First Cruise Nerves - What to do with the time?

[FiveAce]

Wait, you've been registered on this forum since 2009 and haven't cruised yet? The torture! Hopefully you have found the advice on this thread helpful as I have nothing to add other than to say enjoy your cruise. You've waited long enough!

[EmJakeBubbie]

if there is no way around a TA (many sea days), bring plenty of books and music for your personal entertainment, to sit outside or in, to relax away the hours. There are too many FREE on board activities to list them all, but TRIVIA may be of interest to you, for a half hour - meeting people is the best part of any cruise ....you'll have to mix around and participate in group activities to meet people.

Card Games / Board Games.

Not much wandering around for you, in the middle of the ocean, unfortunately, but plenty for you to enjoy.

I neither visit the Casino nor Spa, yet my days are full and pleasant. I enjoy the Library and people-watching.

My best vacation is always going to be land-based, but a cruise is where I relax and basically do nothing :D

It is important to your significant other for you to enjoy this cruise together. Go with an open mind and consider it a New Adventure. You might just find out, like us, you'll really-really like it. Attitude is Everything :)

 

Bon Voyage.

[PookiePics]

Hi Everyone.

 

I was wondering if your hubby has thought about backup plans. I am trying to not be nosy, and I'm not sure if I'm succeeding...

 

For example, if you're driving and the car might break down, do you have someone to call like AAA? Have you taken the car to a mechanic and get a super-thorough checkup so it will be less likely to break down in the first place? Do you have basic gear in the car like jumper cables, spare tires, extra engine fluids, extra blankets if it's winter...etc. You could prepare for hotels or flights by having airline phone numbers to call if there's a problem, or hire a travel agent to help you if anything does go wrong. I think it's like fire drills...yes, they arent fun, but if there is a fire (unlikely, but slightly possible) you know what to do or where to go. backup plans (maybe even several) might help his worry that something will go wrong and he might fret less about it. It sounded like he's so busy fretting about what MIGHT go wrong that he's not sure how to fix it if it DOES go wrong. I'm not saying that every trip is doomed to awfulness, I'm just trying to figure out how to tactfully ask how I can help him enjoy traveling a bit more. If I am irritating or rude, just tell me, and I'll shut up, I'm not sure what's helpful or nosy to you yet.

 

I was also wondering if you have any hobbies of your own besides zooming around? Many hobbies are portable or might be adjusted to be portable, depending on what they are (comparing fashions of passrby, easy...pottery & ceramics with clay & kilns...slightly more difficult...lol)

I thought up quite a few suggestions of what might work for hobbies or ways to kill time, but I cut them out of the reply-post since it was way too wordy for a first post by a new member. You didnt list what you like to do aside from leaving the hotel room as much as possible, so I wasnt able to figure out what sort of things might interest you or other ideas. I did peek around the site, and I think that you're considering a trip on the Norwegian Star or QM2, right? Have you looked up stuff on their websites about activities? or checked out message boards here? They might give you some ideas, or just call the cruise lines and ask them what they have to offer that's free for the possible cruise you want to take.

I look forward to meeting you and everyone else here, Tara

[wallie5446]

I'm real nervous about too much time on a ship because I love to go see and do when I travel. I'm thinking the time on the ship will be about like being trapped in a hotel for the duration. Lots of stuff you could do such as a spa treatment or a swim, but most of it costs extra, and if it doesn't cost extra, it is crazy crowded. To make it worse, I think gambling is the most boring thing ever.

 

My usual thing while traveling is to spend the least time in the hotel as possible. I'm usually first in line the moment breakfast service opens and out. I've looked at the options, and I really can't figure out what in the world anyone does with all that time on the ship. That said, my Dear One has heart set on a cruise, so I'll have to make the best of it.

 

The two options we're deciding between:

 

A Norwegian cruise leaving Copenhagen by way of the Azores and St Thomas ending in Miami, or the Queen Mary II NYC to Southhampton.

 

I can't decide if it sounds better to take the longer since at least it will be broken up with stops, or if I could better handle the Queen Mary. Maybe if some of you tell me what in the world you do with all that time?

 

WOW! Them there be a couple of real nice choices for a 1st cruise. We are outside of Dallas, did the driving gig with the kids till they were 7 & 11. We did our 1st cruise in 1987, the kids in 1994 and have never wanted to do the 'drive' to 4 Corners or Mt Rushmore again! We get to sit back, relax, read a book, take a nap, unwind!

 

Do it!

[TravelinGert]

Hi Everyone.

 

I was wondering if your hubby has thought about backup plans. I am trying to not be nosy, and I'm not sure if I'm succeeding...

 

 

For example, if you're driving and the car might break down, do you have someone to call like AAA? Have you taken the car to a mechanic and get a super-thorough checkup so it will be less likely to break down in the first place? Do you have basic gear in the car like jumper cables, spare tires, extra engine fluids, extra blankets if it's winter...etc. You could prepare for hotels or flights by having airline phone numbers to call if there's a problem, or hire a travel agent to help you if anything does go wrong. I think it's like fire drills...yes, they arent fun, but if there is a fire (unlikely, but slightly possible) you know what to do or where to go. backup plans (maybe even several) might help his worry that something will go wrong and he might fret less about it. It sounded like he's so busy fretting about what MIGHT go wrong that he's not sure how to fix it if it DOES go wrong. I'm not saying that every trip is doomed to awfulness, I'm just trying to figure out how to tactfully ask how I can help him enjoy traveling a bit more. If I am irritating or rude, just tell me, and I'll shut up, I'm not sure what's helpful or nosy to you yet.

 

I was also wondering if you have any hobbies of your own besides zooming around? Many hobbies are portable or might be adjusted to be portable, depending on what they are (comparing fashions of passrby, easy...pottery & ceramics with clay & kilns...slightly more difficult...lol)

I thought up quite a few suggestions of what might work for hobbies or ways to kill time, but I cut them out of the reply-post since it was way too wordy for a first post by a new member. You didnt list what you like to do aside from leaving the hotel room as much as possible, so I wasnt able to figure out what sort of things might interest you or other ideas. I did peek around the site, and I think that you're considering a trip on the Norwegian Star or QM2, right? Have you looked up stuff on their websites about activities? or checked out message boards here? They might give you some ideas, or just call the cruise lines and ask them what they have to offer that's free for the possible cruise you want to take.

I look forward to meeting you and everyone else here, Tara

 

Nosy is the only way anyone learns anything, right? :p

 

Yes, he's Mr Preparedness. We don't even make the hour and a half drive down to his folks unless he checks the air pressure in all the tires, even the spare. Then he checks all the fluids, makes sure all the lights function properly, and goes though his checklist. The car doesn't leave the driveway without a fully inflated spare, jack, tire iron, jumper cables, backup fluids, tool kit, blankets, pillows, umbrellas, rain gear, overalls, and a cheapie plastic paint sheet to put down if anyone has to go under the car. If we're going further, he has the oil changed and everything double checked by a mechanic.

 

I think rather than an anxiety problem, he likely has control issues. He's ok with making jaunts in the car because he feels like he can control things. With a delayed flight, he's got no control and not much experience how these things play out, either.

 

I had a great plan for what to do while held over for that delay in the airport. I went to the nearest nice sit-down restaurant, ordered a meal and a couple of drinks, and relaxed. When I got tired of that, I went window shopping. They told us about the delay before we landed, and he was nodding along with this plan before we disembarked. He just wasn't comfortable leaving the gate we were to depart at unattended. The delay was caused by weather, and he thought the length might change in either direction. Later wasn't an issue, but he thought early might be. I could have told him earlier was highly unlikely, but it wouldn't have mattered.

 

As far as hobbies go, yes I have them. At home I crochet, cook, bake, make jewelry, garden, cycle, swim, quilt, cross stitch, embroider, sew, read, paint (very badly), do calligraphy, plan my next trip, collect more ideas for things I'd like to do for my bucket list, fish, and do renovation projects on our older home. The thing is, I can do those at home without paying extra for the room I sleep in. When I go on vacation, it is to do, see, meet, greet, and otherwise partake of things I cannot get at home. If they have lessons in crafts that I can't get here at home, I'd be interested in that. Perhaps classical Komono painting, tatted lace making, racquetball, figure skating, basket weaving, or home beer or wine making?

 

I'd love the dance lessons, if only I could get my darling husband to join me for them. He says he will think about it. I love dancing, and especially any sort of couples dancing. I also wasn't entirely kidding about the wine / scotch tasting. I enjoy both wine and a good single malt, but know little about either topic.

 

I have perused the websites of both cruises. I did eventually find an extensive list of possible activities on the QM2, and there were certainly those which interested me. I had a nice list going until a friend told me you have to get up early in the morning, schlep down to a certain office, and sign up for that day's offered activities. She says if something fills up before you get down there, you miss out. She said on the cruise she took, she woke up early the first morning to find there was already a line waiting for the office to open, and by the time she got inside, everything anyone much wanted to do was filled up. It was a different cruise line, so maybe things are done differently on the QM2?

 

I've kinda decided on the QM2 cruise, just because it is shorter. I've only got three weeks for this trip. My understanding is even if you take a cruise that stops various places, you are very limited as to how much time you get in each place. I know it will just drive me batty if I am up, dressed, and breakfast for the day then have to wait hours before I can get off the ship. I'm usually out and doing no later than 7 am on holiday. Totally not an early morning person in my work-a-day world, but magically morph into one on holiday. My Grandfather would say too afraid I'll miss out on something. :rolleyes:

[wallie5446]

This is why our next cruise will be a repeat of the Eastern route we did last Nov on Princess. ( no private island, add San Juan ) and our 5/6 th time on this route. There is no way to see a country in one visit and no way to do everything on the Ship in one sailing. We are closing in on 60 :eek: and I too used to have to account for every minute of the day while on vacation. Used to get home and was more tired than before we left. I don't even worry if I missed packing something anymore, there is hope :D

You unpack 1 time then do as you please for a week, as little or as hustle an bustle as you want. Last cruise we had dinner on our balcony for the first time :) so wonderful!

What you are looking at is one of our bucket list cruises.

[PookiePics]

I was thinking that if an activity onboard the ship isnt to your liking, maybe you can invent one. I also do a lot of crafts and things, so I like to take portable versions with me in a plastic box with handles like a picnic basket-like thing, or even rubbermaid-type containers I can carry in a totebag (no beadwork, that's too much of a risk. One bump and a million beads all over the floor!). I've met a lot of people at the doctor's or dentists, etc with my kits that way too. I think that somewhere around here (I have to find it again) you can find others here who might be traveling on the same cruise, so maybe you can rent/borow a conference room or a set of deck chairs sitting together and have a little club-activity of your own. How about a kids'-style show and tell-your-hobbies party? Paints might be too messy on a ship, but there are watercolors made as coloring pencils...wet the paper with a slightly damp sponge, scribble with pencils, and let dry. Ta-dah! A painting! lol you could trade lessons in crochet or emrboidery for someone's advice on how to improve your drawing or whatever. I've lugged stuff on long boring drives to family holiday meals, so I think that a lot of craft stuff would work, or you could have a board-game contest, where people are radomly assigned to teams (probably with picking playing cards from a shuffled deck) and having six or eight kinds of board games to play. each team would take a turn playing at each board game, and the team that won the most rounds of games could get some silly little prize or something. spending all day playing board games or working on simple craft projects like make-your-own-purse or glueing stuff to a baseball hat or holiday ornaments sound more fun to me, and you'd have plenty of people to talk to at the same time. You might be able to borrow some minigolf clubs and a few golf balls, use some inflatible pool tays that you bring from home, and whatever other stuff you could find around (empty suitcases, shoes, pots, pans, whatever...) to make a minigolf-course of your own if you're really feeling adventerous. so what if it's spread among a few cabins and you have to walk from cabin to cabin to get to the next hole? isnt that the point of a silly golf game?

When I was a kid, I used to play that domino-rally game with a friend who lived in the other half of the duplex, and boy, did we ever get in trouble several times a week from both moms! We'd have long trails of domonies and whatever other things (toy cars, marbles to run along a scavenged bit of train track, etc) all over the living rooms, under the table in the kitchens, up and down the shared stairwell between the apartments on each floor...lol.

Getting back on track again...my point was trying to say that if the ship didnt have any sort of activity that you like, a little creatively from you or the ship's staff might help you make up or invent an activity to do instead.

 

You could try to plan out your trip in ports ahead of time, checking the ship's schedule for each day and looking up each port here or wherever to see what's there, then set yourself on a scavenger hunt to see how many things on your list you can cram in before your time limit is up for the day. that would keep you running for a few hours!

The ship's schedule would have the times listed for when they arrive at port, so you may be able to get off the ship at 7 am, or find ways to kill time by adding in a gym workout or a movie watching or something and leave a little later in the day. a few strolls around the decks might give you a chance to photograph some interesting scenery as you approach the port or get close to another ship while helping you burn off a bit of that extra energy or an hour or so, just dont attempt the boston marathon too early, Okay? save that for a no-port day...lol

As far as lessons in crafts...I've picked up a lot from my local libraries...all fifteen or so around here. There's tons of books to choose from (and you can have 50 books out at the same time! Wheeeeeee!!!-bring the crane, I'm gonna need some help lugging these to the car!) that I've read, and I'll take notes from the books or scanned a picture of a knitting pattern to try out when I'm bored so I dont have to keep the book around when I'm not using it and it's nicer to not hog the books longer than the usual three weeks for regular lending-time, but I always keep notes as to which book I got that pattern from, so I can go get it again if I want to try more! I even found a few about tatting or old-fashioned woodcarving, as well as a bunch of beer/wine making/etc.

 

I do feel a bit jealous of you...I dont have much get-up-and-go anymore. It's more like a "got up and went already, came back, posted/blogged all about it, went somewhere else...and have the obnoxiously-boring slideshow to make you sit through to prove it...time for a nap now" sort of feeling. so the idea of killing a couple hours or an afternoon either socializing, watching movies, or snoozing if fine with me. I dont have that hyperactive energy too often, not like I used to. anyways, I hope you have fun on your trip, and your hubby has fun and gets a chance to relax too. See you around, Tara

[NMLady]

Since sea day activities can change from cruise to cruise it's hard to say what yours will be. There is always a daily trivia game, done in groups, a good way to meet people. Sometimes there are arts n crafts, depending on talents of CD staff or passenger contracted. There might be golf putting, shuffleboard, wii bowling. There are always computer classes, usually photo classes too. Sometimes there are lectures or language classes, perhaps bridge lessons or cooking demonstrations. All of those activities are free.

 

Each night your ship newsletter will list the next day's activities to help you decide what to do. You do not have to sign up for most of them -- just show up at the starting time listed.

There's also a ship's library with a selection of books that you can check out if you want to spend some time reading.

 

The gym is free if you want to use the treadmills or exercyles or other equipment. There is also an outside promenade for walking and often there is a jogging track in addition. I think you will find plenty to do. You can also browse in the ship's shops.

 

And of course there's always entertainment in the evenings, sometimes in the afternoons as well. I doubt you will feel bored or cooped up.

[CraftyEC]

If you click on this link you will find some examples of daily newsletters / activity listings for a Cunard transatlantic crossing, and here are some for NCL Star, although probably not for the TA you are considering - if you poke around on the websites you may find more information

[ShawninFL]

I'm real nervous about too much time on a ship because I love to go see and do when I travel. I'm thinking the time on the ship will be about like being trapped in a hotel for the duration. Lots of stuff you could do such as a spa treatment or a swim, but most of it costs extra, and if it doesn't cost extra, it is crazy crowded. To make it worse, I think gambling is the most boring thing ever.

 

My usual thing while traveling is to spend the least time in the hotel as possible. I'm usually first in line the moment breakfast service opens and out. I've looked at the options, and I really can't figure out what in the world anyone does with all that time on the ship. That said, my Dear One has heart set on a cruise, so I'll have to make the best of it.

 

The two options we're deciding between:

 

A Norwegian cruise leaving Copenhagen by way of the Azores and St Thomas ending in Miami, or the Queen Mary II NYC to Southhampton.

 

I can't decide if it sounds better to take the longer since at least it will be broken up with stops, or if I could better handle the Queen Mary. Maybe if some of you tell me what in the world you do with all that time?

 

Wooo there. If you are already fearing what you will do on a cruise ship don't take a cruise with lots of sea days....thus a transatlantic is out of the question. I recommend taking, at most, a 7- day cruise with a port stop everyday but one. If you enjoy that cruise experience, then add more sea days on a future cruise. I actually learned to enjoy the sea days and prefer a cruise experience with close to an equal number of sea and port days.

[ShawninFL]

I'm sorry, I posted too early and should have read everything first. As for my sea days, I really enjoy sitting around the pool on the upper deck and reading or people watching. I also enjoy hitting the casino for a little while. If there are lectures, I'm kinda nerdy and like to attend them. One of the best things I like to do is hang around the smoking area and chat. I do not smoke myself and never have, but I find the people who frequent this area to be very friendly and enjoy chatting about most anything. Additionally, I've never had any issues with the smoke. Most of the people there will learn I don't smoke and be conscientious about smoke blowing my way, even though I'm in their area. I even learn quite a bit about the activities on board that I didn't realize were happening from others in this area as they just stop by for a quick smoke before heading off to another activity.

 

I'm sure if this isn't your ideal trip, you can entertain yourself enough to get through cruise for your husband.

[EmJakeBubbie]

TravelinGert - imho, your level of enjoyment equates to Activity and to be honest, there's alot of idle time whilst cruising. Many folks look forward to this, but I think you are going to be bored to death. You are too interestingly Active and into So Many Interests.

Just don't think a cruise vacation is going to be a happy experience for either of you.