Obvious things a newbie cruiser might not know

[dodger1964]

Sorry if mentioned before...

 

When itinerary lists the final day arrival time that is NOT the time you can get off the ship. Depending on many factors you will be lucky to be able to get off starting 1 hour after that time.

 

We were first in line to self disembark at San Juan last year to catch early flight and there were MANY people in line behind us that had made flight reservations thinking the listed time was indeed the disembarkation time.

 

 

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[muffin]

Can't remember if celebrity does this or not, but some lines do and it is quite helpful. When you get off and elevator, or walk down lots of stairs, you can become a little confused about just where you are on the ship. If you cannot see outside you do not know which way is forward. On a passenger deck, go and look at the hallway carpet. If the outside "backing" colour around the pattern is red, it is the port side of the ship. If the outside "Background colour" is green, it is the starboard side. so, if your cabin is on that side you have found the way home!! Also, ships have odd numbered cabins on one side, and even numbered on the other....handy if you are approaching your cabin from a new direction!

[muffin]

Lots of talk about food issues. So easy to overdo it with all those wonderful choices. I found that having dessert after the main meal sometimes meant I just ate it becasue it was there, and might feel overfull. So, now I make a point of truly enjoying a dessert treat, perhpas mid afternoon, with a great cup of coffee. I can linger over it all, and enjoy each bite. In the Lido, at tea time,or at a specialty cafe.....all good. Then a simpler dinner that my body likes better.

[CathyCruises]

Can't remember if celebrity does this or not, but some lines do and it is quite helpful. When you get off and elevator, or walk down lots of stairs, you can become a little confused about just where you are on the ship. If you cannot see outside you do not know which way is forward. On a passenger deck, go and look at the hallway carpet. If the outside "backing" colour around the pattern is red, it is the port side of the ship. If the outside "Background colour" is green, it is the starboard side. so, if your cabin is on that side you have found the way home!! Also, ships have odd numbered cabins on one side, and even numbered on the other....handy if you are approaching your cabin from a new direction!

 

On Celebrity ships, there is a large plastic ship graphic on the wall in every elevator lobby showing which is front and back, and where you are, and what else is on that floor, and what is on every floor. Very handy if you're the disoriented sort.

[muffin]

On a HAL ship, which are famous for many objectsd'art in the halls etc, we had just come down a stairway to our cabin deck. We were standing there chatting with friends, when a lady came down and was very relieved to find a large bronze casting of two or three buffalo on a pedestal. She told us "I've discovered that if I find that statue and go in the the direction those buffalo are headed, I'll find MY cabin"!!!! We all just laughed so hard. We also had to convince our husbands they didn't really want to move the statue to face another way!!

[CathyCruises]

On a HAL ship, which are famous for many objectsd'art in the halls etc, we had just come down a stairway to our cabin deck. We were standing there chatting with friends, when a lady came down and was very relieved to find a large bronze casting of two or three buffalo on a pedestal. She told us "I've discovered that if I find that statue and go in the the direction those buffalo are headed, I'll find MY cabin"!!!! We all just laughed so hard. We also had to convince our husbands they didn't really want to move the statue to face another way!!

 

LOL!! That reminds me of when my ex-husband and I moved to Guadalajara in the 70's. Lots of traffic circles there, and he could never figure out which branch road to take. There was a very large statue of Minerva in the center of the major circle leading to our apartment; I finally broke down and told him, "Go the direction the (breasts) point"!!!!

[FamilyCruiseDiva]

This is our first cruise experience and when we booked we chose the "Wave Promo-Classic Beverage" package. Does anyone have an idea what is included? We don't drink much alcoholic beverages but I do like specialty coffees etc, I was wondering if those sorts of drinks are included. I assume so, but don't want to be surprised at the end of the cruise with a bill I didn't expect.

 

The Classic Beverage package includes: Coca Cola can and fountain sodas selections such as Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta Orange and Coke Zero, fresh squeezed and bottled juices, Premium Coffees and Teas and Non-Premium Bottled Water; all Beers up to $5 per serving, and spirits, cocktails, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass up to $8 per serving.

 

For comparison, the PREMIUM PACKAGE includes: all canned and fountain soft drinks from Coca Cola, Premium Bottled Water from Evian, Perrier and San Pellegrino, Specialty Coffees and Teas, Non-Alcoholic Frozen Drinks and Smoothies, Red Bull Energy Drink and Specialty Waters from Vitamin Water; Beers as well as Spirits, Cocktails and Wines by the Glass up to $12 per serving.

 

So "specialty coffees" are NOT included in the Classic Beverage package, but if those are important to you, you may upgrade to the Premium Package for $10 per person, per day. If you intend to have more than one of those per day, it's a better value to do the upgrade, IMHO. Just contact your travel agent or Celebrity to do this.

However, keep in mind that under this Promo all passengers in your cabin (over 21) would have to pay for this upgrade too. So decide whether the savings is still worth it when paying that $10/day for multiple people.

 

 

On our January X cruise, I bought the Premium Non-Alcoholic Package at $18/day and it was a good value for me just in the Evian water alone! Add in my daily Lattes and evening tea from Cafe al Bacio, plus the odd virgin daiquiri, and I really saved $ with that package.

For our next X cruise, we also booked with the Wave Promo Classic Beverage package, but have chosen to upgrade to the Premium Package for $10/day as that's still $8/day less than the Premium Non-Alcoholic package!!

And no, there is no way to switch or upgrade to that for less (I asked). :p

[lilghallinsf]

I have been on eight cruises and only one with celebrity. My second is booked for April 2014 transatlantic to Rome. This is a great thread and I appreciate all the new things I learned.

[CathyCruises]

I have been on eight cruises and only one with celebrity. My second is booked for April 2014 transatlantic to Rome. This is a great thread and I appreciate all the new things I learned.

 

 

We just did that this April--it was the best cruise ever!!

[clarkg]

There are also some wonderful informational books out there on cruising. One I read recently was very good, Tips from the Cruise Addicts Wife.

[akowilm]

1.Your cabin is made of metal, so bring along magnets and you can post Dailies, invites, notes, etc. anywhere in your cabin on the wall.

2. Pack way less than you want! You will be glad you did!

3. You may order multiples of anything on the menu at dinner. Love the appetizer and want it as an entrée, just ask for a double as a main course. Cant decide between the wood plank fish and the steak, ask for both on one plate(but don't waste). I once loved a roasted beet salad so much that I had a second one while DH had dessert.

4. The Premium beverage package covers Evian, but not the one in your room!! You can go to any bar and get additional bottles, then stock them in your room, and tell your room attendant or butler to keep his Evian, that you have your own.

5. Room service breakfast on the balcony is a real treat. Ask to have it set up out there one morning, and enjoy your meal overlooking the ocean!!

6. Aft cabins on the M-class ships are bigger. They are NOT on the S-class ships, and these ships are SO big that is really is a long haul to get anywhere if you have an aft cabin(no elevators in the back). C-1 afts on the M-class have much bigger balconies and are a real treat!

7.If you indulge in a spa treatment, be warned that the staff is going to try to sell you a spa product after your treatment. I have 2 vials of $80 eye serum..........just say NO.

8. Burgers at the Mast grill are FANTASTIC! I don't know why, but they are just darned good burgers!

9. Captain's brunch is a real treat. Most of the food is the same that you would find elsewhere on the ship, but the ice sculptures, fruit and veggie art, etc make it a real WOW.

10. Use Trip Advisor to find private excursions; they are less expensive than booking through the ship, and are generally much better.

11. Last but not least: bring a strong rubber band to hold the button down on your blow dryer if you expect to dry your hair with the one in your room!!

[misha1]

Lifeboat muster is usually just before you set sail. A tip I got on the boards is to get a seat close to the back of the room so you can make a quick exit when it's finished and get out on deck for your first ever sailaway.

 

Personal preference, I know, but I have shown up last to be able to be first to exit, and I have picked up a beverage at a bar (before it closes for muster) and shown up early...found a seat, and got comfy...this option was much preferred

[Violet La Roo]

This is an awesome thread. Some doesn't apply since I am going to Alaska but most of it does. I am not finished with all of it yet but very appreciative of the info thus far. Thanks!