Cruise Countdown Fun/Ideas

[na44]

Hello good people of the cruise critic boards,

 

I have a question to pose and some fun ideas for first time cruisers....

 

Several of my girlfriends are all going on a cruise in April. I'm the only one who has ever been cruising before and have been dubbed the "cruise director". As the official cruise director I want to do all sorts of fun things in the next couple of months to help countdown and to keep us excited. Some examples of some ideas that I've thought of/am doing.

 

1. Paperchain (I know it's soooo 2nd grade,....but hey, most of us are elementary school teachers so its right up our ally....we tear off a link every day and inside I have put phrases, tasks, etc. that are cruise oriented. i.e. "do 100 sit ups" "try on your swimsuit" "start your packing list" "look up shore excursions for _______")

 

2. I plan on decorating our door with our cruise theme "Girlilicious"

 

3. We didn't give X-mas presents this year to each other and are planning on doing Cruisin' Christmas and exchanging presents the first day we get on the ship of things we can use on the cruise.

 

4. I'd like to make a mixed CD of "cruise music" that we can listen to while it snows outside.

 

This brings me to you lovely folks.....I need help thinking of some good cruise music ("Hot-Hot-Hot", "Margaritaville", anything Bob Marley). Also, does anyone else have any fun ideas for cruise prep?

[missty1405]

Very fun! I did this for our extended family a few years ago. Check out oriental trading company dot com. They have a tons of fun, cheap stuff. I bought some "coconut" cups with fun tropical straws, and I think they had some tiny tropical decorated bubbles for sail away. THen I did put together a cd of music. I can't remember what all I used - I know Bob Marley, and I think some Beach boy songs, and the song Red, Red Wine. The song Margeritaville. And the song Kokomo.

 

I am now trying to come up with Med. Cruise stuff or italy stuff.... any ideas? lol

 

missty

[na44]

Missty,

 

Thanks for the ideas! I use to live along the Med. for a couple of years with these same girlfriends going on the cruise. I will think and maybe try and get some ideas from them. I'll keep you posted in the next couple of days.

[thekatmi]

Hey Nellie-

 

Funny about the paper chain thing... I was just thinking about doing that, but I had not thought about the idea of adding tasks (Sit-ups, etc.) I like!

 

I am a first time cruiser as well- don't have many ideas for music that haven't already been mentioned... Beach boys?

 

Thought I would share some of my preparation activities I have been engaging in as part of my countdown, including:

 

1) Check out the travel channel for cruise information (I have found a couple of shows for the areas we are going)

2) Denise Austin (LifeTime Network) does almost all of her workouts at some wonderful place in the Caribbean. Can be pretty motivating.

3) Library is another great source for information

4) Set up my yahoo home page with weather report for places we are porting in.

5) Regularly read messageboards on this site for tips, travel lists.

6) When I have met goals for exercise, I have been rewarding myself with cruise prep rewards (new swimsuit, tanning appointments, pedicures (not yet but closer to when the cruise time is).:D

 

Enjoy your Cruise!

[kimcruiser]

Make a calendar with hide-a-way pictures that each day you can peel back a piece to see what may be there, example maybe a ship or a pix of the dining room on the ship you will be on. Of course do this calendar so that it is the month when your cruise is.

[Mommytofour]

Today on the radio I heard Miami Sound Machine's Conga. I usually don't listen to it, but it somehow reminded me of the cruise that we will be taking in March. I'm a first time cruiser, but I thought to share about this song.