First cruise in about 7 weeks ... one big question

I am a forum veteran, I'm on several. From cars to camping, android to comics. I understand the process and I really enjoy the great feeling of community that only anonymous internet groups can provide since no one is judged (at least on good forums) and everyone has a voice. :D

My wife and I booked our first cruise back in early September, for Dec 26th - Jan 2nd Eastern Caribbean on HAL. NOW, I looked around here and other places and I think we booked a good room (with balcony :cool: you know it's our 5th Anniversary trip) in a good place on the ship. Where we booked it offered specials so we both have drink cards and on board credit and a free dinner in the premier restaurant.

I got a nice new suit for formal nights, my wife a lovely new dress.

I have looked over the packing lists, the what to not forget lists, the what did you forget lists, the what do you wish you had lists. :rolleyes: some call it thorough some call it OCD. To each his own right? ;)

I've read about excursions (which we have not as yet booked) I have read about things to do on the ship.

I've looked at cruise traditions, I've read about cruise pranks, I've read about the pros and cons of balcony vs. no balcony. Embarkation drinks? Yea read that too.

Here's my biggest question.

HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD DO YOU MAKE IT FROM BOOKING TO EMBARKATION? The wait is absolutely killing me. I can feel the breeze on my face, the salty air in my lungs, the sun on my back. I live in the KC area and the mornings are chilly, there's been frost. I am dying waiting for this and I have a long 6 weeks to go. HOW DO YOU DO IT?

You suck it up and realize the faster the cruise gets here, the sooner it will be OVER! So...enjoy the excitement and anticipation! 6 weeks will fly by...no worries!

 

HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD DO YOU MAKE IT FROM BOOKING TO EMBARKATION? The wait is absolutely killing me. I can feel the breeze on my face, the salty air in my lungs, the sun on my back. I live in the KC area and the mornings are chilly, there's been frost. I am dying waiting for this and I have a long 6 weeks to go. HOW DO YOU DO IT?

You found the secret ... for me a lot of the joy of cruising is planning for the cruise. I spend time on the boards, planning excursions, planning packing, planning pre and post cruise travel and hotels ... planning is part of the fun!

i have till Sept 2016. :)

I kinda want to book something in between to kill time.

Super, I feel your frustration. About the only thing you can do is find something else to do to take your mind off of cruising, even if it's only for a few hours. Read a book. Go bowling. Make detailed drawings of how you could turn your car into a submarine. :rolleyes::D Anything to get your mind off of cruising, so you don't go bonkers waiting for embarkation day.

And here's another piece of advice...don't plan everything. I'm an obsessive planner, but I don't plan out any of our onboard time. I look at the ship's newsletter at night (for the next day) and see if there's some activities, shows, etc. of interest. We also don't plan out every second of our time in port. And will try to be flexible for those days too

In the meantime, my hubby and I will check out tourism sites for our ports to add possible activities on our list. We'll check out google maps too. And try to find relevant movies to watch just for fun. You can go on http://www.imdb.com and look through locations for ideas of movies to watch. For example for our last cruise (our third one to Hawaii), we watched "The Descendants" (we had lunch at a diner featured in the movie), "Blue Hawaii" (of course), "South Pacific", the list goes on. For my first cruise, which was to the Mexican Riviera, we watched "Night of the Iguana," and sought out the hotel where Liz and Dick had their tryst.

Have you spent time on the PORTS OF CALL boards?? Have you looked at your islands and read about things you can do without booking an excursion? Which beach is the BEST beach/all inclusive/biggest party place??

There is still a lot to keep you distracted just enough to make it through to your departure date..... keep smiling!!

Here's my biggest question.

 

HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD DO YOU MAKE IT FROM BOOKING TO EMBARKATION? The wait is absolutely killing me. I can feel the breeze on my face, the salty air in my lungs, the sun on my back. I live in the KC area and the mornings are chilly, there's been frost. I am dying waiting for this and I have a long 6 weeks to go. HOW DO YOU DO IT?

The easiest way to avoid this is to book the cruise two weeks before the departure date.

The easiest way to avoid this is to book the cruise two weeks before the departure date.

:D Very good! :p

I am a forum veteran, I'm on several. From cars to camping, android to comics. I understand the process and I really enjoy the great feeling of community that only anonymous internet groups can provide since no one is judged (at least on good forums) and everyone has a voice. :D

 

 

 

My wife and I booked our first cruise back in early September, for Dec 26th - Jan 2nd Eastern Caribbean on HAL. NOW, I looked around here and other places and I think we booked a good room (with balcony :cool: you know it's our 5th Anniversary trip) in a good place on the ship. Where we booked it offered specials so we both have drink cards and on board credit and a free dinner in the premier restaurant.

 

 

 

I got a nice new suit for formal nights, my wife a lovely new dress.

 

 

 

I have looked over the packing lists, the what to not forget lists, the what did you forget lists, the what do you wish you had lists. :rolleyes: some call it thorough some call it OCD. To each his own right? ;)

 

 

 

I've read about excursions (which we have not as yet booked) I have read about things to do on the ship.

 

 

 

I've looked at cruise traditions, I've read about cruise pranks, I've read about the pros and cons of balcony vs. no balcony. Embarkation drinks? Yea read that too.

 

 

 

Here's my biggest question.

 

 

 

HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD DO YOU MAKE IT FROM BOOKING TO EMBARKATION? The wait is absolutely killing me. I can feel the breeze on my face, the salty air in my lungs, the sun on my back. I live in the KC area and the mornings are chilly, there's been frost. I am dying waiting for this and I have a long 6 weeks to go. HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Book a few more trips. That way you can think about planning your next one and the one after that while you are waiting for this one. Repeat as needed.

The easiest way to avoid this is to book the cruise two weeks before the departure date.

If you wait this close to departure, is there much left besides insides?

I am having the same problem. the count down is killing me. i am not sure what you do for a job, but for me i am in school so i am counting down the days/weeks i have left in the semester and then i know i don't have much longer to go. for the weeks that i am not in school, i plan on getting ready and possibly go to the zoo.

I am a forum veteran, I'm on several. From cars to camping, android to comics. I understand the process and I really enjoy the great feeling of community that only anonymous internet groups can provide since no one is judged (at least on good forums) and everyone has a voice. :D

 

My wife and I booked our first cruise back in early September, for Dec 26th - Jan 2nd Eastern Caribbean on HAL. NOW, I looked around here and other places and I think we booked a good room (with balcony :cool: you know it's our 5th Anniversary trip) in a good place on the ship. Where we booked it offered specials so we both have drink cards and on board credit and a free dinner in the premier restaurant.

 

I got a nice new suit for formal nights, my wife a lovely new dress.

 

I have looked over the packing lists, the what to not forget lists, the what did you forget lists, the what do you wish you had lists. :rolleyes: some call it thorough some call it OCD. To each his own right? ;)

 

I've read about excursions (which we have not as yet booked) I have read about things to do on the ship.

 

I've looked at cruise traditions, I've read about cruise pranks, I've read about the pros and cons of balcony vs. no balcony. Embarkation drinks? Yea read that too.

 

Here's my biggest question.

 

HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD DO YOU MAKE IT FROM BOOKING TO EMBARKATION? The wait is absolutely killing me. I can feel the breeze on my face, the salty air in my lungs, the sun on my back. I live in the KC area and the mornings are chilly, there's been frost. I am dying waiting for this and I have a long 6 weeks to go. HOW DO YOU DO IT?

You make it by being on CC 24/7 just to get your hit.

At least that's what we do.

Forgot to ad.

You count the weeks

Then the days

Then the hours

Then the minutes

And you drive everyone else N.U.T.S.

Spend time looking at excursions.

Think about all the lovely decorations that will adorn the ship for the holidays.

HAL will have Christmas carols while lighting the tree in the atrium on Christmas eve.

The bars will all be celebrating New Year's eve.

If you are on either the Eurodam or the Nieuw Amsterdam, be sure to try the Tamarind specialty restaurant -- Pan Asia food -- $20 per person.

I love the planning stages of cruises. When I'm on board is when we start talking about where we want go next. It is seriously an addition 😉 I have a cruise booked for next year 'Alaska' I'm currently in between jobs, if I wasn't I would already have booked 2nd cruise.

When you figure out the answer to that question, please let us all know.

Enjoy the planning and research and make sure you have joined your roll call. It helps pass the time.

If you wait this close to departure, is there much left besides insides?

You'd be surprised and you can probably get a good deal as well.

Go to YouTube and pull up Harry Belafonte's "Day O," Arrow's "Hot, Hot, Hot" and Buffett's "Margaritteville..."

Throw yourself a Caribbean-style Bon Voyage party...

And...start a blog!

- Musing About Cruising

You mentioned that you have looked at, but not booked yet, shore excursions. A good investment of your time might be learning a little bit about the various ports you'll be visiting, and what there is to do in each of them. This forum has a great "ports of call" board, where you can get your questions answered.

Also, if you have not already done so, go the the Roll-Call boards, locate and join the roll-call for your cruise. That's where you'll meet folks who will actually be onboard with you. Usually, roll-call threads have some meet-n-greet activities planned. You will probably find roll-callers who have cruised this particular ship and/or itinerary before -- another great source of information and ideas for your trip.

But, "cruise pranks"?? :confused: You lost me on that one (and I've been cruising a long time). ;)

i have till Sept 2016. :)

 

I kinda want to book something in between to kill time.

We did just that! Booked a September 2016 European cruise, and then 2 weeks later said "what the heck" and booked a 5 day for this December. LOL

OCD? Err what OCD?

I spent the weeks before my last cruise creating a colour coded spreadsheet covering - days location / port and dock info / weather / excursions planned / public transport / evening dress code etc etc.

Which meant when I was on the cruise I had nothing to do but enjoy it! :)

You seem like someone who enjoys planning, so by the time all your research and packing is done the next weeks will fly by.

Not wanting to give you something else to think about, but...have you managed to track down copies of the cruise lines menus yet, so you can plan what you're going to eat? :D

i have till Sept 2016. :)

 

I kinda want to book something in between to kill time.

Careful, the time police will get you. :eek:

 

HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD DO YOU MAKE IT FROM BOOKING TO EMBARKATION? The wait is absolutely killing me. I can feel the breeze on my face, the salty air in my lungs, the sun on my back.

HA!!!!! Our first cruise is in February and I am chomping at the bit too!!! :D

Thanks for all the great responses. The only time it really kills me is when I am working during the day. I have a somewhat slow paced job that affords me time to daydream, research, and well post on discussion boards. If I am outside these 4 walls I have lots to keep me busy.

With regard to planning more and looking at the ports of call pages, been there done that, also signed up for my roll call weeks ago. It's pretty slow on the roll call right now.... :confused:

Oh and yes there are actually posts about cruise rituals and cruise pranks over in the cruise discussion boards ... for example http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=966123

Anyway, we've been to San Juan, so we totally know what we are doing there, and we watched some travel channel shows about St. Thomas and Grand Turk so my wife has some ideas about how we will spend those shore days, only question is the Half Moon Cay day, which honestly, I think I just want to chill on the beach.

I suppose the post was more an effort to start a discussion than for any real answers, I am sure we all deal with it in different ways but it was a fun distraction reading everyone's posts. So that's something!

THANKS ALL

:D