Embarkation day-what’s your favourite thing to do

[kalos]

46 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

They don't scan the card, they scan the QR code on your boarding pass. Always been directed to do that immediately on boarding, you get asked "what's your muster station" and pointed towards it. It is almost always on the way to your cabin anyway, and it is on the boarding level so saving an unnecessary trip in the lift when people have still got their hand luggage with them. Why do two trips when one will do? I am aware that a "proper" muster drill is needed at times but that is the exception.

That's what we do,muster Station then room to drop hand luggage off,then into cruise mode .😊

[Presto2]

Just walking on to the ship for the first time. Always special and no other feeling like it. 🙂

[zap99]

14 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

On P and O we book 710 club as soon as we get on several times

We did that on Arvia. Booked around half a dozen slots. I was told. " don't book every night.".

[SunnyD800]

I can’t wait now! I will definitely add into our plans a cocktail in somewhere with a good view! 

[MellyMoo1989]

Do all the necessary muster bits and bobs, go get some food and maybe duck into a bar and have a cheeky “yay we made it!” cocktail then back to the cabin to unpack, have a shower and get ready for dinner. 
 

Luckily when we go on Britannia our first “full day” is a sea day so plenty of time to explore 🙂 

Edited May 20 by MellyMoo1989

[Camberley]

Leisurely embarkation lunch, followed by a few hours enjoying the balcony with a cocktail or two and then our first night speciality restaurant. Ok, most nights are a speciality restaurant but the first night is the most special!.
 

For us this really gets the holiday started.

[Goosebear Mum]

Oh my, some boring answers here for a new cruiser!  I mean, unpack, muster?!  Honestly, they are obvious!  You now get sent to your muster point on embarkation, to ‘scan in’.  I think some of you have been on too many cruises, and have lost the ‘spark’ 😉 

 

We love going for a wander, if only to feel ‘at home again’ (if we’re on Aurora) or a detailed look around to investigate a new ship.  We always have a balcony cabin, and I think we’ve always been on the ‘dock side’; and we love watching all the antics ‘below’, with everything being loaded.  Once we spotted our car in the CPS car park, and now we have a game of trying to spot her! 

 

We are about to go on Iona for the first time, I’ve already printed the key public deck plans out (A5 laminated) as we rely on these for new ships - the little ones provided didn’t really ‘do it’ for me! 

 

(In Barbados (Southampton to Southampton cruise) we were dock side, window table for dinner, and we had a wonderful dinner watching all the crew and passenger supplies being on-loaded guessing what things were…our waiter came over to find out what we were watching so intently , and he remained with us a while having fun telling us what was in each pallet, it was eye opening.  Because they all help out with sorting out new supplies, he could recognise everything, from the smallest details on boxes!  ) That was when waiters had time 🤣 

 

p.s. Have fun on Iona 🙂 

 

Edited May 20 by Goosebear Mum

[david63]

16 minutes ago, Goosebear Mum said:

You now get sent to your muster point on embarkation, to ‘scan in’.

Not always. Apparently every so often there is a full muster (without life-jackets) where you have to attend.

[FangedRose]

28 minutes ago, david63 said:

Not always. Apparently every so often there is a full muster (without life-jackets) where you have to attend.

That only happens once every six months or so per ship. A pretty rare experience.

[Slugsta]

We like 'Freedom' dining but now pre-book a speciality restaurant for the first evening when queues seem to be worse for the MDRs. It's a nice way to kick-start the holiday.

[Son of Anarchy]

We go and get scanned in a our muster station, then see if we can put our carry on bags in the cabin.

 

Then its off to the embarkation lunch.  Depending how that goes, stagger back to the cabin to see if any of our stuff has arrived and do a bit of unpacking.  

 

Then aim to be out on deck for sail away, and take in the scenery as we head out.

[indiana123]

On Ambience last week we had full muster drill, but no lifejackets.  On hearing the alarm we had to go to the ground floor of the theatre where there was a full muster with recorded instructions and a  full demonstration about life jackets by about four crew around the stage.

[Ranchi]

Wander round ship. Visit the library to see what time it opens (Think I’ll get that Rumpole omnibus if it’s in.)

Head onto the open deck & maybe throw a quoit or two. Check the passenger list to see if any acquaintances are on this cruise. Watch the cases coming aboard slung in a net from a crane (‘crikey, look at that one dangling out of the net- will it fall in water?). Register master & miss for the Children’s Club ( the night nursery booking used to be a priority when they were younger.) Nip up to the buffet if peckish. Go to the cabin & unpack. Meet the steward who asks what time we’d like waking and would it be tea or coffee? Juice for master & miss? Check the location of lifts, laundrette (& sometimes showers, baths & toilets.)

General muster in one of the lounges or bars. (‘Please don’t put on your life jacket until requested to.’)

Then out on deck for the sail away. I love a brass band. Collect streamers from the ents staff and listen to the horn as we cast off. And then the best bit as passengers disperse to bars or their cabins walk the empty decks taking in the sights - the old military hospital, the oil refinery, pass the Red Funnel ferry (‘we really must add an extra day one year & take a trip to the IoW’) 

Wonder will we take the Bramble’s turn and pass the east of the IoW or will we go west and along the north of the Isle and past The Needles? ( we did once, on Oriana) 

‘Where on earth is Osborne House? Can you see it?’ 

‘Come on, time for dinner!)

Most of the above is in the past but the last bit (& the best bit ) still holds. The excitement of what is to come and the knowledge that you are on you holidays ( for me that really kicks in early next morning as you feel the judder of the course change as we round Ushant and the morning sun is on the port side. 

 

Edited May 26 by Ranchi

[Angel57]

@Ranchi - that so reminds me of my first few cruises in the early 1990s on P&Os Sea Princess (which became Victoria). There were always guys on the quayside with long hooks to fish out a case or suit holder that fell into the water 🤣

[FangedRose]

11 hours ago, indiana123 said:

On Ambience last week we had full muster drill, but no lifejackets.  On hearing the alarm we had to go to the ground floor of the theatre where there was a full muster with recorded instructions and a  full demonstration about life jackets by about four crew around the stage.

So Ambassador then, not P&O.

[Ranchi]

1 hour ago, Angel57 said:

@Ranchi - that so reminds me of my first few cruises in the early 1990s on P&Os Sea Princess (which became Victoria). There were always guys on the quayside with long hooks to fish out a case or suit holder that fell into the water 🤣

The last time I saw Sea Princess/Victoria she was passing under the Forth road and rail bridges. She looked a little bedraggled with her maroon funnel complete with picture of Mona Lisa on it. She was such a stylish ship - although purists complained that P&O spoiled her lines by removing her original dummy funnel ( I never saw her original profile.) 
The luggage cargo nets never failed while we watched - although how, I don’t know. 

Edited May 26 by Ranchi

[Mymarina Bay]

Always go and explore the ship from top to bottom, unpacking can wait. We decide which bar is likely to be our go to for the rest of the holiday.   Also love watching the comings and goings at the dockside. Definitely get ourselves a drink, its usually a sailaway cocktail for me and a bottle of whatever for him. I love sitting on promenade deck with a glass in hand sailing down the Solent (weather permitting). We check out all the restaurants and decide where to eat on the first night, no way are we joining the long queue for freedom that night. Just love our first day its the start of another adventure.  

[cruise saint]

Muster, a drink in an open deck bar and then go to cabin and unpack if the luggage is there. Then a wander round the ship.  We like to be on our balcony with a drink for sailaway, absolutely love sailing down Southampton water. Then dinner, a drink and a fairly early night so we're ready for an early rise on the first sea day.

[CaraLark]

Muster scan, then locate cabin!

Drop coats, bags, and have a wander. I like to have the chance to orientate myself and pick out some way markers for when I invariably get lost!

return to cabin, change into swimwear and find a hot tub to plonk ourselves into and wallow away the rest of the afternoon!

helps to temper the jumping excitement that I’m finally on board and about to have a cracking cruise! Our other holidays tend to be city breaks where we walk miles, so a cruise allows us both to have some relaxing days in between busy port days. 
got to wait till September for our next cruise though *impatient* 

 

[GSPG]

Favourite thing to do on embarkation day?

 

One of things I actually enjoy is waking up in accommodation we have travelled down to the night before staying anywhere between Winchester and Southampton.

 

As we can’t usually get onboard until 1 at least usually, I love ‘chilling’ over the morning breakfast without really clock watching, and winding down to holiday mode.

 

The sense of what we are boarding in the next few hours fills us with much excitement.

[Palaceman]

Whilst not our favourite thing, we've received an email advising we will need to do a full muster before departing on Monday.

[DamianG]

When we are close enough to Southampton we try to tune the car radio to a local station. I can’t remember the name (and don’t think it’s broadcasting any more) but there used to be a station that always announced which ships were in port that day so we’d listen to the list then cheer when the host said “Oriana” “Aurora” etc. 

 

These days we follow the protocol for muster, drop our bags in the cabin, take our time over upper tier embarkation lunch, unpack then get out on the balcony or open decks for the sail away. I never tire of looking at all the sights whilst sailing down the Solent.