OMG The Anticipation is ALMOST too much - share your FIRST Cruise memories

[JmzandJojo]

I am so giddy I feel as if I might just burst. 9 days and counting (the seconds) until my very first cruise to Alaska. I pop on CC everyday just to read thoughts of the wonderful experienced cruisers here. It's been a lifesaver during my planning, and lets me enjoy the giddiness. Here's my request........
Share your experiences and memories of planning and enjoying your Very FIRST cruise. So many of you are experts with many trips under your traveling belts. I'd love to see you through my own eyes, as a novice, excited, cruisevirgins. Wondering if you were all as wrapped up in planning as I've been.
Suggestions
What exceeded your expectations?
What were you a bit overzealous about?
Were there any reality check dissapointments? i.e Things you'd dreamed up that didn't measure up.
What preperation rituals held up and are still part of your pre-cruise planning?
What prep rituals did you dump?

I'm looking forward to guaging my own novice experience with your own. Anything you share will be a delight!

Thanks in advance for letting me disperse some of my excess pre cruise excitement by delving into your memories.

[cp556]

Yep ... a long time ago.
What do I remember? Whew ...
I was a hard-working TV producer and ready for a real getaway. Some of the folks at the TV station had cruised, and they really whetted my appetite for it. So I did a little research (lots fewer ships to research in those days ... lol) and chose NCL's Skyward 7-nights to Cancun, Cozumel and their private island in the Bahamas. A little ship, but she seemed huge to me!
I did a "quad share" where I would share with three other females to be assigned by the cruise line.
My travel agent wasn't a cruise maven, but I assumed that since she was a professional, she knew how to do her job. Wrong....
On arrival in Miami, I learned that the ship had not assigned a cabin for me, and they wanted to turn me away. The travel agent had goofed something up. I guess I was a little insistent, and ended up with an outside double cabin to myself. I think the cabin stewards thought I was quite wealthy, traveling by myself in a very nice cabin...
I had so much fun on that cruise, despite the way it started, that it began a life-long obsession with cruising. Upon return home, I went to the travel agent and explained what had happened. Her reply was "Well, dear, those things happen".
I thought that maybe I could do better, and after retiring from TV, I started selling cruises and eventually opened one of SC's first and largest cruise-only agencies (which I sold a few years ago).
I still love cruising, but don't do as much as I once did.
Thanks for letting me relive these memories, especially two days before I leave for Alaska for a HAL Cruisetour ..... you've reminded me of a wonderful cruise 20 years ago ...

[twinkletoes4445]

What exceeded your expectations?
What were you a bit overzealous about?
Were there any reality check dissapointments? i.e Things you'd dreamed up that didn't measure up.
What preperation rituals held up and are still part of your pre-cruise planning?
What prep rituals did you dump?

Our first cruise was a New Year's cruise a few years ago. I was just so excited! I'm sure I drove my family nuts (I know I did, they told me so), but it was just so exciting. I had just finished reading John Grisham's Skipping Christmas, and thought we'd do just that. It didn't work out that way, but we ended up on a New Year's cruise.

I started a "pile" of things I wanted to bring on the cruise eight months before the cruise. By the time December rolled around, I could barely get into the room. Needless to say, I had to weed it down.

The cruise itself was wonderful. We cruised the Carnival Triumph with our 2 college kids, and our younger daughter (she was 16). We even brought along a friend for her, so the girls could have a cabin and the boys could have a cabin. They all spent a lot of time in our cabin...which had the balcony!

It was just so much fun and this cruise will always hold a special place in my heart because I was together with my kids. Now that they are out of school (two of them), it gets harder and harder to travel together.

I'd say I was completely NUTS going into the first cruise, what with the pre-planning...I had it planned down to the nano-second...a big mistake! But hubby just stood back and watched me go!

There were no disappointments. We had a ball. We laughed and enjoyed every moment of our time together. Just last January, we went to Grand Cayman with the "kids" for a week, and they made me promise that I wouldn't schedule anything except the stingray excursion. I was good to my word...but it was hard.

This time around for our cruise...only the two of us are going....I haven't really planned much...except for the cabana.

I share your excitement because I remember exactly how I felt. :)

[cruisequeen10]

My 1st cruise was November 1980 on the original Pacific Princess (Love Boat) from LA to Acapulco. After watching the TV show, my aunt had asked if indeed there were cruises that took you to Mexico. I contacted a travel agent and lo and behold there was. We booked it and finally the day came when we were to fly to LA and catch the ship. We looked all over the ship to find some of the things that were on the TV show and we could not (for example the bar where Isaac tended bar was not there and another room - that was just in the TV show). We had such a great time that the next year we went to Alaska, the next year Panama Canal and so on. Now I have cruised 18 times and still going at it.

[RuthC]

Perhaps it's because it was so long ago that I really don't remember? :confused: Perhaps memory is correct after all. :confused:
I don't remember getting all excited about my first cruise.

I planned what clothes to take, but other than that there was no "planning". I didn't know what I was going to do when the ship got to Bermuda. I had no idea what was going to go on on the ship!
I had seen The Love Boat, of course, so had some idea of dining and dancing, but also knew that TV and real life are different.

But I did so love standing as far aft as possible on the outside deck and watching---being mesmerized by---the ship's wake.
I still do.
I do remember coming home excited as all get-out! I couldn't wait to do that again! :D

[arzz]

Our first cruise was Christmas, 1980 -- on the Sun Princess (aka Spirit of London) which had been used in the pilot for the "Love Boat". Having watched the TV show we looked forward in anticipation. Our cabin was literally the size of two double beds (one of them being in the cabin, and the space for the other occupied by a closet and a desk). Not at all like the cruise ship cabins on TV. We had to take turns standing up, take turns dressing. I looked forward to spending hours quietly reading and communing with the ocean. The cruise staff had another idea, and everytime they caught me reading they tried to drag me into some organized activity. They acted like I was insulting them because I wished to have quiet time.

The food was glorious (the waiters still passed the vegetables and served you individually), the Christmas dessert display an incredible extravaganza, and the ship itself was in great condition. Our dinner companions were an older couple who were well traveled and fascinating conversationalists. They still posted a list of everyone on board and their cabin numbers. We had late dinner so at mid afternoon I would yearn for a savory nibble -- so I went to tea each afternoon and gobbled sweets served by white gloved waiters. I have no memory of the shows or if we even attended. I do remember watching DH play "space invaders" on one of two electronic coin operated games that went out of order by mid-week. I also remember that the cinema on board played "Airplane" and the "Love Boat" pilot that stared the Sun Princess alternately all week.

In those days the cruises started in San Juan and there were 5 or six ports in seven days. One of our ports had to be cancelled due to island unrest so Princess had arranged an "alternative" beach picnic visit on Palm Island, a small paradise across from Union Island in the Grenadines. This was only the second time that Princess had done this visit. We only had open life boats and starting very early in the am everything that they needed from beach chairs and food to charcoal grills was carried in those boats by crewmen who were dressed in 3/4 pants and striped tops like pirates. The passengers then had to scale the "flying stairway" that swung precariously over the deep blue ocean with only a rope net hung out to break our fall should we trip. We, too, rode to the island in those open boats, exited in knee deep water and walked ashore. They charcoal grilled burgers and served them with all the trimmings on this incredible, unspoiled beach. We enjoyed an incredible repast -- diverted only by several swims in the aqua seas and a walk all the way around this incredible desert island. Truth to be told, this unbelievable beach started us on a many year search for the "perfect beach" like that on Palm Island or later those we discovered in the Bahamian Family Islands like HMC. I understand that there is currently a small, many star resort there now -- of the type "if you have to ask how much it costs to stay there you can't afford it".

We really enjoyed the ports but were very put off by the pressure of the staff to "get happy" and participate while on board. We did not cruise again until the early '90's when we discovered that all cruises are not equal, that you can read at peace with the ocean and enjoy an incredible vacation.

[Belle309ktBride]

My first cruise was also a New Year's cruise, and I have GREAT memories of it because my soon-to-be husband proposed on the ship on New Year's Eve!

I think my first "ooh aah" experience of cruising was just how much you really are waited on hand and foot. I'd heard stories but you just have to experience it for yourself.

Also the feeling of having absolutely no commitments or responsibilities is great. Being able to just say "I'm leaving work and everything behind for 5 days" is pretty great. I think it's better with a cruise because you really have very little options to try to contact home and do work on a ship; whereas if you're just on land in another part of the states you can easily be contacted via cell, so it's harder to leave all of that behind. That make sense? So for workaholics, like me, I think cruising is a great way to relax!

Ok, that's all I've got for now. Good luck on your upcoming cruise! Enjoy!

[scopewest]

For me one joy was not having to drag a purse around all the time the way you do on a land vacation. If you want something, just head back to your cabin, it's not that far and you don't have to drive and park to get there! I still enjoy this freedom on every cruise. The other joy is no prices on the menus. After a week or so of not seeing a bill for meals on board, it's so sad to be handed menus with prices once you're back home. Not to mention cooking and cleaning again!

[benchmarklearning]

Even though I have traveled the world on business, I had never been on a cruise. I don't remember why we chose to do it (was only in March) but after finding cruise critics the anticipation became unbearable! I read it daily and everyone here was a great help.

Two weeks before I was in Cleveland on business and came home on Saturday (one week before the cruise). When I got home I told the family to finish packing - I couldn't wait any longer. So we left that afternoon in a snowstorm and drove to Vegas where we spent five days getting mentally prepared.

Better than ever expected - the food was fantastic, the service in the dining room was impeccable, the spa was very relaxing (love the thermal suite (how do I get one of the ceramic loungers for my deck?)). Total relaxation - just what the Dr. ordered. Our verandah suite was better than expected and we loved the Neptune lounge.

Only bad things - the hustling to buy products in the spa, hawkers in the ports (especially Cabo).

Now, I fight depression everyday because we don't have another cruise booked yet. But, my birthday is in a week and a half so I have every finger and toe crossed :rolleyes:

[RevNeal]

Wow ... what a trip down memory lane!
I'm taking your request as relative to my first cruise as an adult, and not the transatlantic crossing I took aboard the SS United States when I was a little brat. My first cruise as an adult was aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1994, a late Spring celebration for the successful completion of my doctoral dissertation. Mom and Dad had long been booked but they suggested I join them, Mom had the TA dame check and, sure enough, there were some last minute deals to be had. I got one.

1. What exceeded my expectations?

I think it was the attention to detail paid by the crew. The TRUE welcoming grace with which I was greated. The level of service was beyond ANYTHING I was prepared to expect. And ... the incredible beauty, stability, and comfort of the ship. I was hooked the instant I walked aboard and was greeted by the Rosario Strings and the white-gloved escort to my cabin. I was highly impressed with how the staff remembered my name and anticipated my needs almost before I asked.

2. What was I a bit overzealous about?

Gee, I was a graduate student and small church pastor in North Carolina at the time ... so the obvious thing I was overzealous about was my favorite four letter word: FOOD. I think I put on 15 pounds in 10 days. I typified the tired old joke "I came aboard a passenger, I disembarked as cargo." Indeed, this was a problem that stuck with me until sometime last year. I wish I could blame my massive weight gain on HAL. ;) haha. No ... I have only myself to blame. Thankfully, I'm losing it now. A little bit at a time.

3. "Were there any reality check dissapointments? i.e Things you'd dreamed up that didn't measure up."

Having spent my late teens and early 20s watching "The Love Boat" I must admit that the only REAL "reality check" was in the dating and relationship department. I quickly learned that one doesn't go on a HAL cruise in order to find a mate ... not unless one is in their 70s. ;) That's only half-a-joke. If had really WANTED that kind of meat-market environment I would have cruised on a different line or a different kind of cruise. I quickly discovered that it wasn't "action" that one is going after on a damship ... it's RELAXATION and quiet enjoyment.

4. What preperation rituals held up and are still part of my pre-cruise planning and what prep rituals did I dump?

I'm going to address these together. To put it simply, I went aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam for that first cruise with a black suit and clerics for the formal nights; 1 pair of dress slacks, 2 button-down semi-dress shirts, and 1 tie for the informal nights (I wore the black suit jacket with my grey slacks); 3 polos and 2 pair of dockers for casual nights and days, and 1 pair of shorts, 2 t-shirts, and 1 swim suit for shore excursions and lounging on the deck getting sun. I had ONE bag (and it wasn't that heavy). I had no idea what to expect or pack for, other than what my Mother ordered me to bring for formal nights, etc. I was dressed PERFECTLY for each night, but had to send some clothing for cleaning mid-cruise because I had underpacked (Brian will be surprised to learn that I had brought only 5 pair of underwear ... which was all that I had at the time :eek: ) I had NO pre-cruise rituals to speak of and no preperation that qualifies as such. I didn't even get to do a document dance since I didn't get my documentation until I got to the pier. :)

What I've added has been packing lists, more formal gear, more casual gear, more undearwear (lots more underwear), cameras (I didn't even own a camera in 1994), laptop computer, etc. The document dance, and reading through everything in the document portfolio when it arrives, began with my second cruise (aboard the old Rotterdam V).

In recent years I have tried cutting what I bring with me. Repeat wear of a favorite silk shirt on several different casual nights is acceptable to me now ... where as, as recently as 2004 I would have died if all I had with me was one fashionable silk shirt for casual night. Cruising without a Tuxedo is, again, an option for me ... although it means clerics (and, while I don't mind that on cruises where I'm chaplain, I kinda enjoy going "incogneto" on cruises where I'm just a passenger). "Less is more" is an addage I'm trying to rediscover. We'll see if I can manage it for the Hawaii cruise?? :) Something tells me I'll overpack ... yet again.

[kryos]

Oh, God ... can it only be a little over two years since I took my first cruise? Hard to believe, but it's true. I never dreamed it would become the addiction it now is.

I wasn't at all excited about my first cruise. I was only taking it because I was attending a writer's conference aboard the ship. I didn't honestly give a hoot about cruising and figured the only thing that would make floating around on a big boat bearable would be all the interesting classes and workshops I'd be attending onboard. I honestly associated cruising with the elderly ... people in wheelchairs and on walkers.

The cruise started off dreadfully. I missed the boat in Fort Lauderdale due to airline problems. I had to fly to Costa Rica to meet up with it two days later at Puerto Limon. Anyone else would have said "screw it" at that point ... especially if they weren't particularly excited about cruising to begin with. But I decided to treat it as an adventure to a new land. My TA booked me into the Holiday Inn in San Jose, Costa Rica and told me to talk to the folks at the hotel about what kind of interesting tours I could do. He said there was a lot to see in that part of the world. Betcha he never thought I'd opt to go bungee jumping off a bridge. :) Not your grandma's idea of a tour, huh? :) On the morning that the ms Rotterdam was docking in Puerto Limon, my TA arranged a private car to drive me the 3+ hours from San Jose to the pier. Bless his heart, he even made sure it was a private transfer and that I could smoke in the van. :)

Once I got on the ship (the ms Rotterdam), it didn't take long before I realized I had found nirvana. I had no idea what luxury awaited me. I remember just about everyone was off the ship when I boarded ... off to various shore excursions in Costa Rica. After getting settled in, I decided to go in search of something to eat. I hadn't eaten all morning and was kind of hungry at this point. I remember asking a cabin steward in the hallway ... "I realize it's not mealtime, but is there anyplace I can get a bite to eat?" He had to stiffle a giggle when he told me ... "Lady, you on a cruise ship. You can eat anytime you want." He directed me to the Lido where I stood in shock at all the good food selections I could choose from.

From that point on, it was addiction. I booked my next cruise while still onboard, and booked another a month or so later. I haven't looked back since ... because each cruise keeps getting better and better.

I can only imagine what the future holds, and am looking forward to finding out.

Blue skies and thanks for the walk down memory lane ...

--rita

[FinelyRetired]

My novice experience was 2 yrs ago and to Alaska.

I'm not sure, still, why I booked a cruise. I was in either the Orbitz or Travelocity website booking a simple flight from RI to Ohio and noticed a tab that said "Cruise." I went there...and lingered awhile....and all kinds of childhood memories "popped" up. So, I booked a cruise to Alaska!

I can well imagine your planning anticipation. I'm not an experienced cruiser....but I DO get one thing. Planning is at least HALF the fun!??!!!

Didn't know what to expect. I'm a child of the 50's and I do remember as a young girl my parents' Grand Tour of Europe. Off on the QE2 and home on the QM. An excellent, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I remember suitcases, a trunk in their bedroom for weeks. A Tux, Dinner Jacket for Dad and gowns being packed for my mother. I reveled in it! I "lived" in their room helping to pack and fold all my mother's "new" bras, underwear, etc. The expectation was...someone else was going to "touch" her stuff to wait on her......it had to be both new and "good."

Flash forward to 2004. A very different time. I had never been inclined to cruise, but thought it a good option to see Alaska, easily. I was easily as "frenetic" as my own mother in anticpation.........but for vastly different reasons.

First, I didn't quite know what I'd bought, online at 1:00am! No TA...still don't have one. Had to scramble and call Princess just to assure myself that I really had bought a cruise and was booked! What exceeded my expectations was that I had secured nice balconey rooms for DH & I and our son & fiance. Somehow in that online search, they'd hyped me suffciently to at least book balconys!

After that, I expected not much. Packed like crazy. But, got a whole lot of wonderful expereiences in the end.

Over-zealous part? I was nearly sick boarding the Sapphire Princess. I had seen on website that it was the newest, biggesst that year and thought that would be terrific. At the pier, the ship looked like a box, a darn Motel 6 and gargantuan! DH & I stood in a long line waiting to board and I'm looking down on the Pier and seeing a lovely, dark-hulled, much more "ship-like" Holland America ship next door........passengers slowly meandering aboard.....very pretty. I said nothing to DH, but said LOUDLY to myself: "I'm on the wrong ship!"

Don't get me wrong. The Sapphire was lovely......you would never know there were that many people aboard. Service, food, excursions were quite good. But, everywhere we went there was another, dark-hulled, lovely HAL ship and, that's what I'm taking this time.

Dissapointments? I had none.......remember, I had few expectations. Just like life, go do what you want to do...get it done and enjoy!

You will have the trip of your lifetime. You may tweek it a bit next cruise.......maybe not. But........cruising is a good thing, not much to complain about on any of them.

SCinRI

[babyher]

God


Talk about going way back down memory lane *LOL*

Twenty years ago this September...it was RCCLs Song of America. My first honeymoon.

We didn't know cruiseing from shine-ola back then, just went to the TA and thought a cruise sounded "cool" (we were like 22 at the time *LOL*)

Had a tiny inside cabin on the lowest deck possible. Who knew???? *LOL*

But just loved everything about it. The food was excellent and it was available constantly. The service was fantastic, the staff and crew could not have been nicer and more helpful. The ship was beautiful and there was so much to do. My wife had never really traveled before and I had only done a little, but nothing that grand at that time. We were like two kids in a candy shop (hell we were kids *LOL*)

Plus that particular time of year ,and that particular cruise,there were a ton of honeymooners right around our age aboard. In fact the captain made a joke one night that the radar was showing very calm seas that night, so if the ship starts rocking.....blame the honeymooners *LOL*

We met up with a bunch of couples our age and we palled around with them all week, even went on shore excursions with them.

All in all, i just knew cruiseing was just a great vacation choice :)

[penwah2002]

I probably shouldn't share this with first time cruiser, but please don't let your heart be troubled. My DH and I decided it was time to get away from our sometimes stressfull business.
Our trip began in NYC on the NCL Dawn. It was a beautiful evening, but cold leaving NYC. By 2am we woke to the drawers opening and closing and the ship listing back and forth. By noon the next day I was a beautiful color green and by 1pm I was intimate with the toilet in our room.:( At that point I took Bonnie but it was a bit too late. That afternoon we went to the hot tub, another passenger recomended that siiting in the hot tub and looking at the horizion it would ease the sea sickness. It worked well until we both began to wrinkle. It was an early evening for us giving up the first night dinner. The next morning I awoke and felt so much better. Moral of this story is if you are leaving out of NYC in Feb. you can count on rough seas, at least the first day.
Happy to report the rest of cruise was fantastic. We are now hooked and planning our third cruise on the Noordam in Feb. of 2007 out of NYC. I do know now that I am predisposed to sea sickness and will begin the Bonnie the day befor we leave. Getting so awful sick has never detered us from going again. It is a great vacaction and I would recomend a cruise to anyone, anytime.

[dare2dream]

Where to start? DH and I took our first cruise last August on the Veendam. We did a cruise tour to Alaska for our 25th wedding anniversary. The trip was everything I imagined and more.

Highlights:

I got an extra cruise brochure and used it to make my own brochure. I got a plastic folder at the store with plastic sleeves bound in the middle of it. I then cut the pages out of the HAL brochure that applied to our cruisetour. I also cut out pictures that inspired me and the deck plans of our ship. I mounted some pictures on different colored construciton paper and inserted them in the plastic sleeves. As I booked shore excursions I added pages about those activities. Before we left I looked at this folder many times a day and dreamed of our future adventures.

I learned as much as I could here at Cruisecritic. The experts here on these boards really helped me make the perfect plans for us.

The Doc Dance. I read those docs cover to cover many times before we even sailed.

Being personally escorted to our cabin at check in and having the luggage already there.

The elegance of the ship.

Sipping a drink while relaxing on the veranda.

Being able to chose new and exciting foods at fabulous 5 course meals every evening.

The chill on my cheeks and thunderous sounds of glaciers calving.

Friendly Herry that passed out trays on the Lido deck.

Being the last couple in the hot tub one night and looking up at the beautiful clear sky through the retracted roof.

On an excursion at the Taku lodge, looking out a picture window and seeing a bear licking the grill that just cooked my wonderful salmon dinner.

We missed dinner on the ship the day of our trip to the Taku lodge. That night they served creme brulee for dessert. I love creme brulee and it is not served at our usual local fast food establishments back home. When we got back on the ship we called room service and with in 30 minutes I was savoring that glorious dessert in my cabin with the man I love.

Disappointments:

Not flying in to town a day early and staying a day later.

Not studing the daily program earlier in the day. I missed the kitchen tour, something I really wanted to do.

When our documents arrived we were not assigned the dinner time we had requested. We requested a change when we arrived but could not be accomodated.

Our helicopter landing on a glacier was cancelled due to high winds. (Guess we'll just HAVE to go back to do that).

The 5 course meals every night were a little too much for DH, by the end of the week he was protesting the thought of another decadent meal. We could have gone to the Lido, but we are of the mentality that we paid for it so we have to do it. May have to rethink that next time.

Our 25th anniversay cake arrived after we had ordered dessert. The cake in addition to the dessert served that evening was too much to enjoy. I wish I would have know ahead of time that the cake was coming. We may have even enjoyed it more privately in our room.

I wish we had seen more of the shows on board.


We did not dwell on the few dissapointments. How well you enjoy the cruise depends on your attitude.

Happy cruising to you,

Brenda