A journalist's inaugural cruise on one of the world's largest vessels turned into a series of expensive and uncomfortable lessons, highlighting common pitfalls for first-time passengers. Joey, writing for Business Insider, embarked on a seven-night Caribbean voyage aboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas in 2022, returning with significant regrets about her preparation and choices.
The solo traveller, who had never seen a cruise ship before, sailed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to ports in Honduras, Mexico, and the Bahamas. She reported struggles with motion sickness, loneliness, and logistical errors that impacted her enjoyment and finances. "I went home with so many regrets that cost me money, sleep, and luggage space," she wrote.
Wrong Room, Rough Seas
Joey booked a 179-square-foot ocean-view stateroom at the front of deck eight for approximately $2,000. She quickly discovered this was a poor location for managing the ship's motion. "The front of the ship was one of the worst places to feel motion," she learned from seasoned cruisers, who advised that mid-ship, higher-deck cabins offer more stability.
On rough nights, she experienced loud thumps and heavy vibrations "that sounded like large pieces of furniture falling," making sleep difficult. She concluded that on future cruises, she would always choose a room in the middle of the ship and pack earplugs to mitigate noise.
The Pitfalls of Solo and Long-Duration Travel
The journalist found the week-long trip overwhelming, wishing she had booked a shorter inaugural cruise to acclimatise. "By the fourth day, I felt ready to go home," she admitted. Compounding this was the challenge of travelling alone. Despite social activities, she felt isolated amidst families and friend groups, vowing to "bring a crew" on any future voyage.
Packing and Planning Errors
Several avoidable mistakes stemmed from poor planning. Joey brought a formal dress for designated "formal nights" but found the dress code was not strictly enforced, wasting precious suitcase space. She also failed to bring enough cash for tipping guides and drivers during shore excursions, forcing her to use fee-charging ATMs on board.
Her reservation strategy was flawed. While she pre-booked specialty restaurants for nearly every night, she left show reservations until the last minute, often finding popular events like the AquaTheater water show fully booked. "Next time, I'll make all my show reservations as soon as possible," she advised.
Overlooking Included Amenities
A key financial misstep was over-investing in premium dining. The Wonder of the Seas has more than a dozen specialty restaurants incurring extra charges, but Joey discovered some of her best meals were in the complimentary main dining room and buffets. "Since I booked so many specialty restaurants, I didn't have time to try all the buffets," she regretted, pledging to save money by utilising included options more on future trips.
Shore Excursion and Disembarkation Blunders
At port stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, Joey booked similar excursions offering beach club access. After satisfying her "beach fix" on the first day, she wished she had used the second day to explore more of the local island, promising to "book only one excursion with beach time on future voyages."
Her final error was an excessively cautious flight booking for the journey home. Fearing delays in disembarkation—where ship docking and inspection can add over an hour to the scheduled port arrival—she booked a 9 p.m. flight but arrived at the airport by 9 a.m., resulting in a 14-hour wait. She now recommends booking an afternoon flight instead.
Learning from Mistakes
The experience proved educational. In August 2023, Joey took a second cruise—a luxury Mediterranean voyage on an adults-only ship. Applying the lessons from her first trip, she reported a significantly improved experience. Her story serves as a practical guide for novice cruisers on avoiding common, costly errors when booking and boarding mega-ships.