What "odd" things do you look forward to when cruising?

[mr green]

I don't know that its 'odd', but each time we cruise I remember that in our younger days, we could never afford a 'real holiday'.

I count my blessings now, each time that we set foot on a cruise ship.

 

john

[UandMe4Ever]

You said it! Almost the best part of the day for my DH and me..nothing like sitting on the balcony moving or otherwise and just staring out into the world. Sky above, sea below. Nothing like it anywhere! Enjoy that cup of coffee...we have to wait till 10-30-09 for that feeling again.

[TheFutureMrs.]

I know this is wacky but I love the smell when I first step foot on the ship! And I love the sound the machine makes when we first swipe our S & S cards! Usually we board quite early, head up to Lido with our bags (the only thing I don't enjoy is dragging the bags around with us :p). Head to the room when it's ready, unpack quickly and then explore the ship!!

 

I love going to find the coffee shop as well! Ahh, what's not to love about cruising!!

[movinout]

I love that moment when you leave the confines of the harbor and head out to open sea!! Leaving all the cares behind on land and we're off to a new adventure! Can't get enough of cruising!:D

[chachi]

My favorite thing is to come back from a long day, dinner, and show, and have my bed turned down. It is very inviting. I love talking with my friends about the day, and looking at the Capers to plan our next day. I love feeling the breeze at night and looking at the stars. I love having a variety of frozen beverages. I love looking at the photos to purchase. I love not having any real worries!

[DoniaG]

On my very first cruise (more than 30 years ago - EEEEEKKK!), one of the ship's entertainment staff took me the darkest part of the stern so that I could see a sky without the lights of civilization dimming the stars. The sky was literally powdered with them - it was a breathtaking site, and totally unlike anything I had ever seen before. Since then, at some point during a cruise, I go seeking that same kind of dark spot on the ship to get that thrill again. It's always somewhere on the bow or stern because there is too much ambient light along the sides where the balconies are. It gets harder all the time to find those kinds of places because most ships don't want the liability of allowing you into an unlighted area.

[lavashine]

What is a muster drill?

[burm]

What is a muster drill?

 

A muster drill (also sometimes referred to as a lifeboat drill or a boat drill) is an exercise conducted by the crew of a ship prior to embarking on a voyage. The purpose of a muster drill is to prepare passengers for safe evacuation in the event an emergency occurs while on board the ship. Passengers are educated on the use of life vests and escape routes from the ship. It is typically conducted approximately 30 minutes prior to the ship's scheduled departure time.

[DoniaG]

What is a muster drill?

 

It's a safety drill you go through shortly after sailing. At the appropriate announcement (and they will give you warning as to when they're going to make it) you get your life vest from your cabin, put it on, and proceed to your "muster point" near the lifeboats. There is a diagram on the inside of your door that tells you exactly where to go and exactly the route you should take. Your attendance is absolutely mandatory - the officers in charge of each muster station (there are a bunch of them!) are supposed to account for every passenger in their group.

 

Some people think they're fun - many lines even have the ship's photogs there to take your pix after it's over. I can think of much better ways to use the time, but it has a "reason to be" - so I do it without too much complaint. :rolleyes:

 

Donia

[Celandine]

I love boarding the plane.... knowing that my vacation is starting.

 

I love feeling the heat in Miami (the only place I've cruised out of so far)

 

I love the wobbly legs I get when I go on shore excursions and come back home

 

I love the different menu items and trying all kinds of new food

 

I love getting my capers and seeing all the fun things I want to do for the next day

 

I take pictures of all my towel animals

 

I love when the ship starts sailing and the land gets smaller...

 

I've got late seating for my next cruise, so I'm hoping to not miss sunsets this time!

[mr green]

I love boarding the plane:eek:.... knowing that my vacation is starting.

 

I love feeling the heat in Miami (the only place I've cruised out of so far)

 

The heat in Miami I can always do without!:D

 

Just kidding, I'm from B.C.

 

john

[tahitidreamz]

Being able to order a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich at 3am. :D

[flipflops84]

I love taking a little mid-day nap after a full morning/early afternoon of activities and leaving the balcony door open to listen to the ocean while I drift off to sleep.

 

I also love knowing that there are so many people on the boat- and they are allllll (other than the crew) there to just relax and have fun!

 

DBF loves waking up and walking around to take pictures of all the different sights on the boat- he is also a fan of looking out at the ocean with an ice cream come in his hand! :D

 

Edit to point out that this is my FAVORITE thread on CC! It makes me so excited for our next sailing!

Edited May 18, 2009 by flipflops84

[janetop]

People ! My DH and I like to watch the people. There is always someone that stands out in each crowd! We always come up with a name for them and usually see them then throughout the cruise...one guy named "TEX". He tried to be the life of the party everywhere while wearing his cowboy hat. then there was the "cougars". 3 women that were probably in their 50s wearing very short skirts and heels...they would walk in a line behind each other and "prance" around !!

 

Then there was the older couple dressed exactly alike from their red pants down to their white tennis shoes! We didn't come up with a name for them, but did take a picture since it lasts longer !!!LOL

 

We also play a game we call "real" or "unreal"...we will see a lady in the crowd and ask are those "real" or "unreal" !!!

[tutuwahineLV]

the chilled fruit soup...and pretzel rolls. Odd, because I'd never make or have it at home, but I do look forward to having the chilled banana soup for lunch after embarcation.

[CarolinaGypsy]

I can't believe I've just read this entire 19-page thread (slow night at work!). And now that I've reached the end....here are a few of my favorite things (does anyone else hear Julie Andrews singing?)

*All the research I put in before selecting a cruise based on ship, destination, etc.

*Researching shore excursions (since finding CC I no longer book through the ship!)

*Straining my neck until I catch the first glimpse of my floating home-away-from-home.

*Arriving early in hopes of being the first ones on board - which I finally accomplished on my last cruise :D

*The first time I step into my cabin

*Finding my luggage in the hall and then unpacking

*Walking from one end of the ship to the other, starting at the top deck and hitting each deck until I've covered every inch of the ship

*Ordering multiple dishes at dinner....and always two (or more) desserts!

*Getting to know our room steward, dining room staff, etc. by name and learning about the countries they are from.

*Meeting our dinner mates and getting to know them more and more each day - converging over delicious food each night and comparing the highlights of our day.

*Returning to the room after dinner and making guesses as to what animal we will find before we are allowed to open the door!

*Taking pictures of ourselves posing with the animals!

*Here's a biggie: I work at an inn and I put chocolates on the pillows every night so it is a big treat to have them put on my pillow!

*Seeing so many places without having to drag luggage behind us! (30 years old; 26 countries visited - half while cruising)

*The announcement sound and the sound when you leave and return to the ship.

*Turning heads on formal night ;)

*Filling up several memory cards with amazing photos

*Oh my gosh I could go on and on...

Cruising is my drug of choice and every time I find an opportunity to save money I calculate in my head "that's enough for a cruise/shore excursion/plane ticket". It's all about getting my next fix...acquiring my next sign&sail card!

Happy Sailing Everyone!

Edited July 11, 2009 by CarolinaGypsy

[crzncrw]

My favorite is the first morning I can wake up early and order coffee from room service and then stand on my balcony drinking my coffee while leaning on the railing. Now THAT'S a feeling I have grown to love ! :D

 

 

 

Also, my favorite...coffee on the balcony! While waiting for the chime and captain to come over the intercom and tell me that it's going to be another beautiful day!

[jean s]

I'm a really early riser so I love getting up and walking laps on the promenade deck by myself. I watch the sun rise and enjoy the sea air. Then (on Princess) I go to the coffee bar beside the International Cafe and have my favorite Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee while staring out at the ocean. Ahhhh....I need to book another cruise.

[argentina_keeper10]

The powerful flushing toilet on the Carnival cruise ships! I know it's weird! haha

 

I also love how everyone always asks, are we moving yet like a million times after you first board the ship!

[mangomonkey]

Oh no! I've reached the end :( With my next (possible, not even booked yet) cruise so far away, this thread was making me so excited.

 

I agree with all of the posts here! The thing I enjoyed the most was sitting by the window with a drink and my friends, playing cards. It was the best way to pass an afternoon, and I look forward to many more!

Edited August 8, 2009 by mangomonkey

[bkecky]

the chilled fruit soup...and pretzel rolls. Odd, because I'd never make or have it at home, but I do look forward to having the chilled banana soup for lunch after embarcation.

 

oh the garlic soup on the qe2...hope they have it on the qv! i love to hate the lifeboat drill but the best part for me is sailaway. having a glass of champagne and having a nose at who i will be spending my two weeks with and if i see anyone from the previous year! always nice when you are surprised by a face or two from before.

 

i always eat late and i love sitting in the bar watching the first sitting come down in their formal wear even if i do feel a bit of a scruff as im still in my shorts!

 

oh i cant wait to be at sea again!

[downsized]

What a great thread!

Absolutely grande!

Thank you all, very much!

[bkecky]

Some other stuff I look forward to:

 

• sitting on the balcony the first night after I have washed my hair and watching us sail away into the sunset before dinner with the sea breeze in my hair.
  
• The first meal when i am starving from travelling and there is a big steak with my name on it.
  
• The first drink after you have unpacked and we all cheers and say happy holidays.
  
• the first formal night and seeing everyone all dressed up!
  
• it being perfectly acceptable to strike up conversation with whoever is sitting next to you without being weird
  
• the first karaoke night when all the officers collect in the pub
  
• waking up early the first morning and realising im on the ship!
  
• taking off the lifejacket after the muster station drill and dashing up on deck so as not to miss a minute of the sailaway party
  
• when the sea gets a bit rough and being rocked to sleep
  

[ChriStephanie]

I love:

the sight, smells, sound and feeling of the ship moving from the wake rippling behind the ship, to the smell of the air, the feeling of a warm breeze, and of course - being gently rocked to sleep at night. I love the captains announcements, the endless list of things to do during the day, having a drink or two more because we don't have to drive, dressing up just to go to dinner, being around other happy cruisers, coming back to my cabin after a long day off the ship and flopping down our bed for a little nap, waking up from said nap and STILL being on the ship - no, I wasn't dreaming.

[Johnny Yen]

I can't believe nobody mentioned they like standing in the nude on their balcony in the middle of nowhere......naturally I'm referring to the open seas with no other ship around. Maybe everyone here travels with their kids? Mine are grown and own their own..hehehe

 

Anyway, it's the best feeling to be one with nature:)

 

Something about air-bathing in that sea air feels so right. It feels right, Brian.