Poll - What do you do when you first board the ship?

[Toddcan]

The credit for this idea goes to Luveli15 who posed the question in a post. I'm just putting it in a post format.

 

So, what's the FIRST thing you do when you board your cruise ship?

[sharpie13]

We typically board as soon as possible.

 

First, we go to the room if its availible and drop off the carry-ons.:)

Next - eat! Nothing like testing the cuisine ;)

Then its off to tour the ship until sail-away :cool:

[Aubiecruiser]

Cabin usually isn't ready yet so head to the pool bar to break in the seapass card and meet my newest best buddy, the bartender!

Aubie

[Michuck]

We usually go to the cabin to drop off our carry-on. Then up to the Windjammer for a bite to eat, a walk around the deck, then back to our cabin to take a nap 'til muster.

 

M.

[oakleys]

get a beer, walk around the ship, & take pics

[Melba1024]

My typical routine when first getting aboard:

 

1. EAT!

2. Check out my room

3. Explore the ship and while doing so grab a drink along the way

4. Muster Drill!

5. Get a good spot on deck for sail away!!

 

God, I love cruising!

[ILoveScotland]

1. Go to room and drop off carry on.

2. Eat and/or drink--preferably both.

3. Explore the ship.

4. Go to sailaway.

[paggerscorvette]

1. Pick my jaw up off the floor (this was me seeing the AOS)

2. Grab a drink, another drink and another drink.

3. Walk around the ship still picking up my jaw. Needless to say I was amazed seeing this HUGE ship. This was my first and hopefully not last cruise.

[DonnaK]

1. Lunch in the Windjammer

2. Check that our dining room table is acceptable

3. Go to the Royal Promenade for the Cruise Expo

[Janice M]

Take our carry ons to the room and go to the Windjammer. Walk around the ship.

 

Jan

[Luveli15]

Great idea Toddcan!

[hunnypot1]

When we first board the Enchantment of the Seas this November, my husband and I will first make reservations at Chops, then buy a soda card. When that is done we will grab lunch in the Windjammer and then tour the ship. Finally, we will check out our cool corner aft JS!!!!!

[BobBeaSea]

Like Aubie we head directly up top, check out the Pool Bar and Sky Bar, meet the bartenders. It's usually pretty quiet as we are on the ship early. Next we buy our wine package and make reservations for Portofinos/Chops. Then we head to the cabin, drop off the carry ons, check things out. Next up is the Windjammer for something light. Next we head back up top, meet some people and enjoy the weather and the sights. Back to the cabin about 3:30, unpack (luggage is usually there by then) and get ready for muster. Right after muster we check out our location in the dining room. We should probably do this earlier but no problems so far.

 

That about takes care of the first few hours onboard. :) I don't know what the heck we would do if it was raining but, this hasn't happened yet.

[Matisse05]

1. check dining room table locations (usually we are a large group)
   
2. grab something to eat (windjammer)
   
3. drop ofF bags in our cabin
   
4. EXPLORE THE SHIP AND HAVE FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!!!!:D

[island lady]

Exchange our luggage in hand for drinks in hand. ;)

 

Check out our dining room location.

 

Unpack to feel settled in as soon as possible, with second round of drinks in

hand.

 

Check out the ship topside, with 3rd round of drinks in hand.

 

Go to muster drill, sans drinks...drats....

 

Find our room again...hicc...and wonder if it's time for happy hour??

 

Cheers! :)

[suezyq50]

I am glad we checked out our DR assignment when we boarded the Marnier. There were 3 couples. It was the first cruise for one of the couples. Our table was in a corner, at a window, looking at a life boat. At first we were told no they could not change us. Than after some hesitation, we were relocated in the middle, upper level with one other couple. That was so much nicer.

My Majesty cruise was with my mother and 4 sisters. We wanted a table for the 6 of us. We were first with a couple. We got relocated on that one also. Both times I am glad I checked and asked.

[Karyn R]

We like to get on the ship as early as we can. The rooms are never ready so here's our plan.

 

I go and stand in line for dinner reservations and or spa reservations.

My husband is much smarter, he goes to the pool bar and orders his first beer and gives his new best friend a very healthy first tip. The rest of the cruise he gets the best service you can imagine.

 

Team work.... though I think he's first string and I'm second.... funny how that works.

[sicsinohio]

1. Go to cabin if we can get in to drop off any baggage.

2. Go to pool bar for first strawberry colada

3. Make reservations for Portofino and find table in dining room

4. Lunch in the Windjammer

5. Find a spot on the pool deck until muster drill...if not sunny, explore ship until muster drill

6. Muster drill

7. Unpack and get ready for week on the high seas!

[cruiserJay]

I will never be able to gain those 5 lbs if I don't make a commitment to eating early and often!

 

We usually do all that is on the list soon thereafter.

[Happy ks]

We've started boarding later rather than earlier. We can avoid much of the crowds that way, so many people now want on the ship by noon, it's a fiasco then. By 1:30 or so, the crowd has thinned, we can walk up, check in and walk right onboard, no waiting necessary and the cabins are ready.

 

Perhaps we've become a little jaded after so many cruises, but we're not terribly excited about lunch in the buffet any more, sometimes we'll stop for lunch before boarding.

 

So with later boarding we can unpack our carry ons right away, many times our luggage is there within a half hour, so we just unpack those bags as well. We check out the ship for a while, before you know it it's time for muster drill! We have late seating, it's usually dark outside so table position doesn't mean a whole lot to us. Checking to see if our seating is with whoever we planned on sitting with is crucial, but we just compare seapass cards.

 

Our whole point is to relax, we don't rush to do anything :)

[jst]

1. Check out the Dining Room table location :)

2. Go to the Windjammer and husband likes a Royal Beer :D

3. Take carryons to cabin

4. Explore the ship

5. Go back to the Pool Bar enjoy a Foo Foo drink and relax till the luggage

gets to the cabin :cool:

[Dockman123]

Since the cabins are not ready yet when we board we

 

1. go to Windjammer for lunch

2. drop off carry-ons in cabin

3. explore the ship

4. attend muster drill

5. find place for sail away.

[volleyballmom87]

Cabin usually isn't ready yet so head to the pool bar to break in the seapass card and meet my newest best buddy, the bartender!

Aubie

 

LOL! This is what my DH & I do also whether on the ship,on the beach or at an AI.

Since we will be pulling out of PR during late seating, this time we are going straight to Chops to make reservations so that we don't miss pulling out of PR. I understand that it is quite beautiful at night.

 

Does anyone know if Chops is open the first night before muster?

[Iluvbigcruiseships]

1) Get on board as early as possible.

2) Grab lunch.

3) See if we can get into our room; the luggage usually arrives shortly thereafter.

4) Unpack and start enjoying drinks out on the balcony.

 

(P.S. we usually save exploring the ship for the first sea day.)

[Hlitner]

When we first started cruising (about 30 years ago) we used to do the typical thing of eating lunch and than just walking around the ship and exploring all the nooks and crannies. However, we now have a totally different attitude, partically driven by our many cruises (more than 50) and the fact that we are usually on longer cruises. We now look at the debarkation day as a day at sea (we love days at sea). We try to board early and dump our carry-ons in our cabin. Than, its time to grab some lunch. After lunch (and assuming the weather is good) we change into swim suits, find ourselves a nice deck chair, open a good book, and sneak peaks over the book at all the "gawkers" walking around in their silly travel clothes. Oh yeah! I forgot the important thing. Its also time for a drink!

 

Hank