Cruise traditions?

[Jessieasanders]

We are a family full of traditions. We are also a family taking our first cruise in a few weeks! I would love to hear other people's cruise traditions, so maybe we can steal a tradition or two beginning with our first cruise :)

 

Thanks!!!

[spidybabe]

Our tradition is boarding early and having lunch in the MDR. It's a nice calming way to start the cruise, and I always get a kick when no bill comes at the end, and you just get up and leave. Then we just enjoy, and go with the flow.

Safe sailing

[NancyL2]

We make sure we are up on deck with a drink for sail away. :)

[BirdTravels]

For a first time (or seasoned) cruiser, board early (the Getaway starts boarding at 11:30 am - arrive at the port by 10:30 am).

 

Vibe pass, not so much. Lots of places to get some sun without obsessing about a fancy vibe pass.

 

We normally head to the buffet for our first meal. Lots more variety than the main dining room.

 

Take the guided ship tour (look at the Freestyle Daily or ask). Usually around 1:30ish. The Getaway is a BIG ship and doing a quick walking tour will help you get oriented.

 

Be out on deck for the sailaway (either the pool deck/sun deck or the waterfront) to get those views of southbeach as you head out to sea.

 

Have a drink in every bar. Some folks get stuck going back to the same bar that they first go to. Every night, try 1 or 2 different bars until you have hit them all.

 

If you have a UBP, try those exotic drinks that you would never pay for in a regular bar. What happens on the ship,,,, stays on the ship (unless you instagram it). BBCs, Mango Meltdowns, Bahama Mama's.

 

Get dressed up and take a family photo. Go from back drop to back drop at dinner time taking photos.

 

Take active part in the theme parties.

[LrgPizza]

Traditions:

 

1) Buying a magnet for our fridge (we do this everywhere we travel, whether land or sea)

 

2) Taking a photo of our son beside a life preserver on deck. This was wonderful on his first 3 cruises which were on the same ship beside the same life preserver, starting when he was 11 months old. It's way different now that he's 5'11".

 

These are 2 inexpensive souvenirs that will last a lifetime and hold so much meaning. We need a bigger fridge, and ships might need a bigger life preserver. ;)

 

 

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[4774Papa]

Traditions:

 

1) Buying a magnet for our fridge (we do this everywhere we travel, whether land or sea)

 

2) Taking a photo of our son beside a life preserver on deck. This was wonderful on his first 3 cruises which were on the same ship beside the same life preserver, starting when he was 11 months old. It's way different now that he's 5'11".

 

These are 2 inexpensive souvenirs that will last a lifetime and hold so much meaning. We need a bigger fridge, and ships might need a bigger life preserver. ;)

 

 

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My daughter's collects magnets and her fridge is completely covered.

 

Just keep those magnets away from your car keys.

[JAMESCC]

We board early, check out our room and make phone calls that we are aboard and everything went well. Then we head to the buffet for lunch. Other than that nothing is set in stone. Kinda all over the place the rest of the cruise.

[Warm Breezes]

My son has a ship model from every ship he has sailed on displayed in his room with his key card next to it.

[spanishguy1970]

Our tradition is boarding early and having lunch in the MDR. It's a nice calming way to start the cruise, and I always get a kick when no bill comes at the end, and you just get up and leave. Then we just enjoy, and go with the flow.

Safe sailing

 

 

We have the same tradition :D:D:D

 

Now we have a new Tradition, We now go on the Latitudes Bronze line to check in faster so we can do to the MDR and have lunch. :)

[17cruisesnsl]

Board as early as possible; not having priority based on cruise frequency, cabin class,or special assistance, the lines can be long

 

Main dining room for lunch if you've had a long trip to the ship and need down time. Buffet if you love variety. You can preview menus from other posters

 

Pack your bathing suit in carry on so you can enjoy the pool ASAP

 

Lots of photos whilst venues are perfect and not crowded

 

If you celebrate Christmas- we buy an ornament on the ship (and in ports) so we have those wonderful memories every year. If we can't find an ornament - we create one from a magnet or key chain.

 

Don't forget to get your cruise pin at guest services or the cruise desk - they no longer put them in your room

 

We choose or purchase the 4 night SDP and have dinner the first night in a specific restaurant as the MDRs tend to be chaotic the first day. Consider the vino package if you enjoy wine and don't have the UBP or aren't crazy about their by the glass options

 

Make reservations on line as soon as they open, 90 days out, so you can relax once on board. Read the dailies that others have posted so you have an idea of what your week will be like.

 

Don't get caught up in all the options - research before you spend money unnecessarily. If you have children with you, they need to understand there is a cost associated with swiping their room card.

 

Pack seasick meds just in case - you probably won't need them but better safe than sorry

 

ENJOY! Some things will annoy you - chair hogs by the pool; line cutters; etc but it's your vacation and you worked hard for it -- Enjoy it - it will end all too soon.

[biker@sea]

NCL Wreaked my tradition of buying a ship logo dive shirt on every cruise. :o

 

my M/S Norwegian Dream and NCL Spirit shirt's are gettin worn out with old age , and Dawn let me down for new ones.

 

 

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Edited April 24, 2016 by biker@sea

[dogboy]

Get out on deck pre-dawn and watch the purple sky turn to blue, red, and grey. There is usually only two or three other cruisers.

[SMITTY6719]

The day before I leave I take the piggy bank I have been throwing my change in since my last cruise and cash it in for my gambling budget. :)

[rose102798]

We buy a Christmas tree ornament and a refrigerator magnet in every port.

 

My son has a snow globe collection that I started when I had to travel a lot in a previous job. He buys a snow globe in each port.

 

We also like to participate as a team in the trivia competitions.

[olemissreb]

Glass of champagne either upon boarding (Celebrity does this) or at the very latest when I get to my room. Used to toast to vacation with my hubby, but since he's now my EX, I'll toast with my mother who will be 81 on our cruise in 2 years - not sure how many more opportunities to do that I'll have so I'll savor every one!

 

We also try to buy a Christmas ornament of the ship we are on. Unfortunately, Celebrity didn't have one of the Millie 3 years ago, so we compromised and at least got one that depicted the cruise itself - Alaska! Now, every Christmas, the boys and I reminisce about out travels.

 

We also get up on the deck for sailaway - missed it in Alaska because of rain and I think we were eating dinner. We get a drink of the day or whatever we feel like and again - toast to a wonderful vacation. This next cruise will be kind of strange since my oldest will be 22 and legal! YIKES:eek:

 

Having older kids, the other thing that has become a tradition of sorts is to do all of our excursions together as well as eating dinner together. As youngsters, the boys loved the kids clubs and we would only do half-day excursions so as to not tire them out and have to deal with overly tired kids. At 18 & 22 (in 2018), they won't want to spend a whole lot of time with their old mom and grandmom. So eating dinner together is one way of at least finding out what they'd been doing all day and to have some family time. Our next cruise is Hawaii though, very port intensive, and excursions will probably be all day affairs so we'll have more family time than usual.

 

The last "tradition" is for me to stand on our balcony as we sail away from our last port and cry - happy tears for the time spent with my family and sad tears that it has come to an end. Of course I also have a nice drink in my hand while doing this, so I can at least buoy my spirits a little that way! :o

[PhillyTravelBug]

The day before I leave I take the piggy bank I have been throwing my change in since my last cruise and cash it in for my gambling budget. :)

 

Same here. Mine is getting very full!! Can't wait to see how much I've saved.

 

A total waste of cash, but I always play bingo on a cruise.

[hladygirl]

My Dh and I go to an early dinner, then I get an expresso martini and we sit in the cigar room while he smokes his cigar and I sip my martini. We then head to the casino for a while and maybe a show. Not a tradition but more a routine.

Edited April 24, 2016 by hladygirl

[Waihekean]

Pina Colada at Sail-away and trying to be on the ship as early as possible:)

[titangas]

Eat as many Eggs Benedict and as much smoked salmon as I can.

(Not in one sitting :))

 

But try to get to sit down breakfast in MDR as often as we can.

[murfette]

Listen to Jimmy Buffet cheese burger in paradise on the way to the airport.

 

 

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[HowardK]

Same here. Mine is getting very full!! Can't wait to see how much I've saved.

 

A total waste of cash, but I always play bingo on a cruise.

 

Even though I didn't win at bingo- it was totally worth it for the comradeship (and shared sarcasm lol) among the players. The entertainment value was good, but would have been great had i won!

 

Some of my traditions as follows: Oshennans and 1 game of whatever bowling (Epic real bowling, Breakaway fake bowling) the first hour.

 

Being within the 1st 10 to get off the ship at the end so i can get a bus etc..

 

Doing at least one speciality restuarant, playing in Howl at the Moon or Fat Cats as mnay nights as possible.

 

This December will go from Miami on the 5th anniversary of the last time I went from there

[skynyrd]

I like to blow bubbles on the balcony at sailaway.

[Stace894]

We do the Ornament thing for each vacation we take. Its so nice to think of the different trips and special moments as we decorate the tree each year. We also get there early. Would rather wait in the cruise terminal than at home....We also have a nice toast at sailaway to to celebrate the start of a new vacation!

[Mom2B&Z]

We take a picture of our feet on the beach (affectionately known as the toe shot), and a selfie of all four of us at the aft of the ship with the wake as the background. The selfie is the cover of our cruise album, the toe shot is the back cover. I also take a picture of my boys sleeping in their bunks for the last page of the album. They were 5&3 yrs on our first cruise, they were 11&8 on our last one. It's neat to see how they are getting bigger with each album, and how our toes have changed over the years. Z (who is a boy) has one toe shot with his toenails painted yellow, his favourite colour :)

 

 

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