I'm Terrified Of The Ocean, But Went On A Cruise For The First Time, And Here's What I Learned
Hi! I'm Audrey, and travel isn't really my thing because I'm scared of most methods of transportation. Especially cruises, where I personally feel like a bad omen because the Titanic infamously struck an iceberg on my birthday.
Keep in mind, please, the Titanic sunk in 1912. I am not 110 years old, just the month and day are the same.
Recently, however, I was invited aboard the Disney Wish, Disney's newest cruise ship in their fleet of five, and being such a Disney lover, I decided I'd face my fear of transportation and try it out.
*BuzzFeed was provided this trip free of charge; however, we were under no obligation to give a positive review.
So, here are some things I wish I would've known, and some things I'll keep in mind if I ever go on a cruise again.
After all, some people are, like, "cruise people" and do it a lot, so there must be SOMETHING there to make them want to keep going back, right???
1.It's a good idea to take a reusable water bottle.
When I arrived at port, they made me throw away my open bottles of water, and then, when I came back to shore, they had me do the same thing. It would've been nice to not have the panicky "am I breaking the law" moment and just keep a reusable bottle on me at all times.
2.Even though the ship is big, I still felt it move, and it was super weird.
I was under the impression that the bigger the ship, the less you felt it move, and with the Wish being nearly 300,000 pounds, I didn't think I'd be able to feel it. I've lived in Southern California for five years and have been through a handful of earthquakes. They always make me nervous because the one thing I feel like I can count on is the ground beneath my feet. This is exactly how I felt when the ship moved ever-so-slightly. WHY IS THE GROUND NOT STABLE?? I guess I just really didn't have my sea legs.
3.I should've brought drugstore amenities.
The ship had a first aid kit on board, but, wow, I should've brought little things like pads and ibuprofen that were just chilling in my medicine cabinet. Sure, they sell them at the gift shop, but they were at a markup because, well, there's no other place to get them. The first night, I had such a bad headache (I don't know if it was from the traveling, the boat moving, or a combination of things), and there was so much to do, I didn't feel like I could enjoy it and just wanted to go to bed. I really should have planned ahead.
4.When you think you have too much sunscreen on, double it.
Hanging out on the decks, there isn't a whole lot of shade. I cannot imagine how much it would suck getting sunburnt and then having a few more days of fun in the sun, but judging from the people around me, there should be friendly reminders everywhere to take sun precautions. Sun hats, visors, the spray kind of sunscreen, and the lotion kind of sunscreen are such easy ways to protect yourself and make sure you aren't searching for the nearest place selling aloe.
5.There's an extra cost.
The pay structure was a little different than what I thought. I knew cruise costs were pretty inclusive, but some of the activities and services on board are an additional charge. There was quite a bit I would've signed up to do if I had budgeted more money for experiences on board. I can see people who actually budget these activities having a better time, as opposed to feeling caught off-guard on the ship because you already spent your travel allowance, but there are additional things on board you want to do at a cost.
6.It's especially more expensive if you like specialty beverages.
I get a cold brew every morning. It's a luxury I budget for because I enjoy my caffeine fix, but the acidity in traditionally brewed coffee upsets my stomach. I am also one to indulge in a specialty cocktail, and it doesn't help when it comes to cost that I'm not a wine or beer drinker. The cost of both of these genres of beverage adds up. My coffee each morning was over $6, and the average price of a mixed drink was ~$15. Now, I know the easiest way to save money is not to order them, but it's something I would've budgeted for before embarking on the cruise.
7.You have to like schedules.
I didn't realize how intense cruise activity schedules were. There's always something going on! Like, things start at 7 a.m. and end at midnight. I'm someone who likes to try and do everything even at sleep's expense. That's really no way to do it. You've really got to forgo things you don't super want to do to have a relaxing and enjoyable cruise.
8.And designated eating times.
I messed this one up big time. I knew from TV shows and movies that cruises and buffets were a thing, but I am a grazer. I prefer to snack throughout the day as opposed to eating a few big meals, but that really prevented me from taking full advantage of dinner. They had two seatings, a 5:45 p.m. seating and an 8:15 p.m. seating. I chose the 5:45 seating, which in hindsight, wasn't my best move because I'd always eat a late lunch. Also, something tells me the dinners are more atmospheric when the dining rooms are dark. The sun was still at full intensity when the 5:45 seating started.
9.While we're on eating times, more than one entrée is a thing.
At sit-down dinners, allllll the food is included, so if you want more than one entrée, you can just order it. One of each dessert? Done. Of course, if you're not going to eat it, you'd just be wasting food, but I love soup, so being able to try all of the soups on board was a very novel, small thing that I took full advantage of (and only realized halfway through my cruise). It also may be worth splitting entrées if you're traveling with a buddy who has similar taste buds.
10.And, wow, I wish I brought Tupperware.
Some of the food at dinner was so good, but they didn't have to-go boxes! I would've loved to take out a plastic container and slip the rest of my dessert into it so I could munch on it later with a little late-night coffee.
11.But, wow, did I love all of the themed food on the Wish.
Audrey Engvalson / BuzzFeed
Everything at the Worlds of Marvel restaurant was themed after different places in the Marvel universe, the drinks at the Hyperspace Lounge were themed after different Star Wars planets, and the Frozen-themed restaurant stayed true to Nordic cuisine and flavors. It is really the place to be if you're a foodie. They were even kind of, like, interactive??? Like this drink served in an ice bubble that you had to crack open with a little hammer.
12.It made me jealous of kids????
Being an adult is so boring, and I kind of felt that on board. The kids' clubs were themed after Disney parks, Star Wars, Marvel, and Disney princesses. Adults have a 21+ pool deck and a spa, but other than pools and food (and maybe the gym), there wasn't a lot of other things to do for adults. The coolest things were either kid-centric or family-centric. Maybe I'm the outlier here because I like arts and crafts and interacting with characters.
13.The balcony was a double-edged sword.
I could see how not having a balcony could make me feel a little claustrophobic. While they do a great job utilizing space, at the end of the day, the staterooms are cabins, and much smaller than a standard hotel room. The other edge of the balcony is that, although there is a railing and glass panes protecting you from the ocean, it's almost not enough security for me? I would panic if I had a kiddo on that balcony just because of kids and their tendency to horse around, but that could be the anxiety disorder of mine talking.
14.The toilet flushing is jarring if you aren't prepared for it.
OK, the toilet has the same whooshing as an airplane toilet, which, in some unexplainable plumbing way in my head, makes sense. It's pretty loud, extra flushy, and not something I would ever know unless I'd been on a cruise before.
15.You actually do make friends on board.
I guess there's something to be said about having a captive audience, but even the staff who I saw in the same spot every day started to recognize me, and we became friends! It was fun kind of having connections everywhere I went! I could see how kids who always hang out at the kids' clubs or people who go to the fitness center at designated times could run into the same people and become friends. It's kind of cool!
16.I wasn't expecting dinner photographers.
I don't know if this is just a Disney Cruise Line thing or an every cruise line thing, but every night, photographers would come around to our table and ask if we wanted pictures while we were eating. It was a little strange to me, especially since I like foods that gravitate to the crevices of my teeth. The photos the photographers took were available at an extra cost. Idk, I guess if I was to pay someone to take my picture, it wouldn't be while I was eating, but I kind of get it because the restaurants on board are pretty cool.
17.Disney's private island is really beautiful.
This Disney cruise was actually the furthest south I've ever been. During cruises to the Caribbean, Disney typically makes a stop at their private island, Castaway Cay, in the Bahamas. Like I said, I've never been to the Caribbean before, but the island was strikingly beautiful. The temperature was great, the water was a gorgeous shade of aqua, and the sand on the beach was a powdery white. There was a lot to do on it, too. I did a stingray feeding, went snorkeling, had some hammock time, played some ping pong, and walked along the winding trail down the island. I would definitely go back.
18.Gratuities are so confusing.
I had the greatest housekeeper in the world, who was friendly, helpful, and left amazing towel animals in my room every day. Additionally, I had the same waitstaff every night. Both went out of their way to remember things about me, ask me how my day was, what I did, and see if I needed anything. For all dining locations (including the waitstaff), an 18% auto-gratuity was charged. For my housekeeper? I don't think anything was (at least I wasn't told). I had very little cash (and there are no ATMs on board). I wish I was able to tip more, but I truly had no idea A) How above and beyond the service would be, B) That I had to bring cash, or C) What gratuities were included in my cabin fare, which were auto-gratuities, and which I needed to tip extra on. Maybe I missed something somewhere, but if I ever cruise again, I'm going to be sure to bring some cash. TBH, I am still confused about the whole thing.
19.Budget a day for jetlag.
Unless you live right next to a major port, chances are you're flying, driving, or doing a combination of both to get to the cruise ship. That pre-travel can really take it out of you. In the course of 36 hours, I got in a car to get on a plane to get on another plane to take a bus to sleep to wake up to take another bus to get on a boat. It was a lot of travel before actually boarding, and my body was feeling it. I was foolish to think I could just hit the ground running when it came to my first day on board. Accounting for the full day and a half of travel (and full day of travel back home), it almost makes a 3-day cruise feel too short.
20.Bring an extra bathing suit.
It takes longer than a day for my bathing suit to dry??? Is that normal? Seriously, putting on a damp bathing suit the next day was icky. I think next time, I would pack more than one, so that way I could rotate between the two and give them each a chance to dry.
21.Lastly, I'd worry less.
TBH, the ocean is terrifying. The things that are in it are scary; you never know how deep it is, and it seems like it goes on forever. It's easy to go down the rabbit hole of "the only thing separating me from the abyss is a hundred feet of boat." But when I saw the size of the ship, all of the safety precautions in place, and just how modern it was, it's not like Our Flag Means Death (which I saw recently and loved). It's easy for the sea to be terrifying if all you're basing it off of is pirate movies, which is what I did because I'd never been on a cruise (even though it sounds silly). I would 100% do a cruise again. It made transportation seem kind of fun!
