ripleyroxy Posted August 10, 2007 #1 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I know this is a vacation etc. But is it normal to feel a little stressed about an upcoming cruise. This is probably due to a number of reasons. One being that I thought we were booked in a starboard cabin, only to find we're on the port side. I had specifically requested a starboard cabin and believed we were booked in one until today. Trying to resolve this with TA. Second I am very well travelled, but I am not used to such a structured trip. Stuctured meaning that reservations are required for various excursions - I don't like being confined to dinner reservations let alone a whole trip on a timetable. I am not one for large group tours and prefer semi/private tours. But trying to juggle tours within the confines of a rigid deadline - ship leaving port make this task a little stressful. I like to pre-plan the sites I wish to see rather than wait and see. I am a little worried about the massive throngs of people disembarking at a port of call at the same time and wondering what to do next. Maybe it isn't like this at all, but I haven't cruised before. Maybe I am trying to over plan. And I am the one that convinced my reluctant husband to go on a cruise and now I am stressed about it! Any suggestions to ease my mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 11, 2007 #2 Share Posted August 11, 2007 I know this is a vacation etc. But is it normal to feel a little stressed about an upcoming cruise. Second I am very well travelled, but I am not used to such a structured trip. Stuctured meaning that reservations are required for various excursions - I don't like being confined to dinner reservations let alone a whole trip on a timetable. I am not one for large group tours and prefer semi/private tours. But trying to juggle tours within the confines of a rigid deadline - ship leaving port make this task a little stressful. I like to pre-plan the sites I wish to see rather than wait and see. I am a little worried about the massive throngs of people disembarking at a port of call at the same time and wondering what to do next. Maybe it isn't like this at all, but I haven't cruised before. Maybe I am trying to over plan. And I am the one that convinced my reluctant husband to go on a cruise and now I am stressed about it! Any suggestions to ease my mind? On a cruise there is always some structure involved ...you get to port at a certain time & you MUST be back by a certain time The nice thing about Oceania you don't have to be at dinner at the same time every night ..yes they have specific dining hours so there is a bit of structure You can show up anytime between 6:30-9pm and get served. There is also the buffet or room service if you should miss the dining hours. You may want to join the "roll call " for your sailing and maybe join up with others & a private tour. You can always sign up for the ships' excursions once onboard if you have not found any that suit your needs. Relax & enjoy the cruise Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conderost Posted August 11, 2007 #3 Share Posted August 11, 2007 you are stessing me out just reading your stress point...we took the excursions and found them to be very relaxed...the entire experince with oceania was extremely r and r, even with their excursions...we loved the leisure dining experience at night was very relaxing...after cruising the big ships, we found this to be the most relaxing experience we had in travel. relax, enjoy, sit back....i promise you it will be a joyful zen experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potterhill Posted August 11, 2007 #4 Share Posted August 11, 2007 I understand your concerns about feeling confined, restricted and restrained! On our first cruise I did not anticipate any of those feelings and I felt them all. For the first five days I told everyone we met that it was our first and last cruise. My poor husband was not happy with me, but then he was the one who insisted on a cruise for our 25th anniversary, not me. A lot of my frustration was related to the fact that our cruise was from Lisbon to Venice and I was frustrated by having only a few hours in each port, when even a week would probably not be enough! We have never travelled on a tour, we have always just done our own thing, coming and going as we wished. But eventually I learned to appreciate the cruise for what it was and the lifestyle it presents. It is very relaxing, if you let it be so. We particularly liked the sea days so we booked a transatlantic from Lisbon to Rio last fall and loved it. We also made wonderful friends on both our cruises and have travelled to meet with them again. I also decided that for me the best approach to cruising, for now at least, is to cruise to places I probably would not go to otherwise. That lessens the frustration with a short time in port. Like the Baltics and the Amazon. I realize people will say there is too much to see in these places too, but it is very unlikely I will go to either unless on a cruise. However for now the only one we have booked is another Transatlantic. So relax and enjoy your cruise. It's not the only way to travel, but it is a great option. Mo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted August 11, 2007 #5 Share Posted August 11, 2007 I agree with most of the posts here already. First of all, Oceania's ships are fairly small, so there won't be "throngs" coming and going, although there might be throngs of tourists in Venice for sure (unavoidable if you go in summer.) Think of a European cruise as giving you a little taste of the ports. Don't even think about trying to "see" a place in a day or a few hours. Mostly I find ship excursions to be relaxing (I have not done Oceania yet.) But some ports can easily be done by yourself. These take some planning, which it sounds like you don't mind doing. But mostly, a cruise is about relaxation. Once you are unpacked in your stateroom, there's not much to worry about. So just unwind and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackie Posted August 12, 2007 #6 Share Posted August 12, 2007 I agree with Wendy. To us, the first purpose of a cruise is just to relax and "get away from it all". We just went on our 5th cruise, our first on Oceania, and we have gotten to where we walk in to our cabin and almost immediately feel a bit more relaxed. We're like the Pavolv's dogs of cruising, I guess...stimulus, response! :p A close second purpose is to see a bit of the world. After a port, we often discuss whether we want to go back some day or not. You won't see any place in detail, obviously, but you will see more places. I guess it depends on your purpose. BUT, all that being said, cruises are just so much fun and so little stress if you don't sweat the small stuff. I've seen people be so demanding that I think they are probably seldom happy with anything. The crews knock themselves out to enable you to have a good, easy trip. Go with it and you will! The one thing is (as LHT28 said) whatever you decide to do in any ports...get back to the ship ontime! Have a great trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doree Posted August 12, 2007 #7 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Take a DEEEEP breath!!!! All will be fine!!!!! We love Oceania.......small ships, very relaxing......no rush to be here or there. Alot of times we dont even get off if we have already been to certain ports. We love the open seating for dining. Casual atmosphere.......no jackets, ties, fancy schamcy dresses. It will be a wonderful experience. Food and service are outstanding!!!!!!!! You will LOVE IT!!!!!!!! Most times we just get off, grab a taxi and get a GREAT tour for as long as we want and alot less money!!!! But we do tip driver well!!!!!! They are the BEST excursions IMHO!!!!! You can tell them what you want to see and they all know all the history about where you want to go. ;) And will take you to places that you would have never known about!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob & Beckys mom Posted August 13, 2007 #8 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I know this is a vacation etc. But is it normal to feel a little stressed about an upcoming cruise. This is probably due to a number of reasons. One being that I thought we were booked in a starboard cabin, only to find we're on the port side. I had specifically requested a starboard cabin and believed we were booked in one until today. Trying to resolve this with TA. Second I am very well travelled, but I am not used to such a structured trip. Stuctured meaning that reservations are required for various excursions - I don't like being confined to dinner reservations let alone a whole trip on a timetable. I am not one for large group tours and prefer semi/private tours. But trying to juggle tours within the confines of a rigid deadline - ship leaving port make this task a little stressful. I like to pre-plan the sites I wish to see rather than wait and see. I am a little worried about the massive throngs of people disembarking at a port of call at the same time and wondering what to do next. Maybe it isn't like this at all, but I haven't cruised before. Maybe I am trying to over plan. And I am the one that convinced my reluctant husband to go on a cruise and now I am stressed about it! Any suggestions to ease my mind? I think the only way for you to relax is to get a cruise behind you. It's a lot easier than you think to do all the thing you are worried about, like booking excursions & all the people disembarking. All of the cruises I have been on have gone like clockwork, everyone is very well trained. It's very normal to stress before you have done anything for the first time, and cruising isn't for everyone. Give it a go & have fun! When do you sail? Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripleyroxy Posted August 13, 2007 Author #9 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Thanks for all the responses and sound advise from everyone. I think I am getting carried away scouring the boards and am experiencing info overload, overplanning the excursions and ports of call and just worrying in general about flight connections, ground transportation and missing the boat so to speak. I may need to adjust my thinking that once on the ship, I am at my destination, rather than using the ship to take me to my destination. I chose O for the simple reasons that the ship was small, open seating and casual atmosphere. Sounds like I made the right choice. We are sailing next month Rome to Barcelona. I have planned 1 day pre cruise in Paris, 3 days pre-cruise in Rome, the home one day after the cruise via Paris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almtyrob Posted August 14, 2007 #10 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Look at your cruise as a mobile hotel room with a bunch of additional perks. Use the ship as a base and VISIT each port for a few hours. You can't possibly "see" each port in the time alloted so "chill-out" and go with the flow. You will have a ball and get the "cruise bug"!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Vesuvio Posted August 14, 2007 #11 Share Posted August 14, 2007 ripleyroxy -- have a marvelous time! Can't wait to hear all about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacway Posted August 15, 2007 #12 Share Posted August 15, 2007 We are sailing next month Rome to Barcelona. I have planned 1 day pre cruise in Paris, 3 days pre-cruise in Rome, the home one day after the cruise via Paris. We are taking this itinerary next year so when you return, be sure to let us know how it went! Your strategy of spending 3 days in Rome is an excellent one, you have given yourselves a good amount of time for jet lag recovery (we like to sit out to read the morning papers by the nearest fountain to get the extra sunshine and reset our body clocks) and some dedicated time in a single city, a counterweight to the city-a-day pace of cruising. As for your ports, if a standard taxi tour or cruise excursion doesn't fit your style, and you don't see what you want on the Ports of Call threads, you might pick one important sight in each port, or one neighborhood for a walking tour on your own. We don't think of the ship as the destination, but as the hassle-free conveyor of its passengers. Travel paperwork once, unpack once, go everywhere. There is no equivalent, in our experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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