Up until two weeks ago, I was a cruising virgin.  I’d always been mildly tempted by the concept of drifting from port to port while I slumbered, but never enough to trade in my credentials as a seasoned independent traveler.

Then came the call from Norwegian Cruise Lines inviting me to try it.

We sailed aboard the sparkling Norwegian Gem from New York to the Bahamas, and guess what?  It was great.  For one week, I made only trivial decisions.  Steak or seafood?  Shorts or a skirt?  The beach or shopping?

Considering a family cruise yourself?  Good call.  Here are ten lessons I learned on my own maiden voyage:

1.  Splurge on shore excursions

There are many ways to spend money on cruises.  Cocktails, meals in specialty restaurants, spa treatments, gambling, and shopping are all available at additional cost.  Nothing beats the wow factor of shore excursions though.  We held a baby alligator, smooched a dolphin, and plunged down a plexiglass waterslide through a shark tank.  None of these experiences came cheap, but they were the highlights of the trip.

2.  Eat when and where you want

Traditionally cruises assigned tables, waiters, tablemates, and seatings and had a dress code, but things are changing.  Flexible dining is gaining traction, and on NCL you can eat whenever and wherever you like.  They call this “Freestyle Dining”, and I can’t imagine going any other way.  As a side note, my kids are 7 and 9, and we were never asked to share a table (even in the large dining rooms).  You can guess why.

3.  You will feel the waves

Some people will tell you that modern cruise ships are so big that you really don’t feel the waves.  This is complete nonsense.  Cruise ships may be big, but the ocean is bigger.

Seasickness happens, and it’s best to be prepared.  I brought Benadryl (for the kids), Dramamine (for me), and Queasy Pops (for everyone), and handily avoided illness.

4.  Make food rules before you step foot in the dining room

It’s tough to negotiate with your kids when they are staring down the barrel of a plate of french fries or an ice cream sundae.  I found it useful to set food rules ahead of time (fruit or vegetables at every meal, one dessert a day, and so on).  Sticking to those rules was another story, of course…

5.  Wash your hands. A lot.

You know all those highly publicized gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships?  Don’t blame the cruise companies.  I took a behind the scenes tour of the ship, and it was incredibly hygienic.  The kitchens were literally as clean as operating theaters.

Like anywhere people gather in great numbers, bacteria aboard ships is passed from person to person via the fecal-oral route.  NCL thoughtfully provides gallons of hand sanitizing gel at the entrances to all its restaurants, on the gangways, and just about everywhere else on their ships.  Use it.

6.  Leave your laptop at home

At the risk of being a total hypocrite, I recommend leaving your laptop at home.  I found ship to shore connection rates very expensive, and the only outlet in my stateroom was right next to the kids’ bed.  If you absolutely can’t cut all ties for the week, there’s always the internet cafe.  File this one under, “Take my advice, I’m not using it.”

7.  Don’t skimp on bathing suits

Pack two bathing suits each for every member of your family.  Otherwise a late day swim or a post-dinner soak in one of the many Jacuzzis on board will mean wriggling into a damp suit the next morning and wearing it until it dries.

Yuck.

Your suits will dry if you hang them in your bathroom, but s-l-o-w-l-y.  And if you hang them over the rail of your balcony (if you have a balcony), they’ll almost definitely blow away in the night.

8.  Your kids won’t get enough sleep

I hate disrupting my kids’ sleep schedule.  Not only are they easier to manage when they’re well-rested, some of my most relaxing travel moments tend to occur when the kids are, you know, unconscious.  But cruises and bedtime don’t mix.  There are long days in port (followed by late dinners), evening magic shows, bowling tournaments, and pajama parties to keep you up late.  Grin and bear it.

9.  Plan for every kind of weather

It’s undeniably irritating to have to bring jackets, sneakers, and rain coats on a warm weather cruise, but not as irritating as being wet and cold.  It’s better to have and not need them than to need and not have them.

10.  Go with the flow

It takes a lot of time, organization, and cooperation to get 2,400 passengers on and off a ship of this size, and it happens every single time you pull into port.  Breathe deeply and join the queue (but only when they call your number).

Also, days in port aren’t long enough to do and see everything, so don’t even try.  You’re probably not going to personally discover any secret beaches or hole-in-the-wall taquerias on this trip.  Give yourself permission to relax.  Get off the ship, do something fun, get on the ship, and repeat.

Remember: This is not a contest, it’s a vacation.

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