We're cruising for the first time, and we want to look like we know what we're doing

[shlu13]

This is my fiancee's and my first cruise, and we want to walk onto the ship like we know what we're doing. What should I be looking to experience on the Veendam? Are there noteworthy excursions on San Juan, St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, Isla de Margarita, Bonaire, Aruba or Grand Cayman? What's worth spending money on during the cruise? I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

[jerseygirl3]

This is my fiancee's and my first cruise, and we want to walk onto the ship like we know what we're doing. What should I be looking to experience on the Veendam? Are there noteworthy excursions on San Juan, St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, Isla de Margarita, Bonaire, Aruba or Grand Cayman? What's worth spending money on during the cruise? I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

As far as spending money, the only things a first timer should absolutely do is get some nice photos while onboard the ship. The sittings are free and you can choose whichever ones you like. Liquor onboard the ship is also less expensive. I would also have dinner one night in the specialty restaurant onboard the ship. It's very romantic and the service and food is outstanding. I believe the charge is $20 or $30 pp, but it's definitely well worth every penny. The petite filet is to die for.

As far as ports, in St. Thomas I would definitely recommend heading over to St. John. Very easy to do on your own. Ship's excursions are pricier, more crowded, and more time fixated. Just get off the ship, take a taxi to Red Hook and hop on the ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay, St. John. The ferry takes about 20 minutes, costs $4 pp each way and runs every hour on the hour starting at 8 a.m. Once you get to St. John, you can either take a taxi to whichever beach you want (lots of gorgeous beaches) or rent a jeep. Before you head back over to St. Thomas, stop and have a drink in Woody's in Cruz Bay. The ferrys back over to St. Thomas run every hour on the half hour and there is a time difference, so make sure you keep track of time. Going back you can take a ferry right back to Charlotte Amalie and skip having to get from Red Hook back to the ship.

In Barbados, I've heard wonderful things about Silver Moon Catamarans. You need to book this independently and ahead of time. Their website is:

http://www.silvermoonbarbados.com/

When you arrive in Aruba, take a taxi to the Hyatt Hotel. They allow cruise ship passengers, no charge to use their beach. You can rent a lounge chair and umbrella for $5 pp for the day. There is a little dock with a bar/restaurant right there. A great way to spend a beach day.

Hope this helps.

[CDRMark]

This is my fiancee's and my first cruise, and we want to walk onto the ship like we know what we're doing. What should I be looking to experience on the Veendam? Are there noteworthy excursions on San Juan, St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, Isla de Margarita, Bonaire, Aruba or Grand Cayman? What's worth spending money on during the cruise? I would appreciate any feedback you may have.
Welcome and congratulations on your impending nuptials.
Someone familiar with Veendam will chime in on her particular charms.
Keep raiding these (and other) boards for info on the ports, particularly the port specific areas. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5
If there is a Roll Call, join it, if there is not, start one. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=321
Keep doing some research and relax, we all look like doofuses every once in a while.
My recommendations: Tour the old city in San Juan and The Mount Gay distillery in Barbados.
Dive in Grand Cayman.
Too many excursions are "interest specific".
Cheers
Mark

[Charliesmom]

When in Grand Cayman, go to "Sting Ray City". It is a giant sand bar where the sting rays are used to being fed by people. They rub up against you the way cats do and will take food out of your hand. It is very exciting. The boats also have snorkel equipment on them. You probably can make arrangements beforehand. Go to the Ports of Call board on CC to get further advice on this.

I have never seen genuine pearls for less money than I have on Isla Margarita. The locals set up a whole bunch of booths beside the dock. We got strands of pearls (slightly misshapen) three strands for $25.00. I also got a long, long rope of pearls for $27.00. Don't forget to bargain. That's half the fun of shopping in those little stalls.

On the Veendam, spend some time in the piano bar. When we wre on her in December, they had a great pianist.

That's my two cents.

Roberta

Roberta

[ger_77]

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming marriage and you first cruise!

- You're already starting off on the right foot - you're calling the vessel a "ship", not a "boat" - there is a difference.
- Next thing, treat the staff as people, not as your personal slaves for the duration of your cruise. When treated with respect, they will go out of their way to ensure you have a great cruising experience. We've formed great relationships with the staff from various levels on all of our cruises.
- Go with an open mind and please, don't expect perfection if you can't bring it onboard with you.
- Be prepared to roll with the punches; if something is cancelled due to weather conditions, it may give you another day at sea, or different options open up.

Your cruise will be what you make of it, so enjoy each day, whether at sea or in port.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[sail7seas]

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. Wishes for lots of happiness.

Don't worry about 'looking like you know what you are doing'. We all took our first cruise and most of us have wonderful memories of it. You only go once on the first!!! In a way I envy you. When we took our first cruise, I didn't know anything about the internet or these Bulletin Boards. We didn't know many people who had cruised so we had very little idea what to expect. Now that we have done dozens of cruises, it's clear we loved it from the start.

Go with the expection to have fun; spend your time aboard the way you wish. If you are 'joiners' and like to always be busy, read the daily program and pick the activities in which you want to participate.

If you like more leisure time...... pull up a chaise at the pool or a deck chair on Promenade Deck with a good book.

In port, seeing it is your first cruise, you may wish to do a few organized ship's tours. Many of us who have cruised many times tend to go off on our own in the Caribbean but if this is your first trip, at least for the first few ports, think about a ship's tour. You can book them ahead on the HAL site.

Most important of all........ Be sure to be back at the ship (with a little time to spare) by the time specified all guests must be back aboard. You certainly do not want to get back to the ship late and find it has sailed without you.

(If you are on a ship's tour, they wait for all HAL tours to return before leaving....even if they are late returning.)

[grannynurse]

One of the things you can do is look at the deck plans on HAL's website, locate your cabin on the Veendam and plot your way to the different public areas from your cabin and back to it. Frequently people get confused between forward and aft, port and starboard. There are "you are here diagrams" at the elevator banks. Veendam has 2, one forward and one aft. The diagrams on the website show forward at the top and aft at the bottom. Take a good look at the corridors around the public rooms and decide if (Example): the Ocean Bar is port or starboard.

When you board there will be crew to direct you to the Lido for lunch, or to your cabin if it's ready. Pre-plot your way from the Lido to your cabin.
Hope this helps, Welcome to the HAL board and Congratulations.
GN

[fcorey]

This is my fiancee's and my first cruise, and we want to walk onto the ship like we know what we're doing.

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding, you've come to the right place. First off, dont worry for one second about looking "like you know what you are doing" just concentrate on having a good time, the rest will all work out :)

[prescottbob]

Ahoy!
Congratulations! Your going to have a super time. I will include some things that we do on our first day that makes life a bit easier aboard ship but as 'honeymooners' these items may not be applicable.
1. Stateroom: make sure your cabin steward shows gives you a 'tour' and shows you the amenities of the cabin: light switches, plugs (be sure to bring a power strip), safe use, etc. Also, ask for another ice bucket (if so desired), extra blanket or extra box of Kleenex or any other item that you would like to have in room. Have him clean out the refrigerator if you have items you'd like to refrigerate and would prefer not to purchase the items available in said icebox. Be sure to ask plenty of questions.
2. Check your dining arrangements (dining time and table #) and, if required, go to the up to dining room managers office and have a chat to switch times/table.
3. If your spouse is interested in Spa/Salon appointments make them the first day (ASAP). Often times the first formal night will be the second night out and the hair appointments, etc. will 'book up' quickly. The premium spa services also have limited booking so do so if interested.
4. Main Desk/ Housekeeping extension (depending on length of cruise): sign up for pressing/laundry services.
5. Pinnacle Grill reservations: they are popular on sea days and smart casual nights (food seems to be better on formal nights in the dining room). Just call in after 1500 hours or so.
6. Library: check out any tomes you care to read while cruising before all the latest bestsellers are gone (I don't think you will be interested in this at least on your first cruise giv'en the circumstances)
7. Cocktail card / wine card / wine package purchase on the Lido. Basically the cards are you pay for ten or twenty drinks and get one or two for free. May not be your cup of tea but they will explain them while aboard.
8. If you haven't made any excursion plans track down the port lecturer (if available) and have a chat.
9. Explore the ship, and after the life boat drill head up to the Crow's Nest and watch the ship 'pull away' with a libation!

Foremost : ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY! HAVE A GREAT CRUISE!

Bon Voyage and Good Health,
Bob:)

[Solo Cruiser]

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage and welcome to the wonderful world of cruising and to the Cruise Critic boards. Many will be help you with useful information about Holland America and the Veendam in particular. As Sail has already said we were all first time cruisers once. Don't be at all nervous about not looking like you know what you are doing, Ask all the questions here before the cruise that you can think of and ask anyone on board whatever you need to, they want you to have a good time and so do all of us.

In Grand Cayman I took a ship's tour of the island which took us to a turtle farm and to Hell. Yes, Hell is a city on the island and I had my picture snapped in front of the post office so I could say I'd been to Hell and back again.

Cruise Critic also has a first time cruisers board so I advise that you read that and this board as well as your roll call. Enjoy your new category of best vacation ever.

[grammyc]

Congratulations on 2 of the most unforgetable days of your life . . . your upcoming marraige and your first cruise! My DH and I also just recently experienced our first cruise on the Veendam. We were on the western Caribbean cruise so I'm afraid I can't help out on your ports of call. Walk around the ship once you board and familiarize yourself with all public areas. I did a lot of reading on this board prior to our trip and learned a lot!! I will try to remember some things that I would want someone to point out to me.

* Prior to leaving home, make copies of your picture page of your
passports and put them in your carry-on.
* Don't overpack! There is a self-service laundry available for your
use. The washers have automatic soap dispensers included in the
cost of the wash so no need to worry about laundry soap. If you
need fabric softner sheets, they are available for purchase in the
gift shop. The front desk staff can provide quarters as there is
not a change machine in the laundry room. Of course, there is
always the laundry service provided for a cost, but they tell you
it is a 48 hour turnaround.
* Traveler's checks can be cashed at the front desk as there is not an
ATM on the ship, so don't be concerned about carrying alot of cash.
* Always read the Daily Programs that will be in your stateroom as
there is a lot of important information provided for you.
* Pack a folder to put all momentos in that you may collect along
the way for your memory book (if you're in to that kind of thing).
It will keep them from being destroyed during the cruise and the
trip back home. Some things can never be replaced!!
* Pack Bonine (just in case), charger for your camera battery, small
bills (1's and 5's) for tips and thank you notes and envelopes in case
you want to leave an extra "thanks" at the end of the cruise for
staff members.
* Don't worry about packing shampoo or a hair dryer as these are
provided for you in your stateroom.
* Try the bread pudding in the Lido! Yum!!! Don't be afraid to tell your
diningroom table steward if you don't like the dish you chose. They
will be glad to take it back and bring you something else. Utilize
room service even if it's coffee and juice. It's a great way to
start the day!
* Purchase a "Veendam" momento or two in the gift shop. I purchased
2 coffee mugs and the prices aren't as bad as you think. Also,
if the budget allows, purchase the pictures the ship's photog
takes during the cruise. I didn't purchase our lifeboat drill pics
because I thought they weren't good pics of us and I'm still
kicking myself that I let them go!! So what if they aren't flattering!
They are momentos for the memory book!!

Most of all . . . don't forget to relax and have fun!! Too many people stress on trying to fit so much in to daily activities that they are wiped out after the cruise and didn't take time to breathe in the sea air and enjoy the peace and tranquility. Don't sweat the small stuff and you will have the time of your lives. Look forward to reading your cruise report after your return. Will be glad to answer any questions if you should think of any.

Happy sailing!

Cindy

[jrzebird]

How nice to see you here! Welcome Aboard. You've received a lot of good information and I'm sure you'll get lots morel I spent a lot of time reading this board before we went and it was invaluable. I can give you lots of pointers and we'll have some time to talk about it next month, I might even bring some of my 'stuff', like the "I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT" power strip. Or, the indespensible over the door shoe holder, which held my medicine, make up, lotions and shampoo, my special tea, costume jewelry,(good stuff goes in the safe) combs and brushes and stuff! Another must have is a small alarm clock. There is no clock in the room.I have a whole list of things. Fear not, Kenny and I will help yoiu. But be sure to listen to the people on this site. There are many good suggestions.

And, of course, the one thing you must bring is your favorite Mother in Law!!!

I'll catch you more later!~:D

[seattleadjuster]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the mistake most first-timers make. Don't forget that when you tender into a port, you need to bring your life preserver. I always get a laugh out of watching newbies endure a long wait for the tender, only to be told they must go back to their room.;)

[IheartHAL]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the mistake most first-timers make. Don't forget that when you tender into a port, you need to bring your life preserver. I always get a laugh out of watching newbies endure a long wait for the tender, only to be told they must go back to their room.;)

You're soooooo bad!:D ;)

[favoritenanna]

I too am a newbie and am very confused by "tendering to a port" and having to bring my life preserver. Could you please tell me what this actually means.

Thanks for your help.:D

[jrzebird]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the mistake most first-timers make. Don't forget that when you tender into a port, you need to bring your life preserver. I always get a laugh out of watching newbies endure a long wait for the tender, only to be told they must go back to their room.;)

Maybe I should have said "listen to ALMOST all of the people on here..." :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

shlu

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Once you have taken that first cruise you will be hooked.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You do not have to take your life jacket whenever you tender into a port. Tendering means that the port doesn't have a large pier where the ship could dock. So the ship anchors some distance from the pier. Usually 4 tenders are lowered from the ship into the water. If you are on a HAL excursion, you will not have to get a tender ticket - just report to the meeting place marked on your ticket -- time will also be listed there. If you are going shore on your own, you will report to a different area - listed in daily program -- get a tender number. You will stay in that area until your number is called. You will not need a number to return to the ship - just line up.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Pinnacle Grill costs $30 and it is well worth it. JMO

Loved Sting Ray City in Grand Cayman!!

[osiebosie]

Congratulations!

All of the advice here is great! Here are a couple of tips from me.

Get tons of pictures made (as mentioned earlier), but don't purchase any until the end of the cruise, or toward the end. Then you can compare them and get the best ones, and not spend a fortune on purchasing a few and then finding one you like better and having to purchase it, and then finding another one you like even better and purcha... well, you know.

We don't do ship excursions. Some do, and some don't. I would advise you to try one at one port and going off on your own on another, and see what works for you. There's been many times when we've been snorkeling (on our own) (for quite a bit less money) and have seen the snorkeling tours just yards away from us. Big difference: they are in a boat. We can leave when we are finished. So, just see what pushes your button.

Also, if you don't want to look like you're a first-timer, don't go to all of the "talks" they have for first-timers. They'll try to tell you which shops to go to, which taxis to take, etc. You can usually catch these "talks" on your tv while getting ready for dinner. They are recorded and they play them over and over. They also have "talks" for disembarkation. However, the information you need is in your daily circular (I don't know the name for HAL's circular). It's not very difficult to figure out. By all means, if you feel you need to go, then do, but you will find that seasoned cruisers don't go to these meetings, or at least, none I know do.

You will have a blast, and will be hooked for life.

Shay

[INSIDERS CABIN]

Take your map of the ship and set foot on each of the decks and in each of the public rooms. Boarding day is good time for this. Go to the shows. Go to the activities. See all that is offered--you can pick and choose later! And, first timers, I highly recommend the ship's excursions --once you have some experience in a port, it is much easier to navigate and choose what you would like to do on your own. Using the ships services first time really does save time and decision making unless you have a trusted advisor--or cruisecritic. Have fun with ordering from the menus--the portions are small, so here is your chance to try escargot without having to feel like you have invested heavily in something you are not quite sure of! Get up very early and watch a sunrise at sea. Watch a sunset. Sit out in a deckchair and watch the ocean. You can relax later, but on a first cruise you really need to work a little to take in all that is offered! Enjoy the first one and you will be back sooner than you think! (we often wonder why we didn't start much earlier on with cruising--it was a family trip to London with 2 elementary school aged youngsters where i spent so much time stopping to order meals for everyone and being the hard-working tour leader for the four of us that converted me!)

[jhannah]

Let me add my welcome to the HAL forum. There are folks here with vast amounts of experience to share. You've already seen it in the posts.

I couldn't help but chuckle when you said you wanted to look like you knew what you were doing. When we took our first cruise, I found Cruise Critic and spent lots of time soaking up as much information as I could. Well, I was still a bit in awe when I arrived at the embarkation terminal. But I soon found other souls who were first-timers, too. The thing is, since I had learned so much from the wonderful folks who posted their tips and tricks, I ended up answering others' questions! I wasn't a cruising guru by any means (still not) but I was comfortable with the basics.

So relax, enjoy your planning, then climb aboard and be ready for a fantastic vacation.

[Chillen]

I second the suggestion "Take your map of the ship and set foot on each of the decks and in each of the public rooms" Although the first time you do it, forget the map. When I went on my first cruise, I dropped my bag in the room and walked through every single deck from front to back. Some decks there are nothing but cabins, but you would be surprised the neat things you find and some of the "secret doors" that may not be on the map. My second cruise I brought someone who was a first timer, and we did the same thing. They enjoyed it. Your exhausted by the time the life boat drill hits, but you have an idea of how the whole ship is set up. Oh, but after you drop your bag in your room, look at your room number, which I forgot to do the first time I went to explore. After a little bit of panic I found my key and saw the number on there :-)

[jtl513]

After a little bit of panic I found my key and saw the number on there :-)What ship was this? And when? I haven't seen a key card that shows a room number in last two years at least, for a ship or land hotel room. That's not done for safety, in case you lose the key card.

[sail7seas]

I will never forget the last time we cruised Princess......which is probably the last time we would ever sail Princess. They gave us our key cards at check in and our cabin number and name were printed on it. WHAT???!!!!

I spoke with security about it and they shrugged as though no big deal. YES, big deal. Big enough deal to me it was one of a number of other reasons we have chosen to never return to Princess.

That is dumb beyond belief IMO

[jhannah]

They gave us our key cards at check in and our cabin number and name were printed on it. WHAT???!!!! They finally realized this and no longer put the cabin number on the card. I just checked our January Diamond Princess card to be sure.

[sail7seas]

Good to hear. Can't imagine how they ever did do that nor how it took them years to stop!

They lost more than one cruiser because of it. Couldn't be much more they could do to compromise one's sense of security. I was paranoid I'd lose our card and our cabin would be wiped out.....or worse. Unwanted visitors at who knows what time of the day or night?

I felt as though I had no confidence in anything they did in terms of security if they were so careless and sloppy about that. Such an obviously stupid thing....how could we trust they had any sophisticated security to take care of us in other ways.

But......this surely has brought us off topic. Sorry.

[Aunty KK]

If you have the opportunity, see Dominica. We thought it was the most beautiful place we visited. On our first visit we took a HAL sponsored tour which was a bit crowded but we did get to see the Emerald Pool and Trafalgar Falls. In January we contracted with Fredo for a private tour of the island and saw even more of this stunningly beautiful country. Perhaps you could visit the Dominica board as there are recommendations there for several private tour operators. Sometimes there are posts from folks looking to share a tour.
I'm looking forward to reading your impressions of the Veendam and the ports you visit. Hope you have a super time.

[SeaTeach]

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming marriage and you first cruise!

- You're already starting off on the right foot - you're calling the vessel a "ship", not a "boat" - there is a difference.
- Next thing, treat the staff as people, not as your personal slaves for the duration of your cruise. When treated with respect, they will go out of their way to ensure you have a great cruising experience. We've formed great relationships with the staff from various levels on all of our cruises.
- Go with an open mind and please, don't expect perfection if you can't bring it onboard with you.
- Be prepared to roll with the punches; if something is cancelled due to weather conditions, it may give you another day at sea, or different options open up.

Your cruise will be what you make of it, so enjoy each day, whether at sea or in port.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)
Even though I am a seasoned cruiser, I just love the advice that you gave.
To the person that started the thread ---aren't you just confused with all of that good advice. Wish that I had that dilemma. Enjoy your cruise, you guys will have a ball.

[jhannah]

I felt as though I had no confidence in anything they did in terms of security ... I know what you mean. But I can tell you they seem to do better in the area of kid security than HAL does. I was able to speak with a special youth security officer aboard the Diamond Princess. He was all over the ship (including the show lounge) watching the kids ... both to keep them from harm and to keep them from doing things they shouldn't be doing. Wouldn't it be nice if HAL had such a presence on their ships/sailings when more than a handfull of kids were present?

[AlohaPride]

DH and I just took our first cruise in December. Don't worry about looking like you don't know what you're doing. No matter HOW much I knew before our cruise, I STILL couldn't wipe the amazement at the splendor of everything off my face for the first day. I'm sure I walked around and everyone could read on my face that I hadn't been on something so beautiful before.

Another thing that no one has mentioned, the ONE thing DH and I found was the BEST expense on the ship was the Hydrotherapy Pool and Thermal Suite package. OMG!! HEAVEN!!!

DH and I weren't impressed with the pinnacle, but it's worth the $30 just to have the experience.

In Dominica we did a ship sponsored tour that took us river tubing. It was a BLAST!! But we are very active, and found that we got tired of the drive around tours. They tended to be boring for us.

Best wishes on your upcoming marriage, and I'm SURE you will enjoy your cruise!!

[RuthC]

They also have "talks" for disembarkation. However, the information you need is in your daily circular...
Absolutely, positively you must go to the disembarkation talk. No two ways about it. Oh, not so much for the information about disembarkation---although that's important---but because of the very special "goodby" at the end.
When representatives of all the departments are brought to the stage, when the entertainers come up, when the cast sings Love In Any Language, well, even after all these years I still get the warm and fuzzies.

[INSIDERS CABIN]

Be sure to attend the indonesian or filipino show, which will be scheduled for later one evening, post-regular entertainment.

[sail7seas]

...And for sure you will cry in the dining room the last night when they sing the "Goodbye Song". I still get misty.

BEST thing about a b-to-b is when they sing "Goodbye" the first week and we know we aren't going home; not yet! :)