Been on more cruises than most…?

[FoghornLeghorn]

What I've learned:

 

*Take some time to just relax and watch the ocean from your balcony or one of the decks with lounge chairs

 

*Try something new at dinner

 

*Have lunch or breakfast in the dining room a few times

 

*Research your ports - history, excursions, places to visit

 

*Take advantage of self-service laundry or laundry service, and don't pack as much

 

*At the beginning of the cruise, spend some time checking out all the decks and areas. Some you'll want to visit again and again.

 

*Before you go, study the deck plans of your ship. I make a calendar for the back of the door and include directions for places I will frequent....

Dining room: Deck 6 Aft

Casino: Deck 5 midship

ETC

Helps me when I'm leaving the cabin to know where to go

 

*Use Cruise Critic! Join your Roll Call, read about your ports of call, departure areas, reviews of your ship.

The advice here is "priceless" :)

[biker@sea]

If you can cruise last minute .

Keep checking prices day and night .

I found a cruise price slashed in half at 10:30 pm I booked it and boarded the next morning at 10:30 am .:D

Edited July 26, 2014 by biker@sea

[PoppyandNana]

If you can cruise last minute .

Keep checking prices day and night .

I found a cruise price slashed in half at 10:30 pm I booked it and boarded the next morning at 10:30 am .:D

 

How far back was this? Today doesn't the cruise line have to submit a manifest to I think Homeland Security no later than three days before sailing?

[biker@sea]

How far back was this? Today doesn't the cruise line have to submit a manifest to I think Homeland Security no later than three days before sailing?

 

Sept 2013 .

 

I also booked Wens July 9th 2014 and sailed July 11th 2014 .

[pris993]

We have 50+ cruises on 9 different cruise lines over past 30+ years.

 

We have learned to pay attention to day of the week for each port and port times, in selecting a cruise. We also take in to consideration local holidays. Port days on Sunday and Monday often will find not much open. Local holidays can be a plus or minus, depending on what you want to do.

[tbbtravels]

I have cruised 6 times (baby at this) but

I learned I need more than 1 pair of readers. Was already bringing 2 pairs of sun glasses and a repair kit, but only cruised with one pair of readers. Left them in the main dinning room on the first night and it took days to find them. Long story......and they weren't taken to lost and found

 

Also take a small flash light for the cabin. The cabins - especially interiors are dark in the middle of the night. Like a cave.

 

Ditto on over packing. Can stress you out trying to pack it all and you really don't wear all of it. I was one of those for my first cruise that took a 29inch suitcase for a 3 day. LOL Now, I pack less and take a travel size of detergent and softener. Haven't needed to use them but that weighs less than extra outfits.

Edited July 29, 2014 by tbbtravels

[Host Anne]

Yuba ~ quick note. I meant to quote your last post and accidentally overwrote it. Sorry for the note on the guidelines. The challenge with message boards is that sometimes things come across differently than one means them to.

[Host Anne]

One other quick note. When this thread began, our London Editor did not have that designation under their screen name so it created a bit of confusion as to who was asking the question originally. That has been corrected and you now see the title with the name.

 

Sorry for the confusion....back to suggestions....

[Whateverfloats]

I've cruised 167 times since 1991. Mostly on Carnival. When you pick a cabin think of your needs. Going to Alaska and bothered by 20 hours light? Maybe you want an inside cabin. Going to Hawaii and want to make the most of early morning breezes? maybe you want a balcony . Your needs will be different on each cruise. Don't go by public opinion.

[Jokeman]

We’re looking for Cruise Critic’s top cruising tips to share with new cruisers. We’d love to hear how many times you’ve cruised, when you learnt your tip, and what your tip is:

 

“I’ve cruised xx times, and on my xx cruise, I learnt __________________!”

 

Thank you!

 

Do you mean learned? What I have done is to tip some at the beginning of the cruise and the rest at the end.

[VixbCC]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - I really appreciate them! Please keep them coming.

 

Thank you!

[DesertPesce7751]

Know that you're allowed to skip the photo sessions but ALWAYS be kind to the crew photographers--don't just ignore.

 

Bring a waterbottle or reusable cup (those kinds with the straws) because the water cups/glasses around the ship are VERY small and you can easily get dehydrated. (however, DO NOT fill the water bottle right out of the tap--it's not sanitary).

 

Bring your swimsuit and pool shoes in whatever bag you carry onto the ship. It might be a while until you can get into your room and the lido buffet is very crowded.

 

Bring a box of zip lock bags for snacks, seashells, or anything else you might need.

Edited August 17, 2014 by DesertPesce7751

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

When I am home I read CC every day .

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[dancinman66]

Find one bar early you like and stick to it

Making friends with bar staff can be fun plus better drinks at times

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[happycruiser1979]

We’re looking for Cruise Critic’s top cruising tips to share with new cruisers. We’d love to hear how many times you’ve cruised, when you learnt your tip, and what your tip is:

 

“I’ve cruised xx times, and on my xx cruise, I learnt __________________!”

 

Thank you!

 

I've cruised 17 times, and on my 13th cruise, I learned that my luggage bags can fit under the beds! :) It took our butler on NCL's Epic in the Haven to tell us. Where was all our other concierge and butler's from past cruises when we needed more space! Sigh.

[ChicoLoco]

Hi Karen,

I'm planning on a Carribean cruise. This trip would be my second time, and my husband's first time. In your opinion, which cruise line do you think would be the best for a Carribean cruise. The last cruise was about 12 years ago, and it was on one of the Carnival cruise lines. I'd like to try another ship this time. I have the Southern Carribean in mind because I would love to see Turks and Caicos. :-)

Cheers,

Colleen:-)

[dancinman66]

I've cruised 17 times, and on my 13th cruise, I learned that my luggage bags can fit under the beds! :) It took our butler on NCL's Epic in the Haven to tell us. Where was all our other concierge and butler's from past cruises when we needed more space! Sigh.

 

 

Your quicker than me by a long shot

Had to lift bed to push under but took me a while to figure that and to move the quilt

Guess I'm just slow :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[happycruiser1979]

Your quicker than me by a long shot

Had to lift bed to push under but took me a while to figure that and to move the quilt

Guess I'm just slow :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

But if I hadn't been told... I'd still be stuffing them in the closet and behind the curtain next to the balcony door. LOL! :)

[dancinman66]

I still do that sometimes because I forget hehe

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[happycruiser1979]

I still do that sometimes because I forget hehe

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

:) no shame there.

[marshhawk]

7 cruises as an adult. One line (so far)

2 sailings on a windjammer ship. (same ship)

Disconnect from your normal life. Turn off the phones the tv the computer-and become a cruiser. Enjoy the sound of the sea, forget about your land problems, let go of saying "I cant'" and just do. You would be amazed at how you will feel about yourself when you disembark. This is why so many people book within a week after getting off a ship.:) You do become a new person.

Edited November 1, 2014 by marshhawk

[luckycruzer]

lerned much from here, b4 here, on my own

[cheers55]

I have been on 16 cruises , all with RCI. ( will never try anyone else because of all the perks of a diamond member and it's hard to imagine a better time on another cruise line)

 

Always pack more hangers, never enough in the cabins.

Don't overpack, need room for things you buy ashore.

Get to the shows early for a good seat.

Try and book a cabin close to an elevator for easier access to the excitement. You find yourself constantly running back to the cabin for your camera, sun tan lotion, sun glasses, water shoes, whatever.....

A balcony is nice but over rated imo, it truly depends on you. If your always on the go you will only sleep in your room and won't get your money's worth from a balcony.

Be careful abroad, do your homework. Definitely do the things you want to do on the islands or ports but read up on the recommendations for each island for transportation and what to do and not to do. There are a lot of desperate people on some of the islands you will visit so you want to be mindful of that, your not in Kansas anymore. 😄

 

There's a few, thanks

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[wslavin]

How far back was this? Today doesn't the cruise line have to submit a manifest to I think Homeland Security no later than three days before sailing?

 

Boarding stops about an hour before ship is scheduled to leave. The manifest is then compiled and handed into homeland security. It can only be put together then because the list of people who actually made it on the ship may be shorter than the list of people who actually booked the cruise. This may happen because a person is stuck at an airport because of bad weather or a person wad denied boarding because of expired passport or wrong papers or a list of others reasons.

 

 

 

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[lipping larry]

i take a digital alarm clock...clear plastic shoe bag for bathroom door clips for window covering cruise critic sign on magnetic sheet