How do you spot a first time cruiser?

[sebas030]

These are a few that I managed to come up with, with a few caribbean specific comments:

 

The round skin tone anti sea sickness patches behind each ear while walking around the hotel, and this is the day before embarkation.

 

The anti seasickness wrist band on each wrist.

 

The bitter disapointment on their face as after the security scan at boarding when the staff remove their 5 botttles of liquor that was going to last all week.

 

The look of utter amazement on their face face the first time they realize that the ship moves

 

They bounce offf the walls due to the ocean motion and we have not yet fully left port.

 

The automatic reach and grab for a drink the first time they are offered one by a server with a tray full of drinks on deck followed by the shock on their face when they realize they gotta pay for it....

 

The red lobster like skin tone on days 2-3 of the caribbean cruise after forgetting that the sun is bright and hot in the caribbean.

 

They flash their soda sticker laden card at the dining staff in the MDR and ask for a refill

 

The bitter amazement on their face when they order their first drink in the casino and the bill arrives as well.

 

They arrive at 10 am on sun deck and are clearly dumbstruck when they cannot get the chaise lounge right by the pool where they wanted one, let alone one anywhere convenient that does not have shoes, towels, suntan lotion, books , magazines, plates, cover ups and the occasional human being on them.

 

They try opening the door to the connecting room in their incredibly smaller than expected cabin hoping to find more room.

 

They cluelessly hand the washy washy guy their sunglasses for cleaning

 

They spend 10 minutes in the buffet looking for trays

 

They show up for the 9 oclock popular production show at 9 oclock

 

The wives make their cabin beds in the am

 

This is one post that made me LOL :D

 

I am a fast learner only 5 cruises done and not doing ANY of those anymore ;)

[Erik101]

Here's the deal....no one cares if you're new or not because everyone is too consumed doing their own thing. And if the experienced cruisers do notice a newbie, it's because they have nothing better to do with their time.

[bonnie voyage]

Frankly I've never tried to spot the newbies, just never occurred to me. But then, I am always excited to board and explore the ship. Love, love, love to cruise. oh and I stll get sea sick at times too, so you just might see me wearing one of those patches too :)

[che5904]

Or you could ask someone else to take a picture of the two of you. We do it for people and ask people to do it for us all the time, fun way to meet new people.

 

I have had a couple of people that have offered when we've been snapping photos where there have been others around. And I have offered for others that are either a couple or a group. But no I will not impose by asking others to take our photo together, hence the reason I pay the photographers.

[oregonian123]

Open to everyone.

 

Thank you JohnIreland. This forum is great. I will keep reading for more tips.

[oregonian123]

Its open to all passengers.

 

Thank you NH Cruisers. This forum is great. I really apprreciate this info.

[thecaptain1969]

Well I'm sure if any vets are looking in April/May next year they will see me possibly making some of the newbie mistakes.

 

I found this site through my sister(she's taken a few cruises) as my other half and I along with her and my brother-in-law were going to cruise in 13. Due to some unforseen events we couldn't make it happen.

 

Last year however we started talking about an extended family "once in a lifetime" cruise with all of us together as we are all getting older. I'm happy to say that we will be on the Breakaway in April/May of 15. It was hard to get everyone to agree, but we did it somehow.

 

This will be me and my better halfs first cruise and I'm super excited already. I know it's over a year away and maybe I shouldn't be as pumped up as I am, but I just can't seem to help it.

 

This site is great and the people here are first class. I've gained a lot of valuable info here and will continue to do so until my sailing, now more as a poster than a lurker.

 

 

 

 

TheCapt

[KCinBAMA]

PLEASE explain this to me..us...

 

someone, anyone, anyone ??

 

This

might help.

[gatime]

They are the ones tripping over the raised doorways or wearing there life jackets to the drill.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Or wearing their life jackets long after the drill...lol :eek:

[CP Tech]

Have done a few cruises but admit to not knowing what "dead body sheet" thing is??

 

You do this with your bed sheets and pillows.

 

Edited February 2, 2014 by CP Tech

[che5904]

You do this with your bed sheets and pillows.

 

 

OK you know you are old when you go to a rock concert and the first thing you think is "who's gonna have to clean up this mess"

 

Well the first thing this old person thought when I seen this photo was "awww now someone will have to re-make up that bed":D

 

Thanks for posting this though, I didn't know what the "dead body sheet" thing was either.

Edited February 2, 2014 by che5904

[meatball_nyc]

Me neither! Never heard of it.

I think it's kind of mean to scare the steward/maid like that!!!

 

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

[CP Tech]

I usually do it last night I'm staying somewhere. Bedding needs to be changed anyways. hehe

[CP Tech]

Our steward couldn't stop laughing. He thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen and said it made his day.

[Jackytar]

Hm. Well, to me a lanyard is just common dog; keeps things from growing legs and walking off. That said, I understand the ship card is basically credit card sized and essentially fulfills the same purpose as keycard at a hotel, so no reason it can't go in the wally.

 

About carrying martinis - only refugees from the wardroom drink martinis anyway. Those of us in the goat locker drink beer. Managing open drinks at sea I had mastered quite a while ago :)

 

Making up the bed - Yeah, I'm probably going to do that the first couple of days anyway, from force of habit. Too used to making up my rack first thing :) By the same token, it's quite possible force of habit will have me rolling out at 0130 to do rounds, too, until I wake up enough to remember I'm cargo, not crew :)

[SteveH2508]

<snip>

 

About carrying martinis - only refugees from the wardroom drink martinis anyway. Those of us in the goat locker drink beer. Managing open drinks at sea I had mastered quite a while ago :)

 

<snip>

 

I'm usually carrying them back to the cabin as a nightcap - mainly for DW. I drink beer as well but not last thing at night (for obvious reasons;))

 

JT - Wot - no rum (or was that only a Limey Navy thing?)

Edited February 2, 2014 by SteveH2508

[sebas030]

You do this with your bed sheets and pillows.

 

 

 

WOW :D

 

This could be very funny or very....problematic :eek:

 

Imagine your cabin steward panicking, calling security, they finally get that it's a joke and then your name ends-up being called in the PA system :eek:

 

They drop you off at the next port and you have to get back home on your own means....

 

But funny it is :D

[Jackytar]

I'm usually carrying them back to the cabin as a nightcap - mainly for DW. I drink beer as well but not last thing at night (for obvious reasons;))

 

JT - Wot - no rum (or was that only a Limey Navy thing?)

 

I'm afraid the daily tot of rum is no more, at least in the RCN. We do still get "splice the main brace" ordered on special occasions, such as the christening of the new royal bairn. That said, my tum isn't what it used to be; the days of carousing in the junior ranks mess, drinking rum-and-tabasco are long gone. The tabasco is probably *why* they're gone, too. Nope, just a nice pale ale for me, these days.

[Jackytar]

They are the ones tripping over the raised doorways or wearing their life jackets to the drill.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

(Fixed the typo for you)

 

On a more serious note, I have to say I do not understand why wearing one's lifejacket to the drill is somehow ridicule-worthy. I've been in the Navy 25 years and whenever we do a drill or exercise of any kind, it's done as for real. Fire exercise? On bunker suits, on masks, on oxygen, charge hoses. Action stations? Close up in action dress, flash hoods up, helmets on. Escape drill - survival suits, mustang jackets and life jackets on. You practice them the way you're going to do them for real. So yes, I will be wearing my lifejacket, and so will my wife, and not because we're n00bs; because I'm a professional sailor and I do things right or not at all.

 

On a related note - I hope the more experienced passengers onboard don't feel it's okay to hold personal conversations during the safety briefing. I don't much care if they don't want to hear information that may save their lives; I do, and I've no compunctions about telling them to stuff a sock in it. Anyone who thinks it's a waste of time, I have two words for you: Costa Concordia.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Jackytar

[SteveH2508]

I'm afraid the daily tot of rum is no more, at least in the RCN. We do still get "splice the main brace" ordered on special occasions, such as the christening of the new royal bairn. That said, my tum isn't what it used to be; the days of carousing in the junior ranks mess, drinking rum-and-tabasco are long gone. The tabasco is probably *why* they're gone, too. Nope, just a nice pale ale for me, these days.

 

Royal Navy stopped it in the 70s IIRC - probably felt that multi-million pound bits of kit which make big bangs do not mix well with overproof grog! I did get a couple of rum issues in the army when it was really cold.

 

Seconded on the pale ale though - no draught cask-conditioned bitter onboard ship though:(.

[LrgPizza]

(Fixed the typo for you)

 

On a more serious note, I have to say I do not understand why wearing one's lifejacket to the drill is somehow ridicule-worthy. I've been in the Navy 25 years and whenever we do a drill or exercise of any kind, it's done as for real. Fire exercise? On bunker suits, on masks, on oxygen, charge hoses. Action stations? Close up in action dress, flash hoods up, helmets on. Escape drill - survival suits, mustang jackets and life jackets on. You practice them the way you're going to do them for real. So yes, I will be wearing my lifejacket, and so will my wife, and not because we're n00bs; because I'm a professional sailor and I do things right or not at all.

 

On a related note - I hope the more experienced passengers onboard don't feel it's okay to hold personal conversations during the safety briefing. I don't much care if they don't want to hear information that may save their lives; I do, and I've no compunctions about telling them to stuff a sock in it. Anyone who thinks it's a waste of time, I have two words for you: Costa Concordia.

Absolutely. This is the most worthwhile post in this entire thread.

[N747KT]

(Fixed the typo for you)

 

On a more serious note, I have to say I do not understand why wearing one's lifejacket to the drill is somehow ridicule-worthy. I've been in the Navy 25 years and whenever we do a drill or exercise of any kind, it's

 

Thank you for your done as for real. Fire exercise? On bunker suits, on masks, on oxygen, charge hoses. Action stations? Close up in action dress, flash hoods up, helmets on. Escape drill - survival suits, mustang jackets and life jackets on. You practice them the way you're going to do them for real. So yes, I will be wearing my lifejacket, and so will my wife, and not because we're n00bs; because I'm a professional sailor and I do things right or not at all.

 

 

 

On a related note - I hope the more experienced passengers onboard don't feel it's okay to hold personal conversations during the safety briefing. I don't much care if they don't want to hear information that may save their lives; I do, and I've no compunctions about telling them to stuff a sock in it. Anyone who thinks it's a waste of time, I have two words for you: Costa Concordia.

 

Thank you for your service. You are absolutely right!

[GoofyCrew]

My husband and I now make a point to be sure we are planted somewhere watching the piers at "party" ports just so we don't miss that kind of action, and so we can wave the late passengers good-bye.

 

LOL This sounds like something my DH and I will enjoy watching as well. :)

[GoofyCrew]

Or they get out of the stateroom with their life jackets on to go to the drill.

 

So...um...why WOULDN'T you bring your life jackets to a drill? We are going to be first time cruisers and we totally would have done that.

 

And how do you know when it is time for the drill? Announcement? Sirens? (I just want to be able to tell my kids so they know when/what to expect.)

[barnacle_boy]

So...um...why WOULDN'T you bring your life jackets to a drill? We are going to be first time cruisers and we totally would have done that.

 

And how do you know when it is time for the drill? Announcement? Sirens? (I just want to be able to tell my kids so they know when/what to expect.)

 

Lifejackets haven't been required at drills for years now. You can certainly try to wear one if you want to, but you'll look terribly out of place and crew will remind you that it's unnecessary. Part of the reason why the lifejacket requirement was done away with had to do with safety concerns. Ironically, bringing your lifejacket to a drill can be dangerous if done carelessly. Back in the days when it was necessary, a lot of passengers used to let the lifejacket straps drag across the deck, creating trip hazards.

 

15 min. prior to the drill they'll make an announcement over the ship's PA system explaining what the drill is, why it is necessary, and a rundown of the various assembly stations. At the commencement of the drill, they'll sound the General Emergency Alarm (7 short and 1 long blast).