Your first day on board, and how a cruise works

How a cruise works, in two minutes

• Your room card (or wearable) is everything: cabin key, ID to get on and off the ship, and the way you pay for extras on board. Most ships are cashless.
• Your onboard account collects every charge: drinks, spa, excursions, gratuities. You settle it at the end with the card you registered.
• Meals in the main dining room, buffet and many casual spots are included. Specialty restaurants cost extra.
• A daily schedule lists shows, activities, dining hours and port times for the next day, in the app or on paper.
• On port days, you leave with your room card and must be back on board by the all-aboard time printed on the schedule.
• On sea days, the whole ship is open: pools, shows, trivia, the spa, classes and long lunches.

What to do first

Dining: fixed times or when you like

Many lines offer a choice. With traditional dining you have the same table and servers at a set time each evening; with flexible dining you turn up or book when you want. If you have a set time, it'll be on your booking or in the app. Try the main dining room on the first night; it is included and it is where most ships do their best cooking.

Sea days

A sea day is a day with no port. Some people find it the best part of the week: long breakfast, pool, a show, dinner. Others get restless. Plan something small for each sea day, like a spa booking or a class, and the day has shape.

Your cabin

Cabins are compact and cleverly built: storage under the bed for suitcases, drawers you'll find on the second day. Your steward usually services the cabin twice a day. Most cabins have a small fridge, a hair dryer, a safe and US-style outlets; many have too few outlets, which is why a non-surge USB cube is on our packing list.

Read the next day's schedule every evening. It's the only place the ship tells you what's on, and first-timers who skip it spend the week hearing about things they missed.