The Do's and Don'ts on Embarkation Day

[Cruisin' Chick]

We didn't clear a waitlist to get our preferred traditional a couple of cruises ago and didn't care for anytime dining at all. For a myriad of reasons. We were so happy to get traditional back for our last cruise. I don't want to think about planning our dinner and don't want to be on the phone making reservations for a vacation. We don't have to think about it -- just go to the dining room and sit at our table. If we think we won't last til our seating, we'll have a mid afternoon nosh in the buffet.

[babygoo]

great thread.

Why do/would I need to wait and meet the room steward?

Thanks

[GUT2407]

great thread.

Why do/would I need to wait and meet the room steward?

Thanks

 

Some want to bribe (sorry I mean pre-tip) him

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

Thanks for letting us CC members to indulge you with this excellent topic. As an adult, embarkation day is much more exciting than Christmas ever was as a kid. My two cents & my apologies for repeating what others may have said before me.

 

1) Arrive the day before - avoids bad scheduling/mis connects by the airlines. You will be fully rested the night before, which will keep you in a better mind frame.

 

2) Eat a breakfast that contains protein and fruit, even if you're not hungry. This helps regulate blood sugar and makes you less likely to get a headache (surprisingly common on embarkation day.) When you get to the pier you won't be obsessed with getting on the ship and immediately having to eat like a feral animal.

 

3) Dress UP, in a classy comfortably casual way - not down. The best way to describe it is to pretend that you're boarding the ship in Italy, lol. Remember that boarding a cruise ship is a grand occasion, dressing up sets the tone of pomp & circumstance ! You will stand out to your fellow passengers and make a great first impression to your crew. These days so many people dress on embarkation day as if they're just going to the corner store for tomorrow's breakfast milk. Don't fall into that trap.

 

4) In the taxi from the hotel I say a little prayer to the powers that be - in gratitude for the ability to afford such a wonderful vacation and for the wellness of my fellow passengers and crew.

 

5) At the pier, make a point of smiling and saying hello to others when appropriate. This mornings stranger might just be tonights new best friend.

 

6) By all means, lunch in the MDR is a must ! It's much more relaxing than all the noise and crowds of the buffet.

 

7) Once the cabins are ready, go to yours and do a complete check for general cleanliness and working condition of hardware and plumbing. Little cleaning details can often be overlooked by room stewards on these busy "turnaround" days. As soon as you are able, introduce yourself to your room steward(s) and let them know of your needs. Communication is key in taking responsibility for the enjoyment of your experience with your crew.

 

8) As soon as you find that your luggage is at your cabin, unpack - then that chore is over and done with.

 

9) Muster Drill is required.

 

10) On sail away head up to one of the foreword most outer decks. It's much more enjoyable than being at the "sail away" party full of crowds, tacky band music, & pushy alcohol sales.

 

I hope this helps. Have a wonderful cruise & Bon Voyage !

Edited February 2, 2016 by Myrtle Ave. Mayhem

[southpawsdakota]

I always type up what I would like from the room steward and either hand it to him if we see him when we get to our room (sometimes they are finished with cleaning all their assigned rooms) or leave it on the bed. You will find your room steward's name on the desk and his extension #. i then call the dine line to make any specialty restaurant reservations. We then head down to the dining room that is open. The staff will try to steer you to the Horizon Court for the buffet but if you want to sit down and relax go to the main dining room usually located on most ships the middle of the ship on deck 5/6. IF your cabin is not ready until one just take your bag with you. All contact #'s and times and dining room times are listed in the "patter" which you will receive every day which will have activities. A word to the wise about breakfast in the dining room, those doors will close when the time is listed in the patter. Enjoy, don't stress!

[spyro1952]

Nanaoften - re dinner reservations. Please clarify - we've opted for Any Time Dining . do we have to make reservations for when & where we dine? or just go when we want to? what are our options? thanks

 

Most reservations for anytime dining will be after 6:30 since all the dining rooms are usually filled for early traditional. There are many threads here regarding how to negotiate ATD and all Princess ships do it a little differently depending on the Maitre D'.

Specialty restaurants are an up charge but you can call the DINE line and make reservations for any night of your cruise when you embark.

 

Have a great cruise.

[olingirl]

3) Dress UP, in a classy comfortably casual way - not down. The best way to describe it is to pretend that you're boarding the ship in Italy, lol. Remember that boarding a cruise ship is a grand occasion, dressing up sets the tone of pomp & circumstance ! You will stand out to your fellow passengers and make a great first impression to your crew. These days so many people dress on embarkation day as if they're just going to the corner store for tomorrow's breakfast milk. Don't fall into that trap.

 

So glad I'm not the only one that does this! I always plan my "boarding outfit" that's a little more dressy than normal! Kind of like Kate Winslet boarding, but with a better outcome!

[Bemidji Ty]

Thanks for letting us CC members to indulge you with this excellent topic. As an adult, embarkation day is much more exciting than Christmas ever was as a kid. My two cents & my apologies for repeating what others may have said before me.

 

1) Arrive the day before - avoids bad scheduling/mis connects by the airlines. You will be fully rested the night before, which will keep you in a better mind frame.

 

2) Eat a breakfast that contains protein and fruit, even if you're not hungry. This helps regulate blood sugar and makes you less likely to get a headache (surprisingly common on embarkation day.) When you get to the pier you won't be obsessed with getting on the ship and immediately having to eat like a feral animal.

 

3) Dress UP, in a classy comfortably casual way - not down. The best way to describe it is to pretend that you're boarding the ship in Italy, lol. Remember that boarding a cruise ship is a grand occasion, dressing up sets the tone of pomp & circumstance ! You will stand out to your fellow passengers and make a great first impression to your crew. These days so many people dress on embarkation day as if they're just going to the corner store for tomorrow's breakfast milk. Don't fall into that trap.

 

4) In the taxi from the hotel I say a little prayer to the powers that be - in gratitude for the ability to afford such a wonderful vacation and for the wellness of my fellow passengers and crew.

 

5) At the pier, make a point of smiling and saying hello to others when appropriate. This mornings stranger might just be tonights new best friend.

 

6) By all means, lunch in the MDR is a must ! It's much more relaxing than all the noise and crowds of the buffet.

 

7) Once the cabins are ready, go to yours and do a complete check for general cleanliness and working condition of hardware and plumbing. Little cleaning details can often be overlooked by room stewards on these busy "turnaround" days. As soon as you are able, introduce yourself to your room steward(s) and let them know of your needs. Communication is key in taking responsibility for the enjoyment of your experience with your crew.

 

8) As soon as you find that your luggage is at your cabin, unpack - then that chore is over and done with.

 

9) Muster Drill is required.

 

10) On sail away head up to one of the foreword most outer decks. It's much more enjoyable than being at the "sail away" party full of crowds, tacky band music, & pushy alcohol sales.

 

I hope this helps. Have a wonderful cruise & Bon Voyage !

 

Like!!!

[4x4bob]

Many first time cruisers are really surprised when they find out that the Drink of the Day that the waiters are offering on the top decks during sail away are not free.

 

Story from a few years ago. A passenger stopped two waiters and handed out all of the drinks that they were carrying to his group. When waiters asked for his card to charge the drinks to his account it was too late to give them back.:eek:

 

Bob

Edited February 2, 2016 by 4x4bob

[Northender]

We are relatively new to cruising and I read an article today about the Do's and Don'ts on Embarkation Day. Some of the advice they cited:

Don't go directly to the buffet because most people will be headed that way

Meet with your room steward

Make dinner reservations in the specialty restaurants

Unpack your bags

Tour the ship looking for bars you may be interested in and good viewing points

I'd like to get more feedback from CC posters. Thanks!

 

Wonderful advice here. Mine is:

 

BUY INSURANCE from your TA or Princess.:):) It is worth every penny.

[tonit964]

On embarkation day, once in the room, I always wipe everything down with Lysol wipes. They come in a little travel pack of 10.

 

I figure the last guest was there only about 4 hours before we arrived and if they were sick at all, I'm doing something to keep us from getting it.

[ontheweb]

After dropping off our carry on in the room, I go to the buffet. DW goes swimming.

 

After eating, I like to explore the ship.

[philv]

All good advice.

 

We head to cabin and drop carry ons before anything else. After that, who cares. :p But seriously, after dropping carry ons my traveling companions usually like to see what they have in the buffet. I'm not a big fan of that and convinced them to try the MDR once but it was unexciting. Once we have settled in a bit, it's time to start thinking about where to view sailaway. My favorite place is the observation deck above the Bridge, Lido deck all the way forward through cabin country. Some ships keep doors locked, or lock them when high winds. If it's open, best view IMO. :D

[Kinkacruiser]

great thread.

Why do/would I need to wait and meet the room steward?

Thanks

 

Your steward will make every effort to introduce himself. I always get a knock on the door in the middle of unpacking (before muster). My usual request is for bath robes.

[AF-1]

Do the Princess Ships have an electronic board that tells you which restaurants are crowded. On RCL and NCL they have boards all over the ship letting you know which places were busy and which were not

[GUT2407]

Do the Princess Ships have an electronic board that tells you which restaurants are crowded. On RCL and NCL they have boards all over the ship letting you know which places were busy and which were not

 

Not on any Princess shipive been on.

 

Thank Goodness.

[Pushka]

Many first time cruisers are really surprised when they find out that the Drink of the Day that the waiters are offering on the top decks during sail away are not free.

 

Story from a few years ago. A passenger stopped two waiters and handed out all of the drinks that they were carrying to his group. When waiters asked for his card to charge the drinks to his account it was too late to give them back.:eek:

 

Bob

 

 

Hilarious!

Does Princess offer free drinks on Embarkation?

I usually get to the ship as early as possible and head up to the buffet while quiet. Get my first drink. Relax. Unpack if I can, otherwise go sit by the pool.

 

This time we wont arrive from our Alaska Landtour until around 5pm. Others will be in charge of us boarding. And being an Alaska Landtour, no Kate Winslett entrances. Our photo will have us in daggy Alaskan gear!

Edited February 2, 2016 by Pushka

[AF-1]

Not on any Princess shipive been on.

 

Thank Goodness.

 

Thank you for your quick response

[XBGuy]

I like to bring my own wine for the cabin when I cruise. On our last cruise, I pre-ordered a platter of raw vegetables with dipping sauce. When we walked into our room, there was the platter. On the sail away we sipped wine and noshed on vegies on our balcony. (Another reason to meet up with your cabin steward is to have him bring wine glasses for the room.)

[romancing_the_sea]

Thanks for letting us CC members to indulge you with this excellent topic. As an adult, embarkation day is much more exciting than Christmas ever was as a kid. My two cents & my apologies for repeating what others may have said before me.

 

1) Arrive the day before - avoids bad scheduling/mis connects by the airlines. You will be fully rested the night before, which will keep you in a better mind frame.

 

2) Eat a breakfast that contains protein and fruit, even if you're not hungry. This helps regulate blood sugar and makes you less likely to get a headache (surprisingly common on embarkation day.) When you get to the pier you won't be obsessed with getting on the ship and immediately having to eat like a feral animal.

 

3) Dress UP, in a classy comfortably casual way - not down. The best way to describe it is to pretend that you're boarding the ship in Italy, lol. Remember that boarding a cruise ship is a grand occasion, dressing up sets the tone of pomp & circumstance ! You will stand out to your fellow passengers and make a great first impression to your crew. These days so many people dress on embarkation day as if they're just going to the corner store for tomorrow's breakfast milk. Don't fall into that trap.

 

4) In the taxi from the hotel I say a little prayer to the powers that be - in gratitude for the ability to afford such a wonderful vacation and for the wellness of my fellow passengers and crew.

 

5) At the pier, make a point of smiling and saying hello to others when appropriate. This mornings stranger might just be tonights new best friend.

 

6) By all means, lunch in the MDR is a must ! It's much more relaxing than all the noise and crowds of the buffet.

 

7) Once the cabins are ready, go to yours and do a complete check for general cleanliness and working condition of hardware and plumbing. Little cleaning details can often be overlooked by room stewards on these busy "turnaround" days. As soon as you are able, introduce yourself to your room steward(s) and let them know of your needs. Communication is key in taking responsibility for the enjoyment of your experience with your crew.

 

8) As soon as you find that your luggage is at your cabin, unpack - then that chore is over and done with.

 

9) Muster Drill is required.

 

10) On sail away head up to one of the foreword most outer decks. It's much more enjoyable than being at the "sail away" party full of crowds, tacky band music, & pushy alcohol sales.

 

I hope this helps. Have a wonderful cruise & Bon Voyage !

 

 

What a lovely post - excellent tips and I really appreciated the prayer suggestion.

[romancing_the_sea]

Many first time cruisers are really surprised when they find out that the Drink of the Day that the waiters are offering on the top decks during sail away are not free.

 

Story from a few years ago. A passenger stopped two waiters and handed out all of the drinks that they were carrying to his group. When waiters asked for his card to charge the drinks to his account it was too late to give them back.:eek:

 

Bob

 

 

I remember when the "Welcome Aboard" drink was free on Carnival in one of the lounges. Good luck getting one - lol - it was a madhouse!

[floridalover5623]

 

3) Dress UP, in a classy comfortably casual way - not down. The best way to describe it is to pretend that you're boarding the ship in Italy, lol. Remember that boarding a cruise ship is a grand occasion, dressing up sets the tone of pomp & circumstance ! You will stand out to your fellow passengers and make a great first impression to your crew. These days so many people dress on embarkation day as if they're just going to the corner store for tomorrow's breakfast milk. Don't fall into that trap.

 

 

 

 

No wonder they never offer to carry my bags to my room. I didn't dress for the occasion. :D:rolleyes:

[RocketMan275]

No wonder they never offer to carry my bags to my room. I didn't dress for the occasion. :D:rolleyes:

 

I just fold a $100 bill in the shape of a pocket square like they wear in their suit pockets when boarding a ship in Italy. I stick it in the top front pocket of my bib overalls. The crew must be really impressed because they're always offering to help me.

[pris993]

What a lovely post - excellent tips and I really appreciated the prayer suggestion.

 

Love your list, totally agree, dress up to board, we always do. Sometimes - we can wear what we have on to dinner, even though we do late Traditional dining.

 

If our luggage arrives late we are all set.

[Pushka]

I remember when the "Welcome Aboard" drink was free on Carnival in one of the lounges. Good luck getting one - lol - it was a madhouse!

 

Still free on Celebrity and there is no madhouse.