Biggest Waste of Time on a Cruise Ship...

[Saving Up To Be Eccentric]

At one of the art auctions, they showed an animated collaboration between Disney and Dali. I thought that was very worthwhile, though I admit to drifting in and out until they got to the good stuff.

 

 

I am posting here because this is the only way it appears that I can post. I never see the "New Thread" button anywhere. I've checked help and all I can find is that I'm supposed to look for a "New Thread" button in the upper right corner.......I am signed in, the site greets me with my user name, invites me to post....BUT HOW?????????. Sorry for the interruption.

 

The new thread button is on the left for me. Either under the sub-forum (for the RCI forum, that's the Quantum of the Seas) and near the announcements above the thread listings, or at the bottom of the page of listings, right under the banner ad, to the left of the page X of # thread navigation numbers, similar to the post reply button.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Saving Up To Be Eccentric
clarity

[connes1]

GUEST RELATIONS line

[Laurie S.]

The photographers at the end of the gangway. ;)

[navybankerteacher]

Most time wasters are voluntary - they only waste your time if you let them. In my case it would be: bingo, art auctions, port shopping talks, checking in daily on slow Internet just because of addiction, trying to be on an early tender at a port you've seen before, certain cheesy CD activities, etc. if you ignore/avoid them, they can't waste your time. The one true unavoidable is the muster drill - made so by self absorbed people who show up late and then Jabber so they slow down the process.

 

On NCL I found waiting for a table for Free-style dinner to be a waste of time (particularly given the service and food) - but solved that by avoiding NCL.

[EdmPair]

Port Talks or anything "free" at the spa; both just sales pitches and a waste of time.

 

 

We had port talks on a Baltic Cruise aboard Princess which was about the city history and sites. It was well presented information and closest I can remember it got to the sales talk was pointing out which area of the city has shops for the shoppers. I guess the key sites are given and you could then book a tour to see them but the talk was usually the day before so late to sell excursions.

 

If all your port talks are about sales, you need to change cruise lines. I have never done anything free in the spa so can not comment on that.

 

M

[Mary Ellen]

I think you are 100% wrong on this one. The toilets are NOT sealed when they flush. It is possible to reach the button and flush with the the lid still open. Just believe me on this. It has been tried. And if your scenario were correct, why isn't there any nasty stuff on the lid AFTER you flush? Stuff doesn't go flying around out of the bowl.

 

Now lets not talk about the toilets any more.....please!

Sorry, but when I see misinformation I have to speak up.

 

You must not be aware of bacteria. This is something too small for us humans to see without a microscope, yet some bacteria can cause us to get sick. You may not want to learn but here is some information for those who consider putting down the toilet lids a "waste of time":

 

Flushing Lidless Toilet Sends Spray Of Diarrhea-Causing Bacteria Into The Air: Study

 

The short version from WebMD:

 

Always flush with the lid down.

According to Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of microbiology at University of Arizona in Tucson, flushing the toilet with the lid up is not wise. "Polluted water vapor erupts out of the flushing toilet bowl and it can take several hours for these particles to finally settle -- not to mention where," he says. "If you have your toothbrush too close to the toilet, you are brushing your teeth with what's in your toilet."

 

[insidecabin]

why do people queue early for their dinner on fixed dining?

 

that has to be a self imposed waste of time

[insidecabin]

Sorry, but when I see misinformation I have to speak up.

 

You must not be aware of bacteria. This is something too small for us humans to see without a microscope, yet some bacteria can cause us to get sick. You may not want to learn but here is some information for those who consider putting down the toilet lids a "waste of time":

 

Flushing Lidless Toilet Sends Spray Of Diarrhea-Causing Bacteria Into The Air: Study

 

The short version from WebMD:

 

 

 

those are for "flushing" toilets, with vacuum ones the dispersal is reduced.

[Mary Ellen]

those are for "flushing" toilets, with vacuum ones the dispersal is reduced.

Yes, and with vacuum ones the lid 'should' be down. :rolleyes: Not a waste of time to do so.

[cb at sea]

We are not "grab and go" folks....we enjoy the MDR for breakfast! So much nicer than rushing...I enjoy being served! I mean, what else do you have to do? You're on vacation! Enjoy the lack of scheduling!

[mr green]

For us it would be eating in the main dining room for breakfast or lunch. It takes forever to get through the meal. We have much better things to do with our time than wait to be served our food. We are grab-and-go kinds of people for those two meals and just consider them time wasters. We know some folks that want to be served every meal while on vacation and that's great...for them:)

 

What are your biggest time wasters?

 

I have to agree in part about MDR's breakfast and lunch. I can't recall the last time I 'wasted time' having breakfast in the MDR, to start with the choices are poor, and I can seldom get anything to eat, other than a Danish, until I have refused a third cup of coffee!!!

Lunch, I enjoy it, IF I HAVE TIME, however it usually takes an hour and a half. Regretfully with so many other things to do in the pm, lunches in the MDR are often few and far between.

Remember this old line,

"We're busy doing nothing working the whole day through,

trying to find all the thing not to do.

We're busy going nowhere, isn't it just a crime?

We want to beeeeee unhappy, but, we never do have the time".

 

From a' Yankee in King Arthur's Court.'

 

john

[NMLady]

For us it would be eating in the main dining room for breakfast or lunch. It takes forever to get through the meal. We have much better things to do with our time than wait to be served our food. We are grab-and-go kinds of people for those two meals and just consider them time wasters. We know some folks that want to be served every meal while on vacation and that's great...for them:)

 

What are your biggest time wasters?

 

Bingo. I used to play on the last Bingo day when jackpot was being given away.

But jackpots are now much smaller and the cost to play is more so I don't play at all.

[Hlitner]

Guess we have a different take. Most of the things mentioned as a "waste of time" are not things for which we have a clue, because we do not waste out time finding out. For example, we do not ever go to the Art Auctions, port shopping lectures, shopping lectures, sales on board, Bingo, etc. As to the queues, we practice "queue avoidance" which is actually quite easy. We are convinced that many folks love to stand on long lines, because why else do the do this all the time. If the Lido opens for lunch at 11:30 there will usually be a line from 11:15 until about 12:30. So we go to lunch at 12:35! We recently witnessed a huge line on our Ruby Princess cruise when they had an afternoon wine tasting which was free to frequent cruisers (including moi). These folks lined up around the entire atrium and waited for at least 15 min for the doors to open, and then had to wait another 15-20 min as folks were seated. We simply plopped down at a table at the International Café and enjoyed some coffee while we chatted with another couple and shook our heads at those folks standing in line. Once the line was gone we simply walked into the dining room (where they had the wine tasting) and were quickly seated. There never was a question about folks getting a seat...and yet they stood in line (and we heard many grumbling) rather then simply waiting somewhere else until the mad rush was over.

 

And then we get to the disembarkation process. We have learned to not book flights until early afternoon (in most ports). On that last morning, while folks are rushing to and fro, waiting impatiently in long lines or standing around nervously looking at their watches, we are enjoying our morning. We usually go to breakfast near the end of the serving time (miss the rush) and have a relaxing breakfast. We then return to our cabin, get our carry-off luggage, and find a comfy deck chair on the pool deck where we relax with our books (and coffee if available). Then, around 9:30 - 10:00, when just about everyone is off the ship, we take an elevator (no wait) down to the appropriate deck, walk off the ship (no lines), grab our luggage (easy to find since most of the luggage is long gone) and grab a taxi (taxi queues are usually gone). Life is good :)

 

Hank

Edited July 5, 2014 by Hlitner

[cruzincurt]

I think it's funny as those who play BINGO at home (BINGO veterans) actually think they have a better chance than newbies.

 

We dropped into the theater early for a show and the bingo guy had an Ipad he read the numbers from. What happened to the bouncing random balls?

 

They know before they read the numbers out what the winning card serial number is, why bother calling out the numbers. Or they can avoid numbers that create wining cards to prolong the games.

[gooch47]

I agree about the art auctions.

[SteveH2508]

*potentially controversial post warning*

 

Watching the cheapskates queue up at Guest Services to remove their auto-gratuities.:rolleyes: (or are they the ones wasting their vacation time?)

[Keith1010]

The nice things about cruising is choice.

 

Keith

[mapsmith]

Anything "Art" related...including the waste of paper left in each cabin about this.

 

Agree. If it were truly valuable art, it sure as heck would not be on a cruise ship. There is a story somewhere on CC about someone buying a true valuable art piece from the Auction (valued somewhere around $25K) for a pittance and then the Gallery asked for it back after they had taken it home. The Art to be sold was a copy but the Auctioneer actually gave them the original.

[mapsmith]

of course:

 

- Bingo

- searching for loungers

- port talks

- waiting DW to get ready for breakfast/lunch/dinner/excursion

 

I believe the last one is not limited to being on a cruise, at least in my circumstances.

[Doug R.]

The biggest waste of time on a cruise is everything that you don't like to do.

 

Just keep in mind one persons idea of hell is another persons idea of heaven. :D

[clackey]

I will never understand why Carnival puts live music by the casino with limited seating and puts lousy karaoke in a lounge. Last cruise there were 2 lounges empty yet the live music was at the casino with the smokers.:mad:

[Velvetwater]

Casinos.

 

Yes I realise how much money they give to industry and how many consider them as part of a holiday experience but seriously...why?

 

You are on a luxury vessel, surrounded by stunning ocean with those you hold dear and you are sitting alone at a smoky blackjack table/slot machine losing money 90% of the time. Casinos are unhealthy for the body and the mind IMO. I am really baffled by gambling as entertainment.

 

I also don't like the look of certain of cruise ship shows...they are all a bit Vegas style to me. I would rather but watching the comedy shows or having a drink up on deck.

 

Shopping and port talks as well.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Velvetwater

[Doug R.]

I will never understand why Carnival puts live music by the casino with limited seating and puts lousy karaoke in a lounge. Last cruise there were 2 lounges empty yet the live music was at the casino with the smokers.:mad:

 

 

Lousy Karaoke? Is there any other kind? :D

[TheBeeSea]

IMO waste of time things:

 

Bingo -should be banned -some people on cruises do not have the time left to play.

Karoka

 

You can go anywhere if so inclined and find these cheap excuses for entertainment but in saying that you do not have to attend.

 

Breakfast in MDR - not my thing as I prefer something lite and easy

 

Anything that I do not want to be doing.

 

But I will not allow anything to get me wound up and so perhaps spoil my time.

[gooch47]

I personally prefer breakfast in the MDR. To each his own.

 

I often wonder if they fish all those flyers for the art auction and the spa treatments out of the trash and reuse them. Seems like such a waste.