New to Cruising: What Do You Wish You Knew Then?

[UPGrandma]

Appreciate hearing about not needing to do everything.

 

We had no idea until I read here on CC that there was no benefit to using a travel agent to book our flights. Gosh, I really wish I had known that before going to the travel agent. We had to reschedule our arrival flight at great cost (because he really screwed the timing up on that one)--and the price he quoted was $400 more than it was for me to do it myself.

 

Thanks to this forum I learned I could change the flight myself--I thought because he booked it for us we could only do it through him.

 

Enjoy hearing what you all have learned!

 

I have booked my own flights, but have used our great TA also..... This cruise in July, able to use flight miles & the airline web page didn't seem too user friendly for that part. I DO go to airline page & see what is available before talking with her about the booking.... that way I have input at to time we leave & return (as much as possible) and can watch the pricing.

 

I too love the information I get from CC members.

[horseymike]

I have learned that I tend to Overpack. There are always laundry and

dry cleaning options onboard and many times there are special discounts offered depending on the cruise and or the cruiseline. I am becoming better at streamlining my luggage needs.:)

[UPGrandma]

Everyone has said most of the important things...but one little hint for Alaska trip: if you like to sleep in the dark in a balcony room, bring a clothes pin or two to keep the drapes together. Depending on what month you travel, the sun might not set till 11pm and rise early.

 

or "binder clips"..... The metal ones are also good to use on bottom of shower curtain to keep it from "flying out" at the bottom.

[YubaSutter]

I wish I had known they would eventually end skeet shooting and hitting golf balls into the ocean before I got older. I would have tried those things.

[NMLady]

What do you wish you knew when you went on your first cruise? Things you know now that you wish you knew then?

 

I've already read we can skip the "port lectures" for instance--that these are not for information about the ports but advertisement/inducement for shopping in the port.

 

What other things would you do or not do differently?

 

What do you wish you knew beforehand?

 

I wish I'd discovered CC several years earlier, before 2009.

I would have learned lots and would have enjoyed meeting folks through Roll Calls.

 

I wish I'd known we could ask the cabin steward to put the beds into a queen bed. We would have asked our RCCL steward to do that for our cruise.

[NMLady]

Thank you all! Really enjoying reading what you wish you knew before you first cruised!

 

We actually cruised once many years ago, before we had kids (and I recently found our Holland America cruise glasses--I couldn't even remember which cruise ship we took!) I don't remember much from that cruise except that the ship was like a big floating hotel. We were caught in a hurricane near Puerto Rico and I remember that pretty well!

 

 

 

Um...duct tape? I hope you see that I am typing this with humor, but what did you need duct tape for?

 

I'm not the person who posted that, but we've used duct tape to keep cabinet doors from slamming open/close in rocky seas, have used it to tape an all-you-can stuff laundry bag special (the NCL bags are paper), have repaired a large tear in a suitcase. We always take some with us.

[saxman61]

Hey Seasoned folks, I'm a sax player, I've been told after the larger musical venues are done, there is a "Jam Session" for any of the musicians to go and jam till sunrise, is this true? is this open for staff or are guests invited? Is there any possibility I can practice and perform with the Big Boys?

[Texas Realtor]

We used duct tape to fix an annoying rattle on our balcony last cruise.

[fireflymd]

If you plan to use the Luggage EZ check at disembarkation, you'll need a printed copy of your flight itinerary. The passenger services won't accept the form without it. So be sure to bring an extra copy of the itinerary--don't rely on your ipad or iphone for the info.

 

Ah, very good to know! I always carry a hard copy, but didn't know I would need it for the EZ check. Thanks!

 

I wish I had known they would eventually end skeet shooting and hitting golf balls into the ocean before I got older. I would have tried those things.

 

:D

[fireflymd]

I'm not the person who posted that, but we've used duct tape to keep cabinet doors from slamming open/close in rocky seas, have used it to tape an all-you-can stuff laundry bag special (the NCL bags are paper), have repaired a large tear in a suitcase. We always take some with us.

 

We used duct tape to fix an annoying rattle on our balcony last cruise.

 

Ah, the many uses of duct tape! Appreciate the info.:)

[boulders]

One example was.....Always got transfers to and from the ship....good TA said cabs are faster and cheaper.....found out the hard way TA was right.

 

 

I also found out this one the hard way. I took the cruise line transfer on my first cruise, which was solo. The cruise line rep at the airport took my luggage and said they'd get it to the ship. I didn't see the suitcase (the only clothes I had except for what I was wearing) until I got to the airport again. The transfer company held on to my luggage for the whole weeklong cruise! They called me a week later as I was disembarking and delivered it to me at MIA. The suitcase had the cruiseline luggage tags with the name of the ship, cabin number, my name, cell phone number - everything. I'm still confused as to what happened. :mad:

 

Luckily the first day was not a sea day and I was able to purchase some clothes on board and at our first port. I've become a little paranoid after that experience!

[fireflymd]

I also found out this one the hard way. I took the cruise line transfer on my first cruise, which was solo. The cruise line rep at the airport took my luggage and said they'd get it to the ship. I didn't see the suitcase (the only clothes I had except for what I was wearing) until I got to the airport again. The transfer company held on to my luggage for the whole weeklong cruise! They called me a week later as I was disembarking and delivered it to me at MIA. The suitcase had the cruiseline luggage tags with the name of the ship, cabin number, my name, cell phone number - everything. I'm still confused as to what happened. :mad:

 

Luckily the first day was not a sea day and I was able to purchase some clothes on board and at our first port. I've become a little paranoid after that experience!

 

Yikes, sorry to hear that.

 

We are going to use the Princess transfer from Vancouver to the airport on our return home, so hopefully that will work out.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Bungee Cord question

 

Could someone explain that for me, please? I've seen it for years on Cruise Critic, but the cruises I've been on would not require one to keep the door opened....

is this for a certain cruise line?

or am I missing something?

[lady_cruiser]

I wish I knew how much fun and relaxing cruising could be. I wish I knew that even in rough seas, thanks to the patch, I would not get sick. And I wish I knew how afforable cruising can be.

 

If I had I would be well on my way to the Pinnacle Level on Royal Caribbean and already be at the Diamond Level on Carnival.

[lilybug]

I don't know about doing things differently, but I remember the excitement leading up to our first cruise. Since then, we have taken many wonderful trips and and cruises to many areas of the world, but I have never felt that same excitement.

[SmoothFlying]

DITO THIS and also take a little bit a walk around the ship as soon as you board and get your bearings

 

The balcony !! (That is, if you're crusin with my wife !!) We've taken one, where the ship didn't even HAVE those, and was she MISERABLE !! ( Well, she didn't SAY it, but I could tell) At first, I'll admit, I liked the balcony, but after the last cruise WITH one, where I sat out on it everyday,looked at the glass smooth blue-green water,soaked in the sun, listened to the gulls,smelled the ocean air ?? I was HOOKED ! I agree with my wife, it's the ONLY way to cruise AND the only way to vacation !!

[NewEnglandNANA]

Another thing I wish I knew was how addicting cruising would be!!

:D

 

So true!

[printingchick]

On port-intensive cruises, it's a good idea to vary the activity-level of your excursions. On my first southern Caribbean cruise, I booked something very active every day. Hiking in the rain forest, kayaking, snorkeling, etc. I was so exhausted every night, I entirely missed the night-life on board.

 

Now, I try to vary my excursions: Hiking day/beach day/snorkeling day/island tour... I've also discovered that taking an hour nap before dinner is GREAT. I never nap at home, but the rocking of the ship makes it easy to do at sea!

[olemissreb]

On port-intensive cruises, it's a good idea to vary the activity-level of your excursions. On my first southern Caribbean cruise, I booked something very active every day. Hiking in the rain forest, kayaking, snorkeling, etc. I was so exhausted every night, I entirely missed the night-life on board.

 

Now, I try to vary my excursions: Hiking day/beach day/snorkeling day/island tour... I've also discovered that taking an hour nap before dinner is GREAT. I never nap at home, but the rocking of the ship makes it easy to do at sea!

 

After 4 cruises, I have never thought to do this! :o I think I may have stumbled into this though for our next cruise. At least it looks that way on paper, guess we'll find out in June.

 

On our last cruise, I only scheduled 1/2 day excursions, but they were all first thing in the morning so there was no rest for the wicked! I guess I should stop trying to keep up with my teenage boys!:o:)

[SmoothFlying]

:eek:

After 4 cruises, I have never thought to do this! :o I think I may have stumbled into this though for our next cruise. At least it looks that way on paper, guess we'll find out in June.

 

On our last cruise, I only scheduled 1/2 day excursions, but they were all first thing in the morning so there was no rest for the wicked! I guess I should stop trying to keep up with my teenage boys!:o:)

 

LOL !! Ohhhhhhhhh yesssssssss !! I'm 62 and the wife's 58, our grandchildren are 3,5,7 and NO way (from past experience) could we EVER hope to keep up with those three !! Soooo, I sympathize with you !