Obvious things a newbie cruiser might not know

[alcpa1]

OP,

You've gotten some good tips.

We all want to help as much as possible.

You mentioned self disembarkation so I will try to explain how it works.

You can keep your luggage in the cabin the last night.

The issues are many, as far as I am concerned. You must handle your luggage yourself. There will be no crew, room stewards, or captain that will assist you unless there is a physical reason to do so and that would be related to an injury or illness that has unfortunately occured after embarkation.

You must use either the overly crowded elevators or stairs to reach your holding area. It's challenging in either case. All those delightful people you have bonded with over the course of your sailing adventure somehow manage to grow fangs and a surly tongue as they throw you aside so they can get to the disembarkation portal first. It's not pretty.

You must have full control of your luggage in the disembarkation process. I'm presuming that will occur at Civitavecchia and since I have never ended a cruise there I do not know if you leave via deck 2 via a ramp or an upper deck with escalator and/or elevator.

If an escalator is involved you can only use it if you can maintain control of your luggage and have one hand free to hold on. Crew will be stationed at the top of the escalator to monitor this.

Since I don't know just how early your flight is I hope you can avoid the self disembarkation nightmare.

 

A note about the "Throne" It doesn't work like your home throne. It sounds more like Hoover Dam opening its spillways. WHOOSH is the tamest description I can offer.

 

Have a great cruise.

[lovestx]

OP,

You've gotten some good tips.

We all want to help as much as possible.

You mentioned self disembarkation so I will try to explain how it works.

You can keep your luggage in the cabin the last night.

The issues are many, as far as I am concerned. You must handle your luggage yourself. There will be no crew, room stewards, or captain that will assist you unless there is a physical reason to do so and that would be related to an injury or illness that has unfortunately occured after embarkation.

You must use either the overly crowded elevators or stairs to reach your holding area. It's challenging in either case. All those delightful people you have bonded with over the course of your sailing adventure somehow manage to grow fangs and a surly tongue as they throw you aside so they can get to the disembarkation portal first. It's not pretty.

You must have full control of your luggage in the disembarkation process. I'm presuming that will occur at Civitavecchia and since I have never ended a cruise there I do not know if you leave via deck 2 via a ramp or an upper deck with escalator and/or elevator.

If an escalator is involved you can only use it if you can maintain control of your luggage and have one hand free to hold on. Crew will be stationed at the top of the escalator to monitor this.

Since I don't know just how early your flight is I hope you can avoid the self disembarkation nightmare.

 

A note about the "Throne" It doesn't work like your home throne. It sounds more like Hoover Dam opening its spillways. WHOOSH is the tamest description I can offer.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

When disembarking in Civitavecchia in June, we used a ramp at deck 2. I don't remember the crowds being difficult on elevators though we did not use self disembarkation. We left the ship at 7:15 a.m.

[RoonilWazlib]

OP,

You've gotten some good tips.

We all want to help as much as possible.

You mentioned self disembarkation so I will try to explain how it works.

You can keep your luggage in the cabin the last night.

The issues are many, as far as I am concerned. You must handle your luggage yourself. There will be no crew, room stewards, or captain that will assist you unless there is a physical reason to do so and that would be related to an injury or illness that has unfortunately occured after embarkation.

You must use either the overly crowded elevators or stairs to reach your holding area. It's challenging in either case. All those delightful people you have bonded with over the course of your sailing adventure somehow manage to grow fangs and a surly tongue as they throw you aside so they can get to the disembarkation portal first. It's not pretty.

You must have full control of your luggage in the disembarkation process. I'm presuming that will occur at Civitavecchia and since I have never ended a cruise there I do not know if you leave via deck 2 via a ramp or an upper deck with escalator and/or elevator.

If an escalator is involved you can only use it if you can maintain control of your luggage and have one hand free to hold on. Crew will be stationed at the top of the escalator to monitor this.

Since I don't know just how early your flight is I hope you can avoid the self disembarkation nightmare.

 

Thank you for your insight. We are ending our cruise with an overnight in Venice, and our flight is at 10am. We're beginning the cruise in Civitavecchia, though. And since we are still young and poor, we anticipate hauling around all our luggage at the beginning of the trip from Rome to Civi on the train, etc. So we plan to pack as light as we possibly can, and if we can do it at the beginning, we should be able to do it at the end. But I guess we won't have to do self-embarkation unless we're short on time, which I'm really not sure I'll know until we have more details.

[A Sixth?]

OP,

 

You mentioned self disembarkation so I will try to explain how it works.

You can keep your luggage in the cabin the last night.

The issues are many, as far as I am concerned. You must handle your luggage yourself. .

 

 

Obviously if you can't manage your own bags, you can't self disembark.

 

I'm surprised at your experience as my disembarkations, and there are dozens, have all been a breeze.

 

How many bad self disembarkations, have you had and what ports?

[RoonilWazlib]

I keep thinking of new questions, and I'm glad people here have been so kind to answer them! Much and truly appreciated!!

 

New question: On my med cruise, should I tip in dollars or Euros?

[Orator]

I can often spot a new cruiser by the amount of food they take from the buffet on the first day. Remember, there will be plenty of food choices and you need to pace yourself and exercise some retraint.

[RoonilWazlib]

I can often spot a new cruiser by the amount of food they take from the buffet on the first day. Remember, there will be plenty of food choices and you need to pace yourself and exercise some retraint.

 

Haha, that'll be my fiance! He is SO excited for the buffets!!

[deelastcre]

I keep thinking of new questions, and I'm glad people here have been so kind to answer them! Much and truly appreciated!!

 

New question: On my med cruise, should I tip in dollars or Euros?

I tipped in Euros.

[TMLAalum]

It's important to go online when you are notified that you may proceed with Celebrity's online checkin that you complete, print out the documents, be sure to bring the one-page Exress Pass in your carryon bag, and have that Express Pass with you as you enter the boarding area at Civitavecchia! This form was requested and checked before the health card was handed out for completion prior to entering the Celebrity checkin area. I was in a tizzy trying to find this form among my other imortant papers (private tour confirmations, post-cruise reservations and return flight home information). Somehow it got mixed among the other documents, and as I was frantically shuffling thru my papers, the agent checking these documents repeated that the completed Express Pass was required. Luckily I found it, but believe you me, I was in a panic, thinking I might not be allowed onboard without it!

 

Re: the Health Card...you must sign this indicating that you are not ill before you can proceed to the check in area where you will obtain your SeaPass card and proceed from there to boarding.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

It's important to go online when you are notified that you may proceed with Celebrity's online checkin that you complete, print out the documents, be sure to bring the one-page Exress Pass in your carryon bag, and have that Express Pass with you as you enter the boarding area at Civitavecchia! This form was requested and checked before the health card was handed out for completion prior to entering the Celebrity checkin area. I was in a tizzy trying to find this form among my other imortant papers (private tour confirmations, post-cruise reservations and return flight home information). Somehow it got mixed among the other documents, and as I was frantically shuffling thru my papers, the agent checking these documents repeated that the completed Express Pass was required. Luckily I found it, but believe you me, I was in a panic, thinking I might not be allowed onboard without it!

 

Re: the Health Card...you must sign this indicating that you are not ill before you can proceed to the check in area where you will obtain your SeaPass card and proceed from there to boarding.

 

That may be the case in Civitavecchia, but I have personally witnessed clueless passengers without an Xpress pass go through the boarding process easily.

[TMLAalum]

That may be the case in Civitavecchia, but I have personally witnessed clueless passengers without an Xpress pass go through the boarding process easily.

 

Yes, it was the case in Civitavecchia, and since the OP is beginning her cruise there, wanted to give her a heads up, JIC.

 

Had I experienced that situation in other embarkation ports, I'd have had that form at the ready.

[rubens]

How to know if drink presented to you is for free (without asking):

 

If server carries a wallet under his tray: you will have to sign for the bill !

If server has no wallet: for free !!

 

;)

[swigso]

These are all fantastic tips! Thanks to everyone!!!

 

Two questions I just thought of:

 

How much available credit do you need on your credit card when you arrive onboard and they scan it? I just read somewhere that they'll freeze like $200 per day! For a 12-day cruise, my credit card limits don't go up that high!! Is that true?

 

 

Thanks!!

I wouldn't worry too much about using a Credit Card it is usually Debit Cards that cause a problem but

Remember to let your bank /credit card providers know that you are travelling abroad they will know then that any purchases in foreign ports are not fraudulent,tell the card issuer that you are going on a cruise they may well increase your credit limit, I also take a photo copy of my passport and leave the original in the cabin safe.

You can pre purchase the drink packages and also add on board credit to your sea pass account before you sail,look out for the 10% price reduction offers.

It is usually best to use an ATM to get Euro's in the ports.

Take a highlighter so you can highlight the things you want to do from the

Celebrity Today.

And Finally never put $20 on on BLACK it always comes up RED

when I do it anyway

[swigso]

Oops

[dodger1964]

There are many things to learn, even if you have cruised many times.

 

Re: time changes. I bought a cheap watch to wear in port that I can set to ships time. Cruising in Caribbean usually(but not always) captain keeps the ship on origin port time. Gets confusing when dealing with daylight savings time. At least it did for us last year.

 

One thing most people don't know about (or at least we didn't when started cruising) is you can order dinner from mdr and have your cabin attendant bring it to your room. We have never ate dinner in mdr. If we arent in a specialty restaurant we eat in our room. We attend the elite party, have a couple of drinks, come back and eat in room, then go to show and walk the ship.

 

Have great cruise.

[1980dory]

Now, THAT is funny!!! I am still laughing!

 

That's also called a reverse osmosis power bidet!:eek:

[RoonilWazlib]

One thing most people don't know about (or at least we didn't when started cruising) is you can order dinner from mdr and have your cabin attendant bring it to your room. We have never ate dinner in mdr. If we arent in a specialty restaurant we eat in our room. We attend the elite party, have a couple of drinks, come back and eat in room, then go to show and walk the ship.

 

I love this idea! Especially as we just upgraded from an oceanview room to a BALCONY on deck 8!! I'm so excited about that!!

 

How do you order that?

[ronews]

I recently joined Cruise Critic in preparation for my first ever cruise this coming spring. We're booked on Celebrity Silhouette, leaving Rome April 29! I've been learning a lot of things while here on the boards, and enjoying it a lot.

 

I was just hoping to start a thread, similar to the "Celebrity Secrets" thread, where people can continue to add to the list, only for newbie cruisers. I would like to learn about anything that may seem obvious to seasoned cruisers, but were maybe a surprise the first time. I'm still super cruise-illiterate, so even the most obvious-seeming things!

 

Like what is embarkation like? What will I need to have out? How does it work and how long does it take?

 

Or what is the Cruise Critic meet and greet? Who organizes those? Are they on every cruise??

 

And is room service really and truly free?? (Besides a tip of course)

 

Please share any newbie tips you can think of! Or funny stories from your first cruise that you feel silly about, now that you're a cruise veteran!

 

Please share! I like the boring details too! :) Hopefully I can walk onto that first-ever cruise in April and make people believe I've been cruising my whole life!

 

(P.S. I hope there's not a thread like this already, I did search for one, but didn't find one.)

 

Not to be an alarmist but stay healthy during your trip. Read up on the Noro Virus and how it is transmitted. It is very common at resorts and on cruises. Try to avoid touching hand rails, push elevator buttons with your knuckles. Especially be aware at buffets Noro can be transfered by the tongs you use to put your food on the plate, or the trays (if they have them) or the salt and pepper shakers. Just make sure your hands are sanitized before you put them near your mouth, nose or eyes. Use the Purell on board (it's everywhere) and carry small hand sanitizers ( I use a brand called Soft Soap which is chlorine based). Make sure to pack some Imodium just in case. I am not a germaphobe but have been on cruises with a Noro out break and quickly learned some valuable lessons that have stayed with me in my travels.

[Janet987]

After lunch, the dinner menu is posted outside the MDR, or you can get a copy from the maitre'd. Place your room service order early when they are not as busy (around 5pm), and your dinner will be delivered later around the early or late seating "entree" time. All the main dishes are cooked to be done at one time, so they will tell you when to expect delivery.

Congratulations on the balcony, you will love it.

[RoonilWazlib]

I have another totally random, non-urgent question. I've been pouring over deck plans (just for fun, because I'm weird that way), and I'm wondering, where do you get on and off the ship?? What level?

[fizzy1]

There are many things to learn, even if you have cruised many times.

 

Re: time changes. I bought a cheap watch to wear in port that I can set to ships time. Cruising in Caribbean usually(but not always) captain keeps the ship on origin port time. Gets confusing when dealing with daylight savings time. At least it did for us last year.

 

One thing most people don't know about (or at least we didn't when started cruising) is you can order dinner from mdr and have your cabin attendant bring it to your room. We have never ate dinner in mdr. If we arent in a specialty restaurant we eat in our room. We attend the elite party, have a couple of drinks, come back and eat in room, then go to show and walk the ship.

 

Have great cruise.

just a little curious as to why u feel the need to buy a cheap watch to use in port for time changes ? what is wrong with the watch u wear every day, unless of course u dont wear a watch, in which case, u would need to buy one, of course

[neverbeenhere]

It depends... 2,3,4,5,6? tides, waves, docks, buildings...

[neverbeenhere]

The Plank

[Cinziaeye]

Thank you for your insight. We are ending our cruise with an overnight in Venice, and our flight is at 10am. We're beginning the cruise in Civitavecchia, though. And since we are still young and poor, we anticipate hauling around all our luggage at the beginning of the trip from Rome to Civi on the train, etc. So we plan to pack as light as we possibly can, and if we can do it at the beginning, we should be able to do it at the end. But I guess we won't have to do self-embarkation unless we're short on time, which I'm really not sure I'll know until we have more details.

We disembarked in Venice on a recent cruise and planned to walk with our luggage to the train station. We were told that it was a relatively short walk, which it was, but what no one mentioned was the bridge that we had to cross. It was a pedestrian bridge, and it only had steps! So dragging two suitcases each was not as easy as we had planned! The other problem was once we got aboard the train...there was no where to put our luggage. Everyone just sticks their bag behind their seat, but with two each, we did not have enough room. So be prepared, and travel as light as you can.

[neverbeenhere]

for the first time cruiser--- Fill one bag, then you are done packing. Any more and you will be sorry. - in my opinion.