What did you think of your very first cruise?

[bride93006]

I've never cruised before and am probably going to cruise for my HM coming up in October. I simply have no idea what to expect! I've seen a lot of pictures of the cruise ships, but can't really fathom a boat that big!

If we decide to book, we'll be sailing on the Mariner to the Caribbean.

 

Anyone want to share what you thought of your first cruise? I've read so much on these boards and have received a lot of good info., but it's all so overwhelming!!!

 

The only thing I am a little concerned about is motion on the ship and seasickness! I've never been motion sick before, but get a headache if I ride in the back of a car at night. I've been on a steam and speed boats before and gotten a very little bit nauseous. I guess I'm just worried that I'll be able to feel the ship move a lot and cause me to feel sick. I'm sure this is a typical worry of first-time cruisers!! I don't want that worry to ruin my HM!!

 

Any advice and help will be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

[Schasz]

In June we will be taking our 6th cruise on the AOS since we moved to Florida. We were hooked from the start and we have had a wonderful time on each and every cruise vacation. As to motion sickness, you would be asking the wrong people because we never get sick and we have been in some rough seas. Bring some motion sickness medication with you and enjoy yourself.

 

John & Shari

[KarinaGW]

My very first cruise was on the Big Red Boat (the Oceanic version). It was a very traditional ship (and once when it was docked next the Disney Magic (which had just come out), it looked like it had been miniaturzed). We had a ball on her, but it was a ship in which you definitely felt the movement. On the second night, we had to skirt a hurricane and pretty much everybody but a few of us hardy souls took to their cabins. I, however, was the hardiest (perhaps stupidest is the word we're looking for) and went out on deck. I ADORE storms. There was nobody out there but me and...on a platform outside the bridge...the Captain. We caught each others eyes and grinned. The next morning, we happened to pass by each other and he swept off his hat and bowed to me. Very cool. Puzzled the heck out of everyone else.....

[renata102]

My first cruise was awesome. Was just 21 with my boyfiend (now my husband)! we had the time of our lives. no sea sickness and in all my cruises had it one night when there were three hurricanes riding the Atlantic Ocean (one near by us !!!) but they do a great job, and make sure you are safe! I keep going back and back! we are going again and planning another one in March!:eek:

Jsut keep an open mind!

[wrp96]

It was terrible. It was so horrible that I turned right around and booked another cruise. I've been on 7 with 3 more booked.

 

My first impression was driving up to the ship. I was just in awe because it was so big and beautiful. Then you get onboard and it's just as awe inspiring inside. We went to dinner and the waiter and head waiter fawned over us. The water was just so clear and blue. Everything was amazing.

[Pradagal]

My first cruise was a graduation gift on the "Song of America"RCC. Went with Mom and Dad and my grandparents. Had a great time!! St. Thomas, Nassau, San Juan.Was spoiled the whole time, as a 18 year old it was heaven met lots of young people,partied in the Disco(yes it was a disco),drank champagne everynight(not too much).

Have passed on the love of cruising to my husband and my children.

It is truly a special way to vacation. Enjoy yourself!!:)

[BearySweet2Cruise]

Our 1st cruise was a honeymoon cruise on Mariner, was wonderful.... DH prefers to not leave Florida, (born and raised here) but did have a good time... I sail without him and take the kids. 2nd was sovereigm just dd and I, and I have 5 more booked... so it was obviously a great experience!!:):)

OH P.S.>> Hubby agreed to a 3 nighter with me for our anniversary in April next year.. :)

[tkportersat]

Overwhelmed! So much to do, it was hard to decide. I had to go on more cruises just so I could try all the things I missed on the trip before :)

[wrp96]

Overwhelmed! So much to do, it was hard to decide. I had to go on more cruises just so I could try all the things I missed on the trip before :)

 

I'm still trying to ketchup on all the things I missed the first time. They keep adding more things so I can't. Oh well, guess I'll just have to keep on cruising.

[starq1]

I didn't like mine, but I think that was because it was with CCL. We sailed out of LA and I believe it was the elation??? Thats how much I liked it, I forgot the ship. But anyway, it was dirty and the food was horrible and the time of year we went it was really humid(I know not the cruiselines fault) But it made for a miserable time.

 

But last year my cousin was considering RCI and talked me into it! And boy am I glad she did!!! We had the time of our lives and can't wait to go back for more. We currently have three more in the works and if DH can manage the time off I am considering going back to Mexico but not during the summer months! IMO, Royal Caribbean is the best and I will never try CCL again. I thought about it, only for a minute though.

[caribbean dreams]

It was unlike any vacation i had ever had, i wasn't even off the ship and was planning where to cruise to next.

[Ekaj]

Our first cruise was for our honeymoon, too - in October! ;)

 

It was the perfect vacation for us. We actually did a transatlantic cruise on Splendour of the Seas, which was great b/c we were exhausted from planning our wedding, and had a lot of time to just relax during the at sea days. You will have a wonderful time - don't be overwhelmed, just enjoy it! We didn't know a thing about cruising, and had no idea there was even a CC message board, so we just went into it without any expectations - and had a blast! :D

[Guest cruzr44]

bride - I'm like you when it comes to motion. I take Bonine starting the morning of the cruise. It does not affect me in any way, even when I have a cocktail or two. On my first cruise I did not know about Bonine (or Cruise Critic) and felt that headache coming on when I was very aft or very forward, but the feeling went away if I walked away from those points. The seas were a little rough. You will probably be fine but if you are considering taking Bonine you may want to try it before you leave to see if it has any affect on you.

 

What I learned after my first cruise was to read the daily "Cruise Compass" and hi-lite things you want to do. It is full of other information too. Like others say, you will be in awe at the site of "your" ship and just wait, if you think the outside makes your jaw drop, wait until you are onboard! I'm sure you have already read that if you book a cruise while onboard you will get a nice ship board credit for that newly booked cruise.

 

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage and you will have a wonderful time on a cruise.

[Radio Head]

It was unlike any vacation i had ever had, i wasn't even off the ship and was planning where to cruise to next.

 

Ditto!

I'm hooked, and so is my family. We used to go the beach for a week. My husband's exact words, two hours after boarding (before we even set sail) were, "Screw the beach." :D

[Janice M]

Taking a cruise was a long time dream. Finally we did the Norweigian Wind to Alaska. It was great and I thought I had my cruise. Then our TA called and said he had a deal for Costa western Caribbean. We did that one and it was very nice and I thought thats it. Then DH saw the Voyager on the Travel channel, so we booked another cruise on the Navigator. The Navigator of the Seas got us hooked. Since then we have been doing 2 a year. As far as motion sickness it does not bother us. We have had some very rough seas at times. Cruising a the best way to vacation. The ships are beautiful. The food is fine for us and you can't beat being treated like royalty. Book your cruise. You will love it. The worst thing about cruising is the time flies by so fast.

 

Jan

[Esmerelda]

Wow...my first cruise was 4 days on the Sensation in Sept of 01. Being a single mom at that time, I must say I was hesitant. We booked it two weeks out so it was truly a last minute thing! My boys at the time were 6 and 9.5 yrs old. They absolutely had a super time! We had no issues with sea sickness at all. Their only complaint was it was not long enough ;). Well, naturally our next one together was 7 days. I have been on two more since then..my last one being a honeymoon last May (yes, I met my prince even online if you can believe!).

 

We are now booked on the Freedom for next summer and my boys have no idea and this will be our first RCCL. :) Cruising is absolutely the way to vacation to us. My husband's first cruise was our honeymoon and he cannot wait to go back again. We plan our next one before our one in progress is even here. The nice thing about cruising is you can do tons of things on or off the ships..or you can do absolutely nothing but sit by the pool and read/sleep if you chose! That's what makes it so fun to us. The choices are endless.

 

best of luck,

Esmerelda

[cookie1961]

Hi there,

 

Our first cruise in March 2003 and we were on Radiance. As we pulled up to the ship I was truly in awe. I could not believe how big and beautiful she was.

 

Our cruise was a 7 day Southern Caribbean cruise that started in San Juan. It was very port intensive and we were on the go all the time. I felt we had to enjoy every port, so it was to bed early and rise early. We were so busy in the ports that we really didn't get to explore as much of the ship as I would have loved. After that cruise, I learned that it's ok if I don't see everything this time around, there is always next time :)

 

On last cruise was on Galaxy last December and it was NOT port intensive. I couldn't believe how relaxed I was and I really got to explore the ship a lot. We have two more cruises booked and I plan to do what I want, when I want. If that means not visiting a port on a particular cruise then it just means I will have to return some day :) We did have one really rough day at sea. We found that sitting by the pool area and looking out into the horizon really helped. Although you saw the ship rocking and rolling, you never really felt it.

 

Remember it's your holiday and YOU set the pace. I learned the hard way but now I will do as I like.

 

Congratulations on your marriage and I am certain you will have an awesome time on your honeymoon :)

 

Teri

[Laurie12820]

My first cruise was on the Nordic Empress (Empress of the Seas) back in 2002. I loved her so much that my Fiance and I are going on her for our Honeymoon! I know I have no other ships to compare her to as she was my one and only cruise so far, but I was addicted from the moment I walked on the ship. The only kind of vacations I want to take now are cruises! She is their smallest ship, but yet I didn't feel any movement, that was until we sailed through a storm. The movement became so much that the pool was sloshing so hard that there were 6 ft. waves in it! Other than that, I felt no movement. If you are afraid of getting sea sick, bring along some Dramamine! :)

[SunnieD]

My first was on the Serenade of theSeas, Souther Caribbean Route. I went with my mother and we are hooked. We now are going in 3 weeks:D and taking the entire family with us on the Grandeur. Not the ship I would hae chosen, but we can drive to the port. I am so excited. I did all of the ports and Mom stayed on the ship a lot. We both had a wonderful time. You will love it. I can't wait until March and DH and I can cruise alone.:p

[AuntieBon]

My first cruise was to Canada out of Boston in 2000. The ship was many hours late arriving and then never left the port. I got to experience all the shows, food and activities (except gambling). I got $100 for the ship being late, 50% off a future cruise and full refund after spending 2 days on board. I'm now booked on my 8,9 and 10th cruise and have never looked back :D

[heartofamerica]

I've never cruised before and am probably going to cruise for my HM coming up in October. I simply have no idea what to expect! I've seen a lot of pictures of the cruise ships, but can't really fathom a boat that big!

If we decide to book, we'll be sailing on the Mariner to the Caribbean.

 

Anyone want to share what you thought of your first cruise? I've read so much on these boards and have received a lot of good info., but it's all so overwhelming!!!

 

The only thing I am a little concerned about is motion on the ship and seasickness! I've never been motion sick before, but get a headache if I ride in the back of a car at night. I've been on a steam and speed boats before and gotten a very little bit nauseous. I guess I'm just worried that I'll be able to feel the ship move a lot and cause me to feel sick. I'm sure this is a typical worry of first-time cruisers!! I don't want that worry to ruin my HM!!

 

Any advice and help will be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

My first cruise was on the Celebrity Horizon (about half the size of the Mariner). I wasn't sure if I was going to like it...but as we left port, I was on the top deck with a good cigar, a gin and tonic...the band playing and people dancing by the pool...I decided that this might not be so bad after all. I was also worried about seasickness...I can only say two words...Ginger pills. Never had a problem, and this despite a slightly rough (for the Caribbean) sea. I was wowed by the Horizon, but I was blown over by the Serenade...you won't feel like you are on a ship on RCL...they are like the most beautiful hotel you've ever been in. The size of the ship also means that you'll feel less motion. Don't let the worries about those things bother you...just get on board, relax....and enjoy.

[Sailing Grandma]

My first cruise was in Sept. of 2004 along the coast of Norway on the Nord Norge of the Hurtengruten Line, which is very small ship in comparison to RCCL ships. Our first night out we had gale force winds and 25 ft. waves. As we lay in bed, holding on to the sides to keep from falling out, we could hear things sliding around the room. Many people were sick, but I had taken a Dramamine and made it through the night. It was an exciting cruise in that the ship carried local passengers and delivered cargo to isolated villages along the fjords and the scenery was beautiful.

 

My first RCCL cruise was on the Serenade of the Seas on the southern Caribbean route and it hooked me on cruising. We have since been on the Voyager and the Empress and had wonderful cruises, but the Serenade is by far our favorite ship - just the right size with all the glass to see the ocean, and we enjoy the open deck at the back of the Windjammer to be able to eat outside.

 

I am prone to motion sickness, but taking Dramamine helps me through it and it does not spoil my cruise. I think I notice the motion most in the theater because it is at the front of the ship. We are looking forward to our next cruise on the Legend in December.

 

Bride93006, I'm sure you will get hooked on criusing just as we all have.

[Nliedel]

I was hooked from the very first moment. It was in the early 80's. The ship seemed so big to me, now they could use it as a lifeboat! There was more food then and the service was better (it really was), but now cruising is open to a much larger market and I love that. I paid less for my last cruise than I did for my first.

[turbosol16]

My fiance and I took our first cruise on May 29th last year to Bermuda. It was a 5 night cruise on the Voyager of the Seas. We really didn't know what to expect going into it but I figured for the money it was better then just going to Florida again. She was worried about getting sea sick but we went to our doctors and got a patch that you wear behind your ear and we didn't have any problems at all. I really cant say enough good stuff about the ship and our experience. It was probably the best vacation we have ever been on.

[jst4fun715]

Our first cruise was on the Enchantment in 2001 to the Eastern Caribbean. I had always wanted to see St Thomas so at first, the ship was the means to get there. However, when we got to the dock and boarded the ship, our whole attitude changed. I couldn't believe how beautiful the ship was and the dining room experience was wonderful. I don't have the occasion to "dress up" much and truly enjoyed the formal nights. The 7 days went by way too quickly. The next year we booked a cruise on Celebrity with 12 family and friends and again had a great time, but I do prefer the RCI ships. We just booked the Voyager for a cruise in the Med for Oct 07.

BTW, my son and DIL went on their first cruise last Jan. I had made up a "cruise basket" for them for Christmas and included some Bonine for seasickness just in case. As it turned out, my DIL did feel the motion a bit so she took the Bonine, one in the morning and one at night and felt fine for the rest of the cruise.

Have a wonderful wedding and honeymoon!:D