First thing to do when on Ship?

[first_timer2]

We are on our first cruise and would really appreciate help from experienced cruiser. Can anyone tell us the first things we should do when we will get on the ship? (we are on a waitlist for late dining, is that okay or should we stay with the anytime dinning?) I'm confused by all the questions and answers on this board. I read a bit here and there but if someone can give us as much information as possible, we would really really REALLY appreciate it:D

 

Thanks to all

[Momma Mojito]

If that's the dining time you want , once you get on the ship and check out your room find out find oout where the head waiter is and go and talk to him. We were waitlisted #85 last year on the Caribbean Princess and after we talked to him went back to our room and just a little latter got a not saying we had our dining preference

[first_timer2]

I know this question will sound stupid, but do we have to book all the restaurants for our stay or is this automatic? For example, if we have late dining, can we show up at any restaurant at that time and will have a table?

[Momma Mojito]

Please remember that the only questions that are stupid are the ones that aren't asked!!! Once you sign up for your dining time and are assigned a dining room that is the dining room you will go to unless you want to do the speciality dining rooms or the buffets. Ask as many questions as you want and everyone on CC will help make your first cruise very enjoyable!!!

[paul929207]

First thing to do when you board, is go to your cabin and check it over. If there are any problems, tell your cabin steward. For instance, the beds may be set up as twins or a queen and you might want the opposite.

 

Your cruise card will tell you when and where you will be eating dinner. If you have anytime dining, you can go to any anytime dining resturant. If you don't have what you would like, go see the head waiter. He will be in one of the dining rooms usually starting about 2pm.

 

If you are assigned to traditional, it is for the entire cruise.

[tmitchell82]

First things to do when you get aboard.

 

Stop for a second, smile, think you just boarded a cruise ship for a great vacation, no work, cell phone, email, house work, etc. And think, life is good.

 

Go to cabin, drop off carry ons, make sure all requests in cabin have been meet and find cabin steward if there is anything you want that is not there (wine glasses every day, more ice, eggcrate matress) Also, tip you steward for getting these things done in the beginning.

 

If you want to change dinning, I think paul929207 and lady45 had good suggestions.

 

If you want to book a time for a specialty restaurant, figure out the day you want to go. Then find out when they start taking reservations and make them ASAP. This will allow you to get the time and day you want, but do be flexible.

 

If you signed up for shore excursions ahead of time through Princess the tickets should be in your room (depending on what time you board) Otherwise, go to the shore excursion tour desk to book shore excursions (if you plan on doing that) I would recommend signing up on the cruise personalizer ahead of time.

 

Of course eating can be mixed in with all of this.

 

I like to go an explore the ship and learn my way around (with a drink in hand)

 

Make sure you are ready for the lifeboat drill as well.

 

Get a drink, think again, I am on a cruise, life is good.

[Colo Cruiser]

Find an open dining room for lunch. :D

[sunhoney64]

You should know your dining time before you actually get on the cruise ship. If it is not what you requested, I would go straight to the dining room. There is usually a line to get this changed. Also, it helps to know the layout of the ship before you go, such as which floor the dining rooms are on, etc. If you wish to have any spa services or eat in any specialty dining rooms, I would go book them next. The good slots fill up very quickly. Then off to the room to settle in. After that get a drink in hand and explore the ship. And above all RELAX..:)

 

P. S. You mentioned something about different dining rooms. All of the dining rooms serve the same meal each night. You will be assigned a dining room if you get tradional dining. Only the specialties dining rooms, that you have to make reservations for, have different menus. Believe me, you will not go hungry..

[dantesab]

First thing is check out your cabin make sure everything is ok. Next is go find lunch, buffet or dining room after this if you want to go to any specialty restaurants on the cruise make reservations. And then last GET A BIG DRINK AND ENJOY YOURSELF....... You will have a blast..

[cjh]

Go to your cabin check it out and read the Patter that is in you mailbox so you know what is going on for the day. If you don't have one in your cabin ask your steward to a pocket guide of the ship. Then just start exploring.

 

If you are sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale after the muster drill if you have a balcony cabin on the port side go back to your cabin and wave to the people in their backyard and on the beach. If you don't have a balcony cabin on the port side go to an open deck on the port side.

 

I like anytime dining because sometimes we eat early usually when at sea and other times we eat late when in port. With traditional you have one set time everyday. The dress code and the menus are the same for both traditional and anytime.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

We do this - Check-in, drop our luggage off at our cabin, get changed (we bring our bathing suits in our carry - ons) and go right up to the pool deck weather permitting to hang out and get drinks. :)

 

Make sure that you pack in your carry-ons anything you may need when you get on the ship. Your luggage getting to you may be delayed by a few hours.

[PH]

I always take pictures first thing. Most of the locations on the ship do not have people in them yet. It is the best time to get good pictures of the ship. PH

[Julia’s Journey’s]

If you are sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale after the muster drill if you have a balcony cabin on the port side go back to your cabin and wave to the people in their backyard and on the beach. If you don't have a balcony cabin on the port side go to an open deck on the port side.

 

 

This is fun, they have signs hung on their balconies, flash their lights, honk horns etc.

 

We are fans of anytime dining too.

 

Enjoy your first cruise:)

[busterfla]

If you are going out of Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale) turn down the thermostat in you cabin. It is really hot & muggy today. This is what I am going to do in about 2 hours, headed for the CB 4 days

 

Ciao

[dpro]

You may or may not be allowed to your cabin, depending on the time you board, especially if its early. Our last HAL cruise, all the cabins were blocked.

 

So, we drop off all the luggage we can to the porters, except maybe our camera bag, and head for the Lido deck to eat. After that if we can go to our cabin we do that. That is good advice to turn down your thermostat, they are always set too high.

[SusieS]

We dump our stuff in our room, & go eat at the Horizon Court!! Then we get into our bathing suits, grab a drink, then off to the hot tubs in the back of the boat!

[macusr]

Step 1 - Take a deep breath and exhale with joy "I'm back on a ship!"

Step 2 - Go to your cabin, drop your carry-on luggage off, and verify that any special requests regarding bedding have been addressed. If not, step out in the hallway and introduce yourself to your cabin steward.

Step 3 - Grab your ship pocket map and cruise card & neck lanyard.

Step 4 - Go to one of the dining rooms and take care of any dining arrangements. Put your name on the list for Chef's Table if you're interested; figure out which night(s) you're not interested in the regular dining room food (for us that's always Continental night) and make your alternative dining reservations.

Step 5 - Go to one of the bar areas and get soda card stickers/drink containers. Get your first fill-up!

Step 6 - Go to purser's desk. Get cruise cards hole punched so they can be put on neck lanyard ring. Verify any shipboard account questions like onboard cruise credits.

Step 7 - Start your shipboard tour! With pocket map in hand, begin to explore all the decks.

Step 8 - Break for light lunch at the pizza bar/restaurant. Pizza on embarkation day is a tradition for us!

Step 9 - Finish your ship exploration.

Step 10 - Head back to the cabin and, assuming your luggage has arrived, unpack.

 

That's our embarkation day ritual - hope it was insightful!

[caribill]

You may or may not be allowed to your cabin, depending on the time you board, especially if its early. Our last HAL cruise, all the cabins were blocked.

 

That was HAL.

 

On Princess, your cabin will be ready when you board 99% of the time.

[Amy G]

I always like to book Formal Night hair-up-do's right away so that I dont have to have my hair done 3 hours before dinner! Book when you board and you will get the times your prefer.

 

Also, if you plan to book the Ultimate Balcony Dinner (UBD), call and make reservations for that as well.

[cruzgryphon]

NeurosurgeryNP makes a good point. I tend to wear different clothers when I fly (e.g. pants, jacket, sneakers) -mainly because I'm usually flying from a cold climate to a warm climate - than what would be comfortable onboard ship (shorts, T shirt sandals). There are a lot of variables in determining when your luggage will arrive at your stateroom (you drop it off on the dock - and then it's you and your carryon baggage) - it may arrive shortly after you board or after a while (the latest I've gotten mine is 5:30pm after boarding at 1pm). Every cruise line and cruise ship will be different.

So the lesson for me: keep a change of clothing in your carryon luggage to change into - after that follow the tips of others on this thread (get some food, explore, see the Maitre'D to request a change of dinner time) etc.

Happy cruising:)

[muffydawg]

Number 1: Drop carry on luggage in cabin and check it out to ensure beds are in the correct configuration, enough towels to get through the pre-dinner shower and the toilet flushes properly. Locate cabin attendant and introduce ourselves. Give DH a big smooch.

 

Number 2: Use "wipies" on the cabin surfaces.

 

Number 3: Get the ship deck plan & get cruise cards "punched" at purser so we can hang them on the neck lanyard.

 

Number 4: Head to the dining room and confirm table size then find specialty restaurants to make a reservation.

 

Number 5: Get lunch

 

Number 6: Grab a Cosmopolitan, locate the Wheelhouse Bar and check out the ship layout

[ellenstarr]

We do this - Check-in, drop our luggage off at our cabin, get changed (we bring our bathing suits in our carry - ons) and go right up to the pool deck weather permitting to hang out and get drinks. :)

 

Make sure that you pack in your carry-ons anything you may need when you get on the ship. Your luggage getting to you may be delayed by a few hours.

 

Amen to that! On our last cruise we were in the hot tub with a strawberry daiquiri by 12:30! It was the only time we had the pool area all to ourselves. :)

[texaridian]

Our routine is to drop things at the cabin and unpack if we carried our luggage aboard. I like to get settled in as quickly as possible.

 

The next thing we do is head up to the Lido deck to eat. I do recommend looking around a moment before getting in line. There are usually at least 2 lines and often 4 or more. You may find a shorter line, or you may find lines that serve different fare.

 

After eating, we like to explore. Learn where the theaters and clubs are.

 

Our course, plan on going to the lifeboat drill. I've heard stories of people being tracked down and made to attend.

 

We like to go to the casino and find the penny slot machines!

 

Talk to people! You'll be sailing with these folks for the next few days or few weeks. It's so much fun to recognize your new friends around the ship and on shore.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise and that it is the first of many.

 

Carol

[JWJs]

first timer2 ~ so many good suggestions on this thread already. :) :) :) I would like to add...don't stress out. Take your time as you cover the bases after you board. I think most important is the following suggestion as you walk up the gang plank...say "I AM ON A SHIP and WILL SOON BE HEADING OUT TO SEA FOR A GLORIOUS VACATION." I cry every time I walk up the gang plank on embarkation day. It is just so exciting and wonderful. Hope you have a wonderful cruise and catch the cruise bug big time. It's a wonderful life.

There's only one other thing I can think of...put down $200 ($100 pp) on a future cruise deposit. Talk to the gal or guy who handles cruise bookings on board. Don't wait until the last day...it gets very busy in that office area. With the $200 future cruise deposit, your $200 goes toward your deposit the next time you book a cruise PLUS you get money in on board credits. I think it's $50 per person for an inside, $75 pp for an ocean view and $100 pp for a balcony...days of the cruise also matter when they give you your on-boards. I'm sure someone on this thread will clarify.

[VegasPier]

If you are going out of Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale) turn down the thermostat in you cabin. It is really hot & muggy today. This is what I am going to do in about 2 hours, headed for the CB 4 days

 

Ciao

 

The thermostats are turned way up because everybody has their balcony doors open on boarding day.

 

Cheers