First time cruiser trip report

[Bothell]

Came home last night from the Victory, Western itinerary 2-26 to 3-5 (stayed over in Miami afterwards)

Me, dh, dd,dd, and a dd friend and a dd bf. 3 ocean view cabins.

I can ramble so I am going to do my best to do a quick overview of my thoughts on cruising.

Flew redeye to Miami from Seattle, got in at 6:30am day of cruise. There is LOTS to do at the airport when you already have your luggage...so we ate, and then tried to sleep a few hours in chairs...hard!

Got to the port at 10:30 and were on board about 1.5 hours later? (I honestly never really looked at my watch...I was far too excited!)

As soon as we boarded walked right to the purser and got extra room keys and prepaid $1200 onto my S&S account. Simple and FAST.

Rooms were not quite ready so we went to lunch at the buffet. Then our room was ready and the luggage was delivered by 1:30 or 2:00!

Met Michael our room steward and LOVED him. Learned from the board to tip him additionally and did so...but honestly didnt know how much to tip, since we had 3 rooms...so I just handed him $40 the first day and $20 another day, hope I didnt appear as cheap and unappriciative. He was very on the ball and talkative...my dh talked and talked to him, knows his life story, poor guy probably got behind in his work everytime he saw my husband! Loved all the extra care. Made my beds and my daughters into king beds and that daughters room was a DISASTER the whole trip and he kindly said it didnt matter, her beau is a SLOB. My room and other dd rooms were clean. Loved the towel animals. We did drink some of the pop/water and he didnt charge us..no idea why.

First and second day were in high winds and the boat was ROCKY. Us "virgin cruisers" didnt know the difference until Michael told us it was very rocky and not normal. We were all taking ginger and Bonine and never once the entire trip did we get sick, queasy or even feel a tad "off". (I am a lightweight and get hangovers after 1-2 drinks...NEVER got one while cruising. Yehaw...ginger pills are awesome.) I usually get seasick anytime I am on a larger boat, not this time!

We then felt calm waters and then could compare the rocky first couple days.

Our dining room table sucked. We were in the Pacific Dining room lower level, table 301. Table for 6, tucked in a far corner between two doors up against a wall by ourselves. The 3 people on the outside of the table saw a wall the entire cruise, the other 3 saw a couple of tables in the midst of the waiters running in and out of the rotating door. We made the best of it and laughed it off that at least we were not complainers and so the crusie ship was lucky it was us they stuck at that table. BUT being that far away by ourselves, we only saw the bar waitress ONCE ever meal. That was a bummer on nights I wanted more then one drink, but once again didnt care enough to complain. Our waiter was nice enough, but I am thinking he was in that area cuz he wasnt one of the best waiters. (He sweated profusly and dripped all over..kinda gross). So being where we were we never saw the enterainment, and ice sculpture or hardly any other patrons and almost could have shown up in jammies cuz no one really saw us! (JK...we still did the dress code!) BUT we loved the food and got our money's worth outta the place! Our waitress helper gal was very sweet and on the ball. We went every night but the 2nd formal (too tired). Our waiter had told us the second formal night was Thursday, so we all came dressed up and it was not that night (never had time to check the capers or anything, just took his word)! So when the second formal night DID come, we were too tired to dress up again so decided on the buffet....wish we would have done the dining room.

Kids loved to order room service in the rooms and we all ordered breakfast every morning in our rooms but "at sea" days and those we ate on the Lido deck.

First night (Sunday) we were exhausted and all slept for 13 hours (no sleep the night before). So when we woke and was ready to go to the Lido deck, of course we found no chairs at 10:00. We found a stack of chairs up top by the shuffle board and made our own area. (Lesson learned from the boards...find a stack of chairs and make your own area!) It was windy and cloudy but we still ordered drinks and were on vacation so it was wonderful!

The other two at sea days we got up early and got our chairs...and we all SAT ON THEM...never left our towels and came back hours and hours later like the majority of the other people. The 2nd sea day we got to the Lido deck at 7:30 and got chairs no problem. The last sea day we all got there at 6:20 and were lucky to get chairs but did and we sat on them all day. The 4 chairs next to us were taken at 6:20 also...we finally saw 2 of them at 12:30 for 15 minutes and the other two at 2:00 for 10 minutes. By 2:30 we saw some people looking for chairs so we said SIT THERE! and gladly gave our missing neighbors chairs away. Did that on the other full at sea day too..the wife came and was MAD at the new tenants. The new tenants didnt back down or move and she huffed herself to her other 4 chairs! (They had 4 people and took 6 chairs so they had chairs to put their stuff on!)

The last day at sea someone told us that the starboard side was smoking on the Lido Deck? Is that true? When we laid on the port side there were smokers surrounding us. (None of us smoke so we didnt take notice of designated areas, but a smoker tried to get us to move when we were on the starboard side!)

My daughters beau WON Survivor. He thought that was great. He is a sport.

We went to the magic show and the early comedian. Played Bingo 2 times. Used the casino (dd beau won every night....between $50-100 and came home with more money then left with!) And me and my dd and her friend were "Lounge Lizards" one night, going to 4 lounges with the asst. cruise director and such.

We are not partiers/dancers so didnt go to the clubs other then went to the Kareoke one night and that is where we got into the lounge lizard group, but were done by 9:30!

Most nights we were in bed by 10:00! Got lotsa sleep.

In Costa Maya did the beach break... Kids were disappointed they were carded and could only get beer (?!) They are 19 and 20 y/o and we travel to Mexico 1-2 times a year and have forever and they were amazed not to be allowed to drink at the Jungle beach party! They would let them get beer though....said that was ship policy???? Actually no it isnt! It was cloudy that day and askew schedules.

I didnt like Costa Maya. Felt like a "fake" town, but I love MExico and so was disappointed not to have a real town. Ate at the Fish place in the middle of the shopping center and there was a earwig in our pepper shaker. Really missed not being able to go to Cozumel.

In Grand Caymen went with Native Way and did the stingrays/reef/rum point tour. AWESOME! LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Swam with 2 sharks and those scary eels. Treated like royalty. Loved that whole day. Rum Point beach is very nice. But like i heard, Native Way was slow returning, thank goodness for the 1/2 mile long tender line. Others on our tour were returned to port at 3:20 and their last tender was supposed to be 3:00 on the Valor....they kept laughing in the van and saying "Oh the boat will wait for us!"..and actually they made it due to thier long tendering lines too. Honestly Native Way didnt need to get us back so late and promised us from the start that we would get back with plenty of time to shop..no way. They are on their own time frame there and very laid back...if they say you leave at 2...you leave RUM POINT at 2:15.....but still have the boat ride and the van ride! But we made it and loved the employees so much. (We had Everson and Sheldon and our video gal was Abbey) Ordered the video and cant wait for it. Got special care due to our small group and all got to hold a stingray and play with it, hubby petted eel and shark.

In Jamaica we did the Canopy tour and Margaritaville. Canopy tour was AWESOME..and I am afraid of heights. I was sad when it was over and would have started over and done it immediatly again. Nice to take the long drive though the jungle to get there too. Would recommend this tour to all people! Go for it..dont be chicken..I am chicken and was FINE!

IN Miami we did the Everglades tour. Loved that too! Saw many alligators, too many to count. Daughters new engraved i-Pod was either stolen from her bag during when we were the tour when we had to leave all belongiong on the bus or just left behind on the bus...we are investigating that and so far no one has turned one in, but I am hoping someone will. Gotta call them back in 1 hour.

Well...here I went on and on.....like I said I would not!

WE LOVED CRUSIING.....well, hubby said it was just OK, but he hates to travel. I want to go on another quickly! Darn, gotta London trip planned in 4 weeks..maybe I can cancel and cruise?? (JK)

LOVED IT!!!!! EVER SECOND! Boat was NICE, clean (I am picky too..and I say it is clean) employees could not have been nicer to us...every single one of them. I enjoyed this tremendously!:p

Lisa

[Bothell]

Wanted to add:

I felt there were adequate hangers..we had about 20 of them in one clsoet, 8 in the other.

Storage is ample....I was amazed at that.

Hooks (over the door) didnt bring one, didnt need one, there seemed to be enough hooks throught the bathroom and room.

Didnt bring a nightlight, just left bathroom light on, door closed, light showed out under the door.

DID need my own hairdryer, those on board are terrible.

Ship provides lotsa shampoo and a little bit of conditioner. Bring your own conditioner if you use it.

Did need a multi plug in thingie, thankfully I brought one.

Bincolulars were wonderful.

 

Lisa

[Suburban Drudgery]

make of it.

[palmtre2]

You know Bothell - the QM2 goes to Southampton!!!!

[coho ken]

Bothell,

 

Thanks for the review, we will be sailing her in just over two weeks. I think your extra tipping $60 bucks for 3 cabins was fine. This on top of the automatic gratuities must have made your steward very happy.

 

You mentioned the Everglades tour. Sorry about the IPOD! We are planning on taking this post cruise tour but have a flight out of Miami at 3:30. Kinda worried about cutting too close! Do you remember what time you were dropped off at the Miami airport?

 

Thanks

[donnavb5]

Should've asked the matrie'd to move you. I think I would've.

We had to move on our last cruise and the three ladies (well supposedly ladies) BITCHED the whole time at the bus boy and waiter and had them running. I told them once, YOU ARE MAKING THEM NERVOUS and they are staying away. Did no good, so decided we would eat with NICE people. They didn't like a thing on the menu, wanted CHICKEN every night. Yeah they were from Detroit!

[mcbor]

Thanks for the review. Sounds like you had a great time. Who did you use for the canopy tour excursion in Jamaica?

[gangwayqueen]

You sound like a fun loving family! You had a couple of bumps in your cruise but chose to focus on the positive! I think that is great! Cruiseing is all in the attitude! I'm glad you had fun! Oh,and I've been to Bothell before! :)

[redhead1]

DH and I are considering the E. Caribbean run on the Victory in December. We're trying to talk another couple into going with us, but he's afraid he won't like cruising. I may show him your review to help nudge him along!

 

By the way, I'm from Bothell, too! ;)

[big_duck]

Glad to hear you had a good time. I have a couple of frineds on the ship right now.

 

Good review for a first attempt.

[Bothell]

Lots of responses so I am just going to address them as one post:

 

Marie (*Redhead1*)..SMALL WORLD..both of us from Bothell! (I am acutally north Bothell, between Mill Creek and Clearview) All 4 of us in our family are Bothell High Alumni too ('81, '81, '04 and '05!).

My husband was "one of those" that thought he would HATE cruising! Would slam cruising, gripe and complain about it, but never had been on one!

Finally broke down and went to just make me and the kids happy...and low and behold he had a good time! HEHEHE! See sometimes I can be RIGHT!

 

*Gangwayqueen*...you have been to Bothell? Wow, more proof it is a small world!

 

*donnavb5*...my attitude about the placement of our dining table was..it really didnt matter much to us and the area was SO BAD that I would have not wanted anyone else placed there that may have had that ruin thier dining experiance! It didnt ruin ours, just didnt ADD to it. But we were on vacation...and a table near the servers door on a cruise is better then a table in my dining room any old day!

 

*mcbor*...we did the canopy tour in Jamaica that was offered by the cruise ship for $99 per person. Had heard great things about it and it met our high expectations. My youngest dd has been on a canopy tour in Costa Rica that she thought was "scarier and higher" but just as FUN as this one.

 

*coho ken*...the Everglades tour had us back to the airport by 1:00 (think it was actually supposed to be 12:45 but a lady was late getting back to the bus). It was a fun tour. Oh and the i-Pod, no luck locating it! So if you ever see someone with the engraving on their i-Pod that says: "We are standing by a wishing well....Princess Amanda" that is my dd's i-Pod! (she is 20+y/o, still thinks she is a princess...but she will never be the queen!) The tour company said they doubt it was "lifted" from her bag that was stored inside the bus, but if it fell out someone would have had to be honest enough to return it.....so I guess honest people never prosper? I would 100% of the time return something no matter what it was, but have never had something returned to me that I have lost or misplaced!

 

*palmtre2*...oh could you imagine 25 drama highschool kids on the QE2? HA! What a nightmare for the other high-paying passengers! I am going FREE as a chaperone for my 17 y/o nephews advanced drama class so I will just have to try not compare it a zillion times to the fun I had on my cruise and just appreciate the trip! (It is a theater trip we are doing musicals and lots of behind the scenes stuff in theaters/workshops and then adding in the regular London stuff too...)

[Super89]

We went on the Rays, reef and rumpoint excursion with Nativeways too. Wasn't it awesome?!:D You are going to love the video. Its like doing it all over again! Glad you had a great trip!

[alleyoop122377]

Should've asked the matrie'd to move you. I think I would've.

We had to move on our last cruise and the three ladies (well supposedly ladies) BITCHED the whole time at the bus boy and waiter and had them running. I told them once, YOU ARE MAKING THEM NERVOUS and they are staying away. Did no good, so decided we would eat with NICE people. They didn't like a thing on the menu, wanted CHICKEN every night. Yeah they were from Detroit!

 

And just what is that supposed to mean. They were from Detroit????? I am from Detroit and I am a very NICE person! Your city must be full of happy people whom never complain. Apparently the people that complain only come from Detroit!

[Iamthesea]

We did drink some of the pop/water and he didnt charge us..no idea why.

You may be surprised (or don't be) to find the drinks on your credit card statement when it comes next time. The stateroom fridge is checked on the last day of the cruise.

[Suburban Drudgery]

And just what is that supposed to mean. They were from Detroit????? I am from Detroit and I am a very NICE person! Your city must be full of happy people whom never complain. Apparently the people that complain only come from Detroit!

:eek: