What mistake did you make on your first cruise

...and NEVER made again? :o

Booking the most expensive cabin on a cheap ship.

...and NEVER made again? :o

 

Good for you for starting the thread ;)

 

My biggest mistake was not rewarding those that made my cruise special with a bit extra tip ;). I haven't made that mistake again ;)

Edited January 18, 2017 by kazu

Biggest mistake = Booking a 7-day cruise ;)

I over packed. I've since learned to travel light and make use of the ships laundry. I even pack disposable clothing to make room for trinkets.

 

 

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Good for you for starting the thread ;)

 

My biggest mistake was not rewarding those that made my cruise special with a bit extra tip ;). I haven't made that mistake again ;)

 

 

 

Thanks -you are my CC mentor!!

Flying in on the same day. Through Atlanta no less. Never since.

Biggest mistake = Booking a 7-day cruise ;)

 

 

Happy to say that won't be the mistake we make!

Thanks for sharing!:D

Flying in on the same day. Through Atlanta no less. Never since.

 

 

I've heard that one before! We're flying in a day early - so so glad!;)

Booking the most expensive cabin on a cheap ship.

 

 

What would be considered a cheap ship?

I over packed. I've since learned to travel light and make use of the ships laundry. I even pack disposable clothing to make room for trinkets.

 

 

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We're pretty light packers. But I may pare it down even more. I believe Rotterdam has a self laundry. I hope.

Without a doubt, showing up at the time it told us to arrive to board on our boarding passes

 

Arrive noon at Vancouver, and there is half of the Zuiderdam complement waiting to go through security and customs ahead of us.

 

Two hours to snake through to get on board.

 

Now, barring last minute catastrophes in terms of ship turn around or arrival/mechanical issues, we have the time from leaving cab to walking on ship down to less than about 20 minutes.

 

For the most part, if you can hit the sweet spot where they have kicked off the final guests and opened processing, but just before the airport transfer folks arrive, you breeze through (at least in Vancouver and Seattle)

Booking the most expensive cabin on a cheap ship.

 

Our rule of thumb used to be the opposite--cheap cabin on a good ship. Now we still like good ships, but our taste in cabins has changed...

 

I can't think of any mistakes on our first cruise. We chose well--Holland America to Bermuda! This was in the dark ages before the Internet and CC, but we had my parents and their friends to give us advice based on their cruises.

Not bringing clothes pins or bag clips to hold curtains closed. We were on a 14 day Alaska cruise and it seemed like the sun never set. Lucky our room steward provided us a pair.

Without a doubt, showing up at the time it told us to arrive to board on our boarding passes

 

Arrive noon at Vancouver, and there is half of the Zuiderdam complement waiting to go through security and customs ahead of us.

 

Two hours to snake through to get on board.

 

Now, barring last minute catastrophes in terms of ship turn around or arrival/mechanical issues, we have the time from leaving cab to walking on ship down to less than about 20 minutes.

 

For the most part, if you can hit the sweet spot where they have kicked off the final guests and opened processing, but just before the airport transfer folks arrive, you breeze through (at least in Vancouver and Seattle)

 

 

Excellent! Never thought of that. You may have saved us a big headache. Thanks!;)

Biggest mistake was going on it, came back totally addicted.

I agree with gut2407. Totally addicted! Biggest mistake is taking just a 7 day cruise. All that preparation to leave? It's worth a 30 day cruise at least!

 

 

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My mistake on the first cruise was that it was only 4 Nights. Should have been at least 40 :).

 

Hank

Choosing a tiny cabin with beds that flipped over to sofas during the day.

Choosing itinerary over cruise line.

All of the above! :D

 

Flew in on same day, over packed, over-ate, inside cabin, did my own laundry on board (no laundry service at that time), believed "no tipping required" = "don't tip".

 

BUT, the first cruise is the magical cruise, the one that hooks you. All that service, pampering, good food, entertainment, every port is new and fresh to you.

Booking a tiny interior cabin with upper and lower beds. No chair. No sofa. There were no balconies back then, but we booked an oceanview for the next one.

First mistake. Getting Noro.

Second mistake, not going behind my DW and upgrading the cabin. She got us into a OV cabin thinking it would be okay for the three of us and on the second cruise I secretly upgraded us to a Neptune Suite. Now it is not an issue when booking a NS.

Being dazzled by those getting awards for 100 days of cruising at a Mariners Luncheon (guess this was our second cruise) - wow I said, how could anyone be so lucky to reach 100 whole days on a cruise ship. Impossible.

 

And it seems in an eye blink, we are now over 350 days. Like a lot of good advice, one does it one day at a time. I couldn't have been more mistaken this would be an impossible dream. As we will reach over 400 cruise days before the year is over. So I still pinch myself a lot.

Edited January 18, 2017 by OlsSalt

What would be considered a cheap ship?

It was an old dump that had been retrofitted - this was more than 30 years ago and I didn't cruise again after that experience for more than 20 years.

 

Also, because the cruise was so inexpensive, let's just say that the passengers were interesting. One in particular stands out because she didn't understand that her matching sweatsuit and sweatband wasn't acceptable in the dining room for dinner.

Edited January 18, 2017 by euro cruiser