Go to Cabin Before or After Sailaway?

[CapCrunch]

A total newb question I know, but all I know about cruising I learned from The Love Boat (and now Cruise Critic!). I guess it depends upon what time you board, but do assuming you don't board on the late side, do people generally go to their cabins before sailaway, then head to the decks to watch, and wave madly to everyone on shore? Do they sound a foghorn or something to let you know when it's time? I don't want to miss that, but will probably have some stuff to dump in my cabin.

[DeadPhish]

Yes, people generally stop by the room first to drop off their stuff/unpack. Depending of course when you board and when sailaway is.

[Hawaiifrank]

The cabin generally won't be ready until around 1 or 1:30. An exception might be if you are a Suite passenger, higher loyalty level or purchased Faster To The Fun (FTTF) on Carnival. Most people eat lunch in the buffet, hang out for a while, then go to the cabin.

 

When you get to the cabin, the TV will be on the Safety Drill/Lifeboat Muster channel. The drill will be scheduled about an hour before sailaway. If you don't want to walk up or down the stairs, take the elevator before the drill starts. Do NOT take the life jacket to the drill.

 

You won't miss the ship's horn as she pulls away if you are outside. Go up to the pool deck or, better yet, way up forward on deck 10 or 11, wherever the top outside deck is. You'll be sure to hear the horn then.

Edited October 27, 2015 by Hawaiifrank

[ScottsSweetie]

The last few cruises I have been on, sail-away has begun right after muster drill (sometimes the ship is pulling away from the dock as guests are being released from muster).

 

You will certainly have been to your cabin by then to drop your luggage, because you shouldn't be taking that to muster with you.

[CapCrunch]

The cabin generally won't be ready until around 1 or 1:30. An exception might be if you are a Suite passenger, higher loyalty level or purchased Faster To The Fun (FTTF) on Carnival. Most people eat lunch in the buffet, hang out for a while, then go to the cabin.

 

When you get to the cabin, the TV will be on the Safety Drill/Lifeboat Muster channel. The drill will be scheduled about an hour before sailaway. If you don't want to walk up or down the stairs, take the elevator before the drill starts. Do NOT take the life jacket to the drill.

 

You won't miss the ship's horn as she pulls away if you are outside. Go up to the pool deck or, better yet, way up forward on deck 10 or 11, wherever the top outside deck is. You'll be sure to hear the horn then.

 

So there's actually a life jacket in each cabin? Makes sense, I just didn't realize.

 

Thanks for the answers, folks!

[spookwife]

A total newb question I know, but all I know about cruising I learned from The Love Boat (and now Cruise Critic!). I guess it depends upon what time you board, but do assuming you don't board on the late side, do people generally go to their cabins before sailaway, then head to the decks to watch, and wave madly to everyone on shore? Do they sound a foghorn or something to let you know when it's time? I don't want to miss that, but will probably have some stuff to dump in my cabin.

 

 

some lines you cannot access your cabin until 1 pm, others they are ready as soon as you board.

 

regardless, we always hit ours before Muster to drop off our carry ons and unpack if our luggage has arrived.

 

Sailaway is almost always immediately after Muster so people are already out of their cabins anyway headed to the nearest pool bar

 

long gone are the days of streamers and throngs of people waving buh bye on shore. closest we got was waving to a couple who were getting married on the Warship parked next pier over.

 

there is still some sort of party.. on the pool deck maybe or in crappy weather held indoors.

 

its not a fog horn but it is a signal used by law to indicate the ship is moving.

[legaljen1969]

long gone are the days of streamers and throngs of people waving buh bye on shore. closest we got was waving to a couple who were getting married on the Warship parked next pier over.

 

I think that depends on the departure port and the weather on a given day. I know at Port Canaveral there is a place called Jetty Park where a lot of people go on Saturdays and Sundays to watch sailaway and wave to those headed out on cruises. It may not be with streamers and the like, but I have always seen people at Jetty Park whenever we depart PC.

 

There are also numerous restaurants close the pier in Port Canaveral where people go to watch sail away and you often see those folks waving to see the ships off.

 

It's not nearly as "formal" an activity as in days past, but it still goes on.

[Mango Mike]

Depends on what ship you're sailing on and if you want to "party" with the crowd.

 

If you're sailing on Royal Caribbean, we like to go to helipad at the front of the ship for sail away. Not party central, but we think it's a neat place to be as you start you're vacation.

[OCruisers]

Seems CapCrunch (the OP) will be taking a NCL cruise.

 

We have always been able to go to our cabins way before "sailaway" on NCL ships. :)

[YubaSutter]

So there's actually a life jacket in each cabin? Makes sense, I just didn't realize.

 

Thanks for the answers, folks!

 

There will be as many life jackets in each cabin as there are berths.

[AKman2495]

 

long gone are the days of streamers and throngs of people waving buh bye on shore. closest we got was waving to a couple who were getting married on the Warship parked next pier over.

 

Actually, in Vancouver at Canada Place, there is a two-tier walk way. Passengers enter through the lower secure area. The upper level is open to the public. On a nice weekend day, hundreds-if not thousands of people show up there. When ships are leaving, thy line the pier and wave and shout like the old days-no streamers though....

Edited October 27, 2015 by AKman2495

[akcruz]

So there's actually a life jacket in each cabin? Makes sense, I just didn't realize.

 

Thanks for the answers, folks!

 

There will be as many life jackets in each cabin as there are berths.

 

Not all ships have the life jackets in the cabin. I know as an example the Oasis class ships on Royal do not. They are all at the muster stations.

[cb at sea]

Last cruise, I was unpacking..didn't even know the ship was moving! Hubby was out on deck waiting for me! Oh well!

[Cruisin' Chick]

A total newb question I know, but all I know about cruising I learned from The Love Boat (and now Cruise Critic!). I guess it depends upon what time you board, but do assuming you don't board on the late side, do people generally go to their cabins before sailaway, then head to the decks to watch, and wave madly to everyone on shore? Do they sound a foghorn or something to let you know when it's time? I don't want to miss that, but will probably have some stuff to dump in my cabin.

 

When you can go to your cabin depends on the cruise line (for example, on Princess you can go to your cabin as soon as you board). But I would imagine that cabins will be available on all ships before the muster drill (which will take place at a time when everyone is on board as that's mandatory).

 

In some embarkation ports, if not all, there will be people on shore waving to you. In San Pedro (the port of Los Angeles), ships sail past Ports o'Call where there will be people at tables outside the restaurants. The ship will blow its horn and the diners wave. It's a tradition.

 

What we do after the muster drill is wait some minutes for people to leave (it will be congested especially for the elevators). Princess has the drill indoors in the lounges as does a few others (while some will have them outside). We'll go back to our cabin to return our life jackets and then go out on the outside deck to watch sailaway. There's always a festive party going on on those decks.

[zqvol]

. . . The drill will be scheduled about an hour before sailaway. If you don't want to walk up or down the stairs, take the elevator before the drill starts. Do NOT take the life jacket to the drill.

. . .

 

The timing of the drill all depends on the line you are sailing, as does whether or not to take your life jacket with you. Pay attention to the announcements, and read the information in the ships daily new letter.

 

Sailaway is really not a big deal. With security issues there is no one on the dock to see the ship leave. It is really anti climatic. Over half of the people on the ship will ignore it and go about there business. Some people will be on the Lido deck listening to music and the cruise directors staff, but it is really not a big deal.

[Kartgv]

Important point....some cruise lines still ask you to take your life jacket to the drill, even if you do not wear it. There will be explicit instructions in your cabin, on the TV, and via loudspeaker announcements prior to the drill time. DO WHAT THE CRUISE LINE TELLS YOU TO DO!

 

For us, the best place to be during sail-away is on our own balcony with a bottle of wine and a cheese and fruit plate. We love viewing all the scenery, often near sunset time, with a little peace and quiet before the constant activity of the cruise itself. Anyone who says sail-away is anti-climatic must have never sailed out of Sydney, San Francisco, Vancouver or many other magnificent ports in the world. It's often our favorite part of the cruise.

[Dayenu]

As we like early dinners, we are usually in a restaurant at the time of sailaway :) We are not party people, so hardly ever go outside on the upper deck. One exception was sailing out of San Francisco - I made sure to take the photos of the bridge that we've missed on a prior cruise.

[kelkel2]

It depends on the Cruise line you sail with whether your room will be ready or not when you board the ship. When we sailed Princess, everyone's rooms were ready when they got on the ship, sailing Carnival, they are not ready until 1:00/1:30. So depending on what time you board depends on if your room is ready. But no matter what, we seem to make it there before sail away.

Seems to me that all of our Caribbean cruises have had sail away times of 4pm so muster is right before that, so unless you board very late you should have time!

[BillOh]

A total newb question I know, but all I know about cruising I learned from The Love Boat (and now Cruise Critic!). I guess it depends upon what time you board, but do assuming you don't board on the late side, do people generally go to their cabins before sailaway, then head to the decks to watch, and wave madly to everyone on shore? Do they sound a foghorn or something to let you know when it's time? I don't want to miss that, but will probably have some stuff to dump in my cabin.

 

Even after 11 cruises we are still the "board as soon as you can" type of people. typically that means 5-6 hours or more before the ship sails away. On Royal Caribbean that also means cabins are not available till around 1pm. Our standard routine is check as much baggage as you can, put swim suits in carry on (all our cruises have been caribbean, leaving out of Florida). Eat, hit the pool or explore the ship until rooms become available and then drop off our stuff and head back out again.

[Velvetwater]

Its a must to go to you cabin I think, even if its just to drop things off.

 

Our Carnival Embarkation day always looks like this (Same on Celebrity but add 2 hours:

 

11-12: Board and wander the ship and get a drink and some buffer

12-1: Go to cabin because of FTTF and dump stuff and wheel luggage in

1-2: unpack everything and freshen up

2-3: More drinks and peruse of the ship and port

3-4: Muster seems to happen around this point

4 -7: Sail away if on time and if not more drinks waiting for it

7-10: Dress and Wander to dinner

10 onwards: enjoy the welcome show and drink til the early hours celebrating being on a ship :)

 

I have to unpack as soon as possible so I can enjoy myself as soon as I can.

[Robinsoncruiseso]

We normally sail Princess and we board as soon as we can. First stop is our cabin. We take that opportunity to meet our cabin steward. Engaging in a non-rushed conversation with him/her helps build a good raport. We always have excellent service from our steward, engaging in a quick conversation whenever we meet.

[cruznjan]

A total newb question I know, but all I know about cruising I learned from The Love Boat (and now Cruise Critic!). I guess it depends upon what time you board, but do assuming you don't board on the late side, do people generally go to their cabins before sailaway, then head to the decks to watch, and wave madly to everyone on shore? Do they sound a foghorn or something to let you know when it's time? I don't want to miss that, but will probably have some stuff to dump in my cabin.

 

Go to the cabin first. You don't want to be trying to keep up with "stuff" during sailaway.

[Floridiana]

Do NOT take the life jacket to the drill.

 

That depends on the cruise line. I have had all: no life jackets, life jackets in hand, wear life jackets. Instructions are given. Don't worry, you'll miss nothing.