Port arrival (PAT) time, passport, luggage and what is allowed on board?

Apps, magnetic hooks and much more are all things you should consider to make your first cruise as smooth a sailing as can be.

So what, generally are good rules to follow and why will they make your time on abroad a lot easier?

PAT Time - What is this?

Your Port Arrival Time (PAT) is the time the cruise line will allocate to you once you complete your check in online, this is when you should arrive at the port and be one step closer to getting on board. It’s a really swift and efficient process. You just need to log into your cruise line app or online account, you enter all your details - name, passport number and get checked in.

Your PAT time can be automatically assigned or sometimes you can select from a list - If this is possible we select the earliest PAT time possible aiming to get lunch on the ship so we can then head to our cabin and get sorted (once they are opened up - usually around 2pm but this could be earlier as you progress through a cruise company’s loyalty scheme).

Use your app (If the Cruise line has one - most do) to book what you can when things open up.

Luggage labels etc - these are normally posted out to you or you can sometimes download and print them (Royal allows you to download them). If they do not arrive before you leave don’t worry all that can be sorted at the port on your embarkation day.

Booking things before you get on board - is this essential?

No its not essential to book everything before you get on but obviously you run the risk of not being able to see that particular show or eat in that particular restaurant.

Some ships like the Oasis class ships under Royal Caribbean do sell out of activities and restaurants whereas other cruise lines are much more go with the flow like Norwegian Cruise Line and you are more likely to be able to turn up without reservations for activities.

With Disney we booked as much as possible before embarkation and we managed to get to see and do everything we wanted.

Arriving at the port

Book car parking when you book your cruise. Print your parking pass and display it in your window. If you are flying to your destination you will need to ensure your transfer is included or book a separate one.

Top tip: we choose to arrive at the port at least the day before and explore, get a bite to eat and start our holiday early. If your flight is booked separately from your cruise definitely try not to arrive on the same day your cruise departs - the cruise ship will not wait for you if you are delayed however if its all booked together through the cruise line then they will sort your flights to get you there.

Guest relations - on the first day of your cruise our honest advice is avoid going to guest relation unless you really have to go its always absolutely mad busy. They are always super helpful in our opinion and will do whatever they can. Also any issue with your room speak to your room steward as they will be the best placed person to sort it out for you.

Packing - treat it like a normal holiday overall pack spares, split clothing across different cases in case one goes missing.

See if your ship has a launderette on board -

P&O do and therefore you may want to pack less and wash some items.

Top Tip - If you have an early PAT time, your cabin may not be ready so take a backpack with some swim shorts / bikini and once you’ve had lunch or a quick snack, you can go enjoy the pools whilst you wait for your cabin to be ready.

Forget me not - All items to purchase on the ships are more expensive but remember a lot of ports will have a shopping centre so if you do forget things you may be able to pop off and go and do a bit of shopping. Ships do stock a decent range of things on board including first aid type materials etc.

Feel the chill - When the ship is sailing it can be breezy on the top decks so you may want an extra layer of clothing for the evening. Some cruise lines are more formal than others so bare that in mind when packing.

Formal nights - some cruise lines are very particular about their version of formal night and have very specific restrictions so you will need to check them out. Some cruise lines have more than one formal night depending on the length of your cruise.

Restricted items - and some are banned completely. For example drones, radios, irons and extension cables are banned. Alcohol is restricted when bringing it on board at the port on embarkation (there is a limit per cruise line per adult in the cabin) however during your cruise you are not allowed to bring any onto your ship from a stop on your itinerary and you must declare it.

Top tip: As travel irons are not allowed on board cruise ships, our top tip is bring a crease release spray and hang your clothes in the bathroom when its all steamy, spray with crease release and they will be fine by the time you’re wearing the item later on.

Cabin tips - order magnetic metal hooks for by the door to hang a lanyard on, pool bag etc so its right next to the door and never gets lost!

Drinks Packages - They differ between cruise lines so do check the details for the company you’re sailing with. However, generally they are cheaper to buy pre-sailing and depending on what or how much you drink, can work out a a great deal, if you get the right price point.

For a full explanation of drinks on Royal Caribbean check out our guide to Royal Caribbean Drinks Packages.

Food glorious food - Buffets and main dining will be included on your sailing. However, many cruise lines offer Speciality Dining as a paid extra, elevated experience. For all you foodies out there, this is could be for you.

Top Tip - Some ships can sell out of these experiences depending on ship size and guest capacity so if you know it’s something you want to do, book early. The first time we cruised with Royal we were unable to get into Izumi and we so wished we’d booked before sailing.

If you’re wondering what speciality dining with Royal Caribbean is all about then read Our Guide to Speciality Dining on Royal Caribbean and see if it’s something you want to do.

Finally enjoy the process because it’s so much easier than an airport and generally boarding is very swift.

All that’s left to do is embark the ship and start your holiday.