1st Time cruise,now a little uncertain

[Spice22]

Hi all

After much discussion we have booked our 1st cruise but after doing a lot of further investigation not sure if we have done the right thing!!!!!

We have booked Oriana leaving Southampton on the 17th Jan,to be honest we think we got a great deal,a little over £500 each so can't complain about the price,our concerns are

1. Noro seems to be a big problem !!!

2. Other than an inside the only other cabin available was an LA cabin,obstructed view,we went for the LA hope it's ok

3.As 1st time cruisers a little uncertain of dress code,we are a mid 40s couple and also concerns over the age of other passengers,seems we might be a little young for this cruise!!!!

We are hoping everything will be fine as we hope we like the experience as we would like to cruise the Caribbean later in the year

Any info,views etc would be very helpfully

Thank you in advance

[SuitCaseBears]

Basically, if you come home alive - there is no such thing as a bad cruise. There are cruises where you learn more about your preferences for the next time, but basically the worst thing you're going to find is that you have a new addiction.

 

Commit to yourselves to have a great time and you will do so.

[SuitCaseBears]

Maybe I over simplified. There can be bad cruises. But nothing you mentioned shouts "bad cruise."

 

Norovirus is a problem - use the hand washing stations that you'll find all over. Buy small bottles of hand sanitizer to keep with you, and odds are you'll be fine.

 

For the dress code - check with the board for your cruise line. And age - there are people of all ages on all cruises. The ages are averages. You are not going to socialize with EVERYONE on the ship.

 

We've gone on cruises where we never met anyone - so it didn't matter what their ages were. I guess we were too absorbed with each other, which is also not a bad thing.

 

Your worry is a bigger risk to you than anything you've mentioned.

[cb at sea]

Noro is not a "ship" problem....anywhere large numbers of people congregate, like church, or (especially) schools, hotels, etc....transmission of this virus can happen! The passengers bring it aboard....the ship has nothing to do with it!!! Just get in the habit of NEVER touching your face before washing hands....eyes, nose, mouth are all entry points for viruses!

 

On almost every cruiseline....daytime is casual...wear what you'd wear for the weather you'll be in....some ships require long pants/collared shirt/jacket (men) for dinner....the suggested dress will be in your cruise brochure or documents.

 

Don't second guess! It's simply a vacation! You'll have a grand time.

[hansolosmom]

I know when I booked our first cruise I had concerns too, mine were mostly about motion sickness and claustrophobia. But everything was fine - other than the trip was too short (it was a 4 days cruise).

 

I think noro gets blown out of proportion. If you think about how many ships sail everyday and how many you hear about having noro it's a very small percentage. Just do the things you'd normally do, wash your hands & use the sanitizer before dining.

 

Cabin choice, IMO having an obstructed view is better than an inside, but that's me. I think we all pick a cabin hoping we did well.

 

Clothing- daywear is casual, depending on where you are crusing, it could be something like shorts or capris or slacks and a top. I'm sorry I don't know how formal your line is for dinner. Most lines have a formal night or 2 for dinner and the rest of the evenings are more casual, something like a dress/skirt for women & shirt/slacks for men, possibly a jacket.

 

Don't worry about the age of other passengers. One October cruise we did was mostly an older crowd (70+), but there were still plenty of people for us to socialize with - both young & old :)

[Buck Turgidson]

You will have a good time, just don't bump into the senior citizen diaper changing stations in the public restrooms:eek:

[RSLeesburg]

Hi all

After much discussion we have booked our 1st cruise but after doing a lot of further investigation not sure if we have done the right thing!!!!!

We have booked Oriana leaving Southampton on the 17th Jan,to be honest we think we got a great deal,a little over £500 each so can't complain about the price,our concerns are

1. Noro seems to be a big problem !!!

2. Other than an inside the only other cabin available was an LA cabin,obstructed view,we went for the LA hope it's ok

3.As 1st time cruisers a little uncertain of dress code,we are a mid 40s couple and also concerns over the age of other passengers,seems we might be a little young for this cruise!!!!

We are hoping everything will be fine as we hope we like the experience as we would like to cruise the Caribbean later in the year

Any info,views etc would be very helpfully

Thank you in advance

 

We just took our first cruise this past year. We are also mid 40's traveling with our young son, and were traveling on a ship that we were told caters to an older crowd. Worse, I booked our cruise on May 1st and roughly 30 days later our ship had a fire onboard. To say we had second thoughts was an understatement. But we went and loved every minute of it. Most relaxing vacation we have ever been on. My advice is to read as much as you can on here - lots and lots of good advice. Don't be afraid to ask any questions you may have - most will be answered super fast. Join your roll call - get to know the people on your ship. And hope you have a great time.

[jocap]

Because you're sailing on an adult only ship- yes, you may find that you're amongst the younger end- but you'll also find well travelled, interesting people, whatever the age. If the weather is poor, you'll be able to sit inside, chat, enjoy the activities and entertainment.

I presume you're going somewhere like the Canaries at that time- you'll have the wonderful experience of sailing in and out of ports, which is so lovely compared with flying into an island.

Noro is simply what we used to call the "Winter sickness bug"- it happened all through my long teaching career, and I never caught it, nor did my colleagues. You'll hear more about hospital wards being closed than ships....try to use the loo in your own shower room rather than the public loos whenever possible.;)

The dress code is quite strict on P&O....there will be 2 evenings a week when there's a formal code, which is either dinner jacket or suit with tie; there will also be another two when a jacket must be worn. You will be refused entrance into the main dining room if you don't conform, and also to some bars and possibly the theatre. The vast majority do dress; if you don't care to, you can use the buffet instead. A suit is fine, actually. One tip about the buffet- one evening a week, the Indian chefs give an Indian night- we always go to that.

If you have any worries, go on to the P&O page in the index, and ask there.

Let's face it- you're having a holiday at a much cheaper rate than if you stayed for a few nights in a London hotel....with all that amazing food!!!:p

I wish we were free to join you- Enjoy! :)

[JustCruiseMe]

Maybe I over simplified. There can be bad cruises. But nothing you mentioned shouts "bad cruise."

 

Norovirus is a problem - use the hand washing stations that you'll find all over. Buy small bottles of hand sanitizer to keep with you, and odds are you'll be fine.

 

For the dress code - check with the board for your cruise line. And age - there are people of all ages on all cruises. The ages are averages. You are not going to socialize with EVERYONE on the ship.

 

We've gone on cruises where we never met anyone - so it didn't matter what their ages were. I guess we were too absorbed with each other, which is also not a bad thing.

 

Your worry is a bigger risk to you than anything you've mentioned.

Handwashing is the only way because hand sanitizers do not kill viruses. That was news to me too!

[OCruisers]

Spice ... Welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

 

You'll be fine! Look forward to your cruise!

 

LuLu

~~~~

[ldubs]

Basically, if you come home alive - there is no such thing as a bad cruise.

 

Haha - Kind of like that old saying -- a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.

[dorisis]

You got a great bargain!!! So lay back and enjoy thinking of how much more the other passengers have paid.

Edited December 24, 2013 by dorisis

[Spice22]

Hi and thanks all for your comments

Really looking forward to our 1st cruise and we are sure that we will have a fab time

[lisiamc]

For some reason, in the UK Noro gets reported on land (in schools and hospitals especially) as "winter vomiting virus" and on ships as Norovirus. It sometimes sounds as if Noro is some special virus unique to cruise ships, but it can be found anywhere there are lots of people. Washing your hands often is the best prevention.

 

Enjoy your cruise,

[trish1c]

We usually get obstructed view cabins. You get a bit of natural light but the savings are what draws us. We never got enough use out of a balcony to justify the costs.

 

As for the dress code, check the cruiseline's website. There will be a FAQ section telling you what you need to know.

[Suitcasefull]

Hi and thanks all for your comments

Really looking forward to our 1st cruise and we are sure that we will have a fab time

 

It would be wonderful for you to post upon your return and let us know if you, too, now suffer from cruise addiction! Have a fantastic cruise!

[geospyder]

There is one bad thing about cruising - it is addictive :D

[dorisis]

Congratulation on getting a good buy. At that price I could enjoy any cruise with any cabin. BON VOYAGE!

[Tiggertastic]

Have a wonderful time, do not concern yourself about these matters - give it a go and you will be surprised at how many times you go again

[Spice22]

Hi All

Just a quick update,downloaded tickets and see we have been allocated outside cabin on A deck,cabin A123 fwd

We were expecting LA obstructed view

Any info or comments on this grade of cabin please

Thanks all in advance

[K-Roo-Zers]

Go, go, go! The only problem you may experience is becoming addicted, like the rest of us! Nice problem to have.

 

DH and I are Aussies, and have travelled with people from all over the world, and have met some fantastic people.

 

Not every cruise is perfect, but it is how you handle it. You can sit in your cabin and dwell on what happened or you can forget that the meal wasn't as good as you hoped, and never order it again. It is what you make of it.

 

Noro - make sure you wash your hands thoroughly. Try and sing (in your head) the words to happy birthday while you wash. That is how long it should take. If you can, use paper towels when you exit the toilets, or better still, avoid the public toilets.

 

Enjoy your cruise, and please post when you return. I am keen to hear how you enjoyed it.

 

Happy Cruising.

 

Nicki

[jocap]

Gosh, I've just looked at your itinerary.....12 nights sailing down the Iberian peninsular- one of our favourite destinations!- and at that price....WOW!:cool:

In Gibraltar, you'll find taxis waiting to take you up the rock; in Cadiz you can go to Seville, but it's a fascinating old city just to stroll round- there's HOHO buses right by the dock gates.

La Coruna can be windy and wet, being so far north, but there's local buses which go all round the peninsular- there's chocolate shops as well!

Oh, I'd better write off before I'm overcome with longing.:(

Ask the people on board for tips at each port- you'll find lots of long time P&O cruisers on board.

Just enjoy every single moment of being looked after....:D

[Gloria Mundi]

A whole lot depends on your attitude. No vacation is perfect. If my husband and I judged our vacations by how punctual the flights were :(, by the number of times he's had his pocket picked (he's no longer allowed to carry cash), by other bumps in the road such as the time I had a tooth pulled in Budapest, or the crowds at the Musee d'Orsay, or the diarrhea he got after enjoying steak tartare in the restaurant at the Louvre... well, you get the idea.

 

Somehow, we come home with wonderful stories that far outnumber the things that went wrong. And most of the things that went wrong turn into funny stories later.

 

So go, plan/prevent to the best of your abilities, and then go with the flow and enjoy the new experiences.

[Gloria Mundi]

A whole lot depends on your attitude. No vacation is perfect. If my husband and I judged our vacations by how punctual the flights were :(, by the number of times he's had his pocket picked (he's no longer allowed to carry cash), by other bumps in the road such as the time I had a tooth pulled in Budapest, or the crowds at the Musee d'Orsay, or the diarrhea he got after enjoying steak tartare in the restaurant at the Louvre... well, you get the idea.

 

Somehow, we come home with wonderful stories that far outnumber the things that went wrong. And most of the things that went wrong turn into funny stories later.

 

So go, plan/prevent to the best of your abilities, and then go with the flow and enjoy the new experiences.

[Erik101]

basically, if you come home alive - there is no such thing as a bad cruise.

 

hahaha!!!