Do you have a cruise tradition?

[BTSEN5]

I had decided that I would buy suncatchers from every port, but do you believe that I more often than not leave empty handed. Those things are few and far between as a souvenir. I have several suncatchers on the window above my sink, but I can't seem to find many during my travels. bummer!

[aloha of the seas]

Ever since I was a child I would buy a shot glass when I went to some place new. I have a lot of them now and some poor soul will some day have to get rid of them. Once we started sailing RCCL we decided the best place to be for sailaway was the Viking Crowne Lounge, so we would start each cruise with a drink upstairs from the best view on the ship. Good sailing, Murf

[DeepWaterMariner]

Keep a journal.

[izzy10]

We live in a small university town, we bring university logo t shirts for our cabin attendant, waiter and assistant waiter and one extra one for that staff member that gives us great service. Don't remember how we started this tradition, but the staff love them. So, if you see a crew member wearing that University of Michigan shirt you'll know that they are execptional crew members!!

 

Izzy

[dodgersmom]

Coffee and pastry as our "pre-breakfast" every morning.

[cruisers4ever]

We board as soon as we can...go straight to check out our table location..we usually get table for 2..this is the time my DH lets me take care of picking table if I am not happy with location...put me in back on a wall, or by a station and I just have a hard time staying!...

then I go make spa appt...then we eat...then its time for cabin...we unload...and we are gone to explore and so the fun begins!..just writing all this makes me look forward to our cruise in 3 weeks!

We collect one of the model ships in gift shop from every ship we have been on..our goal: to collect all RCL ships..an achieveable goal!!

We also have a tradition of playing a game of ping pong!

[gemz]

I always purchase the souvenir ship floaty pen onboard. Started on Sun Princess and then I realized on my next cruise they had the same pen but different ship and it eventually became a habit and now I have one from each ship I've been on ;)

[Sue L]

From the day I book the cruise until we are a couple days from sailing I save all my change (only use dollar bills) and put the money in my cruise jar. What ever is in there becomes my gambling fund.

 

 

I also collect the shot glasses, magnets and ornaments.

[Sky616]

From the day I book the cruise until we are a couple days from sailing I save all my change (only use dollar bills) and put the money in my cruise jar. What ever is in there becomes my gambling fund.

 

 

I also collect the shot glasses, magnets and ornaments.

I do the same thing, except it is for our drinking fund.

[Happy ks]

After boarding the ship we go to our cabin, close the door and jump up and down. We then walk out of the cabin, pretending that we didn't just act like a couple of little kids jumping up and down.

[MellieInWI]

After boarding the ship we go to our cabin, close the door and jump up and down. We then walk out of the cabin, pretending that we didn't just act like a couple of little kids jumping up and down.

 

This is soooo cute.

[phoenix1181]

We head to the Schooner Lounge........... That first drink in the Schooner is the signal that we made it and vacation has actually begun!

[Teeara]

Dh bought me a charm bracelet and has bought me charms from every port, magnets, shot glasses and oh yeah BUBBLES to blow at sailaway:p:)

 

Ooooh! I like the bubble idea! Thanks!

 

Theresa

[Teeara]

Keep a journal.

 

I do that, too. I keep a daily journal so that when I'm working on my cruise scrapbooks (and I've made 10 so far and just started my 11th) I incorporate my journal entries into my scrapbooks.

[olemissreb]

to the OP who started this! I'm getting some wonderful ideas! DH and I never really had a tradition on our previous 3 cruises - unless you count buying my Waterford Crystal in a couple of ports (expensive - even duty free!). Of course that was only on our first 2 cruises.

 

The cruise in April will be the first one with our kids. I think it would be great for them to have the bubbles at sailaway and for us to pick out Christmas ornaments for our tree.

 

Thank you all for the wonderful ideas - I'm sure they will make for a very memorable cruise for us and our boys!:)

[cruislovin]

On every cruise we've taken starting with our first (honeymoon cruise) we have always purchased the boarding picture. The ship and sailing dates are on it and we use it as the beginning of the picture album for each cruise!

[peteranddan]

Our tradition is to travel with our mascot. It's a little blue stuffed rabbit named "bunny". He has been all over the world with us and has had his picture taken with just about everyone and everything you can think of.

 

Below is a picture of Bunny getting ready for the muster drill!

 

OK...we're weird....but it's fun.

[chimerix]

What wonderful, meaningful ideas you all have. This will be our third cruise and I am absolutely going to have to pick up a tradition or two, to prove to DH that by the time you get to 3 cruises, it is no longer a fluke.

 

Thanks for the fun ideas!

[olemissreb]

Our tradition is to travel with our mascot. It's a little blue stuffed rabbit named "bunny". He has been all over the world with us and has had his picture taken with just about everyone and everything you can think of.

 

Below is a picture of Bunny getting ready for the muster drill!

 

OK...we're weird....but it's fun.

 

My son's school mascot is an owl, named Al. Each year in their yearbook, there is a feature called "Where's Al?" Everyone (and I do mean everyone) takes Al on all their vacations or else Al is given to family members for their vacations! Al has been just about everywhere - France, South America, Antartica (picture was taken with penguins in the background) and this year Oman (with wild camels in the background - DH took that pic). We plan on taking Al with us for Spring Break and seeing how many of our pics get into next years yearbook! Oh to be able to travel as many places as Al has!!:D

[Robin G]

Our tradition is to travel with our mascot. It's a little blue stuffed rabbit named "bunny". He has been all over the world with us and has had his picture taken with just about everyone and everything you can think of.

 

Below is a picture of Bunny getting ready for the muster drill!

 

OK...we're weird....but it's fun.

 

We have a bunny named "bunny" too and she goes everywhere with us. Well, actually she's my daughter's bunny but we all love her and bunny would never forgive us if we vacationed without her!

[cruiserbryce]

I always take a pic with one of the ship's life rings around my neck:D

[lady_cruiser]

My sister and I:

1. Try and be one of the first 100 on the ship.

2. Head to the Windjammer before it gets too crowded for a bite to eat.

3. When our cabin is ready we unpack our carry-on luggage and start decorating our cabin, balcony, and outside door. Then call our brother and siser-in-law in New Orleans and let them know we are on the ship and remind them of our cabin number and the phone number to get in touch with us in case of an emergency.

4. Sign up for MTD.

5. Photograph the different areas of the ship before it gets too crowded.

6. Find and say hello to most of the ship's staff that we have gotten to know over the last several years (we have sailed on the Voyager 3 our of 5 times).

7. Find the meeting place for a pre-meet Meet and Mingle and grab a sail-a-way drink.

8. Head to our cabin and wait for the Muster Drill.

9. After the Muster Drill we stand on our balcony for the sail-a-way and wave good-bye to anyone on-shore waving to the ship.

10. After the sail-a-way if we have our luggage we finish unpacking then we head for the promenade and casino.

[Dirty Hobbit]

At least once during my cruise (sometimes at every port if traveling to different islands/countries), I drink at least one "local" beer while in port (which is weird since this is the only time I ever drink beer). I try to find a local micro-brew or at least something brewed in the region. I ask the bartender/waiter/waitress what they recommend and I find it is a fun tradition while cruising to sample the "local flavor". :cool:

[lady_cruiser]

At least once during my cruise (sometimes at every port if traveling to different islands/countries), I drink at least one "local" beer while in port (which is weird since this is the only time I ever drink beer). I try to find a local micro-brew or at least something brewed in the region. I ask the bartender/waiter/waitress what they recommend and I find it is a fun tradition while cruising to sample the "local flavor". :cool:

 

OHHHHH great idea....

Memo to self - add line number 11 to top eleven things to do on a cruise...

....

...11. Drink one local beer in very port of call :p

[Puffinater]

We take the framed picture we had taken on our very first (honeymoon) cruise in 1991 and set it on the side table in our cabin.

 

Then we joke around with the cabin steward about how we look exactly the same as we did back then LOL.

 

Best tradition posted on here.