11+ Things That Surprised & Shocked Us on Our First Cruise! 😯🚢 Honest First-Time Cruiser Reactions 🤔
We just went on our very first cruise and it was nothing like we expected! Today we're sharing some of our impressions as first-time cruisers; we'll be chatting about what surprised us - some good things, some bad things, and some unexpected things! If you've never been cruising before and you're about to embark on your first cruise, you'll want to watch this video. 11 Things That Surprised Us as First-Time Cruisers: 00:38 - We actually enjoyed cruising 02:10 - Cruising is family-friendly 03:30 - A cruise ship feels like a city 04:46 - Days at sea are surprisingly fun 06:32 - There's food everywhere, all the time 07:48 - The crew is so friendly 09:26 - No mad dash of the ship at ports of call 10:09 - You encounter all sorts of travellers 11:52 - The markup on excursions is astronomical 13:31 - Cruising has lots of hidden costs 14:35 - The variety of ports of call 15:44 - We'd go cruising again! First-Time Alaska Cruise Surprises 🇨🇦 Family Tips, Hidden Costs, Ports, Sea Days, Food & Crew+More 🛳️🎬 INTRO — First Cruise, Big Surprise We went into our first-ever Alaska cruise as skeptical former backpackers…and came out fans. The ease of good sleeps, great meals, zero logistics (no hunting for restaurants or rooms) won us over. We enjoyed port days, hopped back on board to eat well, rest well, repeat, and—surprise—another cruise is already booked. 👨👩👧👴 FAMILY TRAVEL — Multi-Gen & Baby-Friendly Cruising worked brilliantly for three generations (grandparents + us + baby). Staff were incredibly accommodating (applesauce, yoghurt), ships were stroller-friendly with lifts and play areas, cabins comfy for naps, and the constant off-and-on stimulation kept baby happy. Bonus: a baby on board is a conversation magnet—crew and guests chat with you everywhere. 🏙️🧭 SHIP SIZE — A Floating City (Even When “Small”) We purposely chose a smaller vessel (~2,000 guests) to avoid overwhelm—yet it still felt like a floating city, not a mere hotel. Expect to feel lost at first: some decks don’t connect end-to-end, lifts cluster at opposite ends, and maps are your friend. By day two or three, your mental map clicks. 🌊📚 SEA DAYS — Never Boring Worried a full day at sea would drag? It flew. Fine-dining reservations, deck walks, baby playtime, split activities for different family members, siestas, and exploring themed lounges kept us busy. Sea days can be spa/library/board-game chill or gym/shows/live-music active—your call. 🍽️⏱️ FOOD — 24/7 Temptation, Pace Yourself Food is everywhere, all day: buffets in off-hours, speciality venues at peak times. Menus are excellent, quality high, and dessert begs for “just one more.” By day three we learned to pace meals, or you’ll regret a three-course feast the morning you plan a big shore day. 💙🎤 CREW — Friendly, Fun, Memorable The crew’s warmth stood out—professional and passionate. Shout-out to “Mr. Washy-Washy,” a Filipino staff legend turning pop songs into hand-sanitiser anthems. Staff remembered names, preferences, and made us feel at home—one of the biggest reasons we loved cruising. ⚓🕙 DISEMBARKING — No “Mad Dash” Our first port, Ketchikan, wasn’t a stampede. People are on their own schedules—some cruise for casino, spa, dining, nightlife, not sightseeing. Demographic on Alaska: mostly seniors, some middle-aged couples, and very few babies (we spotted maybe four). 🚌💸 EXCURSIONS — Cruise Line Mark-Ups vs DIY Booking through the line often carries steep mark-ups (we saw ~$100 p.p. more on some tours). The trade-off: if a ship-organised tour runs late, they’re responsible for getting you back. DIY can be far cheaper if you plan ahead, compare prices, and obsess over timing. 📶🏨 HIDDEN COSTS — Budget Beyond the Fare That “all-in” price isn’t truly all-in. Expect add-ons like Wi-Fi ($40–$50 p.p.), gratuit(ies)/service charges, alcohol packages, speciality dining, pre/post-cruise hotels, and transport to port. If you go wild on extras + excursions, your add-ons can eclipse the base fare. 🗺️🏔️ PORT VIBES — Tourist Hotspots & Easy Crowd Escapes Each port has a distinct feel and a couple of headline draws that get slammed. In Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier and the dockside strip (restaurants/bars/shops) were packed. Our hack: walk uphill/one extra kilometre—crowds vanished and we met locals. 🔁🗓️ WOULD WE CRUISE AGAIN? — 100% Yes—and we are. Next cruise is the polar opposite of Alaska (guess in the comments!). We went in open-minded—“try once, maybe never again”—and left converted. Baby loved it, we loved it, grandparents loved it. Expect more cruise content soon. #Hashtags #AlaskaCruise #FirstTimeCruise #CruiseTips #FamilyTravel #CruiseWithBaby #Juneau #Ketchikan #MendenhallGlacier Where do you think our next cruise is taking us? Chime in the comments section below! HOW YOU CAN HELP 🙏 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/samuelandaudrey 🧱 Buy us a Brick: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/samuelandaudrey ❤️ Like, share, subscribe and comment so the videos can reach more people.