The First Cruise Day

[GrannyFlamingo]

I'm pretty sure I won't sleep the night before our first cruise, I'll be too excited. I'll double check my luggage three times, my boarding documents, and carry on bag. I'll board, grab a cocktail, patiently wait for my luggage and unpack. Have to be sober for muster! Safety first! Then another cocktail and I'm afraid I'll be out asleep for a few hours, missing all the first night food and fun. How does your first cruise day go? I'm trying to figure out how to maximize it, and pretty sure it won't happen. LOL, hurry up fun times!

[SMSACE6]

GrannyFlamingo! You will survive your first day of the cruise! and most likely you will come back from it...craving another like most of us diehard cruise addicts on here:D Go, have fun, just relax, enjoy it all!:)

[funinthesun1964]

I'm always like that before the cruise. Too excited to sleep, and more often than not up waaaay too early on the cruise day, sometimes traveling, which is even more tiring.

 

I do get tired towards evening...BUT I have always managed to get a second and sometimes even a third wind and keep going. Eventually I can't go any more, and it's usually to bed before 11 the first night.

[singbluesilver1]

We normally take a nap as soon as we get to the cabin but we're lazy

[funinthesun1964]

We normally take a nap as soon as we get to the cabin but we're lazy

 

I wish I could...but I am always way too excited to sleep! There are people to meet, things to do, drinks to drink!

[JawjaFatBoy]

Once we are on board, we head to our room if its ready and drop off our carryons. If the room isn't ready we take ourselves and our carryons up to lido and get some grub and a fruity drink! Then we generally wander around the ship and see what is different and interesting from other ships we've been on. After muster we start unpacking and getting ready for the evening.

 

This trip we will have our 1 year old with us so our regular routine is most likely going right out the window!:eek:

[DreadPirateRobert]

Our first cruise day has certainly changed over the years. Early on we would head to the buffet, eat (usually way too much) and set out to explore the ship until we could go to our cabin. Life jackets had to be taken to muster drill in years past so those would have to be collected. And then returned to the cabin before the fun could really begin.

The one thing we have learned and would pass on to you is that despite the excitement, don't try to see everything your first day.

Have fun, there is no cruise like your first!

[carinainacar]

The first day is always so exciting. I want to do everything that there is but I always hold back because there are always (usually) more sea days ahead and plus... I'm dead tired and hungry by the time we board. :p

I just board, head to the room to drop off what ever we have on us and head to the buffet or MDR if it's open. Then we walk around and explore a bit of the ship before the muster drill and then a quick nap before dinner. :)

Enjoy your cruise!

[love my grandkids]

After lunch time to explore ship while significant other takes the nap.

[MCFTJCH2V]

I'm pretty sure I won't sleep the night before our first cruise, I'll be too excited. I'll double check my luggage three times, my boarding documents, and carry on bag. I'll board, grab a cocktail, patiently wait for my luggage and unpack. Have to be sober for muster! Safety first! Then another cocktail and I'm afraid I'll be out asleep for a few hours, missing all the first night food and fun. How does your first cruise day go? I'm trying to figure out how to maximize it, and pretty sure it won't happen. LOL, hurry up fun times!

 

Our first cruise was our honeymoon, so we retired early.

 

The next day we thought we missed something, as there was a vibe going on all over the ship that we felt we weren't a part of. Sure enough, it was simply missing the welcome aboard show. So after that we never missed it.

 

When we used to fly and cruise, it was so stressful on sail day that it was kind of a bummer, lots of aggravation, till setting foot on the ship with a sigh of relief. Talk about a roller coaster ride.

 

But all always worked out well. Boarding drinking eating viewing watching entertaining, and ultimately sleeping.

[seventysixracing]

My first two I've been tired and fell asleep early. I'm excited for this cruise from San Juan, because we will be arriving a day early and will already be well rested by the time we sail away!

[mss22859]

Normally, we board, eat, unpack, explore, muster, sail away, sleep. This cruise, with late departure, everything changes. As always, I will wake prior to flight WAY earlier than needed! The excitement overtakes my body! It has been this way for our 5 previous cruises, and I don't see anything changing this time around!

[navybankerteacher]

It is a shame to waste your first day - so even it always makes sense to get to the cruise port at least a day early. That way you can sleep in, not worrying about luggage or anything else because you did all that the day before.

 

Then you can board the ship well rested and ready to enjoy.

[griffy116]

I don't know if you have early or late dining. I think it's easier to fit in a nap if you have late dining. I don't ever like to miss the first night at dinner. You get to meet the waiter and asst. waiter. Our last cruise was about our 14th or 15th cruise and it's the first time I have missed the first night's dinner. It was the first time in all those cruises I got seasick. Didn't realize what it was soon enough. From now on, I'll take Bonine on the first day, just to be safe. We board, go to the buffet, eat and then drop off our carry-on. Muster drill, sail-away drink, unpack, lay down to rest or nap a bit, then getting unpacked and ready for dinner. After dinner, the first night usually ends pretty early. In bed by 11 or earlier.

[EGG]

We also arrive in the port city the day before. Then we do not have to waste any of the first day with a nap.

[OCruisers]

There was a time when I was very excited and didn't sleep well the night before a cruise.

As time has gone by, I won't feel that same "excited anxiety" so sleep quite well and I'm no longer dead tired that first day. :)

 

LuLu

[preschool teacher]

We also go the night before...I get super excited when I walk on the ship....we explore all over and eat.....we like to. Get to port @10:00 so we can get on in the first group!!!!!! Always go to the show.."

[John Bull]

Day Two (the first full day) is nearly always a day at sea. Plenty of time for a lie-in, unpack & other chores.

So no excuse not to party on Day One. :p

 

Errr, just one possible excuse.

Make sure that you have pool-wear and a change of clothes for the evening in your carry-on. Along with any meds etc.

Sometimes it can be a while before your checked luggage arrives at your cabin, and you may not want to spend the day & possibly the evening in your travelling clothes.

 

All first cruises are great. :)

 

JB :)

[Robinsoncruiseso]

I have absolutely no objection to drinking...but if you can spread them out you might make it to midnight, then you can say you used all of your first day...then day two...drink away!!!

 

I am a huge lightweight. Day one is the box voyage fufu drink, then one after dinner. Any more and I would be out by eight! Hope you have a super duper fun time.

[GUT2407]

Prepare to be addicted.

[GUT2407]

Our first day will vary a little depending on which line and ship we are on BUT

 

Grab a drink (SIGN UP FOR PACKAGE?)

 

Wander the ship, top to bottom front to back.

 

Lunch

 

Sail away drink.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were both very excited for our first -- which was many, many years ago.

Now we just get on the ship, drop off our carry-ons in the cabin, check our pre-booked specialty reservations, get something to eat, unpack, have a cocktail out on our verandah as we leave the port, have dinner. We don't stay up late anymore so sometimes we go to the show and sometimes we don't. We usually have a cordial before retiring for the night.

After you have taken that first cruise, you will be hooked.

[bakersdozen12]

Lol, I'm going on my first cruise next month and I doubt I'll sleep the night before either! And I'll probably be up at the crack of dawn. It's going to be a challenge to wait until at least 10 am to show up at the pier. Good thing we'll be in New Orleans. We can kill some time by going to Cafe DuMonde for some beignets. [emoji6]