How to cruise like a king or queen

[ladylemondrop]

When we cruise, we all want to enjoy the little perks, so here are my tips on how we can all cruise like kings/queens without the cost!

 

Before you leave home, purchase some new slippers, some fancy soaps, some belgian chocs, a conditioning hair mask, a face mask, and a lovely bottle of wine or champagne. Dont use these items, pack them.

 

When on board, enjoy your new luxury items!

 

Treat yourself to some "canapes" from the buffet, (take to cabin to enjoy later) or some goodies from cafe al baccio to enjoy on your balcony.

 

Get hubby to massage your feet while you relax on balcony wearing your face mask and hair conditioning treatment and sip your champagne (a hubby is required for this but kids could do in absence of hubby)

 

Any other suggestions? Come on, lets have some fun! :D:D:D

[sunflower46]

When we cruise, we all want to enjoy the little perks, so here are my tips on how we can all cruise like kings/queens without the cost!

 

Before you leave home, purchase some new slippers, some fancy soaps, some belgian chocs, a conditioning hair mask, a face mask, and a lovely bottle of wine or champagne. Dont use these items, pack them.

 

When on board, enjoy your new luxury items!

 

Treat yourself to some "canapes" from the buffet, (take to cabin to enjoy later) or some goodies from cafe al baccio to enjoy on your balcony.

 

Get hubby to massage your feet while you relax on balcony wearing your face mask and hair conditioning treatment and sip your champagne (a hubby is required for this but kids could do in absence of hubby)

 

Any other suggestions? Come on, lets have some fun! :D:D:D

 

 

Get your facial and hair done they day before you leave. You will look beautiful on arrival for those 1st day pictures, you will avoid the upsell of products and have more time to bask in the sun on the ship.

[fizzy1]

When we cruise, we all want to enjoy the little perks, so here are my tips on how we can all cruise like kings/queens without the cost!

 

Before you leave home, purchase some new slippers, some fancy soaps, some belgian chocs, a conditioning hair mask, a face mask, and a lovely bottle of wine or champagne. Dont use these items, pack them.

 

When on board, enjoy your new luxury items!

 

Treat yourself to some "canapes" from the buffet, (take to cabin to enjoy later) or some goodies from cafe al baccio to enjoy on your balcony.

 

Get hubby to massage your feet while you relax on balcony wearing your face mask and hair conditioning treatment and sip your champagne (a hubby is required for this but kids could do in absence of hubby)

 

Any other suggestions? Come on, lets have some fun! :D:D:D

my thoughts exactley ! Dont forget a little box of champagne truffles and a browsing book on Audrey Hepburn !! how chic is that !

[ladylemondrop]

Also, check the daily specials at the spa, (especially on busy port days, they have great package offers) and at the speciality restaurants, which offer two for one, if you ask! :)

[jwo63]

Just booked an aqua class for cruise to Bermuda. LOVE the idea of adding my own pampering items to up the ante! Thanks.

[uktog]

Download some new music to your Ipod/MP3/Ipad whatever that you really want to listen to, but stay away from it during the flight and enjoy the listen on your balcony

[terigo]

Maybe we are just peasants, but we already feel like royalty just having someone else make up the beds and serve us our meals!

[spearmint]

Maybe we are just peasants, but we already feel like royalty just having someone else make up the beds and serve us our meals!

 

 

I'm with you! That's why we like to cruise, so we can live beyond anything we can have at home in a small town.:) But I think that I might get my wife to read the OP's original post for some good ideas.....and I see no reason why wife cannot take care of husband's tootsies either!:D

 

Bill

[Lois R]

Hi,:) fun thread....since we are all different? What makes each of us

feel special (Kings and Queens) are different things:D

 

I agree with "entire cruise" concept.....that is what makes it all special~

(for me anyway). I don't wear slippers here at home so I would never

consider spending the money to buy a pair to take with me.

Chocolates and soaps? Guess I am just a simple gal....none of that

does anything for me. Oh there is no mate to massage my feet,

I sail solo;)

 

I am with the "being pampered" group....someone else is cooking

all my meals, mixing all my drinks, making my bed, cleaning my room?

To me? All of those things are what makes it ALL special:D

[omeinv]

Here's our "secret":

 

Starting at the pier, and everywhere on the ship, treat every member of the crew with courtesy. Show a genuine interest in learning their name, and how to pronounce it correctly. Make it clear that you are truly interested in them. Say "please", "thank you", and "if you have a moment".

 

Not only has this allowed us to learn a lot about interesting people with tremendously varied stories; but alas, so many passengers treat the crew members like either serfs or robots, that they will really go out of their way to provide the extra friendly service for those who appreciate what they do.

 

Mind you this has nothing to do with tipping. That isn't the point. This is that the ships tend to be staffed with crew that strive to provide top notch service, and like each of us; put their best on display when they know it's valued.

 

Believe me, "the royal treatment" has never failed to follow.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[Caribbean Chris]

Breakfast in bed. Prepared by someone else.

[DMCinSJC]

I love this - our "king and queen" moment came while drinking mimosas and eating croissants on the balcony, watching the whales off the coast of Maui. We brought the champagne on board ourselves, and brought the OJ and croissants down from the buffet. One of the best moments of our cruise.

[Vonodin]

Here's our "secret":

 

Starting at the pier, and everywhere on the ship, treat every member of the crew with courtesy. Show a genuine interest in learning their name, and how to pronounce it correctly. Make it clear that you are truly interested in them. Say "please", "thank you", and "if you have a moment".

 

Not only has this allowed us to learn a lot about interesting people with tremendously varied stories; but alas, so many passengers treat the crew members like either serfs or robots, that they will really go out of their way to provide the extra friendly service for those who appreciate what they do.

 

Mind you this has nothing to do with tipping. That isn't the point. This is that the ships tend to be staffed with crew that strive to provide top notch service, and like each of us; put their best on display when they know it's valued.

 

Believe me, "the royal treatment" has never failed to follow.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

 

I could not agree more. When I first meet my cabin steward I shake their and while asking their name. I tell them I hope not to bother them to much since I know others will be a bit more demanding. You would be surprised at how often is asked if I need anything!

[CaroleSS]

I love this - our "king and queen" moment came while drinking mimosas and eating croissants on the balcony, watching the whales off the coast of Maui. We brought the champagne on board ourselves, and brought the OJ and croissants down from the buffet. One of the best moments of our cruise.

 

I'm with you! We order room service and do breakfast with mimosas on the balcony watching the world go by....my FAVORITE part of the cruise!

[GeorgiaPeach51]

We live about 90 minutes North of the Atlanta airport and for years we got up "o-dark early" to hold our breath that we'd make it to the airport in plenty of time.

 

Now we are older and wiser. We finish work in Atlanta, meet at a pre-chosen location, leave one car and drive to Atlanta and stay in a hotel near the airport with a shuttle...a hotel that allows you to park for free for the whole week you're gone.

 

We call that drive to the hotel, leaving work behind and having the excitement of going on a cruise Going into the Vacation Portal :D and feel like two kids out of school for summer vacation.

 

I also love the anticipation of having a great book or two on my kindle that I've been saving to read, since I get so little time to relax and read.

Also love sitting in Cafe al Bacio with a great cup of coffee. I'm with Lois--if I don't have to buy it, cook it, clean it, change it wash it...color me a Happy Camper!

[royalcruz]

I feel like a queen if I can sleep through breakfast.:)

I also like to stay on board on port days because it is so peacefully quiet.

[eadien7]

 

I sail solo;)......

 

 

 

Hmmmm, sounds like my idea do being a queen, I do enjoy my alone time! :)

[Lois R]

Hmmmm, sounds like my idea do being a queen, I do enjoy my alone time! :)

 

LOL....yes, me too:D...no other choice for me though...so I try to

embrace it;)

[rbsmithpaige]

Starting at the pier, and everywhere on the ship, treat every member of the crew with courtesy. Show a genuine interest in learning their name, and how to pronounce it correctly. Make it clear that you are truly interested in them. Say "please", "thank you", and "if you have a moment".

 

This bears repeating.

[navyrotorhead]

Maybe we are just peasants, but we already feel like royalty just having someone else make up the beds and serve us our meals!

 

...which made me feel like a peasant under glass. :p :D :rolleyes:

 

(sorry, I just can't help it :o)

[navyrotorhead]

duplicate post

[ladylemondrop]

I love this - our "king and queen" moment came while drinking mimosas and eating croissants on the balcony, watching the whales off the coast of Maui. We brought the champagne on board ourselves, and brought the OJ and croissants down from the buffet. One of the best moments of our cruise.

 

Thats fabulous! The idea i was getting at was, the cost to go concierge etc is quite a bit extra sometimes, and for us, who usually need a family cabin, not available option, we paid a huge huge amount extra last year for a celebrity suite, as we could not get a family cabin, and got some nice perks which i loved - the bvlgari soap is fab, canapes was nice, etc, but i realised that i can bring my own pampering at a fraction of the cost. Our favourite moment was butler serviced dinner on our balcony, but i think this can be done in any cabin, my boys scrub up well, and can butler for us if bribed well enough lol!! :D:D

[slp123]

I have other friends who cruise frequently (2-4 times a year) but still work full time and we often cannot coordinate traveling together. A few years back they started sending flowers to our cabin on the day of departure, knowing that we always have fresh flowers delivered to our house every Friday. We started reciprocating . . .not with flowers but with chocolates since that is what they indulge in on weekends. On cruises longer then 10 days I tend to refresh the flowers midway through at a florist at a local port and I also bring a couple of family photos in small silver frames---making the cabin more personal. Finally bright lights overhead are fine for packing but not relaxing so being handy electrically I have been known to change bulbs in overhead lighting in our cabin if I find it too bright or commercial (changing it back before departing).

 

We also tend to bring our own wash and wear satin robes to lounge in as the ship provided terrycloth ones can be too warm to wear on the veranda if we sleep in and have breakfast on the veranda. I also have two great mini speakers that attach to my iPad and so we always have the music of our choice playing in the cabin during breakfast (classical) and when dressing for dinner (Jazz).

[ladylemondrop]

We live about 90 minutes North of the Atlanta airport and for years we got up "o-dark early" to hold our breath that we'd make it to the airport in plenty of time.

 

Now we are older and wiser. We finish work in Atlanta, meet at a pre-chosen location, leave one car and drive to Atlanta and stay in a hotel near the airport with a shuttle...a hotel that allows you to park for free for the whole week you're gone.

 

We call that drive to the hotel, leaving work behind and having the excitement of going on a cruise Going into the Vacation Portal :D and feel like two kids out of school for summer vacation.

 

I also love the anticipation of having a great book or two on my kindle that I've been saving to read, since I get so little time to relax and read.

Also love sitting in Cafe al Bacio with a great cup of coffee. I'm with Lois--if I don't have to buy it, cook it, clean it, change it wash it...color me a Happy Camper!

 

Love it! My husband also believes the holiday starts as soon as we leave, he travels for work all the time, so he likes the holiday to be as stress free, and relaxed as possible, so we also head out to a hotel the night before to start unwinding!

[CruisingChick]

Maybe we are just peasants, but we already feel like royalty just having someone else make up the beds and serve us our meals!

 

If this were on Facebook, I'd hit the "LIKE" button!!!