements and pack accordingly.

Large cruise ships typically have seemingly endless hallways of staterooms with identical doors.

Taylor said to make sure you pack magnets to attach to the outside your door to help you spot it.

"You will be glad you did when you are looking for your room down those long hallways," Taylor added.

Unless you book a flight through a cruise-line package, the ship will leave without you even if your delayed or canceled flight is what makes you late, Stephanie Franks, who has been on more than 15 cruises, said.

With Royal Caribbean, if you book a flight through the cruise line and it's delayed or canceled, their emergency-travel team will get you on an earlier flight or fly you to the next port to join the cruise, according to the company's website. If you don't book through the cruise line, you'll have to figure it out yourself.

Franks said her friend's flight to Miami got canceled the day before her cruise because of the weather in Florida.

"They hopped in a car and drove 19 hours straight to get here on time. You just never know," she said. "But best to be prepared and early than late."

She recommended flying in at least one day before the ship's departure to leave extra time for delays and cancellations. Stay near the port, she said, adding that there were plenty of hotels in Florida with shuttles to the port. 

On cruise ships, there are often restaurants and activities included in the price of the ticket, as well as some specialty restaurants that cost extra. When stopping at ports, you can book excursions for an additional cost, too.

Once your trip is booked, you can often prepay for dining on the ship and excursions at the ports. Reservations generally book up quickly, so it's smart to get this done as soon as possible to ensure you get the experiences you want. Plus, you'll probably pay less than if you wait until your trip.

"Do everything you can before getting on board to save money," Tekeshia Browne, who has been on over 100 cruises, told BI, adding that there were discounts for restaurants and excursions ahead of the cruise.

At each cruise port, passengers may disembark to spend their time as they wish. They might sightsee independently, take a taxi to a beach, link up with a local tour guide, or join an official cruise line excursion.

Gallifrey said first-time cruisers would likely have the easiest time if they opted for the last option.

Navigating ports can be confusing, especially if you're taking transportation to your excursion, but if you book through the cruise line, you'll be directed to exactly where you need to go. Some cruise-line excursions even include meals.

"If you are new to cruising and have not had experience arranging excursions, it is sometimes easier to go with the ones from the cruise line," he said, adding that these excursions guaranteed the ship would wait for you if an outing took longer than planned. 

"Self-booked excursions are totally outside of this guarantee," he said.

Some cruisers say that everything included in the price of the ticket is enough for a great vacation. You can eat at multiple restaurants on the ship, participate in games and activities, attend shows, and explore the ports at no extra cost. 

"You don't really need to spend another penny after you have paid for your cruise. There are plenty of awesome free shows, foods — including the main dining room — and things to do at every port," Taylor said. "At ports, I roam around the shops and look at the artisan stuff made by locals."

On Royal Caribbean cruises, attendants deliver the daily planner, Cruise Compass, to staterooms each night.

From escape rooms and sports games to dancing classes and karaoke, the ship is full of scheduled activities that you'll know about only if you read the Cruise Compass or check the Royal Caribbean app.

Vickie Carmody, who has spent 280 nights on cruise ships, said first-timers should make sure they read this planner, adding that she skipped it during her first cruise and missed out.

"My first cruise, I was so bored because I didn't know any better," she added. "I missed the welcome-aboard show, the quest, the poolside games like the belly-flop contest and sexiest-man contest, and a lot of the entertainment around the ship."

Franks said that on most ships by midday, people took up chairs on pool decks by saving them with towels. So she recommended getting up early to grab a spot at about 6 a.m.

There are rules against saving chairs on cruise ships, but Franks said she had rarely seen them enforced. 

"It tends to be a bigger issue on larger ships, ironically," she added. "The smaller ships go to smaller ports, so I guess people focus more on island excursions than the pool deck."