New to cruising

[Katie John]

Hello all,

I am booked on the Dream for the Western Caribbean in February. It is my first cruise. I have been now insanely looking up every minute detail of everything I can think of as far as the ship and ports of call etc. Does anyone else spend months of many hours a day looking at this stuff? I think my hubby thinks I'm crazy yet I know he will appreciate all my knowledge once we are on the ship.

Kate

[shof515]

Yes. Many people book cruises months or even years in advance

[jsummerton]

And yes, many of us obsess about learning all about the cruise in advance and live on cruisecritic.

 

Congrats on booking your cruise.

[5waldos]

For many people (including me) the planning is half the fun. For my husband- he begins planning when he is on the plane on the way someplace, never noticing that he is on a plane going to someplace because someone else (me) planned ahead. :rolleyes:

[Ren1216]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and welcome to the world of cruising. Yup, that's why this website exists, because many of us spend countless hours obsessing over our cruising plans - myself included. The research and planning truly IS half the fun, especially those first few times.

 

Hope you have a fabulous first cruise!

[*Mach*]

Hello all,

I am booked on the Dream for the Western Caribbean in February. It is my first cruise. I have been now insanely looking up every minute detail of everything I can think of as far as the ship and ports of call etc. Does anyone else spend months of many hours a day looking at this stuff? I think my hubby thinks I'm crazy yet I know he will appreciate all my knowledge once we are on the ship.

Kate

 

 

Aloha, Kate!

Let's see... you've joined (as of this moment...) 607,341 other folks who are as driven for information as you.

Read, read, read and have a wonderful time on these boards!!!

:)

Mach

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Make sure you check out the first time cruisers section. When I first started cruise critic before my first cruise I might add my husband thought I was nuts. Now even though he never posts, he always wants to know what new. The other day a friend of mine told us that there was a grenade that went off in Puerto Vallarta so my DH said, go to cruise critic to see what they have to say.:D:D

 

I found cruise critic once by googling something about Hawaii when I was planning my next cruise and now I'm working on my 7th cruise and have a 8th also booked (not all CCL).

 

We have friends from cruise critic that meet in Arizona for get togethers that I never would have become friends with these wonderful people without cruise critic.

[Honeyroastedmelnut]

Welcome to the club! Remember it is not obsessing ... it is research!!

There is nothing wrong with wanting to know all that you can. Besides the CC community is great ... not only do you get great knowledge from tons of folks who have been there and done that they are all funny people (although we all have a crabby moments at time ... please don't ask about tipping or sneaking booze on board).

[Katie John]

Yippee! I'm not crazy, let the "research" continue! Thanks everyone.:p:p:p

[Tbay-eh]

Yippee! I'm not crazy, let the "research" continue! Thanks everyone.:p:p:p

 

Hey fellow Canuck - what else do we have do on those cold winter nights. We always cruise in February as that is my blah month and comes after 30 days of minus 25 and snow up your ying yang. Where in Manitoba are you from

[Soonerbaby]

I am a first timer as well...our first cruise is in October, and I have gained so much information on these boards. I even found our hotel for the night before that offers free parking for the week of our cruise. I agree that planning is half the fun...and I have been having a blast. :)

[Meyer2]

Welcome to CC & Congrats on booking your 1st cruise!! We have our 1st cruise in October & became addicted to cruising already, just from all the reading here & pictures...etc. We've already booked cruise #2! You are not crazy, because if you were, I'd be too! LOL! :p:D Enjoy researching, there is so much wonderful info here!

[Katie John]

Hey fellow Canuck - what else do we have do on those cold winter nights. We always cruise in February as that is my blah month and comes after 30 days of minus 25 and snow up your ying yang. Where in Manitoba are you from

 

We always do a getaway in Feb. as well and I think it's the only way I survive our bitterly cold winters. I live 5 minutes north of Winnipeg. So excited to try our first cruise.

[mrpayroll]

Welcome to CC. You will find there is a wealth of knowledge on here. You will also find great entertainment. Enjoy them both....

[RWolver672]

Welcome to the boards Kate. What week are you going on the Dream? Check out http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=548 . Click on Dream, then look for the date of your cruise. You will find others that are going on the same cruise with you and you can start friendships before you even meet them. Unofficially, it's called a Meet and Greet.

 

We are on the Dream on February 19th doing the Western route. There are quite a few from Canada in our group already.

[Tbay-eh]

We always do a getaway in Feb. as well and I think it's the only way I survive our bitterly cold winters. I live 5 minutes north of Winnipeg. So excited to try our first cruise.

 

We have relatives coming out our ears in Beausejour area. You are truly going to be hooked on cruising. I am in the process of booking a B2B (back to back) for mid February and no matter how many cruises you do - you are always caught up in the planning and excitement, even seasoned cruisers (20 or more) frequent these boards. You always learn something new. Ask questions - most are more than happy to answer them and add their experience to the mix. Others seem like they have their shorts on backwards and are miserable so take it all with a grain of salt. Like one cruiser said - go to the roll call board and look for your particular cruise and you can converse with people who will be there with you - you can even plan on meeting up with them.. I do this every cruise and have made life long friends that I still keep in contact with to this day. In fact, a family we met 2 cruises ago are coming to Thunder Bay to drop their daughter off for school and we are meeting up - how cool is that. Take care and ask away.

[Schoifmom]

My DH thinks I'm nuts as well. I always do this for vacations ... I obessively plan and organize. But then, who is he to complain, he reaps the benefits of have his own personal vacation organizer :p

 

Have a great time planning! It's half the fun :D

[1midsun]

Hey Katie John

 

We went on our first cruise in Feb 2008. Can't WAIT to go again!!!

 

I used to live in Winnipeg, and now live in Calgary.

 

Tbay-eh, I also have relatives in the Beausejour area!!!

 

We are planning another cruise in Feb, probably aboard the Valor, or the Glory. Just waiting on DH's holidays to get approved!!!

 

Happy Cruising!!!

[jandjfun]

Yay!! Welcome to cruise critic and of course cruising. You will find a ton of ideas, ways to save money, things to do and not do, and a ton of new friends!! So "research" away and have a great cruise!!

When planning your next cruise, be sure to visit the member cruise section here on cruise critic. It lists all the group cruises formed by cruise critic members and it can usually save you a ton of money from the cruise, hotels, tours etc.!!:D

[NOLALADY]

For many people (including me) the planning is half the fun. For my husband- he begins planning when he is on the plane on the way someplace, never noticing that he is on a plane going to someplace because someone else (me) planned ahead. :rolleyes:

 

 

LOL you just described my vacations EXACTLY! :D

[dancindukes]

If you will note the year people joined on the right hand side of posts, it will tell you just how addictive these boards and the cruise experience can become ! Welcome..... We are going on our 6th cruise in Nov; the 3rd in 1 year and I never get tired of learning new things about taking a cruise.

[oceanbreezer]

We have relatives coming out our ears in Beausejour area. You are truly going to be hooked on cruising. I am in the process of booking a B2B (back to back) for mid February and no matter how many cruises you do - you are always caught up in the planning and excitement, even seasoned cruisers (20 or more) frequent these boards. You always learn something new. Ask questions - most are more than happy to answer them and add their experience to the mix. Others seem like they have their shorts on backwards and are miserable so take it all with a grain of salt. Like one cruiser said - go to the roll call board and look for your particular cruise and you can converse with people who will be there with you - you can even plan on meeting up with them.. I do this every cruise and have made life long friends that I still keep in contact with to this day. In fact, a family we met 2 cruises ago are coming to Thunder Bay to drop their daughter off for school and we are meeting up - how cool is that. Take care and ask away.

 

Hey Cindy Cruiser!

 

Got an email that they shipped the computer Saturday night. Be interesting to see where is actually goes! :confused: I will put your number in my phone and call your son when we arrive on Saturday in case it arrives there or better yet...maybe we will be chasing it up Hwy 17. :eek:

 

deb

[bookcat]

We are first time cruisers too. I've learned so much on these boards. I can't wait every night to see what has been posted each day. I'm so addicted already.

[welldone60]

katie john...We are on the Feb 5th sailing of the Dream. Go over to the roll call board and join in on the roll call for your sailing. We did the western route on the Glory a few years ago and loved it. If you are like most of the people on this board, you will be hooked on cruising.

[Tbay-eh]

Hey Cindy Cruiser!

 

Got an email that they shipped the computer Saturday night. Be interesting to see where is actually goes! :confused: I will put your number in my phone and call your son when we arrive on Saturday in case it arrives there or better yet...maybe we will be chasing it up Hwy 17. :eek:

 

deb

 

I sure hope it hits here before we leave for holidays otherwise Luke will look after. Hey people, this is how this board works - not only do you help each other with cruising stuff - you can also be there to help out in life in general. We and Oceanbreezer met on the Liberty doing western Caribbean (Panama) but actually first met on rollcall and have been connected ever since. How cool is that.