{"id":17233,"date":"2014-06-03T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-06-03T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=17233"},"modified":"2021-10-28T16:39:24","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T16:39:24","slug":"tips-for-first-time-cruisers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/tips-for-first-time-cruisers\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for first-time cruisers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Cruising is renowned as a romantic form of travel. Chris and I always have had visions of us traveling by sea, visiting new countries, and soaking up the sun. While both of us have spent a considerable amount of time on the water, neither of us ever had taken a cruise before. We thought we were prepared to set sail, but soon discovered that we knew very little about the cruising lifestyle. To ensure that you get the most out of your future cruise, we&#8217;ve made a list of some of the lessons and surprises we experienced at sea.<\/p>\n<p>First, some background. We went big (well, HUGE) for our first cruise. Hopping on-board the largest cruise ship in the world, <a href=\"https:\/\/cruise.expedia.com\/Ship5.aspx?sh=Oasis+of+the+Seas\">Royal Caribbean&#8217;s Oasis of the Seas<\/a>, was almost like setting foot on a floating Las Vegas\u00a0Strip resort. Our ship (apparently only landlubbers refer to it as a &#8220;boat&#8221;) featured an assortment of restaurants, bars, and shopping options to please every type of traveler. With all of the options on-board we almost forgot about the three destinations on our itinerary: Labadee, Royal Caribbean&#8217;s private island off the coast of Haiti; Falmouth, Jamaica; and <a data-mce-href=\"Iceland%20is a land of unmistakable beauty. It's a country that harbors majestic waterfalls, electric blue glaciers, and the dazzling northern lights. Chris and I wanted to discover Iceland's glory for ourselves and decided that the best way to explore the country was with a road trip. Between getting stuck in insane blizzards and powerful windstorms, we learned valuable lessons about preparing for a road trip around the land of fire and ice. In the hopes of sparing you any emotional damage, we created some of our best learned lessons from our epic overland adventure. medeval Protect yourself from sand and ash Sand and ash is no joke. While it sounds like something you might come across in a Game of Thrones episode, sand and ash storms in Iceland are more terrifying than King Joffrey (well, kind of). When first asked if we wanted to buy sand and ash coverage for our rental car we laughed out loud. It wasn't until we heard horror stories from fellow Icelanders and visitors alike that we decided it would be a good investment. While we thankfully didn't experience any sand and ash damage we found ourselves grateful for the added coverage. With gale force winds hurling sand at our car every couple of hours it was easy to see how the paint could quickly be stripped and damaged. Do a little research to see the likelihood of sand and ash storms while you're on the island. Fuel up at N1 service stations N1 stations are the 7-11s of Iceland. With the exception of slushies, they have almost everything a seasoned road tripper could desire. Gas, food, and caffeinated drinks are available at almost all N1s and some even offer hearty soups with unlimited freshly baked bread. With Iceland's astronomical food prices, N1 stations provide a great way to grab a snack without taking a bite out of your wallet. Viewfinder Tip: N1 stations are awesome but can become sparse as you head north. Fill up on gas frequently and buy a prepaid gas card in the chance that there won't be an attendant to take your money. Viewfinder Tip: If you find yourself in need of assistance, Iceland's emergency number is 112. Downloading the 112 Iceland app will allow you to contact the Icelandic emergency services as well as allow them to located you should you encounter any trouble. Driving through storms You never know what to expect from Iceland's temperamental weather. The sun might be blinding your eyes one minute and the next might be a half hour of extreme downpour. We experienced a couple of white out blizzards that left us not knowing what direction we were even heading. Our best advice when it comes to driving in an extreme snow storm is to pull over if you can. If you can't see any good spots to stop (as the roads are usually very narrow and elevated above the rest of the terrain), then drive at the pace you feel comfortable. Iceland's roads are tapered with little yellow poles that mark the edge of the road. If you stay between those two stick you should be able to stay on the road instead of in a ditch. Those fluorescent beacons were the only things keeping us on the road 70% of the time. We used the road side markers as guides to literally keep us on the right track. Volunteers are prepared to rescue you While we hope you never need them, the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue is always at the ready should you encounter any problems on the road. This team of volunteers stand armed with an army tank to rescue you from the throws of winter. There were multiple times on our road trip that we found ourselves in less than ideal weather conditions. Weather the road was completely iced over or the winds had us gliding from white line to white line, we were slightly comforted in knowing that Iceland's rescue crews were well equipped in the event of a rescue. Crossing bridges Be on the lookout for trolls. In Iceland, bridges work on a first come, first serve basis. Almost all of the bridges we encountered were only one lane. The law states that whoever gets to the bridge first is the winner. So beautiful I wanted to marry it.\" href=\"http:\/\/captainandclark.com\/wp-admin\/Iceland%20is%20a%20land%20of%20unmistakable%20beauty.%20It%27s%20a%20country%20that%20harbors%20majestic%20waterfalls,%20electric%20blue%20glaciers,%20and%20the%20dazzling%20northern%20lights.%20Chris%20and%20I%20wanted%20to%20discover%20Iceland%27s%20glory%20for%20ourselves%20and%20decided%20that%20the%20best%20way%20to%20explore%20the%20country%20was%20with%20a%20road%20trip.%20Between%20getting%20stuck%20in%20insane%20blizzards%20and%20powerful%20windstorms,%20we%20learned%20valuable%20lessons%20about%20preparing%20for%20a%20road%20trip%20around%20the%20land%20of%20fire%20and%20ice.%20In%20the%20hopes%20of%20sparing%20you%20any%20emotional%20damage,%20we%20created%20some%20of%20our%20best%20learned%20lessons%20from%20our%20epic%20overland%20adventure.%20medeval%20%20Protect%20yourself%20from%20sand%20and%20ash%20%20Sand%20and%20ash%20is%20no%20joke.%20While%20it%20sounds%20like%20something%20you%20might%20come%20across%20in%20a%20Game%20of%20Thrones%20episode,%20sand%20and%20ash%20storms%20in%20Iceland%20are%20more%20terrifying%20than%20King%20Joffrey%20%28well,%20kind%20of%29.%20When%20first%20asked%20if%20we%20wanted%20to%20buy%20sand%20and%20ash%20coverage%20for%20our%20rental%20car%20we%20laughed%20out%20loud.%20It%20wasn%27t%20until%20we%20heard%20horror%20stories%20from%20fellow%20Icelanders%20and%20visitors%20alike%20that%20we%20decided%20it%20would%20be%20a%20good%20investment.%20While%20we%20thankfully%20didn%27t%20experience%20any%20sand%20and%20ash%20damage%20we%20found%20ourselves%20grateful%20for%20the%20added%20coverage.%20With%20gale%20force%20winds%20hurling%20sand%20at%20our%20car%20every%20couple%20of%20hours%20it%20was%20easy%20to%20see%20how%20the%20paint%20could%20quickly%20be%20stripped%20and%20damaged.%20Do%20a%20little%20research%20to%20see%20the%20likelihood%20of%20sand%20and%20ash%20storms%20while%20you%27re%20on%20the%20island.%20%20Fuel%20up%20at%20N1%20service%20stations%20%20N1%20stations%20are%20the%207-11s%20of%20Iceland.%20With%20the%20exception%20of%20slushies,%20they%20have%20almost%20everything%20a%20seasoned%20road%20tripper%20could%20desire.%20Gas,%20food,%20and%20caffeinated%20drinks%20are%20available%20at%20almost%20all%20N1s%20and%20some%20even%20offer%20hearty%20soups%20with%20unlimited%20freshly%20baked%20bread.%20With%20Iceland%27s%20astronomical%20food%20prices,%20N1%20stations%20provide%20a%20great%20way%20to%20grab%20a%20snack%20without%20taking%20a%20bite%20out%20of%20your%20wallet.%20%20Viewfinder%20Tip:%20N1%20stations%20are%20awesome%20but%20can%20become%20sparse%20as%20you%20head%20north.%20Fill%20up%20on%20gas%20frequently%20and%20buy%20a%20prepaid%20gas%20card%20in%20the%20chance%20that%20there%20won%27t%20be%20an%20attendant%20to%20take%20your%20money.%20%20Viewfinder%20Tip:%20If%20you%20find%20yourself%20in%20need%20of%20assistance,%20Iceland%27s%20emergency%20number%20is%20112.%20Downloading%20the%20112%20Iceland%20app%20will%20allow%20you%20to%20contact%20the%20Icelandic%20emergency%20services%20as%20well%20as%20allow%20them%20to%20located%20you%20should%20you%20encounter%20any%20trouble.%20%20Driving%20through%20storms%20%20You%20never%20know%20what%20to%20expect%20from%20Iceland%27s%20temperamental%20weather.%20The%20sun%20might%20be%20blinding%20your%20eyes%20one%20minute%20and%20the%20next%20might%20be%20a%20half%20hour%20of%20extreme%20downpour.%20We%20experienced%20a%20couple%20of%20white%20out%20blizzards%20that%20left%20us%20not%20knowing%20what%20direction%20we%20were%20even%20heading.%20Our%20best%20advice%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20driving%20in%20an%20extreme%20snow%20storm%20is%20to%20pull%20over%20if%20you%20can.%20If%20you%20can%27t%20see%20any%20good%20spots%20to%20stop%20%28as%20the%20roads%20are%20usually%20very%20narrow%20and%20elevated%20above%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20terrain%29,%20then%20drive%20at%20the%20pace%20you%20feel%20comfortable.%20Iceland%27s%20roads%20are%20tapered%20with%20little%20yellow%20poles%20that%20mark%20the%20edge%20of%20the%20road.%20If%20you%20stay%20between%20those%20two%20stick%20you%20should%20be%20able%20to%20stay%20on%20the%20road%20instead%20of%20in%20a%20ditch.%20Those%20fluorescent%20beacons%20were%20the%20only%20things%20keeping%20us%20on%20the%20road%2070%%20of%20the%20time.%20We%20used%20the%20road%20side%20markers%20as%20guides%20to%20literally%20keep%20us%20on%20the%20right%20track.%20%20Volunteers%20are%20prepared%20to%20rescue%20you%20%20While%20we%20hope%20you%20never%20need%20them,%20the%20Icelandic%20Association%20for%20Search%20and%20Rescue%20is%20always%20at%20the%20ready%20should%20you%20encounter%20any%20problems%20on%20the%20road.%20This%20team%20of%20volunteers%20stand%20armed%20with%20an%20army%20tank%20to%20rescue%20you%20from%20the%20throws%20of%20winter.%20There%20were%20multiple%20times%20on%20our%20road%20trip%20that%20we%20found%20ourselves%20in%20less%20than%20ideal%20weather%20conditions.%20Weather%20the%20road%20was%20completely%20iced%20over%20or%20the%20winds%20had%20us%20gliding%20from%20white%20line%20to%20white%20line,%20we%20were%20slightly%20comforted%20in%20knowing%20that%20Iceland%27s%20rescue%20crews%20were%20well%20equipped%20in%20the%20event%20of%20a%20rescue.%20%20Crossing%20bridges%20%20Be%20on%20the%20lookout%20for%20trolls.%20In%20Iceland,%20bridges%20work%20on%20a%20first%20come,%20first%20serve%20basis.%20Almost%20all%20of%20the%20bridges%20we%20encountered%20were%20only%20one%20lane.%20The%20law%20states%20that%20whoever%20gets%20to%20the%20bridge%20first%20is%20the%20winner.%20%20So%20beautiful%20I%20wanted%20to%20marry%20it.\">Cozumel, Mexico<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Making yourself at home is easy<br \/> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To be honest, Chris and I weren&#8217;t sure if cruising was going to be for us. We are backpackers at heart, and love the thrill of having our possessions on our backs and at the ready the second that adventure calls. Imagine our surprise when we realized that we would be able to visit three different countries on our cruise and only unpack once! This was a luxury that we didn&#8217;t even know we adored. It also was convenient on shore days when we could explore with just a few necessary items instead of lugging around everything we owned. We had the added reassurance that our belongings were safely locked away in our cabin.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Viewfinder Tip: Room service is available on-board most cruise ships, for those who wish to cozy up in their cabins. The Oasis of the Seas allowed us to order either by in-room phone or through the TV.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>The dining options are endless<br \/> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Until we went on a cruise, the first things that popped into our heads when asked about dining were overwhelming buffets with long lines. What we didn&#8217;t expect was the plethora of dining options (25, to be exact) on-board the Oasis. A burger shack, pizzeria, and buffet allowed for quick dining on the go. If we wanted to enjoy a sit-down restaurant with full menu, we had our choice of the elaborate dining hall or pay-as-you-go restaurants. My favorite dining spot was Park Cafe located in Central Park (yes, our ship had its own &#8220;outdoor&#8221; park with real plants and trees). The Park Cafe served up made-to-order salads and sandwiches, my favorite being the grilled tuna melt with creamy avocado. It was a light and healthy meal that gave me the perfect fuel for the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For those who like to drink their carbs, the Oasis of the Seas is home to 20 bars that serve up specialty cocktails and an assortment of beer. In our opinion, the bar with the best people-watching was the British-themed Globe and Atlas Pub. As for the most memorable bar on-board, the Rising Tide Bar is the first-ever moving bar at sea\u2014it rises slowly, like an elevator, every 15 minutes. \u00a0Regardless of which watering hole you choose, be sure to sample my favorite concoction, the Captain&#8217;s Caipirinha, made with muddled lime, rum, and simple syrup. Ahoy, mateys!<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"vertical-image-container lansdscape-6eb435a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/user-captain-and-clark\/rci-drink-[size_235x380].jpg\" id=\"landscape-6eb435a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title\">Tropical drinks to order on-board<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Staying fit on board is easy<br \/> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Indulging in the unlimited food left us feeling a little guilty. To prevent the swimsuits from getting too snug, we decided to attempt to work out whenever possible.\u00a0 We challenged ourselves never to take the elevator (which ended up being a huge feat as our cabin was on the bottom floor) and instead hoof it up the stairs. We estimate that we climbed well over 50 flights of stairs every days. This gave us cause to indulge in the scrumptious Bailey&#8217;s and banana creme br\u00fbl\u00e9e.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Stairs aside, we also took advantage of the ship&#8217;s high-tech gym and outdoor jogging track. The\u00a0<span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">track allowed us to feel like we were walking (or running) on water; 2.5 laps around the ship equal one mile. While it&#8217;s typical for us to gain a little weight on trips, with this one we both actually came back a little lighter. I&#8217;m sure the on-board fitness options played a big part.<br \/> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>There are opportunities to get fancy<br \/> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s no secret that Chris and I like to get dressed in our best and hit the town for a date night. We were warned ahead of time that there would be a Captain&#8217;s dinner on one night, and, not exactly knowing what this meant, we packed our moderately elegant clothes. Little did we know that this was a night to get serious; I&#8217;m talking sparkling ball gowns and stilettos. As two people who normally overdress, we were slightly embarrassed by our seemingly plain attire. We would recommend treating yourself to a new outfit. Ties and a jacket for the guys and lavish dresses for the ladies would be perfect for the Captain&#8217;s dinner.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Beverages are not free<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One could easily live on-board the ship without spending a dime; almost everything is taken care of before you even board. That being said, before you board the ship for the first time, you&#8217;ll submit a credit card for any expenses you accrue while sailing. And while you can have endless plates of food at the buffet, almost any beverage that isn&#8217;t water will be put on your tab. As two people that enjoy their liquid libations, we realized that our drink bill was piling up quickly. If we were to do it again, we would purchase a drink package ahead of time.<\/p>\n<p\/>\n<div class=\"small-width-image-container lansdscape-5ab435a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/user-captain-and-clark\/rci-pic-[size_512x290].jpg\" id=\"landscape-5ab435a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title\">A hot tub with a view on the Oasis of the Seas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>You&#8217;ll never be bored on-board<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\">Knowing that Chris and I are two people who need constant stimulation, our friends feared that cruising would be too tame for us. It couldn&#8217;t have been more opposite. We found there was so much to do. We even left feeling that we could have done more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\">Our favorite features on-board were the indoor ice rink (you heard that right), the 18,000 sq. foot Casino (jackpot!), and the wet and wild FlowRider. The FlowRider is an artificial wave pool (there are two on-deck) that allow the brave to practice their surfing and boogie-boarding skills. When we wanted to relax we headed to the Solarium. This little slice of heaven, with a wall of windows, was for adults only, and had some of the best views on the ship.\u00a0<span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">While we loved getting off the ship on shore days, we often found ourselves excited at the prospect of being back on-board, sipping another Captain&#8217;s Caipirinha. Who knew cruising could be so fun?<br \/> <\/span><\/p>\n<p data-mce-style=\"text-align: center;\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>What are your favorite aspects of cruising?<br \/> <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Making the most of your maiden voyage on a cruise ship<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1783,2005,1784,1782,1780,1774,1818,1781,1825,1776],"tags":[212,33],"authors":[2223],"class_list":["post-17233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-caribbean","category-cozumel","category-cruise","category-destinations","category-inspiration","category-occasions-and-seasons","category-summer","category-travel-tips","category-tropical","category-type-of-vacation","tag-all-inclusive","tag-couples","authors-captain-and-clark","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Tips for first-time cruisers | Expedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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