First Cruise ever -- Please help

[gina2edu]

My fiance and I will be taking the Golden Princess Cruise leaving on June 13 for our honeymoon. We want to get the most out of our cruise, but aren't sure how to do it. We have some questions, and I hope you can help me...

Should we do Princess excursions or should we try to arrange tours on our own?

Do we want to do a tour on all the islands, or take a day just at the beach?

Should we stay on the ship and not go out to an island one day?

Is it worth it going to the shows at night? Are they any good?

Any other information you would like to pass on to a cruising newbie? We want to make the most of our honeymoon, but we don't want to be run down when we get home.

Thanks

http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[CruiseFever]

You've come to the right place to get all your questions answered. We went on our first Princess cruise just last month and the people here are just wonderful about answering questions.

You might find it helpful to read our reviews and trip reports from our Golden cruise last month since she's the same ship you'll be sailing on. Click here for more:

http://www.lifeiscruising.com/golden_princess1

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com (http://www.LifeIsCruising.com)

Next up:
Caribbean Princess 06/26/04
Star Princess 10/24/04
Diamond Princess 12/22/04
Carnival Miracle 03/13/05

[CruiseFever]

Others will add to this but here's some information about the questions you asked. Feel free to ask more about anything that does not make sense or prompts other questions ok?

Should we do Princess excursions or should we try to arrange tours on our own?

"Do we want to do a tour on all the islands, or take a day just at the beach? "

You can do either one. You have some time before your cruise but not a lot. I'd start on the Princess website. Look at the shore excursions available then come here and ask questions about the ones that interest you. We'll tell you if what you're looking at is a good deal or not or if you can do that same thing on your own or not. Some you can, some you can't.


"Should we stay on the ship and not go out to an island one day?"

I wouldn't. Going ashore, if only to step off, buy a refrigerator magnet and get back on , is an enriching part of the cruise experience; one of those things you should do to make your cruise more memorable

"Is it worth it going to the shows at night? Are they any good? "

Yes. Especially on your first cruise. You may find that you prefer one type of entertainment on board over another but the first time I'd try to take in at least the main production shows, the informative talks given by the Cruise Director, and any other shows that interest you.

"Any other information you would like to pass on to a cruising newbie?"

Do your research ahead of time. Go to the Princess website, look at and memorize the deck plans for your ship; you'll save valuable time on board by having an idea of how to get around the ship. One of the really cool things about Princess is that the layout is similar on different ships; once you learn one you've got a leg up on your next cruise...and I bet this will be the first of many!

Since you've already booked your cruise, we'll skip the helpful tips on doing that and jump right to the good stuff. Here's some more information that you may find helpful:
http://www.lifeiscruising.com/life_onboard_

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com (http://www.LifeIsCruising.com)

Next up:
Caribbean Princess 06/26/04
Star Princess 10/24/04
Diamond Princess 12/22/04
Carnival Miracle 03/13/05

[cynbar]

All of the above is excellent advice. I would just add that there is some great info on specific ports right here at the cruise critic message boards. Click on Ports of Call back on the menu page (the first page you get after you click on Boards on the home page)and you'll find a lot of posts which should give you some more direction. There's a lot of discussion of beaches, shopping, sightseeing, and especially private tours vs ship excursions--- we've had some of our best days from using tips we got there. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding --- and we hope you come to love cruising as much as we do!

[spongerob]

What a great choice for a honeymoon. That's how I fell in love with cruising.

Princess offers a honeymoon package that includes things like a bottle of champagne and souvenir glasses, breakfast in bed (decadent), and other little goodies like the high-quality bath robes that passengers in the suites get. It makes your cruise just a little more special.

Check out the ports of call board for the various islands on your itinerary for ideas about things you might want to do. You can also pick up Frommer's Caribbean Cruises and Ports of Call at any book store. It's a good basic reference and will give you some advice about going off on your own. There's no requirement that you stick with ship's tours.

Congrats, and enjoy your cruise.

Just completed:
Caribbean Princess Apr 3/04
Golden Princess Apr 10/04
Coming up:
Tahitian Princess Oct 14/04

[GloriaF]

Robes were mentioned above, and I just wanted to point out that any category stateroom can request robes for the duration of the cruise. They aren't the same luxe ones the suites get, but they are nice terry cloth robes with a Princess logo.

Fruit bowls are available free of charge. If a fruit order form is not in your cabin, ask your room steward for one.

You can bring champagne and wine onboard if you wish, or order once onboard. If you want it for your room, the steward can supply a corkscrew, glasses, and even crunchies if you ask.

Happy Honeymoon!

Gloria

Grand Princess, Eastern, April 2001
Grand Princess, Western,April 2002
Regal to Hawaii, April 5-20, 2004

[sue d. miller]

http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=cfrm&s=927093444&f=253093035 This is the link to ports of call. Congratulations on your wedding, and have a great cruise. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Sue
7 days on Star Princess 10/24

[igloo42]

Hi - another place for info is the roll call forum - the choice is also on the main Board section. Look for your sailing (ship/date) and join in the thread there. Even though you are on your honeymoon, it will greatly add to your fun/experience on the cruise to meet other folks sailing with you.

Cruising is what you make of it - it is a wonderful relaxing way to see alot of places (without packing/unpacking) and meet alot of great people.

You might want to consider a massage or facial (info listed on Princess web-site), there is also a casino & shopping on board the ship which can be fun and don't underestimate the fun of playing Bingo or horseracing - the Bingo prizes can be quite large and everyone is always talking about who won & the fun they had (this is not your grandmother only type function on board).

Wander around the ship deck in the early morning & in the evening - the sunrises/sunsets over the ocean are amazing and the stars - well just not to be missed.

Also, on a more practical note bring cash &/or travelers checks - your ATM card will work on the ship but there is usually a $5 fee and the machine can potentially run out of cash. All of your shipboard charges (except the casino) will be charged to your credit card (via your room key card) and all items on land will be cash/credit cards. Plan your budget then up it - and if you are on a budget, check your statement with the purser daily to track your expenses - if not have a great time and worry about the bill when you get home (it is very easy to be swept away with the fun & be suprised by the bill at the end (excursions/shopping/drinks/tips/etc.))

Bon Voyage and have a wonderful wedding day (believe me it just flys by, so pay attention every minute!)

Doreen

igloo42

[Northender]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gina2edu:
My fiance and I will be taking the Golden Princess Cruise leaving on June 13 for our honeymoon. We want to get the most out of our cruise, but aren't sure how to do it. We have some questions, and I hope you can help me...

Should we do Princess excursions or should we try to arrange tours on our own?

The only problem with doing tours over internet is if for some reason the ship is late (and ours was due to sick passenger) getting in to a port late can cause you to loose your money. A few of the cruisers had Tee Times set up and with getting to port almost 2 hours late, they lost their T-Time and money. Others also had problems with internet excursions.

Do we want to do a tour on all the islands, or take a day just at the beach?
We toured Grand Cayman and Cota Maya. Bought the obligatory gifts, etc. and there were beach areas available. I loved being back on the ship at the adult pool and my drink of the day.

Should we stay on the ship and not go out to an island one day?
We did this in Cozumel. It was very, very hot and we really enjoyed the day on board. Very quiet and relaxing.

Is it worth it going to the shows at night? Are they any good?
The shows are ok. We did a couple and enjoyed them. Nothing to write home about but entertaining.

Any other information you would like to pass on to a cruising newbie? We want to make the most of our honeymoon, but we don't want to be run down when we get home.

You can do as much as you want or as little as you want on a daily basis. We loved our naps around 4 in the afternoon. Then would enjoy our balcony and some wine we brought on before getting ready to dinner. (We opted for Personal Choice Dining)

Thanks

http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



Grand Princess 4/4/04

[sue d. miller]

Northender made a great point. If you miss the ship because of a delay of an excursion that was not booked through Princess, you are responsible to pay to meet the ship at the next port, or fly home if you choose too. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

Sue
7 days on Star Princess 10/24

[woodspines]

C'mon, be realistic. This is their honeymoon. They won't even get out of their cabin. All the other questions are irrelevant!

Will you be run down when you get home? Hopefully! http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[KAJOKG]

First of all, you've chosen a great ship for your first cruise. Hard to get bored on the Golden. You're getting great advice from all these great people!! My suggestion would be to take Princess run excursions. It's worry free and you will be with experts. As you become more accustomed to cruising, you will probably strike off on your own. We always take excursions for peace of mind. If you are late getting back to the ship with a company other than a Princess sponsored excursion, the ship can leave without you. I was on a cruise once, and a couple was too late getting back to the ship while in Grand Cayman. The ship did wait a bit, but eventually left without them. If they had been on a Princess excursion, the ship would have waited. Two other points: Yes, definitely take in the shows. Not all are great but they are entertaining and some are very good. Also, there are piano bars and lounges for dancing. And regarding leaving the ship when in port. Even if we don't take excursions, we always go in port and walk around, but there is something nice about being on board when almosts everyone else is on shore. So, congratulations, have a happy life, and I know you will enjoy your cruise.

KB

NCL NORWAY - 2000
GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2001
GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2002
HAL NOORDAM - 2002
HAL VOLENDAM - 2003
ISLAND PRINCESS - NOV. 2003
HAL VOLENDAM - JAN. 2004
CORAL PRINCESS - OCT. 2004

[Northender]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sue d. miller:
Northender made a great point. If you miss the ship because of a delay of an excursion that was not booked through Princess, you are responsible to pay to meet the ship at the next port, or fly home if you choose too. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

Sue
7 days on Star Princess 10/24

Glad you brought out the other end of the non-princess excursions, you snooze you loose. Saw quite a few "runners" heading for ship in Cozumel, the ship had blasted warnings, dock hands had untied most of ship and staff from Grand were blowing whistles, etc. I think we got them all - most of which could not even navigate the gangplank. Bet they slept well that evening......Right across from us was a Carnival ship doing the exact same thing. They actually had one guy who had to jump to make it. Cheers all around.
We had honeymooners next to us and enjoyed their company while on our balcony before going to dinner. They did spend a lot of time napping in the afternoon but were always at the lounges after dinner. We called her Princess as he was always up in his nice fluffy robe having a glass of wine with us while she still napped.
Oh yes, we had an excursion set thru Princess at Cozumel and changed our minds. As long as you cancel before 24 hours, instant credit on your bill. No questions asked. That is in the Pricess Patter. They tell you if you want to cancel such and such excursion you need to do by XXXXX. So maybe you may want to make a few excursions and then if you want to just wander around port or stay on the ship you can cancel with no penalty before 24 hours.







<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



Grand Princess 4/4/04

[jjones]

Just one caveat - I have seen unhappy honeymooners because they got too sunburned to enjoy any personal contact. Go easy.

solo cruzer

[laurelplot]

Hi..another newbie here. It seems that once you cruise (or so my dear sister says) you are hooked. My advice (and I myself leave on my first cruise on 5/15/04)...is do a little ...expect surprises and relax. You will be back and get to do the things you miss the first time. Remember you only get one life and the biggest crime is not to live it! Enjoy!!!!

[CaptData]

If you go to Princess Cay this is a Beach stop. Congrats and have fun under the sun.

Hopfully a Hawiian Cruise

http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2006;12;5;11;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500&nbsp;Until we sail away on the ocean blue



Navigator of the Seas Western Crib 08/03
Dawn Princess - Eastern Carb 01/03
Dawn Princess Panamal Canal 11/02