What to do first after boarding?

[daisysheridan]

We sit, relax and have a drink of the day. Everything else can wait!

[Roadtripster]

After we board, we check to see if the rooms are ready, if they are leave carry on's , if not then go have lunch!! Get the drink of the day and then the room is usually ready. Check the room out, do a quick unpack and go explore the ship. Do muster, hang out on deck, go get ready for dinner and then see a show...... Then party!!!!

 

Exactly the same for us too! Must be a good plan. LOL

[linkerbink]

When you first board is a great time to take photos of the atriums, pool areas, etc. before the throngs fill the areas!

[Born Cruiser 2]

This maybe a lame question however what is the first thing you do after boarding ? Are rooms usually ready and you head there to check out your cabin ? Book excursions ? etc.. Perhaps someone has a list in order of what is first ?:confused:

 

We usually are among the first to board, so there are very so few people on-board.

 

We immediately go to our stateroom to determine location. Then the pictures begin. First, the stateroom (360 all around) and balcony. These we will use on Cruise Critic to help people with their cabin choices. Then to "the ship". All of the special places we enjoy and where our "memories" will be made. The pictures come out great because there are few people around to be "in the picture".

 

Then to the dinning room to check out our table. Will make any table change request at that time. If there is a specialty restaurant, make

reservations for any "special occasion" as soon as possible. They normally book up fast.

 

Then just ENJOY!

[sylteach]

Our ship is supposed to sail away from Vancouver at 8PM. What is the earliest and latest people can embark? Will the muster drill still be on that day or on the next day, which is a sea day?

[5521544]

I have never thought about checking out your dining table in the MDR when you board. I always just thought the dining room was closed so I just always wait to see at dinner and usually end up "settling" with what they gave me. I will be on RCCL in September, do they indeed let you in the dining room to check out your table? Thanks!

[kescott98]

When we board, we grab a bite to eat first. Then we drop off our carry-ons after the rooms are ready, after that we start exploring the ship. We also go to the dining room to see where our table is. And then we go out on deck for the sail away party.

[Born Cruiser 2]

I have never thought about checking out your dining table in the MDR when you board. I always just thought the dining room was closed so I just always wait to see at dinner and usually end up "settling" with what they gave me. I will be on RCCL in September, do they indeed let you in the dining room to check out your table? Thanks!

 

It has been our experience that the MDR is usually "open" but not for

any type of service. Simply to look around, find your table, take pictures, etc. If you don't like your table, you have the opportunity to make changes at the same time.

[Molly7]

Help! I'm new to cruising and cruise critic so I'm posting everywhere I can with this question: how much does it cost to do self laundry (washer/dryer) on the Sapphire (qtrs/dollars)? Does anyone know? Thx so much. Also on formal night, I'm wearing cocktail dress and wrap, is that OK? Husband is wearing suit/tie not tux. I'm reading so many different interpretations for the different dress nites that I'm confused:confused:.

[eggypann]

The first thing I do drop my carry-on off in the cabin and make sure the cabin steward knows it is mine.quote]

 

This was posted earlier by Cuizer2 and sound like a good idea to me. No sense dragging stuff around with you if you can drop it off first instead!

[koolforkatz]

Lunch, cocktail (poolside if sunny) and then explore as we make our way to our cabin. By this time our rooms are usually ready and it's pretty near muster time.

 

I love those first few hours :)

[MinnieGi]

We just did our first cruise a month ago. We boarded @11:30 and went straight to the Lido deck to get lunch. After lunch I had the kids swimsuits packed so they changed and went for a swim while I sat and lounged also in swimsuit with a good book - very nice way to start the vaca!!! Our cabin was ready @1:30, but we were all having too much fun to go and check it out, so we stayed up on Lido until later in the afternoon to unpack and get ready for dinner. The pools, hot tubs, & water slides were probably the least crowdest on our arrival day.

[chriskwarren]

Humm...lots of great info here!

We arrive in Rome airport at 1pm, and sail out of Civitavecchia so we won't get there until 3pm at the earliest (I think)...my guess is the ship will be pretty busy by then? Room should also be ready?

[paul929207]

Humm...lots of great info here!

We arrive in Rome airport at 1pm, and sail out of Civitavecchia so we won't get there until 3pm at the earliest (I think)...my guess is the ship will be pretty busy by then? Room should also be ready?

Yes, your cabin should be ready.

[Mrs.Toaster]

This post is getting me really excited for our 1st cruise! We are 5 weeks away! Our flight doesn't arrive in Vancouver until 11, and we have to collect luggage and clear customs, so we probably won't make it to the ship until after lunch. I plan on touring the ship to get the "lay of the land". Hubby will take lots of pics! A drink will also be a first priority! We will also book a spa appointment. Then it's off to see the cabin and unpack. After that, let the relaxation begin!

[paul929207]

Vancouver airport immigration can be slow. Especially if you get in after a couple of other planes. Just relax and you will get thru it.

[Snoopy1266]

Vancouver airport immigration can be slow. Especially if you get in after a couple of other planes. Just relax and you will get thru it.

 

 

I hope this doesn't make me too rushed. I arrive in Vancouver at 1:10 and the ship leaves at 4:30. At least I requested a transfer to the ship so they will be there waiting for me.

 

I need to figure out all these terms everyone is saying. Do all the ships have a Lido deck? I guess I need to check the map of my ship out to see where it is. Is there one free drink per day?? So much to learn, so little time!! I leave on the Sapphire Princess on August 8th. First solo trip and first cruise.

[Sheffie]

Is there one free drink per day?? So much to learn, so little time!! I leave on the Sapphire Princess on August 8th. First solo trip and first cruise.

 

There is no free alcholic drink, if that is what you mean.

 

Have a fabulous cruise!!

[SingingPixie]

My plan is to board around 11 (or as soon as they start boarding), grab lunch at Windjammer (the "Lido" buffet on RCCL), and stake out a good meeting place for sail-away. Then I'll spend the afternoon at the pool, stopping in time to check out the room and unpack if possible and dress for dinner before the 4PM muster drill. Then muster drill, sail-away (these usually happen back-to-back, hence why with a group we wanted to plan out our meeting spot ahead of time to avoid missing it!), and then dinner (we'll have early seating) and the welcome-aboard show.

 

That said, if I needed to make stops at different desks I'd do it right away- probably even before lunch. I will have all shore excursions arranged (independent vendors, but you can do this with the ship excursions as well) before leaving, don't want to dine at the specialty restaurants because this is a family trip and we've decided as a group that we'll stick to the Main Dining Room, don't need spa or salon appointments, etc. Anything like that is better to do ASAP, because then you'll have the better choice of spots. We also don't really care about our dining seating- the only reason we'd stop by the dining room early is if we for some reason got assigned to late seating- Dad is used to eating dinner at 5pm, so 6 is stretching it already- by 9pm he'd be famished and falling asleep!

[collegecruiser346]

There are several things you should do shortly after boarding the ship. I'll list them in no particualr order. Pick the ones that are most important to you to do first...

 

Find your table in the dining room, and request a change if necessary. This is especially important if you've requested a specific table. (table for 2, 4 etc)

 

Get a map of the ship. It's best to know where your going...

 

Check the news letter for that afternoon's activities

 

Locate your life jackets for the muster drill

 

Search out a good place to watch the ship leave port

 

Get lunch at the buffett

 

Find your stateroom and freshen up. Especially if you've been traveling all morning.

 

Make sure you attend the muster drill. They search every cabin, close all bars, buffets, shops etc. It's nonsense not to go. You'll be glad you did in case of a real emergency.

[jpf5911]

Where do you get a map of the ship?

 

We're taking our first cruise on the Mariner on 8/16.

 

Thanks,

 

jpf

[eandj]

Where do you get a map of the ship?

 

We're taking our first cruise on the Mariner on 8/16.

 

Thanks,

 

jpf

 

 

You can print a floor plan online if you don't want to wait until onboard. Just to get an idea where things are. otherwise there usually are maps onboard in your stateroom with the myriads of other paperwork to look over when you get into your room.

[collegecruiser346]

I went on the Mariner last August. They had little pocket maps in the staterooms. They they gave locations of all the major venues. (Dining room, Casino, Gym, etc etc)