5 Mistakes I Made on My First Carnival Cruise (So You Don’t Have To)

There’s nothing quite like the excitement of stepping onto your first cruise ship...suitcases in hand, ocean breeze in your face, and vacation mode activated. But if you're anything like me, even the best travel plans come with a few “oops” moments.

We recently took our very first Carnival Cruise as a family and while we had a fantastic time, there were definitely some lessons learned. So here are 5 mistakes I made on our embarkation day, so you don't have to on yours!

1. Not Printing Our Boarding Passes

I’m usually all about digital everything, but when it comes to cruising, Carnival still plays it a little old school. We showed up with our boarding passes in the app, thinking we were good to go, but guess what? They needed printed copies. It slowed us down at check-in and just added unnecessary stress. Print your passes. Trust me.

2. Trusting the App a Little Too Much

I entered all of our passport info into the Carnival app... or so I thought. Apparently, only mine went through and I didn’t double-check on the website. My husband and daughter ended up having to go through a longer, manual boarding process that could’ve easily been avoided. Cross-reference all your travel documents in both the app and the website before your sail date.

3. Buying the Soda Package Without Knowing This…

We bought Carnival’s soda package thinking it was the only way to have soda on board. Rookie move. Carnival actually allows each person to bring a 12-pack of canned drinks (yes, per person!) on embarkation day. Had I known, we could’ve saved that extra money and used it for a special treat onboard. Click HERE for their full liquor & beverage policy.

4. Skipping the Facebook Group for Our Sailing

There are Facebook groups dedicated to specific sailing dates and ships. I didn’t join one until after we returned (because I didn't know it was a thing) and wow, the tips, theme night info, packing advice, and even excursions people shared would’ve been so helpful before we left. Lesson learned: join early, check it often, and ask ALL the questions.

5. Delaying the Muster Drill

The muster drill is mandatory, and Carnival makes it easy now you just go to your station, scan in, and you're done. But we waited too long and then had to squeeze it in between settling in and snack-hunting with a toddler. Do it right away when you board. It takes 5 minutes and saves you the headache later!

First-Time Cruiser Must-Brings

Here’s what I wish I had packed and what I’ll never cruise without again. These are all truly useful items that make your cruise smoother, especially if you’re traveling with family.

• Magnetic hooks – Cruise cabin walls are metal! These are great for hanging bags, towels, or swimsuits.

• Over-the-door organizer – With limited cabin space, this keeps toiletries, meds, diapers, and toddler odds and ends neat.

• Refillable water bottles – The cups onboard are small. Bring a good bottle to fill at the buffet and stay hydrated all day.

• Power strip (non-surge protected) – Outlets are limited. This is a must for charging devices!

• Sea bands or motion sickness patches – Even if you think you don’t get seasick... better safe than sorry.

• Portable fan – Cabins can feel stuffy, and a fan helps with airflow and white noise for little ones at bedtime.

• Collapsible laundry bag – So helpful for keeping dirty clothes out of the way all week.

• Night light – Especially helpful with kids or if you have an inside cabin.

• Towel clips – The wind is no joke on the upper decks. These keep your towels in place while you lounge.

• Lanyards with card holders – Your Sail & Sign card is your everything onboard—room key, payment, ID. These keep it handy and hands-free.
  

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