Any Tips/Advice For A Fully Booked Cruise?

[Mikey0368]

We're booked on the Discovery next year and the cruise is fully booked. As it's our first cruise we're not sure what to expect, will there be lots of queues and if so how can we plan ahead to avoid too much waiting?

 

There's also a tender at one of the ports, presumably that could be a lengthy process too?

 

Thanks.

[SargassoPirate]

16 minutes ago, Mikey0368 said:

We're booked on the Discovery next year and the cruise is fully booked. As it's our first cruise we're not sure what to expect, will there be lots of queues and if so how can we plan ahead to avoid too much waiting?

 

There's also a tender at one of the ports, presumably that could be a lengthy process too?

 

Thanks.

Ahhhh, a return to the days of fully booked cruises.

 

I must admit, it's been several years since I sailed on a fully booked cruise, but I usually manage to avoid the crush of the herd.  It helps some if you are Elite and can get priority tender tickets, but I rarely do. Here's what I do that works for me.

 

Shipboard queues - I avoid peak times for most everything.  I'm an early riser, so I hit the buffet as it opens for breakfast.  Maybe lunch in the MDR where the queues are not too bad.  Dinner in the buffet avoids the MDR and the too loud, too long dining experience.

 

Tenders - a ship excursion will get you escorted to the tender station in the morning.  If going ashore  independently, be there for the first tenders.  In the afternoon, grab a beer and park yourself near the tender station.  When the crew starts to break down the canopy, get on the tender.  Nothing wrong with being on the last tender.

 

Disembarkation - fly late in the day or the next day and try to be among the last off the ship.  On my most recent cruise, I enjoyed sitting on the promenade with a cup of coffee and watching the shoreside proceedings.

 

In short, break away from the sheeple.

 

 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Mikey0368 said:

We're booked on the Discovery next year and the cruise is fully booked. As it's our first cruise we're not sure what to expect, will there be lots of queues and if so how can we plan ahead to avoid too much waiting?

 

There's also a tender at one of the ports, presumably that could be a lengthy process too?

 

Thanks.

Book a balcony cabin. That way you will at least have somewhere private to sit.

[Rick&Jeannie]

It might help us a bit if you were to share the itinerary....

[Thrak]

I'm guessing you are likely on the April 3rd 10 day Solar Eclipse cruise to Mexico. That one has been full for quite a while now. We are booked on that cruise and have also booked our Son, his Wife, and our second youngest Granddaughter. It will be their first cruise.

 

We've only sailed a Royal Class ship once and it was maybe half full. It seemed to be a roomy enough ship. We aren't really worried about queues but, then again, we have made our dining reservations for a table for 5 every night at the same time.

 

Since you say you have a tender here is the process (for non-Elite cruisers):

They will be giving out tickets in one of the dining rooms. Everybody you want to tender with needs to go there at the same time, get their tickets, and wait. You can't go and get tender tickets for others who aren't there. They will then call folks to tender according to the time they arrived to get tickets. (Elite guests will get priority over folks with tickets but that doesn't mean they get to shove their way to the head of a boarding line. It seems that some folks think being Elite status makes them super special...)

 

Enjoy your cruise and don't worry too much about a full ship. Do make your dining reservations as soon as you possibly can. If you are sailing with folks other than your spouse/significant other/cabin mate (on the same booking) then add them - using their booking number - as travel companions and then you can book dining for all of you at the same time and can request a private table for your group if you like.

[Hulagirl]

I'm guessing the April 3, 2024 Solar Eclipse cruise also.  We jumped on this the day it opened for Elite booking which turned out to be a good thing.  It sold out pretty quickly.

 

To the OP we were on the Discovery over Christmas and New Year and the ship was full.  We had Club Class dining and will on this cruise as well, so never had to make a reservation.  But I think getting it made as early as possible would be a help for you.

 

 

[Mikey0368]

Thanks all. It is indeed the eclipse cruise we're on.

 

We've paid in full and our cabin class is MB, does that get us any preferential treatment?  And for those also on that cruise, can you hazard a guess as to how many formal nights there are likely to be and when they will be? I was thinking that 8th April might be a likely date!

 

And thanks for the tip about the restaurant bookings, we'll get them done very soon.

 

 

[travelin.sisters]

not on your booking, but a few suggestons:

• one place the lines get long are at the guest services desk, you can often avoid this by using crew chat in the app instead or go late night/early morning
• your travel summary will tell you how many formal nights you will have, generally they will be on sea days but not always
• have you joined the roll call for your cruise? that will be a great place to connect with others on your cruise
• remember that American's are not always as good at ques as others & bring some patience

 

hope you have a wonderful cruise

[Over from NZ]

19 hours ago, Mikey0368 said:

We're booked on the Discovery next year and the cruise is fully booked. As it's our first cruise we're not sure what to expect, will there be lots of queues and if so how can we plan ahead to avoid too much waiting?

 

There's also a tender at one of the ports, presumably that could be a lengthy process too?

 

Thanks.

Don't over think it. Pre-covid they mostly sailed full. If it had been an issue people wouldn't have kept cruising. Stop sweating the small stuff for no reason 🙂 

[gamja]

I've sailed on the Discovery 3 times @ 85%+ capacity and those elevator ques take forever. Try to get the lowest deck possible if you don't mind walking up and down the stairs. Often times during dinner or after a large show you will find 50 people waiting for elevators. Personally I hate waiting so I found it very frustrating. Now for the dining room.... If you have club class there is no need to worry. But if you don't I would advise you to get friendly with your maitre'd + server. Making that connection really makes a huge difference.

[SargassoPirate]

1 hour ago, gamja said:

I've sailed on the Discovery 3 times @ 85%+ capacity and those elevator ques take forever. Try to get the lowest deck possible if you don't mind walking up and down the stairs. Often times during dinner or after a large show you will find 50 people waiting for elevators. Personally I hate waiting so I found it very frustrating. Now for the dining room.... If you have club class there is no need to worry. But if you don't I would advise you to get friendly with your maitre'd + server. Making that connection really makes a huge difference.

I avoid the elevator queues after an event in the theater or elsewhere by either taking the stairs or walking to another set of elevators.  Sometimes it's nice to step out to the promenade for a bit while the herd clears - or one can be a sheeple and stand and wait.