What to do first after check in?

[omgboost]

I have been cruising since 2000 and the buffet has always been opened for lunch as soon as you board.

Thanks! That is great news. I'll be sure to show up early.

[hartford2012]

Get to port as early as possible. We arrived at 10:30 a.m. By cab and was immediately met by porter. Make sure you preprint and fill out your luggage tags. Porter will help you put them on if needed, otherwise you'll have to hassle with filling out tags at curbside. Give him everything except your valuables and things youll need till you are in your cabin. Otherwise you'll be stuck lugging unneeded bags around ship and dining area. Carnival check in was a breeze - 15 minutes or so, and another 15 in waiting area before they began boarding by zones. No lines. Many agents directing you through security and check in. Very organized. Once on board, we got a table at buffet area (Lido deck). One of us (family of four adults, 2 kids 9, 12), held table while rest got their food. Began checking out the Fun Times schedule of activities. Found a copy at the bar in buffet area, looked over map of ship, highlighted things we wanted to do that afternoon, evening. After lunch, kids jumped in pool while others toured ship, gathered our bearings. Got to our cabin around 1pm. Muster call at 3 p.m. To be honest, with two excited kids, it will be challenging to sit and people-watch. We found it relaxing enough to be in and near the pool with them, and to explore where we wanted to go later (Camp Carnival, spa, etc.) while the crowds were still thin.

 

Have a great vacation!

[askimdog]

My advice is get onboard, but eat a nice meal first in town. Good brunch so you are not hungry. One on board avoid Lido at all costs. 99% of the cruisers are there. 1/2 eating in a crowded buffet, 1/2 swilling drinks around a massively crowded pool. Meanwhile 74 waiters will ask you if you need a drink every 4.7 seconds.

 

Lido and Buffet can be fun on the cruise, but that is one deck we avoid on day 1. (Until we head over for dinner/ rarely use MDR)

[johneeo]

My advice is get onboard, but eat a nice meal first in town. Good brunch so you are not hungry. One on board avoid Lido at all costs. 99% of the cruisers are there.

 

Good advice.

 

We never hit the buffet first day. People act as if they have not eaten in days and it is their last supper.

 

When I get on board, cold beer, and start exploring and taking pictures, get familiar with the ship.

[Mara Suung]

:)[

If you know where you are going, you can bypass that line and head right to your table

 

This is a very good tip!

Thank you:D

[johneeo]

:)[

If you know where you are going, you can bypass that line and head right to your table

 

This is a very good tip!

Thank you:D

 

Yep,

 

Skip the WJ. Start exploring the ship. Grab a beer. Acclamate yourself.

 

Go to the MDR, check it out, find your table.

 

Take pictures. Relax.

 

Again, avoid the WJ when boarding, bunch of barbarians will be there.:rolleyes:

[Steviewonder1]

You are supposed to go check the BED with your DW/DH. Then go to the Lido Deck and find a table or pair of chairs at the bar with the drink of the day!

[Athankfulheart]

I read a great post about what to do first after you check in on a Carnival cruise ship - I think it was eat :-) But it gave a specific location.

We are going on the Carnival Freedom - any body suggest what to do or not to do after check in (2 adults, 2 kids).

Thanks!

Michelle

 

 

On our last cruise we boarded at @ noon. We checked our D/R table location ( no changes were needed) and then explored a bit with our friends who were new to cruising. After that we split up and they went to sign up for the ship's tour while we went to be first to grab weekly spa passes. We met up shortly after 1 in the D/R and had a leisurely lunch together, avoiding the lido madness. I don't know how often the dining room is opened for embarkation day lunch, but I believe that we were at capacity for souls on board this March 17th sailing so that may have been why it was opened :) Before we heard that the D/R would be opened, the plan had been to meet at the pasta place above the buffet. After lunch the cabins were ready so we ofcourse had to go to our cabin and flop on the bed. If I remember correctly, our bags arrived before we left our cabin, so we were completely unpacked and situated before muster and sail away.

[Gunner22aa]

And ask for a cork screw. Then mother and I hit the nice big aft balcony in our suite and enjoy a glass or two of a very nice red wine. Everything else can either wait or has been attended to already. Princess is great in that your cabin is available to you the minute you board. No dragging carry on to the dining room or elsewhere.

[cb at sea]

We eat a late breakfast right before heading to the ship...that way, we can skip the "feeding frenzy" (I'm not sure why eating is the 1st thing most folks want to do!!!)...I wear my bathing suit under my clothes and head to the pool, and get a foo-foo drink to celebrate the start of vacation!

We've never felt the need to check our dining room table (if your tablemates aren't there, how will looking at the placement make a difference???), or scurry about trying to book this or that.....

On vacation, we're sort of "go with the flow" folks!

[fleckle]

I read a great post about what to do first after you check in on a Carnival cruise ship - I think it was eat :-) But it gave a specific location.....

If it is our first time on a ship, we check to find out if they are offering guided tours of the ship.

 

If so, that is a great way to find out where everything is located and it beats wandering around exploring the ship on your own because you have a guide right there with you to answer all your questions.

[Cuizer2]

I read a great post about what to do first after you check in on a Carnival cruise ship - I think it was eat :-) But it gave a specific location.

We are going on the Carnival Freedom - any body suggest what to do or not to do after check in (2 adults, 2 kids).

Thanks!

Michelle

 

The first thing to do after check in is to check out ...

 

... the ship and your cabin. :)

[Fishing_dude]

You are supposed to go check the BED with your DW/DH. Then go to the Lido Deck and find a table or pair of chairs at the bar with the drink of the day!

 

Great minds think alike! :-)

[serene56]

We've never felt the need to check our dining room table (if your tablemates aren't there, how will looking at the placement make a difference???),

 

 

We want a table by ourselves. a table that is not located by a service station. Checking where the table is will alleviate any first night dinner problems.

 

If I see it is not to be liking I can visit the head guy at 1pm and get it changed

[dsrdsrdsr]

1. Drop hand luggage in cabin, if possible.

 

2. Find cup of tea.

 

3. Send kids off to explore the ship. (Unless they're too tiny.)

 

4. Drink tea.

[jamiebytes]

We want a table by ourselves. a table that is not located by a service station. Checking where the table is will alleviate any first night dinner problems.

 

If I see it is not to be liking I can visit the head guy at 1pm and get it changed

 

Yeah my boyfriend (a far more experienced cruiser than me), insists on checking the table placement first thing. Especially since we request two-seaters and those tend to get randomly shoved into poor locations. :-)

[emkjay_24]

We are thinking of bringing on a 12 pk of pop per kid (5 of them) plus two adults as that's a much cheaper option than the pop card, so will we be lugging around our carry on and our pop until our room is ready, or will we be able to leave that with our luggage? This is all new to me.. We will be sailing on the Carnival in 11 days. My mom also heard from another cruiser that said the cardboard the pop is in can't have any holes in it? Is this true?

[paul929207]

With Carnival, your soda must be in your carrryon, so you will be lugging it until the cabin is ready.

[johneeo]

We are thinking of bringing on a 12 pk of pop per kid (5 of them) plus two adults as that's a much cheaper option than the pop card,

 

I couldn't imagine.:eek:

[emkjay_24]

So are we crazy for bringing on our own pop?

[NoobCruise]

Well, both of our cruises we headed to our cabin first to dump our stuff, but the first cruise we didn't get boarded until minutes before the muster drill so our cabin was ready. Second cruise was with HAL and they have the cabins ready when you board. I don't think Carnival has all the cabins ready until afternoon.

 

If my cabin wasn't ready, I'd head to the aft pool on the Lido deck for a cocktail and some munchies, then kick my feet up and enjoy the view until my cabin was ready.

[Cuizer2]

So are we crazy for bringing on our own pop?

 

Not as crazy as bringing on someone else's pop.

[paul929207]

So are we crazy for bringing on our own pop?

No, you can save a few bucks.

[emkjay_24]

not as crazy as bringing on someone else's pop.

 

lol!!!

[emkjay_24]

With Carnival, your soda must be in your carrryon, so you will be lugging it until the cabin is ready.

 

"in the carryon".. so not in it's original packaging? Sorry to be confused... newbie here!