First time on a cruise all help welcome!

Hi Everyone,

My partner and I are travelling to America together for the first time this September and have booked the celebrity infinity cruise going out from LA for 1 week.

Has anyone any advice for us? :)

We are coming from Ireland and want this trip to be amazing and we are heading to New York before LA.

Thanks

Hi Everyone,

 

My partner and I are travelling to America together for the first time this September and have booked the celebrity infinity cruise going out from LA for 1 week.

Has anyone any advice for us? :)

We are coming from Ireland and want this trip to be amazing and we are heading to New York before LA.

 

Thanks

We have done 9 cruises on Celebrity and it is our favorite cruise line. Not sure what cruise you are doing, perhaps the Pacific Coastal?

Celebrity continues to win awards for its dining. The buffet usually has a waffles station and an Eggs Benedict station if you like those items. There is usually some special dishes for lunch and dinner if you decide to eat there, like Indian food. We usually dine in the main dining room for dinner. You can choose Select Dining and dine when you want, or fixed dining , either early or late. We like Select Dining.

Entertainment is usually good. Also, we love the enclosed pool area which has hot tubs (saunas). Also, there are saunas at the fitness center (traditional German type).

Try to find your roll call for your cruise and find excursions with others, since they are generally cheaper than Celebrity's excursions. One online place that has shore excursions is Viator.

Wishing you a great cruise.

I'll give you my "Three Warnings" for newbies:

1) Expect to spend the rest of your lives planning and looking forward to your next cruise.:cool:

2) Hope your children get scholarships because you will be spending their College Funds on cruises.;p

3) If you don't gain at least 5 pounds, you didn't have enough fun. :D

That looks like a fun itinerary, should be a blast. Nice to see a good local cruise (for me at least). The overnight in SF should be a blast! There is much to do there. Other ports are great as well. Love seeing Catalina on an itinerary. Its a small but quirky little place that I go to often (already have a July and October trip planned!) September should be great for weather as well for all ports! Enjoy. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

1. Look for the hair dryer in the desk drawer - I found it on the last day of our first cruise

2. If you don't have a drink package, the coffee and lemonade in the buffet area is very good. You don't need to spend a lot of money on drinks - if you like wine, bring on two bottles at the beginning of cruise and have a glass of wine in your cabin. We spent less than $100 for drinks (wine and soda) on a 13 day transatlantic cruise and we were just as happy as when we have the classic beverage package.

3. read your dailies and see what is going on for the next day and plan accordingly. We attended some wonderful lectures and presentations.

4. Do not pay full price for anything. If you want to eat in the specialty restaurants - go directly to the restaurant and ask what is the best price that they will give for dinner. Walk away if they don't drop the price down to the $25 or $30 per person range.

Enjoy - we have three more cruises planned in the next 10 months and looking forward to getting away

Hi Bunny,

I think roxie has given you the best advice. I think I wouldadvise you to be like the Scots - have deep pockets and short arms. Don't overpack. You won't need three outfits a day and I'm fairly certain most folksdon't look at your shoes. As advised, read the dailies. There will be atendency to go, see, do everything. You won’t be able to do it all. Makesure you join the roll call for your cruise. You will make new friends and findthose that will love you assist with specific questions. You may even findprivate tours to join in.

Welcome to the UnitedStates.

Bob

Our recommendations would be...

- First day spend at least an hour looking around the ship. Take the Daily Planner with you to begin to orientate what goes on where and when.

- Remember you are on vacation, you can just find a nice sunny spot and 'go with the flow'....don't feel tied to doing anything. Enjoy, at times, doing absolutely nothing!

- imagine your brain is a camera and each time your feel a 'wow' picture it and treasure it....

We are regular cruisers and always enjoy. We also get great fun out of researching possible excursions and pre and post cruise stays....you can get so much more out of a cruise if pre cruise you just put a little effort in....

Sincere best wishes for a fabulous cruise!

If you find your tummy gives you troubles from rough seas, have a green apple from the buffet. Don't know what it is but the crew recommended it and I can attest to the fact that it settles the tummy down.

Lots of good advice here. The pastries in Cafe al Baccio are free without buying the coffee.

If you can find a tour to Alcatraz, it is very interesting (San Francisco port). Pier 39 is a great place to hang out in San Francisco also. Chinatown would be quite novel to you.

here is the roll call for your cruise:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2323232

Have a great cruise and book another while on board. That's the antidote for cruise withdrawal!

Hi Everyone,

 

My partner and I are travelling to America together for the first time this September and have booked the celebrity infinity cruise going out from LA for 1 week.

Has anyone any advice for us? :)

We are coming from Ireland

and want this trip to be amazing and we are heading to New York before LA.

 

Thanks

You will love it. My advice is Ask questions.. there are no stupid or silly ones, except the one you don't ask.

Take the drinks package.. never met anyone from from North or South Ireland that hasnt enjoyed a drink ;) if it came with your booking that's great, if not, I'd buy it, saves all that worrying about the end of cruise bill.

Enjoy the build up..

S-Duck:halo:

We were on a Celebrity cruise three weeks ago. It was our second cruise ever. The first was last October. We have been to Ireland three times. Two of our daughters are leaving for Ireland next Saturday. The biggest thing we found on both cruises is the attitude of all the people. It reminded us of all the people in Ireland. Most of the people are extremely friendly. You guys will feel right at home.

:DS

We have done 9 cruises on Celebrity and it is our favorite cruise line. Not sure what cruise you are doing, perhaps the Pacific Coastal?

 

Celebrity continues to win awards for its dining. The buffet usually has a waffles station and an Eggs Benedict station if you like those items. There is usually some special dishes for lunch and dinner if you decide to eat there, like Indian food. We usually dine in the main dining room for dinner. You can choose Select Dining and dine when you want, or fixed dining , either early or late. We like Select Dining.

 

Entertainment is usually good. Also, we love the enclosed pool area which has hot tubs (saunas). Also, there are saunas at the fitness center (traditional German type).

 

Try to find your roll call for your cruise and find excursions with others, since they are generally cheaper than Celebrity's excursions. One online place that has shore excursions is Viator.

 

Wishing you a great cruise.

Thanks so much for all your advice. Can't wait to go now 😁😁

Bring twice as much money as you think you will need and half the clothes you think you will need. Most people over pack!

Half the fun is planning. Are you spending time in New York? There is an unending list of things to do in that city.

Explore the ship on the first day and get familiar with it.

Don't enter any drawing unless you want to be bombarded with mail every day announcing some "sale"

Most free similar are just infomercials trying to entice you to sign up for a program or selling something.

Don't chase after things that others recommend or say are a must do. We have done it a few times and afterwards looked at each other and wonder why we wasted our time. Eat what you like and do what you like to do. It is your cruise and not theirs.

Read the daily planner and do things that are interesting to you. Do as much as possible.

You will find that many things overlap and don't worry about it. It will be an excuse for another cruise.

Don't worry or get upset over or let something trivial ruin the rest of your cruise. just forget about it.

If there is a problem go to Guest Relations and get it corrected. Don't wait until the end of the cruise.

Be friendly with the stafff and always smile and be polite, and they will appreciate it.

Enjoy the cruise.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

Thank everyone for all this great advice. I really appreciate it all xxx

The Aqua Spa Café in the Solarium is for everyone, not just Aqua Class. It isn't usually crowded and offers healthier fare. The desserts and pastries at Café al Baccio are free even though the coffees and teas aren't unless you have a beverage package. I often take smoked salmon and capers to the omelet station at the Ocean View Café and ask for them to be included with my omelet. You can take drinks from one place to another on the ship, including your cabin. Room service is free (there are some extra fee items) and can be ordered from your stateroom TV (except late night there is a small charge) There is a waffle station all the way at the back of the Infinity Buffet that also offers paninis at lunchtime.

Cabin walls are magnetic so we bring strong magnetic hooks to add to storage space or for holding notes etc.

More than anything, you will discover that cruise ships are the land of YES. The crew is eager to please, and extremely helpful. Enjoy yourselves.

Hi Everyone,

 

My partner and I are travelling to America together for the first time this September and have booked the celebrity infinity cruise going out from LA for 1 week.

Has anyone any advice for us? :)

We are coming from Ireland and want this trip to be amazing and we are heading to New York before LA.

 

Thanks

Go to the "Roll Call" forum and you can talk to other people going on your cruise. I'm on the Oct 1st sailing out of LA on the Infinity. They usually set up a cruise critic get together on one of the sea days and sometimes a few other activities like slot pull, cabin crawl etc.

Carefully read the daily list of activities and events. You do not want to be at the end of the cruise saying "I would have liked that if only I had known about it."

Above all, if you have any questions during the cruise ask either staff or fellow passengers you have met. No question you have will be foolish.

Hi Everyone, My partner and I are travelling to America together for the first time this September and have booked the celebrity infinity cruise going out from LA for 1 week. Has anyone any advice for us? :) We are coming from Ireland and want this trip to be amazing and we are heading to New York before LA. Thanks

Ask for a water pitcher and ice bucket for your cabin. They are provided at no charge and refilled twice each day (when they service your room), but you need to request them initially.

You may also ask your stateroom attendant to empty the mini-bar in your stateroom, if you would like to use that space for your own drinks or snacks. (They will charge you if you consume any of the drinks or snacks that they have provided there, so many of us just ask to have them removed.)

When you first board the ship, you will receive a copy of Celebrity Today, listing the activities for the first day. They almost always offer a free guided tour of the ship on the first day, and it tells you when and where to meet for it. That is about the easiest way to learn your way around the ship.

If you study the deck plans before you leave home, and then take a tour when you board the ship, you should feel right at home by the second or third day.

Every evening, your stateroom attendant will leave you a copy of Celebrity Today listing the activities for the following day. If you and your partner each want your own copy, just ask your stateroom attendant to leave you 2 copies each evening. Also, extra copies are available each day in the racks by Guest Relations on deck 3, as well as daily news pages in several languages.

A community bulletin board in the same vicinity lists events that are organized by the passengers themselves. (For example, some may post that they are looking for others to play bridge, or basketball, or whatever.)

Don't miss the wonderful thallasotherapy pool (warm mineral water indoor pool) on deck 10 near the front of the ship. It is free, and towels are provided right there so you don't need to bring your own towels from your cabin.

Also, free saunas are available in the nearby locker rooms (men's on the starboard side, women's on the port side).

Use of the equipment in the fully equipped gym up at the front of deck 10 is also free (although there is a charge for some of the classes offered there).

You can walk on a treadmill and enjoy looking at the scenery through the big windows right in front of you.

There is a charge for the gelato on deck 5, but the ice-cream and sorbet on deck 10 (by the starboard entrance to the buffet) is free, and very good.

You can just help yourself to the free beverages at the buffet as you wish -- coffee, hot or iced teas, milk, hot chocolate, juice, lemonade, fruit punch.

Some of the beverages there are changed at different times of day.

There is a nice outdoor deck with tables and chairs behind the buffet at the back of deck 10, a great place to enjoy a meal in nice weather, or just to enjoy the views.

Someone already mentioned eating green apples if you start feeling queasy. If you need something stronger, meclizine (generic bonine) is handed out free of charge at Guest Relations, in the middle of the ship on deck 3. Just ask for it. It is best to get some before you need it to keep in your cabin.

There should be hang tags in your cabin to fill out and hang on the outside of your stateroom door each night before retiring, if you want to receive room service breakfast the following morning. You can just order tea or coffee if you prefer.

Often, if you write in items that are not already listed on the menu, within reason, they will provide them, if available

There is an interactive menu on the tv screen in your statement where you can order room service at any time of day, check your onboard account, even book excursions. It is worth checking out to see what is available there.

It is very easy to set wake-up calls or reminder calls on the telephone in your stateroom. The telephone has voice mail and there are house phones located throughout the ship, so you and your partner can easily leave messages for each other without needing to walk all the way back to your stateroom each time.

Welcome to the USA.

Hope this visit will be the first of many more to follow.

Enjoy a wonderful cruise.

Bring a yellow high lighter and use it on you daily activities sheet. Visit the Martini Bar - wonderful martinis and the staff usually puts on a great show! Enjoy.

The most important thing to do before you board is to decide you will like it! Being grumpy because of a preconceived idea isn't happening can taint a beautiful experience. Have fun! Let go! Enjoy!

So much good advice, just a warning - cruising is highly addictive - have fun!

Hi Bunny,

All the advice you received above is very helpful and will, no doubt, be very useful to you. If you have a Drinks Package as part of your deal, great. I have found, previously, that drinks can prove expensive, over the course of a week (or longer), even if you are only drinking sparingly or just minerals.

Have a great holiday. I am really looking forward to my cruise to Alaska in September.

Enjoy.

Kath

Thanks so much I'm learning lots of great info.

I do have a the classic drinks package booked? I hope the selection on this is good.

Is it easy to book the spa for hair etc?

Booking day excursions for San Francisco anyone have an recommendations for a company we good get it all done in one day?

Thanks again xx