Next time I cruise I am definitely going to....

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

7 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Please thank you son for his service from those of us on CC.  

 

He loved every minute he was flying.  At first he kept saying, "I can't believe they're paying me to do this!"  He hated his one "desk" job which involved being the air officer on a ship in the Mediterranean.  I guess he didn't inherit my cruise gene.  😁  Mostly he hated being separated from his family for 6 months at a time whenever he was deployed.

[Fogfog]

hmmm

Plan for the ports IF they allow independent excursions.

Do more snorkeling in the ABCs

Only do ship tours of things we haven't seen/done IF they offer small groups (not covid fear--just hate crowds/lines/busses which is why we normally do private tours for historical things etc)

Eat less, walk the decks more. Certainly the stairs 😉

And fingers crossed that we run into crew we have known in the past.

 

 

 

 

[C-Dragons]

55 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

 

And fingers crossed that we run into crew we have known in the past.

Amen! 🤞🏼

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Actually get up out of my chair at the Meet & Greets / Connections and go introduce myself to a few people. So many times, I go, listen, and watch.  But few if any cruisers, including me actually greet one another. 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

8 hours ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

Actually get up out of my chair at the Meet & Greets / Connections and go introduce myself to a few people. So many times, I go, listen, and watch.  But few if any cruisers, including me actually greet one another. 

 

Agree. I usually don't even bother because people sit in their little clumps and just socialize with each other. Probably won't even sign up for them anymore because I don't interrupt conversations and I hate being the awkward one just standing there waiting for someone to notice.

[miched]

9 hours ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

Actually get up out of my chair at the Meet & Greets / Connections and go introduce myself to a few people. So many times, I go, listen, and watch.  But few if any cruisers, including me actually greet one another. 

that is why we don’t bother wasting our time going there.  Everyone grabs a chair and is afraid of losing it because they want a good seat to see the staff tell everyone how grateful they are to have everyone cruising with them. 
 

We tried to talk to others by walking around and most times got the cold shoulder as if we were invading their space, or trying to sell them something.

 

I meet more passengers while getting a drink at a bar or talking to the person next to us in the theater, or standing in line somewhere.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by miched

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

32 minutes ago, miched said:

that is why we don’t bother wasting our time going there.  Everyone grabs a chair and is afraid of losing it because they want a good seat to see the staff tell everyone how grateful they are to have everyone cruising with them. 
 

We tried to talk to others by walking around and most times got the cold shoulder as if we were invading their space, or trying to sell them something.

 

I meet more passengers while getting a drink at a bar or talking to the person next to us in the theater, or standing in line somewhere.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

 

I'm sorry you've had the same cold shoulder experience I've had, but at the same time I'm glad I'm not alone in it.

[Pinboy]

58 minutes ago, miched said:

they want a good seat to see the staff tell everyone how grateful they are to have everyone cruising with them. 

Isn't that the Cruise Director's job the first night in the theater when we also hear :

 " Put your hands together for  ( usually about 15 Officers ) that comes ALL the way from xxx "  and the passengers cheer like crazy.

" You're getting on as Guests, and getting off as Cargo "--- we laugh our asses off at that one--- for the 50th time.

" We have on board  XXX who are celebrating their 14000 day sailing with Celebrity "-- then present a gold plated  medallion worth $ 10.00 US or  $13.35 CAN .

" And , don't forget to read your Daily Activity sheet as we have a variety of special events and programs planned JUST for you to enjoy throughout the cruise "--- Ya hear that, JUST for us !! 

 

 

 

[chemmo]

OP here, I love the way that posts develop and expand but this is a positive post about our (all of us)  next cruising experiences and how we are going to make them the best ever...

 

Can I suggest that if you have issues with Roll Calls you start a new post or redirect your focus to “next time I cruise I will enhance the experience by....re Roll Calls...”

[Von & John]

@chemmo

Thanks for this thread...
I enjoyed & followed the original thread & I am now re-reading, as we prepare for our first cruise since Celebrity cancelled our 03/15/20 cruise, less than 24 hours before embarkation.

Truly looking forward to being back on the water in March!

Cheers  --  Von

[chemmo]

2 hours ago, Von & John said:

@chemmo

Thanks for this thread...
I enjoyed & followed the original thread & I am now re-reading, as we prepare for our first cruise since Celebrity cancelled our 03/15/20 cruise, less than 24 hours before embarkation.

Truly looking forward to being back on the water in March!

Cheers  --  Von

Sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

 

We finally got to cruise in September 2021 doing a UK staycation.  Not exactly the cruise we had planned but we did have a fantastic time! 
 

We did do some of the special things we had planned but we missed out on excursions and really missed being able to properly socialise with others…So next cruise (October 2022) we still have lots of things to look forward to!

 

 

 

[Fogfog]

Getting on a ship in the near future and so looking fwd to it.

With capacity limited, it will be interesting to see if folks socialize or are more isolated

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, Fogfog said:

Getting on a ship in the near future and so looking fwd to it.

With capacity limited, it will be interesting to see if folks socialize or are more isolated

At the time we cruised from the UK there was no sharing tables (restaurants or bars) unless you were a linked group. It did add to our feeling of safety and we did manage still to chat to others in passing. In particular we enjoyed both the sunset bar and retreat deck for mixing. Whilst we couldn’t join tables we could talk back and forwards. However, it was unlike previous cruises where we have joined others for pre and post dinner drinks. I think things are more relaxed in the Caribbean than they were on our cruise.

 

We were fortunate that our son and GF were with us so we did have company….

 

Hope you have a great cruise!

[davekathy]

13 hours ago, Von & John said:

@chemmo

Thanks for this thread...
I enjoyed & followed the original thread & I am now re-reading, as we prepare for our first cruise since Celebrity cancelled our 03/15/20 cruise, less than 24 hours before embarkation.

Truly looking forward to being back on the water in March!

Cheers  --  Von

Bon Voyage...🥂

[happy cruzer]

On 8/5/2020 at 4:58 PM, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Stay up past 10:00 PM and sleep to at least 8:00 AM.

You got may plan.  I think I will try to nap from 3 to 5 or so to make it past 10pm.

 

Always have a great time late in the evening which is not our normal routine at home.

[Von & John]

On 1/24/2022 at 11:04 PM, chemmo said:

Sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

 

We finally got to cruise in September 2021 doing a UK staycation.  Not exactly the cruise we had planned but we did have a fantastic time! 
 

We did do some of the special things we had planned but we missed out on excursions and really missed being able to properly socialise with others…So next cruise (October 2022) we still have lots of things to look forward to!

 

 

 

 

Thanks  --  our cruise will be similar, just a short 10-day Caribbean cruise...
Embarking in Tampa - we've been to all the ports previously & are looking forward to the sun, warmth & being back on the water!!!!

[Von & John]

On 1/25/2022 at 4:28 AM, Fogfog said:

Getting on a ship in the near future and so looking fwd to it.

With capacity limited, it will be interesting to see if folks socialize or are more isolated

 

Where are you headed?

Or are you like us & for this cruise - we are just excited to actually be going on a vacation & looking forward to the sun, warmth & open water?

Speaking of open water - we will be enjoying our first ever aft-facing cabin - so excited!!!
We plan on spending quality time watching the wake w/ cocktail in hand 😎

[calicakes]

5 hours ago, happy cruzer said:

You got may plan.  I think I will try to nap from 3 to 5 or so to make it past 10pm.

 

Always have a great time late in the evening which is not our normal routine at home.

We're cruising Oceania next month.  Dinner doesn't begin until 6:30.  At home, we're usually finished eating by 5:30, upstairs watching tv by 6:30 and asleep by 9pm( and up at 6am).  My wife and I were just talking about how we'll have to change our routine.  At home, our 2 big standard poodles get us up between 6-630 for their morning dog park play date.  

[Fogfog]

12 minutes ago, Von & John said:

 

Where are you headed?

Or are you like us & for this cruise - we are just excited to actually be going on a vacation & looking forward to the sun, warmth & open water?

Speaking of open water - we will be enjoying our first ever aft-facing cabin - so excited!!!
We plan on spending quality time watching the wake w/ cocktail in hand 😎

Like you, We feel the ship is the destination as we have sailed the ports before.

Will get off if we want a change of scenery. Some places we have favs for a drink etc

Sun, Vitamin Sea are the plan. Will enjoy the super low capacity, such a rare opportunity

[chemmo]

16 minutes ago, Von & John said:

 

Thanks  --  our cruise will be similar, just a short 10-day Caribbean cruise...
Embarking in Tampa - we've been to all the ports previously & are looking forward to the sun, warmth & being back on the water!!!!

For us, after a quite strict staying at home, the blessings of being back on a ship were wonderful. Apart from the obvious sights, sounds and smells of the sea it was just wonderful to not cook, clean, tidy….
 

Definitely not an itinerary we would normally choose and to be fair (for the UK) the weather was fine…Sunny in Dover, cloudy in Liverpool and it drizzled in Belfast but who cares!

 

As you say just great to be back on the water! We did splurge on the PH as our son and GF joined us. Just so nice to have quality time together. It went so well we have future Silhouette cruises booked for October 2022 to the Canary Islands and March 2023 in the Caribbean. 
 

We continue to always look at ways to enhance our (and others) experience (the reason for the original post). Much easier with our son’s GF on board as she is a new cruiser and on Silhouette we saw the ship through new eyes…So many aspects of the cruise experience we had started to take for granted….

 

Again, sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

[chemmo]

5 hours ago, happy cruzer said:

You got may plan.  I think I will try to nap from 3 to 5 or so to make it past 10pm.

 

Always have a great time late in the evening which is not our normal routine at home.

i guess that is what is so good about cruising, it is not your normal routine….

 

We do generally ‘nap/read’ between 2 and 4pm and then come slowly around as afternoon tea is delivered. We have sometimes thought that if the butler did not ‘knock’ we could still be asleep after our booked dining time….We will blame the sea air rather than the alcohol package!

[zitsky]

Go to every single one of the entertainment options because my partner said yesterday that I don't go to any of them.  (BS)

[chemmo]

38 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

Like you, We feel the ship is the destination as we have sailed the ports before.

Will get off if we want a change of scenery. Some places we have favs for a drink etc

Sun, Vitamin Sea are the plan. Will enjoy the super low capacity, such a rare opportunity

Hope you have a great cruise.
 

When we were on silhouette service was wonderful, safety standards were adhered to and we fully enjoyed our cruise.

 

There wasn’t as much mixing as normal but obviously for a reason…As you say the low capacity does reduce numbers but remember numbers for events/venues are limited too so if you want to book speciality restaurants etc I suggest you either pre book or book on boarding.