TheDivineMrsM

Okay, how to I leave that little picture of the ship we're cruising on in my signature line? Some people have ones that say how many months/days they have before they sail.

Thanks to all who replied, I made a list using most of the tips here and will be giving it to my sister.

I definitely think lanyards for the kids is a great idea.

Oh, they give out free lanyards? (going on RCI) Because I thought I had to take my own, and I don't have any, so that's why the question; I didn't know if I should buy a few at the dollar store.

Last summer, DH and I took a lovely 3 day bus tour to Nashville, Tennessee. We were given lanyards with I think our name tag attached that identified us and the other 40 or so passengers on the bus as belonging to that tour company. DH and I wore them the first day and got familiar with the faces in our crowd. After the first day, we didn't wear them and felt very comfortable that we wouldn't get 'lost' or 'misplaced', but there were a number of people who wore the lanyards the whole trip. I actually thought it was adorable.

Ha, ha, I got a chuckle out of 'brush day'...sounds like 'happy birthday' spoken by a drunk!

"Er...uh....happy brrrushday, honey!"

So are you saying that a room will be designated "obstructed view" when you book it? We booked through a travel agent and requested a balcony room in the middle of the ship. Nothing on our information says it's an obstructed view, but I wonder if being on the 7th floor if there is a possibility it could be.

Should the three of us each keep our key card on a lanyard? Or how about one of those wrist band type lanyard? What works best?

Uh oh. So you have an ubstructed balcony view due to lifeboats on deck 7?

To the OP and anyone else with cruise experience, do you think July might be the time when more kids are on board? I don't mind kids at all, I work as an aide at an elementary school so I have lots of experience with them. I just wondered if by the middle of August more families with children are gearing up for school and not still vacationing as there are often August activities like band and football practice where daily attendance of student participants is required? Or does the time of year or month matter? Just curious.

I asked this on another forum and someone suggested I post it here. Is there an ice bucket in the room? I read that some people take a collapsible cooler in their luggage and ask the steward to keep it filled with ice. I don't know that I want to go to all that trouble, but will have a couple bottles of wine I'd like to keep cold, even if it's one bottle at a time in an ice bucket.

Oh! Hey, it worked! Thanks!

Okay, I guess I'm a little confused. The avatar worked, but I didn't get a profile photo. Can you have both? I got the sun face with sunglasses. Now I changed it to see if my photo will go in place of it.

Testing....1, 2, 3...

Okay, thanks for the run-down. I tried it and am posting now to see if it worked. Apparently, I tried it before, because I already had a photo on there, but it hasn't ever appeared on the website by my name. I deleted it and added a different photo. I also selected an avatar. Thanks for all the help so far.

How do I go about posting a photo of me along with my poster name?

We booked excursions to snorkel at one port and do a dolphin encounter at another thru the cruise line. Do I need to keep stuff like money, credit card and room key in a waterproof pouch under my swimsuit? Or are lockers provided? What's the best option here?

One more thing; when snorkeling with a camera, do I keep that on a cord around my neck? Or a wrist strap?

So you're saying to get a lounger at the pool get there very early? The pool that. Is on the top of the ship? Eat breakfast then. Get out there? Going on my first cruise soon.

Some people say they take a collapsible cooler in their luggage then have the room steward keep it stocked with ice. Do the rooms not have an ice bucket? We plan to take a couple bottles of wine with us as permitted by RCI.

Thanks, everyone. I will let you know how things go and will be happy to offer my point of view to the other newbies upon our return. Thanks so much, you're all so sweet.

Last year about this time I started gathering information about taking a cruise. Someone suggested this site and wow, has it ever proved beneficial. I've gleaned an incredible amount of advice starting with what kind of room to book (we went with a balcony in the middle of the ship) to understanding the dining set-up, drink packages, tipping and alcohol policies, packing and excursion questions and even door decorating, which, yes, I have already created a small something to post on our door; I love that we can show a touch of our personalities (husband, son and I) in that way.

So I'd like to thank everyone who's taken time to answer the many big and small questions I've asked and for all the details you've shared about your own experiences. I realize we may still encounter a glitch or two along the way on our cruise, but the knowledge gained from this website will allow us an enjoyable trip in ways that wouldn't have been possible without this forum.

Setting sail next month. Thanks all!

blondie, you've given me something to think about but then again, sue's advice is sound as well.

Thanks for the replies. I will check out the Alaska and camera forums. Well, at least I know what camera I'm taking! I just wasn't sure if there was a 'most popular' type binocular. With so many selections, the choice can be overwhelming. I agree about not wanting to lug around a big heavy one.

What kind of information do we leave for family at home in case they need to get in touch with us?

On the chance that someone 'back home' needs to reach us, how do they go about doing that? What's the best way they can get a hold of us. Our phones will be off for the trip.

I just read a thread about what people see from their balconies. Please recommend a good pair of binoculars for the cruise. I have a small pair already but am considering the purchase of another.

Not sure what a water spout is. Love the photos, but that rainbow one...my, my, my, spectacular!!!

How does that work? Do all photos have to be purchased at the time of the cruise? Or are you able to access them later at home on the computer and possibly select one or two you like?