Cruise Smarter With These 20 Tips

As I’ve mentioned in many of my blog posts and instagram posts about my latest cruise experience with Princess Cruises, the cruise line is completely changing the game with their incredible new MedallionClass technology. In case you’re new around here, the Princess’ MedallionClass experience incorporates new smart technology that gives passengers a cruise experience that’s more personalized and convenient than ever before (also it comes with the best, most reliable wifi at sea!) You can learn more about what MedallionClass is and how it works here and also here in a previous post I did about how the amazing technology makes it the best way to cruise for first-timers. After getting to experience the MedallionClass technology onboard the Caribbean Princess during the Eastern Caribbean cruise I went on with my husband, Cole, earlier this March, I’ve gathered lots of tips on how to take advantage of the amazing benefits this technology has to offer, along with some general (but very helpful!) cruising travel tips I’ve learned over the last few years while cruising with Princess.

Whether you’ve already made the smart decision to book a cruise onboard one of the Princess ships featuring this new smart technology or you’re thinking of booking one in the future (MedallionClass is currently available on the Caribbean Princess, Regal Princess and the Royal Princess…click here to see the lineup of ships getting it soon!),  I’m sharing 20 of my cruise tips for smarter cruising so you and your family can enjoy the easiest, most innovative cruise vacation, ever. Click through to read them all now!

Going on a MedallionClass cruise with Princess and want to know what to expect, how to get OceanReady and some general best cruising practices?! I’ve got you covered. Read on for all of my tips after experiencing MedallionClass first-hand and setting sail with Princess on three cruises over the last couple of years.

BEFORE YOU SET SAIL:

1 – Download the MedallionClass Apps + Add Important Info.

If you’re lucky enough to be setting sail on a MedallionClass ship with Princess soon, your OceanMedallion will be shipped for yourself and your family prior to your trip. Once the OceanMedallions arrive, make sure you download all of the 6 apps (exception: OceanCasino if you don’t plan to gamble) to your smart phone and the phones of each of the family members you’re traveling with before setting sail to save time. You’ll especially want to download the OceanReady app and create your profile + add in your passport information and credit card information. That way, all you’ll need when you arrive at the cruise port to check in is your OceanMedallion. Below is a list of all the MedallionClass apps.

MedallionClass Apps:

–OceanReady

–OceanNow

–OceanCompass

-OceanView

–PlayOcean

– OceanCasino

2 – Create an OceanTagalong for Yourself & Family Members

Prior to setting sail for your trip, be sure to go into the PlayOcean app and create an OceanTagalong for yourself and have your family members do the same. These adorable sea creatures will act as your avatars during your trip, and you’ll especially want to use them if you have kids in your group, because they’ll get to enjoy various interactive games around the ship, including Play Games Under The Stars, an interactive gaming experience held on one of the big screens by the pools. As a bonus, if you’re setting sail out of the Fort Lauderdale port, you’ll get to see the magic of your OceanTagalong before you even get on the ship!

3 – Plan and Book Your Excursions Through Princess & as Soon as You Can

Princess is known for having really amazing excursions…they’ve even won awards for it! After going on three different cruises and a variety of excursions with Princess I can honestly say that each of them has been an incredibly unique and wonderful experience (and I’ve always felt super safe too!) Because they are so popular, excursions fill up fast, and while you can still book them while you’re onboard your cruise if needed, I definitely recommend booking them as soon as you can so your family can select the excursions that work best for your family (before they sell out!)

4 – Pack These Stateroom Must-Haves:

So, I had planned to do a full post on what to pack for a Caribbean cruise (and I still do!), but for now, I did want to mention these absolute essentials for ANY cruise, whether it’s MedallionClass or with another cruise line completely:

-Magnets: news flash! Your entire room on the ship is magnetic, so don’t forget to pack several magnets with you to help you keep things organized. If you’re like me, you still like to have paper copies of schedules (which Princess still provides), but the amount of schedules you get on a cruise can be overwhelming. Magnets help keep the important ones where you need them!

–Digital Clock: Since you might be changing timezones and you’ll likely have your phone on airplane mode and simply connected to the wifi, it’s always good to pack a battery-operated digital clock like the one above so you can keep up with the time.

-Outlet Adapter: staterooms are very limited when it comes to outlets. There was just one (besides one behind the tv) in our room, so we’ve always brought along a multi-outlet adapter with usb inserts too so we can charge both our devices, cameras, laptops, etc. at once.

5 – Arrive at Your Departure City at Least One Day in Advance

On two of the three of our cruises with Princess, we flew in the day before and stayed at a hotel in the port departure city, and I can’t tell you how much more relaxed I was during the first day. Not only did I not have to worry about our flight being delayed on the day of, but I also felt so much more well-rested and less frazzled than I did on the cruise we decided to fly in the morning of our departure.

WHILE ONBOARD

MedallionClass Perks:

6 – Buy An Accessory For Your OceanMedallion

Your OceanMedallion will arrive custom engraved with your name, cruise dates and cruise ship, neatly fitting inside of a lanyard. Now if you’re anything like me, you probably don’t want to be wearing something that big & bulky around during the entire cruise (especially, for example, with your gown on formal evening…not so cute!) Luckily, Princess offers several accessories that you can buy for your medallion on board. I would definitely recommend purchasing an accessory for your medallion once you get on the ship. From bands and necklaces to options that hook to your clothing, there are so many options offered so you can choose what best suits you and your family members. The most affordable and practical option is the silicone band, which Cole opted for (seen above), while I went with the really cute gold necklace option (seen with the striped romper in the photo at the beginning of this post). A helpful hint – the accessories and OceanMedallions are magnetic, so they easily pop in and out of the accessories (which you will likely need to do if you go with the necklace option so you aren’t constantly bending down to scan your OceanMedallion.) Remember, your OceanMedallion will multi-function as your room key, your id card to get on and off the ship, your credit card (if you choose to set it up…and you totally should!) and so much more with the various interactive screens on the ship and with the apps you download on your phone, so making it as convenient as possible to carry or wear is absolutely essential!

7 – Get The Best (& More Cost-Effective) WiFi at Sea

The Princess MedallionClass ships are all equipped with MedallionNet, AKA the BEST WiFi at sea, and that’s no joke! I was so incredibly impressed with how well the internet worked and how fast it was too! Plus, it was so convenient to use and ended up being really cost effective too (as little as $9.99 a day!). Rather than hourly or daily rates, it’s just a one-time fee and once your purchase it and login, you’re all set! We were even able to FaceTime our baby Everly whenever we liked thanks to the incredible internet! If you’ve booked a MedallionClass cruise with Princess, you can save even more money by purchasing your MedallionNet package prior to your cruise departure.

8 – Keep Track of the Cruise Schedule + Navigate the Ship on Your Phone

While I still do enjoy having a hard copy of important documents like the daily ship schedule AKA “Princess Patter” (hence my tip on packing the magnets for your state room!), it is also so nice to have the schedule right on your phone with the OceanCompass app, so you don’t have to carry all of the many documents you receive daily around with you.

Also, I mentioned this in my first post about our MedallionClass experience, but it’s a HUGE highlight for me, so it’s worth noting again. The OceanCompass also doubles as your interactive map to the ship, so you know where you are at any given time and can see where you need to get to, simply by opening up the app on your phone or by using one of the many large touch screens located on board (seen above!). Anyone who’s been on a cruise before knows how overwhelming it can be to figure out how to navigate the ship, and I think this cruise was the first one where both Cole and I finally stopped getting confused with the bow/aft and starboard/port of the ship (it’s all so symmetrical y’all, so it can be tricky!), all thanks to the new MedallionClass technology. By the end of our cruise, we didn’t even need the maps anymore.

9 – Watch Live TV in Your Room!

Cole and I were so surprised and excited to find that for the first time, we could watch live TV from our stateroom, thanks to the new MedallionClass technology. This would have been especially essential had we been cruising during football or baseball season, but it was really cool to even get to watch the news every now and then.

10 – Keep Up With Your Family

This was another one that I previously talked about, but also worth mentioning again because it was SO cool and something we used all the time. The OceanCompass app also allows you to connect with the other people in your family/party and see where they are on the ship at any given time, so you don’t ever have to lose each other! Another amazing way MedallionClass technology allows you to connect with your family members is through being able to chat with them on the OceanCompass app. Although our texts were working thanks to the amazing MedallionNet, it was nice to be able to keep up with the entire group of bloggers on board via our group chats in our OceanCompass apps.

11 – Have Your Drinks, Coffee and Necessities Come to You

One of the other amazing perks of Princess’ MedallionClass ships is having the convenience of drinks, coffee and more brought to wherever you are on the ship. So if you’re sun bathing out on the deck, simply open your OceanNow app and request whatever drink, food or necessity you’d like, and it will come right to you! If you’re going on a MedallionClass cruise, you might want to invest in a drink package, because this is something you’ll definitely be taking advantage of!

 

Dining Tips

12 – Book a Deluxe Balcony Breakfast

As a disclaimer, we’ve been lucky enough to be treated to a deluxe balcony breakfast on our cruises, but it is something I would 100% book and pay for on my own on any future cruise we do with Princess. As someone who likes to slowly wake up and start my day, I’m all about getting to enjoy breakfast in my room (or bed!), so room service for breakfast  is something we love to treat ourselves to. But this is next level, because not only do you get to enjoy an incredibly delicious breakfast, coffee, and mimosas in your pajamas, but you get to do it with the BEST ocean views, right from your balcony. This breakfast NEVER disappoints and is always something we look forward to. It’s a really great idea to schedule it for one of the days you’re at sea and can leisurely enjoy the breakfast and the views.

13 – Eat Lunch at a Specialty Restaurant

A lot of cruisers don’t know this, but many of the specialty restaurants on board offer free lunches with any dining package, so be sure to check out which restaurants offer that on board your ship and plan a few lunches there when you’re wanting to switch it up from the buffet.

14 – Have Pizza Delivered To Your Room

If you’ve been on a  Princess Cruise, you already know how amazing the pizza is, located near the pools, but did you know you can also have a fresh-made pizza delivered to your room, free of charge? As long as they are open, they will bring a pizza right to your room. This was something Cole and I took advantage of more than once during this cruise (their pizza is SO yummy, y’all!)

15 – Don’t Miss Out on International Cafe

 All the coffee on Princess’ ships is good, but f you’re a coffee snob like me, you might want something a little stronger, so you don’t want to miss out on International Cafe. Located in the Piazza area, they offer delicious specialty coffees, at an extra charge (worth every penny!) as well as some really delicious pastries, which are completely free! If they’re serving the nutella donuts (pictured above!), DEFINITELY get one and try it out…SO yummy!

 16 – For the BEST Drinks, Go To Vines

Princess has all kinds of amazing options when it comes to drinks and cocktails, but we found the absolute BEST ones were at Vines, located in the Piazza area. they could whip up all kind of cocktails, but our favorite was the jalapeno margarita…YUM!

THINGS TO DO ON THE SHIP

17 – Book a Massage on One of Your Days at Sea

Click here for my full list of things to do on Princess ships, but I wanted to touch on a few highlights and not-so-obvious activities to fill your time. First and foremost, definitely book yourself a massage! My massages are always INCREDIBLE at the Lotus Spa on Princess, and there’s just something so special and serene about receiving a spa treatment while floating out on the ocean.

18 – or Schedule Some Time To Hang Out At The Sanctuary

Most Princess ships not only offer full spa services, but what some cruisers may not know is that they also have The Sanctuary, an adults-only sun decks with refreshing drinks, al fresco massages, a light menu, an adults-only pol and hot tub, and so much more! You can get a half-day pass to enjoy this relaxing retreat for just $20. It’s a perfect way to spend one of your days at sea.

19 – Take Advantage of Special Classes on Board

What some cruisers may also not know is that Princess offers all kind of really neat, immersive classes and experiences on board, which are especially great to take advantage of during your

 

20 – Watch Movies and/or Play Interactive Games Under the Stars

 Nearly every night on the cruise, Princess’ offers “Moves Under the Stars”, where passengers are invited to take a seat in our of the many cozy loungers and watch a movie. They’re almost always new releases and options that the whole family will love! The loungers are complete with cozy blankets for the night time movie watching and now with the OceanNow app on MedallionClass ships, guests can take advantage of having snacks and drinks delivered right to their chair from the click of a button on their phone!

 

That’s all for now, y’all! Stay tuned for more travel guides, tips and tricks here on the blog and click here to keep up with the latest!

 

Fair-well xx,

**Thanks so much to Princess Cruises for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.