What mistake did you make on your first cruise

[Guinness1000]

Bringing too much stuff, especially shoes. I'm getting better. Last cruise I only brought thirteen pairs... :D:o

[packercruising]

Cunard Countess -- back in the 80's.

We sailed her a couple more times and chose a larger cabin with a regular bed and full tub with shower.

I liked that with Cunard we got to pre-pay our gratuities. We still tipped extra to those whom we felt deserved them.

No balcony cabins -- no Lido buffet -- every meal in the dining room.

Small ship -- 18,000 tons -- no stabilizers.

 

I thought maybe it was HAL. No stabilizers? Yikes! Did you and Joe ever sail NCL Norway? I don't remember if it had stabilizers or not. Probably not.

[PDXgranny]

Back to the subject of this thread...... on our very first cruise, a 4-day "try it you'll like it" cruise on the Carnival Fantasy, we were in a very small verandah cabin. We unpacked and lined the empty bags along the outside wall of the cabin next to the bed. That meant one of us had to crawl over the bed or bags to get in bed. We kind of suffered with that arrangement for a day plus when we happened to meet our cabin steward. He kindly mentioned "you know you can put your bags under the bed". :o

 

:D My friend clued me in to that trick! I would've thought of it - our beds at home are so low to floor, nothing fits under there - except dust bunnies!!

[PDXgranny]

Bringing too much stuff, especially shoes. I'm getting better. Last cruise I only brought thirteen pairs... :D:o

 

 

YES! Sounds exactly like me. I've got it down to 3 prs, but I bet at least 5 find their way into my luggage.

[TheCruisingAccountant]

and how do you know when airport transfer folks are arriving?

 

I noticed in our stack of pre-boarding papers, cleaning up after our first cruise, that it said you could catch the airport transfers from the Vancouver airport and it either indicated a transfer departure or arrival time (can not remember which, exactly).

 

We just decided that for trip #2 (because after the first cruise, well, like we are ever taking another type of vacation...) we would try getting there about fifteen minutes ahead of that time and see what happens; we felt even if we could not get on, we would be at the front of a long line, and we would rather wait at the front, then in the middle.

 

Seven more cruises since, departing Vancouver and Seattle, and boarding has been about as difficult as breathing in terms of time.

 

If you cant find that information in the pre-boarding material, you could probably call HAL customer service and ask them what time airport transfers are expected to arrive at the terminal.

 

Boarded, visited room, drink in hand by pool is pretty standard for us now, by 11:15, on a 12 departure.

[OlsSalt]

Cruising Acct wrote: "My grandmother used to babysit me as a child, and we would watch the The Love Boat together. I wish I could have thanked her for that, the time together, and the seed that she planted"

 

We actually sailed on the sister ship and stand in for the Love Boat - the old Island Princess which had become the Voyages of Discovery ship. After spending time on her we re-watched the Love Boat episodes to see how we too formed our ideas about "cruising". It was a kick to see how many departures and artistic license the show took from the actual state of a real cruise ship at that time, mainly in size and layout.

 

In the show, the hallways were huge allowing at least three people to walk abreast talking to each other. In the dining room, it was always long gown formal night, with two tiers of generously spaced tables and a bar in the same room. The cabins were multiple room suites. The pool was a grand deck space. People would come and go with one small suitcase in hand. And of course the staff all worked together constantly to fix individual affairs of the heart for each grateful passenger.

 

Real ship: cabins were very cramped - 130 feet, very little closet space. Halls were narrow. Dining room was at the water line level with closely packed tables. The pool was a circular pit that was extremely hard to get out of, more like a shark tank.

 

But the staff was great and oh the places we got to see on that wonderful old ship. I think both she and her sister the real Love Boat - the Pacific Princess - are doing short hauls and charters in Europe these days.

Edited January 19, 2017 by OlsSalt

[PDXgranny]

Cruising Acct wrote: "My grandmother used to babysit me as a child, and we would watch the The Love Boat together. I wish I could have thanked her for that, the time together, and the seed that she planted"

 

We actually sailed on the sister ship and stand in for the Love Boat - the old Island Princess which had become the Voyages of Discovery ship. After spending time on her we re-watched the Love Boat episodes to see how we too formed our ideas about "cruising". It was a kick to see how many departures and artistic license the show took from the actual state of a real cruise ship at that time, mainly in size and layout.

 

In the show, the hallways were huge allowing at least three people to walk abreast talking to each other. In the dining room, it was always long gown formal night, with two tiers of generously spaced tables and a bar in the same room. The cabins were multiple room suites. The pool was a grand deck space. People would come and go with one small suitcase in hand. And of course the staff all worked together constantly to fix individual affairs of the heart for each grateful passenger.

 

Real ship: cabins were very cramped - 130 feet, very little closet space. Halls were narrow. Dining room was at the water line level with closely packed tables. The pool was a circular pit that was extremely hard to get out of, more like a shark tank.

 

But the staff was great and oh the places we got to see on that wonderful old ship. I think both she and her sister the real Love Boat - the Pacific Princess - are doing short hauls and charters in Europe these days.

 

 

I love it! Back in the days of Love Boat on tv, I never dreamed I'd ever be able to go on a cruise! Thought they were for the very wealthy - or at the very least, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

[dogo88]

Cruising Acct wrote: " ... I think both she and her sister the real Love Boat - the Pacific Princess - are doing short hauls and charters in Europe these days.

 

Nope. Pacific Princess was sent to the breakers a few years ago:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2013/08/08/love-boat-cruise-ship/2630821/

 

Dan

[OlsSalt]

Nope. Pacific Princess was sent to the breakers a few years ago:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2013/08/08/love-boat-cruise-ship/2630821/

 

Dan

 

Boo hoo, went searching for the sister ship MV Discovery -Island Princess and found the same tragic fate: https://malcolmoliver.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/mv-discovery-scrapped-2/

[david,Mississauga]

Our biggest mistake on our first cruise in 1972 was being cheap. We booked a tiny two-berth (yes, upper and lower bunks) cabin without private facilities. It was a small Canadian Pacific Railway ex-ferry boat. The ship did have a lot of charm, though: lots of wood-panelling in many places. There was an elegant dining saloon with heavy silver cutlery. Although we enjoyed the cruise, we decided that private facilities would be necessary on future voyages.

 

Our biggest mistake on our first HAL cruise (1974 on Rotterdam) was booking a cabin knowing it had upper and lower berths. It was a large former First Class cabin with full bathroom, and I could not understand why it did not have two lowers. Several years later that cabin was redesigned with two lower beds.

 

Like most people who have been cruising for decades we have become spoiled and now we have to have a balcony.

[CruiseMGM]

Misunderstanding that "Tipping not required" is not at all the same as "No tipping". :o

To this day I wish I could find Basri (my dining steward), and my cabin steward (can't remember his name) and make it up to them. :(

 

Hi, Ruth, I'm with you on this! Our first cruise was a Transatlantic and we were in Concierge Class on Celebrity's Constellation. Fabulous cruise, incredible service, it totally hooked us. And we thought the service we got was just the way it would always be, didn't realize how exceptional we had it on that cruise. Sure wish we'd tipped Rodica commensurate with the service, but we just really didn't know much of anything at the time. I've tried to find her since then, and catch her name every once in a while on CC, but no real luck otherwise. Wish I could make it up to her.

 

Best wishes!

Edited January 19, 2017 by CruiseMGM
Clarifying a point!

[RocketMan275]

My biggest mistake on my first cruise was booking an aft balcony.

My next big mistake was booking an aft suite.

Wife won't accept anything else.

 

Actually, our biggest mistake was thinking one had to dine in the MDR. We've since found that that is our least favorite dining experience.

[tommysgirl]

I was only 17 on my first cruise back in 1980. Our trip was booked by the school. I did not know what to expect and really didn't care. It was gonna be fun to be with my friends, go to the beaches, dance and see new places. It was very exciting. My mistake was not using enough sunscreen. Now I use plenty of it.

 

My husband and I have been on many cruises since we got married and he is now hooked. We enjoy meeting new people, eating good food and visiting our favorite ports. I always bring plenty of sunscreen, we know what we like to do and skip what we do not enjoy. We sail the Nieuw Amsterdam next month and looking forward to it.

 

Enjoy your cruise and thanks for a fun topic to read. :)

[Seafoam Green]

We made the mistake of listening to my parents and booked an inside cabin because 'you never spend time in your room'. It was like spending a week in a closet with twin beds.

Second cruise was an ocean view, and after that, it has always been a balcony. The most recent was an aft balcony, as the next will be...:D

[sapper1]

Back to the subject of this thread...... on our very first cruise, a 4-day "try it you'll like it" cruise on the Carnival Fantasy, we were in a very small verandah cabin. We unpacked and lined the empty bags along the outside wall of the cabin next to the bed. That meant one of us had to crawl over the bed or bags to get in bed. We kind of suffered with that arrangement for a day plus when we happened to meet our cabin steward. He kindly mentioned "you know you can put your bags under the bed". :o

 

We did the same thing on our first cruise!! It wasn't until the second cruise that I discovered Cruise Critic and read that we could slide the bags under the bed. That was the first of many very useful things I learned from the good people of CC.

[alwaysfrantic]

Dinner in the pinnacle grill and realized there is no ticket to sign to leave a gratuity. If you think you may want to tip, take your cash

[Krazy Kruizers]

I thought maybe it was HAL. No stabilizers? Yikes! Did you and Joe ever sail NCL Norway? I don't remember if it had stabilizers or not. Probably not.

 

 

 

Yes -- we sailed on the Norway. It was a Christmas cruise. So many beautiful Christmas trees lined the covered promenade -- each one different.

That was so long ago, I don't remember her having stabilizers either.

[RedneckBob]

Hi y'all, Redneck Bob here.

 

On our first cruise me and my DW Thelma contacted a TA. We wanted to sale on a theme cruise. I am a little hard of hereing and thought the TA booked us on a brews cruise; just right for me; plenty of beer. When we got on board we realized we mistook what our TA booked. Instead of a brews cruise, it was a nude cruise; and I forgot to bring my birthday suit :eek:

[RocketMan275]

Hi y'all, Redneck Bob here.

 

On our first cruise me and my DW Thelma contacted a TA. We wanted to sale on a theme cruise. I am a little hard of hereing and thought the TA booked us on a brews cruise; just right for me; plenty of beer. When we got on board we realized we mistook what our TA booked. Instead of a brews cruise, it was a nude cruise; and I forgot to bring my birthday suit :eek:

 

Do you really expect anyone to believe that?

[PDXgranny]

Hi y'all, Redneck Bob here.

 

On our first cruise me and my DW Thelma contacted a TA. We wanted to sale on a theme cruise. I am a little hard of hereing and thought the TA booked us on a brews cruise; just right for me; plenty of beer. When we got on board we realized we mistook what our TA booked. Instead of a brews cruise, it was a nude cruise; and I forgot to bring my birthday suit :eek:

 

 

Well dam lucky for other pax that you forgot it!!!

[BeardieMom55]

Our first cruise was on the Wilderness Discoverer (80 passenger) ship to Alaska. Our cabin was so small my husband asked what we had done wrong (You could take 2 steps from the bed and be in the shower/toilet). We decided that since it was only 1 week we didn't need to unpack but lived out of the suitcases on the floor at the foot of the bed instead. Kept tripping over the suitcases on the way to the "shoilet". It was an amazing trip with a company that no longer exists sadly. Moved "up" to HAL and couldn't be happier.

[RedneckBob]

Do you really expect anyone to believe that?

 

RocketMan275, y'all are too smart.

 

What actually really happened on our first cruise was that our TA said we had an all inclusive cruise. It was a brew cruise for me until I got my cabin statement at the end of the cruise and my so called all inclusive cruise did not include booze. It almost became a nude cruise when all I had left was the shirt off my back :D

[RocketMan275]

RocketMan275, y'all are too smart.

 

What actually really happened on our first cruise was that our TA said we had an all inclusive cruise. It was a brew cruise for me until I got my cabin statement at the end of the cruise and my so called all inclusive cruise did not include booze. It almost became a nude cruise when all I had left was the shirt off my back :D

 

I'm sure almost every one will believe that story.

[galensgrl]

I noticed in our stack of pre-boarding papers, cleaning up after our first cruise, that it said you could catch the airport transfers from the Vancouver airport and it either indicated a transfer departure or arrival time (can not remember which, exactly).

 

We just decided that for trip #2 (because after the first cruise, well, like we are ever taking another type of vacation...) we would try getting there about fifteen minutes ahead of that time and see what happens; we felt even if we could not get on, we would be at the front of a long line, and we would rather wait at the front, then in the middle.

 

Seven more cruises since, departing Vancouver and Seattle, and boarding has been about as difficult as breathing in terms of time.

 

If you cant find that information in the pre-boarding material, you could probably call HAL customer service and ask them what time airport transfers are expected to arrive at the terminal.

 

Boarded, visited room, drink in hand by pool is pretty standard for us now, by 11:15, on a 12 departure.

 

This is some valuable information here. Thanks for the head's up.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

No major mistakes on my first cruise, as I was fortunate to have friends and family who were seasoned cruisers to give me advice (this was before CC). I did overspend a bit on drinks and shore excursions, though, as I thought at the time it might be my one and only cruise so I splurged :rolleyes:.