Things you learned the hard way?

[gracie65]

If you spend two hours in the tropical sun without sun screen, you will end up looking redder than the lobster tail on formal night! You often do not feel the heat because of the breeze, but your lilly white skin is burning! Sunburn will ruin your cruise and make you look like a geek!

 

Those sweet fruity drinks you suck down by the pool really are loaded with alcohol. If you don't hydrate (that means drink lots of water), you will end up missing dinner because you are passed out in your cabin! You will also wake up with cotton mouth, suck down the bottled water the steward leaves in the room, and have it charged to your sign & sail account!

 

If you don't try something new on the menu each night, you will never know what you're missing! The waiters will gladly bring you something to sample. Be daring! Try that main course you always wondered about and never ordered in a restaurant because you weren't about to waste your money on something that might make you puke. You can ALWAYS get a second main course, or a third! However, I must tell you, I went on a cruise with a buddy once who ordered sweet breads for an appetizer, despite my warning to avoid it. He claimed he loved pastry and thought it would be the perfect appetizer. It wasn't!

 

 

 

 

 

thanks for my morning giggle!!!

[reno3]

Don't let my DH go to the disembarking talk.

 

The only thing I asked him to do on our Disney cruise while I took care of two kids all week.

He put the tags on the luggage and had all the paperwork and put the luggage out the night before....all proud of himself.:)

We get off the ship and all the luggage is in this BIG area by tag colors and number etc.

Well the porter asked my DH for the stubbs of each tag that he put on the luggage....DH said what stub:rolleyes:

Well we had to look through 100's of piecies of luggage with two tired kids:mad:

It took him a long time to live that one down.

[mariemorgan]

[quote name=CruzMar24;18596166

 

Check out this funny video by World-reknowned Cruise Director Legend John Heald about the first blower on board' date=' lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CphKwJUf_g[/quote]

 

That is the FUNNIEST thing I have ever seen! :D:p:D

[Cruiser9799]

Do they give you tags for your luggage when you are leaving - or do they go by the tags that were on when you go on? Someone said keep the stubs (I appreciate the tip) but I have not read about tags for when we get off the ship. And I have been reading daily getting ready - 2 weeks from now I will be drinking a DOD I hope!

[Truck Cruiser]

The last evening of the cruise you will find tags in your stateroom to put on your luggage. When you put them on your luggage tear off the stub on the end and keep them. Then put out your luggage in the hallway just before going to bed. You can also do a "Self assist" that is where you keep your luggage and carry it all off the ship yourself.

[MTcruiser]

our first cruise, our honeymoon, we were not aware food was 'included' nor were we aware that it was available 24x7 via room service and then most of the day at the windjammer cafe. so we get off the plane hungry, get on the shuttle hungry and get to the ship hungry. when we got to our room we were, you guessed it, hungry. we had the late seating (8 something) so it would be a while before we got to eat. we sat in the room and ate saltines (just happened to be in one of our bags) and peanuts (from the flight).

 

while finally eating in the dinning room (at 8 something) we learned that we could have ordered room service or gone to the windjammer.

 

the menu didnt have prices on it but i was young, on my honeymoon and had a pocket full of cash so no worries. i was slightly embarrassed at the waiter's response when i asked for the check at dinner in front of my tablemates.

 

I have done something like this also but not on a cruise....A couple months after i met my husband, him and i went with his parents to a fancy restaurant. I live in montana, these were not the type i had ever been too before. So i pick up the menu, and they all have numbers next to them. Everyone ordered, then it was my turn. I had asked the waitress to give me #38. Everyone started laughing...she's like oh no thats the price!!! Who wouldve known...not me....i still get teased about that every time we go to a fancy dinner now....i was mortified....lol

[RAVI360]

i have learned not to wear heels on the first day....between plenty of DODs and my luggage arriving late ....my feet was killing me:eek:

[dbogusch]

I've learned that if you need assistance, don't forget to contact special needs before the cruise.

[Reportress]

Things I learned the hard way?

 

1) Wrap dresses are not meant for windy nights on deck, unless you want to recreate a famous Marilyn Monroe moment

2) The Irish Car Bomb was not designed for those of us who have a low alcohol tolerance

3) Going along with 2...if you don't know what's in a drink, ask first!

[Crusin6]

When you are traveling with your family and they put a parent and his son at the same table as you......that you do not even have to attempt any form of conversation and it is perfectly ok to converse with your own family and enjoy yourselves.

 

We were told that every single thing that we enjoyed in port and onboard was boring and that we were not giving our kids fun vacations, only he was able to do that for his son and no one else could possibly give their kids as a good a vacation as he could produce.

 

He wasn't a divorced dad, btw, his wife just chose not to go on this cruise...wonder why?:rolleyes:

 

No need to say we could have changed tables because we just didn't and when I suggested on this board that we probably should have, I was told that I was being insensitive to this moron and his son and that they would have been devestated if we had left them! Go figure:confused:

[gracie65]

i have learned not to wear heels on the first day....between plenty of DODs and my luggage arriving late ....my feet was killing me:eek:

 

Seems like the DOD would have helped to ease the pain!!!LOL

That reminded me of a shoe story along those lines. Don't borrow your BFF's shoes, then wear them to the first night singles mixer. Somehow they got lost don't remember where, when etc. Luckily they ended up in Lost & Found the next day. So the moral is when you have borrowed shoes to take don't get drunk & forget where you left them.

[A&Jfamily]

I jut listened to this! Now that is funny! I am sitting here all by myself laughing so hard I almost blew my B*** off!!!! I know we still don't know what B*** are, but I am laughing so hard something has to have blown off!!

 

 

Actually, the B*** was intended to be all that those posters have suggested - *utt, *alls and *oobs. Those jets sbout propelled me out of the d*** tub (in case that's not clear, I mean *amn) :D. They were so hard that when I turned them on for my 5 year old (as we have a jetted tub at home and he LOVES it) he started to scream!:eek:

[A&Jfamily]

i have learned not to wear heels on the first day....between plenty of DODs and my luggage arriving late ....my feet was killing me:eek:

 

If I wore heals on the first day, it wouldn't be my feet that would be killing me, it would be my *ss from falling down!:D

[okgirl]

This is a great post! Going on my first cruise in 15 days. I will warn my family not to sit and flush - never read that anywhere before - how funny! :eek:

 

I'm amazed that people are such great contortionists that they can actually reach the button to flush while still sitting down.....On the 16 cruises I've been on the button has always been directly behind the raised toilet seat!!!!!!!How the heck are you people getting your hand back there to flush???????

 

Embarking and Debarking, ALWAYS have nutrition bars and extra medication with you.....I've had it go bad in both directions, like a PP said, 6 hours wait to board the ship, so no lunch, and on the Valor last year there was a problem with Customs and we weren't able to disembark until after 1:30.

 

The cruise line promptly closed the Lido buffet at 10ish, and started setting up for lunch, but wouldn't let any of us eat it. That was for the embarking passengers EVENTUALLY.

 

On the Glory last year, we didn't want to fly back into Ike, so we stayed the night in PC, hence the need for at least a day or two extra BP meds....

 

And the other is a credit card with a decent amount of available credit.......I always say there isn't much trouble that I can get myself into that my VISA can't get me out of............

[francesam]

Our friends went on a cruise about 4 years ago, and when asked by his table companions what he did for a living , he told the truth and said he worked in an abbotoir.:eek: turned out some of them were vegans and were quite upset. Ignored them both for the rest of the cruise. He now says he works with annimals.(Well it is true, sort of):D

[Peg_S]

What is an abbotoir?

 

Peg

[dsb9938]

abattoir (ăb'ətwär') [Fr.], building for butchering. The abattoir houses facilities to slaughter animals; dress, cut and inspect meats; and refrigerate, cure, and manufacture byproducts. The largest abattoirs are those of the meatpacking industry. Plant construction, drainage, water supply, disposal of refuse, and all operations are under government regulation. Abattoirs are also called slaughterhouses.

[cruisebie]

I learned the hard way to take my S&S card with me when I leave the cabin.

 

On my cruise last Oct, I went solo. I had already met up with a great group of CC'ers and had consumed a few DoD's (ok, more than a few). When I went back to my cabin to get something, I laid my S&S card down and then forgot to pick it up again when I left the cabin. Of course, I remembered a second after the door closed behind me. I then spent the next 45 minutes in line at the purser's desk to get another one. :o They were very nice about it, but believe me, after that I checked my pocket every time I left the cabin!

[dan40]

I learned the hard way to take my S&S card with me when I leave the cabin.

 

On my cruise last Oct, I went solo. I had already met up with a great group of CC'ers and had consumed a few DoD's (ok, more than a few). When I went back to my cabin to get something, I laid my S&S card down and then forgot to pick it up again when I left the cabin. Of course, I remembered a second after the door closed behind me. I then spent the next 45 minutes in line at the purser's desk to get another one. :o They were very nice about it, but believe me, after that I checked my pocket every time I left the cabin!

 

One word,:D

 

LANYARDS, LANYARDS, LANYARDS!

 

Dan

[cruisebie]

One word,:D

 

LANYARDS, LANYARDS, LANYARDS!

 

Dan

 

 

Amen! That sure would have done the trick and I'll be smart enough to have one next time!:D

[*CruiseFan*]

My DH learned the hard way on our frist cruise together seven years ago (oh my gosh I can't believe it was that long ago!!) that he should listen to me and pack a few extra shirts. I was on the phone with him and asked him what he was packing -- he told me how many t-shirts and I told him he should pack a couple extra.

 

Did he listen? Nope. Did he have to start wearing some of his t-shirts that his smart wifey (now) brought to sleep in and "just in case" because I knew he'd need them? Yep.

 

Needless to say, when we pack before cruises, I count. When he thinks he has enough, I grab two more t-shirts and two more pairs of boxers, just in case :)

[2young2care]

two more pairs of boxers, just in case :)

 

those two phrases used together in a sentence........ :eek:

[*CruiseFan*]

those two phrases used together in a sentence........ :eek:

 

LOL, I just realized how that sounds. My DH wears two pair of boxers a day -- one during the day, then one after his shower for dinner and to sleep in. He thought he would only need one a day and an extra pair or two because he expected to be in his bathing suit all day -- needless to say, he ran out, LOL.

[LemurCat]

I learned the hard way not to watch the local news telecasts if you're traveling during the finale of a favorite reality show.

 

Denver's local Fox affiliate so ruined the Top Chef finally for me .... *sigh* ... freakin' Hosea.

[dbogusch]

One word,:D

 

LANYARDS, LANYARDS, LANYARDS!

 

Dan

 

Hey Dan,

 

That's actually one word three times. :P hee hee