Favorite first and last evening traditions

[Sweetnspicy]

I just made my final payment for the Epic 11 day to the Southern Caribbean January 2020! I am so excited! This is our 4th cruise and 2nd in the Epic. 

 

What do you like to do on your first evening? See a show? Fancy dinner? Go to bed early? 

 

What about the last evening? 

 

I usually have a little bit too much to drink at the Sail away party and I have to go to bed early 🤣 I’m hoping to not make that a tradition. 

[dbrown84]

Beer craps, and blackjack on the first night.  By the time the last night rolls around I've lost too much in the casino so just beer 🥴

[Harratine]

First night,, specialty dining.  No crowds,, great service.

 

Last night,, sulk about returning to real world.

[kenlyn]

First night is exploring and getting a lay of the land so to speak. Casino is a must visit to see if my favorites are there and generally spend some time enjoying the balcony before bed. Last night will be packing and feeling sorry for ourselves that we have to go back to 25 degrees and snow. We are on the Escape in January so maybe we will try not to be as lame as we sound...lol

[cruiserbear55]

First night-Cagneys! Twenty ounce porterhouse, double shrimp cocktail, veggie and dessert.Last night-same as the first!Happy cruising!

[cincicruisers]

Last night dinner at Cagneys.

[Von & John]

If we haven't been on the ship previously...

First Night - Dinner & then check out the different venues for cocktails & music...  Wander around until we find one which holds our attention & some point play the Casino

Final Night - Connect w/ the friends we've made on the cruise for final cocktails, dinner, continuing cocktails, music, possibly some dancing & one last shot in the Casino...

[KarmaElectra]

First night - no matter how chilly - hot tub.    😄

 

In the beginning, we were usually the only ones.  The more we cruise, the more we see others there as well.

[Sweetnspicy]

10 hours ago, kenlyn said:

First night is exploring and getting a lay of the land so to speak. Casino is a must visit to see if my favorites are there and generally spend some time enjoying the balcony before bed. Last night will be packing and feeling sorry for ourselves that we have to go back to 25 degrees and snow. We are on the Escape in January so maybe we will try not to be as lame as we sound...lol

 

I like to explore too! I usually do it at 2 or 3 am, after I wake up from my “nap” 

[Sweetnspicy]

7 hours ago, KarmaElectra said:

First night - no matter how chilly - hot tub.    😄

 

In the beginning, we were usually the only ones.  The more we cruise, the more we see others there as well.

 

I would like to try this but don’t want to intrude. 🤣 

[Sweetnspicy]

10 hours ago, cruiserbear55 said:

First night-Cagneys! Twenty ounce porterhouse, double shrimp cocktail, veggie and dessert.Last night-same as the first!Happy cruising!

My husband would 100% want to do this. Last evening I am usually excited for salad, more salad and water. 

[newmexicoNita]

First night: always Chinese dinner if they have a Chinese restaurant on the ship. Otherwise MDR. Before dining we like to meet up, at a particular bar with new friends from our M&G group. Usually after dinner we are pretty tired so it is early to bed.

Last night: MdR. We don't eat many meals in the MDR, but the last night always. Then we hit the gift shop for any last minute shopping, especially if we still have OBC.  

 

[Gingerclerg]

First night sailaway until we are out a way from mainland. We take in the Welcome Aboard Show and listen to music in a bar.  Usually bed calls early. Last night tradition is now Cagney's often with friends from m&g. A couple we met on our kast cruise is joining us on our next one and we've booked Cagney's.  Then the last minute packing and sadness sets in.

[buddylover]

15 hours ago, Harratine said:

First night,, specialty dining.  No crowds,, great service.

 

Last night,, sulk about returning to real world.

Love this......we too "sulk" on the last night.....so sad!!!😪

[tgloersen]

Great thread!

[mugtech]

First night we like to take in the welcome aboard show, take a walk around if we have not been on the ship previously and/or check out the bar music.  Last night is for checking in on our next day flight if required and to use up any leftover obc. 

[callmebetty]

A little twist....the last morning, we use the bottle.of Duc De Valmer to make mimosas with our last breakfast at the buffet. It helps us ease back into reality....not really, but that's what we tell ourselves.

Edited September 25, 2019 by callmebetty
Wrong spelling...may still be wrong

[Sweetnspicy]

1 hour ago, callmebetty said:

A little twist....the last morning, we use the bottle.of Duc De Valmer to make mimosas with our last breakfast at the buffet. It helps us ease back into reality....not really, but that's what we tell ourselves.

I like your thinking! 🤣🤣

[megansdad1]

1st night is exploring is abusing the beverage package.   Welcome Aboard Show and crashing late and sleeping in a little. 

[Huntingdon1701]

First night is Cagney's and some time in the Spa. Last night is time in the spa and Le Bistro. It would be nice to add in a show, but I never seem to time it right. 

[Gershep]

First thing we do when we board the ship is get a drink and then go to the MDR for lunch. The first night is usually a specialty restaurant.

 

Last tradition is PACK our suitcases.

[RedwingHockeyFan]

9 minutes ago, Gershep said:

First thing we do when we board the ship is get a drink and then go to the MDR for lunch. The first night is usually a specialty restaurant.

 

Last tradition is PACK our suitcases.

 

Yeah, pretty similar for us, especially the last night.  The first day usually goes like this:

 

1. Get on the ship as soon as possible.

2. Go to the buffet and get some lunch and some drinks.

3. Go to the CruiseNext desk to buy some certs and book our next cruise if we know what it is.

4. Go to the room to unpack and take a nap.

5. Muster Drill

6. Go to the pool deck for drinks/swimming/slides and Sail Away Party

7. Dinner

8. Roam the ship for different bars for drinks, chill on the Waterfront.

 

When I cruised the Escape in 2015 shortly after it was built, I completely missed the Waterfront and didn't spend any time there the whole cruise.  I was severely disappointed a couple years later when I sailed on the Getaway and found out the Escape also had it.

 

[Dawnya00]

LOVE this thread.

I will start with our last night tradition, if there is a Teppanyaki onboard we will do that. By then, all my evening dresses are too tight and it is loose clothing until I get home.

First night traditions have recently started with a steak dinner at Cagney's, it is a chance for us to just finally chill after a busy embarkation day. Then we roam ship, finding the bars and getting the lay of the land.

I am totally stealing @callmebetty idea of last morning mimosa's though! Brilliant!

[bkrickles1]

Typically, although not a tradition, we board early, grab a drink at first available bar and head to buffet for lunch.

On Escape in July, 2018 we hit up O'Sheehans for lunch instead.

We're sailing Encore in January with my wife's Aunt and Uncle, so we plan on still boarding as early as possible, having that first drink and having lunch in mdr.

We never make reservations for dinner or show on first night so we can explore the different venues (bars lol) and just relax and get to bed relatively early.

I'll say for the last night on our upcoming Encore cruise, I've booked Teppenyaki for an early dinner, so we can pack early and enjoy our last night.

None of these things are traditions for us, but we enjoy them just the same.

[sykimball1498]

On 9/24/2019 at 8:02 PM, cruiserbear55 said:

First night-Cagneys! Twenty ounce porterhouse, double shrimp cocktail, veggie and dessert.Last night-same as the first!Happy cruising!

LOL...sounds like my hhusband.  This time we are starting at Moderno on the first evening...I want him to get his fill early in the cruise.