25 Things to Know Before You Go on Your First Cruise

Before you book your very first cruise, it's important to research multiple cruise lines and talk to friends, family or your travel agent about their own personal experiences. From luxury travel or adventurous excursions to a family-friendly atmosphere or party vibe, different lines have their own niche and it's up to you to decide what you're looking for. While you may be able to save X amount of dollars by going on a budget cruise, it doesn't mean it will be the perfect vacation for you and your family.

Ports of call are just as significant to consider when booking a cruise as differentiating between cruise lines themselves. Do you want a relaxing luxurious European river cruise or a family fun action-packed Caribbean cruise where you can visit Royal Caribbean's own island? Knowing the kind of activities you want to do while on vacation can really help tailor down your list of potential options.

Feeling a little overwhelmed yet? Talk to your travel agent about what you want out of your vacation. Let them do all the hard work on deciding what cruise line and itinerary would best fit you and your family.

If you don't already have a dedicated travel agent, check out 6 Ways to Find the Perfect Travel Agent.

You have the perfect cruise picked out and now there's nothing else you have to do before boarding the ship, right? Wrong. It's very important that you review all travel documents sent to you with your confirmation once you book.

Your confirmation will oftentimes say something along the lines of "Failure to arrive with proper documentation could result in denied boarding, and no further compensation will be offered."

No one wants to be turned away from the ship because they didn't read through all the instructions. Some cruises require you to obtain your own travel visas for the ports of call you'll be visiting, and you'll need to show proof of these visas before boarding the ship. The best thing to do is know before you go.

Oftentimes the reservation you are given already has your exact stateroom picked out. But if no stateroom is assigned, make sure you write down the type of stateroom you booked. That way you know exactly what you should be getting when you check-in.

If available, check to see if your cruise line has an app that will make the check-in process easier. This will save you a lot of time when it comes to boarding the ship. Yes, you'll still have to go through security and check your over-sized luggage, but the process of actually checking-in to the ship will be lessened.

Be sure to double-check when the online check-in process needs to be completed by-most cruise lines won't let you check-in with the app within 24 hours of departure.

Looking over your itinerary you see that the ship won't leave until 5 p.m., giving you ample time to take a late flight or explore the port before boarding the ship! Nope. The time listed is much like flight time - this is the time the plane is supposed to be leaving, and you'll need to board in advance.

Oftentimes cruise lines won't even allow passengers to board if they arrive only one hour before the ship is supposed to leave. Don't risk missing your vacation because you opted for the later flight that ended up being delayed.

You're finally on the ship and it's time to relax. But wait, there are all these people gathering in the main lobby with a lost expression on their face. Make sure you have a map of the ship handy to reference where your stateroom is. Yes, there will be lots of crew members around to help you find your way, but there will also be plenty of other passengers trying to find their room as well.

Be sure to understand where your room is in terms of the ship-bow (front), stern (rear), port (left) and starboard (right) sides. Occasionally there will be rooms you can only get to from a certain side of the ship and you don't want to be left wandering aimlessly while carrying all your luggage.

Once everyone has boarded, the Captain, Cruise Director or Coast Guard will come over the loudspeaker to initiate the safety test. This is required under international maritime law-there is no need to panic. It's important to take this drill seriously and remember where it is you need to go in case of an emergency.

All restaurants and bars will be closed during this time, so please don't try to grab a drink while on your way to your designated safety area. The drill lasts only a couple of minutes, and then you can get back to relaxing.

Depending on the cruise line you choose, the Cruise Director may come over the loudspeaker to tell guests about entertainment options that are about to occur. It's easy to forget what time it is on a cruise ship, so listen for these friendly announcements reminding you of the things you don't want to miss.

When you booked your cruise, you may have been given additional options for your cruise package like 'Free Wi-Fi' and 'Discounted Shore Excursions.' Wi-Fi on cruise ships is oftentimes different from staying at a hotel. Hey-it's hard getting Wi-Fi in the middle of the ocean.

It's important to check if the internet package you signed up for is limited to a number of minutes or devices. You don't want to use it all up within the first day. Along the same lines-be sure to double check your phone and international plan options. Coming home to a surprise bill because you left your phone on roaming the whole time is never pleasant.

Symphony of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship and can hold well over six thousand passengers. All those people want to be fed, relax with some drinks and enjoy their time on-board just as much as you.

Cruise ships are well-oiled machines for taking care of such a large number of guests at one time, but it's important for passengers to also remember to have patience onboard the ship. Don't cut in the buffet lines or push your way to the front of the bar for a drink. And definitely make sure you plan enough time for boarding on and off the ship.

To tip or not to tip? This can get a bit confusing while on a cruise. Sure you have an unlimited meal plan, but does that include gratuity? With some cruise lines, it does. It's important to double check before leaving to see if gratuities are automatically added to your daily charge or overall cost of your cruise. If it's not, then it's best to tip in cash, so make sure you have plenty of $1/$5/$10s for the duration of your trip.

Cruise ships are littered with buffets and eateries. The food is ever-changing and it's not uncommon to gain a couple of pounds during your vacation. But, if you stick with the same buffets you become comfortable with after boarding the ship, you'll miss out on some really neat experiences. Be sure to review the ship itinerary and check for any special events happening in the formal dining room and plan your outfits accordingly before packing your suitcase.

Not all restaurants on cruise ships are created equal. There is a growing number of exclusive chef-inspired restaurants that require a reservation and are not included in the dining plan. If it's important to you to visit one of these then be sure to make a reservation soon after boarding the ship (or before if the ship allows). These restaurants oftentimes cannot accommodate a large number of passengers, so reservations fill up quickly.

This may be something that you don't think of too often. Remember, no matter how clean a ship may seem, there are a multitude of germs spreading around while you're onboard. Just the sheer number of people you're constantly surrounded by is an adjustment for our immune systems. Hand sanitizer stations are often located throughout and should be used with frequency. No one wants to be sick while on vacation, and this little miracle worker can help to prevent that.

Cruise ships are loaded with things to do, especially in the evenings. It's important to map out what the most important activities are for you and your family. Taking the time to do this before your trip can save on time and the potential of missing out on something you really wanted to experience. Plus it just gets you that much more excited before disembarking on your dream vacation.

Don't 'do it for the 'gram' or any other social media platform. Jumping from your balcony can cause serious injury or death. What's more, it can even get you banned from the cruise line. Yes, you're here for a good time, but passenger safety is a big responsibility for cruise ships and it's taken very seriously.

No one likes to be constantly surrounded by those who can't hold their liquor. Especially since most cruises are family-friendly. That's not to say you can't have a good time. Just be mindful that you're sharing a space where other people also want to enjoy their vacation.

Most ships want to lead you to believe that you can only book shore excursions through them, and there are many benefits to booking through your cruise line-like a guarantee of not being left at port if your excursion is taking longer than expected. But oftentimes excursions will fill up or you may be able to find unique experiences by working with outside companies. Therefore, it's important to weigh all your options before committing to an off-ship activity.

If you do work with an outside company when booking your shore excursion, you'll also need to figure out how you're going to get from the ship to point B. Lots of people will be disembarking at the same time you will, so if a car is needed, you may want to arrange this ahead of time.

The port time is the time that it is in the location of the port. But the ship keeps the time of where they departed from. Therefore, if you travel through multiple time zones, it's important to know what time the ship refers to when they plan to leave the port. You don't want to miss your ship leaving because you thought they were referring to local time.

Knowing what to pack for your first cruise is almost as important as picking out the right cruise. I always like to make sure I have:

-Plug converter - because not all cruise ships have standard US outlets;

-Power strip - just make sure this adheres to the cruise line's policy;

-Sickness medicine - you don't want to be out at sea on the first day to discover you get seasick with no medicine on hand;

-Sunglasses - yep number one thing I forget on vacation;

-Outfits for shore excursions and any on-ship activities I plan to attend, and;

-An electronic copy of all confirmations/important documents.

Just like staying at a hotel, those working onboard the ship know the ins and outs of the ship and ports of call better than anyone else. Spend some time getting to know a few crew members and you'll be rewarded with insider tips that will make your vacation even better.

Sometimes things just don't go as planned. I always like to have a back-up plan half-formulated in my mind so if anything should go wrong, I can already start working on how I can remedy the situation.

I firmly believe you should sign up for traveler's insurance-either through your cruise ship or an outside carrier. No one plans to get sick, but if you do before disembarking, traveler insurance will let you rebook your vacation instead of losing out entirely.

Cruise ships offer guests the chance to unpack once and experience several ports of call during one vacation. The ship is designed to provide as much entertainment as you desire, allowing you to pick and choose what you want out of your vacation. But, this can sometimes feel overwhelming. Slow down. While no one wants to miss out on experiences they have get every day, don't forget to give yourself enough downtime for relaxing.

Alas, it's time pack and leave the ship. Gathering up all of your belongings from a week-long vacation can be stressful enough for some, but add in an early disembarkation time and a close flight time and you have to be nothing less than a superhero to get everything done.

Many people don't realize that when you leave the ship for good, you once again have to go through customs since you're technically re-entering America. With so many other passengers trying to leave the ship at the same time as you, plan to give yourself plenty of time to make it over to the airport.