Do you guys have any cruise traditions?

For us it's getting there. Somehow, the other seems to think that you should get there just on time to sail where I need to get there a few hours ahead to scope things out. AHHHHHH!

Lunch at Windjammer, take in the ship's offerings, head to the spa to get entered into their drawing (actually won 2x; $250 in products from Elemis and a Thermal Spa for the cruise), unpack, head up on deck for sail away with a cocktail and start the relaxation process.

My sister and I always ATV in one of the ports. A little bummed that on our Carnival Hawaii cruise this December there are no ATV exursions so we will have to figure something else out.

Our last cruise, we made a point to find the post office in each port of call, buy a post card, and send it to our son. We also bought a stamp from each island. My daddy worked at the post office, and we lost him in 2012, so it's a new tradition we started.

This next cruise will be our first that we cruise with our son, so I'm sure we will start some new traditions! :)

We usually get to the ship the day that we sail, as we live at the Georgia/Florida line and always cruise out of Florida. We don't sleep much the night before, and get up early for the drive down. We always have our phones loaded with our favorite cruising music, so it's always a fun drive. This will be our 3rd time cruising out of Miami, so that means we will get up around 3 or 4 AM and get to port around 10 or 11. The most exciting part of the whole week for me is seeing the ships for the first time. Miami is so overwhelming that I cried when we got there this last time. lol

The drive there flies by! The drive home, not so much.

DH and I often cruise by ourselves -- we wish some of our friends could coordinate their vacation time with us, but it only happens rarely.

So, we request to be seated in the MDR at a table of 6-10 people. We always get our request granted.

Then at dinner that very first night, we have NEW friends to meet. Since I am very outgoing, I make sure to get the introductions going, and viola 'lots of conversation continues'.

It is great, we have met wonderful people, and sometimes cruise with them again.

DH and I often cruise by ourselves -- we wish some of our friends could coordinate their vacation time with us, but it only happens rarely.

 

So, we request to be seated in the MDR at a table of 6-10 people. We always get our request granted.

 

Then at dinner that very first night, we have NEW friends to meet. Since I am very outgoing, I make sure to get the introductions going, and viola 'lots of conversation continues'.

 

It is great, we have met wonderful people, and sometimes cruise with them again.

Great idea. We also rarely can coordinate with our friends vacations. We will do this in September. Thanks for the idea.

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I always order a Princess Flower Arraignment for the Wife to be in the cabin the first day. Also add nice note.

 

Bob

That's so sweet!

My hubby doesn't cruise, so for this summer's cruise maybe I will send myself flowers!

Thanks for the idea :)

Happy Cruising!

Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

We've only been on one so far, but some things that we'll do this time that we did previously;

Fly in the day before

Purchase our embarking photo

Have dinner at the steakhouse mid cruise

Stay in a balcony cabin

Take afternoon naps!

We turn off the cell phones so no one can ring us.

We've only been on one so far, but some things that we'll do this time that we did previously;

Fly in the day before

Purchase our embarking photo

Have dinner at the steakhouse mid cruise

Stay in a balcony cabin

Take afternoon naps!

Ah YES, afternoon naps.....our next cruise is on Allure, June 29....and I must make sure to plan a little time each day for afternoon nap; on the day, we do our snorkeling with turtles, it may have to be on the bus ride back to the ship -- but that will do just fine!

We love cruising, do it when we can (wish we could do it more often). Now we are booked on our 15th cruise for June 29 on Allure and realize that many of our cruises we have cruised alone (yes, we almost instantly meet new friends on board). For this cruise we are trying to lure some of our friends to come with us.

Many of our friends are cruisers, since we live in S. Florida. It isn't easy, coordinating schedules.....but we are trying.

The DH, DS, and I always plan together what excursions we're going to take.

We all buy at least a few new articles of clothing for the cruise.

Once we get on the ship, we always head right to the buffet, find a place to sit, and take turns going to get food.

When the cabin is ready, we head on in and I begin to unpack and build our "nest".:D

The DH always buys the DS and me something from one of the ship's stores as a memento of the cruise (usually we get watches).

We always, always, always, have an awesome time together!

We've never had a bad cruise!:D

The DH, DS, and I always plan together what excursions we're going to take.

 

We've never had a bad cruise!:D

Yes, as you do, we plan the excursions we want to take in advance. We book them EARLY, so we are not shut out.

And as you, we've never had a bad cruise!!!

Yes, as you do, we plan the excursions we want to take in advance. We book them EARLY, so we are not shut out.

 

And as you, we've never had a bad cruise!!!

we never had a bad cruise either.

We always drive to the port at least one day early and make that day a fun part of the vacation. I know it sounds goofy, but mom makes muffins the night before the cruise and we eat those for breakfast. I really feel like I'm on vacation when we break out thos muffins!

We always fly in the day before, stay at a hotel that night and explore whichever city's nightlife it is.

We always have mimosas/breakfast drinks.

We always take a picture in front of the "Welcome to" whichever port we are in.

We always teach at least one new person/couple/group the drinking card game we made up called Irish Poker.

We always take 2 colors of highlighters and go through the daily schedule each night to choose our activities for the next day.

We always fly in at least a day before the cruise.

We always purchase our Welcome Aboard photo-even if it's awful!:D

We always go to the Schooner Bar for a drink right after boarding.

We always play 'win a cruise' BINGO- mind you, we have never won it, but we are always hopeful.

 

 

Tara

 

P.S. I'm sure I can think of some more!

Not so much that I wanted to awaken this old thread, but more just wanted to say "Hi Tara!" :D

But I will add a few...

• Always have a glass of wine or champagne while sitting on the balcony watching the vast ocean
  
• Always purchase at least one photo
  
• Always order a late-night snack from room service
  

Eating paella in the WJ on embarkation day....although on Freedom over this past Thanksgiving there was NO paella. I was unhappy and made sure to tell the Food and Beverage Mgr when we met him at the Welcome Back party.

Hopefully on Harmony this coming Saturday I can have my paella again with my melon drink.

Love traditions!

We're always on our balcony as the ship departs and I play the Love Boat theme song on my phone. We started cursing because of that show in the 70's.

Don

We're always on our balcony as the ship departs and I play the Love Boat theme song on my phone. We started cursing because of that show in the 70's.

 

Don

I understand -- the corny stories on "Love Boat" made me want to curse sometimes too.

But, back on topic: being sane we always get to port a day or so early. Then, for sailaway, we have an appropriate drink: a warming scotch sour if leaving from New York in winter, or a fru-fru strawberry daiquiri of piña colada (with mandatory paper parasol). After that - each cruise is its own thing.