5 things you wish you'd known on your first cruise

[moles]

What about insect repellant? Are there many mozzies around on the ship?

I am going on the Destiny Carribean cruise and stay on 20th Feb. As it's a first sea cruise for us I'm a bit worried about sea-sickness. Is it rough ever around Grenada, Antigua, St Lucia etc or do the ships stabilisers work well?

Can you take and consume your own duty free spirits on board and do you need a travel jug and cups? Sorry to be a pain! I expect you find most of this out when you board, but it may be too late then.

[ekco]

We didn't have any trouble with mozzies in the Med or the Canaries. No trees or greenery on board for them to hide in. Take a travel mug if you want as you can fill up with tea, etc. to take back to the cabin. Depends what deck you are on as to whether it's worth doing that as if you are close to the restaurants it's quite easy to pop in for your drink. As to alcohol I'm not sure about the Carribean but in the Canaries we couldn't take duty free purchased on board back to the cabin and had to leave it until we disembarked but we did take bottles of wine etc. on from Lanzarote and had a 'small' one in the cabin before venturing out in the evening. On the Turkey trip we bought duty free on board and we were allowed to take them back to the cabin straight away.:):)

 

Jan

[kruzseeka]

What about insect repellant? Are there many mozzies around on the ship?

I am going on the Destiny Carribean cruise and stay on 20th Feb. As it's a first sea cruise for us I'm a bit worried about sea-sickness. Is it rough ever around Grenada, Antigua, St Lucia etc or do the ships stabilisers work well?

Can you take and consume your own duty free spirits on board and do you need a travel jug and cups? Sorry to be a pain! I expect you find most of this out when you board, but it may be too late then.

 

 

Stugeron, over-the-counter from Boots is good for sea sickness - take it as a preventative 2 hours before sailing if you are concerned. I forgot first night out of La Romana and felt rough when I woke up. The pills soon sorted me out!

 

Yes you can have your own duty free in your cabin - travel mugs are useful if you want to take a tea/coffee from the Lido restaurant, where it's help-yourself, down to your cabin.

 

See the thread on this board re vaccinations - I've posted a link (#4) from a couple of years ago from a Dr who has some good advice on insect repellant. The short answer is 'yes' you do need it really. 50% Deet is recommended.

Edited February 2, 2011 by kruzseeka

[Flopsy]

Just bouncing this up the board for first time cruiser Delboy

 

Flopsy:p

[Keith Jackson]

nautical terms? ...like "Ahoy there shipmate" "scuttle me timbers" and "pieces of eight you scurvy landlubbers" it's very important to learn these in order to communicate with the crew:D

[davecttr]

We didn't have any trouble with mozzies in the Med or the Canaries. No trees or greenery on board for them to hide in. Take a travel mug if you want as you can fill up with tea, etc. to take back to the cabin. Depends what deck you are on as to whether it's worth doing that as if you are close to the restaurants it's quite easy to pop in for your drink. As to alcohol I'm not sure about the Carribean but in the Canaries we couldn't take duty free purchased on board back to the cabin and had to leave it until we disembarked but we did take bottles of wine etc. on from Lanzarote and had a 'small' one in the cabin before venturing out in the evening. On the Turkey trip we bought duty free on board and we were allowed to take them back to the cabin straight away.:):)

 

Jan

 

There is the occassional plant dotted about and on a bridge tour on Celebration I noticed a few plants in one corner next to the kettle all supervised by the ships cat - a cuddly toy of course :)

[ekco]

Just bumping this up for a new member.:):)

 

Jan

[ekco]

I think this is the thread Kruzseeka.:):)

 

Jan

[suekay]

Swimsuit in handluggage on way home. Twice we've been delayed for 8-12 hours (taken to a hotel for the day) and were able to spend the extra hours by the pool/on the beach instead of sitting by our bags in a hotel foyer as some people did

[grannypops]

Wow this thread is still going! :)

Hope you're all enjoying your cruises? I never did go on the Thomson Red Sea one, I always book late to get a good deal as the cabin doesn't matter to me just the price, but I couldn't get free time to go on any cruise until now and the itineraries have changed plus the grandson who'd be interested in doing the excursions with me is back at school next week anyway...

 

I haven't had time to be on here much since 'baby pops' came to live with us and he's a hyperactive toddler now who is into everything :eek: I'm afraid we've defected to P&O for cruise holidays with him until he's a bit bigger because their night nurseries mean we can dress up and go to the formal dinners without causing a riot :eek:

 

Going on Azura on Tues for 16 nights - booked yesterday bargain - round about the same price as the 8 night Thomson Spirit one through the Suez Canal I was looking at!

 

Keep adding the tips - I love reading them and I'll add some more myself soon

GP x

[Cymro1953]

Wow this thread is still going! :)

Hope you're all enjoying your cruises? I never did go on the Thomson Red Sea one, I always book late to get a good deal as the cabin doesn't matter to me just the price, but I couldn't get free time to go on any cruise until now and the itineraries have changed plus the grandson who'd be interested in doing the excursions with me is back at school next week anyway...

 

I haven't had time to be on here much since 'baby pops' came to live with us and he's a hyperactive toddler now who is into everything :eek: I'm afraid we've defected to P&O for cruise holidays with him until he's a bit bigger because their night nurseries mean we can dress up and go to the formal dinners without causing a riot :eek:

 

Going on Azura on Tues for 16 nights - booked yesterday bargain - round about the same price as the 8 night Thomson Spirit one through the Suez Canal I was looking at!

 

Keep adding the tips - I love reading them and I'll add some more myself soon

GP x

 

Hi Granny, Jan and Kruzseeka revived it as we've been getting lots of questions from 1st time cruisers.

 

That's an amazing bargain you've got. And no flying too.

Have a great time and you can watch the Royal Wedding while aboard. You can't escape it :D

 

Berwyn

[ekco]

Hi grannypops

 

Long time, no see.:):) I always think of you when we revive this thread, it's so much easier to bump it up than answer the same questions over and over.

 

Tell me, do you find your last minutes on the web or do you go into the travel agents? I can find Thomson last minutes on the web but never seem to see any other cruise lines that are easy to understand.:):confused:

 

Jan

[Cymro1953]

Hi grannypops

 

Long time, no see.:):) I always think of you when we revive this thread, it's so much easier to bump it up than answer the same questions over and over.

 

Tell me, do you find your last minutes on the web or do you go into the travel agents? I can find Thomson last minutes on the web but never seem to see any other cruise lines that are easy to understand.:):confused:

 

Jan

 

Hi Jan,

I know you're asking Grannypops, but I manged to find the cruise she's booked and offers from other cruise lines on the net. Both using the one that Belongs to the same group as Thomson's and the one with a similar name as the girl who went up the hill for water.

 

Berwyn

[ekco]

What?:confused: Jack and Jill went up the hill....and booked a cruise?:confused: Get out of the sun immediately, lol.:D

 

Do you mean the one that rhymes with cruise meals? lol.

 

What I'd like to find is a website that doesn't ask you to phone up for the price, apart from Thomson that is

 

Jan

[Cymro1953]

What?:confused: Jack and Jill went up the hill....and booked a cruise?:confused: Get out of the sun immediately, lol.:D

 

Do you mean the one that rhymes with cruise meals? lol.

 

What I'd like to find is a website that doesn't ask you to phone up for the price, apart from Thomson that is

 

Jan

 

What sun, we've had thick cloud here since yesterday afternoon. The nursery rhyme is right just change the spelling of her name.

And cruse meals too.

 

All the ones I know including the eskimo houses one give you prices but tell you to call or e mail.

 

Berwyn

[ekco]

I got it, Gillian went up the hill, lol. The sun has been more in than out this afternoon and quite chilly at times. Glad we didn't book a weekend in Wales then, lol. Shame, I just fancied a hike around the Great Orme to see the goats with the big curly horns.:eek: Now we're friends can we come and stay at your house, lol.:D:D Be afraid, be very afraid.

 

Jan

[Cymro1953]

I got it, Gillian went up the hill, lol. The sun has been more in than out this afternoon and quite chilly at times. Glad we didn't book a weekend in Wales then, lol. Shame, I just fancied a hike around the Great Orme to see the goats with the big curly horns.:eek: Now we're friends can we come and stay at your house, lol.:D:D Be afraid, be very afraid.

 

Jan

 

Here you are Jan, pics of them at bottom of the page

http://www.bakerlite.co.uk/the_great_orme.htm

Save you the trip as it's so cold today and petrol so expensive.:D

 

Berwyn

[ekco]

Thanks Berwyn. We were walking along the road that runs around the sea side of the Orme last year and looked up feeling as though we were being watched, there at the top of the hill, looking right down on us, was a large brown Billy and his white lady wife. Lovely.:):)

 

I don't agree with the author that walking the path around the Orme with the benches on is 'like walking through a graveyard'. A lovely walk. Pity they demolished the house that 'Alice' lived in.

 

Jan

Edited April 23, 2011 by ekco

[Cymro1953]

Thanks Berwyn. We were walking along the road that runs around the sea side of the Orme last year and looked up feeling as though we were being watched, there at the top of the hill, looking right down on us, was a large brown Billy and his white lady wife. Lovely.:):)

 

I don't agree with the author that walking the path around the Orme with the benches on is 'like walking through a graveyard'. A lovely walk. Pity they demolished the house that 'Alice' lived in.

 

Jan

 

Hi Jan,

I never read it, just looked for the goat pics. It's a lovely walk around the Orme.

Most of the people living on the Orme get fed up with the goats though, they keep breaking into the ggardens and eating the plants and washing.

 

Berwyn

[ekco]

Lol, that'll teach 'em. I believe they were there first so squatters rights :D. The male we saw had magnificent horns that curled right round.

 

Off thread again.:eek::eek: We'll be getting sent to the Floataway Lounge, AGAIN. Oh! I forgot, you weren't here last time, lol.;)

 

Jan

[Cymro1953]

Lol, that'll teach 'em. I believe they were there first so squatters rights :D. The male we saw had magnificent horns that curled right round.

 

Off thread again.:eek::eek: We'll be getting sent to the Floataway Lounge, AGAIN. Oh! I forgot, you weren't here last time, lol.;)

 

Jan

 

They are magnificent creatures as long as you don't have to live next door to them :D

I take it you were naughty then. :D

Here's a tip to keep it on topic.

what we often do to get from one end of the ship to the other quickly without getting lost is to pop down to the promenade deck and nip along it to get where you need without getting lost in corridors and decks inside that all look the same.

 

Berwyn

[ekco]

You've got to find the Promenade Deck first though. Funny, on the IE, we found our way around ok but for some reason on the Celebration we were lost the whole week. Up and down, back and forth, drove us mad.:eek: It didn't help that you could go up the stairs at the back of the ship to the restaurant, from Deck 1, but then found that they had locked the rear entrance. We then had to go up one, walk back through the ship, then down the stairs. If we fell for that one once we must have done it 20 times.

 

It was all RR's fault on the other side.;) Never me, lol.

 

Jan

[Cymro1953]

You've got to find the Promenade Deck first though. Funny, on the IE, we found our way around ok but for some reason on the Celebration we were lost the whole week. Up and down, back and forth, drove us mad.:eek: It didn't help that you could go up the stairs at the back of the ship to the restaurant, from Deck 1, but then found that they had locked the rear entrance. We then had to go up one, walk back through the ship, then down the stairs. If we fell for that one once we must have done it 20 times.

 

It was all RR's fault on the other side.;) Never me, lol.

 

Jan

 

We were same. Escape was no problem but Spirit was very confusing. It didn't help we were forward of the front lifts and the grub was at the stern.

It was easy once we found promenade deck. Out of cabin, down 1 deck and along promenade and down one more at the back for the food.

 

Berwyn

[ekco]

The same with Horizons Bar. Having to walk through all the cabins to find it. We walked miles and miles round that ship and although I would go on her again for the itinerary she wouldn't be my first choice.

 

Of all the different cruises lines and ships which would be your favourite Berwyn?:)

 

Jan

[Cymro1953]

The same with Horizons Bar. Having to walk through all the cabins to find it. We walked miles and miles round that ship and although I would go on her again for the itinerary she wouldn't be my first choice.

 

Of all the different cruises lines and ships which would be your favourite Berwyn?:)

 

Jan

 

Well with having done 5, most with Thomson's /Island cruises not got much to go on.

The Royal Caribbean was a beautiful ship and the staff were great. But we didn't like the fact they had smoking indoors in the lounges and the cost of drinks.

Definitely of the ones we've been on it's the Spirit as far a ship and food is concerned and the great Thomson's crew and entertainment team.

I'll let you know properly after we've tried the Princess one in June.

 

Berwyn