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

[momofmeg]

Booing the competition...if I see a rival cruise ship' date=' I boo it. I boo them at see. I boo them in port. I boo them when all I can see it as a distance or just its night lights miles away. Yes, I've only been on one cruise, but I booed three ships...one of them, a Carnival ship in St. Thomas and Puerto Rico...twice.

 

Cup your left hand around the left side of your mouth and boo the heck out of them. :D[/quote']

 

Boo? No you wave enthusiastically!

 

When docked in St. Thomas when we were on Mariner of the Seas years ago-we walk to the very front of the ship where the helicopter pad is. You can almost get the the stern there. Hubby walked out there, looked at the Carnival Triumph folks, waved, and then yelled "I'm the king of the world." He had about 100 people laughing!

 

Of course I had dared him-did not think he'd do it-LOL!

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I look forward to feeling the light rocking of the ship and hearing the sound of the thrusters in the morning on port days and the white noise of the ship cutting through water. These are great non-verbal reminders that I'm on vacation and nothing can stop me from enjoying it.

 

Another thing is the general outgoingness of fellow travelers. You don't seem to get than even an all-inclusive resorts. Even if you cruise solo, it's easy to start a conversation in ports simply by asking "are you from [your ship name]?".

[How'sBartCruisin'?]

Boo? No you wave enthusiastically!

 

When docked in St. Thomas when we were on Mariner of the Seas years ago-we walk to the very front of the ship where the helicopter pad is. You can almost get the the stern there. Hubby walked out there, looked at the Carnival Triumph folks, waved, and then yelled "I'm the king of the world." He had about 100 people laughing!

 

Of course I had dared him-did not think he'd do it-LOL!

 

:D

 

But booing is so much more fun. :D

[momofmeg]

:D

 

But booing is so much more fun. :D

 

In my opinion booing makes you foolish and shows you are not a seasoned cruiser. The other folks just thought you had one too many.

 

There does seem to be a bit of rivalry between cruisers on which line they are and even ships-often on excursions we discover people from other ships and other lines. Just back in Dec. my daughter took a salsa making class in Cozumel. we ere on Jewel of the Seas. Docked next to us was Freedom of the Seas. Some of her classmates ribbed her that they were on the better and newer ship. she just laughed and told them she was with her folks who like the Jewel class and do not care for voyager class and larger, and since Dad paid most of her way she was not complaining.

 

That time in St. Thomas that we were on Mariner of the Seas, hubby went scuba diving. Some of his dive mates were on Carnival Triumph and this one guy on Carnival Triumph drills him about what ports our cruise had and then says his cruise was better because they were go to Barbados and Martinique. Hubby simply replied that we booked this cruise because we could drive to port, (it left from Port Canaveral) but that we had cruised the southern Caribbean and those ports from San Juan on Carnival Fascination several years earlier, and that he considered the best cruise/line was the one he was on at the time. The guys drills him a bit more about our past cruises and after that the guy realized hubby had been to Alaska (HAL) and Bermuda (Princess), also and that we had booked a transatlantic (Celebrity)-he shut up with his ribbing, as he realized hubby was a much more seasoned cruiser than he and had cruised multiple lines.

[OldTurtle]

I just LOVE the rough sea days with big rollers and having to "hold on"! Went as the only passenger once in winter on a freighter in the north atlantic. We lost 4 containers! Seas so vigorous only the captain, first engineer, and I could eat. Had to tie myself into my berth.

 

I know I am an exception. Bring it on!:eek:

[Habenero]

I just LOVE the rough sea days with big rollers and having to "hold on"! Went as the only passenger once in winter on a freighter in the north atlantic. We lost 4 containers! Seas so vigorous only the captain, first engineer, and I could eat. Had to tie myself into my berth.

 

I know I am an exception. Bring it on!:eek:

 

I was working on a 44' boat doing marine seismic research when a storm hit making us go from about 5' seas to 8' to 12' seas. Of the 11 people on board, only the captain, 1st mate and myself were not sick. The captain and first mate kept telling the guys to eat jelly donuts because they taste the same both directions.

 

Whether on sea or in the air, I prefer a bit of turbulence. It makes the experience more fun!

[Habenero]

 

The best cruise/line was the one he was on at the time.

 

My sentiments as well. We book out cruises based upon which ship has the itinerary that best fits our desire.

[momofmeg]

My sentiments as well. We book out cruises based upon which ship has the itinerary that best fits our desire.

 

I may have lines I prefer-but I would even cruise Carnival again if the ship had the right ports. If the Fantasy ever offers Bermuda from Charleston again we will be there. Why fly to New York and all the hassle of flying when in about the same amount of time as driving to airport, waiting at airport, flying, getting baggage,etc we could drive to Charleston.

[MrsNancyG]

I have a balcony fetish. First thing I do when we get in the room is go straight out to the balcony. Almost all of my room time when I'm awake is spent on the balcony. Of course in the past I've tried to avoid the tiny room completely, but this time we have a 2 bedroom suite, so it won't be a cracker box that screams for escape! Nonetheless, I still bet I'll spend most of my time out there.

[VacaDream]

Its random, but I look forward to second breakfast. We always have something smaller in our room while we get ready and the head to the buffet. It's awesome. Everyone needs to have second breakfast while on a cruise!!!

[mr green]

Its random, but I look forward to second breakfast. We always have something smaller in our room while we get ready and the head to the buffet. It's awesome. Everyone needs to have second breakfast while on a cruise!!!

 

We DO have an orange, or orange juice in our room before breakfast, but I can't honestly say that one enhances the other. It only fills in the time while waiting for the bathroom.;)

 

john

[jimdicap]

We're set sail in exactly one month. I was thinking about it today and one thing that I'm really looking forward to is---chilled soups. Silly, huh? But, I just love them and never get them anywhere else. Yum!

 

 

I thought I was the only one with the chilled soups! I never see watermelon bisque at an on-land restaurant!

[How'sBartCruisin'?]

Weight Gain Challenge:

 

My brother-in-law challenged my to gain 15lbs on my 9 night honeymoon cruise last year. I managed to gain 12. This year the goal is 10lbs in 5 days.

[xenagurl]

I don't think it's really odd, but I LOVE dancing the night away while drinking multiple bottles of...water.

 

I don't have the energy I need drinking booze all night so I do that earlier in the day. ROFL :p For dancing 4 hours straight please pass the agua!

Edited July 17, 2012 by xenagurl

[burm]

I don't think it's really odd, but I LOVE dancing the night away while drinking multiple bottles of...water.

 

I don't have the energy I need drinking booze all night so I do that earlier in the day. ROFL :p For dancing 4 hours straight please pass the agua!

 

 

Not odd at all - real dancers are never heavy drinkers. Booze affects your balance. :)

[beautifullady]

Though I see pictures of the ship on the internet and in the cruise book, I always love the bus ride from the airport or hotel to the cruise port.

 

My heart pounds, my eyes are scouting from one side of the bus to the other waiting to finally catch that first glimp of that huge vessel waiting to take you away from the business of life! And once I see it, it seems like the most beautiful sight in the world.

 

My next favorite thing to look forward to is the walk from check-in to my first step on board into the atrium. I still remember all this from my first cruise and it is a memory I never want to forget!

 

Yess I agree!

[burm]

I still enjoy that first step on board ship, too. I hope I never get tired of that wonderful feeling. :D

[mr green]

I still enjoy that first step on board ship, too. I hope I never get tired of that wonderful feeling. :D

 

Almost. To me it's the final few steps BEFORE boarding. The expectation of what is to come.:)

 

john

[burm]

Almost. To me it's the final few steps BEFORE boarding. The expectation of what is to come.:)

 

john

 

 

No, for me it is definitely the first steps on board, because it means that long flights and waiting times in airports, to board, etc are OVER. Only fun ahead!

[kangaand2roos]

I forgot one of my most favorite rituals. Whenever we're sailing out of the home port toward the beautiful horizon I call my mom. And on the cruise I send DMom an Ddad on for their 25th wedding ann they called me on the way to sea. It's just great to share that moment with family, even when they aren't on the ship with you. Mom loves to hear the steel drums they play at sailaway.

 

I've finally gotten a new phone that has a camera, so it will be fun this year taking a photo and sending it to her so she can see AND hear sailaway :D.

 

the next best part...turning the phone OFF. :p

 

 

 

Cherish that! I always used to call my mom as I drove onto Disney property. I lost her almost 9 years ago and I always get a little twinge of sadness when I drive on now. Still mostly happy, but a little sad.

[kangaand2roos]

Delete

Edited August 19, 2013 by kangaand2roos

[kangaand2roos]

I also get a smile from the crew members and tour operators who tell me they have a cousin in either Toronto, Montreal or Niagara Falls when they find out we're Canadian.

 

 

 

Whenever I meet someone from Toronto I ask if they know (of) my cousin. All of them say yes!

 

Of course he was the mayor for many years ;)

[DesignGrl]

I'm about to embark on my third cruise ever and I'm hooked. The best part, for me, is locking my phone in the safe and detaching from everything back home. I know once my phone loses service, that's it. Bye bye land, I'm on vacay.

 

Besides that, it's the balcony. And waking up in a new, gorgeous location every couple days. Blissful.

[Smokeyham]

The stupid little chime they sound (on Princess) when making an annoucement. Every once in awhile, we hear it on land and it give me goosebumps - as well as the urge to look for a railing.

 

Charlie

 

Ahhh Yes....the "BING BONG" and then the garbled voice....now that's cruising!!!!

 

I love that sound as well. Especially the first time I hear it on board, and the announcement which says something along the lines of "A very good afternoon to you, and welcome on board the beautiful XXXXXX Princess."

 

Does anyone know where I can find that sound to use as a ringtone for my phone?

[Smokeyham]

First off….. In answer to my question above, here is a link to a site which has the announcement tone for Princess Cruises:

 

http://www.phonezoo.com/ringtone/189634345/princess-cruiseline-chimes-princess-cruise-lines.htm

 

 

 

I also have to say…..What a wonderful thread! It is great that fun things which were mentioned when this thread started in September 2006 are still relevant today!

 

Here are a few for me, which don’t seem to have had much mention so far:

 

· Having dinner at a table by a window, with a view of the ocean moving by you. Bonus points if we get to see the sunset!

· Sitting in a hot tub on deck, with a drink in hand, chatting with other passengers.

· I really want my first lunch on board to be a “served” lunch (as opposed to the buffet), so I ask around until I find out which restaurant is open. On Princess I want the soufflé to be my first dessert on board! J

· There is almost always one night when I can’t sleep, and end up walking the promenade deck at 3:00 AM. Love the quiet of the ship at that hour. It is so peaceful.

· I also love putting my smart phone in the safe.