Deck plans and ship orientation stuff

[cruisentn]

Someone, somewhere lol, posted to print the deck plans and have them with you.

I think it'd be handy, but I ain't carrying around all that paperwork. I'm thinking I'll find some deck plans online and screenshot em on my phone to have in my pocket. Cause I know I'll be exploring and wandering around and seeing what this boa..er, ship is all about...like the total first cruiser that I am.

I'd imagine they give you this orientation type stuff as you embark? What else do you get on embarkation?

I said embarkation like I know what I'm talking about. I just read it. :)

Thanks

[LA_CA_GAL]

Someone, somewhere lol, posted to print the deck plans and have them with you.

I think it'd be handy, but I ain't carrying around all that paperwork. I'm thinking I'll find some deck plans online and screenshot em on my phone to have in my pocket. Cause I know I'll be exploring and wandering around and seeing what this boa..er, ship is all about...like the total first cruiser that I am.

I'd imagine they give you this orientation type stuff as you embark? What else do you get on embarkation?

I said embarkation like I know what I'm talking about. I just read it. :)

Thanks

 

Really unnecessary.

 

First, most decks you will not even set foot upon.

 

The ships are quite easy to navigate. I suggest you do your research on-line about your ship to get familiar. Know what you want to do and see on the ship, and you will find maps on the ship that will direct you wherever it is you wish to go.

[spookwife]

you will not necessarily get deck plans. most ships however have a fairly easy to read/understand set at the elevators( especially the middle ones)

 

most Royal ships also have interactive ones throughout the ship by the other elevators as well.

 

i have an app I loaded onto my kindle Fire but IIRC it didn't work unless you signed up for the on board internet service so its a waste( plus it was woefully out of date on the specific ship I sailed. good thing it was free)

 

first day you will get a truncated plan of the day, with all the hours everything is open plus instructions on when/where to schlep for the Muster drill.

 

Unsolicited advice: each night you get a new PotD. when reading the thing and it tells you that 'tonight we move our clocks ahead( or back) THEY MEAN THE NEXT DAY *NOT* the night you get it! in other words, check the date heheheh.

 

so do not do what we did, set our iPhones ahead a day early then wake up wayyyy too dang early and have to wait an extra hour for brekkie.....

[xxoocruiser]

Someone, somewhere lol, posted to print the deck plans and have them with you.

I think it'd be handy, but I ain't carrying around all that paperwork. I'm thinking I'll find some deck plans online and screenshot em on my phone to have in my pocket. Cause I know I'll be exploring and wandering around and seeing what this boa..er, ship is all about...like the total first cruiser that I am.

I'd imagine they give you this orientation type stuff as you embark? What else do you get on embarkation?

I said embarkation like I know what I'm talking about. I just read it. :)

Thanks

 

IMHO unnecessary to load on your phone. Yes one will be given to you at check. However every ship I've ever been on has a deck plan located near or at the elevators on every deck. Depending on the cruise line and the ship some even have interactive computer screens by the elevators that will give you information regarding the decks, activities and denotes how busy a particularly restaurant is at that time. RCCL has this on many of it's ships . Believe Disney does too.

[panoramaofthepast]

Someone, somewhere lol, posted to print the deck plans and have them with you.

I think it'd be handy, but I ain't carrying around all that paperwork. I'm thinking I'll find some deck plans online and screenshot em on my phone to have in my pocket. Cause I know I'll be exploring and wandering around and seeing what this boa..er, ship is all about...like the total first cruiser that I am.

I'd imagine they give you this orientation type stuff as you embark? What else do you get on embarkation?

I said embarkation like I know what I'm talking about. I just read it. :)

Thanks

You will get a pocket-sized map of the ship when you check in and there are deck maps on every deck, usually at the elevators. And every employee will be more than helpful if you get turned around!

 

Embarkation is hurry up and wait, depending upon how crowded it is when you get there. You will deposit your checked luggage when you arrive [have lots of $1 to tip at this point!]. That luggage will magically appear in your cabin later in the day.

 

Then you proceed to check in. There may be a line - or not. That's hard to judge. Once you check in [show them ID, hand in your signed forms, etc] you will get your card [different name for different cruise lines, but it looks like a credit card] which is your pass to the ship. This is your door key, your ship charge card and your entry/exit from the ship!

 

Once checked in, you will be in a waiting area until boarding starts - VIPs first, then everyone. If you arrive after 11:30, boarding will probably be underway and you won't have to wait once you check in.

 

Rooms are generally not available until after 1-1:30. Most people migrate to the buffet and have lunch, but you can also do some exploring. However, most everyone will be dragging some carry-ons, so exploring with a bag is a challenge. Wear your bathing suit under your clothes and claim a chair by the pool until cabins are available - grab a drink - go eat lunch - once you hear the "ping" when your card checks you aboard, you are on vacation!!

 

Have fun!:D

[paul929207]

I don't know about other lines, but when you check in with Princess you get a pocket size booklet with the deck plans.

[Happy ks]

I just use the directories located near the elevators. As long as I memorize which way to go once we get to the deck where our cabin is, I'm good. My husband depends on me to do that, even on day 6 he's still turned around. The rest I just don't stress over it.

[MCC retired]

I cruise many cruise lines and can't recall when I ever did not receive a pocket copy of the deck plans upon boarding or in my cabin.

[peety3]

You might want to study the plans before your cruise. Aboard the Sapphire Princess, there was a large dining room on 6 Aft, and four anytime DRs on 5 mid and 6 mid. We figured we'd be going to the anytime DRs, but breakfast and lunch were in the large DR, and "you can't get there from here" (you can't get to the large DR on 6 from anywhere else; you must go up to at least 7). Likewise, we booked a portrait shoot in the "Platinum" studio (which was previously the golf simulator) on 16 fwd, but when staring at the pocket deck plan it was next to impossible to detect that the only non-emergency access was from 15 portside, so we made quite the loop to get there. (We hadn't planned on a photo shoot, but wouldn't have known to look for it anyway as the pocket guide still said golf.)

 

Essentially figure out which lift you'd use to get to anything you'll likely want aboard ship.

[AKman2495]

Princess lets you look at the deck plans of any of their ships. I often go through them before the cruise to get familiar with the ship.

 

It gives something to do while waiting for the next cruise. :D

 

One thing, no map will replace the experience of walking through the real thing. After studying the deck plans for months before our first time ever on a cruise ship I though I was prepared. However, once aboard, the ship looked different. It will take a short time to get your bearings, but once you do, it will be simple to get around.

[ehfl]

No need to carry deck plans. There are simple diagrams at the stairs/elevators showing what venues and services on on which deck, and whether they are fore, amidships, or aft.

 

If you really want to carry complete deck plans with you, I'd suggest putting all the pdfs on your phone, rather than carrying printed versions.

[crystalspin]

The pocket plan on Norwegian Star was a joke. When you reduce a 1000' ship to 4" it isn't readable! I cannot imagine a PDF on a phone screen would be any better.

 

Fortunately I am not allergic to paperwork and had printed a page listing all public areas by deck and aft/mid/forward, which I attached to the steel wall with a magnet right above the hook I hung my SeaPass on. A quick check before heading out confirmed the deck to go to and a glance at the signs at the stairlanding or elevator told us which way to turn when we got to the correct deck.

 

(I also printed the actual maps for decks that had public areas, but did not use them as I am spatially challenged so the list system worked better for me.)

Edited January 2, 2014 by crystalspin

[cruisentn]

You will get a pocket-sized map of the ship when you check in and there are deck maps on every deck, usually at the elevators. And every employee will be more than helpful if you get turned around!

 

Embarkation is hurry up and wait, depending upon how crowded it is when you get there. You will deposit your checked luggage when you arrive [have lots of $1 to tip at this point!]. That luggage will magically appear in your cabin later in the day.

 

Then you proceed to check in. There may be a line - or not. That's hard to judge. Once you check in [show them ID, hand in your signed forms, etc] you will get your card [different name for different cruise lines, but it looks like a credit card] which is your pass to the ship. This is your door key, your ship charge card and your entry/exit from the ship!

 

Once checked in, you will be in a waiting area until boarding starts - VIPs first, then everyone. If you arrive after 11:30, boarding will probably be underway and you won't have to wait once you check in.

 

Rooms are generally not available until after 1-1:30. Most people migrate to the buffet and have lunch, but you can also do some exploring. However, most everyone will be dragging some carry-ons, so exploring with a bag is a challenge. Wear your bathing suit under your clothes and claim a chair by the pool until cabins are available - grab a drink - go eat lunch - once you hear the "ping" when your card checks you aboard, you are on vacation!!

 

Have fun!:D

 

Wow..this has been a very helpful thread! ALLL of the replies!

But especially, that reply above is really detailed about what happens on embarkation. Many thanks to that poster.

Mark

[SuitCaseBears]

There are both iPhone and droid apps that have deck plans for all of the major cruise line ships. I forget the names - but if you go to the app store and put "cruise" into the search engine, you'll find lots... that's if you really want the deck plans on your cell phone, which I actually found quite handy since I always have my phone (for pictures and taking notes etc.) and I never remember the little map they give you.

 

The app has the advantage of allowing you to search for the name of a place - so you don't have to look on every deck plan to find the XXX Lounge where trivia is taking place. You can find it more easily.

[scifisteve]

There are both iPhone and droid apps that have deck plans for all of the major cruise line ships. I forget the names

 

Ship Mate

Edited January 3, 2014 by scifisteve

[panoramaofthepast]

Wow..this has been a very helpful thread! ALLL of the replies!

But especially, that reply above is really detailed about what happens on embarkation. Many thanks to that poster.

Mark

 

You're welcome! :-)