First time cruiser questions - passports at ports, outlets and dining

[Canagirl]

We are going to be on the November 23 Dream sailing (for our honeymoon and first cruise).

Since I've never been on a cruise before, had a couple questions:

1. When you arrive at a port can you leave your passport in the room safe or do you have to take it with you to get off the ship? (We'll be leaving from NY & going to Florida and the Bahamas).

2. Will the electrical outlet be North American? I noticed someone in another thread was packing an outlet converter so I'm not sure if they were from outside North America or if the outlets are not North American.

3. Changing your assigned dining time - I have read that you should look in the Capers for the time to do this and go asap. Will the Capers be available right when you board?

Thanks for any advice!

[AAAAmerican]

Canagirl,


Congratulations first on deciding to Crusie now..since youall both already made the lifelong decision for your partnership path.



On your questions.

Make A Copy of your Passports .. and carry it with you as well the PORTS Agent Communication Coordinates for The DREAM/Carnival..





*WARNING*

Cruising may as well does become addictive...


On Electric , Yes One American Oulet in sleeping Area. Bring a multi plug unit ...etc..

Oh your dining time .. As soon as you do board go to the Pursers Desk and ask when and where the CHange will occur from.. Ask also as your Newly Weds if they could as well inquire while your at the desk there.

Also as to have your Cabin Cards Punched to allow the FOB for your neck as it is so much easier around your neck than in pockets to use them... The casino does have a Punch for those holes too.


May youall have a great cruise and long lives together!

Originally Posted by Canagirl

We are going to be on the November 23 Dream sailing (for our honeymoon and first cruise).

Since I've never been on a cruise before, had a couple questions:

1. When you arrive at a port can you leave your passport in the room safe or do you have to take it with you to get off the ship? (We'll be leaving from NY & going to Florida and the Bahamas).

2. Will the electrical outlet be North American? I noticed someone in another thread was packing an outlet converter so I'm not sure if they were from outside North America or if the outlets are not North American.

3. Changing your assigned dining time - I have read that you should look in the Capers for the time to do this and go asap. Will the Capers be available right when you board?

Thanks for any advice!

[firefly333]

If you need to change your dining go immediately to the dining room and find the maitre d'. Only one dining room will be open, so find the one where he is. Dont wait until you can get to your cabin (usually around 1:30, and heck Iv already had lunch first when I boarded).

The longer you wait the less chance of getting what you want. Especially if you want early dining. Late dining is never full.

No one would say to look in the capers for this ... must be something else they were talking about.

There is one regular outlet and one that you could use a converter. I dont think everyone is saying bring a converter ...I read a lot of threads and rarely do people say they are bringing a converter. I often do see people who bring a power strip so they have more outlets. I dont bring one myself, but I see it posted a lot.

I leave my passport in the safe in ports. If they say bring a picture ID, I throw my drivers license in my coin purse. I leave most of my cash in the safe as well, just bring some of it to shop. If I needed more, I can always go back to the ship more than likely. I dont carry much cash in the ports.

[NutsAboutGolf]

On the liberty a few weeks ago...

I would bring both a power strip for various chargers by your desk and a cheap extension cord if you want items bed side. I immediately went to the pursers desk to try to change dinner times and have a hole punched in my card. They told me to wait until my schedule dinner time (late) to talk to the M'D about switching to anytime. I did and the M'D said there were 30 people on the waiting list, meaning 30 anytimers need to switch to traditional before I could swap. I was never swapped, lol. As others have pointed out, there is a time listed in capers where you can swap, but going to the open dining room immediately would be your highest odds of swapping. Lastly, purser told me now only the casinos do the hole punch. Don't know if that was for my ship only.

[firefly333]

Originally Posted by NutsAboutGolf

On the liberty a few weeks ago...

I would bring both a power strip for various chargers by your desk and a cheap extension cord if you want items bed side. I immediately went to the pursers desk to try to change dinner times and have a hole punched in my card. They told me to wait until my schedule dinner time (late) to talk to the M'D about switching to anytime. I did and the M'D said there were 30 people on the waiting list, meaning 30 anytimers need to switch to traditional before I could swap. I was never swapped, lol. As others have pointed out, there is a time listed in capers where you can swap, but going to the open dining room immediately would be your highest odds of swapping. Lastly, purser told me now only the casinos do the hole punch. Don't know if that was for my ship only.

The fact you went to the purser's desk to switch dining times, thats why there were 30 people already on the waiting list ... I guess you learned not to go there next time, lmao. Go to the maitre d like I said if you want it changed .. dont wait. go there soon after boarding.

I did a B2B late Sept and had no problems with the purser's desk punching a hole in my card.

Sounds like you had some problems??

[NutsAboutGolf]

Originally Posted by firefly333

The fact you went to the purser's desk to switch dining times, thats why there were 30 people already on the waiting list ... I guess you learned not to go there next time, lmao. Go to the maitre d like I said if you want it changed .. dont wait. go there soon after boarding.

I did a B2B late Sept and had no problems with the purser's desk punching a hole in my card.

Sounds like you had some problems??

Correct, lol.

[BIG_Steve]

Lots of good info already, so I won't be redundant. But wanted to comment on the passport. Of course you won't need it at the Florida Port. But make sure if you get off to take your sign and sail and drivers license. As far as I'm concerned, your passport will be secure in the safe.

In the Bahamas you won't need a passport to get on and off the ship. However, if you miss the ship (twist an ankle, lose track of time, etc...) You will have a very difficult time ahead of you. You can't fly home without it. A couple of months ago I started a thread asking whether color copies of a passport really did any good. I had a couple of responses from folks who had first hand knowledge. They said it made getting a replacement a tad easier, because all the pertinent information was right in front of them. But they were with folks who missed a ship and didn't even have a passport. It took the same amount of time to get a replacement as it did for the other folks to get a new one. So It's a tough call as to whether or not leaving it on the ship is the best thing. My wife and I figured we got it for a reason, so we carry ours with us to port.

YMMV

[suzy1212]

Originally Posted by firefly333

If you need to change your dining go immediately to the dining room and find the maitre d'. Only one dining room will be open, so find the one where he is. Dont wait until you can get to your cabin (usually around 1:30, and heck Iv already had lunch first when I boarded).

The longer you wait the less chance of getting what you want. Especially if you want early dining. Late dining is never full.

No one would say to look in the capers for this ... must be something else they were talking about.

Why would they be talking about something else?
You can pick up a copy of the Capers at the purser's desk as soon as you board and they will tell you what time and in which dining room you can go to change your dining reservations.

[crzndeb]

My daughter and I also carried our passports with us at all times off the ship on our recent Splendor cruise. With the flying rules in affect, I don't want to take any chances of something happening and not having my passport with me.

I do take a power strip for charging camera batteries, flat iron, gameboy...that is really the only extra that has been useful for me

[Canagirl]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful comments and advice. That's a good point about bringing passports - I hadn't even considered the possibility of missing the ship and being stranded without a passport...now hopefully that won't happen, but just in case you're right that it is likely best to carry it.

No, everyone wasn't saying bring a converter - I just saw it on 1 person's packing list, so I thought I would check. I had always thought there were North American outlets, but just wanted to be sure.

I had read in several threads to look in the capers for the time to change your dining but thanks everyone for the advice. Nice to know you can pick up the capers right away or head to the correct dining room asap to try to make a change if necessary.

Thank you! I'm sure cruising is addictive and we're counting down the days (I guess it would be bad to say we're waiting for the wedding to be over so we can cruise...I'll pretend I didn't say that!)

[firefly333]

Originally Posted by suzy1212

Why would they be talking about something else?
You can pick up a copy of the Capers at the purser's desk as soon as you board and they will tell you what time and in which dining room you can go to change your dining reservations.

I guess it would never occur to me to go find the capers to tell me that I needed to go to the dining room to change my dining time... be it Princess, RCL or Carnival I always knew thats the process .. you go to the dining room as soon as you eat and there has always been someone there who you talked to. Only had to do it twice thank goodness, once on RCL and once on Carnival. got late and had asked for early so got it changed.

[AAAAmerican]

In your luggage as well keep your Cabin Number and Home Location as it sometimes does get lost as staff on the ships is ..being nice.. LAX sometimes...

Yes even on your carryons/rollons bring at least one change each of clothes.

Here is something from aboard for youall:

Originally Posted by Canagirl

Thanks everyone for all the helpful comments and advice. That's a good point about bringing passports - I hadn't even considered the possibility of missing the ship and being stranded without a passport...now hopefully that won't happen, but just in case you're right that it is likely best to carry it.

No, everyone wasn't saying bring a converter - I just saw it on 1 person's packing list, so I thought I would check. I had always thought there were North American outlets, but just wanted to be sure.

I had read in several threads to look in the capers for the time to change your dining but thanks everyone for the advice. Nice to know you can pick up the capers right away or head to the correct dining room asap to try to make a change if necessary.

Thank you! I'm sure cruising is addictive and we're counting down the days (I guess it would be bad to say we're waiting for the wedding to be over so we can cruise...I'll pretend I didn't say that!)