The big list of tips and guides gathered from several threads

[Bakincakes]

I like to go to the pool about 7:30 and move all the towels to the back row. I love to sit and watch the upset chair hogs who arrive about 9:00. Everybody should do it . It is such fun.

 

 

My sister almost did that very thing.

 

On her cruise the same guy would be down about 6:30 and have his towels on the chairs he wanted. He and his family would then come down hours later to use their saved chairs.

 

She went down one am and put towels on the chairs he usually saved. She sat and waited for him and filmed his reaction as he realized another "hogger" got there before he did.

 

Priceless!!!:p

[Maybaybie10]

Thank you for the hard work and fabulous list. I am going on a family cruise next May on FOS and my husband and I are the only ones who have cruised before (and that was once 10 yrs ago). I will be copying that into a Word doc and printing it for all my newbie family members. Thank you!

[bluegirlum]

My sister almost did that very thing.

 

On her cruise the same guy would be down about 6:30 and have his towels on the chairs he wanted. He and his family would then come down hours later to use their saved chairs.

 

She went down one am and put towels on the chairs he usually saved. She sat and waited for him and filmed his reaction as he realized another "hogger" got there before he did.

 

Priceless!!!:p

 

That's amazing!!!

 

OP, your list is really helpful and I think all of us have said we appreciate it.

I don't think anyone was slamming you by pointing out things such as the chair hogging and bringing food off the ship. To be fair, you said that you wanted to keep "illegal" things off, so if you are going to be consistent, then bringing un-packaged foods off in certain ports is actually more "illegal" than bringing rum-runners on a ship. Rum-runners won't get you put in a Mexican jail--an apple from the windjammer could, potentially.

 

This is an internet message board. We don't know anyone. Don't take things personally.

[katz]

Loved the list, until I got to the chair hogging suggestion. You should be suggesting that people NOT do this!!!

[TPKeller]

I don't think it should be a surprise to anyone that a thread about "tips" would generate a lot of debate... Happens all the time! ;)

 

Seriously though... when I see a thread titled "tips and guides", I think of these things as being helpful bits of information that have been learned from experience, that can be shared with those who have not had that same experience.

 

The best example of a "tip or guide" that I can think of is the boarding time. Most of the time the cruise docs will tell you a time, but in reality, they start boarding the ship hours earlier. That was my first "lesson learned", when I boarded my first cruise ship at more or less the indicated time in the documents, my first stroll on the pool deck a few minutes later revealed dozens of people already in and around the pool, drinking their lemonade and enjoying their vacation. Later I found out these folks were simply clued in to the fact that actual boarding time can be significantly earlier. Lesson learned.

 

But I would agree with the many others who draw the line at suggestions that directly violate a stated cruise line policy.

 

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that YOU can have a much better vacation, at the expense of OTHERS if you choose to disregard those policies that you find inconvenient or just not conducive to what you want to do.

 

It's the tips and guides that help us to better live within the rules that are most valuable.

 

Theron

[LaShoe]

I almost cringe at posting a "tip" on these boards the way people get flamed for doing so, but here goes anyway. We always take a magnet for our cabin door. This way it is easy to see your own door from afar and your not counting doors every time you come down your hall. We also put it on travel companion doors so if we want to meet them at their cabin etc. it is easier to find. I always have a hard time remembering my cabin # let alone everyone I travel with.

 

And just for the critics.....I take one magnet over and over. It stays in the suitcase for each cruise and I take it home with me.

[Maybaybie10]

I almost cringe at posting a "tip" on these boards the way people get flamed for doing so, but here goes anyway. We always take a magnet for our cabin door. This way it is easy to see your own door from afar and your not counting doors every time you come down your hall. We also put it on travel companion doors so if we want to meet them at their cabin etc. it is easier to find. I always have a hard time remembering my cabin # let alone everyone I travel with.

 

And just for the critics.....I take one magnet over and over. It stays in the suitcase for each cruise and I take it home with me.

 

I think that's a great tip! I think it's especially good for those of us with kids so they aren't accidently trying to open someone elses's door because they forgot their own cabin number! Thanks.

Melissa

[andawayigo]

Thank you for the fantastic list! Here's a couple more:

 

If On really hot days (great if you have babies!), put a wet hand towel in a ziplock bag and toss in some ice cubes. When you just can't handle the heat anymore, rub it on your neck. In or out of the bag, it works great. You can also pack a small softsided cooler (have the room steward put some ice in it). Toss in a few of those hand towels in ziplocks for the whole family. Please be sure to bring the hand towels back to the ship/cabin. You can also buy water in port and keep them in the ice chest to keep them cold.

 

The cold hand towel is a great idea. My 18 month old grandson and pregnant daughter will be cruising this June and this should help them stay cool.

[debates2]

Great posting. I loved your camera tips and inside cabin suggestions. I need you to go with my family on the next cruise. :)

[akcruz]

For everyone who is complaining about people making some adjustments to the list I have a question - would you rather people

 

a - add a comment with an adjustement to the tips provided, potentially hurting the feeling of the person who added it

 

or

 

b - don't say anything and in the case of the taking food off the ship, potentially have someone be fined or arrested when in port.

 

I'll bet you that if we all went with B, you would have people coming back here on CC complaining that they got bad advise. Personally if I see an incorrect comment I feel the need to correct it if someone can be hurt by the misinformation. I appreciate when someone corrects something I've misstated and yes it does happen to all of us :eek:.

 

Many people on here commented on how great this thread was and that it had A LOT of great info.

[Bobbyjean]

I like to go to the pool about 7:30 and move all the towels to the back row. I love to sit and watch the upset chair hogs who arrive about 9:00. Everybody should do it . It is such fun.

 

Have you ever been caught by a chair hog while moving their book/towel? :eek:

[hockeyken]

:eek: So, you are one of those dreaded and inconsiderate chair hogs ? Shame on you !

[Adri204]

:eek: So, you are one of those dreaded and inconsiderate chair hogs ? Shame on you !

 

Shame on you for not putting your reading hat on. The poster was putting out a list and compilation from other people. Im now thankful to those who actually muster the courage to post tips and suggestions on CC.

 

Adri

[twinlges]

I'm just happy that someone thought my ideas were worth repeating!!

[twinlges]

I've got one more too--in order to avoid wrinkling clothes, pack them in the plastic the dry cleaners!

[TPKeller]

For everyone who is complaining about people making some adjustments to the list I have a question - would you rather people

 

a - add a comment with an adjustement to the tips provided, potentially hurting the feeling of the person who added it

 

or

 

b - don't say anything and in the case of the taking food off the ship, potentially have someone be fined or arrested when in port.

 

I'll bet you that if we all went with B, you would have people coming back here on CC complaining that they got bad advise. Personally if I see an incorrect comment I feel the need to correct it if someone can be hurt by the misinformation. I appreciate when someone corrects something I've misstated and yes it does happen to all of us :eek:.

 

Many people on here commented on how great this thread was and that it had A LOT of great info.

Yes, you are absolutely right. Bad or harmful information posted here and left uncorrected reflects poorly upon the board as a whole. And that affects the viability of the board, and could even put its existence at risk. Maybe a stretch, but left unchecked, it could easily cause problems.

 

I am one who takes great care to be correct in my posts. So much so that I would certainly rather be corrected than to have a mistake left out there for everyone to see. Who has the better reputation, the person who stubbornly insists they are right when they are really wrong, or the person who concedes a mistake and moves on?

 

Theron

[Sail n Ski]

Great list. Thanks. BTW, the 9 - 11 year old kids can sign themselves in and out as well as long as their parent has okayed this at the beginning of the week.

[Chellbell30]

This is a good thread so I thought I would bump it up.

[west amwell]

Thanks for all those tips- they are great, especially since my husband and I are first -timers.

thanks again for taking the time to write these invaluable tips down

We are booked on the RC Alaska northbound cruistour on June 18,2010

[tjdj]

Great tips! I'm going to copy and paste for things that are revelant to me and email them to our traveling companions - we're both first timers, so this will help!

 

Thanks !!!!!!

[tray]

I think the most disappointing thing to me regarding this thread was the fact that I opened it hoping to read tons of great tips and instead read through 5 pages of people posting over and over again the same things (chair hogs and the food being taken off the ship.........and before people accuse me of being one of those people....I am not) and a few times were IMO rude about their comments. I would love to find a new thread with more tips, etc with positive cruising comments.

 

Anyone else have good tips? I appreciate the tips from others that the OP gathered and posted, and I appreciate the corrections. Now.....more tips please! :p

[nicolen1101]

OK must say the helipad camera comment... LMAO and a good tip in itself.

 

I copied and pasted many of the tips into a word document for future cruise use.

 

Also like the tip about the cold washcloths. We were handed a cold washcloth by a RCCL employee upon boarding the tender boat back to the ship from coco cay and thought this was a really nice touch.

[newcruiser551951]

OP,

 

Thanks so much for the great information.

 

With some of the comments, it sure seems like you have to have 'thick skin' to post. :D

[Holey]

:DThankyou so much for the great thread. Some good ideas!

[Northern Bear]

Great tips! I understand these are not your tips but those you had compiled from other posts so I will not comment further.

 

I will however send several of them off to some newbie cruisers in our upcoming cruise group.