Trying to get excited about a first time cruise

[The5Dees]

I realize it is probably taboo to say on this message board that we are not excited about going on a cruise but... we are not.

My wife and I are going on the Oasis of the Seas in July. We are both apprehensive about going. First, we are leaving our 3 kids behind and are concerned about being able to talk to them during the week. Second, how do you pack for a cruise? I have noticed some dinners are "formal". Do we have to get dressed up for these? Or can we eat somewhere else?

Normally when we go on a vacation we do not plan much and do whatever suits us on any given day. It seems a cruise requires a lot of planning between what shows you want to see and what excursions you want to go on. Can you decide the day of that you want to see a show or and excursion or do they 'sell-out'?

Typically our adult vacations involve a beach and lots of drinks with umbrellas in them. How expensive are drinks on the ship?

Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated. We have 40 days to get psyched about this.

[bbbearden]

Originally Posted by The5Dees

I realize it is probably taboo to say on this message board that we are not excited about going on a cruise but... we are not.

My wife and I are going on the Oasis of the Seas in July. We are both apprehensive about going. First, we are leaving our 3 kids behind and are concerned about being able to talk to them during the week. Second, how do you pack for a cruise? I have noticed some dinners are "formal". Do we have to get dressed up for these? Or can we eat somewhere else?

Normally when we go on a vacation we do not plan much and do whatever suits us on any given day. It seems a cruise requires a lot of planning between what shows you want to see and what excursions you want to go on. Can you decide the day of that you want to see a show or and excursion or do they 'sell-out'?

Typically our adult vacations involve a beach and lots of drinks with umbrellas in them. How expensive are drinks on the ship?

Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated. We have 40 days to get psyched about this.

Wow, you have no idea how great your cruise is going to be. Your first cruise is on one of the newest and largest ships in the world. You will have a good time. One of the joys of cruising is that you are free to choose. You can choose to be extremely busy, or lay in a chair by the pool and be waited on without a care in the world. Your choices can vary from day to day. You can elect to dress up on formal night, or go to the more casual Windjammer for dinner (please note that if you elect the main dinning room on formal night, it is appropraite to dress accordingly). The joy of a cruise is the freedom of choice.

You may call you kids as often as you like, however ship to shore calls can be expensive. It is cheaper to call them from phone in the ports, however you can call anytime you wish, there just may be a price to pay.

Drinks are reasonably priced, but can add up if you are a heavy drinker, they are roughly the same price you would pay at a resort (that is not all inclusive).

There are a number of "for fee" dining venues available on your ship. If you wish to dine there, you should plan for this, however you could choose to chance it if you like.

Due to the locations you are going, these islands will always have shore excursions available in the port area that you can choose when you get off the ship. I NEVER book ship shore excursions, you pay to much and typically get the same expereince that you pay for on the ship.

Please be excited, you will have a great time on a world class ship. I am excited for you. If you elect not to go, I will be happy to go in your place.

[Kamloops50]

Originally Posted by The5Dees

I realize it is probably taboo to say on this message board that we are not excited about going on a cruise but... we are not.

My wife and I are going on the Oasis of the Seas in July. We are both apprehensive about going. First, we are leaving our 3 kids behind and are concerned about being able to talk to them during the week. Second, how do you pack for a cruise? I have noticed some dinners are "formal". Do we have to get dressed up for these? Or can we eat somewhere else?

Normally when we go on a vacation we do not plan much and do whatever suits us on any given day. It seems a cruise requires a lot of planning between what shows you want to see and what excursions you want to go on. Can you decide the day of that you want to see a show or and excursion or do they 'sell-out'?

Typically our adult vacations involve a beach and lots of drinks with umbrellas in them. How expensive are drinks on the ship?

Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated. We have 40 days to get psyched about this.

Basically cruising gives you the option of doing what you want to when you do. You don't have to dress for formal nights , you could do a specialty restaurant or just eat in the buffet. You'll find a lot of people are like you even experienced cruisers will bypass formal (we do). You can do as much or as little as you want . Nobody will force you to go ashore if you don't want to.

[BERN66]

Wow.
First, I think your apprehension will take care of itself once you are on board.
Don't worry about formal night. I have always worn a tie with no jacket and been fine. Knit shirts on other nights.
I am sure others can help you with communication. Cell phones will be tough but the only real worry is cost. Internet is available etc...
I had some apprehension before the first one I went on with my wife. It turned out to be the best vacation I have ever had. We don't have children though.
Just cast off your doubts and get lost in it! It will be great!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[emelvee]

Drinking a lot on the ship will get expensive. We've thought about doing an all-inclusive resort some day, but we don't eat or drink that much to get our money's worth. I would budget about $8 per drink - depends a bit on beer vs wine vs umbrella drinks, etc.

You don't HAVE to plan that much if you don't want. You can avoid assigned dining times altogether if you like. And you never have to dress up if you don't want (depending on where you dine). Of course the shows are only at certain times, but that's true anywhere.

We've enjoyed our cruises, but I recognize that cruising isn't for everyone. I hope you have a great trip!

[CroozeAddict]

One other piece of advice, and from reading the original post you'll probably not want to do this ... but fly out a day early. If you fly out the day of the cruise there's too much that can happen that will make you miss the boat. You have to be on-board no later than 90 minutes prior to sail-away.

Like a previous poster said ... you are sailing on one of the most innovative ships in the world and you will have a blast!

[paramedicduo]

If you have 40 days to prepare, then we are on the same sailing! Have you checked out the "Roll Call" for our cruise?
This will be only our second cruise & I completely understand your apprehension about leaving the kids! We left our 4 boys behind last summer, the first time we were ever gone more than 3-4 nights and we were gone 10 days! We chose to send regular emails as opposed to phone calls...the cost wasn't an issue, but we knew a couple of the boys would mind the time more when actually talking to us (2y/o, 5y/o and 9y/o). They sent us several emails a day and we kept them up to date with our itinerary. We sent home post cards from every port, even though a couple of them arrived after we had already returned.
We chose to partake in formal nights, we where uniforms to work every shift & rarely get out to anything more than a pizza joint for dinner at home, so we thought we'd give it a whirl...we both thoroughly enjoyed formal nights and we're planning to take part again on Oasis.
As for excursions, we didn't book anything last year; we decided at each port, when getting off the ship, what we'd do. We didn't go with any ship excursions, but we do have a couple of those booked this time around. There are plenty of cabs at the port & they'll take you any place you want to go...do some research and see what interests you at each port.
Once you start doing some port research & reading Oasis reviews, you'll be excited in no time!


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[TEXASMUNK]

BUT!
On CC you will find folks that plan every detail you can possibly imagine, down to seating assignments in the car on the way to the airport.

We have been on a very large number of cruises...Our planning involves..booking the cruise, paying for the cruise, packing, and heading to the port.

We view a cruise as a lay back, kick back vacation...The daily events? We pick and choose as the days go by!

It is not mandatory to PLAN, PLAN, PLAN...you will note many folks with angst as to whether the bed in their cabin faces forward or aft.....reality? Who cares!

Many folks worry about if they are port or starboard....reality/ Who cares!

Take the CC commentary with a grain of salt.....get ready to become addicted to cruising!

Many folks worry who the Cruise Director is....reality/ Who cares!

Many folks worry who the Captain is....reality/W Who cares!

Oh yeah...drinks....they will add 15% gratuity automatically....depends...but if you guesstimate $8 bucks each..."drinks of the Day" (the ones with the umbrellas, tend to be around $7.

Do not try to fit yourself into the mode of others....do what you enjoy...Bon Voyage!

[cb at sea]

Yes...there are alot of things to do on a cruise...but you really don't HAVE to do anything, if you don't want to!

Oasis/Allure do seem to require a bit more planning...but again...you don't HAVE to do anything! Perhaps a ship without advance reservations, etc...might have been more to your taste.

E-mail will be the cheapeest option for contacting home. I'm assuming you have someone trusted watching the kids...so everyday contact really isn't necessary. You can call, but it will be more expensive than calling at home!

Drinks are pricey nowadays....think $4 + for beer and $6+ for cocktails.....we don't do wine on the ship as it's really pricey....about 4 times what you'd pay for it at home.

[FTLCruiseGal]

I understand about leaving your kids behind, especially if it is your first trip without them. They will be fine, you will be fine. I took my laptop with me to Skype with family, but that didn't work out as well as I wanted. I don't know if it was the wireless or if they block it, but it didn't work for me. They do have a really cool feature on board and that is the video postcard booth. You can record a message and send it back home while on the ship. I didn't do this, so I don't know what the turnaround time is on this, but I am sure others can chime in. If you are going to St. Thomas, that is a US Virgin Island, so my cell phone worked there with no additional charges (check with your cell phone provider).

As for the shows, you should reserve those in advance. There are a few seats that they leave open for "walk-ins" but for the most part, plan those in advance. This was probably the only part of sailing on the Oasis/Allure that I did not like.

If you plan to do the more popular shore excursions (swimming with the dolphins is very popular), you may want to book that one in advance. We booked our excursions while on the ship, and all turned out well. You can also just find a cabbie at any of the ports, and they will be more than willing to show you around for a flat rate. Don't be afraid to haggle with them.

Formal nights is nice because it gives you a chance to dress nicely. There were men in tuxes and women in formals, and there were men in just a jacket and tie and women in nice cocktail dresses. It's all about preference, and how dressed up you want to be. On formal night, I would not recommend a polo shirt and khakis, but that is okay for the rest of the dinners in the main dining room. You could even get away with the same jacket for both formal nights (yes, there are 2).

At the end of the day, get excited as I am sure you are going to enjoy yourself. Please update us when you get back to let us know.

[hopacruz]

I went on my first cruise back in 1989 when I was just out of college, and I've been hooked ever since. My husband did NOT want to go on one. He said he thought he would feel confined, limited, etc. I managed to talk him into trying one, and he has been hooked ever since! We are going in August on Allure, and it will be our 5th together; my 13th. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, and you've picked a fantastic ship. This time, my husband and I are not packing formal attire. We will pass on it this time and do something else. It is true, you can pick and choose very easily. Especially, on the Oasis! One thing I did was add an international plan to my cell phone. Although it does add to the monthly rate (not by much), I am able to call from the ports. As others have said, internet is available and you can email your kids or whoever they are staying with. It is much easier to stay in touch with the 'world' now then it was in 1989!

[Danaboy7591]

tell you what--- if the apprehension gets to be too much you can stay at our place in RI (free long distance and internet) and my wife and i will go on the cruise for you!

[Familygoboston]

I was always anxious leaving the kids behind. Your cell phone will cost you a small fortune onboard, and has limited use in foreign ports without a pricey international plan, which must be arranged in advanced. I'd recommend you buy an unlimited internet package (Actually, I never do this, because I think focusing on my honey is important, but if you will both be too stressed to do that, you should make sure it's cheap to keep in touch!)
Here's a fun idea to keep in touch:
Go on the website and find the Oasis Webcams...pick a day and time with your kids before you leave for you to stand in front of one of those cams at a certain time of day. Your kids can watch online and see you waving to them live! (there is about 1 minute upload time, so you have to stand there and wave for at least 5 minutes to have them see you.)

Oasis is a big "planning ahead" ship, with shows and dining you can pre book, but you can have a fabulous time and not plan a thing! If you are not the type of people to be disappointed if you miss this or that (and you sure don't sound like those kind of people!) you will have a great time on this ship. Even if you can't get into this or that show; there is free entertainment that doesn't require any reservations all over this ship. Just wander till you hear something you like (like pool band, quiet quartet, jazz, piano man, sing along pub, latin beat, dance tunes? All of these are going on all night long...plus all the entertainment that the passengers provide in karoke and game shows.

As for drinks...I don't find the drinks any more money than the average resort or restaurant at home. The difference is if you are a drinker at home...all those drinks must now be purchased "out" (or else smuggle alcohol, but I'm not going to recommend that to a newbie- or anyone for that matter)
So there can be sticker shock for people who are used to drinking cheaply at home. You can search for events that offer free alcohol (rare and usually champagne at Captains events or Art Auctions) but you can also start letting the free drink tail wag the dog.
Best to just mentally prepare yourself by guesstimating your consumption and budgeting for it. If that's what you like to do, and you are not doing an expensive excursion, or spending on spa treatments etc etc...it can actually seem reasonable. See, now hanging around the pool drinking just became a bargain!

Hope you can relax and enjoy your cruise, you may discover it's just not for you, but most people get kind of addicted!

[cmason]

I choose to go on cruises, because it is the one vacation where I am relaxed. The primary reason? I am not responsible for where we are going next, where we are going to eat, or getting to the next leg on the trip. When I arrive on the ship, I am DONE, until departure.

So I plan a bit, deciding what, if anything we will do in a port. Usually shop a bit or go to the nearby beach. But, you can stay on the ship and just nap or sun by the pool if you want. Folks here obsess with this planning bit. Me? I just want to sit by the pool, play ping pong with my kids, maybe rock climb. Oh, and eat.

I don't do formal nights, not any more. The thrill has worn off, and I don't want to wear a tie on vacation. I will either wear nice slacks and a shirt (and get glared at by the tuxedo mafia) or go to the buffet.

Drink prices are the same as any resort or most any successful bar. You won't be paying cheap college beer bar prices, and of course it will be more than buying a bottle and mixing your own, but its not too bad. If you are a bottle of wine and 5 martinis a day person, you are going to have a good bill.

[rmurray847]

Originally Posted by The5Dees

I realize it is probably taboo to say on this message board that we are not excited about going on a cruise but... we are not.

Second, how do you pack for a cruise? I have noticed some dinners are "formal".
Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated. We have 40 days to get psyched about this.

Last year, my wife and I went on our first cruise. We WERE excited, but I was also apprehensive about all the things I didn't know. Packing was certainly one of the areas. (Especially since we were going to Europe for about 2 weeks total.) I actually found that searching for "cruise packing tips" on youtube brought up SO many hits that I was shocked. The quality of these amateur videos varies greatly, but in the end, I learned a great deal, and I think my wife and I ended up doing a pretty decent job of packing.

You say you're concerned about planning so much ahead. You don't have to...that's the great thing about cruises! And then, each morning, you'll get the ship's newsletter, telling you what is going on. You can go to some or none of it...but the great thing is, if you just want to hang around the pool and drink & swim...you can do it. But if the mood strikes you to have a fancy, romantic dinner, you can do that. If you want to dance, do it. If you want to see a show, just go. (although a few DO require reservations). You can make this super structured for yourselves (we tend to fit closer to that methodolgy) or you can totally go with the flow. My wife was less excited about the cruise going in than I was...but withing about 12 hours, she was a confirmed addict!

[Jetdriver787]

Everything everybody has said is true, but I am curious as to what made you book a cruise holiday in the first place, if you are not excited at the prospect?

[mrsdoc3]

Boo hoo. I'm going on a cruise and I'm not excited.

Fine. You stay here and do my job, and I'll go on your cruise. I'm excited already! No one needs to spend their time giving me a pep talk.

[The5Dees]

Thanks for all the tips and advice.

For those that are offering to go in our place, perhaps you should meet my family first. That MIGHT change your mind.

[bbbearden]

Originally Posted by The5Dees

Thanks for all the tips and advice.

For those that are offering to go in our place, perhaps you should meet my family first. That MIGHT change your mind.

Nope, it would not, I am excited to go on a cruise not matter what. They could leave port and sail in circles for seven days and I would have fun, even if my in-laws were on board. Cruising is the most fun, relaxing, addictive form of vacatoin there is. You will have a great time. I will be totally shocked if you don't.

I hope you follow up with us after the cruise and let us know how it goes.

[emelvee]

Originally Posted by Danaboy7591

tell you what--- if the apprehension gets to be too much you can stay at our place in RI (free long distance and internet) and my wife and i will go on the cruise for you!

That's a much better deal than $6.99/minute for long distance and $0.55/minute for internet (or whatever it is) on the ship! Will there be towel animals and a buffet?