When does it sink in your on your cruise.

[mrpayroll]

As soon as we actually SEE the ship upon arriving at the port...

[Rodeomomof2]

When I pull up to whatever terminal I am cruising out of and see that big, beautiful, whale-tail funnel!! Oh My!! Such a beautiful sight!

EXACTLY, my thoughts as well, that first sighting of the red funnel! I usually snap a picture from the truck as we get closer! :D

[path145]

When I walk onto the Lido deck and they're playing party music! That's when I go looking for my DOD and I don't usually have far to look!

[ducksoupforme]

For me it's when I get my first whiff of raw, reeking sewage.

My head spins, I feel the contents of my stomach rise to my throat, and I think "hey, I'm on a Carnival cruise!".

[soozles]

As soon as I start buying for the cruise. Which is really bad, because I don't even have my next one booked yet, it's the dead of winter, but I saw such a cute tank top in the store the other day, I bought it and thought "This would be cute to wear on the ship". So that puts me into cruise mode.

 

But I guess it really hits me when I leave my house for the airport or the pier (depends if we drive or fly). Then I get all excited and can't stop bouncing around.

[dpfred]

When we're on our balcony with a glass of wine and we leave the dock, all the pressure leaves and we can relax.

dpfred

[jayscore]

For me, it's when I get on the elevator for the first time and hear my "girlfriend with the mysterious accent" say "Va-ron'-da" before the door opens.;)

[meluvtogocruise]

When I get my first breakfast danish, coffee and a lounge chair and wave to my hubby up on the jogging track.:D

[beckyk329]

This sounds stupid, but I relax while I wait... after the nail-biter of " will I get through security" ( I get stopped everytime for something. Last cruise it was 2 of my sons hot wheels in my purse.) But once we get through check-in and are waiting to actually board, that's when I'm on vacation! I got there and they're gonna let me go!!:D

[Spaniel Lover]

Once I'm on that gangway between the terminal and the ship, my excitement level is so high that it's like I'm about to burst. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning at that point. I know that all the paperwork is done and I'm done standing in line and waiting... this is it! Let the fun begin!

 

I got a kick out of that "new ship smell" commerical a while back. My DH laughs at me because there's a smell that all the ships have that I immediately recognize as soon as I step onboard. That's when it hits me. Must be some kind of cleaner they use.

 

I totally agree! I watched that commercial over and over again on the Internet. Love it. And I agree about the smell of the cleaner that they use. Every now and then I will smell it at my "real job"... they use a similar cleaner there, I guess. It really takes me in my mind to a Carnival cruise ship when I smell that smell.

[DqALEX]

For me its when I'm at the port and I see the ship. I get the same feeling I got the very first time I cruised. That feeling for me never went away. I think about what it looks like inside and how can the fit all that neat stuff in there.

[Texaslandshark]

All of you are right in my opinion! It's like there are different levels of realization that kick in as you move through that first day, which seems to be the best day.:)

[SoonerOne]

Printing out my Carnival electronic "official" documents and luggage tags!!! I get so excited WAY before I am even on a cruise, my DH does not. It actually sinks in with him the moment we leave the driveway and start heading south to Galveston:p

[b_bay_girl]

I have to shake my head at times right through the cruise that we are actually on a ship cruising through the ocean yet people are dancing and doing all kinds of activities without wobbling LOL. However, the one point where I get all giddy is when I through the check-in line, security and I walk the gangplank and they take my picture I feel I can relax - I am on board - no problems. 33 more days and I will experience that rush again. Can't wait!:o

[G'ma]

Walking that divide between land and sea into Joe Farcus' dazzling designs, sitting down at the Atrium Bar and ordering the traditional double Yellowbird!!!!!

 

Actually, the first sight of that lovely split funnel Whale-tail from the taxi gets the cruise juices flowing. A double Yellowbird just speeds things up....:D

[lilone]

I know when we walk in the terminal and my stomach starts getting excited. I'm getting butterflies in my stomach just reading this.

[erinmarie424]

The first time I use my S & S card to pay for a cocktail!! Which is usually 15 minutes after we get on board - I don't care if they charge $10 in taxes while we are still in port!!

[micbooth]

When I drive to the cruise terminal and the minute I see the ship!!!!

Mick

[sixstring]

Oddly for me it's the "bong-dong" of the PA system just before the first inane and mostly unnecessary announcement. I LOVE that sound and have tried in vain to find a recording of it on the internets... Help me to find that specific Carnival PA tone - please:D