Once on the ship

[Fish66]

Just wondering what is the first thing you do when you board the ship after checking in etc

Do you go to ur cabin and unload suitcase, go have a look around, go eat, or go searching for the coffee cards or booking a spa???

Just curious..

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just wondering what is the first thing you do when you board the ship after checking in etc

Do you go to ur cabin and unload suitcase, go have a look around, go eat, or go searching for the coffee cards or booking a spa???

Just curious..

 

It depends if your cabin is ready. If you board early the cabins may not be released till say 2pm , so you are directed to the buffet, lounges or poolside. You are free to wander and explore at will , but best to keep away from the cabins until they are ready as the stewards will be busy.

Boarding day is usually pretty hectic as it full of lost souls wandering around trying to work out where everything is. Also some of the lifts will be out of action as the staff use them to deliver luggage to your cabin.

It can be a bit off putting, but the next day will be quite different. Everyone will have settled in and you will be asking ...Where is everyone?

[Esilef]

If possible I like to go to the cabin first otherwise I go to the buffet & explore the ship.

 

First day is full of excitement & just exploring

[Fish66]

I'll proberly go to the cafe and buy my card and just relax til my cabins ready

How do you know when it's ready

If you are no where near it ?

I certainly won't be hovering around outside waiting !!

[icat2000]

Find Cabin, Find Food, Find a drink. Sit down. Maybe go back to unpack before muster.

[NSWP]

Don't waste time sitting in your cabin, often waiting for hours for your bags to arrive. Once aboard, if cabin ready, get in there, drop your cabin bag, off to explore the ship and sample the delights of the buffet. Although on some ships, e.g. Princess and P&O UK the MDR is open for embarkation day lunch for a limited time. But don't worry on embarkation day there is food available in the buffets until late afternoon.

 

Above all enjoy !!

Edited January 28, 2016 by NSWP

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I'll proberly go to the cafe and buy my card and just relax til my cabins ready

How do you know when it's ready

If you are no where near it ?

I certainly won't be hovering around outside waiting !!

 

It is usually announced over the speaker system, or you will be told that they will be ready at ...whenever.

[Wastegirl]

• Drop bag off in room if ready
  
• Also if room ready ring MDR to book dinner that night to get the time I want if I have Anytime Dining
  
• Up to the Buffet for a quick bite of lunch
  
• Back to our room and unpack our carry on and freshen up
  
• To a bar carrying our Daily Newsletter to peruse
  
• Attend Muster Drill
  
• Head up on deck for Sailaway
  
• Back to our Stateroom and usually bags have arrived - unpack (doesn't take us long we are not big packers)
  
• Usually the shops are open by then - go to the Duty Free because depending on the cruise line some types of alcohol sell out very early in the cruise and my husband always wants to restock his Jack Daniels
  
• If time stop for a Pre Dinner drink - check out the drinks packages vs drinks prices and whether it is worth it
  
• Back to Stateroom to change for Dinner
  
• Off to dinner and the rest of the evening
  

 

I'm exhausted just thinking about it :D

[avalon007]

We always board early as we are able to do so as loyalty club members, so the cabins are never ready when we board & thus we try to take on as little carry on luggage as possible.

 

Depending on if we have been on the ship before or not we either have a wander or find a quiet corner to sit & relax until noon. We then head off to either the buffet or a cafe & have a nice simple lunch before it gets packed out.

 

As soon as the cabin is ready we dump our hand luggage & go up on deck to enjoy the view & have a relaxing drink to get over the long travelling day to Sydney we had the day before.

 

First days on board passengers are usually a little less organised due to new cruisers etc getting used to how things work & where things are, but if you are experienced you know to avoid the central lifts, peak times in the buffet etc & instead find alternatives to avoiding any traffic jams.;)

 

I always study the ship floor plans before boarding a ship new to us anyway - so I at least have some idea what is on offer & where to find it, I dislike being clueless.

[joybook]

We will probably drop some stuff off in our cabin and then as it is usually around lunchtime will head up to the buffet for lunch and on the way will purchase our coffee cards. After a quick bite we will probably just have a wander around the ship to get a feel for things.:)

[OzKiwiJJ]

We like to board as early as we can.

 

On Princess we go straight to our cabin to drop our carry-ons, then up to the Sanctuary to book that, then to the MDR for lunch. On Celebrity we had lunch at Bistro on Five, as the cabins weren't ready. On RCI we had lunch in the buffet.

 

After lunch we go to our cabin and unpack what we can, then head out for a drink. We like to get our unpacking done before the muster drill but it all depends on when our bags arrive. We've been lucky so far.

 

Depending on the timing of the muster drill and sailaway, we either go up on deck for sailaway or change for dinner first (we always have the late dinner sitting). This is usually the time I start relaxing :D

Edited January 29, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[MicCanberra]

Depends on the time, if earlier, then Lunch first, if a bit later cabin first.:D

[clairebearinaus]

Cabin bag drop then straight to the buffet terrace for food and a champagne :)

 

Though next cruise I'll want everyone to have access to each other's rooms so will pounce on Passenger Services Desk if it's looking quiet.

[MicCanberra]

Cabin bag drop then straight to the buffet terrace for food and a champagne :)

 

Though next cruise I'll want everyone to have access to each other's rooms so will pounce on Passenger Services Desk if it's looking quiet.

 

Why would you think they will give you access to everyone's room? :p

Edited January 29, 2016 by MicCanberra

[CoopColbie]

Once onboard I head to my cabin (if ready) or go find some food and a champers! I'll book dinner (I like to do a specialty dining place the first night) and a drinks package (or look at the cost of upgrading). Then I'll check out the spa for some specials and make a booking. Also, if the ship is new to me, I'll check out the various bars to see which one will be our 'local haunt'.

[clairebearinaus]

Why would you think they will give you access to everyone's room? :p

 

Ha a good reminder to think more, talk/write less, something I nag my kids about every day!

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Once on-board we head to our cabin (if ready) then go and get some lunch then go and explore the ship, then we unpack.

 

Some times we explore the ship, then get lunch, then we unpack.

[MicCanberra]

Ha a good reminder to think more, talk/write less, something I nag my kids about every day!

 

LOL, I thought you may be the Head Cabin inspector or something like that.:cool:

 

Always good to hit the service desk when it is empty.:D

[aussielozzie18]

We had straight for the open top deck for the obligatory photo of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Then we check if our cabin is ready. Then we take a few photos from our balcony. Then we head to the Windjammer for a drink and a bite to eat (if we can get a table). Then its usually time for muster drill.

[GUT2407]

If I haven't ore purchased get my soft drink package.

 

Then get my first Diet Coke.

 

After that it depends in what time we boarded and what line we're on.

 

If our cabin is ready, dump out carry on.

 

Then maybe lunch depending on time.

 

Then

 

Go to the top deck and work our way down, at the very least the public areas (sometimes every deck) and work our way aft to stern and back, getting o know the ship. At least a little, a but of a ritual we go through.

[Aus Traveller]

Currently we sail on Princess. First thing is to put our hand luggage into our cabin and meet our cabin steward. Then we go for a leisurely lunch in the dining room. Back to the cabin. If our luggage has arrived (rather unlikely this early) I start to unpack. Maybe then its time for Muster Drill, then sailaway. Fit the unpacking for two somewhere in before dinner.:D

[Kinkacruiser]

No need for exploring the ship as Princess loyals, so we locate our cabin and unpack the carry-ons.

Then it's up to the HC for lunch and buy any packages we fancy. After lunch, I head back to the cabin to unpack before muster. After muster, it's dancing time at the sailaway party.

 

......gee, I'm getting more excited by the minute!

Edited January 29, 2016 by Kinkacruiser

[GUT2407]

No need for exploring the ship as Princess loyals, so we locate our cabin and unpack the carry-ons.

Then it's up to the HC for lunch and buy any packages we fancy. After lunch, I head back to the cabin to unpack before muster. After muster, it's dancing time at the sailaway party.

 

......gee, I'm getting more excited by the minute!

 

We're pretty Princess loyal too.

 

But seldom the same ship and normally need a quick refresher.

 

Yuck you said Muster, though I must admit our last was the best we've ever experienced.

[Pushka]

We usually get on early. Last cruise on Celebrity because we had a great Aqua deal I think we were in the first batch even though the waiting room was packed due to Noro. This was in Barcelona. We arrived at the new time of 1.30 while clearly others arrived at 11 and just waited. But we were called immediately. I imagine the dagger looks we got. This time we are on an Alaskan landtour and we arrive to the ship at around 4pm! I will be a bit antsy not being onboard earlier. But we arrive by boat across Prince William sound so should be speccy. Our luggage should be there already as we had to hand it over five days earlier! But guessing we will grab our first drink, muster, sailaway then eat. A busy day. But someone else in control of when we arrive.

[MicCanberra]

I like to avoid the buffet so my lunch ashore, go to a specialty restaurant or MDR if open for lunch.:D