Obvious things a newbie cruiser might not know

[Louiangel]

These are all fantastic tips! Thanks to everyone!!!

 

Two questions I just thought of:

 

How much available credit do you need on your credit card when you arrive onboard and they scan it? I just read somewhere that they'll freeze like $200 per day! For a 12-day cruise, my credit card limits don't go up that high!! Is that true?

 

Also, when crossing time zones, how does Celebrity handle that? If we bring along our own clock, do we just adjust it before sleeping, or how do people do that?

 

Thanks!!

 

I hope they don't freeze that much. I've heard you can guarantee your pass with cash. We are planning on pre booking Excursions and speciality restaurants plus drinks packages. So hoping that our only charges will be the occassional cafe al bacio or gym class. My bank will hate me forever if I try authorising that amount of money.

[neverbeenhere]

Don't sweat the small stuff. Don't worry about what you are wearing. Try everything once. Buy the corporate stock and get OBC.(you have to contact them for the credit) Set you own schedule, you can order room service almost whenever. Wear a watch, when leaving the ship (know when to get back) Don't buy too much, you have to carry it back.

[kinaida]

Great thread! Thanks for the tips everyone!

[Orator]

Hint: There are two types of On Board Credit. One type, usually from Celebrity must be used or you lose it. The second type, usually from a TA, may be turned into cash at the Casino for a 5% fee. If you have both types charges are paid first from the non-refundable OBC.

[dkjretired]

You need to know there's no iron in your room, and no laundry machines you can access. :rolleyes:

 

Additionally irons and steamers are not permitted on board.

[cherylroslyn]

A good tip: Along with having your credit card, have your passport available also, during the Embarkation check-in.

 

All most importantly...relax and enjoy yourself. There is nothing like the feeling of your first cruise experience. Unless it's your second, third, fourth, etc. experiences.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

That is a very good point. I recently got to watch the panick that ensues when a guest accidentally leaves their passport inside of their luggage.

 

Once they take your luggage at the curb you do not see it again until it is in your room.....so don't leave your passport in your luggage.......or else you will have some pretty frustrated porters and crew members search for a bag that is "black and rectangular".....needless to say it took a lot of effort to find their bag.

[neverbeenhere]

Need a steamer? use the bathroom shower - full hot

[cherylroslyn]

These are all fantastic tips! Thanks to everyone!!!

 

Two questions I just thought of:

 

How much available credit do you need on your credit card when you arrive onboard and they scan it? I just read somewhere that they'll freeze like $200 per day! For a 12-day cruise, my credit card limits don't go up that high!! Is that true?

 

Also, when crossing time zones, how does Celebrity handle that? If we bring along our own clock, do we just adjust it before sleeping, or how do people do that?

 

Thanks!!

They will do an initial authorization of about $250.00 per person. They will let you know if you are running low. Just be very careful if you plan on using a debit card. I used a debit card once and they placed many different individual holds and then at the end they took a large chunk that was the sum of all the smaller holds. The smaller holds took almost two weeks to be lifted. I could not touch that money for two weeks and the bank said it was the Cruiseline's fault.

[Kartgv]

Our room steward forgot to tell us that if we wanted clean towels, put the used ones on the bathroom floor. We left ours by the sink and were a little unhappy to see them still sitting there when we got back to our room after dinner. We mentioned it to the steward's 'assistant' the next morning and he pointed out the little blue sign hanging at the back of the towel rack that explains the program to save water.

 

No need to pay for the bottled water in your room; some may disagree, but we drank the ship's water for 10 days and it tasted just fine.

 

Don't know about your ship, but on the Century, if you have a balcony, lock your sliding door with both the handle lock and the lock that's mounted on the center metal frame. We never noticed the 2nd lock and spent a sleepless night in rough seas with our door continuing to unlock and open itself. We actualy watched the handle lock turn by itself several times.

 

There's a whole thread somewhere about using the room safes, but a good tip is to put everything that's going into your safe in a ziplock baggie. It's easy to lose small items in the safe and leave them behind.

[neverbeenhere]

Don't flush while sitting.:eek:

[LouisV]

I remember that port has 4 letters and, coincidentally, so does left!!:cool:

 

That's how I remember it too!!:)

[sandancer]

Are we allowed to decorate our doors, then? I wouldn't have thought that!

Yes, you will see birthday banners, anniversary banner and most importantly CRUISE CRITIC signs.

[DandDDay]

Don't flush while sitting.:eek:

 

Now, THAT is funny!!! I am still laughing!

[patty1955]

If you forget something, stop and pick it up before boarding. The onboard shops aren't open until you leave port and they're expensive!

[dkjretired]

Don't flush while sitting.:eek:

 

Step up when you enter the bathroom.

[DandDDay]

A month ago, I would have classified us as "seasonal cruisers". But I have learned so much from reading the boards and Roll Calls this past month that I can't believe how little I knew. There are websites that give you vacant cabins on most Cruiselines/ships, give you pictures and info on fellow travelers for your upcoming cruise (if they post them..and a lot do), reviews on "S" class Celebrity cabins, etc. There is a thread for "Celebrity secrets". Did not know that owning stock could get you additional OBC (On board credit). I haven't found the thread that defines all the acronyms..but can't imagine that there isn't one.

If you book your next cruise while on board (with Celebrity or RCI) they will give you an OBC. Then transfer your booking to your TA (that can be either "Travel agent" or "transatlantic") and they will give you additional OBC for loyalty. You can book a cruise with Celebrity while on RCI and vis versa. If you do a b2b where there is a day in between debarking and embarking the next ship (Celebrity/RCI) they will pick up your hotel room for the night. And make arrangements to get you back on board. For sure, read your Roll Call, read the Roll Calls for the ship for other dates that are doing the same itenery. And when you get on board..take part in everything that you have any interest at all in. Have fun

[DandDDay]

Also, on Celebrity you may bring on 2 bottles of wine for your personal use in your stateroom. If you take it to dinner or a lounge you will be charged a corkage fee (I believe $25). you can also bring a few soft drinks on board too. If you are flying, buy them AFTER you reach your port destination and keep it in your carry on. I had a bottle of coke burst in my luggage that I checked at the pier.

[lovestx]

I have gotten about 1/3 of the way through a trip report of our first-ever cruise on Equinox to the Eastern Med leaving out of Rome. You should be able to find it on the board ("For those planning an Eastern Med trip for 2013". Have included a newbies list of what you need and don't need, how embarkation went, etc.

[Xcitdcruiser]

They will do an initial authorization of about $250.00 per person. They will let you know if you are running low. Just be very careful if you plan on using a debit card. I used a debit card once and they placed many different individual holds and then at the end they took a large chunk that was the sum of all the smaller holds. The smaller holds took almost two weeks to be lifted. I could not touch that money for two weeks and the bank said it was the Cruiseline's fault.

 

great thread!

 

in terms of the freezing $250pp , if using an international credit card that charges a foreign AND exchange fee, would this apply??

[RoonilWazlib]

I have gotten about 1/3 of the way through a trip report of our first-ever cruise on Equinox to the Eastern Med leaving out of Rome. You should be able to find it on the board ("For those planning an Eastern Med trip for 2013". Have included a newbies list of what you need and don't need, how embarkation went, etc.

 

Yes!! I've been reading and enjoying yours immensely! I love those!

[Despegue]

Some info regarding the Muster Drill...

 

The Muster or Passenger Emergency Drill is MANDATORY.

It is held before the ship sails ( the official IMO regulation states within 24 hours but since Costa Concordia, all ships will do a drill before sailaway)

Your name and cabin nimber will be taken at your ASSEMBLY STATION.

 

This Assembly Station is the venue where you must go to in case of an emergency ( an emergency does NOT always mean an evacuation). This venue is clearly mentioned on the inside of your cabin door. also on your Seapass ( your key, creditcard and ID, all in one) you will find your assembly station number.

This number is also written in WHITE ON A GREEN BACKGROUND at the station itself.

 

During the drill, you DO NOT wear your lifevest. You can leave the vest in your stateroom.

 

During the drill, you will be able to familiarize yourself on how to don a lifevest, how to recognize an emergency signal ( seven short blasts/tones and one long), what the crew will do for you and what YOU need to do.

 

The Assembly station is always situated at a higher level lounge, close by the lifesaving equipment. from the Assembly station, you will be guided in case of an evacuation to an appropriate lifeboat or raft. Be aware that every emergency is different and your actual assignment of lifeboat/raft always depends on the actual situation. it is therefore not opportune to have an assigned lifboat before an actual evacuation occurs. ( this is an often misunderstood fact)

 

Most importantly, keep your holiday spirit during these important 5 minutes. Be attentive but relax, your dream holiday ismabout to set sail for the first time!

 

Hope this clarifies a bit the Muster Drill?

 

Best regards,

 

Despegue

Captain.

[ORV]

Yes, you will see birthday banners, anniversary banner and most importantly CRUISE CRITIC signs.

 

Of the 2 Celebrity cruises I've been on I've yet to see decorated doors. I've seen these on Carnival and Princess but not X.

[neverbeenhere]

Bring your tape, scissors and crate paper on your next celebrity cruise.

[Project_gal]

Probably the best advice we received on our first cruise: "don't worry about what others think about you, you will probably never see them again". Good advice if you worry about doing things incorrectly on your first cruise.

 

Sue

 

PS For the sake of clarity, not carte blanche to be anti-social - that may get you thrown off the ship. Not literally, of course, they no longer make you walk the plank.

[Waihekean]

My tip: have luggage tags well attached to your luggage before porters walk of with it.

 

Also you need to be really organised on a Mediterrean cruise. Make sure you know what exactly you would like to see and how long it takes to get there. But also schedule in some down time, especially if you are going in the hot months.