What's the First Thing You do After You Get On Board?

[TracyE]

Hi,
I have not seen this question asked before so I will pose it:

For those who board the ship early, what is the first thing you do after you get on?

Usually I cruise with my mother and she likes to go to the Lido for lunch. Since I am cruising solo this time, I was thinking of wearing my swimsuit under my sun dress and heading to the pool for a few hours with a good book.

What do YOU do?
Tracy

[iriemon]

Originally Posted by TracyE

Hi,
I have not seen this question asked before so I will pose it:

For those who board the ship early, what is the first thing you do after you get on?

Usually I cruise with my mother and she likes to go to the Lido for lunch. Since I am cruising solo this time, I was thinking of wearing my swimsuit under my sun dress and heading to the pool for a few hours with a good book.

What do YOU do?
Tracy

We usually head to the Lido to start those stomach stretching exercises that we know we will need later in the week and then do some exploring of the ship to get our bearings. After the rooms are available we head to them and get excited over our balcony view

[May4]

First, I try to stop grinning quite soooo much.

Then it's up the stairs with me. I start working off all of the butter and cream that are in my future right away. I end up at the Lido pool area for a sandwich and an adult beverage. I pretty much stay out by the pool and chill until the rooms are ready.

Well, that's the old plan actually. Now I'll go the Mariner lunch in the dining room and let the pampering begin!

By the way, I see no reason why you shouldn't wear your swimsuit and get into the pool. I haven't seen it done a lot, but I can't imagine why not.

[Typhoon1]

Lunch in the Lido, then find a phone and make Pinnacle Grill reservations.

[rjm1cc]

Have lunch but your idea is probably better.

[cb at sea]

I wear my swimsuit and head to the pool first, also! We eat a late breakfast on boarding day, so I don't need to go and partake of the "buffet mania" that seems to excite so many cruisers!

[SwissMyst]

First we make sure we get ,or get on the waiting list for, a table for two along the rail of the upper dining room.

Then we walk around all the outside decks and get ready to find the best views for the departure. We love the rituals of watching the pilot get on and off the ship and we want to learn where all the best view points are.

Each time so far we have sailed a different class HAL ship, so this time we will be getting to know the lay of the land on a Vista class ship.

And since it appears Mariner Society members get to eat in the dining room instead of the Lido, that would be our next stop. And then unpack in our room and get ready for the fun to begin.

[RevNeal]

Since I usually board before the cabin are ready, and they're usually just shooing us up to the Lido, that's where i go. I'll sit and have a bite and chat with friends. Then, when my cabin is ready, I'll proceed there and wait for my luggage to arrive. If it comes quickly enough (and it usually does) I'll unpack and store my bags under my bed prior to the lifeboat drill. After lifeboat drill I usually go up and out front to watch sail away (it depends upon the ship and the weather conditions and where I'm sailing from as to WHERE, specifically, I go).

[CowPrincess]

First thing I do is sigh a huge sigh of relief -- I cannot relax until I am physically on the ship. Get a big grin on my face, then we get away from the hordes who are boarding, and find the stairs, as they will be our constant companion over the course of the cruise. Stairs to the aft deck pool, another sigh -- this time it is contentment. And if the big grin has faded, it is back on my face again. Check our dining arrangements, and this is the time we'd go make any request for change, if needed.

Wander around, get familiar with the ship, and if the dining room is open (which now is apparently always the case) grab some food there. Or some sushi from the Lido which we eat at the aft pool. Relax, grin, sigh happily, repeat.

Once the cabins are available, check out the cabin and make sure we have all the paperwork we'd expected (shorex, OBCs, Pinnacle). Relax, grin, sigh happily, repeat.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We head up to the Neptune Lounge and introduce ourselves to the concierges.

[TracyE]

Some great replies here!

I forgot about the Mariner's lunch in the MDR -- what hours does that run?

I am very excited about having an SS all to myself so am looking forward to checking out my cabin as well. Hoping also to connect with some folks on our roll call at sailaway.
Tracy

[Bill HaHa]

I also head up to the Neptune Lounge and have a snack there

[zorrosuncle]

Greetings --

If a transatlantic flight precedes the embarkation, I usually try to get some shuteye. I'm not young, anymore -- though not ancient, either.
ZU

[foodsvcmgr]

Top priority is to sprint to the MDR and verify that my table assignment
is a table for 2, Main Traditional seating.

If not, off to the Explorer's Lounge or wherever to appeal to the Maitre 'd
to make the change.

Once the dinner reservation is to my liking - I can actually begin to
relax and enjoy myself!

[PathfinderEss]

What any respectable cruiser does, head for the Lido Bar, ofcourse.

[elsie60]

We typically head to the Neptune first then check out our cabin... If our luggage isn't there yet, we go to the aft pool where DH has a beer at the bar and we soak up the warm sea air. We live in land locked Kansas so we really appreciate the ocean breezes on our winter cruises.

[Gablin]

Usually I have had a very early, and sometimes scant, breakfast, so I head for lunch. Then, if there's time before the drill, I like to check the dining room arrangements. After the drill, I unpack.

[callmedeb]

Lunch in the MDR and then onto the Spa to Check out the facilities and book a pass for the week if I'm so inclined. By then the rooms are ready, So I explore the room, unpack if the bags are there and in February... I will then head for the varanda =)

[earl_m]

We head to the Neptune lounge to drop off our carry ons.

[mamaofami]

I pinch myself to make sure it's really real.