Tips for first time cruiser?

[Tikigirl64]

Hi everyone,

I am getting ready to take my first cruise (April 11 on the Orchestra) and have lots of questions! Can anyone give me a ballpark idea of what a glass of wine or cocktail costs onboard? I also have not been able to find any kind of listing of spa services or prices...?

 

I'm traveling solo, so would welcome any suggestions or advice regarding the excursions and ports of call for someone traveling by themselves.

 

Thanks in advance!

[AmoMondo]

Hi everyone,

I am getting ready to take my first cruise (April 11 on the Orchestra) and have lots of questions! Can anyone give me a ballpark idea of what a glass of wine or cocktail costs onboard? I also have not been able to find any kind of listing of spa services or prices...?

 

I'm traveling solo, so would welcome any suggestions or advice regarding the excursions and ports of call for someone traveling by themselves.

 

Thanks in advance!

Hi Tikigirl64

I often do holidays on my own and crusing is by far the easisest, most enjoyable and safest to do on your own 9especially as a woman on your own).

 

I've not been on the Orchestra but have used the Spa on other ships. I've also had a look at the Spa packages published in the 2009/2010 brochure. There is a sauna and turkish bath which is free 9they have sepaerate male and femal facilities. They also hav nice quite relaxation rooms to chill in afterwards. Treatments tht are available are all done by balines masseuses - they range form 30, 45 & 60 minutes. You can have the Balinese massage. or balinese massage with reflexology or my personal favourite with the hot lava stones. I see they have listed Bali thalasso "Flowers & Sea" or "Sea & Volcanoes" which last 80 mins (sorry no idea what that is), hand massages; various facial massages or treatments and a Blai artistic manicure.

 

My last cruise the prices were in Euros but from an earlier cruise I think it was between 5 & 6 dollars for a glass of wine. They laos have daily coktail specials and happy hours. they have a wide range of bottles of wine. Dont worry if you don't want to drink the whole bottle at one sitting, your waiter will label it for you, recork and bring it back to your table each evening until you finish it. They also do small carafes of house wine in the restaurant which work out a bit cheaper than by the glass. Although they have great wine packages, they are not so good for single pasengers unless you are on a longer voyage or drink a lot!

 

I did shore excursions only on my first cruise (since I was worried about getting back late to the ship). Now I always just do my own thing. I do my research before I go (Ports of Call section is very good for this) and print off stuff to take with me, so I can organise myself at each port. In the Caribbean it is very easy to do most of the ports on your own but it depends if you are happy being on your own. You may prefer to be with an organised tour so that you have the company of other passengers.

 

At dinner, they seat passengers travelling on their own with others that are also on their own and also speaking the same language but not necessarily the same nationality. On my last Caribbean trip, I was seated with an American and German lady (and I'm a Scot). On other trips I've been with a big group of single Brits of both sexes. It just depends on who they have onboard travelling alone and which seating they are all on. Sometimes I have got on so well with my dinner companions that we met up for other meals, went ashore together and went to the shows together too.

 

The crew are really good with passengers on their own and really make an effort to chat to you. Don't worry about going into bars on your own - you'll have no problems at all. Sometimes I sit at the bar itself, as the bar staff chat to you whilst they are serving and I've also found other passengers more willing to strike up a conversation with you when they are on the next bar stool than they do when they are seated in the groups of chairs in the lounges.

 

The buffet can be a bit of a hassle on your own. If you need to get up to go and get a drink or something else, you invariably lose your seat and have to start looking for another one. They do have drinks waiters in the buffets, so my advice would be to get them to get your drinks for you, so you dont lose your spot. I tend to use the dining rooms for breakfast and lunch as you often share with other people and its a nice way to meet and chat to other passengers. I've also found the food to be better than the buffets and someone else has the hassle of carrying it for me!

 

Hope you have a great time, be warned, cruising tends to be addictive and one cruise may not be enough!

[Tikigirl64]

Thanks so much Amo! Your post is VERY helpful to me! I've been equally nervous/excited about this trip... now feel more excited! Really appreciate your taking the time to share with me!

[monicajay]

Bring your own insulated travel mug for keeping coffee hot and other drinks cold. Also, helps prevent spills.

 

You can get a carafe of house wine (about 2 glasses) for I believe it was $8.

 

Also, you can order a bottle and they will re-cork what you don't drink and bring it to you the next night.

 

The Gelato at the pool bar is a bargain at $2 for a waffle cone.

 

Only used the free stuff at the spa so can't help with prices.

 

Join your roll call and attend a M&G if there is one. It will at least let you get to know a couple of people.

 

Enjoy your trip!