Where is the Best Place to Be During the Promenade Parades?

[MrPete]

At ground level? I see there are some catwalks in some pix I have seen.

Does anyone use them?

 

Does it get crowded during these? Are the daily? If so, what time?

[Ocean Boy]

The best place is probably right at ground level on the Promenade. If you have a PR cabin that would probably be ok but I think having a lot of the sounds blocked out would detract from the event.

 

There are areas on the various decks where you can look down on the Promenade and I guess they would give you a different perspective. I have never tried viewing from those areas. I would recommend getting to the Promenade a bit before the scheduled start time. This is one of the few times when the Promenade gets very crowded and unless you are tall most of your view can be blocked by other people.

 

There are two perades during the week. I think they were the first and last nights of the cruise but I really am not sure about that. The first one was at around 10:45 in the evening. The second was around 5:30 PM just before the first dinner seating. I believe this was true on both Explorer and Mariner.

[raytownlady]

Last year we met some friends at the Promanade Cafe for cookies after dinner and since it was so close to the time for the parade to begin we just hung out there. It was an awesome spot to watch the parade as the stairs where they come up were right next to us; we even got some of the crew to pose for our photos.

[cruzobsessed]

just got off the explorer. i'm not sure if all voyager class ships have their promenades laid out the same way but.......at one end there is a liquor store and at the other end is the promenade cafe....the parade started at the liquor store end and i felt that standing right in front of it was the perfect spot. if the compass says the parade starts at 10:45 p.m. get there at 10:15 because they will soon be using that "parade tape" to control the crowd. as soon as you see them unraveling the tape.....get up as close to the front as possible AND DON'T MOVE!!!

[luv2cruz64]

There are little alcoves at the end of the hallways(right next to elevators I think) that look out over the promenade. If you can stake out one of these at the forward end of the ship- especially on decks 6 or 7 you may have the best view of all because you wont be in the crush(think black Friday at Wal-Mart) of people standing on deck 5. Enjoy--

 

ps:if you are going to take pix. remember that they dim the lights so equip accordingly.

[mom kaplan]

I have to show my ignorance...what parade? (Can you tell we haven't been on a cruise in a LOONGG time?!?! We leave in 10 days though!!!)

[sanditoes4]

We were on the Mariner and on deck 7 forward...I didn't take the time to read the compass completely on boarding day, we had been out all day running around, at 10 were had all met in our cabin to regroup and prepare for the next move.....well suddenly our hallway exploded in music and we all ran out to the hallway landing to be surprised with the parade!!! (yes it was our very first cruise) We all stood right there a couple stories above the action and I got great video of it with no other spectators in my way!!!!

 

Go enjoy them, they are a fun welcome and bittersweet ending to a cruise!!

[bancytu]

We have sat in front of the Pub and the Cafe. Both times we had to stand by the time the parade started because people would stand in front of us. We have also watched them from our PR. That is the best place to watch because you can see everything without all the people. Just turn the volume up on your tv and you are all set!

[bplazo]

As far away as possible.

[tazdeb]

On the Voyager class ships there are 2 parades each week. They go down the main promanade and last about ten min. On the cat walk above is the CD and some singers. The rest of the parade consists of the ships crew in different costumes. Its cute but I wouldn't miss anything or change my plans to see it......TAZ