What do you do first once on board?

[Dreamweaver52]

What's the Chefs Table?

[Renmar]

Go to our cabin, get out the alcohol wipes (I know, a waste of good alcohol but hey, better save than sorry) and wipe the phone, TV remote, drawer handles, door handles etcetera. I know the cabins are cleaned very well but why take a chance. Unpack our wine that we brought in our carry-ons, open a bottle (or 4 litre pack ;)) and have a drink wishing for a marvelous cruise.

 

Theo

[cruisingpeople]

Unpack the carry-ons and if the luggage is there soon after, I'll unpack those....then go for my 'dirty banana':D

 

Pretty close to our routine, except we don't wait for the main luggage. We head right to the Tradewinds Bar above the main pool. DW starts off with her Mai-Tai, then a "dirty banana" and I grab my first 2 beers of the cruise and then sit back and start the people watching.:)

 

First thing, even before going to cabin, is to stop at the purser's desk and have our cruise cards punched. (for lanyard)

 

Pia, When we were on the Golden 2 weeks ago,at check-in all the cruise cards were pre-punched, from 1st time blue cards right to Elite. I think somebody finally got smart.:D

[scott4020]

Go to our cabin, get out the alcohol wipes (I know, a waste of good alcohol but hey, better save than sorry) and wipe the phone, TV remote, drawer handles, door handles etcetera. I know the cabins are cleaned very well but why take a chance. Unpack our wine that we brought in our carry-ons, open a bottle (or 4 litre pack ;)) and have a drink wishing for a marvelous cruise.

 

Theo

 

You would be much better off just using plain soap and water. Alcohol will just piss off the nastiest bacteria :)

[paul929207]

What's the Chefs Table?

It is a special dinner offered by Princess. I believe the cost is $90 per person. Everyone raves about it.

[SCFCRUISER]

As soon as we get on board we, go to pursers desk & punch cards, go to cabin to drop carry on bags & put away stuff, go to the buffett, get a bucket of beer, go to cabin to empty luggage, go get another bucket of beer, attend boat drill, dinner, then more beer!!!:D:D

[Cruzingal#9]

Reserve specialty dining and as soon as luggage arrives, unpack. Once I have everything in place I feel like I am on vacation. Yes, I know that is weird.

 

Not weird at all. I feel the same way! Also, we go to the dining room and see where our table is to make sure we're happy with it; if not, it's off to see the Maitre D.

[Cruzingal#9]

Go to our cabin, get out the alcohol wipes (I know, a waste of good alcohol but hey, better save than sorry) and wipe the phone, TV remote, drawer handles, door handles etcetera. I know the cabins are cleaned very well but why take a chance. Unpack our wine that we brought in our carry-ons, open a bottle (or 4 litre pack ;)) and have a drink wishing for a marvelous cruise.

 

Theo

 

I take with me a small travel size can of Lysol that I spray everything down with. Takes literally 1 minute from front door to balcony!

[Whimsy]

Head to our cabin,check out the room and the balcony, squeal with delight that we are on another cruise. Lock things in the safe then head to the buffet for lunch before the large crowd arrives. After lunch we start exploring the ship, have a drink or two, make reservations at the specialty restaurants. Back to the room to squeal with delight again and unpack before muster drill.

[JanetAlice]

No not weird at all,I also can't relax and enjoy the cruise until I've called to book Sabatinis and unpacked all my stuff

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

We should meet after we both unpack on August 10th :-).

[Debbdo]

First thing, take carry on to the room. If the luggage is there, unpack. After that, walk around the ship to familiarize myself with it so that I know where everything is. Then head to the bar for a drink and then an upper deck for a chair to watch the ship leave port...with a HUGE smile on my face.

[jean s]

I know this sounds silly but the first thing I do is use my small can of lysol on the phone and anything else I can think of. Then we unpack if the bags have arrived and call the dine line to make reservations. Once those things are done we head to a bar on deck and enjoy our first drink. Then we can really begin to relax and enjoy.

[Judycpro]

Dirty banana is the first drink I order on a cruise as well. God knows how many converts I have won over to that drink!

[rdsqrl]

The moment I hit the cabin, I unpack my carry-on (my checked luggage has never beaten me to my cabin, but I live in hope . . . ), then head to lunch in the buffet. I did try the dining room lunch last cruise -- very nice indeed, but I can't eat that much food in the middle of the day, so it's back to the HC's salad bar from now on. Then I explore the ship from top to bottom, checking in at the cabin once or twice along the way to see if the suitcase has arrived yet. At which point, I immediately abandon my informal ship tour and unpack. It's all about nesting . . . and has nothing to do with an obsessive compulsive need for order and tidiness!

[loliola]

Head to the stateroom, jump up and down on the bed for a moment, crack a bottle of wine, and straight out to the balcony (for us, the best part and point of the cruise is sailing with a a balcony)...nothing beats it!

[trbarton]

I first go to my stateroom and drop off my carry-on. Next I go to the pursers and photo desk because I have letters inviting the primary officers and photographer to my Meet & Greet. Then it's something to eat. In May on the Grand, my first cruise on Princess, I was overcome with my first balcony cabin and missed the lunch in the MDR as a treat and to avoid the buffet. Since I like to take photos I walk around the ship so that I can take photos of the various room on the ship because their may be very little people in them.

 

Tom:)

[satxdiver]

We head first to the stateroom to drop off our carryon luggage and check out the room. Next it is to the HC or MDR for lunch since we always are there early to board the ship. We want to get our vacation underway ASAP! Since we have been on quite a few Princess ships, we usually do not go exploring all that much but on a totally new one like the Royal, it will be exploration time after lunch.

[5326jan]

Reserve specialty dining and as soon as luggage arrives, unpack. Once I have everything in place I feel like I am on vacation. Yes, I know that is weird.

 

Me too! Nest building is important! :D

[billco]

Usually, after dropping off carryons in cabin, I head to gym to sign up for classes. Then we go to MDR for lunch. Then check out ship. I imagine on our Royal cruise, we will check out Venice after lunch.

[J&KCruisers]

Turn off cell phone and lock in the safe, reserve a night in the Crown Grill, head to Trident Grill for cheeseburger then two beers. Hit the relax button!

 

Happy Cruising:D:D

[sunsetbeachgal]

EAT!!!! On the Royal we had a lovely quiet lunch at Alfredo's Pizzaria We also had one of our last meals at Alfredo's. We also enjoy lunch the first day at the main dining room. I try to avoid buffets...too much food that I can't resist, and too hectic on embarkation day!

[scott4020]

Run to the Sanctuary to reserve loungers, meet the fam in the rooms. Grab some lunch and find a good place to watch football on muts.

[jsiegel]

Step 1. I head to the cabin with my camera at the ready and take pictures of it. It will never look as neat and uncluttered again during our cruise.

 

Step 2. Wipe down handles, remotes, etc. with Chlorox wipes. Probably unnecessary but why chance possible exposure.

 

Step 3. Head to Lido deck to get a slice of pizza and Horizon court for a salad and enjoy a wonderful lunch al fresco.

 

Jackie

[Wanderlust408]

Head straight for my room and unpack my carry-on. I need to feel like I've "claimed" my home (at least for the duration of the cruise). Then I'm off to pizza on deck, first drink, and people watching.

 

Sigh. Now, I want to be embarking somewhere!

[sminfiddle]

Go right to room to get the bags off my back, streeeeetch and smile! ;)

Pick up the phone and sign up for Chef's Table and make a res for the Crown Grill. While on hold, check the Patter for the MDR that's open for lunch.

Flush-test the potty.

On the way to lunch in the MDR, stop at the Purser's Desk to sign up for the Ship's Tour. I waited too long to do that on the last cruise, and won't be denied again!

At lunch, buy our Ultimate Sodas & More cards from the waiter.

 

After that, it's all on cruise control, baby! :cool: