8 things We Did Differently on Our Second Cruise (And Why it Made it Better)

Our first cruise was such a fun experience, but like most firsts, we learned a lot along the way. By the time we planned our second cruise, we realized there were several small things we could do differently to make the trip smoother, more relaxing, and more enjoyable.

Those little changes made a big difference.

If you’re planning your second cruise (or even your first), I hope these simple adjustments help you enjoy every minute a little bit more.

If you haven’t read it yet, you can check out my first cruise post here: “12 Cruise Tips and Tricks I Wish I Knew Before Cruising”

Quick Takeaways

• Small changes can make a cruise feel much more relaxing.
• Pre-planning (parking, dining, luggage) reduces stress.
• You don’t have to do everything to enjoy your trip.
• Simple activities can be just as fun as big excursions.
• Slowing down and being intentional makes the experience sweeter.

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What We Did Differently on Our Second Cruise

When we first decided to go on a cruise, we knew we needed advice. We had some friends give us great information, but we ended up on information overload.

We had a great time, however some of the experiences could have been much smoother. When we started planning the second cruise, we already knew what we wanted to change. Here are some of the little tweaks that really made a difference for us – what we did before vs. this time!

#1 Scheduling an Early Arrival

About two weeks before your cruise is set to take off, you get the option of picking a boarding time. We found out from our “cruise expert friends” exactly what time the time slots opened up, and we were on it. Timing is important!

First Cruise

We weren’t sure about travel time or how long everything would take. We didn’t want to be late, so we scheduled a later arrival time. Because of this, the lines had backed up, and we waited a long period of time (in the heat) to board the ship.

Second Cruise

This time, we got online as soon as the time slots were available for sign-up. We didn’t take the first opening, but we were close to the top. This got us in before the lines got backed up. We were able to board earlier, explore, and get something to eat while waiting on our room to be ready.

#2 Parking and Shuttle

If I could only give you one piece of advice for the whole trip, this would be it – park at a place that will shuttle you to the door and take your luggage!

The First Cruise

The first time we cruised, parking was a mess. Once we parked, we had to tote all of our luggage down alleys and streets for what seemed like miles! It was hot, humid, and quite miserable! Oh, and then when we got back from the cruise, we had to walk all the way back again with all of that luggage to get to the car!

The Second Cruise

We found a parking service with a shuttle that took us practically right to the door. They were very nice and helpful, and loaded all of our luggage for us. Not only that, but they picked us up when the cruise was finished.

This made everything easier:

• There was no long walk with the luggage.
• We didn’t have to figure out where to go.
• It gave us a much smoother start to our trip.

Sometimes the best way to start a vacation is by removing the chaos before it even begins!

#3 Checked Luggage

This tip goes along with the shuttle advice, because they handled our luggage for us.

The First Cruise

We misunderstood some advice we had been given about checking our luggage. So, after dragging our luggage for what seemed like miles in the heat, we did NOT check our luggage when we got there. We toted all of it through the long lines (since we weren’t in the early arrivals), and we had to keep up with it while we waited for our room to be ready. (There are no pictures of us in this miserable state.)

The Second Cruise

When we got off of the shuttle, we let them take all of our luggage except for a small backpack. They handled all of it, and it was left outside our stateroom door later that afternoon.

This gave us the freedom to:

• Explore the ship easier
• Find places to sit without having to have a lot of space
• Start relaxing immediately

This may seem like a small thing, but it allowed us to start enjoying our vacation a little earlier than the last time.

#4 Not Carrying Drinks onto the Ship

There are drinks you can carry onto the ship if you choose. Water or soft drinks in cans are some of those options, but they must in an unopened case.

The First Cruise

Not only did we tote around all of our luggage, but we were also carrying a case of water in cans. The website said that the water was spring water, and I wasn’t sure I would like it. Believe me, it was just fine. In fact, almost a year has gone by, and we still have those cans of water in the refrigerator. (We are not a fan.)

The Second Cruise

We left the water behind! We found that carrying a tumbler of some sort worked perfectly. You could fill it with ice and water, soft drinks, or coffee at any time of the day/night.

#5 Explored the Ship While Others Were Boarding

Exploring the ship early on is very helpful in making plans for your trip.

The First Cruise

We tried to explore the ship as much as we could. However, the first ship we were on was very large. There was no way to carry all of that luggage around the ship. Plus, since we were not one of the early ones, there were several people already on board.

On the last night of our cruise, we went exploring a little more and found putt putt golf. We were disappointed that we didn’t know about it sooner.

The Second Cruise

Getting there early and not having our luggage with us allowed us to fully explore the ship. In doing so, we found my favorite spot!

Since I was little, I have always loved little secluded places – like my she shed. This was the enchanted forest. It was beautiful, secluded, and the perfect spot for coffee!

I only wish I would have explored the room a little more. It was on the morning that we were leaving that I found the hair dryer.

I got used to the air dried look, and my hair probably enjoyed the break. 🙂

#6 Had an Interactive Door for Guests

I love a good game, especially a word game! After our last cruise, I knew exactly what I was going to do.

The First Cruise

One thing I really enjoyed about the first cruise was walking down the corridors and interacting with the Scrabble games. Since most of the ships are metal, anything magnetic usually stick to the walls. I could not walk past one of these doors without participating.

The Second Cruise

Almost as soon as we got off of the ship, I had ordered these magnetic Scrabble pieces! I got my door/wall planned out way before we even left for the cruise.

We were lucky enough to be close to the entrance of the corridor, so there was lots of participation. As we were packing up the night before, one of the families down the hall actually thanked me for letting them be a part of it.

#7 Set Dinner Reservations

This is definitely a preference thing. There are different options for evening dining. You can:

• Eat at the buffet.
• Go to a restaurant that charges extra.
• Eat at other free places around the ship.
• Go to the fine dining restaurant assigned to you. All ships are different of course, but basically, these are the choices:
  • Pre-arrange set time for early dining – usually around 5:30 P.M.
  • Pre-arrange set time for late dining – usually around 8:00 P.M.
  • Choose open seating options. This option gives you more flexibility, but you may have to wait if they are busy.

The First Cruise

We chose the open seating option and went to different restaurants throughout the week. We did go to the fine dining restaurant a couple of times, but we did have to wait to get a table. This worked well with our schedule, because we spent a lot of time at the pool.

The Second Cruise

This time, we chose the early dining option. You still have the option of the other restaurants if you decide that is what you want to do.

With the early or late dining, you sit at the same table each night. You pre-select a table either by yourself or with others. This time we decided to be more social and dine with others. We met some really nice people and enjoyed great food! This was a good decision for us because:

• We didn’t have to make decisions where or when to eat each night.
• There was no waiting.
• We got to meet new people.
• We had the same wait staff each night. We enjoyed getting to know them, and they knew what our preferences were.
• This gave us a relaxed and familiar routine.

We weren’t sure if we would like the early time or not. However, that opened up the rest of the evening for shows or other events.

#8 Enjoyed Other Activities besides Swimming

Anyone who knows us might be surprised – we sure were, but we did not even put on a swimsuit once!

The First Cruise

We are always the ones that go to the pool and stay there all day basically. On the first cruise, we went to the pool every single day. I was able to do lots of reading, and we enjoyed our time by the water.

The pool time did keep me from taking one of the gourmet cooking classes though. I do regret that.

This did cause us to eat later each night, because we would have to go in and get ready. This is just one of those preferences again.

The Second Cruise

Before we left, Jay asked his friend how the water was during the spring months. His friend told him that he had no idea, because they never used the pool. This was a lightbulb moment for us. To think that we didn’t have to go to the pool every day was a new thought. We didn’t plan not to go at all, but we kept finding other things to do instead.

Not going to the pool everyday allowed us more time to:

• Play cards together.
• Play bingo, which neither of us had done since childhood.
• See daytime shows.
• Find and hide the little ducks around the ship.
• Have coffee in the enchanted forest.
• Make our early dinner reservations.

Next time we may do a mix of the pool and other things, who knows? This cruise did not offer the cooking classes, so I still have not done that. However, not going to the pool this time gave us a more relaxed and “not rushed” experience.

Other Preferences to Consider

Some of these things are all about preferences while others are non-negotiable for us going forward. Here are a few other things to consider:

• Excursions, just going into the dock area on your own, or staying on the ship
• Trying new food or sticking with what you know
• Getting a data plan or not – I was going to try one out, but I literally could not get it set up before we left.
• Cruise specifics
  • Ship size
  • Length of the cruise time
  • Cruise company

Favorite Items for Your Next Cruise

Between both cruises, I found several items that were a great help.

• Packing Cubes – I did not know I needed these until a friend gave them to me for Christmas!
• Magnetic Scrabble Tiles
• Hanging Toiletry Bag – This is one of my favorite finds. I leave it packed at all times.
• Lanyards for your key card – We forgot ours and had to buy them on the ship. They are cute, but a lot more pricey.
• Magnetic Hooks – We used these for towels, hats, lanyards, etc.
• Cruise Line Luggage Tags – These are cruise line specific, so look for the cruise line you are going with.
• Towel Clips or Towel Bands – We have both of these and use them for different things.
• Passport Cover
• Tumbler with a MUST for me – Straw Covers

A Short Faith Reflection

Right before I left for the cruise, a friend of mine told me I should write a “Devotion by the Ocean.” I will tell you that the Lord really speaks to you in those quiet moments.

One of the lessons this trip reminded me was simple but very important:

We don’t always have to fill every moment with activities to make it meaningful. Many times, it is in the quiet still moments where you hear from the Lord.

Just like on this cruise, life doesn’t have to be rushed to be full. Slow down, listen for the Lord’s voice, and enjoy the daily joys He gives us.

Final Thoughts

Our second cruise wasn’t better because we did more; it was better because we did things differently!

• We planned much smarter.
• Slowed down.
• Tried to enjoy the full experience of the cruise.

If you’re heading on a cruise soon, I hope this encourages you to take a look at some of the details that would make your cruise right for you.

If you are just getting started with cruising, don’t miss my first post where I share everything I wish I would have known before our trip.

I would love to connect with you! Please join me below to receive posts directly to your inbox.

Related Posts

12 Cruise Tips & Tricks I Wish I Would Have Known Before Cruising
Top Travel Tips and Tricks
Tips & Ideas for a Great Family Beach Vacation
10 Ways Christians Can Grow Spiritually While Traveling

Until next time,

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“She sees that her trading is profitable….”
Proverbs 31:18a