"I wish I knew before..."

[GlendaleCruiser]

No, you are not expected to tip for dinner every night. Many people save their tips for those who serve them in the MDR daily & give a tip at the end of the cruise . Many people also give their cabin stewards a tip at the end.

 

I think when people suggest taking bills in $1's they are to give a $1 or $2 for room service, for those who take your bags at port etc. There will be instances where you may want to tip and some where you may not.

 

Ditto that. Room service, porters at the dock for luggage.

 

Remember, though, when you get a drink the 15% gratuity is included in the tab you sign. There is a place to add more tip but you don't need to add more.

 

DON'T FALL FOR IT UNKNOWINGLY:eek:

[Goldmoon]

I'm going on my first cruise in a month as a solo traveler - VERY excited about the trip. I just read through the entire thread (!) and have a bunch of questions:

 

1. What do you use highlighters for? I saw someone mention using them to circle things, but can't you just use a pen or make a list in a notebook? Am I missing something?

 

You get a daily newsletter (each shipline calls it something different) and it lists all the things to do on the ship for the day.. music shows, the shows, art, cooking classes, teas, you name it it's on there for the days activities... and people high light what they don't want to miss and fold it and carry it with them.

 

2. When people are talking about baggage vs carryon, can your carryon be a small rollerboard (like a carryon for a plane)? I never check bags when I travel and would prefer to keep all of my things with me.

 

Just depends on how much you pack... dh has a sleep apnia machine we put in our carry on and with that along with our clothes.. everything just won't fit in a small carry on. But there are some that even use a large back pack....

 

3. Is there anything different about a cruise ship room than a typical hotel room, other than size? I stay in hotels 3-4 nights/week for business, so I'm pretty used to how to pack and not duplicate what they will provide for me, but all this about duct tape and binder clips and highlighters and extra hairdryers is making me wonder if this is going to be very different than my usual travels...

 

On the Carnival.. the space in the bathroom is ample to put away all your bathroom needs for 2. The hairdryer works just isnt a very high powered one or very hot one. Many bring a highlighter to mark on the daily paper what they don't want to miss doing for the day... the duct tape to tape hems.. broken items torn suitcase etc... binder clips.. i have no idea... The room size is smaller than a hotel room unless you get a suite. But the storage is actually much greater than a hotel room... closet space has more and the desk is nice size with drawer space. The suitcases will slide under the bed to free up floor space. Now on the Princess the room and the bathroom was much smaller. Each ship line varies slightly.

 

4. My cruise line (Celebrity) says that that the earliest I can book my flight home is 12pm. Is that true? I am heading back to work for a half day so if it's possible to take an earlier flight, I'd love to do that. I have security clearance at the airport thanks to my job, so it only takes me 5 mins or so to go through, and I typically don't arrive more than 35 minutes before takeoff for domestic flights.

 

Thing is you might be late getting off the ship.... and you dont want to miss your flight.. It takes time getting all the 2600 people off and you don't know where you are going to be on that list... you might only take 5 minutes at the airport but not through Carnival...

 

5. Everyone keeps saying to bring tons of money. I'm looking at the cruise as a quick long weekend getaway and am NOT looking to spend a ton of money, as I'm not really considering it a big vacation. I just want to relax, read, work out, and eat whatever food is provided at the buffet. Probably won't be drinking much and I definitely don't intend to shop. Is the cost really going to be that much more than just the price of the cruise? I was picking a cruise just as an alternative to booking an all inclusive resort, but was planning to just use it as a traveling hotel...

 

That is what I love about a cruise.. you can actually go on a cruise and not spend a dime except for the gratuities... and (tips for room service if you use it). I would bring a little just in case you change your mind or decide you want a beer.... And you might meet some people and want to go off board ship and do some stuff.

 

6. Is water onboard not potable? I keep reading to bring as much water as you can carry... is that just if you are fussy about your bottled water?

 

Most people are fussy about thier water... my son and daughter will not drink anything but bottled water. To save though check and see if Celebrity will allow you to bring a 12 pk of soft drinks on board...

 

7. I'm in my mid-20s and would love to meet some people around my age... any suggestions on how to do that? I'm pretty friendly/sociable :)

 

Check the forums Celebrity roll calls and the date you are leaving.. you will get preaquainted with ppl before you even leave.... and sometimes they even have meet and greet set up onboard ship... Eat in the dining room at night.. they will set you up at a big table hopefully with people your own age and should meet ppl that way too....

 

VERY excited - thank you all for the great advice so far!

 

have fun congrads on first cruise

[cruisin_cutie]

And if you find an appertizer you really like, ask your waiter to have the chef turn in into an entree size. The chefs are more than really to please everyone.

 

never thought of that one!! i wonder if i can get entree size escargot :D

[swedie]

I have an ATM card for cash withdrawals ONLY and is NOT usable as a debit card. It is linked to my savings account. I found out the hard way that credit cards are not used in Europe as widely as in the U.S. I checked with Bank of America and gave them my travel itinerary before leaving the US. I found that Bank of America is affiliated with Barclays Bank and Deutsche Banks in Europe.

Once there I was only able to use my ATM card ONCE!!! Couldn't find the other banks! I found out I also needed my card to be a debit card in order to use other ATM machines, even with the transaction fees. Thank goodness I was traveling with friends who were able to front me any money I needed until we returned home.

So...

my most important thing to know before leaving....

Check that your ATM card is also a debit card showing either the MasterCard or Visa logo on it!

[suzyed]

Although we are fairly new on CruiseCritic.com, we have spent a lot of time on it since we booked our Panama Canal Cruise on the Island Princess about eight weeks ago. We investigated ports of call, excursions, specialty restaurants, etc.

 

 

We had seen people doing the Chef's Table last year on the Golden Princess and it looked like a lot of fun. The more that we read or saw, the more that we were convinced that we should do it. People who had done it previously seemed virtually unanimous in their praise. Vickie and Bernie's review and video and a couple of others were particularly compelling.

 

 

The Chef's Table became our primary goal for our October 6, San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale cruise. Since we would be joining this repositioning cruise two days after its origin in Vancouver (and we knew that we would not be arriving at the pier as early as some people), we were worried that we might not be high enough on the list to make the cut.

 

 

Fortunately, we ended up in the first of evidently four Chef's Tables on this 15 day sailing – that is 40 successful passengers with 8 on a waiting list (and this was without any promotion or announcement in the Princess Patter, etc.). We were very happy to get our preliminary notification about participation and the Health and Safety Agreement. We turned in our agreement quickly, then received the formal invitation.

 

 

On the appointed evening, we met Silvio Zampieri (Maitre D') and George Coteanu (Assistant Maitre D') in the atrium, donned our chef's coats and were escorted to the temporary tasting area in the galley. Here we were met by Executive Chef Klaus Baumgarten. Klaus is German born, but now lives in Florida. He is very focused and passionate about food.

 

 

Neither our words or photographs will do justice to the experience, so we are sharing some general impressions rather than a detailed critique of each dish. We were served four appetizers with our Champagne in the galley. The Blue Crab Margarita with Avocado and Mango, and Braised Escargots in Vol-au-Vent were our favorites, but all were excellent. Klaus entertained the group with thoughtful and in depth answers to a diverse range of questions about his background, the restaurant business, staffing, Chain De Rotisseur, menu planning, etc. Silvio and George also remained with us in the galley – they added humorous jabs and ensured there were no empty Champagne flutes (Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top Brut).

 

 

 

We then moved to the Bordeaux Dining Room and got to know the other four couples. Three from Florida and one from New York. Only one of the couples (from Boca Raton) had previously been on a Chef's Table. We talked about CruiseCritic and the Florida State vs LSU football game.

 

A very nice Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio was served as the Risotto with Asparagus and Lobster Tail and Claws were plated nearby. The Risotto was fantastic!

 

Every component of the Potted Stilton with Port Wine reduction, Walnuts and Rosemary Biscotti was great.

 

 

 

The famous Bloody Mary Sorbet was served as a palate cleanser. Doug regretted finishing his quickly so that could not rationalize accepting the offer of a Grey Goose top off when they came around again with the bottle.

 

The meat course was a trio of beef, pork, and veal tenderloins flambe-d nearby. The accompanying sauces were great – we especially liked the Cafe de Paris Butter for the beef and the garlicky Salsa Verde for the pork and veal. A Ferrari-Carano Merlot was served.

 

The desserts were beautiful in presentation and taste. The sugar sails were too pretty to eat and Peggy felt an emotional loss when they were crushed after our plates were bused. A late harvest Chilean Sauvignon Blanc was served.

 

Silvio, Klaus, George and some of the senior waiters attended to our group during the whole three hours. They continued to answer questions and tell amusing stories throughout the evening. There was nothing to up-sell, cross-sell or promote other than having a great time and special meal.

 

The only disappointment of the evening was the loss by Florida to LSU – the news of which arrived by text message. Fortunately only two members of the table had fits of uncontrollable sobbing (and we both have different recollections of this part of the evening, so there may have been more or no sobbing).

 

The ladies received a rose. Each couple received two group photographs and a coffee table cookbook.

 

 

 

 

The quality of food, personal attention, and uniqueness of the Chef's Table made this the most memorable event that we ever had on a cruise ship. We had very high expectations and they were exceeded.

 

I guess from a self interest standpoint, we should try to keep the Chef's Table as secret as possible. However, it would be selfish not to share the experience.

Summary:

We would heartily recommend the Chef's Table for anybody except picky eaters or people with restricted diets. More than worth the price. Highly memorable!

We had the same menu that you had at our first Chef's Table dinner on the Ruby! Unfortunately we got the same bad news during our sailing (FL lost)..but we still had a wonderful dinner and would highly recommend this lovely experience!

[Athankfulheart]

I am only up to pg 19 so far but wanted to recommend a product for avoiding blisters. I bought it at Walgreens and its called Blistop. Its a tiny aeresol can and it forms a clear barrier over your skin. I discovered it when I needed to wear thong sandals in a major production number and I have always found the thong part to be incredible painful. This stuff solved my problem and no more pain.

[kjmaclean]

Do not email yourself any important personal docs. Once they're sent, they could be floating around the Internet and hackers may be able to retrieve them. Just take a pic with ur cellphone if u want.

:D

 

An alternative is to scan or record all important information, and put into a Draft email - DON'T email it to yourself. You can access this draft email directly from your email account.

 

Karon

[kjmaclean]

I have a suggestion also about the comfortable walking shoes. Even if you have comfortable walking shoes, and I do, I found I was still getting blisters on my toes so my solution to this is to use vasaline before putting on my socks on the mornings I am planning to walk miles and miles etc. So something else to add to the things that you might find necessary to enjoy your cruise.

There are actual products made for people who run/jog - like Body Glide. You can apply this product wherever your skin tends to rub together, like thighs, under arms, bra lines, etc., and it also works on your feet to avoid developing blisters. Works great for long treks.

 

Karon

[GlendaleCruiser]

never thought of that one!! i wonder if i can get entree size escargot :D

 

 

I usually just say, "bring me two". They will bring one appetizer and when I'm done they bring the other one.

[michelle1836]

We use zip-ties. TSA can cut them off if necessary. We stick a couple un-used ones inside the bag and find that usually they'll re-ziptie the zippers for us if they have to do an inspection.

 

Luggage locks are easy to open these days; if not, they're just cut off and thrown away. We obviously don't pack valuables (electronics, jewelry, etc) in our checked baggage. If someone wants to steal my drawers, well they probably need 'em more than I do! :)

 

If you do use zip ties please remember to put a small pair of scissors in one of the outside pockets of your suitcase!!!! otherwise you wont be able to open your suitcase! just sayin' :rolleyes:

[GlendaleCruiser]

No, you are not expected to tip for dinner every night. Many people save their tips for those who serve them in the MDR daily & give a tip at the end of the cruise . Many people also give their cabin stewards a tip at the end.

 

I think when people suggest taking bills in $1's they are to give a $1 or $2 for room service, for those who take your bags at port etc. There will be instances where you may want to tip and some where you may not.

 

 

Yes, and I hope that Stockton111 isn't too confused, but the easiest, less hassle way is to leave on the "auto-tips", take $singles for room service tips, and tip extra above the auto tip when you get extra out of the ordinary service.

 

Works for me.:D

[criseaver]

I'm sure many will disagree, but I feel like I need to post our experience for any other families who may be like ours. First, let me say our Carnival Conquest staff were excellent. This is just from our point of view -- our perspective.

 

After cruising for a week on the Conquest, we realized, for our family, we'll prefer flying to an island and staying there in a resort or condo next time. Our favorite parts of the cruise were the stops at the islands. But, we felt rushed (with two boys) to squeeze in everything we wanted to see/do. Also, we were surprised that much of the cruise activities are catered to adults, unless your children participate in the kids' clubs. We, however, wanted to stay together for much of the time. The shows at night were not kid-friendly (due to the attire of the dancers -- which Carnival makes very clear in the daily itineraries so no one's surprised) and the family comedians were not quite as conservative with their jokes as we'd have preferred. It seemed like every time we turned around, we were being offered liqour. Also, we were unable to enjoy one another's company on the decks due to the loud music.

 

I totally realize this is absolutely appealing to many people & different people enjoy different vacations. There are no complaints on our end with any of it because we were never told it would be a conservative, family-friendly environment. Again, this is the opinion of one family.

[Marian Paroo]

There are no complaints on our end with any of it because we were never told it would be a conservative, family-friendly environment. Again, this is the opinion of one family.

 

Some people apparently find them very family friendly.

 

Different people, different families have different definitions of "family friendly."

[SuiteTraveler]

I learned on these boards that you could call RCCL to book the chef's table in advance - I wish I had known that ahead of time!

 

Bring a number of ziploc bags, especially for Europe or anywhere you might be buying small bottles of liquid to bring home such as olive oil, balsamic vinegar, etc. Seal each bottle in the plastic bag, roll it, then put it in a larger vinyl bag with clothes on each side in your checked luggage for transportation back to the states. In doing this, I've never had one break or make any kind of mess at all.

 

Check on the internet prior to cruising Europe for items you are likely to buy. Things such as the full silk hand embroidered Spanish shawls, pottery, etc, are easy to purchase on the internet and much cheaper! If you find something big that you can't bring back easily, have the store ship it to you. (Try to remember what you bought because US customs will ask and the label is likely to be written in another language - mine was in Italian. Fortunately, I understand Italian and what I had forgotten, I was able to translate for them! LOL!)

[michelle1836]

I'm sure many will disagree, but I feel like I need to post our experience for any other families who may be like ours. First, let me say our Carnival Conquest staff were excellent. This is just from our point of view -- our perspective.

 

After cruising for a week on the Conquest, we realized, for our family, we'll prefer flying to an island and staying there in a resort or condo next time. Our favorite parts of the cruise were the stops at the islands. But, we felt rushed (with two boys) to squeeze in everything we wanted to see/do. Also, we were surprised that much of the cruise activities are catered to adults, unless your children participate in the kids' clubs. We, however, wanted to stay together for much of the time. The shows at night were not kid-friendly (due to the attire of the dancers -- which Carnival makes very clear in the daily itineraries so no one's surprised) and the family comedians were not quite as conservative with their jokes as we'd have preferred. It seemed like every time we turned around, we were being offered liqour. Also, we were unable to enjoy one another's company on the decks due to the loud music.

 

I totally realize this is absolutely appealing to many people & different people enjoy different vacations. There are no complaints on our end with any of it because we were never told it would be a conservative, family-friendly environment. Again, this is the opinion of one family.

 

sorry it wasnt quite what you were hoping for. perhaps when your children are older you can try again? :)

[kruzkween]

criseaver...I understand completely what you mean about loud music and not so "family friendly" on the Carnival Conquest. In my cruising experience, it has everything to do with which cruise line you sail. Carnival has always been knows as being all about loud music, drinking & party, party, party. In my opinion, they cater to the young adults, and some older adults, who love that lifestyle. Some of the other cruise lines aren't so much into that "lifestyle", many actually. If you are sailing on the Conquest because of it sailing from Galveston, Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, and beginning in Nov. this year the Mariner of the Seas, are better choices. Then from Dec. 2012 till April 2013 Princess will be sailing the Crown Princess from Galveston. These are much better choices! It's unfortunate that you were not given sufficient information by your travel agent so that you could have made a more acceptable choice for your family. Disney would probably be the most "family friendly" cruise line, but I don't know what age your children are.

 

I'm really sorry that your cruise experience wasn't what you wanted or expected, but don't give up yet; try again with another cruise line and I bet you'll find exactly what you're looking for.

 

Blessings,

kruzkween

[GlendaleCruiser]

criseaver...I understand completely what you mean about loud music and not so "family friendly" on the Carnival Conquest. In my cruising experience, it has everything to do with which cruise line you sail. Carnival has always been knows as being all about loud music, drinking & party, party, party. In my opinion, they cater to the young adults, and some older adults, who love that lifestyle. Some of the other cruise lines aren't so much into that "lifestyle", many actually. If you are sailing on the Conquest because of it sailing from Galveston, Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, and beginning in Nov. this year the Mariner of the Seas, are better choices. Then from Dec. 2012 till April 2013 Princess will be sailing the Crown Princess from Galveston. These are much better choices! It's unfortunate that you were not given sufficient information by your travel agent so that you could have made a more acceptable choice for your family. Disney would probably be the most "family friendly" cruise line, but I don't know what age your children are.

 

I'm really sorry that your cruise experience wasn't what you wanted or expected, but don't give up yet; try again with another cruise line and I bet you'll find exactly what you're looking for.

 

Blessings,

kruzkween

 

That has not been my experience at all. Perhaps the OP could cruise other than Spring break and 7 days or more. I've never seen drunks, only families.

[Marian Paroo]

"Family Friendly" is in the eye of the beholder.

 

I've seen some "family friendly" stuff that is downright hostile to some of the families in my neighborhood!

[SeaboundQT]

Oh yes- You must turn off wi fi and also put it in airplane mode. Then it's just an itouch.

 

 

you actually don't have to turn off your wifi on the iPhone - you just have to turn your DATA ROAMING off, and you will be fine. (wifi doesn't use data roaming, so that can be left on). (this is exactly what i did in Mexico and i had zero charges). :)

Edited March 17, 2011 by SeaboundQT

[goodroe]

Used a hard-sided suitcase that opened flat for shoe storage under the bed. Just pull it out and all the shoes are right there. With 3 women sharing a cabin - we had a lot of shoes!! Much easier to find than putting them into closet or trying to fit into hanging shoe bag.

 

For Alaska cruise bought a pair of BASS rubber-soled leather boat shoes. They were terrific for wearing on the boat as well as land tours. Too cold for me to wear sandals and find hiking shoes/boots too heavy or hot.

 

Next cruise will pack fewer shoes, though - (or maybe not).

 

Thanks for all the really great ideas.:)

[larkie25]

To the person who said the pools use sea water. I seriously doubt that. Some pools are saltly because that is how they balance the chemicals. Many pools use chlorine as a chemical but it can smell bad. To avoid this but keep pools clean and sanitary some pools use salt. The chemical symbol for chlorine is CL, for salt it's NaCL. So, what happens is there is a kind of transmitter in the pool that changes the NaCL into CL and Na seperately. So you have the CL doing it's job without smelling and the salt is left over giving the pool a slightly salty flavor. But I try not to drink the pool water! :eek:

 

Quote:

"Sea water. They fill the pools when they leave port and generally drain them and keep them empty in port for safety. They seem to be purified somehow, but not sure of the method. They look like any other pool, but salty"

[mollyn2003]

I wish I'd known then . . .

 

10. To mail a package to myself at the first-night hotel, a package containing all my toiletries. It completely eliminates the problem of flying with liquids. Last summer I picked up a $14 pre-paid mailer (stuff as much as you want into that package) that held my family of four's toiletries for three weeks. (It was packed tightly, but it had everything from shaving cream to sunscreen.) I called a couple days ahead and verified that it was waiting for us at our first night hotel. So much easier than bothering with the 3-ounces and ziplocks. This plan also allowed my husband to have his pocket knife.

 

 

This is a GREAT idea!! I've not heard of it before but so smart!!

[katswt]

#1 Don't buy the photo's they are very pricey and tend to wrinkle on the way home.

# 2 Take wine to drink in your cabin , you can bring 2 bottles of wine on board at every stop . Average mixed drink costs $ 7.50 . Beer $ 6.00.

# 3 Rent the formal ware from the ship saves a lot of weight and worry.

# 4 Use public transit at the ports , so much cheaper.

# 5 Stick to 1 cruise line , perks add up fast for frequentcruisers.Freedrinks , free laundry , free internet , free spa,s .

# 6 If you can do it, don't take a lap top Internet cafe's available at most ports,there are computers on board ( Air time is 56 - 65 cents a minute and very slowwwwwwwwwww average e mail can cost $ 4- 5) not worth it !

 

This quote is from an early post in this thread...can you really bring wine from each island on board?? I thought it was only allowed at embarkation.

[colonialinnkeeper]

I can't say about every island but we have traveled all over the Caribbean and Europe. When we find a wine we want to try (sometimes local) we bring it on board in the same way we do at embarkation. Many times we'll drink it while getting ready for dinner. If we bring it to the dining room we pay a corkage charge and tip the wine steward or waiter. Part of travel is experiencing the local offerings wherever you are.

[kruzkween]

Check your cruise line's policy about bringing wine on board...some will let and some absolutely will not. Know what to expect before you go, it will save you lots of frustration and disappointment.

 

kruzkween