What is the one valuable lesson you learned on your first cruise 🚢

[jdemps]

Don't party like a rock star the last night cuz 8am comes way too early!  Cruises are the only vacation where they give you the boot before 11am...lol

[Kermarkim]

I believe beween Sept to early January.  My husband and I once wenT on a 5 day crise for $179 pp in early December.

[cggurl]

Free coffee is horrible. Next cruise I brought my own ground coffee and a pour over thingy for my morning coffee in the room.

[Mommawo]

37 minutes ago, cggurl said:

Free coffee is horrible. Next cruise I brought my own ground coffee and a pour over thingy for my morning coffee in the room.

I’m such a coffee snob. I buy fresh roasted from a local roaster and grind myself before use.  Omg if you have never had fresh roasted coffee you must try it.  Anyways I was worried the coffee would be bad. Will they allow a coffee pot ? Lol I am bringing my own creamer so figured maybe that would help a bit 

[cggurl]

3 hours ago, Mommawo said:

I’m such a coffee snob. I buy fresh roasted from a local roaster and grind myself before use.  Omg if you have never had fresh roasted coffee you must try it.  Anyways I was worried the coffee would be bad. Will they allow a coffee pot ? Lol I am bringing my own creamer so figured maybe that would help a bit 

I know what you mean!!! I'm particular and do 1/2 decaf and 1/2 caff beans. There is a local roaster 1.5 miles from here and it is such a pleasure to have that nearby. Carnival doesn't allow kettles or appliances and you can get hot water (but not the bottled kind). Norwegian will supply you with a kettle and you can put whatever kind of water you bring along. The kettle allowed me to do my pour overs. We have shelf stable creamer too! The coffee place does have good coffee but not complimentary. I don't feel like waiting in a line when I'm not awake to get my morning fix. Bringin my own makes it easier on me.

[wms99]

4 hours ago, Mommawo said:

I’m such a coffee snob. I buy fresh roasted from a local roaster and grind myself before use.  Omg if you have never had fresh roasted coffee you must try it.  Anyways I was worried the coffee would be bad. Will they allow a coffee pot ? Lol I am bringing my own creamer so figured maybe that would help a bit 

I am not a snob, but I do grind my own and like a good cup in the morning. With that said, the coffee they serve on Lido isn't at that level. Not even close. Average at best. But, and this is a big BUT, you get your cup and sit out on the aft deck and watch the sun come up over the gulf, or other water. That is something that makes up for a lot of average coffee. By day 2 or 3 you start looking forward to it. Plus there is the pay for good coffee place, Starbucks of the seas.

[Mommawo]

22 minutes ago, wms99 said:

I am not a snob, but I do grind my own and like a good cup in the morning. With that said, the coffee they serve on Lido isn't at that level. Not even close. Average at best. But, and this is a big BUT, you get your cup and sit out on the aft deck and watch the sun come up over the gulf, or other water. That is something that makes up for a lot of average coffee. By day 2 or 3 you start looking forward to it. Plus there is the pay for good coffee place, Starbucks of the seas.

I will take bad coffee any day on a cruise I suppose lol

[Bernardo62]

You can't beat your own experience!!!

[newcruiser1956]

Don't have unrealistic expectations,  this is not the love boat and won't be near as cool as the show.

[Remus2010]

1. don't plan every min, take time to just relax

2. pack bigger sized clothes for the 2nd half of the cruise, even if I don't actually gain that much weight, there is always a bloating factor. sorry tmi

3. don't sweat the small stuff,  there will always be something that doesn't go the way you want.  if that happens on the first day, don't let it affect the rest of your trip.  

 

[richstowe]

13 hours ago, newcruiser1956 said:

Don't have unrealistic expectations,  this is not the love boat and won't be near as cool as the show.

Darn!

 

[emoorehead]

1 hour ago, richstowe said:

Darn!

 

But those hairstyles....... I already had my Aqua Net packed!!!

[MRSG29]

Go Strictly Cash Account vs using Debit Card. Its easy to go over budget.

[Aplmac]

22 hours ago, MRSG29 said:

Go strictly Cash Account vs. using Debit Card. It's easy to go over budget.

.

CASH every time, baby! ___ Never any other way!

[Mommawo]

11 minutes ago, Aplmac said:

.

CASH every time, baby! ___ Never any other way!

 

22 hours ago, MRSG29 said:

Go Strictly Cash Account vs using Debit Card. Its easy to go over budget.

Hew much cash do you put on your account?

[MRSG29]

5 minutes ago, Mommawo said:

 

Hew much cash do you put on your account?

I do a combination. I do about $300-$500 in cruise cash. Then when I get to port and setting up my account I tell them cash account and usually will put on another $300-$400 to start. Then if I need more cash I will just go to customer service and add more. I normally always have money left over.

[duncmelsmom]

1)  Don't try to do it all, take time to chill.
2)  Walk the whole ship as soon as you feel like it.  You'll never know what you'll find and what you'll want to return to.
3)  99% of the people on board are just as happy as you and want to have a good time.  Don't let the grumpy 1% get you down.
4)  Once you go with a balcony room, you'll never go back.  Don't do it!  😉
 

[Aplmac]

26 minutes ago, Mommawo said:

How much cash do you put on your account?

.

Seeing as we are The Last of The Big Time Spenders!

I usually start with $ 100-200 -see how it goes,

and plunk down a bit more if/when need be.

But I'm sure if you wanted to deposit $ 1,000 they be happy to accept it!

At the end of your cruise

they'll either write you a check for your remaining credit balance

or pay you out cash and close the account, with no further buying on your part.
Most ppl settle up late on the last night, after the shows and all.

[CA_Cruzing]

8 hours ago, Mommawo said:

 

Hew much cash do you put on your account?

$2k. Then roll some to Casino for gaming. 

[jbethel11]

On 11/28/2018 at 9:08 AM, tmackel said:

RELAX!

Don't plan every minute of your trip, it will only leave you disappointed.

 

You don't need to see and do everything.

 

Try new foods.

Woah, that struck me!

[mfs2k]

On 11/29/2018 at 9:35 PM, richstowe said:

 

After booking our first cruise I discovered Cruise Critic ,and other resources but mostly CC. A wealth of fabulous info and tips . So much good advice . I did become a little , OK a lot obsessed .

 

 

Tell me about it. 🙄😁

[mfs2k]

Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen shade. 

 

Unless you’re already well tanned, don’t spend your first and second day in the sun on a cruise ship sailing to the Caribbean. 

 

The sun is very strong ☀️ on an open deck and if you burn, days 3-7 will not be as enjoyable. 

 

If you choose to ignore this advice then pack a lot of aloe, moisturizer and cold cream. 

 

Ps: 5 pre-cruise sessions at a tanning salon may make you think you won’t burn. Don’t listen to yourself. You’ll still burn. 

[Mommawo]

19 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen shade. 

 

Unless you’re already well tanned, don’t spend your first and second day in the sun on a cruise ship sailing to the Caribbean. 

 

The sun is very strong ☀️ on an open deck and if you burn, days 3-7 will not be as enjoyable. 

 

If you choose to ignore this advice then pack a lot of aloe, moisturizer and cold cream. 

 

Ps: 5 pre-cruise sessions at a tanning salon may make you think you won’t burn. Don’t listen to yourself. You’ll still burn. 

I have actually been tanning for a few months now.  Have gotten really dark. However I will apply the sunscreen because I don’t need to be any darker now and I don’t want to get burned for sure.  That is miserable 

[Mommawo]

43 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

Tell me about it. 🙄😁

Obsessed? Yup I’m there 

[Mommawo]

16 hours ago, Aplmac said:

.

Seeing as we are The Last of The Big Time Spenders!

I usually start with $ 100-200 -see how it goes,

and plunk down a bit more if/when need be.

But I'm sure if you wanted to deposit $ 1,000 they be happy to accept it!

At the end of your cruise

they'll either write you a check for your remaining credit balance

or pay you out cash and close the account, with no further buying on your part.
Most ppl settle up late on the last night, after the shows and all.

I hope I don’t spend 1000k lol.  I have pre paid for everything I can I think.