your CCL embarkation day highlights/traditions?

[havanadaydreaming]

Do you have any longstanding traditions or things you really enjoy on embarkation day?  

 

 

I have several, but will only submit a couple for now.  

 

*odd, but i really like unpacking my suitcase early afternoon (if it arrives) while listening to some island music on my wifi speaker.  i do NOT carry the speaker around on the ship, for in cabin entertainment only.  at an appropriate volume.   

 

*i also love sailaways.  i have to be up on board lido or higher with a drank.  by this time i've usually enjoyed my first guy burger of the trip.  after we get far enough away we hop down to the casino for a little wagering, free dranks and puffers.   i have a superstition that the first night is my "luckiest", or at least the slowest to take my daily wagering budget.  

[ObstructedView2]

19 minutes ago, havanadaydreaming said:

Do you have any longstanding traditions or things you really enjoy on embarkation day?  

 

 

Hi @havanadaydreaming🙂

 

Click below, same topic, interesting reading. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/topic/775490-embarkationon-board-cruise-traditions-or-rituals/

 

 

 

🍹

[Drazil65]

We always get onboard early, have to make the most of embark day.  We drop off our carryon stuff and then do muster and grab the DOD (whatever that may be does not matter, its the first DOD).  Walk around exploring until we find what we want for lunch. 

 

We also like to unpack early and get settled then pop open one of our bottles of wine and sit on our balcony for sail away, best feeling in the world even after all these years.  The ship leaving the dock is our official signal that another adventure has begun as we clink our wine glasses!  Its crazy that we still get excited leaving the dock.

[tonit964]

Haven't been on a Carnival ship in a while but in 20 days, my tradition will be once on board, get muster done, get a Fun Ship Special, go to Guy's burger for lunch, go to the buffet for a slice of Funfetti cheesecake, then sit in the atrium with a drink until the room is ready.

Can't wait!

[ultrafighter]

I have to eat at the Mongolian Wok for lunch.  I don't know what I'm gonna do if I ever sail on a ship that doesn't have it.  🤪

[cynt]

Stay the night before at Holiday Inn Express Texas City. Drive into Galveston Port for an early 1030am check in time. Head straight to Guy's burgers for lunch. Make sure we're on the lido deck for the Wobble at Sail Away with a Margarita in hand.

[Butterbean1000]

Go straight to cabin to drop off carry on. Go to lido to get a FunShip, get something to eat.  That's all.

[LHARTWICK]

Drop off luggage then Blue Iguana!! 🦎

[Drew B 58]

I always hop (rather than step) from the gangway to the deck when first coming aboard.  It was probably a lot cuter when I was young, but I still do it now that I’m old. It’s almost a superstition.

[nancy1031]

get my 1st banana daquirie and stroll the ship and decide what to eat for lunch- which i will have done by now in 20 days onboard the celebration!!

[skrufy]

Arrive for a 10:30-11:00 check in hopefully on board by 11:00-11:30. Go directly to cabin, drop off carry on luggage. Next head to the muster station, get it out of the way. Lido deck here we come. Lunch, a Guys burger and a cold drink or two, or three. Relax and people watch for a while. Around 2pm head back to the cabin, unpack luggage, say hello to the staff, then get off my feet for a few minutes. Back up to Lido for sail away and photo taking. Love watching ship leaving port. Next grab a snack to hold over to dinner. Now it’s time to wander the ship to get the layout. Dinner around 7pm, hit the casino and some entertainment before calling it a day. A hectic day but a day I enjoy so much.

[slavigne5577]

4 hours ago, cynt said:

Stay the night before at Holiday Inn Express Texas City. Drive into Galveston Port for an early 1030am check in time. Head straight to Guy's burgers for lunch. Make sure we're on the lido deck for the Wobble at Sail Away with a Margarita in hand.

How far is this drive and how long does it take?

[Bookworm1985]

I wear the same pair of LLR leggings that have cruise ships on them every embarkation. 

[cynt]

5 hours ago, slavigne5577 said:

How far is this drive and how long does it take?

Texas City is right before you cross the bridge to go into Galveston. It's 20-30 minutes. 

[lasvegascruising]

WOW, everyone of these rituals sounds amazing!  This is why crusing is my favorite vacation.

[Pellaz]

14 hours ago, tonit964 said:

Haven't been on a Carnival ship in a while but in 20 days, my tradition will be once on board, get muster done, get a Fun Ship Special, go to Guy's burger for lunch, go to the buffet for a slice of Funfetti cheesecake, then sit in the atrium with a drink until the room is ready.

Can't wait!

 

Aha!   That's something we're going to have to remember in two weeks on the Horizon and add to our usual routine.    But first up, food-wise, for me:

13 hours ago, ultrafighter said:

I have to eat at the Mongolian Wok for lunch.  I don't know what I'm gonna do if I ever sail on a ship that doesn't have it.  🤪

 

This is my usual food go-to on ships so equipped, since I am a Mongolian str-fry FIEND.  🙂   

See also my sorry post about Jiji's free, maybe-here, maybe-not stir-fry lunch on the Horizon.  If it isn't there, I shall be Very Put Out.  

 

8 hours ago, Drew B 58 said:

I always hop (rather than step) from the gangway to the deck when first coming aboard.  It was probably a lot cuter when I was young, but I still do it now that I’m old. It’s almost a superstition.

 

This is exactly what I do!  That magical moment when you step from land-side to shipboard HAS to be commemorated in some special way!  

 

My other boarding rituals de lo habitual:   

• Go to ShoreEx to book the Behind the Fun tour
• Go to ShoreEx to reserve a good cabana location at Half Moon Cay (but likely not any more due to the price increase)
• Make the first drink stop on the way to Jiji's or the Cucina, commonly at the Atrium Bar
• Watch sailaway from our friends' balcony, since they always get something special:  aft-wrap, Captain's Suite, Excel suite with the hot-tub, etc.  
• Failing that, we go up front to the "secret decks" to watch sailaway, on ships so equipped

[DPTexas]

My long-standing tradition is to get teary-eyed when driving up to the port and first see the Carnival ship and whale-tail funnel!  My family smiles b/c they know it's going to happen - every, single, time!   😊  I love cruising and only wish I had started earlier in life!

Happy cruising everyone!

[nydney1]

I have worn the same black (Dad) cargo shorts and white Polo for the last 10 years. 

[Theosprey247]

Fun Ship and Shaq’s Big Chicken (or Guy’s if the ship isn’t blessed with one). 

[ninjacat123]

This embarkation will be a bit different than our usual.  On Embarkation Day we will be listening to the Pope speak from his balcony then grabbing our luggage from our Rome hotel and taking the train to the port.  Arriving for a check in time of 3-3:30, we should be able to walk on board without delay.  Access our aft balcony cabin and unpack.  Toast ourselves with our brought on board champagne.  Check on where our MDR table is (we do this every cruise) then take part in sail away.  Get cleaned up and have a delicious dinner in the Steakhouse.  Nightcap at Alchemy and eventually chill on our balcony. This is happening in 11 days!!!!😃

[Kermarkim]

Muster first to get it out of the way.  Then head to Lido and have my first of several Guy's Burgers, then buffet for a choice of cake and ice cream.  Then head poolside and people watch for a while.  Then take a mini self-guided tour of the ship to familiarize myself where all my favorite hangouts are and then once cabin is ready go and check that out an hopefully begin to unpack if luggage has arrived and then make it back to the sail away party and dance contests on the lido.

[pblack]

Our tradition is to take a patron shot as soon as we get on board usually followed by muster. Sometimes muster and then a shot. It always commences the start of our vacation.