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New Cruiser Guide

Welcome, Rookie of the Seas!

Cruise ships are basically floating cities with unlimited food and confusing directions. This guide covers the basics so you can spend less time confused and more time enjoying your vacation.

Cruise Basics

Embarkation

This is the day we embark on the journey and board the ship!

Debarkation

Opposite of debarkation, it's the day you get kicked off the ship no matter how well you behaved.

Sea Day

The days we're only out at sea. These are filled with onboard activies, brunch in the Main Dining Room, or relaxing pool time.

Port Day

The days we're docked at a port. You can roam free, go on excursions, or stay on the ship. Just make sure you're on board be the All Aboard time!

Muster Station

This is your designated meeting spot on the ship, should there be any emergency that requires us to muster. Your boarding pass will show your location, and you'll find your way there upon boarding to check in.
Staff will help direct you; there are directional signs along the walkways, and I'll communicate the location of your muster station before sailing.

Navigating

Forward and Aft

Forward is the forward (front) and aft is the rear of the ship.

Port and Starboard

The easiest way to remember these is that Port has 4 letters and so does Left. Starboard is the opposite/right side.

The Bridge

This is the navigation deck at the front of the ship where the captain and crew make everything happen. At least that's what they say, but we're not allowed in there to confirm.

Common Locations

Main Dining Room

This is the ship's main sit-down dining experience where we'll have an assigned table and waitstaff each evening for dinner at 5pm. You don't have to eat here every night, but it is generally considered one of the better included dining options onboard.
Breakfast or brunch is also served here.

Royal Promenade

Think of this as the main indoor hub of the ship where a lot of the activity happens. It's lined with bars, lounges, Cafe Promenade, Guest Services, shops, live music, parties, and people-watching opportunities at all hours of the day.

Theater

This is where the ship's major stage productions, comedy shows, game shows, and other entertainment happen throughout the cruise. Symphony's theater spans multiple decks near the front of the ship and hosts the biggest nightly entertainment.

AquaTheater

An outdoor entertainment venue located at the back of the ship featuring high-diving shows, acrobatics, dancing, and water performances. Some of Symphony's most popular shows happen here.

Guest Services

This is the ship's customer service. If you have issues with your account, room, lost items, billing concerns, or almost anything else, this is where you go.

Central Park

Yes, there's an actual park in the middle of the ship. Central Park is an open-air neighborhood filled with real plants, specialty restaurants, lounges, and quieter seating areas. It's one of the calmest places onboard and makes it easy to forget you're floating in the middle of the ocean.

Boardwalk

The Boardwalk neighborhood is designed to feel like a seaside boardwalk with casual dining, games, shops, and entertainment. This is where you'll find the carousel, AuaTheater, Johnny Rockets, Playmakers, and a lot of other activities throughout the day.

Your Room

Stateroom

Other names are room, cabin, home, and bed. All the same, and you'll hear all of them.

Stateroom Attendant

You'll have a dedicated stateroom attendant who will introduce themselves on the first day, tell you how to reach them if you need anything, and ask if you prefer morning or evening service of your cabin.

SeaPass

This is your key to everything on the ship. You'll use it for any onboard purchases, to access your cabin, and to scan on/off the ship at ports. This should be in your possession anytime you leave your cabin.

Embarkation Day Basics

Embarkation day is exciting, but it can also feel a little chaotic the first few hours onboard. A few things to expect:

Your checked luggage may not arrive outside your cabin until later in the evening, sometimes as late as 9pm.
Cabins are usually not ready until around 1:30pm. Whatever you carry onboard with you will stay with you until rooms open.
Keep important documents, medication, swimsuits, chargers, and anything you may need for the first several hours in your carry-on bag.
The ship will feel crowded at first while everyone explores, eats, and gets settled. It calms down significantly later in the afternoon.
Complete your Muster Drill/check-in as early as possible so you can fully relax and enjoy the rest of embarkation day.

First-Timer Tips

Leave your cabin around 30 minutes before dinner. Cruise ships are bigger than they look, and somehow every walk turns into photos, drinks, or stopping to look at something interesting along the way.
Download and explore the Royal Caribbean app before sailing. Use the email you provided at booking to connect your cruise. The app will become your schedule, map, planner, and communication tool for the week.
Explore the ship! Symphony is massive, and getting familiar with the neighborhoods early makes the cruise much less overwhelming.
Don't try to do everything. There will always be more food, activities, and entertainment than anyone can realistically fit into one cruise.
Elevators become crowded after shows and around dinner time. Sometimes walking one deck up or down first can save a lot of waiting.
The pools are smaller than they look in photos. The hot tubs, however, somehow still fit 37 people at once.
MDR breakfast and Sea Day brunch are underrated and usually much calmer than the buffet.
Bring a light sweater or jacket. Some indoor areas of the ship can get surprisingly cold, especially in the evenings.
After unpacking in your cabin, store your empty suitcases under the bed. If you leave it open, it makes a great place to toss your dirty clothes and keeps them out of your way.
Some entertainment venues on Symphony require reservations through the Royal Caribbean app, including AquaTheater shows, comedy shows, ice skating shows, and major theater productions.

Common Mistakes

Overpacking. Most people wear far fewer outfits than they expect. Best advice: Gather everything you think you need, then put half of it back.
Forgetting to pack essentials in their carry-on bag while waiting for checked luggage to arrive.
Waiting too long to book excursions, dining reservations, or entertainment reservations.
Assuming WiFi will work exactly as it does at home.
Arriving at the port too late on embarkation day. Traffic and delays around Galveston can become unpredictable early.
Over-scheduling every minute of your day instead of leaving time to relax and explore.
Forgetting return-to-ship times in port. The ship will absolutely leave without late passengers. Exception: If you're on an excursion through Royal and the excursion runs late.
Not trying things outside their normal routine. Some of the best experiences (and food!) end up being the unexpected ones.

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