What is your favorite cruise tradition?

[Bigbluegal]

I’m a non drinker at the moment as well. I’m looking forward to all of the mojitos from Sugarcanes, but in virgin form! I’m also looking for recommendations for other virgin drinks to try!

 

 

I like the virgin mudslide:)

[CruiseGal999]

I have often considered an alone trip but couldn't visualize what my day would look like. A lot of reading?

 

I'm too busy to read! Going ashore, to solo meet ups ... doing games & activities onboard, visiting with people. I met people all over the place and bumped into them all the time all over the ship or in port. It was really the best trip I have been on.

 

AND ... unbelievably ... I did not get sick. There were a bunch of people sick on the ship ... I was so happy I didn't come down with it.

[kathy884]

For me it was having the large family/friends group all getting together for dinner and sharing their day.

 

I love not dressing up on NCL and all the different dining, but I also love the more traditional dining together. I've made some large dining reservations for our entire group both main dining room Tropicana (party of 12) and some specialty to sort of hopefully get the best of both worlds.

[Trimone]

Turning my phone off

[JamieLogical]

Turning my phone off

 

OMG, yes! Why didn't I think of this one? Turning off my phone and locking it in the safe is such a great feeling!

[mrsfuzzmo]

Not tradition, but my favorite part of the cruise is literally stepping on the ship on the first day. It's just a completely unique feeling. Our actual tradition like some others have mentioned, is getting onboard as soon as humanly possible, getting a cocktail, grabbing lunch and then with another cocktail in hand, watch from an upper deck as the remainder of the passengers come onboard. It's fun to have been there and already enjoying your cruise when people are still arriving! It's also kind of fun to watch to see who the last people onboard are before they pull the gangway away.

 

 

 

We always attend the sailaway party for a bit (usually watching from an upper deck) and then go to the front of the ship to watch and wave until we are out to sea!

 

 

Someone else mentioned watching the dock hands untie the ropes, and someone else mentioned just loving the motion of the ship at sea. Both of these are also favorites of ours.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

We have two. The first being lunch in O'Sheehan's. Simply put on our first cruise it was so overwhelming we grabbed the first place we could to sit and eat. We enjoyed the people watching so much it has kind of stuck. So much so that my adult son insisted we have lunch there this coming January as it's "tradition". The other is my wife rarely buys anything for herself, except on a cruise. She will look numerous times in the jewelry shops on board and ashore to finally make her choice. Thus far, she has purchased on the ship from the nicest staff member to approach her. I don't mind, it's her thing and living with me...she has earned it and then some!

Did the same for many cruises!:D This time we're sailing in the haven and we're planning on shots at the haven bar, and enjoying sailaway on the haven deck!:cool:(y):bottle-pop:Can't wait!:eek:

[mugtech]

First morning take a 30 minute walk all through the ship get a picture of the sunrise and then deliver breakfast to my sleeping wife.

[redneckwop]

Getting that first drink in hand, & shutting off the phone. We hit the buffet for lunch then my wife & daughter will grab 1 every dessert between the 2 of them to see which ones are keepers.

[lizp]

My husband is a cocktail aficionado/amateur bartender/fan of good spirits mixed well, and likes to find a bartender who will make his drink *just right*. So we spend the first few hours trying our favourite drinks in various bars in hopes of nailing down “our bartender” who can make a perfect drink! A few extra tips and a little chatter and that bartender becomes our go-to for the duration of the cruise.

 

We didn’t do it intentionally at first, but now it’s pretty much check-box number one on our list! Plus it’s a great way to explore the ship at the same time!!

[josprince]

vermilch, Yes the Cupid Shuffle, and the Wobble, and practicing the Floss.

[sbs145]

We have two. The first being lunch in O'Sheehan's. Simply put on our first cruise it was so overwhelming we grabbed the first place we could to sit and eat. We enjoyed the people watching so much it has kind of stuck. So much so that my adult son insisted we have lunch there this coming January as it's "tradition". The other is my wife rarely buys anything for herself, except on a cruise. She will look numerous times in the jewelry shops on board and ashore to finally make her choice. Thus far, she has purchased on the ship from the nicest staff member to approach her. I don't mind, it's her thing and living with me...she has earned it and then some!

 

 

 

❤️❤️❤️❤️

 

 

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[17cruisesnsl]

First Day --Lunch in a MDR (last cruise we were in Haven -even better!) lots of photos before the ship gets too busy and a late dinner at LaCucina before hitting the casino. La Cucina started many years ago, with a first day promo for a free bottle of wine with dinner if you booked the first night. We rarely drink but it sounded good so we took advantage. Had very calm seas so it became a superstition to ensure a smooth sailing.

Last night is dinner at Cagneys

Purchase of a ship Christmas ornament so decorating the tree brings back fond vacation memories. We purchase an ornament in (new) ports and land vacations as well.

[Sterling]

Teppanyaki on the first night.

 

And for some reason we always have Teppanyaki on the last night ☺️

[Motegi]

Lunch in the buffet and a drink from the bar are priority number one for us on boarding day. Preferably seated outside, weather permitting.

 

Until reading this thread we didn’t realize that the MDR was open on embarkation so we might try that out for our upcoming cruise!

 

Another cruise tradition for us is formalwear (tux and dress) even for NCL’s Norwegians Night Out. And costumes for the theme nights! Single suitcase travelers we are not!

[KeithJenner]

Every single cruise, we make sure we are onboard before the ship sails away.

 

Other than that, we just do whatever works out best with the itinerary and based on what we want to do at the time.

 

 

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[golfpa4]

We make sure we have a cruise booked for 14 feb and have a great dinner at the bistro. We have done this for the pass 8 years, more years to come. Bliss 2020 out of nyc...:cool::evilsmile::evilsmile::D:D

[mrsfuzzmo]

My husband is a cocktail aficionado/amateur bartender/fan of good spirits mixed well, and likes to find a bartender who will make his drink *just right*. So we spend the first few hours trying our favourite drinks in various bars in hopes of nailing down “our bartender” who can make a perfect drink! A few extra tips and a little chatter and that bartender becomes our go-to for the duration of the cruise.

 

We didn’t do it intentionally at first, but now it’s pretty much check-box number one on our list! Plus it’s a great way to explore the ship at the same time!!

 

This is awesome. I might adopt that tradition!!

[havanadaydreaming]

*I have always stayed in the port city the night before cruising.

 

*I have to be on the top deck for sail away, having dranks. I love watching the scenery roll by. Soon enough all I see is the ocean blue.

 

*I almost always wake up on port days as ship approaches. Since we almost always have a balcony I sit outside and watch us slowly approach land while my wife sleeps undisturbed. Then I re-read the Daily Program.

 

*Trivia. Love it. I've been fortunate enough to win at least one trivia session on every cruise we've been on, but the pressure is mounting. to keep the streak alive. luckily our next cruise is 11 nights...more opportunities!

 

*If there is a Margaritaville anywhere near port(s) I'll make at least a token appearance. I'm kind of an over the top Parrothead.

 

*I always buy one of the little ceramic ships from the gift shop. they are all still in boxes in basement. ha!

[lizp]

This is awesome. I might adopt that tradition!!

 

It makes for a FUN first day! ;)

[Billzilla66]

I've only done one cruise so far, but there are a couple of things I've done that I would like to make a tradition.

As others have said, dinner the first night in Cagney's is a great way to start the cruise.

Secondly, last time I donated a book to the ship's library. It was Polly And The Pirates by Ted Naifeh. This time, since it's going to be a Halloween cruise, I was thinking about The Witches Of Karres by James H. Schmitz (OK, that's not a Halloween story but a classic scifi, but good enough).[emoji16]

 

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[2brattyboys]

It makes for a FUN first day! ;)

 

 

 

What is his drink? Always love to hear what craft cocktails others enjoy!

 

 

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[lizp]

What is his drink? Always love to hear what craft cocktails others enjoy!

 

 

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He loves an Old Fashioned, but will branch out to Manhattans and Rob Roys as well...... :')

 

But since on our next cruise we'll be in the Caribbean, I'm sure he'll have a mojito or a caipirinha now and then..... :p

 

I love gin (but not a gin and tonic, I need a bit more sweet than that!) so I'll be sampling all the ginny concoctions I can.

[newmexicoNita]

Every single cruise, we make sure we are onboard before the ship sails away.

 

Other than that, we just do whatever works out best with the itinerary and based on what we want to do at the time.

 

 

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Now that is the best tradition I have ever heard.

[EmTeeNesters]

Among our cruising friends and family, we always taken a photo of our first lunch with our phones and send it to whomever is not with us, turn our phones off, and put them in the safe.

 

If we're not cruising, it always brings a smile to our face to see their photos and know they are on the ship and starting their trip.