First Cruise!

[koko0635]

Hi Everyone! :)I am leaving on my first cruise on May 23:cool:... I will be on Liberty of the Seas going to San Juan, St. Marteen, and Labadee... as far as excursions, we were thinking of doing Dragon's Breath Zip line:eek: in labandee and snorkling on St. Marteens. Any feed back on these, or another suggestion? Also, Any tips from experience would be great! I have spend 3 hours looking at different threads and got some ideas, but any experienced cruiser always has new tips to share! Especially concerning the specific cruise I will be on! Thank you all so much!

[sailingawaysoon]

Have a great first cruise! I'm sure it won't be your last. Well, in Labadee there will be a lunch provided by the ship (bbq). Also, try a labodoozie (sp?). They are awesome and trust me, you'll be asked a lot if you want to purchase one. If you plan to visit the straw market, make sure you take dollar bills. Otherwise, you may have trouble getting change should you make a purchase. Make sure you don't accept the price they tell you. Keep bargaining w/them. In St. Marteen we went to Orient Beach. It is a beautiful beach w/umbrellas (for a fee) and bar service. They have jet skiis, snorkeling and parasailing here. If you plan to walk the length of the beach, keep in mind that there is a nude area. Although the people who are choosing to be in the buff are supposed to be on that end, we did have people come up next to us and bath topless. Also, several were walking the length of the beach and just passed by our end. Oh well, My husband didn't mind, but it wasn't my thing. Whatever you do, have a great time.

[karena1]

Hi Everyone! :)I am leaving on my first cruise on May 23:cool:... I will be on Liberty of the Seas going to San Juan, St. Marteen, and Labadee... as far as excursions, we were thinking of doing Dragon's Breath Zip line:eek: in labandee and snorkling on St. Marteens. Any feed back on these, or another suggestion? Also, Any tips from experience would be great! I have spend 3 hours looking at different threads and got some ideas, but any experienced cruiser always has new tips to share! Especially concerning the specific cruise I will be on! Thank you all so much!

 

Liberty is truly a "WOW" ship. You will love it. the best advice I can give you is "relax"!! Don't think you have to be busy every single moment of the day or that you have to do everything the ship offers. If you haven't signed up for MyTime dining, I highly recommend it. It is great to eat when you feel like it and not have set times.

 

Don't miss the Ice Skating show, it is really good. Try some of the shows offered at night. The pool party is also really fun, lots of cool Ice carvings and really pretty displays of food.

 

Don't, don't miss the first night's Parade in the Promenade and the 70's street party in the promenade. Both are absolutely tons of fun and really great entertainment

 

Most of all, have a great time. Enjoy.

[CaribbeanCrush]

You will love Liberty and Labadee. If you are new to snorkeling Labadee is a great place to try/practice. Not a lot to see, but calmer waters than usually experience anywhere else in the Caribbean when trying to snorkel.

 

Have a great cruise!

[jbwaterski]

Bring or wear a swim suit when you board. Your luggage will not get to your room for several hours, especially if you board early. You can board as early as 11:30 even if your documents say otherwise.

 

If you are adventurous, try the Flowrider. Standing up on it is a blast, and challenging. Riding the "boogie board on your belly is fun and easy.

 

Have a great cruise!!!!

[unklez]

Hi Everyone! :)I am leaving on my first cruise on May 23:cool:... I will be on Liberty of the Seas going to San Juan, St. Marteen, and Labadee... as far as excursions, we were thinking of doing Dragon's Breath Zip line:eek: in labandee and snorkling on St. Marteens. Any feed back on these, or another suggestion? Also, Any tips from experience would be great! I have spend 3 hours looking at different threads and got some ideas, but any experienced cruiser always has new tips to share! Especially concerning the specific cruise I will be on! Thank you all so much!

 

The zip line in Labadee is tame compared to other zip lines. If you want to see Dragon's Breath, just take a self-guided hike.

 

Research the St. Marten board for recommended local tour operators and take a snorkeling tour from them, not from the ship.

[Rancher Dave]

Welcome to CC. Don't overplan in advance the first cruise. Go and enjoy the ship...if you overload yourself with activities you will miss one of the nice aspects of vacation, sitting back to just relax and enjoy the cruise.

[koko0635]

Thanks for the tips, I am so excited! We are still trying to figure out what excursion to take, I think we may only do 1 on one of the islands. Since it is our first cruise, we need to get a feel for how things work! I have been trying to put together a packing list as well to make sure I have all I need, without overpacking! Boy, Is that a job for me! Thanks again for all of the tips!

[CaptData]

Make sure you pack your own brand of asprins, femine things. They only have one veriaty on board. They charge a lot

for everyday things. If you forget your toothbrush go to the fronst Desk ans ask for one, it is free.

[Ohunion Cruzers]

Thanks for the tips, I am so excited! We are still trying to figure out what excursion to take, I think we may only do 1 on one of the islands. Since it is our first cruise, we need to get a feel for how things work! I have been trying to put together a packing list as well to make sure I have all I need, without overpacking! Boy, Is that a job for me! Thanks again for all of the tips!

 

1 suit, 2 Dockers, 3 dress shirts, 2 ties, 4 polo shirts, 3 T-shirts, 2 shorts, 1 other long pants, 2 swim suits, 1 pr dress shoes, 1 pr sneakers, socks & underwear. It all fits in one checked bag (43 lbs) plus one carry on (18 lbs.). This is for a 7 day cruise. Add a polo shirt, socks and underwear for each additional day, if cruise is longer. Do not pack denim, since it is very heavy.

 

2 formal dresses, one sparkly top, one skirt, 3 Capris, 4 casual tops, 2 shorts, 3 T-shirts, 2 swimsuits, 1 pr dress shoes, 1 pr sneakers, 1 pr sandals, socks, underwear and panty hose. This all fits into a checked bag (41 lbs) and a carry on (20 lbs) as well.

 

This is for a 7 day cruise. No problems with airlines and easy to maneuver to and from airport.

[Janet Foster]

Thanks for the tips, I am so excited! We are still trying to figure out what excursion to take, I think we may only do 1 on one of the islands. Since it is our first cruise, we need to get a feel for how things work! I have been trying to put together a packing list as well to make sure I have all I need, without overpacking! Boy, Is that a job for me! Thanks again for all of the tips!

I left a packing list for you under my:

 

Just off Liberty of the Seas, Western Caribbean

[Tisha49]

We did the same cruise and itenarary for Sringbreak this year, it was also our first cruise. I'm still amazed at the magnificence of this ship..truly amazing and incredible. When we would port and I would look at the ship, I couldn't believe we were really on THAT! A few of my tips, being a newbie, too:

 

1. Buy the $8 over-the-door shoeholder from Target or Walmart (holds 20 shoes). What a lifesaver in the bathroom. Very lightweight and it held all my toiletries. I had everything in there: brushes, hairspray, medicine...even my husband thought it was a nice thing.

 

2. I didn't really think I was bringing too many clothes for the day-5 pairs of shorts, maybe 8 tops. I ended up wearing 2 pairs of shorts and maybe 3 tops. During the day you really just put on your swimsuit with a casual dress coverup...I mean all day. You eat breakfast and lunch in it. I never took it off until I got ready for the evening. I only wore my shorts to go to Haiti and San Juan. And I wore them once to do the main dining room for breakfast (another tip...do that...go to eat in the main dining room for a meal other than dinner at least once) I wore all the things I brought for dinner, though.

 

3. I didn't do the zipline in Labadee. It looks fun, but it's only a minute and I didn't think it looked worth $85.

 

4. The ice show is great, we saw it twice. The "in the air" show was very good, also.

 

5. I agree...the 70's party in the promenade will get you dancing, even if you don't want to!

 

6. Go have a cocktail in the Olive and Twist before or after dinner. It's a great bar and the view is spectacular up there. Kids are allowed until 10:00 p.m. We took ours for a alcohol-free pina colada before one of the formal nights.

 

7. I didn't anticipate so many late night activities. Reminded me of Vegas in that respect. I wish I would have taken a nap or relaxed more in the middle of the day, or slept in so I could have stayed up for more of the entertainment.

[cruisegal96]

You will love the cruise! The ports you mentioned are great. Our favorite places are in the eastern caribbean. We are counting the days (13) till our cruise on Enchantment. I hope you have a wonderful time!!!

[LBumb]

St. Marteen is awesome. Orient Beach is a must. Beautiful. Yes some nudity but mostly nudity you will laugh about. Beach is clean and large. Great time. Island is also a great shopping destination.

[koko0635]

Thanks everyone for all thoughts and opinions! I am so glad that I joined CC! I would have never thought of some of this stuff! Days at work seem to go very slow! But the week away will fly by I am sure! Thanks again!:cool:

[wispud]

I agree with some of the previous comments:

 

1) The shoebag is a MUST. You can cram all kinds of stuff in it for the bathroom, use it to hold other small items, etc. Cheap, easy to fold up and you will be so glad you did!

2) Don't overpack. I made this mistake on my first cruise and didn't wear half of what I packed. Try to choose like 3 main colors and coordinate all your outfits off those colors so you can mix and match. No one will ever remember if you wore the same top or pair of shorts twice :-)

3) I agree with not planning too much for the port visits. My first cruise we did not do any pre-planned shore excursions, we just waited to see how the weather was, what we felt like doing that day, etc. In St. Thomas, we spontaneously decided to take the ferry to St. John and so glad we did. That type of thing. We mostly walked around to get an idea of what the islands were like. We had a stop in the Bahamas and we were so tired that day we only spent a couple hours strolling around, then went back to the ship. Read the Ports of Call board to get an idea of what there is to do in each port you visit, whether a particular activity is better to book with the ship, or on your own, etc.

 

And a couple more tips:

4) religiously use sunscreen! A sunburn will put a big damper on things if you are in pain!!

5) Take little post-it notes so you can leave notes for the cabin stewards, etc. We found this to be quite handy.

6) Make copies of ALL your travel documents, passport, credit cards, etc. and leave them at home with a trusted friend or family member. My husband and I each took different credit cards, because if one is stolen it will be cancelled as soon as you report it, so keep that in mind.

 

Happy sailing!

[Beanie01]

All these threads got me excited! I'm on the Liberty on the same eastern carrib itinerary in October. Can't wait!:D

[koko0635]

All these threads got me excited! I'm on the Liberty on the same eastern carrib itinerary in October. Can't wait!:D

 

 

I know! I'm glad I didn't find these threads until recently! It would drive me crazy to be so pumped and have to wait so long to go! May 23rd is just around the corner! I have found out tho that our travel agent gave us some bad advice! She told us to do the early seating, and now I am figuring that we should have done the late seating!:confused:

[jtwisconsin]

If you would like to go to Orient Beach, all you need to do is go to the taxi area and take one. They use small minivans as taxis so you will more than likely be sharing a ride with a few other tourists...no big deal and you share the fee.

 

When we were there the water was fairly rough and only the really brave souls were out there riding jet skis and parasailing. There are better places to do that if you want to try them in my opinion.

 

Orient Beach is on the French side, so topless sunbathing is common. The full nudist section is at the far side of the beach.

[Beanie01]

I know! I'm glad I didn't find these threads until recently! It would drive me crazy to be so pumped and have to wait so long to go! May 23rd is just around the corner! I have found out tho that our travel agent gave us some bad advice! She told us to do the early seating, and now I am figuring that we should have done the late seating!:confused:

 

It's not too late to change your seating. I'm scheduled for the late (8:30), but we may change it to My Time Dining, which can be done when we board. Try going to RC's website. You can plug in your booking number and pull up your profile/itinerary. See if you can change it there, or ask the agent to change it if they don't have a website where you can do it yourself. Or, when you board, ask who to see to make a change in your dining reservation.

[wispud]

I have found out tho that our travel agent gave us some bad advice! She told us to do the early seating, and now I am figuring that we should have done the late seating!:confused:

 

We did late seating on our last cruise, and our next one we were lucky to book far enough ahead to get early seating. Of course, we were on Holland America so not sure how exactly things work in comparison with RCI, but we had 8:30 seating and by the time we finished dinner each night it was 10pm...which is WAY too late for me to eat in general but I also have reflux issues so can't eat that late unless I want my tummy keeping me awake all night - which I don't! That, and we found every night we were in a mad rush to get to one of the shows and still get a decent seat. On HAL there were 2 shows, one after each dinner seating. Not sure if it works that way or not on RCI. Anyway, we have early seating at 6:15pm so I figure it will be closer to 7pm before we get our main course, which is late enough for me. AND, I won't have to eat that 5:30pm "I'm starving - how long till dinner??" snack either!! That, or my nightly martinis went straight to my head due to an empty stomach!

 

So figure out what works for you and go accordingly!! :D

[tex_toby]

We did the Americas Cup sailboat race in St Maarten. I had never been on a sailboat before (always powerboats), so I didn't really know what to expect. It ended up being LOADS of fun.

 

[fridaythe13th]

I've been to Orient Beach twice and to me it was just okay. WAY too crowded and rougher than I like the surf. I would rather be at Great Bay beach and enjoy the calm water, the boardwalk and the shopping.

[koko0635]

It's not too late to change your seating. I'm scheduled for the late (8:30), but we may change it to My Time Dining, which can be done when we board. Try going to RC's website. You can plug in your booking number and pull up your profile/itinerary. See if you can change it there, or ask the agent to change it if they don't have a website where you can do it yourself. Or, when you board, ask who to see to make a change in your dining reservation.

 

Hey Beanie01! When do you go on your next cruise? This is my first one, So I am not sure what to expect! Sounds like it will be a blast! Thanks for the advice! I ended up e-mailing RCI and asking them about the seating, I really want the My Time Dining, but I don't know if it is available on our cruise! Just seems to me that early dining will cut your day shorter, the time it will take me to get ready plus early seating, seems to me like I am cutting out precious vacation time! ;)

[fridaythe13th]

Hey Beanie01! When do you go on your next cruise? This is my first one, So I am not sure what to expect! Sounds like it will be a blast! Thanks for the advice! I ended up e-mailing RCI and asking them about the seating, I really want the My Time Dining, but I don't know if it is available on our cruise! Just seems to me that early dining will cut your day shorter, the time it will take me to get ready plus early seating, seems to me like I am cutting out precious vacation time! ;)

 

You will probably be able to switch but I wouldn't worry about rushing back to the ship just to sit in the DR as the food in the Windjammer is just as good, you just have to serve yourself. We did that a few times our last cruise because we just weren't ready to eat at 6:00 and we were fine with that.