Sailaways

This has probably been brought up a lot before, but I couldn't find much current activity on the subject. On our first cruise, we left out of New Orleans and even if we knew about sailaways (which we didn't), we were sound asleep as the ship left in the middle of the night. Our next cruise we'll be leaving Galveston at 5:00 pm and we will have an aft balcony cabin. So this will actually be our first experience with a sailaway party.

My question, do you prefer to be with the others around the pool or other decks, or do you prefer to be on your private balcony (if you have one) during the sailaway?

I'd love to hear your comments and stories on your sailaways.

De

I am looking forward to being up on deck as we pass under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Unless the upgrade fairy decides to be kind to us in the next few days we won't have the balcony option. :)

Deb

Deb, that sounds like fun to be up on deck while you pass under the Golden Gate Bridge. I love SF! Wow, you are leaving in 4 days!!! Have a wonderful time and may the upgrade fairy be very kind to you.:)

De

What happens at a sailaway party?

Saw this and noticed it didn't get many replies... I'd love to know this too. We're sailing on the Westerdam, Western Carib, 12/11/05, FLL gateway. First cruise. We have an aft balcony cabin and I plan on brining a bottle of Moet. I would LOVE to be on our balcony sipping the bubbly and watching Ft. Lauderdale fade away - but I ALSO want to check out a sailaway party and give my 20-yr old DS a chance to meet folks right away.

Has anyone ever worked out a way to be in both places at once?? Seems like y'all have everything else figured out! :p

Meet some folks on this board and invite them to your balcony for your own sailaway party.

My favorite sailaway....a bottle of champagne, a bottle of bubbles to blow, outside at the back of the ship with others...especially CCer's! Nothing better! :cool:

Perhaps we will throw a sailaway on our balcony! :)

We have a sailaway party on the balcony when we group crusie. Everyone has a bottle of champagne sent to their room before we board. Then we take them all to one Balcony and let the party begin. We line the fallen soliders up in the hall. Last cruise it was 25 bottles.

My next cruise will be my first not in a group so I guess me and daughter will go on the deck with everyone and toast to the cruise.

Then go back and drink our bottel of champagne.

;) Dreaming of cruising and cruising to make my dreams come true.

We have been on deck when we have sailed away. I didn't like it very much, because everyone wanted to be at the railing, so there was a lot of crowding. It was fun to watch people jump, including us, when the ship's horn was blown. We have an aft cabin this Chirstmas on the Rhapsody and are planning on being on the balcony with friends as we sail away.

We have a sailaway party on the balcony when we group crusie. Everyone has a bottle of champagne sent to their room before we board. Then we take them all to one Balcony and let the party begin. We line the fallen soliders up in the hall. Last cruise it was 25 bottles.

My next cruise will be my first not in a group so I guess me and daughter will go on the deck with everyone and toast to the cruise.

Then go back and drink our bottel of champagne.

;) Dreaming of cruising and cruising to make my dreams come true.

How fun!

We always get a bottle of champagne from one of the bars, two glasses and head up to deck, even when we are lucky enough to have a balcony. Best was in the pouring rain coming out of Boston on the way to Bermuda. A fellow cruiser took our picture. We are bundled in our rain gear, hoods pulled tight but the glasses are full and the ice bucket by the railing. Had the deck almost to ourselves and loved it.

We always get a bottle of champagne from one of the bars, two glasses and head up to deck, even when we are lucky enough to have a balcony. Best was in the pouring rain coming out of Boston on the way to Bermuda. A fellow cruiser took our picture. We are bundled in our rain gear, hoods pulled tight but the glasses are full and the ice bucket by the railing. Had the deck almost to ourselves and loved it.

Great idea!

We've never been up on deck during the sail aways. We are on our balcony kissing as we watch land fade away. (Awe isn't it so cute :p )

We usually plan a Sail-Away party for the CCers on our Roll Call board. Always fun. We generally meet at the Mast Bar..everyone gets his or her own drink, introductions are made (next time I'm doing Name Tags so we can all place the person with previously read posts), and relationships are begun. Since many of us do shore excursions together it's a great way to start a cruise and get to know each other. AND in October we're sailing out of Venice - supposed to be spectacular views..can't wait!

We always spend our time on deck with the "drink of the day" when the ship leaves the port. You have the Steel Band playing, you have a much better view of the "parade of ships" that are leaving the port with your ship, you meet the other cruise junkies and you can blow bubbles with or kiss your 1st. mate. I can't stand not having the 360 degree view that you will loose when you are on your veranda. You only have one side to look out at and if your cabin is on the wrong side of the ship, you might not have anything too look at. On our next float around, we plan on meeting some other cc'ers up on the deck, a more appropriate place to meet for the first time. Bottom line.......If you spent all that hard earned cash for a wonderful trip, take in all the views you can and you will get some wonderful pictures also.....Go To The Deck For Departure......My 2 cents worth......steve

Hey Steve, that really sounds wonderful and a lot of fun. My question is that we have an aft corner balcony and we'd have a great view from it as we're leaving the docks. Would we have a better view from there or up on the deck of the ship? We're leaving from Galveston and I just want to experience that "wow" feeling as we're heading out to sea.:)

De

Our 1st cruise was out of Galveston on Rhapsody....try the Viking Crown lounge at the

v e r y tip top of the ship....it was great.... You first have to sail down a long channel before you hit open sea but it has windows all around - 360 degrees. I had a cold drink and just walked around the perimeter enjoying the view and telling myself "this is real - this is real - this is real" lol

RanDe, The party is up on the deck, lots of fun folks, music, views, and fancy tall glasses full of fancy funny smelling liquid that makes you have a good time, just in case the fun motor is hard to start. In my opinion, you will have tons of time to look off the back porch during the cruise. Start it off with a "bang" and join the fun on deck......only my opinion.....steve

Our 1st cruise was out of Galveston on Rhapsody....try the Viking Crown lounge at the

v e r y tip top of the ship....it was great.... You first have to sail down a long channel before you hit open sea but it has windows all around - 360 degrees. I had a cold drink and just walked around the perimeter enjoying the view and telling myself "this is real - this is real - this is real" lol

Sounds great!

RanDe, The party is up on the deck, lots of fun folks, music, views, and fancy tall glasses full of fancy funny smelling liquid that makes you have a good time, just in case the fun motor is hard to start. In my opinion, you will have tons of time to look off the back porch during the cruise. Start it off with a "bang" and join the fun on deck......only my opinion.....steve

This does sound like a lot of fun and also it'd be great to share our excitement with many others. I love the thought of music, views and fancy drinks. I'm all for some funny smelling liquid.:D

Texancruzer, I like your idea too. Maybe we can head up there for awhile and watch as we hit the open sea.

De

Last cruise I took on Carnival, they did the life boat muster right as we left port. Lots of fun standing in a crowed deck with 50 of so of your favorite cruise mates, watching land disappear.

The muster drill happened on both of my past two cruises as we were departing Miami. I missed both sailaway parties b/c the first cruise, I had no idea they even did them. The second I missed b/c by the time we made it back to our cabin after muster to drop our life jackets off, it was pretty much broken up by the time we got there:( I decided to completely spoil myself and go for the aft facing balcony this cruise. Should I miss the party again? Do you think there is anyway I can do both.......

We always spend our time on deck with the "drink of the day" when the ship leaves the port. You have the Steel Band playing, you have a much better view of the "parade of ships" that are leaving the port with your ship, you meet the other cruise junkies and you can blow bubbles with or kiss your 1st. mate. I can't stand not having the 360 degree view that you will loose when you are on your veranda. You only have one side to look out at and if your cabin is on the wrong side of the ship, you might not have anything too look at. On our next float around, we plan on meeting some other cc'ers up on the deck, a more appropriate place to meet for the first time. Bottom line.......If you spent all that hard earned cash for a wonderful trip, take in all the views you can and you will get some wonderful pictures also.....Go To The Deck For Departure......My 2 cents worth......steve

I have to agree with you Steve, we had a balcony cabin on our last cruise facing the back of the ship, so we could see both sides - but there's something about hearing the band playing and watching everyone else so excited to be leaving that really puts you in the "vacation" frame of mind! We'll be on deck when we depart our next cruise as well.

Kim.