Embarkation Day is one of the best days of a cruise. It’s the day you board your ship and start your holiday. Whether it is your first cruise or twentieth, it is a day full of excitement.
That said, it can also be a long and tiring day. However, there are plenty of things you can do to make sure the cruise embarkation process goes as smoothly as possible.
In this post I share some tips on how you can make embarking your cruise ship as hassle free as possible.
What is Embarkation Day?
If you are new to cruising, you may be wondering what embarkation day is. It is really just a fancy way of saying the first day of your cruise.
The day you board the ship, start your cruise and get into holiday mode.
It is usually a turnaround day for the crew, with the passengers from the last cruise departing in the morning. Because of this it is a very busy day for staff and passengers alike.
Things to do before Embarkation Day
These days there are a few things you are required to do before travelling to the port. Your cruise line will let you know what these are in the run-up to your departure date.
Make sure you look out for these and follow any instructions. This will go a long way to making your experience boarding the ship a pleasant one.
If you have any issues, contact your cruise line before you travel. Don’t leave it until you reach the port. They will have more time to resolve any issues if they know in advance.
While many of the things you are requested to do before boarding, such as printing boarding passes or providing a photo, can be done at the cruise terminal, not all things can.
Check your cruise lines requirements beforehand as not completing some of the steps in advance may mean you are denied boarding.
Give yourself plenty of time in the run up to your cruise to complete everything you need to. It is also worth building in a bit of extra time in case you have an issue and need to contact your cruise line for assistance.
Download your cruise line app in advance
Many cruise lines have an app now to make the onboard experience more personal and efficient.
You will usually be asked to register before you travel and use the app to manage your booking.
Using the app, you will be able to upload a photograph for identification purposes, complete any health declarations and, in some cases book, restaurants and activities onboard. There is likely to be an online check-in process to go through as well.
It is best to download and familiarise yourself with the app before you head to the port. If you leave it until you are at the cruise terminal or on the ship, you might find there is not enough signal to download. Or it may cost you a lot in wifi charges.
Also, check for updates to the app the day before you travel.
I almost got caught out once when I reached the cruise terminal and tried to open the app to show my boarding pass. An update had been pushed out that morning and the app wouldn’t open until it had been updated.
Thankfully, the staff at the check-in desk managed to sort it all out and I boarded without issue. However, I now always check before leaving home to try to avoid any potential issues at the cruise port.
Don’t forget to check-in and complete any pre cruise checks
You will most likely be asked to check-in online or via your cruise line’s app, download your luggage tags and complete pre arrival forms. Depending on the cruise line, you may also have to complete a health declaration a few days before departure.
Consider printing any essential travel documents
While technology is great, it can fail. You may find you get to the cruise terminal and the phone or wifi signal isn’t strong enough for you to display your documents to the check-in staff.
Or if you’ve had a long journey you might have run out of battery on your phone.
It is a good idea to print important documents as a backup and keep them in your carry-on bag. You may not need to use them but at least you have the option.
Plan your journey to the cruise terminal
Whether you are travelling the day before or on the morning of your cruise, make sure know where you are going and leave enough time to get there. That might sound a bit obvious but it can be a hectic day and you don’t want to be stressing about where to go.
If you are driving yourself to the port, check your route beforehand and pre-book your parking.
Travelling by public transport? Check the times of your trains or buses and make sure you include some time for any potential delays. Better to be early than miss the ship!
Pack a carry-on bag for your essentials
Once you drop your luggage off at the terminal you won’t see it again until it magically arrives at your cabin a couple of hours later. Usually, this doesn’t take too long however there are no guarantees when it will reappear.
So, it is worth giving some thought about how you will spend your first few hours onboard and packing a day bag accordingly.
Items you should keep with you include your travel documents, any medication you take and valuable items such as cameras and electronic devices.
If you think you might like to use some of the facilities on board, such as the gym, swimming pool or hot tubs, then bring your gym or swimwear in your hand luggage. If you are flying in to meet your ship or are departing in a hot climate you may also want to considering taking a change of clothes.
Keep in mind you will have to carry this on yourself and may have to keep it with you for a while if you cabin is not immediately available. So you want a small bag but one that you can fit everything you need for your first few hours on the ship.
Consider buying a drinks package
It is very much a personal choice as to whether the drinks package offered by your cruise line is good value for you. However, if you are considering purchasing one, check if it is cheaper to buy in advance rather than onboard. It may save you a small amount.
Virgin Voyages offer a bar tab instead of the traditional drinks packages which you can top up before you cruise. Look out for extra spend offers.
Cruise Embarkation Tips: What to do on Embarkation Day
The day has arrived and you are about to head off to the cruise port.
The cruise check in process is a well organised affair. That said, there are some things you can do yourself to make the day go as smoothly as possible.
Here are some tips to help you have a trouble free embarkation and stay one step ahead of your fellow passengers.
Check you have your cruise documents to hand
Before you leave home double check you have all the necessary documents (including your passport) required to board the ship. Whether that is printed copies or on your phone.
If there is only one cruise tip you remember, make sure it is this one. It is easier than you think to forget to bring something and miss your cruise.
On my last cruise, a passenger couldn’t board as they had left their passport at home and couldn’t get it sent to the cruise terminal in time.
Double-check, then triple-check just to make sure.
Make sure your luggage is clearly labelled
You will receive your luggage tags in advance. Some cruise lines may send them via the post but for the cruises I have done so far, I’ve had to download them.
Print these off and fold as instructed. If you are first time cruisers, it might take a bit of time to work out how to do that (or maybe that was just me!). Don’t panic though, trust me you’ll eventually work it out.
Make sure they are securely fixed to your suitcase or bag and can be easily read. This will help your luggage make it to your cabin as soon as possible.
Have your payment card or a small amount of cash with you
Assuming everything is running smoothly you probably won’t have much time hanging around in the cruise terminal. However, occasionally there can be delays.
Keep your debit or credit card with you or a small account of cash so you can purchase any food or drink if you are held for a while before boarding.
Once onboard you will use your cruise card or wearable as payment for any drinks (if you don’t have a drinks package), activities, services and shore excursions you may purchase.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes
If you are wondering what to wear on embarkation day, it is worth remembering it can be a long and exhausting day. Particularly if you have travelled a long way to reach the port.
While boarding is usually pretty efficient and speedy, there may be periods of hanging around or queueing. So, this is not the time for your finest outfit. Aim for something comfortable and relaxing.
The first day of a cruise is pretty casual as everyone settles in so you don’t need to worry too much about dress codes. This goes for the first evening too, save your best outfits for another night.
Arrive at the cruise terminal on time
Cruise ships run on a tight schedule and boarding times are staggered to ensure everything runs smoothly.
This sounds obvious when you think about how many fellow passengers are joining the ship but in all the pre-holiday excitement it’s easy to forget.
So, while it’s tempting to turn up early and get your cruise started, try to stick to your embarkation time as much as you can.
Cruise check in times are managed to avoid chaos at check-in and the gangway.
The cruise lines want to get everyone on board safely and with minimum fuss. Help them along by turning up as near to your assigned time as possible.
Don’t miss the luggage drop-off point
It can be a bit overwhelming arriving at the cruise terminal, particularly if it is your first cruise.
While it may feel a bit like organized chaos with luggage being loaded and passengers being checked in, a cruise ship embarkation is a well-run machine.
That said, if you are a first-timer, it can be easy to miss where to drop your luggage off.
On my first cruise, I dropped my suitcase off in the wrong section and had to run back and retrieve it once I realised. You would think I would have been a bit more prepared or observant on my next cruise right? Nope, I missed my drop-off point completely and ended up taking my suitcase onboard myself.
While it was quite handy having all my stuff with me as soon as I reached my cabin, it was a bit of a nightmare trying to get a lift in the boarding melee as I couldn’t carry it up the stairs to my deck.
Take it from me, it is much easier to drop off your luggage and wait for it to reappear by your cabin door.
Make sure you are ready for check-in and security checks
Once you have dropped your luggage off, you are free to head into the terminal and begin the cruise boarding process. This is similar to boarding a flight in that you show your documents and go through security.
Have your travel documents within easy reach. You don’t want to be rummaging through your bag for 10 minutes to find them when asked.
Before you head into the security area, make sure you are ready to put your hand luggage through the scanner. Pop your phone and any coins from your pockets into your bag.
Check if you need to take any electronic items out as you may need to place these in a separate tray. Also, be prepared you may be asked to take your jacket or shoes off.
Don’t be that person that is not prepared, seems surprised and holds up the queue. There is always one eh?
Take in every moment when boarding the ship
The most exciting part of the day is boarding the ship for the first time. The thrill never gets old. Take it all in!
Find your cabin and settle in
Depending on your cruise boarding time, you may find your cabin is ready when you board. If so, you can drop your carry-on bag off and freshen up before exploring the ship.
If you have priority boarding (or just lucky enough to get an early time) you may find your cabin isn’t ready. Don’t worry if that is the case. There will be plenty of places you can grab a drink or bite to eat while you wait.
Whenever you get to your cabin look out for something you can use as a guide to finding it again. It can take a while to get your bearings so having a marker to look out for can make it a little easier
Say hello to your cabin steward
Your cabin steward will be the person who makes your cabin look fabulous every day. Look out for them, they will usually come and introduce themselves on the first day or two.
As well as cleaning and making the bed, they will be making sure you have your daily planner, any excursion tickets you may have booked and if you use the laundry service, dropping off and collecting the items on your behalf.
Complete the muster drill and check the safety information
Before a cruise ship departs, all the passengers must complete a muster drill and familiarise themself with the safety procedures onboard. This is a mandatory requirement so everyone knows what to do in an emergency.
How this is done will depend on the cruise line you are travelling on. Since the pandemic, they generally involve watching a safety video in your cabin or on your phone either before you board or by a certain time after boarding.
You will also have to report to your muster station, this is your meeting point in an emergency. There will be a member of the crew there who will scan your cruise card or check you off a list to confirm you have attended. You may also have a demonstration of the life jackets.
The best time to do this is as soon as you can. Then you can relax and start your holiday.
Check out the programme for the day
When you get into your cabin you will find a daily newsletter/planner which lists everything happening on board. These are usually left in your cabin each night with details for the following day.
Although the first day of a cruise is not a full day there is still plenty going on. As well as detailing activities and events you might like to attend, they usually list the opening times of the bars and restaurants onboard.
Also look out for some live music drifting around the ship, from piano singers welcoming you on board to bands playing as you set sail.
Don’t miss lunch
You may well feel like you’ve already done a full day by the time you board your ship and be feeling a little bit hungry. One of your first ports of call should be to get some food. Either a late lunch, early dinner or even just a snack.
The buffet and some restaurants are likely to be serving food. However the main dining room may only open for dinner. Check at guest services or in your daily planner for details of what is open.
Book speciality restaurants, shore excursions, kids club places
With so many people onboard, things can get booked up very quickly. If there are any activities you would like to do, restaurants you’d like to eat at, or shore excursions you’d like to take, then try to book them as soon as you can. This way you will avoid any disappointment.
The best way to do this is to grab a drink, find a quiet spot and open your app or webpage and look at your cruise personaliser.
I usually try to book any specialty restaurants I’d like to eat at within a few hours of boarding. I’d rather have them booked as I can cancel if plans change throughout the week. However, if you decide halfway through your cruise that you’d like to try a restaurant it may well already be fully booked for the duration of the cruise.
If you have children with you and think you’ll want to use the Kids Club, you should check the procedure for how to book them in. Spaces are likely to fill quickly so it’s best to book as soon as possible.
Find a spot for sailway
After boarding your ship, the sailway is probably the most exciting and fun bit of the day.
Whether you want to be on the top deck taking photos or kicking back relaxing in a bar, try to find a spot in advance. The popular areas will fill up quickly so get there a little bit before your departure time.
I usually head to the bar at the aft of the ship where you can watch the land slowly disappearing from view.
Some cruise lines offer a sail away event or maybe even a free drink as you depart so if your one does make sure you don’t miss out!
Put your phone on airplay mode
One thing to be mindful of on a cruise is not running up a huge mobile phone bill.
Putting your phone on airplane mode before your ship sets sail will stop it from connecting to the phone network. This will help you avoid any hefty bills at the end of your cruise.
If you have purchased a wifi package you can keep in touch with family, friends and life on land using this. Wiki packages can usually be bought for the duration of the cruise or by the day.
Enjoy your cruise
Once you have embarked your cruise ship, settled into your cabin and found a spot for sail away it’s time to kick back and start to enjoy your holiday.
This is probably the most important tip for your cruise. Your cruise is what you make of it so make sure you enjoy it.
The last word on embarkation day
As you can see there is plenty you can do to make sure embarkation day is as seamless as possible. With a little bit of preparation and organisation, you can take a lot of the hassle and stress out of the day.
Yes, it can be exhausting, things might go slightly wrong or there may be a short delay. However, once you are sailing away all these things will be forgotten.
Have a great cruise!
Good afternoon Emma
I am travelling on The Iona May 2026 for my 60th Birthday.
And I have a couple of questions.
How do you access your phone app would I need a wifi package?
As it’s going to be my 60th will it get celebrated?
Thank you
Neil
Hi Neil, that sounds great way to celebrate your 60th! You can access the P&O link to book restaurants, check your onboard balance etc using the wifi. There is no charge for that.However, if you wish to do anything more (ie, send messages, check the web or social media) then yes you would need to buy a wi-fi package. Depending on your mobile phone contract you may be able to use your phone while in port either as part of your package or buying a bolt on to enable this. It is worth checking what you have. either way, make sure you don’t connect to the maritime network as you could end up with an unexpected large bill.
Enjoy your cruise and early happy birthday wishes
Emma