First time cruisers - what's your embarkation day routine?

[KEG88]

We are excited to take our first cruise on Celebrity Silhouette this August! We are first timers and I would like to ask any more experienced cruisers what their routine is once they board?!

We have 11:30 boarding from Southampton, we want to get on there and start our vacation as soon as possible! So... what should we do first/second/third? Drop bags, lunch, pool? Lunch, bar, bar? We are two adults and two children (8 and 11)... can I hear your ideas, what do you like to do?

[KKB]

We get to the port about 9:30-10. We like to be onboard early & figure we wait at port or wait at hotel, no difference.

Celebrity now allows you to drop bags in room (YEAH) even if they aren't ready so we usually do that first (AFTER getting a drink), grab some lunch (grab a drink)  & then wander the ship. We try to see everything & get our lay of the land. We don't usually do the pool on day one but with kids I could see that being a priority!

[mom says]

We like to board, drop our bags in our cabin, and complete the eMuster. Then grab a drink to celebrate the start of our cruise before heading to lunch. Then it's time to tour the ship to familiarize ourselves with the various venues. If you have kids with you, you'll want to check out the kids clubs. Then maybe pool time before sailaway.

[phoenix_dream]

With kids, I would pack swimsuits and sunscreen in my carry-on.  Drop off your bags, go have some lunch, give yourself a short tour of the ship including the children's club, and then hit the pool.

[upwarduk]

Go to my cabin to drop bags and pick up my cruise card.

Attend Muster station.

You are then free to get a drink or get something to eat.

[davekathy]

Once onboard we head straight to our stateroom, grab our SeaPass cards, drop off our carry on, check in at our muster station, go to the MDR to verify our reservations and select a two top we prefer. Head to a bar for our welcome aboard drink. Chillout until until they announce the staterooms are ready and if our checked luggage is there, unpack, meet the stateroom attendant, then leave. Find a bar to have a pre dinner drink or two.  

[mahdnc]

1. We go to stateroom to drop off bags and pick up SeaPass cards.  I will check balcony furniture to make sure it is adequate.

2. We will both connect to the ship wi-fi and login to our wi-fi packages to get that established.

3. I head straight to the specialty restaurants to make reservations for rest of dining package.

4. My wife goes to the spa to make appointments.

5. I check on MDR seating/reservations (sometimes)

6. Somewhere in all this we do the muster drill on the app and check in at the muster station

7. Go to Oceanview Cafe for lunch.

8. Go back to stateroom to get things unpacked and setup; meet the stateroom attendant and discuss CPAP supplies (if we didn't receive them already), getting the refrigerator cleared, getting an ice bucket and water pitcher (and tip of course).

9. Call my parents via FaceTime and let them see the stateroom and the port from the balcony and to tell them we are having a good time.

10. Go to the bar to get a drink and head to the roll call sail away function (usually Sunset Bar).

 

[hrhdhd]

16 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

1. We go to stateroom to drop off bags and pick up SeaPass cards.  I will check balcony furniture to make sure it is adequate.

2. We will both connect to the ship wi-fi and login to our wi-fi packages to get that established.

3. I head straight to the specialty restaurants to make reservations for rest of dining package.

4. My wife goes to the spa to make appointments.

5. I check on MDR seating/reservations (sometimes)

6. Somewhere in all this we do the muster drill on the app and check in at the muster station

7. Go to Oceanview Cafe for lunch.

8. Go back to stateroom to get things unpacked and setup; meet the stateroom attendant and discuss CPAP supplies (if we didn't receive them already), getting the refrigerator cleared, getting an ice bucket and water pitcher (and tip of course).

9. Call my parents via FaceTime and let them see the stateroom and the port from the balcony and to tell them we are having a good time.

10. Go to the bar to get a drink and head to the roll call sail away function (usually Sunset Bar).

 

Goodness. That's like work. 😲

[lola2013]

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

1. We go to stateroom to drop off bags and pick up SeaPass cards.  I will check balcony furniture to make sure it is adequate.

2. We will both connect to the ship wi-fi and login to our wi-fi packages to get that established.

3. I head straight to the specialty restaurants to make reservations for rest of dining package.

4. My wife goes to the spa to make appointments.

5. I check on MDR seating/reservations (sometimes)

6. Somewhere in all this we do the muster drill on the app and check in at the muster station

7. Go to Oceanview Cafe for lunch.

8. Go back to stateroom to get things unpacked and setup; meet the stateroom attendant and discuss CPAP supplies (if we didn't receive them already), getting the refrigerator cleared, getting an ice bucket and water pitcher (and tip of course).

9. Call my parents via FaceTime and let them see the stateroom and the port from the balcony and to tell them we are having a good time.

10. Go to the bar to get a drink and head to the roll call sail away function (usually Sunset Bar).

 

Love that you call your parents to check in!

[mahdnc]

6 minutes ago, lola2013 said:

Love that you call your parents to check in!

 

Thanks.  They used to cruise but they are in their 90's now.  In fact today is my dad's 92nd birthday.  So they cruise vicariously through my family's travels..

[SbbquilterUT]

We eat a good breakfast and avoid the buffet crush.  Drop your bags - or if you travel in carry on size as we do, carry them with us.  Drop them in room, lock up valuables and say hello to cabin steward.  Check in at muster station.  Be sure to register your kids with the kids club.  Walk around and explore the ship.   We found that at Southampton they are strict about when you can enter the port so don't get there before your assigned check-in time.  Have fun

[TeaBag]

Welcome to Cruise Critic KEG88!  You have chosen a great ship.  We do much the same as others here, but I would make lunch a priority as the tables get filled fast.  I don't know if you eat at speciality restaurants but I would highly recommend the Lawn Club grill if you do. Sometimes you can get a discount for asking if they're not busy.  I have heard they don't offer the 30% off on the first night any more.  Too bad.

The walls are metal so I would advise you to buy magnetic hooks.  You can get them on Ali Express cheaply.  We also pack flat magnets to attach schedules/notices etc to the wall.

Bon Voyage!

[mahdnc]

1 minute ago, SbbquilterUT said:

Be sure to register your kids with the kids club.

 

Back in the 90's when our kids were smaller, Celebrity used to set up a Fun Factory desk located somewhere after the embarkation photo stand but before you got on the ship.  There would be a couple of counselors there and our kids would meet them, register, and then get their plastic bracelets put on.  It always put a smile on my face.

[lola2013]

20 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

Thanks.  They used to cruise but they are in their 90's now.  In fact today is my dad's 92nd birthday.  So they cruise vicariously through my family's travels..

Happy birthday to your Dad.  My parents dream cruise was through the Panama Canal.  When my Dad passed away, I took my mom on a Princess PC cruise.  She and I did a few more cruises after that!  She’s also gone now, but I always let them know I have traveled safely and had a great time.🙏

[mrgabriel]

If we need specialty dining reservations, we do that before we go to our cabin.

 

Then to the cabin to get our cards and drop our bags. Then we go to the Mast Grill for a hamburger & drink. We try to avoid the buffet since it's absolute madness that first day.

 

After lunch we wander around to get our bearings and do the Muster Drill. Then back to the cabin to unpack and by then it's usually sailaway!

 

[prmssk]

1. Stay in a hotel the night before that is fairly close to the port.

2. In the hotel or car/shuttle ride over, we watch the safety video on the app and listen to the horn.  It's usually available starting about 9am on embarkation morning.

3.  Arrive at the port around our arrival time, check-in, and board once boarding starts.

4.  Stop by our muster station.

5. Drop our bags in our cabin and pick up our sea pass cards.

6. Find lunch.  If we can help it, we avoid the buffet as it is usually crazy on this first lunch.  The Mast Grill is one option.  The sushi place is usually open for a fee.  If we book concierge class, we go to the main dining room.  If we book a suite, we go to Luminae.  

7.  Stop by the Martini Bar for the first martini of the cruise.

8.  Once cabins are ready, I also usually try to go check on the paperwork for dining reservations, shore excursions, etc. to make sure there isn't anything that needs to be adjusted.  Last cruise, our assigned dining time got switched on us at the last minute so we went to the hostess in the main dining room to fix that.

9.  Meet the room steward and watch for suitcases so we can start unpacking.  It never feels like the vacation has truly started until I have unpacked.

[m8zenblue]

2 minutes ago, prmssk said:

1. Stay in a hotel the night before that is fairly close to the port.

2. In the hotel or car/shuttle ride over, we watch the safety video on the app and listen to the horn.  It's usually available starting about 9am on embarkation morning.

3.  Arrive at the port around our arrival time, check-in, and board once boarding starts.

4.  Stop by our muster station.

5. Drop our bags in our cabin and pick up our sea pass cards.

6. Find lunch.  If we can help it, we avoid the buffet as it is usually crazy on this first lunch.  The Mast Grill is one option.  The sushi place is usually open for a fee.  If we book concierge class, we go to the main dining room.  If we book a suite, we go to Luminae.  

7.  Stop by the Martini Bar for the first martini of the cruise.

8.  Once cabins are ready, I also usually try to go check on the paperwork for dining reservations, shore excursions, etc. to make sure there isn't anything that needs to be adjusted.  Last cruise, our assigned dining time got switched on us at the last minute so we went to the hostess in the main dining room to fix that.

9.  Meet the room steward and watch for suitcases so we can start unpacking.  It never feels like the vacation has truly started until I have unpacked.

Ditto !!!

[Mike981]

Drop off our bags and get our room keys, then head to the bar. We are sailing on the Silhouette this coming January and will most likely try to get a couple of seats in the crows nest at the back of the ship. Since we fly in a day before it is much less stressful and I genuinely feel that we enjoy the day, not like the couple of times we flew in the day of. Don't miss those days.

 

It's all about decompressing and getting our vibe going and looking forward to meeting some awesome people.

 

Have a great trip!

[Bo1953]

3 hours ago, hrhdhd said:

Goodness. That's like work. 😲

Yet, ohhhh so worth it at sail away!!! LOL

 

The rest will be fun...

 

bon voyage

[tigervixxxen]

Martini Bar is our favorite embarkation hang out. It’s not as crowded as it will be later on. As other have mentioned it’s a good time to make sure everything is in order so that the cruise begins smoothly. Any reservations or snags to iron out are good to get out of the way right when you board. 
 

my other piece of advice is to think about what you are bringing on the ship in your carry on. Celebrity is usually pretty quick with bag delivery but I like having at least one toiletry bag and an outfit suitable for dinner just in case the checked bags don’t come quickly.

[Cap_D]

Turning on and setting up the Wi-Fi has been mentioned above, I'd add to that start by placing your phone in airplane mode and then turning the Wi-Fi on. This avoids accidentally using mobile data and voice through a cellular carrier once you leave port.  And, if the kids have mobile devices, you can do the same, and then use the app chat feature for free to communicate while on the ship. Of course, it's easiest to download the app in advance to any devices you may be using it on. 

[Esprit]

Go to the Sunset bar and have a drink or three!

Then we'll pass through the buffet and grab some food to take back to the cabin and eat while we unpack.

[weregoingcruising]

19 hours ago, mahdnc said:

1. We go to stateroom to drop off bags and pick up SeaPass cards.  I will check balcony furniture to make sure it is adequate.

2. We will both connect to the ship wi-fi and login to our wi-fi packages to get that established.

3. I head straight to the specialty restaurants to make reservations for rest of dining package.

4. My wife goes to the spa to make appointments.

5. I check on MDR seating/reservations (sometimes)

6. Somewhere in all this we do the muster drill on the app and check in at the muster station

7. Go to Oceanview Cafe for lunch.

8. Go back to stateroom to get things unpacked and setup; meet the stateroom attendant and discuss CPAP supplies (if we didn't receive them already), getting the refrigerator cleared, getting an ice bucket and water pitcher (and tip of course).

9. Call my parents via FaceTime and let them see the stateroom and the port from the balcony and to tell them we are having a good time.

10. Go to the bar to get a drink and head to the roll call sail away function (usually Sunset Bar).

 

All of the above plus on #9 ask for a later curfew.

[Shiba_Lover]

I'm sure it's been mentioned, but you will carry on small hand/ tote or back pack and true luggage will be collected at the pier and delivered to the room.  If you want to visit the pool or have anything your kids will need, put swimsuits or other items in the bag you will carry on.  It could be many hours before you get your luggage ( or it could be fast).

[Andrewgary]

I also like to grab a lounge (two, actually) by the pool  and put a "reserved for duration of cruise" sign on it.

Just kidding, folks!