My first cruise: I experienced these surprises

I went on a cruise for the first time – and these 22 things surprised me

• You can actually feel the ship moving.
  

  For some reason, I hadn’t expected to feel the ship’s movements so much. I assumed that a ship of this size (the largest in the world!) Would feel stable despite the ocean waves, but I was wrong.

  Read also: Cruise ship employees reveal the biggest disadvantage when living on the high seas

  At night, when I was in my bed, I felt it the most. But the pleasant rocking made it easier for me to fall asleep.

  Tip: Dramamine (against motion sickness) is sold on board, but you can also get it for free from the guest service.

  Abby Narishkin / Insider

• There is a “ship time”.
  

  It turns out that the ship’s time can differ from normal time.

  Since crossing time zones can be difficult, cruise ships usually stick to the time zone of their departure port (in my case Miami). I learned that the hard way when I came to a rendezvous at 9 a.m. that was supposed to take place at 8 a.m. Since my cell phone and Fitbit watch were automatically switched to Atlantic Standard Time when we were feeding St. Marteen, I was an hour late.

  Tip: Bring an analog clock. You can turn off the automatic time zone update of your cell phone, but it can still be confusing.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• Water dispensers are rare and far apart.
  

  As someone who usually drinks a lot, the water situation on board deeply worried me. There were surprisingly few water dispensers, and health regulations said that guests should not fill their water bottles with them (once a bottle has touched a person’s lips, it is no longer sterile enough to be refilled from a community spout).

  In addition, bottled water was neither included in the standard package nor in the soda package, which cost extra.

  Tip: One night when I was very thirsty, I tried Google to find out if the tap water of the ship was drinkable. That’s it – and I’ve drunk a lot of it.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• But disinfectants and sinks are everywhere.
  

  There were disinfectants and sinks every few meters on the ship. These were also available at the entrance to each buffet.

  Since good hand hygiene is generally considered the best way to curb the spread of infectious diseases, this makes sense.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• There’s a Starbucks on the Symphony of the Seas.
  

  I don’t know why the Starbucks branch shook me so much, but it did.

  Although the largest cruise ship in the world has an ice rink, cable car, climbing walls, and 23 restaurants, what struck me most was the famous Starbucks logo in the middle of the ocean.

  Also read: Former personnel manager of a cruise ship reveals what employees are fired for immediately

  But that didn’t stop me from occasionally giving up free ship coffee for a “cold brew”.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller

• There is no regular cell phone coverage.
  

  Of course that’s kind of logical because you’re in the middle of the ocean. But because a technology-loving millennial like me usually sticks to his smartphone, it was still a shock for me to have zero bars.

  Tip: The WiFi works well, but you have to pay for it. If you bring walkie-talkies with you, you can save a little money (though you will likely get a few baffled looks).

  Abby Narishkin / Insider

• You not only have to pay for the WiFi, but also per device.
  

  I find the payment of internet access incredibly old-fashioned. But well, we’re also sitting on a ship in the middle of the ocean. However, what really shocked me was the fact that you could only buy the WiFi per device.

  Read also: Cruise company offers 118,000 euros to someone who travels the world and posts on Instagram

  Tip: Buying it for just one device does not mean that you can only use it on one device. It just means that it’s only ever on one device at the same time can be used. So I always switched back and forth between my laptop and my cell phone. Save your money and buy the WiFi for only one device.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• The size of the ship was enormous.
  

  I know, I know it’s not called the world’s largest cruise ship for nothing, but its incredible size just blew me away and, according to my Fitbit, I regularly walked 17,000 steps a day. It actually felt like a floating mall to me.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller

• The quality of the performances was incredible.
  

  Aside from the fact that Hall & Oates performed on the last evening of our cruise (I know, unbelievable?), The performances I went to – “Hiro” and “Flight” – were really Broadway calibers. I was overwhelmed by the talent of the actors, as well as by the incredibly well-designed stage sets.

  Abby Narishkin / Insider

• You can shop duty-free on board, but only within international waters.
  

  There are plenty of duty-free shopping on board that sells the usual watches, jewelry, alcohol, cigarettes, and more, much like the airport. This is how you can avoid local VAT.

  Also read: 20-hour days and no weekends: employees on cruise ships explain why their work is often underestimated

  But what surprised me even more was that the shops were only allowed to open when the ship was in international waters. You have to close when the ship is near the port.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• The diversity of the crew.
  

  As a former international school child, I felt at home with the 65 different nationalities alone in the crew.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller

• There was also an incredible variety of passengers.
  

  When a Caribbean cruise started in Miami, Florida, I expected most of the passengers to be Americans. In the end, I was very surprised by the variety of languages ​​that I heard.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• Glamorous evenings are still happening.
  

  I was amazed to find that something like a gala evening was still going on. I felt like I was on a cruise ship back then. In fact, for an average seven-day cruise, there are two glamorous evenings.

  The outfits were quite different: I saw short-sleeved shirts with collars and summer dresses, but also Oscar-like golden dresses, tuxedos and even kilts. People loved it and took photos like a prom, in the various professional photo studios set up around the ship.

  Courtesy of Rebecca H.

• There were a lot of professional photographers on board.
  

  Professional setups with green screens and different backgrounds shaped the ship and at dinner, at ports or at other events it was difficult to prevent an enthusiastic photographer from trying to take a picture of you (for which he then asked 14 euros).

  Read also: Lawyer warns of legal nightmare that can threaten you on a cruise ship

  It turned out that you could hire a photographer for 76 euros an hour.

  Royal Caribbean / YouTube

• People loved the captain and his officers.
  

  When the captain came out on the evening of the gala to take photos with the passengers, a long line quickly formed. And an officer I was walking around with couldn’t walk two steps without being spoken to or asked for a photo.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• You can spend a lot of money very quickly if you’re not careful.
  

  While your standard cruise package included the room, most of the activities on board, and lots of restaurants, I was amazed at the many things it didn’t include and how quickly it could add up.

  Read also: There will be no buffet or plastic on Richard Branson’s new adult-only luxury cruise

  Of course, alcohol and wellness offers are not included in the price. The Symphony of the Seas has 14 specialty restaurants that cost extra. Most activities on CocoCay, from access to the water park to snorkeling equipment, also cost extra. Not to forget the internet and tips. All of this can quickly become expensive.

  Tip: According to a representative from Royal Caribbean, reservations, purchases and bookings can be made up to six months in advance and are very worthwhile in the form of discounts and savings.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• There is a daily tip fee … per person.
  

  The crew on board couldn’t have been friendlier and more helpful, but a daily tip of 13 euros is huge. That’s an additional 91 euros per week, per person, regardless of age (the same applies to children). For guests who stay in a grand suite or something similar, it is almost 16 euros.

  Also read: Why you should mostly reject an upgrade on a cruise ship

  All drinks, products from the minibar, as well as purchases in wellness areas and salons are automatically provided with an 18 percent tip.

  Tip: The daily tips can also be paid in advance, at least you don’t have to be reminded of it every day.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• The cost of drugstore items and medication is astronomical.
  

  I think the fact that these items are sold at an increased price is to be expected. But how high the price was in the end is surprising: a friend spent almost 6 euros for a single toothbrush.

  Read also: Cruise ship employees reveal the biggest disadvantage when living on the high seas

  Tip: If you can, wait for a port excursion to stock up on what you need.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• Getting in and out was a breeze.
  

  Boarding was similar to boarding at the airport, but was much easier.

  What surprised me was that I only showed my identity card once, when I got into Miami. After that my SeaPass became not only my room key, but also my ID and my credit card.

  Even at ports, I just had to show my SeaPass (albeit at two different stations) to get back on the ship.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider

• Ships are a cashless society.
  

  My room key also served as a credit card with which I could pay for everything on board. At the end of the cruise, I was presented with an invoice listing all of the costs that had accumulated during my stay.

  This article was translated and edited by Marie Regenberg.

  You can find the original here.

  Sophie-Claire Hoeller / Insider