Stuff you didn't think to do until you were a repeat cruiser

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

Hi Silverspringcruiser :)

 

My answer is slightly outside of the box and really doesn't have anything

in common regarding having more fun, however it is has a common aspect

concerning the title of your post, 'Stuff you didn't think to do until you were

a repeat cruiser'...

 

After our very 1st voyage 31 years ago, my wife & I wrote down everything

we experienced when we got home. From our 2nd voyage on, until the present,

we decided to keep cruise journals.

 

Prior to going to sleep each evening my wife & I discuss the days events and

log them.

 

We have been doing this for over three decades now and have many journals.

The strolls down memory lane are wonderful. In some ways more entertaining

than the photo's or video we have collected over the years.

 

Even picking out/purchasing the journal prior to the cruise has become

a fun task in itself.

 

To us, it is another way, an interesting way, to save and also relive the

voyage...

 

 

 

 

:)

 

That is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard.

[Prof Peg]

What an absolutely great thread, to read and read and then read again -- so many wonderful ideas. I especially like the couple who do the journals of their travels. I like the DVD idea, I like the scrapbooking, and all the others - such creative people.

 

We have done a blog online that we work on after each cruise. Each night during the cruise we compare notes and share things that happened that day. Once we're home, we begin working on the story of our travels. Having the photos, maps, and such help us to feel that special "I'm on a CRUISE" feeling. Although my husband can look at the website, he insists that we create a printed booklet and he keeps them by his chair. Whatever makes him happy in this dreary snow covered land we call Central New York.:(

 

Happy cruising everyone.

[skrufy]

We also have cut back on excursions. On our last 2 cruises we skipped excursions at 5 of the 8 ports.

[simplelife]

Things we now do:

 

*We don't rush to the ship on embarkation day. Instead of being there first and playing the hurry up and wait game, we go just a tad later and walk right onto the ship.

 

*We always choose to self debark now. Eat in the MDR that morning, grab our bags and walk off the ship (sometimes there is a little line, but usually not too bad.)

 

*If we do an excursion we will usually do a little research then do it on our own instead of booking through Carnival, or just enjoy the nearly empty ship while everyone else is in port.

 

*Ahead of time, since DH is a gambler, we call Ocean Players Club to see what perks he might have for the next cruise.

 

*Always bring the allotted wine! Gets the party going before we leave the cabin.

 

ETA: I guess mine aren't all about fun, but efficiency or reducing stress.

 

I definitely agree with you about not rushing to port. The lack of stress at embarkation is worth one less hour or so on the ship.

 

I did not even realize I could bring wine aboard my first cruise. I always do now.

 

The internet was not widely available my first cruise. Now I research the ports ahead of time and don't usually buy ship excursions.

 

I learned not to bring so much "stuff".

[INCHARGE]

We always bring our Tervis Tumblers, and I like to bring these wipes to clean the cups. I always keep them in my carryon. Less liquids I have to worry about when flying. Target Travel products section.

 

[Liverpoollovely]

On my next cruise I'm going to get a nice slushy drink and bring it back to my room so I can drink it on my balcony while reading my Kindle. I've gotten slushy drinks in the afternoon before. I've read my Kindle on the balcony before. But for some reason it never occurred to me to both together. Anybody else not realize a way to have more fun until their 2nd, 3rd, or even later cruise and think why they didn't do it sooner? And what was it?

 

 

I think a big thing for me and my family was excursions... the first four cruises we always booked through the ship ... BUT nowadays we make our own excursions but NOW ... I do research, I look into whats available at each port, it makes it way more exciting and we have fun and save money for the bar :)

 

 

Another thing me and my dad do which we never done earlier was get a pack of playing cards, we play card games, we make our own games up. we have so much fun taking it back to basics (although i am still guilty of having my Ipad with me haha)

[mistyinca]

On my second cruise and every cruise since, I have brought a good pair of binoculars. I like to get a closer look at the objects floating on the horizon.

 

 

Gonna have to do this!

 

 

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[Velvetwater]

We didn't do afternoon tea or seaday brunch until our second cruise...we also went to the spirits tasting which was as stingy as anything.

 

Since we do 10+ day cruises we had a lot of time to try things on our first and second.

 

 

We never managed to day breakfast/lunch in the MDR when it was not seaday brunch but maybe we will next time. We always want to do other things.

[TerReuv]

Slightly embarrassing but my first cruise (7-day last March) my buddy and I didn't even know about the MDR until our 3rd day aboard. For some reason I thought that the buffet was the only dining option!

 

1. I did learn that you can try as much as you want in the MDR. If you don't like it, get something else. If you want to try something else, get it!

2. Inside cabins are DARK! We didn't have a suitable alarm so we overslept a lot. So I will be bringing an alarm now!

 

I read a suggestion here on CC when you have an inside cabin, leave the TV on the channel with the camera of the front of the ship. As the sun rises in the morning, it will brighten as if you had a window to the front of the ship!

[mistyinca]

What I didn't discover on my first cruise, and I'm not even sure if I had discovered it by my second cruise (maybe at the end) was lunch in the MDR. There are some good things in there!

 

Also, the first two cruises I did not relax. It took a few to actually laze around a bit.

 

As a seasoned cruiser, one of my favorite things to do is lounge in the sun and read, sip a drink, and maybe eat while I"m doing it. OK...to be honest, I do like to add eating to all the activities.

 

There is one thing I miss though...I was smoking for a bit (a habit that I would pick up off and on over the years. I'm one of those rare types who can take it or leave it...) I'm not smoking now, and one of my favorite things was to have a drink and a cigarette in the cigar bar (fantasy class) it was by the window, and you could see out while enjoying it. I will have to find a lounge on the miracle where I can have a drink and sit next to the window. The promenade "runways" arent the same.

[tropicaledrink]

Realize you don't have to do everything. Do what you want, even if that means sitting with your butt in a lounge chair reading your kindle all afternoon. :P

 

I also now prefer itineraries with 2 sea days coming home. They are not as easy to find. 2 days to fully relax after the last port!

[wendyb43]

I always book my room right by the front stairs so I can easily get up to the gym to use those showers. Its so much easier to shave your legs there! :-)

 

I'm going on my 11th Carnival cruise next weekend and have finally REMEMBERED to utilize my option to shower in the SPA! Jeez! I go up there every cruise to sit in the steamroom and use the gym equipment and afterwards I always marvel at the size of the showers...but forget I can use 'em too!! :rolleyes:

 

I've been to Ensenada about 6 times so other than refilling some prescriptions, I'll definitely be utilizing the empty boat to my advantage! :)

[hometownmedic]

We make it a point to buy and bring home Sheridan's coffee liqueur, as you can't get it in the states.

[Kel040]

It wasn't till our 7th cruise that we watched a Dive - In Movie !!!! It was awesome and I wish we had done it sooner...

 

[evandbob]

Old thread revived 2 yrs later, still some good stuff.

 

When I looked at everything I brought on my 1st cruise and didn't use, I decided I would pack lighter.

 

Been cruising and traveling to resorts with one 21" carry on bag since then. Makes getting in and out of airports, through plane and ship security, and just lugging the thing around a piece of cake,

 

Wish I would have gotten Global Entry and TSA Pre Check sooner, makes FTTF charge look outrageous in comparision.

[luvtrips]

Last year we booked a spa cabin for the first time. I felt like we discovered gold! We enjoyed the spa all week, and the close proximity to the serenity deck. It was well worth it. We also watched our first dive in movies on that cruise, and couldn't believe we didn't do that before! Such a great way to end the day!

[crusinpsychRN]

Stay on the ship in port.

[First and Ten]

power strips, tipping the room steward as soon as you get on the ship, white noise machine for the cabin, bring your own sunscreen (Nassau was charging $28 per tube, no kidding)

Edited June 15, 2016 by First and Ten

[louanne93]

I am an Oldie and I will probably be there too! Lido is 10-mostly outside-bars, food, pool=fun!

 

We are oldies also and are ALWAYS there! Love to people watch!

[louanne93]

Stay on the ship in port.

 

I do this while in Ensenada!

[AZ Ocean Lover]

After 9 cruises we finally had dinner at the buffet. We were tired, had had a couple of cocktails on the balcony and didn't want to hassle with the MDR. It was probably around 7:30 so craziness had died down and we had a lovely, relaxing meal.

[seaturtle5]

I am a tea drinker...do not care for soda that much...welll the iced tea on the ship is horrible...well it took me 2 cruises to figure out to make it myself...just use tea bag...hot water...ice..and sugar packs to my taste...and voila...sweet tea:rolleyes:

 

 

My husband is a tea drinker and shares your opinion of the tea onboard. We are going on our 8th cruise in October and making his tea has never occurred to us. I will surely be sharing this idea and he will be so grateful for the tip!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited June 16, 2016 by seaturtle5

[mykindaparty]

Ziplock bags in gallon size for wet swimsuits in port and quart size for saving pretzels and chips that come with room service sandwiches ( always wanting something salty and crunchy late at night) and the cookies served at the late night snacks they are a lot like vanilla wafers but soft. We always keep a bag of them handy during the day. Also post it and highlighters. Post it for leaving the room steward notes and the highlighter for picking and planning fun stuff to do so we don't have to run all over the ship, we already know time and place so it is more relaxing for us. Pack a small sewing kit with buttons, on last cruise my kit made the rounds on our deck, the little scissors even cut some bangs for a lady!! Heck I'm on my 12 th and still find new stuff to bring or do each cruise.

[NurseMarla]

Hi Silverspringcruiser :)

 

 

 

My answer is slightly outside of the box and really doesn't have anything

 

in common regarding having more fun, however it is has a common aspect

 

concerning the title of your post, 'Stuff you didn't think to do until you were

 

a repeat cruiser'...

 

 

 

After our very 1st voyage 31 years ago, my wife & I wrote down everything

 

we experienced when we got home. From our 2nd voyage on, until the present,

 

we decided to keep cruise journals.

 

 

 

Prior to going to sleep each evening my wife & I discuss the days events and

 

log them.

 

 

 

We have been doing this for over three decades now and have many journals.

 

The strolls down memory lane are wonderful. In some ways more entertaining

 

than the photo's or video we have collected over the years.

 

 

 

Even picking out/purchasing the journal prior to the cruise has become

 

a fun task in itself.

 

 

 

To us, it is another way, an interesting way, to save and also relive the

 

voyage...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:)

 

 

 

I love this! Thank you for such a fantastic idea!

[miataman19]

Some good stuff here. If you do book an excursion try not to book it early, if possible. You avoid the long lines and you can sleep in. Cruise now mostly for the ship's. Probably stay on the ship in port's about 75% of the time, very relaxing and you can interact with the crew a little more.