New to Cruising with lots of questions

[Auntiebe]

I have been lurking on these boards since January.Never cruised before. We are going to Western Caribbean on the Getaway out of New Orleans.

 

 What I would like to know is how do I pack, I’ve checked temperatures so I know summer clothes for during the day.How are the nights on the ship? We wear jeans a lot so I figured a couple pairs of jeans and some nice tops for me and a dressier outfit for me.My husband likes his T-shirts and his printed collared shirts.Do we need jackets?

 

 What kind of things do you bring for the Meet and Greet gift exchange, I was thinking of bringing some of our area sauces.

 

I can’t remember what Main dining room was more laid back than the rest,can someone point in the right direction.

 

Our flight home isn’t till 5:40 p.m. anything near the airport to do?

 

Please be kind to this newbie, I appreciate any help you can offer

 

 I’m hoping I have everything figured out so when we get to the port everything will be smooth sailing for the rest of the week.

 Thanks in advance, Brenda

 

 

[www3traveler]

The theater and some of the restaurants tend to be a bit chilly in the evenings.  I would bring a light weight jacket or sweater.  If you are going to walk along the Waterfront or eat out there, you will need a sweater or jacket.

 

Tropicana (Main Dining Room) and La Bistro tend to be a little more dressy-- something you would wear to church.  No shorts.

 

For a Meet and Greet, I usually bring a magnet and a picture book or calendar of my local area.  No food

 

You might be able to get an excursion through the ship ending at the airport.

 

Enjoy The Getaway.  She is a great ship with a wonderful staff.  I will be on board in early February.

 

Make a note to be outside as you sail from New Orleans.  When they dock in the morning, they face North going up the Mississippi.  The ship will make a large sweeping "U Turn") in the River to go South down the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico.  It will take about 8 hours or so to reach the mouth of the River and the Gulf.

 

Mandy   

[smplybcause]

If you normally need a jacket when you go to a restuarant/movies/theater at home you'll likely want one around the ship. I personally don't usually need one (though often was wearing a sweater on my Alaska cruise), but my mom who always takes one at home needs one on ships. 

 

All the stuff most do in New Orleans is near where the ship is not the airport. There's a lot to choose from near the ship, but having luggage would be a hindrance as it's mostly a walking area (lots of one way streets that can make ubers take longer than walking).

[ppcox]

I think area sauces at the meet and greet gift exchange is an excellent idea I received Vermont maple syrup one year and loved it.

Jeans and tops are fine I pack a light jacket and sweater just because I don’t like being cold and they Come in useful on the plane and in the evening aircon.

Have a wonderful trip. 

[tallnthensome]

Check out the first time cruisers forum as well 

[havanadaydreaming]

I loved the Manhattan dining room, same food as MDRs but with entertainment.  

 

Love the area sauces gift idea, they were popular at our M&Gs...things that suck: a coffee cup, potholders, dish towels. I spent 2x allocated funds on my gift HOPING someone liked half of it. 

 

Have fun!!

[KarimaJ]

I am always chilly on the ship so I bring a shawl or light sweater with me. Your hubby will need a collared shirt (either dress short or polo). They randomly enforce that.

I like the local sauce idea, I once brought marshmallow Fluff from Boston and other local things, they were big hits.

 

[plum24]

Great idea to bring sauces!

definitely bring a light jacket or cardigan or pashmina wrap.

[bearette]

If you have a late flight, the port of New Orleans has a pay for service that will take your bags (for a fee per bag) to the airport for you. Then you can walk around and enjoy New Orleans.  You are walking distance or a street car ride away from the French Quarter.  There is a message board for Gulf Coast departures that has a lot of information on New Orleans.

 

Those meet and greets are different every time.  I would love a sauce,  but others may not. I say something unique to your area, but easy to carry, don't go crazy.

 

I always take a light jacket, but my husband almost never uses one.  It can be co!d in New Orleans so take something just in case.

[Run14]

Just jumping on to echo the idea that the sauces are a great idea.  I'm a foodie, so maybe biased, but local flavor sounds like an awesome gift to me.  Also agreed that a jacket is a good idea.  I've sailed the Caribbean in the summer and enjoyed having a light jacket on the balcony late a night (to be fair, I live in LA and 60 here is sweater weather).  DW and I are also planners and like to have everything ironed out prior to arrival - it takes a lot of stress out of it.  

The only thing I'd recommend is to enjoy your cruise, you seem to be focusing on the right things in comfort and being yourself.  Enjoy the cruise planning and don't hesitate to ask questions, everyone on this board was a new cruiser at one point!

[newmexicoNita]

15 hours ago, Auntiebe said:

I have been lurking on these boards since January.Never cruised before. We are going to Western Caribbean on the Getaway out of New Orleans.

 

 What I would like to know is how do I pack, I’ve checked temperatures so I know summer clothes for during the day.How are the nights on the ship? We wear jeans a lot so I figured a couple pairs of jeans and some nice tops for me and a dressier outfit for me.My husband likes his T-shirts and his printed collared shirts.Do we need jackets?

 

 What kind of things do you bring for the Meet and Greet gift exchange, I was thinking of bringing some of our area sauces.

 

I can’t remember what Main dining room was more laid back than the rest,can someone point in the right direction.

 

Our flight home isn’t till 5:40 p.m. anything near the airport to do?

 

Please be kind to this newbie, I appreciate any help you can offer

 

 I’m hoping I have everything figured out so when we get to the port everything will be smooth sailing for the rest of the week.

 Thanks in advance, Brenda

 

 

Brenda, we are just now packing for our cruise leaving next Sunday and going to the western Caribbean; we take shorts and T shirts pretty much for day wear and like to dress up just a bit more at night or I do. Hubby could wear shorts all day,every day. When I say dress up, I mean nice longer pants and for me a blouse or cute top, for him collared shirt, usually a polo or short sleeved sport shirt. Jeans are fine. 

 

Be sure to bring a sweater of some type of a wrap, the nights on the ship can be chilly, especially if you want to wander out on the deck. Shoes wise we just take tennis shoes, and 1 or 2 pair of sandals or slip ons. 3 pair all plenty for a week's cruise. 

 

The wonderful thing about cruising today compared to years ago: you will see everything as far as dress attire and as long as your clothes are clean and somewhat attractive you will fit right in.

 

the post popular items for a M&G exchange seem to be: foods, by that I mean sauces or jams or coffee from your region. Also dessert type of items like pecans or nut type of breads. Also have seen many enjoy things like wine sets (no not the wine) but things like inexpensive wine bottle openers, wine caps, etc or coffee mugs. Magnets are fine but let's face it,  many of us have a lot of them already. Of course that is true with mugs as well, but they are probably a little more useful. 

 

Have a great cruise and report back after you have returned home.

[cliffd64]

16 hours ago, Auntiebe said:

I have been lurking on these boards since January.Never cruised before. We are going to Western Caribbean on the Getaway out of New Orleans.

 

 What I would like to know is how do I pack, I’ve checked temperatures so I know summer clothes for during the day.How are the nights on the ship? We wear jeans a lot so I figured a couple pairs of jeans and some nice tops for me and a dressier outfit for me.My husband likes his T-shirts and his printed collared shirts.Do we need jackets?

 

 What kind of things do you bring for the Meet and Greet gift exchange, I was thinking of bringing some of our area sauces.

 

I can’t remember what Main dining room was more laid back than the rest,can someone point in the right direction.

 

Our flight home isn’t till 5:40 p.m. anything near the airport to do?

 

Please be kind to this newbie, I appreciate any help you can offer

 

 I’m hoping I have everything figured out so when we get to the port everything will be smooth sailing for the rest of the week.

 Thanks in advance, Brenda

 

 

 

My wife typically gets cold at nights on the ships due to the AC...  so she will bring a very light cardigan to put over what she is wearing on any night..  Seems to work well for her.  jackets are not required.  The best piece of advice I can give is that once you have packed, take a look at everything and probably you can remove half of the clothing you packed...  In the early days of cruising for us, we overpacked considerably and brought back clothes that hadn't been worn at all.   Now we seem to have mastered the art of light packing.   Keep in mind, on most cruises there is a bag of laundry special so you can always have some clothes laundered if you need to.

 

Taste and Savor are somewhat more laid back than the Manhattan room...  

 

The airport is somewhat remote to New Orleans, not much available to do around there.   Last time we were there, we actually booked a room for the night after our cruise and flew home the next day so we could explore the french quarter a bit.

 

 

 

[Auntiebe]

Thank you everyone for your input,I greatly appreciate it.

I still have to figure out what tour of New Orleans we are going to do as we have  

2 1/2 days before cruise..

 

Have all excursions booked except for Rotatan, still waiting for the one to be available.Most meals booked left a couple open .Have our Shows booked that we could and know what ones to see once on board.

 

Again Thank you

 

[Peachypooh]

When packing focus on the things that would be difficult to get once onboard or in ports.

An extra pair of sneakers, medication, your favorite toiletries. I have learned over the years

that one or two sweaters are important as it is chilly on deck at night most times, plus the

a/c can be chilly inside the ship. Bring lots of small bills especially if you plan on being

in New Orleans ahead of time. There are doormen that will hail you a cab, street performers

and small places to grab a drink or some coffee that you might not want to use a credit card.

Have fun!

[bonvoyagie]

If you drink alcohol you will be taxed until you get out of the Mississippi River .