17 days to first cruise/ nervous and worried

[Reikijulie]

Hiya Guys

I'm going with my husband and older son (32) on Eclipse from Southampton to canary isles/Spain/Portugal in 17 days.

I originally booked the cruise for my elderly father to come but have had to take my son instead as my father is unable to now travel.

So I'm a bit dreading the cruise as its not something I would ever have considered. I'm trying to get excited but just feel nervous.

Is there anything from your experience that I should take .My son smokes, how many cigarettes can you take onboard and where is best to it them. Any tips or advice would be appreciated. I chose anytime open dining ,any tips? When first embarking and suitcases dropped, where do you suggest to go to eat ? Do you sit at dinner with different strangers each time ?

Much appreciated 😊

Reikijulie

[ibfishing2]

Hiya Guys

I'm going with my husband and older son (32) on Eclipse from Southampton to canary isles/Spain/Portugal in 17 days.

I originally booked the cruise for my elderly father to come but have had to take my son instead as my father is unable to now travel.

So I'm a bit dreading the cruise as its not something I would ever have considered. I'm trying to get excited but just feel nervous.

Is there anything from your experience that I should take .My son smokes, how many cigarettes can you take onboard and where is best to it them. Any tips or advice would be appreciated. I chose anytime open dining ,any tips? When first embarking and suitcases dropped, where do you suggest to go to eat ? Do you sit at dinner with different strangers each time ?

Much appreciated

Reikijulie

 

I haven't been on Celebrity but the limit is usually on the amount of cigarettes that you can buy and bring off the ship via airlines. I believe that it is one carton per person (200 cigarettes).

I'm sorry that your Father is not able to take this trip, but, RELAX and enjoy the anticipation of your upcoming cruise. Hopefully Someone familiar with Celebrity will answer your dining and embankment questions

 

Celebrity Smoking Policy:

Celebrity

Smoking is prohibited in all staterooms and on stateroom verandas, as well as in any dining venue, casino, theater, hallway, elevator or corridor onboard. This policy includes smoking-like products such as electronic cigarettes. Cigarette smoking will only be permitted in designated outdoor areas of Celebrity's ships. Any guest caught violating this policy will be subject to a $250 cleaning fee, which will be charged to the guest's onboard account and may also be addressed through Celebrity Cruises' Guest Conduct Policy. Cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco must be properly disposed of and never thrown overboard. In addition, smoking is prohibited on all components of the land tour portion of all Celebrity Cruises cruise tours.

[shadow8800]

I am new to cruising too, I have only been on 2 so far, but I say take a deep breath. The one thing I do know is you don't have to eat with strangers in the Main dining room unless you want to, you can request a table for just your party.

 

We usually grab something in the buffet after boarding to hold us over until dinner. I am not sure what else is open during embarkation.

 

I am sure there are more experienced people here that can help with some of your other questions. I hope you have a great cruise maybe check on the thread for the Eclipse too!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Sorry to hear that your father isn't well and can't make the cruise.

RELAX -- once you have taken that first cruise, you will be hooked.

Your son can take as many cigarettes onto the ship as he wants -- but there are limits as to what he can take off the ship at the end of the cruise. Just follow the one poster's advice as to where your son can smoke.

You will hand over your suitcases to the porters at the pier and they will see that your luggage is loaded onto the ship and the staff on the ship will get your suitcases to your cabin. Keep your carry's on with you as well as all valuables like cameras, medications, documentation, boarding passes, etc.

As to dining, you do not have sit with anyone. You can request a table for 4 (since there are 3 of you).

On Embarkation day we like to avoid the crowds and eat in the main dining room.

[Reikijulie]

Thankyou so much guys,

That's all stuffi did or know and helpful to me xx Thankyou 👍

[John Bull]

Hi, & welcome to Cruise Critic,

 

With Open Dining (different cruise lines use different names) when you go to the dining room you can ask for a table to yourselves, or agree to share with others. If you want a table to yourselves you may have to wait for one to be available, especially at popular times. We're usually happy to share, usually it's great but if it's not it's only for the one evening.

 

Strict limitations on smoking on the ship, broadly the same as in the UK. But enough designated smoking areas.

 

The cruise line isn't interested in how many cigs you buy or take aboard, but on your return to Southampton HM Customs will be interested in how many you bring back & where you bought them.

 

There are two limits..........

 

200 per adult duty-free bought on the ship or Gib or the Canaries. Regardless of whether they're for personal use.

That's no different to travelling from anywhere else in the world.

 

Plus

"A reasonable quantity for your own use" of duty-paid cigs bought in the EU excise duty area.

This includes Portugal (and Madeira) and mainland Spain, but not the Canaries. Canaries are of course part of Spain, but not part of the EU duty area. Likewise, Gib is in the EU, but not part of the EU duty area.

"A reasonable quantity" is the wording used in the law, there's no actual figure. It depends on how heavily you smoke, when you last brought back EU tax-paid cigs, etc. HM Customs suggest "no questions asked" if you bring back 800 per person, but folk legally bring back far more - I work on about 6 months-worth. So 6 months at 20 per day would be something over 3,500 (180 packs or 18 sleeves), but be prepared to be quizzed about your smoking habits by Southampton Customs. They must be for your own use or as gifts (tho they're not going to believe that you're giving away hundreds of pounds-worth.;)), and if there's any suspicion that you're going to sell them - even to friends at cost-price - they'll be confiscated.

 

Because they're duty-paid, cigs bought in Portugal or Madeira or mainland Spain are more expensive than Gib or Canaries or the ship, but still only about half the cost in the UK. So it's worth filling your boots - the savings on duty-paid is way way greater than on duty-frees because of the much higher quantity allowed.

Only buy from recognised tobacco shops & be sure to keep the receipt. Duty-paid cigs have a duty-paid sticker across the pack closure (similar to those in UK shops), so HM Customs know where you bought them.

Don't believe sellers in the Canaries who tell you there's no limit there, they want to sell as many as they can & won't care about the consequences for you.

And don't risk smuggling from the Canaries - Southampton's Customs target ships which have been to Gib or Canaries & their sniffer dogs will detect large quantities. But that's OK if you bought in the EU duty area, as long as they're for your own use. Those who bring back cigs or baccy are easy targets, so Customs are more interested in them than in folk smuggling guns, drugs, immigrants, etc etc. :rolleyes:

 

Chapter & Verse at

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu

and

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-eu-countries

 

JB :)

[Reikijulie]

Thankyou so much guys

Much appreciated being first time.

I'm a little hesitant about group excursions, what do you guys think about getting off ship and doing your own thing? Pottering around town? Maybe getting own taxi ? I'm aware of making sure we can get back in good time... .... other question is , what currency should we take , euros or dollars ? Mainly worried about offshore xxx

[cb at sea]

It's totally doable to "putter around" on your own...but if you want to do that, read up on your ports! A guidebook is VERY useful! We seldom do "excursions", but we do our research, so we know something about the places we visit!

 

Ship's excursions are easy and fool-proof...they tell you when and where to meet, and from that point on, they take care of everything for you...you simply have fun!

 

Whatever you decide...remember, this is a VACATION! No need to be nervous or hesitant at all!

[Sancho_proudfoot]

Thankyou so much guys

Much appreciated being first time.

I'm a little hesitant about group excursions, what do you guys think about getting off ship and doing your own thing? Pottering around town? Maybe getting own taxi ? I'm aware of making sure we can get back in good time... .... other question is , what currency should we take , euros or dollars ? Mainly worried about offshore xxx

 

Shipboard currency is US $, but you won't spend cash as such (except in the casino) - everything will go on your onboard account.

 

if your ports of call are all Eurozone, then yes you'll need euros. Better value to buy them before you board rather than trying onboard.

 

We've done both ship-bought excursions, and go ashore solo. If you're confident about where you want to go, and what you want to see, by all means go ashore alone. Be aware that some ports are not in town, they may be in a working ( cargo-type) port so there may not be anywhere to potter around in!

[John Bull]

I'm a little hesitant about group excursions, what do you guys think about getting off ship and doing your own thing? Pottering around town? Maybe getting own taxi ? I'm aware of making sure we can get back in good time... .... other question is , what currency should we take , euros or dollars ? Mainly worried about offshore xxx

 

Ships' excursions tend to be over-priced - all of 'em, not just Celebrity.

Most ports (probably all of yours, but we need to know the itinerary) can be done independently on foot, by train, taxi, hop-on buses, renting a car, etc. But, just like in the UK, jumping into a taxi for the day would be very expensive, so use taxis just for A to B journeys such as ship to town centre rather than for touring.

 

Here's some ideas for Lisbon

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=93521047

I found those threads by going to the Ports of Call "other Mediterranean ports" forum & at the bottom of the page typing in "Lisbon" in the "search this forum" box. Do the same on the Spain forum, etc.

 

Portugal, Spain, Canaries all use the Euro.

Gib you can use sterling or euros. Best value is sterling, but ensure change is in UK pounds, not Gib pounds cos they're not accepted in the UK.

Get your euros in advance from the usual suspects - Tesco, Sainsbury, Post Office, etc, or use your debit card in cash machines in the ports.

Don't use ship's exchange facility, they give awful exchange rates - doubly bad on US ships cos their system converts your pounds to US dollars & then dollars to euros.

Best exchange rates are by using your credit card for purchases ashore, but check whether your card issuer charges a fee. And be sure to tell your card issuers about your cruise, to avoid problems in their anti-fraud measures blocking overseas spending.

 

Ship's currency is US dollars, but that simply means everything is priced in dollars - you don't need cash dollars because all purchases on the ship, including any ship's excursions, are charged to your on-board account, and the debit or credit card that you register when you board will settle the on-board account at the end of the cruise.

Very important. During the cruise you'll be given a form asking if you'd like the ship to convert from dollars to sterling before charging your card "for your convenience" :rolleyes:

Decline that offer - ship's exchange rates are awful & your best value is always to allow your card to be charged in ship's currency and for your card issuer to convert to sterling at a much better exchange rate.

Some places ashore might offer the same. Always decline. Always have your card charged in local currency as billed, & allow your card issuer to do the conversion.

 

Are you aware of Celebrity's daily "tips" charge?

Cruise lines & travel agents are a bit forgetful :rolleyes: about telling new cruisers.

$13.50 per person per night will be added to your on-board account

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=266

This covers the "tips" for the crew, you don't need to tip extra to anyone unless you use room-service (for a room-service tip, sterling or euros are fine)

Post to say whether you're aware of this charge & the service charge on drinks.

 

JB :)

Edited September 30, 2016 by John Bull

[Reikijulie]

You Guys are all brilliant

I'm feeling a bit more in the know by the hour 😀

All points taken onboard

All advice is brilliant for us

This forum is wonderful

Thankyou 👍

[navybankerteacher]

If you plan on much spending, you would probably get better exchange rate by getting euros at an ATM at your first port of call - otherwise, getting them in advance might give you one less thing to worry on. Plenty of cigarettes can be purchased on board (inexpensively) - just be aware of limits on bringing them home. Also, as a courtesy, only smoke in designated areas on ship.

[jocap]

I think John Bull has covered most points, but don't forget that you DON'T have to eat in the main dining room every night; you can just use the buffet and take as little or as much as you require- sometimes we only have one course in there.

Eclipse will provide a kettle and tea tray in your cabin, but probably just tea bags, so if you want instant coffee, a small jar is useful.

All towels including swimming towels, and flannels are provided.

You'll find that people who cruise are a friendly lot, and like sharing experiences, so do ask around if you need something.

Just a mention- sometimes Tabac owners in Spain ask to see a passport if you're buying a lot of cigarettes...normally your passport should remain in your cabin safe at all times, but this has been asked for in La Coruna; do be very careful of passports if you ever carry them off the ship. Other than that, leave them in the safe.

On the first day, your cabin might not be ready until after lunch, so you can eat in the buffet and find somewhere comfortable to wait until the announcement has been made.

Once you're on board, and have discovered where the main rooms are, just relax and take things as they come. You have lovely destinations ahead, and a beautiful ship to explore, amongst happy people.

Enjoy! :cool:

[Reikijulie]

Johnbull

Jocap

And all you guys whose names I can't see whilst writing this,

thankyou so much

They're all the little things I've been worrying about.

What do you do about washing clothes?

Can you take a socket extension?

Xx

We're used to our touring caravan and how helpful and friendly everyone is. You lot are just as lovely 👍 Hope to make some great friends x

[John Bull]

Johnbull

Jocap

And all you guys whose names I can't see whilst writing this,

thankyou so much

They're all the little things I've been worrying about.

What do you do about washing clothes?

Can you take a socket extension?

Xx

We're used to our touring caravan and how helpful and friendly everyone is. You lot are just as lovely Hope to make some great friends x

 

No self-service laundry on Eclipse. Your cabin steward can sort the laundry service, but it's expensive. Odds & ends you can wash in your bathroom sink, & there's a retracting clothes line in the shower (pull it from one wall across to its hook on the opposite wall).

BTW, to get out travel wrinkles, unpack onto clothes hangers & hang them from that clothes line, and - with the spray pointing away from your clothes ;) - pull the shower curtain across & run the shower at its hottest for 10 - 15 minutes to steam out the wrinkles.

 

US cruise lines don't normally provide tea fixings in cabins, but RCI and Celebrity (and others?) know that we Brits like our early-morning brew and provide kettles & fixings on cruises out of the UK.

But they seem to think we only drink tea. So, as Jo's post, pack a jar of your favourite instant coffee.

 

Pretty certain you need a plug adaptor, I don't recall the sockets on Eclipse but we have a couple of universal adaptors (under a tenner from Boots, Argos etc ) which work everywhere we've been. And yes, a short 3 or 4-gang extension lead so that you can charge several devices at the same time. But make it an extension lead without a surge protector, I don't know the technicalities but I believe surge protectors are banned.

 

Here's a link to the Cruise Critic members' RollCall for your cruise.

7 pages of posts by your shipmates, I've linked you to the last page

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2222868&page=7

Post on there to say hi to them.

And mebbe sign up for their "connexions" get-together, organised by Celebrity & held on-board during the first day or two of the cruise. Free drinks & nibbles, probably a free raffle, often a senior officer as a guest.

 

JB :)

[MarKay525]

Hello - Welcome to Cruise Critic. The Eclipse is a beautiful ship and we are looking forward to spending two weeks on her next fall.

 

If you want to do excursions on your own, the Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic has a lot of helpful information.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

 

Be aware that if you take a private tour, the ship will not wait for you if you are late returning to the dock. Ship excursions may seem pricey, but if you are in an unfamiliar area, they do offer the best sense of security - you will be taken care of and if, for some reason, the excursion is delayed, the ship will wait.

 

Eclipse has a Solarium area that is for adults only - we have found this a most enjoyable place to spend time both at sea and when in a port.

 

In the Solarium area is a Cafe that offers delicious healthy food choices. Depending upon what time you board, this may be a less busy alternative for lunch on embarkation day than the Ocean View Cafe/buffet, which can be a bit of a zoo that first day.

 

On the top deck is a Hot Glass Show presented by the Corning Museum of Glass. Extremely talented glass artists demonstrate the art of glass blowing while the ship is underway. My husband & I enjoyed this very much when we were on the Equinox, a sister ship to the Eclipse.

 

Each day you will receive a "newsletter" in your stateroom that summarizes the activities for the next day - there are activities for almost any interest. All the various dining venues on the ship are included in this newsletter, as the Main Dining Room is not your only option.

 

As others have said - take a deep breath and enjoy your cruise.

Edited October 1, 2016 by MarKay525

[Reikijulie]

Johnbull

Markay

You little treasures,

Brilliant inside info

Thankyou

[bazbov]

Hiya Julie,

I can't contribute anything else that the others have covered, but i just wanted to wish you a very pleasant cruise experience. I remember my first cruise with very happy memories and now i'm hooked, it's now my only way to holiday.

 

Have a wonderful journey, Relax and enjoy it. happy cruising:)

[hancock]

You will find US and European connections. Bring the adapter for one of those.

[Cruiserbillyboo]

You will find US and European connections. Bring the adapter for one of those.

 

Yes. Bring an adapter, even though they have US connections. This allows you to use the European plugs too which effectively increases the number of outlets at your disposal.

:)

[Reikijulie]

Baz boy

Hancok

Cruiserbillyboo

 

You little gems , Thankyou , will pack those adapters and Thankyou, Ihope I do have a good time 😂I'll let you know xx

[Slugsta]

I hope you have a great time and, like many of us here, become addicted to cruising!

 

One thing you should do is take a hold-all for the last day. On the evening before you disembark you will be asked to leave your luggage outside the cabin for collection. Keep back your night things and whatever you will need the next morning, these will then go into that hold-all. Please don't be one of the few people who has to disembark in your pj's because you forgot to keep any clothes back!

[Alibobs]

Hi Julie

 

Just imagine the ship is your caravan on water ....Im sure you will have a great time and people on cruises are generally very friendly

 

I have done your itinerary a few times albeit with a different cruise line. We tend not to do organised tours unless we want to see something specific (eg Epheusus, the Acropolis ) and learn about to too.

With your itinerary there will probably be shuttle buses into town ........as an example Lisbon ........you can download a walking tour from Google if you want to see the key sights ....some ports aren't particularly exciting but we always stretch our legs and find somewhere to sit and watch the world go by......

Also, never underestimate the joy of a ship on a port day when lots of passengers are ashore.......I love pottering around when the ship is quiet, a totally different atmosphere

[babs135]

You've received lots of useful information so I won't add any more except to say that be prepared to become addicted to cruising :D

 

Please come back after your holiday and tell us how it went.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Reikijulie]

Slugsta

All stars

Babs. 👍

 

Thankyou

Slugsta , does that mean the last night of cruise you don't sleep anywhere? X