Gotta love newbies!

[okwriter]

I'll be cruising with my sisters in just over a month on the Triumph out of Galveston. We are all in our 50s. Older sister has at least been on a cruise ship (for a luncheon in St. Thomas). Younger has never even seen a cruise ship, despite living in the Orlando area for several years.

 

Anyway, tonight I was on the phone with "younger" talking about the cruise and I said something about the elevators. "They have elevators?" she asked. "I just figured we had to take the stairs!" :D

 

I'm so excited to introduce them to cruising. What is your favorite thing about cruising with someone who has never been or your favorite memory of being with a newbie?

[kazbar]

The size of the ship. Most people can't fathom that you can fit full sized theatres etc on a 'boat' :D

[GlendaleCruiser]

The size of the ship. Most people can't fathom that you can fit full sized theatres etc on a 'boat' :D

 

 

Totally agree! When they find out that it is practically a city on board with theaters, pools, shops, all the dining rooms, etc. and they are blown away with all the deck space.:)

[PenguinLife]

The first cruise I was ever on was on a ship half the size of the smallest current Carnival ship, was built in the 1950's and it had a movie theater and an elevator.

[sunshine&shiningstar]

The first ship we sailed on was the jubliee and we thaught we were in heaven then we saied on the conquest i say you can only go up:p

[newcatintown]

I like to try new things, in many areas. It will be a sad day indeed when I don't learn something new, that I know all there is to know about whatever subject.

 

In your sisters defense, all the ads show the stairs, they don't show the elevators. And there are times that being surprised is the best part, without 'knowing all there is to know' attached.

[KrystalWaters]

My hubby is estatic that he can order as many or much breakfast/lunch/dinner portions that he wants. He is currently dieting for the cruise lol.

[terri1020]

My favorite part of cruising with newbies is the look on their face when they realize that the second you step onto that ship, you're on vacation...and we all know that means heading for their first round of free food :-)

[JerseyshoreBruce]

I'll be cruising with my sisters in just over a month on the Triumph out of Galveston. We are all in our 50s. Older sister has at least been on a cruise ship (for a luncheon in St. Thomas). Younger has never even seen a cruise ship, despite living in the Orlando area for several years.

 

Anyway, tonight I was on the phone with "younger" talking about the cruise and I said something about the elevators. "They have elevators?" she asked. "I just figured we had to take the stairs!" :D

 

I'm so excited to introduce them to cruising. What is your favorite thing about cruising with someone who has never been or your favorite memory of being with a newbie?

I have a bunch of newbies going on a group cruise next August. I like two things....when they first see the ship from up close and when they step into the atrium for the first time....i can't wait!:D

[H82seaUgo]

the large atrium followed by the small staterooms.

 

followed by all the "free" food. they get all giddy when i order two entrees, and then eventually follow suit.

 

i also graciously allow them to dictate the activities available to us most times, which gives us a different perspective we would normally not experience.

 

 

 

 

.

[Nomo99]

DW got all "appreciative" when she realized she wouldn't have to lift a finger for an entire week!

[Crusing Nut]

Last year we had our friends join us during our January cruise. We were thrilled about experiencing everything with them. Of course we reminded them that their sail and sign card showed that they were "virgins" We had a grand time. All of us are traveling together on our November cruise with connecting balconies again.

[VickiD59]

We were the newbies on our last cruise. It was that first step over the threshold into the Atrium that had that "lil' kid on Christmas morning" awe about it. We actually got DODs and sat there in the comfy chairs in the Atrium lounge waiting for the room is ready announcement. What were we thinking??? There was so much to explore, and we sat there like we were waiting for a bus LOL. We didn't know to go up to the Lido for lunch or anything; we figured we couldn't drag carry-ons around AND eat lunch too. Boy were we truly newbies! :rolleyes:

Next time way less carry-on crapola, and we head to the Lido. Can't wait!

[nickiefriend]

I am a newbie and will be sailing for the first time in 19 days! I have been on here every day and I cant wait for all the food too! I have been on a diet since we booked this July 4th, lost 37 lbs and quite sure I will gain it all back while on the boat:D

 

I keep joking that on the way back I will have to buy two seats on the plane!

[Fighterone]

I'll be cruising with my sisters in just over a month on the Triumph out of Galveston. We are all in our 50s. Older sister has at least been on a cruise ship (for a luncheon in St. Thomas). Younger has never even seen a cruise ship, despite living in the Orlando area for several years.

 

Anyway, tonight I was on the phone with "younger" talking about the cruise and I said something about the elevators. "They have elevators?" she asked. "I just figured we had to take the stairs!" :D

 

I'm so excited to introduce them to cruising. What is your favorite thing about cruising with someone who has never been or your favorite memory of being with a newbie?

 

Younger sure is in for a big surprise!

 

At sailaway, we were all blowing bubbles on deck like little kids with our new friends from the CC roll call. It was their first cruise and our second one. We loved the ship's cameraman and posed for him as we blew in our party whistles. We all wound up taking pictures of ourselves as they played the video on the ships TV instead of actually buying the video.

 

As employees on a familiarization trip, everyone was in awe when invited to boarded the first cruise ship that sailed out of the port of Houston back in 1997 for a tour and a luncheon. They couldn't believe how good the food was and how that wine free flowed. It was an old NCL ship refurbished to accommodate about 848 passengers from 775: "Texarribean".

 

You bring back lots of good memories and my own dream of sailing someday when I was 17 years old (1967) and boarded the France (later the Norway) while it was docked in Quebec City as my mom was doing a transatlantic on her. It was her first cruise and she saved all the documentation which I found last month as I was emptying her apartment.

[marshhawk]

When I was a newbie(as an adult) two things absolutely floored me, the size of the ship, and the fact that the cabin was always clean! I leave for 10 minutes, and I come back, and it's clean! How did they do that? (I'm still trying to figure it out).

I will be cruising with a newbie this next cruise-I can't wait to see the look on her face when we get into the port area, and she sees the ship for the first time:).

DH and I had dinner out last night at a buffet, we are out of practice for a buffet. We ate til we hurt:eek:!

[prattmom]

We will be taking my parents and my brother's family with us next Thanksgiving. I'm also looking forward to seeing them experience the size of the ship in person. They've never seen a cruise ship before, either.

[Yvonne]

I love taking newbies on cruises with us too!

 

I'll never forget my Mom, when we took my parents with us on the Disney Wonder. She is a "kid at heart" and was so excited to be able to go on her first cruise, with the Disney characters. And when we first boarded and their last name was announced on the speaker, "Welcome to the _________ family", and the look on her face as she was in awe of the ship and atrium, and then she started to cry she was just so happy to be there. It was sweet!

 

We're taking a newbie with us on our next cruise, my best friend is going to be my Mom's roommate as my Dad passed away about 4 years ago. It will be fun seeing things through her eyes, as she experiences everything about a cruise ship for the first time.

[derf5585]

on the conquest i say you can only go up:p

 

You mean the elevators did not go back down again;)

[1965]

Taking our DD and SIL on the Spirit in May. Like H82SEAUGO, I think the beautiful atrium, then the unlimited food choices, will blow them away. And I think they will even love their small inside cabin. Seeing everything through their eyes will be so much fun.

[derf5585]

Remember we were all newbies once

[H82seaUgo]

Remember we were all newbies once

 

yeah. except that huge 48,000 ton ship that i broke my neck looking up at is now called small!

[RMM34667]

I had a co-worker once ask me "my gr & I booked a cruise for three with my brother, will they just put my brother in a room with a stranger?" when I told him no your brother will be in your cabin he said "oh no that won't work" I killed myself laughing.

 

another great Moment was seeing the ship for the first time my 6 year old nephew asked his mother if he could stay home with his father. He was terrified by it's size. Of course he had the time of his life.

[okwriter]

I was up later than usual and started this thread last night. I have laughed until I cried reading these answers this morning. I am still a newbie at heart when I first see the ship and step foot into the atrium. :)

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

VickiD59: you made me spew coffee! :D

[wife2b]

My very first cruise- I was 12 years old cruising with my family on a 5 day cruise to the Bahamas. My mom handed me a Carnival credit card and said your limit is $200 for the entire cruise, do not exceed that limit!!! I bought little trinkets from the gift shop, virgin daiquiris, etc.

Fast forward to my honeymoon nearly ten years later- DH's parents booked a honeymoon cruise for our wedding gift (LOVE my in-laws! :D)...remembering my very first cruise, I raved on & on to DH about this free "$200 credit card" they give to each passenger for spending money. DH, being fully aware of my occasional only child naivete, decided to confirm this with my parents. Lo and behold this was not a free credit card at all... it was the S&S card and it certainly wasn't free. My parents went on to explain the dynamics of the S&S card to DH & I and they all had a good laugh at my expense...Oops :o