1st cruise and about a million questions!

This is going to be long, I apologize now! This is my husband and my first cruise. We didn't choose it, its a family reunion arranged and paid for someone else. We will be on Carnival Victory. I am terrified of boats so woohoo! On to the questions!!

1. Best advice to treat/prevent seasickness

2. How big can our carry on bags be?

3. Is it easy to get lost on the ship? We are taking 4 teenagers.

4. Best place to eat on the ship

5. Things to definitely pack

6. Things to definitely leave at home

7. Is the HUB app useful?

8. Does the ship feel overwhelming?

9. Can we take bottles of water onto the ship?

Thank you for any and all help and advice!!

This is going to be long, I apologize now! This is my husband and my first cruise. We didn't choose it, its a family reunion arranged and paid for someone else. We will be on Carnival Victory. I am terrified of boats so woohoo! On to the questions!!

1. Best advice to treat/prevent seasickness

2. How big can our carry on bags be?

3. Is it easy to get lost on the ship? We are taking 4 teenagers.

4. Best place to eat on the ship

5. Things to definitely pack

6. Things to definitely leave at home

7. Is the HUB app useful?

8. Does the ship feel overwhelming?

9. Can we take bottles of water onto the ship?

Thank you for any and all help and advice!!

1. Ginger, green apples, medications

2. As long as it will fit through the X-ray scanner, like at the airport

3. Depends how directionally challenged they are, but never known anyone with out a disability who couldn’t eventually find their cabin.

4. MDR, or buffet

5. Documents, money, sense of fun

6. Most of what you find on lists on CC

7. Not really for us

8. Not sure I’d say overwhelming maybe awe inspiring

Best thing you can do as a first timer is to study the Carnival website, especially the FAQs where several answers to your questions should be easily found. Also download a copy of the Victory deck plans and study them.

As for packing advice, here are two easy steps:

(1) lay out everything you think you will need

(2) put half of it back

And to answer one of your specific questions: Carnival allows a 12-pack of canned or boxed (as in juice boxes) non-alcoholic beverages. Which you must carry on, not in your checked bags. No plastic bottles, period.

I've never sailed on Carnival so I'll just answer the non Carnival-specific questions:

1. The best advice I've ever gotten for avoiding seasickness is to not fight the ship's movement, but go with the movement. Amazing what a difference it makes

2. As big as the scanner will allow - but remember, unless Carnival is wildly different from other lines, you won't normally be able to access your cabin right away, so don't take anything you're not prepared to drag around with you for a couple of hours.

3. Ships are pretty big - I usually keep my pocket deck plan with me.

5. Underwear.

6. 8 of the 10 pairs of shoes you want to bring.

8. Ships are definitely big, but I can't say I've ever felt overwhelmed.

Suggest you consult your physician for the medication appropriate to treat your possible seasickness.

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A little late with my 2 cents. Go back on this board and read about two months worth of posts. Then do the same for the Carnival Board. You will have a good knowledge base for your trip

2. How big can our carry on bags be? You can go as big as you'd normally go with luggage, BUT you're going to be stuck carrying it around for ages. I wouldn't recommend much more than a purse or backpack, personally--something you can easily bring along as you scope out the ship.

3. Is it easy to get lost on the ship? I don't think it's possible to get truly lost. Most of the time, the worst you can do is take a wrong turn--going aft instead of forward and getting halfway along and realizing you're going the wrong way. There are usually little maps by the elevators, and you might be given a small one to carry around (or you could keep the deck plans on your phone).

Ships are large, but not THAT big! Remember that the great majority of the space is cabins.....and you will have no need to be in any cabin hallway but your own. Public areas only take up a small portion of the ship. There are maps at all elevator/stairway banks....you won't get lost!

Do you know any experienced cruisers who could sit down with you for a few hours? It seems like a person like that could provide info and help with your many questions.

1. Best advice to treat/prevent seasickness? I use Bonine and I start taking it a couple of nights before the cruise. Others use the patch which you can get from your doctor.

2. How big can our carry on bags be? As big as will fit through the x-ray machine. I wouldn't try a piece of luggage as large as you would have to check at the airport.

3. Is it easy to get lost on the ship? We are taking 4 teenagers. Teens will probably have a better knack for navigating the ship than the adults. Get a feel for the ship the first day and you'll feel better about it.

4. Best place to eat on the ship. Usually the buffet for the first day.

5. Things to definitely pack. 2 swimsuits (one to wear, one to dry), sunscreen, bug spray, medications and a zip-lock with some assorted over-the counter meds like Advil, Pepto, neosporin, band-aids, dayquil, nyquil as these are very costly if you purchase them on the ship.

6. Things to definitely leave at home. Don't take a different pair of shoes for every day/evening. Par down.

7. Is the HUB app useful? Never used it.

8. Does the ship feel overwhelming? Not at all. You'll find all the public areas on day one by walking around and getting a lay of the ship.

9. Can we take bottles of water onto the ship? Yes.

How fun! We did a family reunion cruise last June on Carnival and had a fantastic time. It’s a great way to spend time with family.

7. Is the HUB app useful? Absolutely! It made it easy for all of us to send texts throughout the ship. Late night if a few ended up at a certain bar, they sent a group text and everyone who was still up could join in instead of wondering where others were. And you do it all over WiFi but while your phone is on Airplane Mode so it’s free and you’re not using internet minutes.

9. Can we take bottles of water onto the ship? Yes but even better than all that shlepping, you can order bottled water ahead of time on the Carnival website to be delivered to your room - $4.50 for a 12 pack - not bad! It should be waiting there for you when you board.

Enjoy your cruise!

Julie

think of a resort holiday, don't pack anything extra and leave the towels behind

Other people have obviously replied and are way more knowledgeable than myself having only been on one cruise before, but I wanted to respond because I was in your place a couple years ago. I was very nervous because of vestibular issues and not sure I would enjoy the cruise, but wanted to go on a short one to see if I could make it through a longer cruise since my parents were always asking about going on a family cruise. The most important thing I realized during the cruise was that I really didn't need to be as nervous and stressed as I had been. The ship was much more stable than I expected and I was hardly affected. I would still bring anything your doctor recommends (you could ask about meclizine and other meds but dramamine or bonine might work just as well.) and it can't hurt to try non-medicinal things (foods mentioned like ginger, green apple, etc., sea bands, etc.) but hopefully you won't need them.

We brought our kids too, one of which was a teen at the time, and she had no problems finding her way around. She did better than I did! When she wanted to go to the room or sleep in and meet us later, we would pre-arrange meeting places and check in every few hours. Oh, as far as eating, we were happy in the MDR. The kids liked some things in the buffet so since we had the late seating for dinner we would go to the buffet at about 4:30 and the kids would get a little snack so they weren't too hungry (and grouchy) waiting for dinner. I just share that to show that you can find what works best for you for meals. I have friends who love room service. All cruise lines are different, but they also all seem to have so many options that most anyone can find something they like. You can probably find menus from your ship to get an idea of what venues you will like best, and be sure to read about your ship in particular so you know about any of the lesser known places. That is one of the best things about these boards!

As far as things to bring and leave, definitely bring any medications you need and OTC meds you might need as they are expensive on the ship. Same for sunscreen. Be sure to pack a change of clothes and bathing suit in your carry-on in case you don't get your luggage right away. Our necessities are a book, chargers for any electronics, and clothes that can be mixed and matched to help prevent over-packing. Comfortable walking shoes may also be important depending on which ports you will be visiting and what you plan to do. It's really not much different from any vacation- i.e., tylenol and cough medicine are always going to be more expensive whether on a ship or at a hotel. I'm assuming with 4 teens that you will have 2 cabins or a family suite of some type and should have plenty of room. The four of us shared a cabin and were surprised at how well organized things were in terms of storage space. We expected to "make" the room at night when the kids were ready to go to sleep since we didn't know if they would know we needed the extra bunk, but the room stewards are so on the ball. They really do have it down to a science. We didn't need to bring any of the things recommended (over the door organizers, etc.) and found that by just keeping things picked up and put away the cabin was perfectly fine. The one thing we did bring that were weren't sure about were a couple small games. It rained quite a bit so in the end we were very glad we had brought them since we spent quite a bit of time hanging out in lounges playing. Most of the other "suggested item" on the lists you'll see stayed in our suitcase. We are actually getting ready to go on a cruise with my family and the one thing I'll still bring is a clip-on clothes line to hang our bathing suits and anything we might hand wash to dry, but that takes up the sma e amount of space as a pair of socks. We also did bring clorox wipes to wipe down the cabin. I'm not sure if it is really necesary, but I will probably do so again just in case.

I would say that the best thing we did to prepare was to read these boards, especially this one, first time cruisers, the one for the cruise line we were sailing on, and the boards for the ports we were visiting. It helped to learn all the tips and helped us to feel more comfortable and less like "newbies". The other thing that helped was staying flexible. We had an idea of the things we wanted to do but the rain caused us to go to our plan B and sometimes plan C.

I hope you and your family have a really good time and a wonderful vacation! Try to relax (I know, easier said than done.) and have fun!

Seasickness meds won't help with anxiety or phobias. You need a prescription med such as Ativan.

Roz

I guess I'm lucky. I've never experienced sea sickness or motion sickness. There's something I heard many years ago. You're less likely to get motion sickness if you eat something. You're more likely to get sick if you have an empty stomach. Now I don't know how true that is, but maybe that's why there is food available 24 hours a day.

Is it easy to get lost? No. There are maps everywhere. The ship isn't terribly wide, though it's fairly long. Any time you can see the water, you can figure out which way the ship is going, and thereby figure out where the bow is. There are many floors (decks), but it's easy to get from one to another via the stairs or elevators, and the deck numbers/names are clearly marked.

It IS, however, easy to get separated from the rest of your party. If you and your friend are separated, running randomly around the ship looking for each other, you could spend hours wandering before you run into each other. On the other hand, if you have designated a planned meeting area, such as your cabin, one of the pools, or some central architectural feature (all ships have something obvious like a grand staircase or atrium, though it varies from ship to ship), then you'll find each other quickly.

So much good advice here! I hope you find it helpful. You can pre-purchase bottled water on Carnival for a very reasonable price (I think it is about $4) and it will be in your cabin when you arrive -saves the hassle of hauling it, but the ship's water is fine for drinking. We found the Hub helpful. Make sure you know ship time when you are in port - it is sometimes different from local time so it is helpful to take a watch. Cell phones will use the closest tower and may not be reliable. Enjoy the food. Remember you can order whatever you want in the Main Dining Room - and multiples if it is something you really like (don't hesitate to have multiple deserts!) Try the Chocolate Melting Cake at least once! Have fun - there are a lot of fun activities. The shows are good. Check out 88 Keys if that is one of the shows. And the Piano players are usually amazing.

This is going to be long, I apologize now! This is my husband and my first cruise. We didn't choose it, its a family reunion arranged and paid for someone else. We will be on Carnival Victory. I am terrified of boats so woohoo! On to the questions!!

1. Best advice to treat/prevent seasickness

2. How big can our carry on bags be?

3. Is it easy to get lost on the ship? We are taking 4 teenagers.

4. Best place to eat on the ship

5. Things to definitely pack

6. Things to definitely leave at home

7. Is the HUB app useful?

8. Does the ship feel overwhelming?

9. Can we take bottles of water onto the ship?

Thank you for any and all help and advice!!

1. Just a question - are you sure you will suffer from seasickness? If so, it's really a discussion to have with your doctor.

2. Typically around 14X9X22 inches.

3. Maybe turned around a little, initially, but not that difficult to find your way around.

4. I like the main dining room.

5. ID, medications, sun block.

6. Snacks, extra pillow.

9. Carnival only allows personal beverages (non-alcoholic) in cartons, or cans. No bottles.

Congratulations on your first cruise! The good news is you will be on a large ship and not a boat;) unless you take a boat based excursion. I'm picking a little, but depending on what you are terrified of it shouldn't be an issue on a ship this size - very different than a small craft.

My other answers are below:

This is going to be long, I apologize now! This is my husband and my first cruise. We didn't choose it, its a family reunion arranged and paid for someone else. We will be on Carnival Victory. I am terrified of boats so woohoo! On to the questions!!

1. Best advice to treat/prevent seasickness If you know you are prone to motion sickness, consult your doctor. For general/non-medical advice: sea bands (accu-pressure), ginger ale, and small meals of bland food have helped me and my husband (don't get very often). Many people recommend otc Bonine (non-drowsy) instead of Dramamine.

2. How big can our carry on bags be? Carnival website lists the dimensions allowed, please check it. Bags can be much larger than you might think, but unless you have Faster to the Fun (FTTF) your room will probably not be ready so you will need to keep your luggage with you until it is, generally 1:30-2:00.

3. Is it easy to get lost on the ship? We are taking 4 teenagers. There are maps located throughout the ships and after the first day or so everyone should be fine.

4. Best place to eat on the ship This is very subjective based on what you like, but if you search the boards you should find something to suit your needs.

5. Things to definitely pack an extra 5-7 days of medications, light sweater or jacket for layering

6. Things to definitely leave at home anything on the prohibited items list

7. Is the HUB app useful? I haven't used this yet.

8. Does the ship feel overwhelming? I have never felt overwhelmed by a ship.

9. Can we take bottles of water onto the ship? No bottles are allowed, except 1 750 ml bottle of wine per passenger 21+. You can purchase a 12 pack of water for around $5 through the fun shops. Ship water is safe to drink, and what we do onboard. We did purchase a 12 pack for our port days.

Thank you for any and all help and advice!!

On getting lost:

It is pretty easy, don't go into the BIG piece of water. :)

You can only get so lost, as the ship, while large, is sort of confined.

Unless you have had problems with motion sickness, you will probably be fine. Not a bad idea to have some things along, but you may not need them.

My Mother used to take Bonine before every airline flight, as she "suffered from motion sickness."

One trip she was very happy, that she slept the best of any flight. And it must have been smooth, as she had no motion sickness problems. When we arrived, she was going through her purse, when she found her Bonine dose, still wrapped in a piece of tissue.

Last time she ever even carried it. :D

Do you get motion sickness from car rides and roller coasters? If you don't, no worries. Bring medication for the other members of your group just in case. I bring Bonine, never talked to a doctor for it. It's over the counter.

Afraid of boats? It's a ship not a boat. Do you know why you are apprehensive? You can't get lost on a ship. You may walk in the wrong direction, but a ship has ends and you will find your way back. It's not a city with suburbs and the countryside around it.

Try to relax. Cruising is an activity that thousands of people do each year without problems. Unless you have an underlying anxiety issue such as a serious phobia, you will be fine.