Cruise rituals

[heim00]

We are getting ready to go on our first cruise, and I have read on a few threads about things that people do on every cruise (Pics in-front of the ship, buying a Christmas ornament at each port). So, since I can't have a ritual that I do on every cruise if I don't start now, I was hoping for some great ideas from you guys.

[beachbum53]

We are getting ready to go on our first cruise, and I have read on a few threads about things that people do on every cruise (Pics in-front of the ship, buying a Christmas ornament at each port). So, since I can't have a ritual that I do on every cruise if I don't start now, I was hoping for some great ideas from you guys.

 

Something I do every cruise, that's really more of a tradition than a ritual, is that right after boarding, I go get a Pina Colada. It's just my way of kicking off our cruise.:)

[mamkmm2]

What a neat idea. I know when we travel on land I made a point of taking pictures at "Welcome to ..." signs. LOL The kids say they can track their age just by looking in our photo albums (now all digital) and thumbing through them.

 

A couple of years ago, as a gag gift, I gathered as many of those pictures as I could from our collection and put them in a photo album for my husband. He keeps that album on his desk and on stressful days I've seen him pull it out and just flip pages and slowly a smile forms on his face.

 

I have a friend that takes pictures of all the little towel critters she finds in her room when she is cruising. She's taken to doing the same kind of weird stuff that people do with "elf on the shelf" at Christmas. Some of them are disturbingly humorous. I've told her she should post them online but she says they are for her own personal amusement. LOL Weird.

Edited April 7, 2016 by mamkmm2

[Keith1010]

For us after we board we have lunch and often have a Cobb Salad and toast the start of the cruise.

 

On each cruise though we try to purchase one item for our house that is a local made item so that when we look at it in years to come it brings back memories from our cruise.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

Once we are on the ship, we have lunch and a cocktail -- cheering the start of another cruise.

[zookiebird]

We always buy a ship 'fridge magnet in the gift shop whenever we're on a ship that's new to us. We now have a pretty good collection but soooo many more to go!!

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

I am not a hat person at all.......but for boarding and sail away.......a sailor hat!

And then its back to the suitcase till the next cruise!

 

dave

[Cruisin' Chick]

We always buy a ship 'fridge magnet in the gift shop whenever we're on a ship that's new to us. We now have a pretty good collection but soooo many more to go!!

 

That's what my hubby likes to do. Usually more in port stores than on the ship. If he doesn't find one, no biggie.

[Roadtripster]

We always step at the same time, the same foot onto the ship at the same time and give each other a kiss. Then we say............ Vacation Baaaaaaaaaaaaby! LOL

 

I also take a pic of my first drink as I am lounging on the pool chair. Also, some time during the cruise, I am thinking of that perfect picture to take that represents something that happened on that trip.

[anthonyy7]

A ritual is having lunch in the MDR on embarkation day :)

[GMRPHRN]

You may have already read this (I got the idea somewhere on here) but I take a picture every night of my towel animal and my FUN Times (or equivalent) so in my pictures I have a clear division of what days each pictures were taken. I also, by postcards while in port as they are cheap and good for adding to that scrapbook I never finish.

[Athlen]

I like taking photos of meals when practical, particularly if it's a dish I've never had before. I also have a running ritual of taking a photo of everywhere I've slept.

 

Try to get lots of pictures with the group you're traveling with -- and be sure to include whoever usually takes the pictures. You'll want photos of your whole group. Take lots of photos, but try to think of those moments you'll want to remember or share with others. Think of that one photo you'll want on your shelf -- it might be a group photo during a sunset or it might be everybody dressed for dinner.

 

Get photos of your room before you've unpacked and after, and don't forget photos of all the people you'll meet that you'll remember later on. In other words, don't miss the opportunity to take photos you might wish you'd taken, later on.

 

Themed souvenirs are a nice idea. I like 'collecting' all the different variations of burgers available. It works for any food or drink; you just try to have one from each place that offers that food.

 

One last thing is a sort of shipboard scavenger hunt. If you're exploring on your own or with just part of your group, take note of some interesting objects and challenge the rest of your group to find them. For example, where is the builder's plaque that says where the ship was built? Where is there a painting of a bowl of grapes? Things like that...

[Host Walt]

 

...Get photos of your room before you've unpacked...

 

That, for me, is the hardest. Once we get into our cabin after completing the embarkation process, we want to unpack and relax. Then, too late, it strikes me that I forgot the "walk-in" photo.

[Faie]

I like to take pixs of license plates in the different countries we visit. I also like pixs of the towel creations, and my favorite is the hanging monkey!

[mamkmm2]

Speaking of postcards ... you know those photo boxes you can get for about $2 or so? I have three of them stuffed full with postcards that I've been collecting since I got married; so about 28 years ago now. LOL :D

[WupperAV]

I get up and watch the sunrise every morning. Have seen it rise over all 7 seas. Some cloudy mornings had coffee and went back to bed!

[Teeara]

Besides the Christmas ornaments and magnets, I also collect the ship models of each of my cruise ships. They run about $30 each. Some are big (RCI) and some are small (Princess), but all are precious to me.

 

We also get to the port early (around 10 a.m.) to be among the first onboard, head straight up to the buffet and grab a window seat overlooking the dock side of the ship so we can watch the people boarding after us. Then we wander around the ship taking pictures without other people in our photos. When the cabins are announced as ready (usually around 1 p.m.) we head to our cabin to drop off our carryons and then head out for more photo taking. Then back to the cabin to unpack before the muster drill (since we board so early our luggage is usually at our cabin when the cabins are announced as ready). After muster drill pick up a foo-foo drink for sailaway and then either do sailaway on our balcony or up on deck somewhere.

[sleepless]

I have several things I always buy. I always try to get the "welcome aboard photo when I embark on a new ship. I also get a ship magnet, a ship Christmas ornament, and a ship post card. When visiting the ports, I get a magnet and a few post cards each stop.

[griffy116]

We go to the Windjammer and eat. After we drop our carry-on in the cabin, we go get a fruity drink. Even though we usually have a balcony cabin, we like to be on the pool deck for sail-away with a drink in hand. We also collect a Christmas ornament from the ports. When we were on a Med cruise, one of the stops was Turkey. We had already decided that we would be unable to get a Christmas ornament but hoped we could get something small to use as a Christmas ornament. We ran into this adorable little man in Turkey and he had TWO Christmas ornaments in his shop. We bought both of them. They were handmade by him and are truly the most gaudy, "unChristmasy" ornaments ever...and we treasure this ornament the most. To find a Christmas ornament, hand-made in Turkey? Priceless. Every year when we start decorating the tree, we enjoy reliving where we bought the ornament and what we were doing. Now our tree is COVERED with these wonderful memories. We have everything from hand-made ornaments from scrap metal to beautiful hand-blown glass ornaments. Each one is unique..just like the memory to go with it.

[lorgir]

I do Christmas ornaments and magnets everywhere we go when we travel. Even if it's a local staycation type thing.

 

I'm sure we'll do the same this time. It's our first cruise, so I'm hoping to find something we can do that is unique and tradition worthy in case we ever get the opportunity to cruise again.