14 Things I Did On My First Carnival Cruise

Last Updated October 7, 2026

Last December I had the privilege of going on my first cruise. I had wanted to go on one for a long time and the moment finally came and the timing worked out perfectly. While we looked at several different options, my family and I chose to travel with Carnival Cruise Line because it had the destinations we wanted and at the time of year we were wanting to travel. I had heard about cruises from many different friends and family members and was interested to see what this one would be like. For me, I can honestly say I had a great time! There was so much to do and I felt like it was such a relaxing vacation. I can’t wait to go on my next one. So, here are a few things I did on my first cruise that you may enjoy doing as well. 

I tried as many restaurants as I could

The ship we traveled on was the Carnival Dream and there were no lack of restaurants to try. While there are a few that you pay extra for, there are a lot that are complimentary. From the buffet to burgers, BBQ to pasta, there are so many options. Each day at lunch you could try something new. I tried almost all of the restaurant options but I wish I had had a few more days to try them all. If you find yourself on a Carnival ship, you have to try Pig and Anchor! It is so good! 

I went to the big evening shows

Most evenings there are bigger shows or productions put on by the performers on the boat. There are often two shows each night so you can plan your dinner around one of them. These shows have different themes so you can attend the ones that sound good to you. Our favorite thing to do was have an early dinner and then relax at the show afterward.

I watched the toddler crawl

One of the cutest events we attended was the toddler crawl. During this event, toddlers “race” across the foyer to see who is the fastest. This event is pretty quick, but a fun one. The parents got more into it than the toddlers themselves. If you want a little cuteness in your day, don’t forget to attend this event.

I participated in trivia games

One of the things I was most excited about on the ship was participating in trivia. I was pleasantly surprised to find there were a lot of trivia options offered and they were based around many different topics. I went to several of the trivia events and I enjoyed some of them more than others. Either way it was overall a good experience. I would definitely do it again.

I relaxed in the adult only area

If you are traveling alone or with a group of adults, relaxing in the adult only area is a great option for you. On our ship, the Carnival Dream, this area was called the Serenity deck. This deck was usually calmer than the rest of the ship and we never had problems finding a place to sit or lounge. If we had nothing on our schedule this is most likely where you would find us. This is one of the reasons our trip was so relaxing.

I relaxed on one of the other decks

Beside the adult only area, there are places all around the ship to grab a lounge chair and relax. The open decks are great places to grab a chair. Especially, if you have children with you and you want to watch them swim or enjoy the water slides. I sat on an open deck lounge chair once during my trip and I thought it was a nice change of scenery from the adult only area.

I played a round of mini golf

A lot of ships, including the Carnival Dream, have a mini golf course. The Dream’s course was at the top of the ship which made playing even more special as you could see so much of the ocean while playing. Mini golf is a good activity to fit in when you have nothing else planned. This can be a great family activity as well. Mini golf can get more crowded during sea days so if you find yourself at a port you don’t want to spend a lot of time at, you can always come back and play mini golf while most of the other passengers are off the ship.

I listened to bands

One of the things I wasn’t expecting was how much I enjoyed sitting and listening to one of the bands play in the evenings. I would grab a cup of coffee and sit back and relax. The band I enjoyed the most was the Dream Rock Band. They played every night and it made the evening enjoyable and relaxing.

I went to comedy shows

On our ship there were several different comedians you could go see. We tried out 2-3 different ones on our trip. Some of them were amusing and some we didn’t like quite as much but it was a good thing to do and I would go back and try the comedy shows again as well. 

I had relaxing dinners in the dining room 

When we went on our trip we ate in the dining room that was set up for “Your Time” dining. This means that we could check into dinner at any time and go when we wanted. With “Your Time” dining there can be a bit of a wait but we never had to wait more than 15 minutes to be assigned a table and be seated. We didn’t have the same staff each night but we did get to sit in different places in the dining room which was kinda neat. If you want to know more about the pros and cons of “Your Time” verses “Timed” dining you can check out THIS article for more details.

I went on an excursion

We decided before we went that we would probably not do any excursions but instead just kind of walk around at each port and enjoy our surroundings. Well needless to say, after we were on the ship we started thinking about the port we were visiting in the Bahamas and realized it may be nice to do something there. So, we did. We purchased tickets for an hour long walking tour in Nassau and loved it! The tour guide was great, we learned a little history and felt like we got to walk a little around the area in a safe environment. We enjoyed it so much that I will be looking at other excursion options for my next cruise as well. 

I checked out the shops

Aboard the ship there are a few shops where you can purchase souvenirs. Besides the Carnival shop I also saw a candy store and a jewelry store. If you have a little extra free time you can browse through these shops and maybe take home something special.

I visited every port

With this being my first cruise I was excited to get off at each port and see new places. It was nice to explore and be out in the sunshine each time we stopped at a port. On this trip, my favorite stop was Half Moon Cay where we got to spend the day on a private island with some of the prettiest water around. It was SO relaxing! If you find yourself visiting a port you haven’t been to before, you definitely should consider getting off the ship and looking around at least for a little while. 

I saw a gameshow during the day

Throughout the cruise there were a couple gameshows that some of the audience members got to participate in. Surprisingly this was one of my favorite things I went and saw on the trip. At one of the shows we laughed so hard as contestants tried to guess songs through a variety of methods. One of the best shows ever! I look forward to seeing this show if it’s still there when I go on my next cruise. 

So, would I go on another cruise? Absolutely! My experience on my first cruise was a great one. I hope this list gives you a good starting point of knowing what there is to do if you decide to give cruising a try. Each ship is different and will have different activities and shows. Once you know what ship you will be traveling on or if you are trying to decide on one, you might like to watch some videos on YouTube that share more information about that specific trip. These can be a great resource. I hope you have a great time on your cruise! – Pepper and Passports

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