I went on my first cruise — here are 15 things that surprised me about this type of travel

The reporter's first cruise was on board Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

• I took my first cruise on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, one of the largest ships.
• My seven-night trip was full of surprises, from the size of my room to the quality of the food.
• The port stops were shorter than I expected, and I found myself getting lost on the giant ship.

I had never seen a cruise ship in real life before April 2022.

I'd traveled by car...