What do you do on embarkation day?

[Lionessa15]

My first Princess cruise (second cruise overall) is less than three weeks away, Oct 22nd Canada/New England itinerary. :) I know what not to do on embarkation day (go to the buffet for lunch, unless crowds are not an issue) but I'm interested in hearing what people typically like to do once they are on board? Where do you go for lunch, where do you station yourself for sail away, do you have any rituals to make embarkation day special? Do you take advantage of the specialty restaurants the first night or go to MDR? I like to make plans...

[EndersFoul]

We preorder the assorted cheese tray and BYO wine, and enjoy on our balcony after muster. The tray is huge and let's is snack for the next few days on the leftovers.

[long cruiser]

We are elite,so we trade in our free bar set up for two coffee cards the minute we get to the cabin.

long cruiser

[skynight]

My first Princess cruise (second cruise overall) is less than three weeks away, Oct 22nd Canada/New England itinerary. :) I know what not to do on embarkation day (go to the buffet for lunch, unless crowds are not an issue) but I'm interested in hearing what people typically like to do once they are on board? Where do you go for lunch, where do you station yourself for sail away, do you have any rituals to make embarkation day special? Do you take advantage of the specialty restaurants the first night or go to MDR? I like to make plans...

Regal Princess:

Go to our cabin, store our carry on belongings, place valuables in the cabin safe

On the Regal we would probably go for lunch in the Horizon Ct. Buffet. The buffet is very large with lots and lots of selections. As an alternative we might go to Alfredo's, for waiter served pizza and other Italian selections. The International Cafe is also available for sandwiches, salads and desserts. Some really like the DR, open noon to 1:30, but for me it takes too much time to have lunch there. We don't go there on boarding day.

 

If we wish to dine in one of the specialty restaurants, we visit and make a reservation. You can only make reservations while on board, no pre-cruise reservations. Normally we do not dine there on the first night, but you only have 5 nights, so it's your choice. The DR's are a little hectic the first night, especially if you have ATD.

 

If warm enough we may sit around the Lido deck area and have a beer or drink. Some passengers tour the ship with the 'treasure hunt' card. You turn the completed card in at the sail away by the Lido Pool and there are drawings for prizes.

 

Your muster will probably be around 4:15 or so for a 5pm sailing. We like to check our cabin sometime before the drill, see if our checked luggage has arrived and un pack. For a five day cruise you may not have any checked baggage.

 

Sail Away: You don't want to miss the sail out from Brooklyn through NY harbor. If you enjoy music, lively activity, dancing, head to the Lido Pool and the deck above it. If you want a more quiet sail away head to the Horizon Terrace all the way aft on the Lido Deck. If you want to smoke during the sail away, head all the way aft, on the Sun deck where there is a smoking area. Don't go there if you want to avoid smoke.

 

Muster: The drill is held indoors. Arrive 15 mins early if you want a seat.

[JimmyVWine]

For a typical departure day out of Port Everglades:

• Drop off carry-on bags in our cabin. Put wines that need to be chilled in the fridge.
  
• Call DINE to make reservation at Sabatini's for the first night and Crown Grill for the last night.
  
• Head to the MDR for lunch.
  
• Back to the cabin to see if luggage has arrived. If it has, unpack. (We take a lot of "road trip" type vacations as a family where we are always on the move from place to place, living out of our suitcases. One of the things my wife loves about cruises is that they are sort of like road trips where you go to a different place every day, but you only have to unpack and pack once. While it may seem a bit silly, it is a big deal to her to unpack everything and make our cabin more like our "home" with suitcases out of sight and no evidence of packing or unpacking. So everything must be put away.)
  
• For most of our prior cruises. while my wife unpacked, I would take our daughter up to the kid's/teen area to confirm registration and get her card "snipped". Then she and I would tour the ship and do a photo shoot while my wife finished making the cabin our home.
  
• Almost time for the Muster Drill, so we would hang out on our balcony until the horn sounded.
  
• After the Muster Drill, we head up on deck for a bit of the Sail Away party by the pool.
  
• Just before lines are cast, we head back to our port side balcony, open some wine, put on some music and enjoy the view of the houses as we pull out of the port, waving furiously at the Sail-Away webcam so that we can see ourselves at a later date.
  
• By now it is probably time to shower and change for dinner at Sabatini's with a reservation around 7:00.
  
• After dinner we find a venue with decent music, usually Crooners or the Explorer's Lounge. Right around this time it sets in that I am on vacation.
  

 

That's pretty much it. You can tell that I am not very much a creature of habit. Yeah, right!

[diane.in.ny]

We usually drop off our carry ons and then head to the MDR for lunch.

 

Then, even if it is a ship we've been on before, we set out to explore.

 

Back to the cabin to, hopefully, unpack and then enjoy our balcony before muster and getting ready for dinner.

[golfb4cruzing]

Depends what type of breakfast we've had, and what time we board, if we venture out for lunch. We will first head to cabin and get valuables in safe and clear out fridge and get drinks and champagne chilling. We then will walk ship, look at buffet and get our bearings. We get our first cocktail which officially puts us on vacation. Then it's safety briefing and back to cabin and balcony for sailaway. If luggage is there, the wife puts away luggage items and then we just walk around and see what's open, have dinner and plan evening. Our first trip was a frenzy, now the routine is relaxed.

[myfuzzy]

We always fly in a day or two early, so embarkation morning, I pack as much as I can into my roll carry on. I just leave the long pants, winter coat, and anything else that I don't need in my larger bag, so when I get on board and get to our cabin, I can just unpack the roll on and be done with the "big" unpacking ASAP, then head off to lunch, and relax for the rest of the day. So when the larger bag arrives, I can just hang up my coat and be done with it.

[john_galt]

The first thing I do is find the TV remote (it's a guy thing).

 

Then I call the DINE number (or room service on the Grand) and order as many Ultimate Balcony Dining's as I can afford. Probably three on the upcoming 6 day cruise.

 

Good food, plenty to drink, and a TV. What more could you want?

[greenie082756]

Embarkation Day we go to our cabin.

Put away valuables in the safe and medicine in the refer that needs to stay cold.

We then go to the International Café and have lunch and people watch.

Go to muster drill. Seven short and one long??

Then we go meet our CC group for sailaway. Visit for a bit then hubby goes back to the cabin to take a nap as he works nights and by 5pm he's beat.

Dinner is @ 7:30 or so depending on what is on the patter for entertainment.

Then...ahh...sleep with NO alarm :D Vacation!!

[tonit964]

We go to the cabin and put away our carry ons.

I wipe down the cabin with Lysol wipes.

We go to the dining room for lunch, so relaxing.

If our bags are at the cabin, we unpack.

Go exploring the ship.

Go to muster drill.

I grab a Beverly Hills Iced tea :D and DH gets his soda sticker and we spend sail away on our balcony.

[Sea Hag]

We board as early as possible, drop off carry-on bags in cabin, and head to the MDR for lunch. After that, we wander around watching people board and checking out the ship whether it's new to us or not.

[Bruin Steve]

First off, unless we're cruising out of Los Angeles (we live in SoCal), we always fly in to the embarkation port at least a day ahead...

 

On Embarkation day, we always make it a point to get to the ship early...

We'll drop our stuff at the cabin and head to the main dining room for lunch. I hate buffets--rather be served a proper portion cooked just for me and eat in a relaxed atmosphere with good table conversation. One of the best points about Princess is that they open the MDR for lunch on embarkation day.

 

Next, we'll wander around the ship a bit, becoming familiar (or re-familiar) with the public areas. My wife will head straight to the spa and make any spa appointments.

 

Then we'll head back to the cabin and relax and settle in.

 

We will head for the muster drill a little early so we can get a good seat.

 

After the muster drill, we've usually arranged a sailaway get-together with our cruise critic roll call--typically at the Outrigger bar--aft of the Horizon Court...

 

Next, Dinner in the main dining room. We'll usually eat in a specialty restaurant only once or twice a cruise...and save it for later in the cruise when we want a change of pace...

 

Then, the "Welcome Aboard Show" followed by whatever else is on the schedule for late night entertainment that first night...

Edited October 3, 2016 by Bruin Steve

[Thrak]

Board ship. Stand and look around the atrium area. Sigh with pleasure.

 

Head to cabin. Put valuables and meds in safe. Ask steward for a top sheet. Deal with luggage if it has arrived.

 

Go to upper deck and look out. Sigh with pleasure.

 

Have a drink for sail away. Sigh with pleasure.

 

I spend a lot of time on cruises just being really happy and very glad that we are able to cruise. We don't eat as much as some folks do on a cruise so embarkation day lunch is not a big thing for us and we may well skip it.

[Cuizer2]

My first Princess cruise (second cruise overall) is less than three weeks away, Oct 22nd Canada/New England itinerary. :) I know what not to do on embarkation day (go to the buffet for lunch, unless crowds are not an issue) but I'm interested in hearing what people typically like to do once they are on board? Where do you go for lunch, where do you station yourself for sail away, do you have any rituals to make embarkation day special? Do you take advantage of the specialty restaurants the first night or go to MDR? I like to make plans...

 

I like to photograph the ship. Once the cabins become available the crowd in the buffet thins out.

[gotta cruise again]

I can "ditto" so much of the previous posts so I'll only add a couple of items that haven't been mentioned.

 

While I unpack, DH will take his shirts to the laundry and press them...so he has that out of the way when that room isn't being used. (Though now elite, he may change this tradition!!)

 

Then while I head to the spa for a pre-muster haircut, DH takes a nap!

[MJC]

Board ship. Stand and look around the atrium area. Sigh with pleasure.

 

Head to cabin. Put valuables and meds in safe. Ask steward for a top sheet. Deal with luggage if it has arrived.

 

Go to upper deck and look out. Sigh with pleasure.

 

Have a drink for sail away. Sigh with pleasure.

 

I spend a lot of time on cruises just being really happy and very glad that we are able to cruise. We don't eat as much as some folks do on a cruise so embarkation day lunch is not a big thing for us and we may well skip it.

 

Yes! :)

 

Drop our carryon in the cabin.

Make a reservation for the Crown Grill.

MDR lunch.

Start at the top and explore the whole ship all the way down.

Enjoy the first day giddiness.

 

 

Un

Edited October 3, 2016 by MJC

[Cuizer2]

First off, unless we're cruising out of Los Angeles (we live in SoCal), we always fly in to the embarkation port at least a day ahead...

 

On Embarkation day, we always make it a point to get to the ship early...

We'll drop our stuff at the cabin and head to the main dining room for lunch. I hate buffets--rather be served a proper portion cooked just for me and eat in a relaxed atmosphere with good table conversation. One of the best points about Princess is that they open the MDR for lunch on embarkation day.

 

Next, we'll wander around the ship a bit, becoming familiar (or re-familiar) with the public areas. My wife will head straight to the spa and make any spa appointments.

 

Then we'll head back to the cabin and relax and settle in.

 

We will head for the muster drill a little early so we can get a good seat.

 

After the muster drill, we've usually arranged a sailaway get-together with our cruise critic roll call--typically at the Outrigger bar--aft of the Horizon Court...

 

Next, Dinner in the main dining room. We'll usually eat in a specialty restaurant only once or twice a cruise...and save it for later in the cruise when we want a change of pace...

 

Then, the "Welcome Aboard Show" followed by whatever else is on the schedule for late night entertainment that first night...

 

Hey, glad to see that you are still around. I don't bump into as much any more. Hope things are going well for you. As for me, mostly well :), but not 100% :(

[XBGuy]

Our routine is very similar to what many, above, have indicated. In a few weeks we will be departing on a 7-day cruise out of Los Angeles on the Ruby Princess, and I'll bet that our Saturday embarcation activiites will look something like this.

 

• Go to cabin.
  
• Wipe cabin surfaces with antiseptic towelettes.
  
• Meet with cabin steward--Explain how wife likes to sleep-in every morning. So, please do not be concerned that the "Do Not Disturb" sign is out until about 11:00 am. Ask for wine glasses for the room. Ask for regular replenishment of the ice.
  
• Store passport, cell phones, valuables in room safe.
  
• Call the Dine Line. Make reservation that evening at Share and a reservation on Monday for Crown Grill.
  
• I've booked the Ultimate Balcony Dinner for Sunday. I was pleased to see that I could do this in my Cruise Personalizer. However, there are menu and time details that must be finalized. So, this will happen sometime on Saturday depending, I assume on the availability of the Room Service Manager.
  
• Go to lunch at Trident Grill. For some reason or other those hamburgers and fries just hit the spot at this time. It is also great spot for people watching.
  
• Unpack--dependent on luggage arrival.
  
• Attend the muster drill.
  
• Stop off at the Outrigger Bar and say "Hi" to some Roll Call people for about 15-20 minutes.
  
• Head to our balcony for sailaway. Open up a bottle of wine that I brought onboard and nosh on snacks that I'd pre-ordered.
  
• Have dinner at Share.
  

[WupperAV]

Get aboard. give the Captain the Keys, eat, take a nap, eat, take a nap eat repeat........................:p

[Lionessa15]

• Have dinner at Share.
  

 

What is Share? Is that just on the Ruby Princess?

[Rocknie]

We always fly into our port city the night before embarkation. From the airport to our hotel we stop at a store to purchase our two "free" bottles of wine. Check into a Hilton hotel (use HH points). Re-pack our carry-ons with as much as we can fit into them…and try to sleep through the excited anticipation of the upcoming cruise.

 

Check-out of hotel and secure transportation from hotel to port. We always try to arrive at the dock no later than 11AM. Once in the port area we drop off our checked luggage and take our carry-ons to check-in. (We make sure one of us has an ink pen!)

 

At check-in we receive our key cards… we check that the sticker for whatever beverage package we’ve purchased is on the key… then off we head to either The Sanctuary to reserve a couple loungers for the duration of the cruise or we go to our cabin.

 

Once in our cabin we wipe down EVERYTHING with medical disinfecting wipes. (we know that seams a little paranoid but in ten cruises neither of us has ever become ill.) When that is completed I call DINE to schedule our UBD, put our names in for the Wine Makers Dinner (2) and Chef Table. Then I arrange our complimentary specialty dinner (usually the steakhouse)… next I ask them to remove all of items from the room refrigerator and replace with a bottle of wine. Finally, I order a couple of cold appetizers to be delivered to the room ASAP with instructions if we are not there to place them in the refrigerator.

 

If the luggage as arrived we unpack and set our cabin up the way we like it. If we haven’t met our Room Steward we leave a letter introducing ourselves and requesting a top sheet and two extra pillows, two wine glasses to keep in our room, ice each evening, two copies of the Platter each evening, and finally the MDR menus for the next day… B,L, & D. Along with the letter we leave a very nice “thank you” envelope!

 

It’s off to the IC or Alfredo’s for lunch. Following lunch we spend a few minutes relaxing and watching the other passengers arrive… trying to guess if they’re veterans or first time cruisers.

 

Back to the room to pick up life vest for the Muster Drill and then to our assembly area… (we try to arrive at least fifteen minutes prior to drill in the hope of securing a seat). Following the drill it’s back to the room to drop off the vests. Hopefully, by then our checked luggage is in the room so we can unpack. Several times our Room Steward has seen us return from the Muster Drill and comes to the cabin to introduce him/herself. (On more than one occasion the Steward has volunteered to finishing unpacking our remaining luggage). We always kindly accept!

 

If there is a CC Roll Call meeting we attend… if no meeting we go back to people watching while enjoying a few cocktails. At sail away time it’s back to the cabin where we open our wine and take the appetizers to our balcony and enjoy the views of leaving the harbor and heading out to sea. Again hopefully, our checked luggage has arrived so we can unpack or grab a short nap!

 

Later, we head to our specialty restaurant for a late dinner (8PM – 9PM). Following dinner we go to an atrium bar for a nightcap or two! Enjoying a few relaxing moments (i.e. letting my huge steak settle)… it’s back to the cabin to rest, relax, and go to sleep.

 

It’s a great stress free beginning to our cruise vacation.

[Lionessa15]

Love the ideas. Seems like getting your vacation on ASAP is the priority for most. :D

 

My friend and I will probably want to check out our cabin first if it's ready, drop our carry-ons etc. (Wondering how you will know when it's available? Do you just go there to find out?)

 

Then probably grab a bite, I will have to find out if he would rather brave the buffet or try another option. Maybe Alfredo's, I don't think we'll want to sit in the dining room right away. Then explore the ship and find a place to watch sail away. If it's not freezing I know I will want to be on deck for that. I don't plan on bringing wine since I got the beverage package but I will definitely want a cocktail to celebrate.

 

Maybe we will eat at one of the specialty restaurants for dinner, I'll have to see what he thinks. I liked the idea of bookending the trip by eating the first and last night at a specialty restaurant.

[Thrak]

I can "ditto" so much of the previous posts so I'll only add a couple of items that haven't been mentioned.

 

While I unpack, DH will take his shirts to the laundry and press them...so he has that out of the way when that room isn't being used. (Though now elite, he may change this tradition!!)

 

Then while I head to the spa for a pre-muster haircut, DH takes a nap!

 

I would love to get my hair cut once a week onboard but I just can't see paying Princess' price for a quick buzz with the clippers!

Edited October 3, 2016 by Thrak

[JimmyVWine]

I would love to get my hair cut once a week onboard but I just can't see paying Princess' price for a quick buzz with the clippers!

 

Especially when 20 seconds outside on the Promenade Deck will evaporate any benefit conferred by the salon. In our family we refer to the phenomenon called "cruise ship hair" the way others refer to "bed head". It is a combination of salt air, humidity and a walk out on deck.