embarkation day question first time cruiser

[samom]

What should we expect on the day we board regarding food and bar venues. Did not know if they open once we leave port at 5, open from 12:00 or some other option. Just wondering what to expect that day in addition to the muster call.

[Mura]

You can get lunch in the Terrace Cafe when you board. Cabins are usually not ready until after 1pm or so, and they open up to the most expensive cabins first. If you board after 4pm, it will be too late for lunch, however! I'm not sure if room service is available on boarding day -- usually it's 24/7.

 

Dinner will be in the restaurants starting at 6:30. It's often a good day to book a specialty restaurant which you can do online depending on what category of cabin you are in.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

The Terrace Cafe is open I think from 11:30 am to 4 pm

Waves is probably open as well

Bars would be open at least on the pool deck (never really checked )

 

Restaurants open at 6:30pm

[RuthC]

Waves is probably open as well

Waves was definitely open when I boarded the Riviera a few weeks ago.

[samom]

Thanks just wanted to know as we have long day

[TKS]

You also asked about muster drill. Our experience on Nautica last month was it took place prior to embarkation (about 5 PM, in our case), and again after 14 days. Passengers brought their life vests and the drill included passengers proceeding to their assigned life boat at the end of the drill at the embarkation drill, although not during the second drill.

 

You didn't say which ship you are sailing. I believe procedures aboard the O ships, Marina and Riviera, do not include the trip to the life boats, but assume they are similar otherwise.

[RuthC]

You didn't say which ship you are sailing. I believe procedures aboard the O ships, Marina and Riviera, do not include the trip to the life boats, but assume they are similar otherwise.

My cruise on the Riviera did not include a trip to the lifeboats. We met in assigned public lounges on the same deck. Someone came through, and took names/cabin numbers, then a demonstration of how to don the life jackets was shown, and some other information given.

 

Looking out the windows it was clear that there was absolutely NO space on the outside deck where people could gather. I was a little concerned how it would work out if we did have to evacuate. Glad I never had to find out. :eek:

[no fuss travel]

If you are doing a back to back cruise you will have to do a drill on the day of embarkation for the second part of the cruise. We forgot to watch the time and just made it back after they had started the drill. We were not chastised for being late, but it turned out several cruisers that were doing the back to back did not get back in time for the drill as they were late getting back from their tours. They held a special drill for those passengers as well as those whose flights were delayed and they arrived just prior to sailing.

[LHT28]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TKS View Post

You didn't say which ship you are sailing. I believe procedures aboard the O ships, Marina and Riviera, do not include the trip to the life boats, but assume they are similar otherwise.

 

My cruise on the Riviera did not include a trip to the lifeboats.

 

As TKS posted ...on the O class ships you DO NOT go to the life boats

unless there is a real emergency then the crew will take you from the muster station ...that is why it is important for people to pay attention during the drill

no matter how many cruises they have been on

Edited December 25, 2013 by LHT28

[Wendy The Wanderer]

The pool bar will be open for sure, and probably other bars.

 

And muster drill will be before the ship sails.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Hambagahle]

On our Riviera cruise in January the Lifeboat drill included a trip to the actual Muster Station. And there was plenty of room for everyone...

 

As for boarding - we were told to board from 11am on. (We had an Oceania Suite). So we got there at 1055 and were called in the first group for registration. A letter was handed to us from the GM which told us when our suite would be available - and that was immediately on boarding. So we went to the suite, met our Butler and Stewardess and dropped our hand luggage. Then went to Waves for a drink and on to the Terrace Café for lunch. When we went back to the suite after lunch the suitcases were waiting on the bed.

 

Very smooth! And this was in Miami, BTW.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Hambagahle

[RuthC]

As TKS posted ...on the O class ships you DO NOT go to the life boats

:confused: Not sure why you felt the need to quote me when I was confirming TKS's belief as a fact on my cruise.

[Hambagahle]

:confused: Not sure why you felt the need to quote me when I was confirming TKS's belief as a fact on my cruise.

 

But we did... go to the lifeboats. On the Riviera, which is an "O" class ship!

[JimandStan]

But we did... go to the lifeboats. On the Riviera, which is an "O" class ship!

 

I believe that you must be thinking of some other ship, because in order for you to actually step onto the Lifeboat deck on Marina and/or Riviera, the Crew would first have had to remove one of these enormous picture windows.

Did that happen? :confused:

[kennicott]

I believe that you must be thinking of some other ship, because in order for you to actually step onto the Lifeboat deck on Marina and/or Riviera, the Crew would first have had to remove one of these enormous picture windows.

Did that happen? :confused:

 

 

 

"the Crew would first have had to remove one of these enormous picture windows."

 

Very hard to believe that before access to the boat deck they have to remove windows. Rather, I bet they lead passengers from their assigned muster stations to the boat deck through passageways normally restricted to "crew only". Many lines do that.

 

Most muster stations have groups destined for multiple life boats gathering there. It used to be that during lifeboat drills safety requirements would be met by simply gathering in the muster stations. As a result of recent accidents and incidents I notice that the lines we sail with now take passengers all the way thru the process excepting for actually getting into the life boats.

[newbie60]

"the Crew would first have had to remove one of these enormous picture windows."

 

Very hard to believe that before access to the boat deck they have to remove windows. Rather, I bet they lead passengers from their assigned muster stations to the boat deck through passageways normally restricted to "crew only". Many lines do that.

 

Most muster stations have groups destined for multiple life boats gathering there. It used to be that during lifeboat drills safety requirements would be met by simply gathering in the muster stations. As a result of recent accidents and incidents I notice that the lines we sail with now take passengers all the way thru the process excepting for actually getting into the life boats.

 

On our recent Riviera cruise (our first on the larger ships), the drill was restricted to gathering at the muster station, hearing a brief description of putting on life vests and then we were released. Frankly, I thought it a bit skimpy on details as many folks in the muster station didn't even attempt to put on their vests. And no staff member addressed that shortcoming.

 

Always thought the drill on the "R" ships more complete.