Things to do immediately after boarding

Hi,

We are sailing on breakaway on May 25th. Family if 4... 2 kids. Boy 6 year old and girl 11 year old.

I have made reservations for some nights for dining and entertainment but not all. Haven't booked any excursion yet. We are staying in a mini suite and plan to use the spa for my wide and daughter and do little bit of everything especially the highlights and must do things on the ship.

What are the things we should book/reserve as soon as we get on the ship and also what are the thins we should not miss with the kids.

Thanks

Ron

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On immediate entering the atrium, we order our soda cards for the trip. We also make resevations for dinner the first night. Then get to our room to be sure the room steward is aware of our needs, sharp container, supply of cheese and fresh fruit for snack.

We also ask to have the refrig emptied to be able to us it for our family.

go take the tour of the spa and buy your passes. They sometimes sell out

Go to Splash Academy and register the kids. If you wait until after dinner there will be a big line.

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If your baggage has been delivered secure and unpack and put things in their

place. Shouldn't take but a few minutes. Hook up battery operated shavers and

the alike - see what power outlets are available for your computer; ipad;

cameras etc.

Get everyone organized and scout the ship for its layout.

If hungry get a bite to eat at the Lido buffet or a light lunch in the MDR.

With children plan a disaster recovery point if you get separated for some reason or another.

Establish a messaging system using the ships telephone to plan leaving messages !

As noted earlier when you first get on board go by the Registration/Pursers

desk for information about location (get one of them cute graphic postage card

size cards showing the ships layout.

Get the beverage dining wine agenda out of the way.

Inquire about last minute shore excursions that you may have booked or are

looking to book.

Now with all that taken care of find a spot where you can get one of them silly

minimal alcohol drinks with the little unbrelly sold at an atrocious price and try

to make something out of the mayhem !

Oh and "Bon Voyage"!

Have a nice trip!

Arrivia-deroucher!

Our feet are stained!

Hasty le wago!

Parle-bo-I forgot!

Sprecken-se Dutch/German anything - did I miss something ?

Aloha if on the POA !

And on the last day of the cruise when you get the bill - it is only a dream a bad dream ! But you would do again in a minute !

Hi,

 

We are sailing on breakaway on May 25th. Family if 4... 2 kids. Boy 6 year old and girl 11 year old.

 

We are staying in a mini suite and plan to use the spa for my wide and daughter

Ron

I don't believe your daughter at the age of 11 will be able to get a spa pass. She'll be able to go to the spa for 'services', ie - hair, nails, pedi, etc. but that's not the same as a spa pass for your wife. I believe spa passes are for 18 year olds and up.

Either way, have a blast!

Harriet

Spa passes are $199 pp (no one under 18 allowed). When we boarded, we went straight to Savor and had lunch. By the time we were done eating, our cabin was ready, and we dropped off some bags. We headed down to purchase soda passes and UBP, but by then, it was time for muster. When that was over, we purchased our beverage packages, and it was sailaway. We purchased our spa packaged during sailaway (I ran and bought them after fighting a sea of people at sailaway - it was a holiday week, with tons of kids).

Can you buy spa passes at the main lobby registration desk or must you go to the spa to purchase?

We also ask to have the refrig emptied to be able to us it for our family.

This is a good point and I'm quoting it to repeat.

On my first cruise last year (Carnival Glory) my brother and I shared a room and we did not bother to have the mini-fridge emptied. There was enough "extra" space in there for a couple of cans of our own pop and bottles of water, but it was pretty tight. We were also accidentally billed for consuming our own pop! I didn't notice the charges until the last night of sailing and when I tracked down the room steward he agreed it was a mistake and had it removed.

I'm sailing on NCL Spirit in a few weeks and this time we'll empty the fridge -- more room for our stuff and less chance of billing confusion.

Have your children wear thier swimsuits under thier clothing to board, or have them in a carry on and they can change at in the pool restrooms. It is no fun if your luggage is delayed and you don't have access to a swim suit.

We always board, take care of purchases (soda, rum, shows, etc) have a quick lunch and then head to the pool and slide area. Our kids love having the slides mostly to themselves for the first few hours. It is sad to see kids wanting to get on the slides but mom says, "you don't have your suit yet."

You definitely should go to the kids club as soon as possible and register your kids.

Take photos of your cabin as soon as you are allowed in, BEFORE you mess it up! (With all the excitement of embarkation, it's often hard to remember to do this.) Trust me, it will never look as good during the cruise again, even for those of us without kids. :)

And I'll second (third?) the recommendation to ask your cabin attendant to empty your mini-fridge.

If you are doing a pre-night in Miami, for the luggage, we basically pack an overnight bag, separate from the "cruise luggage"

Our overnight bag (for the 4 of us) includes, an evening outfit/morning outfit (sometimes they're the same, sometimes they're not) and our swimsuits and coverups and sunsreeen.

This serves two purposes 1) We do not have everyone rummaging throught their luggage for something to wear for the evening in Miami and

2), since we carry this piece on the ship - we have our swim suits with us for sail away.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Chef’s Table Meal at the Specialty Restaurant Desk shortly after boarding – most likely it will not be available for long.

Get a drink. As soon as you receive the drink immediately order another one. Continue this routine for a least one hour....................then you are ready to really cruise.:)

And the muster drill is much more pleasant if you are enjoying a short nap.

All these decisions and things to do - I am so over whelmed !

Ah get me one of them silly brelly drinkies in the hurricane glass - make that

two there is just an eye dropper of alcohol in the fruit punch !

Now give me a wake up call when my cabin is ready for habitation and I will sort it out !

I hear the marching orders for the muster - - - 7 short and 1 long horn blasts !

Yo Ho Ho - 16 men on a dead man's chest - fade to the theme from the Pirates of the Caribbean !

If you haven't signed up for something by now it is too late to turn back !

Your voyage on the Black Pearl will befit of shoulda; coulda & woulda things gone amiss.

"I just love it when a plan comes together" Col. Smith The "A" Team

Take heed and do make timely plans - to enjoy the cruise all that much more !

This coming from an 800 pound gorilla telling you what and when to do it ! LOL !

Now don't I look like something with two of those hurricane drinky poos with those cute brellys ?

Then get to our room to be sure the room steward is aware of our needs, sharp container, supply of cheese and fresh fruit for snack.

Hi, we also need a sharps container and need to have fruit on hand. Please tell me more about the fruit and cheese. Are you in a suite that provides this, or do you get fruit and cheese delivered because of a medical condition. How do you order it? Thanks in advance.

Well were certainly not as organised as some of you :)

All we do is go to the top deck (weather dependent), have a cocktail or two to get us in cruise mode and then walk the ship from one end to the other going down the decks. My two boys have always enjoyed doing that on all our cruises as it give them a quick overview of the ship and for them the children's facilities :D

We usually walk each entire deck (except cabin only ones) to check out the whole ship.

Hi, we also need a sharps container and need to have fruit on hand. Please tell me more about the fruit and cheese. Are you in a suite that provides this, or do you get fruit and cheese delivered because of a medical condition. How do you order it? Thanks in advance.

You should call NCL and let them know what your special needs are. I'm sure they will let you know how to obtain everything that you will need.

As for the fruit and cheese, I'm sure you can call room service and request it.

After getting onboard we go get a quick lunch, then hit the top decks with a drink or two (or three and four) and watch all the activity going on at the Pier and on the ship.

Sometimes I wave to the people that have disembarked and are waiting for their cabs on the street.

Sometimes I yell "I will miss you!! I will never forget you!".

That's mean, I know.

Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

Hi, we also need a sharps container and need to have fruit on hand. Please tell me more about the fruit and cheese. Are you in a suite that provides this, or do you get fruit and cheese delivered because of a medical condition. How do you order it? Thanks in advance.

You don't need to be in a suite to get these. Let the special needs desk know about your need for a sharps container. A fruit & cheese plate can be ordered from room service. If there is particular fruit or cheese you want, you could fill a plate and take it to your room. If you ask nicely, they will even cover it with plastic wrap for you!

Thanks for the great suggestions.... I have already booked my dining options online for the sea days. Left the port days free. I have a couple of spa gift cards so I guess the first thing I will do is book a few spa services for my wife and daughter. This is what I am

Planning

1. Book spa services and confirm dining and show reservations. ( can I do both at the same desk)

2. Get refrigerator cleaned

3. Eat lunch in one of the main dining rooms

4. Hit the pool and slides with the kids

5. Unpack last

Couple of questions

1. Why do I have to get kids registered for kids club. Do they have to be registered daily or it needs to be done only once. We are planning to be with kids most of the time but defiantly want them to spend time at the kids club. Does it get sold out.

2. Can my 11 year old go to the teen lounge. Do they check

3. How early can I board the ship. I will be staying in mid town

4. I haven't booked excursions yet . Do they get sold out for bermuda.

Thanks

Ron

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Spa services can only be booked at the spa. Your reservations, assuming you pre-booked them will show on your itinerary and your TV - no need to confirm.

Kids only need to be registered once. It's good to do when you first board because if the want to attend that evening, the line will be out the door to register them. They don't get full, if that's what you mean by sell out - there's no charge.

They are very, very strict about the age limit for the kids club.

Boarding depends - I would arrive at the port at 10:30. You'll probably wait around a little but you'll get on shortly.

Kids club does not sell out but I highly recommend registering early. If you wait until the first "party" it will be a long line to register. You only register once and that first night will seem like a zoo. It will take 10 minutes when you first board the ship but an hour if you wait until after sail-away.

They will not let your 11 yr old in the teen club. I had a 12 yr old on the Jewel and they wouldn't even let him in the door. They watch very closely. He will have a good time though. There were plenty of 10-12 yr olds

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I am planning to take water and soda. Any suggestions in how I pack them. Can I dump them in one big suitcase

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I am planning to take water and soda. Any suggestions in how I pack them. Can I dump them in one big suitcase

 

 

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You can just put luggage tags on them, although you may want to wrap some tape around them to ensure they don't fall apart... then just put with your luggage and they'll turn up at your cabin.............unless you're embarking from... Tampa, Seattle? I think, or NOLA...

Enjoy your cruise..