The first 24 hrs onboard - what's your favourite bit?

[wanasail]

Right now I would give anything to hear the side thrusters rumble to life and see the swirl of water beside the ship, knowing that we are about to move away from the pier. Just that deep rumble of the thrusters gets me all excited. I know that once I hear that then we are really underway & I am leaving the everyday world behind. Standing on our balcony watching the crew undoing the ropes and watching the anchor retracting is also good but that rumble does it everytime. Gawd I wish I had a cruise booked right now. Excuse me, I have to go scan some travel brochures.

[percy12]

We always schedule massages in advance for first day on board. It like crossing the border to vacationland.

[Relayer]

We like to board as soon as possible and head for the Lido for a quick snack. Then off to the pool. As soon as we hit the lounge chairs, usually well before sailing, we know we have arrived in heaven! We always feel that we are stealing an extra day's vacation and watching the late arrivals is always a treat as the ship fills around you.

 

Ain't cruising the best!?:p

[BljnLvr]

Wow, this was an excellent thread!

 

For me, I would have to say when I'm walking across deck and hear the steel drums. When I see the towel animals on the bed. When I lay down the first night and feel the gentle rocking of the boat (I don't sleep ANYWHERE as soundly as I do on a ship!). And my ultimate all-time favorite of the whole cruise is when I wake up, go down to breakfast, and have a new view out the windows!

[BljnLvr]

Right now I would give anything to hear the side thrusters rumble to life and see the swirl of water beside the ship, knowing that we are about to move away from the pier. Just that deep rumble of the thrusters gets me all excited. I know that once I hear that then we are really underway & I am leaving the everyday world behind. Standing on our balcony watching the crew undoing the ropes and watching the anchor retracting is also good but that rumble does it everytime. Gawd I wish I had a cruise booked right now. Excuse me, I have to go scan some travel brochures.

 

 

Yes, yes, yes!!!! I do love this too, the rumble and shudders more so than watching the land slide by. Don't know why. The other thing I forgot to add was the first "ding dong" and announcement of the cruise.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

I know I'm on vacation when I hear the 'ding' when I insert my cruise card into the machine when I board.:)

[Parrotheadfamily]

Stepping on the boat looking around the atrium and thinking - yeah, it really is vacation time!

[ariel23]

My fav thing is walking onto the ship and the excitement builds up inside you. The fact you have no worries for 4 and 5 days. Me and my boyfriend are leaving on Majesty of the Seas May 18th for a 5 day cruise and its his 1st one and my 2nd cruise. I cant wait to go on the pool deck and have a delicious frozen drink :):cool:

[FritzG]

Waking up the first morning and knowing that you have nothing you have to do and lots to do if you want to!

[EdSails]

That first sailaway cocktail with my DW as the ship begins to move down the channel. Then I KNOW I'm on vacation!

[dallen10]

We love to do that also and "rub it in" by telling them we are sitting on our balcony! LOL!

 

 

How funny!! I have a picture of my husband doing that very thing on Freedom last year.

 

[Theora]

Well, I've only been on one cruise so far, but the impression it made on me was quite strong. Here's a few of mine:

 

Passing a cabin steward in the hallway as I'm searching for my room, and he smiles and says, "Hello Miss. Welcome home."

 

Stepping out onto my balcony, even though the view at the time was just of the Port Everglades terminal, and just marveling at the fact that I was there at all.

 

Hearing my mother's laughter drift from her balcony to mine - I don't get to see her very often because she lives so far away, and she's been recovering from an awful car accident for over a year now. Hearing her unrestrained laughter was a wonderful signal that she's relaxing, which means that I can too.

 

Watching the first gorgeous sunset and staring out at the wake from the aft deck behind Horizon Court with my darlin' right there next to me.

 

Knowing that, whatever happened, this was now an adventure that we couldn't back out of no matter what, so we may as well seize it by the throat and enjoy every last second of it. (And we did. Oh, we did.)

 

I honestly don't think I stopped smiling until I finally drifted off to sleep that night. My face hurt a little the next day from it, but by the end of the cruise, those muscles certainly were toned and ready for a serious smiling workout!

 

Now, if you'll pardon me, I have to catch a couple hours of sleep before the travel agent calls I put in yesterday start getting returned - planning a group cruise for my BF's birthday!

 

having Cruise Withdrawal Symptoms,

Crickett

[Mofred]

Welcome, you a hooked. Oh what a feeling. I am going out May 8, 2010 Oasis. It is gonna be great. My pinch yourself moment is the "Ding Dong" of the elevator and the daily Compass.

[junior 1]

For me it is starting up the esculator to the lobby. I stand there for a time just looking around, then I turn around in a circle and take in the whole site, feeling

a tremor start over my body. As I head to the elevator to go to the Lido Deck my tremor grows ever so slightly and by the time I get to the Lido Deck I am ready to get to the Muster and get that over, but alas I have to wait, so I sit by the window

until about 1:00 then it is off to the room to the Balcony to look at the loading of the luggage and try to find mine. I take a sip of whatever DOD I picked up on the way past the bar and we toast each other as we stand on our shared balcony and we are content, my tremor has begun to subside, and I am happy and feeling Blessed to be able to vacation like this. :cool:

[tgptmp]

For my wife and I we love to go check into our room as early as they will let us. Then we head up to the buffet to enjoy a lunch on the open deck, while still in port. Just something special about it for us. The other thing that I look forward to is my first sound on the band for the sail away party.

[Monkeythyme]

Stepping out onto my balcony and looking at the dock watching people arrive. I wave and smile and think I'm here let the good times roll! :D :D

Same here, except my "balcony" is the sun deck.;)

[Rina155]

:p I would have to say my favorite part of the first 24 hours is opening that first bottle of wine in my stateroom then stepping out onto my balcony to toast: VACATION!!! Seeing my son's face as we approach the ship is fantastic, (Mom did good again). Man I can't wait until December now for my cruise!! Thank goodness for CC as it keeps me busy until vacation time!!!

[mr green]

One of mine is going to dinner for the first time, on our last cruise it was a little different however. We sailed under the Lions Gate Bridge, out of Vancouver, and we were supposed to be sailing for Hawaii, when the ship did not one but two 360s.

We happened to dine with the navigator a couple of days later, it seems that he was new, and decided to test the equipment! it WAS an exciting dinner.

 

john

[BroncosFan2010]

My favorite thing is getting aquainted with the ship. I love to explore it, with a drink in hand! I look forward to the first meals on board, knowing that I do not have to cook or clean up the dishes!

[angeljt]

I'm looking forward to finding some new favorites this Saturday!!! :D

[nikinakinoo]

I tend to get over excited with everything, the check in, the first photo and my first steps on board. I really look forward to dinner, I enjoy the whole meeting new people and then discussing your days activities with your new friends each night from then on. On my second cruise (2005) I was seated with a family from Virginia we have sailed again with each other twice now and hoping to make it the third time next year :)

[BlueSkyTraveler]

My absolute favorite moment?

Walking the plank!:D

 

...there's just something about making that transition from the air-conditioned port terminal to the slightly swaying ship...feeling that warm salt breeze....looking down as you walk across and seeing the water beneath you...

 

And you just KNOW your vacation has officially begun!

 

Second favorite moment?

We do the same thing every cruise...after investigating our room, and grabbing a burger on the way, we start off exploring the ship. Whenever we finally find the main theatre, I have the kids go up on the stage in front of the curtain and I take their pictures. It's so funny, looking back on the first few times they cruised and seeing the look of utter amazement on their faces...now seeing them just go totally all-out goofy, knowing we are FINALLY back! :p

[DaDead]

My absolute favorite moment?

Walking the plank!:D

 

...there's just something about making that transition from the air-conditioned port terminal to the slightly swaying ship...feeling that warm salt breeze....looking down as you walk across and seeing the water beneath you...

 

And you just KNOW your vacation has officially begun!:p

 

 

That is exactly my favorite moment too! I'm getting chicken skin just thinking about it!:)

[timmy1958]

My absolute favorite moment?

Walking the plank!:D

 

...there's just something about making that transition from the air-conditioned port terminal to the slightly swaying ship...feeling that warm salt breeze....looking down as you walk across and seeing the water beneath you...

 

And you just KNOW your vacation has officially begun!

 

Second favorite moment?

We do the same thing every cruise...after investigating our room, and grabbing a burger on the way, we start off exploring the ship. Whenever we finally find the main theatre, I have the kids go up on the stage in front of the curtain and I take their pictures. It's so funny, looking back on the first few times they cruised and seeing the look of utter amazement on their faces...now seeing them just go totally all-out goofy, knowing we are FINALLY back! :p

 

Yeah that!

[Essentially]

Only cruised once before:o....but looking forward to my 2nd in Sept this year....but first time for me was walking on board at Southampton straight into the atrium and my jaw just dropped.....I no doubt I will feel the same again and then just very quickly unpack and that moment when one sails away.....we had our daughters and fianceeshubbys standing on the dockside waving us off....one of them had only just returned from her honeymoon. Silly me I choked up like a baby waving to them until they were small dots.