First time cruiser - requesting suggestions and info

[TNTwiggy]

I am a first time cruiser and am taking my daughters on a cruise for their birthdays. We are going on the Grandeur of the Seas out of Tampa. There is little info on the meals, things to do both on the ship and in port. There are options for excursions but no info on the value and fun of the different options. What are the things we need to make sure we do not miss. What do we need to make sure to bring on this cruise. We will be on the boat over New Year's! Any suggestions or info will be greatly appreciated.

[ponygirlgt1]

Hi TNTwiggy!

 

I would be interested in answers to your post as well! My family is going on this cruise in April. It will be the first cruise for our children (6 and 10) and only the second for us!

[amybeth4]

Don't worry NOW about what to do onboard. Every evening you'll get a "Cruise Compass" in your cabin which will tell you EVERY SINGLE THING going on the next day, what time the restaurants are open, what time you dock, the weather, the shows, etc, etc, etc. What I DO suggest you bring is a highlighter. Nothing easier than deciding what to do the night before, highlighting each thing, and then periodically glancing at the Compass the next day.

 

Don't miss "Quest" though. It's an adult scavanger hunt. Lots of silly fun (and generally rated PG-13, not PG).

 

The Grandeur is a beautiful ship!

[arlodog]

I am a first time cruiser and am taking my daughters on a cruise for their birthdays. We are going on the Grandeur of the Seas out of Tampa. There is little info on the meals, things to do both on the ship and in port. There are options for excursions but no info on the value and fun of the different options. What are the things we need to make sure we do not miss. What do we need to make sure to bring on this cruise. We will be on the boat over New Year's! Any suggestions or info will be greatly appreciated.

 

Please let us know the ages of your daughters and then people can let you know what their own kids have enjoyed on the Grandeur. As for meals, there will be lots of options. Please take the oportunity and use the dining room at least for the evening meal. You will really enjoy taking time for a great meal and getting dressed up a bit in the evening is part of the fun of cruising for us at least!

 

As for excursions, check out the port of call threads on these boards for some suggestions on what to do in each port. You may want to book directly with one of the private guides on an island. We have had great excursions thanks to the friendly folks on this site. There will be guides who are recommended frequently and will give you a great experience for less money, and more personalized to what you will enjoy than the cruise line excursions.

 

As for what to bring--lots of threads on clothes and accessories to bring. Just my opinion--I always pack too many clothes and never need them all. You will want to bring more money than you think you will need--never know when you will find something you can't live wthout!

 

Hope this helps!

[klingoncruiser]

My daughter up to about age 12 loved the kids program. We could not pry her out of there. After that she found lots of other things to do. Don't worry, every one will find more to do than there are hours to do it all in. You will have a ball and then you will join the rest of us here at Cruiseaholic's Central! :D

[TNTwiggy]

Thanks so much for the replys. We are so excited to go! Doing Universal for a few days and then driving over to Tampa for the cruise. My daughters are 25 and 16...my older one can enjoy the adult experiences. My younger one is bringing a friend. Any info on the teen club would be great. We are stopping in Key West (can't wait!) and planning to do the Conch Train tour there and either rent bikes or just walk around the city visiting restaurants, landmarks, etc. I thought about booking a snorkeling excursion in Grand Cayman...any comments? We also though about the swimming with the dolphins....is it worth the money? Do we need to take beach towels? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

Do I need to pack any random stuff for the scavenger hunt or will everything be on the ship?

 

Also, on the days at sea, how early do we need to get out to the pool in order to get a chair?

 

Thanks!

[printingchick]

My daughter LOVED the teen club. She and her friend seemed to know every teenager on the ship by the time we disembarked!

 

As others have said, be sure to bring a pen or a highlighter to note the "Can't Miss" offerings on your Cruise Compass. There will be so much to do.

 

The "Sexy Legs" contest is hilarious, as is the belly flop contest. The pool will be crowded on sea days. You may have to scrounge around to locate seats together, but I've never been one to rush out to the pool at 6AM to get a prime-location lounge chair. You'll find chairs, although you may have to circle for a while.

 

No need to pack random stuff for the Quest game. In fact, they won't let you bring stuff into the theatre with you for it. Take your normal purse belongings and you'll be fine.

 

The ship supplies beach towels which you can take off the ship and into port. You do have to return them, or you'll be charged for them as souvenirs. You can trade them in for fresh towels as often as you like.

[cruzin76]

THIS WAS SUGGESTED HERE IN CC, NOT MANY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BUT WE ENJOYED IT. We went forward topside deck after the sail away party by the pool to watch the ship go under the tampa bay bridge. It takes a a little over a hour to get there after leaving Tampa. It almost looks like the mast is going to hit and the Captain blows the ship horn as you go underneath. It was a cruise highlight!

[vegasgirl702]

Hi! Few "must" brings for your cruise...

 

-- scarf, shawl, for walking on deck and evenings in dining room or theater

(if you do forget they sell them for about $10)

 

-- small evening bags (lipstick & seapass)

 

-- small tote to carry your (suntan lotion, book or mags) while on ship

 

-- good quality walkie talkies (to comunicate with while on ship or in ports)

 

-- have 2 - 3 different (colors) highlighters. Let's me know who is doing what.

eg. Me - pink

Dh - blue

Son - green

enjoy!

[Desert Cruizers]

TNTwiggy, every evening you will receive your Cruise Compass or you can go to the desk and pick up a Cruise Compass which will give you the next days activities & times. Bring a marker and go thru it selecting what you maybe interested in.

Examples throughout the Cruise: Trivia Games, Pool Games, Lectures, Amature Hour, Evening Shows, Games by Crew members, Line Dancing Instructions.

Items to bring: Travel Bottles of your Shampoo, Lotions, Bincoulars for Tours, Cameras

Enjoy meeting you new friends on board and the Cruise experience.