What to do on Embarkation Day


We all LOVE to cruise! (In case that wasn’t obvious.) And perhaps the most important day of any cruise is embarkation day! This is the day that you first set foot onto that ship, your home for the next three to fifteen days. From the second you step onto the ship there is so much to see and do – even before the ship starts to sail away. These are the things that we like to do on our first day on board our cruises!


Eat – One of our favorite things about cruising is the food! We love cruise food and we start enjoying it as soon as possible. Normally the first thing we do when we get on the ship is make our way to the pool deck for some delicious eats to fuel our first day of vacation. Pool deck quick service locations, Cabanas, and one of the main dining rooms are all open for lunch, normally starting at noon, on embarkation day. Start your trip off right with something delicious!

Swim – Embarkation day is a great time to check out the pools! Pack your bathing suits in your day bag and get into the vacation feel right away! The pools are open and not very crowded.

Explore – The ships, even the Wonder and Magic, are HUGE! There is so much to see and do all over the ship during the course of any sailing and exploring the ship is one of our favorites. We like to roam the stairwells and check out the artwork.

Open House(s) – A great way to further explore the ship is to take advantage of the open houses on the first day. All of the youth clubs – the nursery, the Oceaneer Club, the Oceaneer Lab, Edge, and Vibe – as well as the spa and fitness center all have open house on the first day where you can check everything out! During open house everyone is welcome, not just the age group that that club is for!

Lifeboat Drill – This one isn’t exactly fun, but it is important. It’s also mandatory. Before the ship can depart everyone is required to participate in the Muster or lifeboat drill. As long as everyone shows up in a timely manner it is a relatively quick and painless process that provides guests with important information about what to do and where to go if something were to happen.

Sail Away Party – Immediately following the muster drill head to the pool deck for a celebration of your vacation! Dance, sing, and countdown to the ship’s horn and the official start of your cruise vacation!

Unpack – Once your room is ready, which is normally around 1:30pm, make your way to it and check it out. This is where you will be sleeping, showering, getting ready, and if you’re like our family, watching Mickey cartoons. One of the best things about a cruise is that you get to see different places all while only unpacking once! You can certainly live out of our suitcase if you want to, but we like to unpack so that it feels a little bit more like home. It also makes things a little easier. So, we recommend unpacking and settling in on the first day. Keep in mind that your bags will most likely not be there right away. Bags are delivered any time before 5pm.

Relax – Vacations, especially cruises, are about relaxing and there is plenty of opportunity to relax on embarkation day, and every day after while you’re on the ship. Relax in your stateroom, on the pool deck, on deck 4, in the atrium – the possibilities for relaxing and endless.

Decorate – If you plan to decorate your stateroom door the first day is the best day to do it! Hang up your fish extender if you’re participating in an exchange, put your magnets on the door, and make your room yours!

There is no such thing as a bad day on a cruise (at least for us), but the first day is definitely one of the best. It’s the start of your cruise vacation, what’s better than that?! These are the things that we like to do on the first day, but they are certainly not the only things that can be done on embarkation day! What do you like to do on the first day of your cruise?

Are you ready to start planning your next magical vacation?! I’d be happy to help you plan a trip to just about anywhere in the world, on land or sea! Contact me at miriyawhitaker@worldofmagictravel.com for your FREE quote and to start planning. For more Disney and travel information feel free to follow me on Facebook.

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