If you’ve been talking about taking a cruise for years, but keep putting it off because you’re not sure you’ll like it, you’re in good company.
That was us.
We had the conversations. We looked at pictures. We said things like, “I don’t know… what if we feel trapped?” and “What if it’s not our thing?” and “Do people just… eat all day?”
Then we finally booked one.
And I’m going to tell you the truth: we loved it.
Our first cruise was a 7-day Western Caribbean sailing on Norwegian Prima out of Galveston, Texas, with stops in Cozumel, Roatán (Honduras), and Harvest Caye (Belize).
If you’re considering your first cruise, or you’re cruising-curious but still on the fence, this is the post you want. I’m walking you through what worked, what we’d do again, what we’d change, and the few small decisions that made the trip feel easy.
And yes, I’m also going to talk about the onboard casino… because let’s not pretend that part isn’t fun.
Quick Snapshot: The Cruise We Took
We sailed a 7-day itinerary that included Harvest Caye, Cozumel, and Roatán with Norwegian Prima.
Norwegian Prima is one of NCL’s newer ships ,and it’s built to keep you busy when you’re at sea with plenty to do onboard.
Galveston: Why You Should Fly In the Night Before
Here’s a tip that will save you stress immediately:
Fly in the night before your cruise.
Not because you need extra vacation time (although that’s a nice bonus), but because flight delays and travel hiccups are real, and cruise ships do not run on “but my flight was late” energy.
Missing your ship is expensive, stressful, and can turn into a logistical mess fast.
We flew in the night before and stayed at Sugar’s Inn, which is a boutique hotel in downtown Galveston that’s positioned as a convenient option for cruise port stays. Being close to the terminal meant embarkation day felt calm instead of chaotic – especially for our first one.
What to do with your extra time in Galveston
Galveston is a cute coastal town with enough to do for a low-key night before you set sail. If you want something easy:
- Walk around the historic areas and browse shops.
- Grab dinner and go to bed like a responsible adult (you’re going to need energy).
- If you want a classic tourist stop, Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier is one of the well-known attractions.
One thing we learned, though: we like arriving a day early, but after the cruise, we were ready to get back home.
We originally booked an extra day in Galveston after we got back, thinking we’d want to extend the trip. After seven full days on the ship, we changed our flight and headed home instead. That post-cruise tired hits different.
So if you’re building your own plan, consider this:
- Extra day before cruise: yes, do it.
- Extra day after cruise: only if you know you personally love stretching vacations. Otherwise, plan your return and give yourself the gift of your own bed.
Embarkation Day: How to Make It Feel Easy
Embarkation day can feel like a lot if you’ve never cruised. Here’s what helped us:
- Choose an early check-in time if you can, so you can get on board and explore the ship before it gets busy.
- Keep your documents and confirmations easy to access.
- Heads up: you typically won’t get into your room until around 4 PM or later, so pack your swimsuit in your carry-on backpack (not your luggage) so you can hit the pool and start enjoying the day right away.
- Once you’re onboard, don’t try to do everything in the first hour. Eat something, explore, and settle in.
Your goal on day one is simple: get on board and let your brain exhale.
Cruise Tip #1: Pay Extra for Upgraded Dining
Let’s talk food.
The buffet was good, don’t get me wrong. But buffet food is buffet food. It’s convenient, it’s plentiful, and it’s never the thing you tell your friends about when you get home.
What was worth it for us was paying extra for upgraded dining.
Because specialty dining makes it feel like an actual night out. You sit down, you get service, you slow down, and it turns dinner into something that feels like a date instead of a pit stop.
Norwegian offers specialty dining packages, and many cruisers like having a plan for a few “nice” meals on board.
If you’re trying to decide, here’s the simplest way to think about it:
- If you love the idea of a few “this feels special” dinners, upgrade.
- If you truly don’t care and you’re happy grazing casually, you can skip it.
We upgraded…and we’d definitely do it again.
Cruise Tip #2: Drink Package Was Worth It for Convenience
We bought the drink package, and I’ll be honest: I’m sure plenty of people get their money’s worth in pure math.
For us, it wasn’t about “beating the system.” It was about not having to think about it.
No pulling out a card every time. No mental tally of “how many drinks have we had.” No weird end-of-trip surprise where you’re like, “Wait… did we spend how much on piña coladas?”
If you value ease and you want your vacation to feel like a true break, it can be worth it for that alone. NCL’s drink packages are designed around that convenience, though exact inclusions and rules can vary by package and sailing.
Cruise Tip #3: Booking Excursions Through the Cruise Line Kept It Simple
You can book excursions in two main ways:
- Through the cruise line.
- Independently.
Independent can be cheaper and sometimes more customized, but it also comes with more variables. Cruise line excursions are built to sync with the ship’s schedule, and many cruise experts point out that one advantage is that the ship will generally accommodate delayed cruise-sponsored tours or help you get back if something goes sideways.
If you’re a first-timer or you don’t want to spend your vacation managing logistics, booking through the cruise line just makes everything smoother.
And here’s the big reason: the ship waits for no one. If you book an excursion on your own and it runs late, you can end up sprinting to the port or, worst-case, watching the ship sail away without you. But when you book through the cruise line, they coordinate timing with the ship, and if there’s a delay on their excursion, they handle it.
The Ports: What We Did (and What We’d Repeat)
Cozumel: Snorkeling
We booked snorkeling in Cozumel, and it was good.
The honest truth: the time in the water felt shorter than we expected. We had about 45 minutes scheduled, but by the time everyone was in the water and settled, it was closer to 30.
Still worth doing if you want an easy ocean activity, but set your expectations on the time.
Also, if you’ve snorkeled in places like Hawaii (which has been our best snorkeling so far), you might feel a little spoiled. Cozumel was enjoyable, just different.
Roatán, Honduras: Private Beach Day (Yes, With a Butler)
In Roatán, we booked a private beach excursion with a butler.
I know. Fancy.
But it was absolutely worth it.
Why? Because it was the most relaxing day of the trip. The staff was attentive, we didn’t feel like we were fighting crowds, and it truly felt like we could just sink into the day and enjoy it.
Norwegian offers multiple “all-inclusive private beach” style excursions in Roatán, depending on what you book.
If you’re the kind of person who wants one port day that feels calm and taken care of, consider making Roatán your “splurge” day.
Harvest Caye, Belize: Easy Tropical Day
Harvest Caye is Norwegian’s private destination in Belize, and it’s set up for a straightforward beach day.
This is a great stop if your goal is:
- Sun
- Water
- Minimal planning
- A day that feels like a break
The Part We Didn’t Expect to Love as Much: Sea Days
Before cruising, sea days sounded boring.
After cruising, sea days were some of our favorite days.
Because you’re not rushing to get off the ship. You’re not watching the clock. You’re just enjoying the ship and letting the day unfold.
And this is where I need to confess something:
Our “Dirty Little Secret”…
We love the casino.
There. I said it.
Not in a “sell the house and chase a jackpot” way. In a “this is fun, the energy is entertaining, and it’s a ridiculous little grown-up playground” way.
If playing slots or the tables is your thing, cruising makes it easy because it’s right there onboard. You can pop in for an hour, set a budget, have a drink, and call it a night.
And if it’s not your thing, you can just… not go. That’s the beauty of it. There’s something for every kind of couple, even if one of you loves the casino and the other loves the quiet deck with a book.
Why This Trip Worked So Well for Us
Here’s why I think cruising surprised us in the best way:
- You unpack once.
- You wake up somewhere new.
- You can be as busy or as relaxed as you want.
- You get built-in date nights without planning a week of dinners.
- You can mix adventure (snorkeling, excursions) with pure downtime.
It’s hard to go wrong with a beautiful ship, plenty to do, included food, unlimited drinks, ports that feel like mini adventures, and the convenience of everything being handled for you. Um, yes please!
What We’d Do Again (and What We’d Do Differently)
We’d do again:
- Fly in the night before.
- Stay close to the port like we did with Sugar’s Inn.
- Pay extra for upgraded dining.
- Book at least one “private beach” style excursion for maximum relaxation.
- Pick one port day to keep simple and unstructured.
We’d do differently:
- We wouldn’t automatically book an extra day post-cruise. We were ready for home.
If You’re Still On the Fence About Cruising…
If you’re not sure you’ll like cruising, you don’t have to commit to being a “cruise person.”
Just commit to trying one.
Pick an itinerary that sounds fun. Choose a ship that looks like it fits your style. Build in a couple of decisions that make it feel easy (like arriving the night before), and then let the trip do what it does best: give you a week where you don’t have to manage everything.
And if you want more ideas for quick resets that don’t require a full vacation, bookmark our Creative Weekend Getaways page and steal one for your next “we need out of town” moment.