10 Things To Do As Soon as You Get to Your Cruise Cabin

1. Unpack your Bags and Put Away Your Clothes

Whether you're on a four-day or 14-night cruise, we can't overstate the importance of unpacking your bags as soon as you can. Yes, unpacking can be a bit of a chore and you may be tired from your journey to the ship, but you (and your clothes) will be glad you got the task out of the way early on.

Unless you booked a massive suite, space is usually at a premium in cruise cabins. So putting your clothes away in the closet and drawers provided will help make your room less cluttered and more spacious. There's also the benefit of hanging your garments as soon as possible to prevent them from getting any more wrinkled than they already are. And, of course, there's the ease of accessing your clothes, instead of pulling them out of your suitcase whenever you're having a wardrobe change. As you unpack, don't forget to use your room safe to store valuables like car keys, jewelry, travel documents and cash/credit cards.

In short, the simple act of unpacking goes a long way in officially making your cabin your home away from home.

2. Find Out Where is Your Assembly Station for the Muster Drill

Of all the embarkation day activities, the muster drill is the only one you can't miss. The International Convention of Safety of Life at Sea's regulations state that all passengers must attend this safety exercise within 24 hours of a ship's departure.

Traditionally, this has meant identifying your assembly station and heading out there when the drill commences. But e-muster drills became more common in the post-COVID era of cruising.

For the e-muster, you will be required to watch the safety video in your cabin, and then make your way to the muster station. Once there, you'll be able to tap your cruise card on a reader to acknowledge you've met the muster drill requirement. On other cruise lines, the e-muster drill may only consist of watching the video and then calling in with a code that confirms you've followed the guidelines.

In any case, familiarizing yourself with your assembly station is one of the first things you should do when entering your cabin. Typically, you will this information printed on the safety card in your cabin door.

3. Put on a Fresh Change of Clothes

It doesn't matter if getting to your cruise consisted of a complex combination of planes, trains and/or automobiles or you only had to move a short distance to reach your cruise ship's homeport. Getting out of your 'travel commute clothes' and into your 'cruise clothes' is a great way of reaffirming that your vacation has indeed begun.

Better yet, plan ahead which set of clothes you'd like to wear depending on what you have planned for embarkation day, and pack them in your carry-on bag so they're easily accessible once you arrive in your cruise cabin.

4. Take a Few Minutes to Sanitize Your Cabin

We're not suggesting that your cabin steward isn't doing a proper job at cleaning your room.

But a little extra precaution never hurt anyone, and it will just take a few minutes to sanitize (or resanitize) certain areas of your cabin.

Focus on the high-traffic areas of your room, such as the doorknob, deadbolt, TV remote, light switches, bathroom faucets, thermostat, safe keypad, etc. If you want to go the extra mile, rewash the bar glasses if your cabin has them.

5. Put your Phone on Airplane Mode

Getting an eye-watering phone bill for roaming charges isn't anyone's idea of a good time. But that's exactly what may happen if you forget to toggle your cell phone to airplane mode before leaving your embarkation port.

If you'd rather keep your phone operational until your ships sails away to make any phone calls or upload pictures to your Instagram account, set your phone alarm to at least an hour before sailaway.

6. Activate Your Wi-Fi Package (If You Purchased One)

If you purchased a Wi-Fi package for your cell phone or any other accessories, make sure to activate as soon as possible. The process should be fairly straightforward, but if you were to run into any issues, it's best to iron them out while you still have cell phone coverage at your embarkation port. Also, the quicker you set up your Wi-Fi connection, the sooner you can start sharing fabulous pics on social media of your cabin and the ship.

7. Take the Time to Meet Your Cabin Steward

Chalk this one down to common courtesy. Room stewards will likely introduce themselves at some point during embarkation. Beyond the few introductory pleasantries, take this opportunity to let them know your preferences. For instance, let them know if you're an early riser, so they can plan to clean your cabin among the first ones. Also, tell them if you'd rather not get your daily planner in hard copy because you like to stay informed about the cruise activities via the cruise line's app. In short, share any relevant like/dislike so they can be better prepared to make your journey more enjoyable.

8. Get Your Cabin Bearings

Granted, cruise cabins aren't exactly palaces (unless your splurge on a suite), so chances are you won't get lost in your room. But it doesn't hurt to take a few minutes to figure out where important things are (like those precious power outlets or the hairdryer). Moreover, this can also help you determine if your cabin is missing anything that should be there, so you can inform your room steward or the reception desk as soon as possible.

It will likely take a few days before you truly master your cruise ship's layout, but it's helpful to start by getting an idea of your cabin's location relative to the nearest elevators/staircases.

9. Peruse the Daily Planner

It's no secret that embarkation day can be a little on the chaotic side. Therefore, you can't be expected to know everything that's going on the ship. That's where your daily planner comes in handy, and it should be waiting for you in your cabin on embarkation day. Take a few minutes to review, as it will also contain obligatory material, like muster drill times and assembly station information. Depending on your cruise line, you might also have access to a list of the day's activities on the cruise line app, so be sure to check if this feature is available.

10. Book Appointments and Reservations

You may have been able to cross these off your list pre-embarkation day, but if your cruise line doesn't allow it (or you simply forgot to do it ahead of time), make a priority to book any appointments or reservations in the comfort of your cabin as soon as you can.

Spa appointments and specialty dining reservations in particular tend to fill up quickly, so if you have your heart set on that deep tissue massage or the ship's steakhouse, schedule your appointments as soon as possible.