First Time Cruiser Advise Please

[Simon Hall]

Hi,

 

My wife and I are taking our very first cruise on the MSc Preziosa in November from Southampton for 7 nights. We have booked an Aurea Balcony cabin with a premium drinks package. While we are seasoned travellers we have never been on a cruise ship before. So what advise would be give us in terms of what we should do (or not do) when we first board and any hot tips to make our cruise that little bit special?

 

Many thanks

 

Simon

[MonsterJoe]

56 minutes ago, Simon Hall said:

Hi,

 

My wife and I are taking our very first cruise on the MSc Preziosa in November from Southampton for 7 nights. We have booked an Aurea Balcony cabin with a premium drinks package. While we are seasoned travellers we have never been on a cruise ship before. So what advise would be give us in terms of what we should do (or not do) when we first board and any hot tips to make our cruise that little bit special?

 

Many thanks

 

Simon

I've never sailed in the EU, but as a fellow seasoned traveler who is relatively new to cruising - my best advice is be patient. 🙂  I would tell you to pace yourself with the drink package, but I never do. 😉

Don't overthink it. Try not to go down the rabbit hole with reviews (hard to do). Don't believe all the hype (positive or negative) and enjoy yourselves.

I spent SO MANY HOURS AND DAYS AND WEEKS trying to learn as much as possible before our first cruise to make sure I was making the right decisions - and it was a total waste of time because the experience you get will be the experience you get, and strangers on the Internet don't know you or the things you like!

Edited September 2 by MonsterJoe

[Essiesmom]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  At the top of the threads page you will see See posts about…> Select ship…. Click on select ship, and you will get a dropdown menu of MSC ships.  Click on Preziosa.  This will give you a list of threads mentioning Preziosa.  
  I have not sailed MSC from within Europe, but do find that folks from Europe who sail the ships on our side of the pond dress a bit better in general than we do.  There will be an Elegant night, but it is not necessary to take formal wear, though some will.  There will also be a White Night, and lots of people take white outfits for that.  
  when you check in you each will be given a credit card sized cruise card which opens your cabin door, and pays for everything on the ship.  (You will have backed it up with a credit card).  You will need to place one of your cards in a slot inside your cabin door in order to activate the lights.  However, on this clas of ship the card in the slot can be any card of similar size.  Not having a card in the slot means no power to lights and outlets in the cabin, although the a/c will still work.  
  Being in an Aurea cabin gives you priority check in and boarding…look for signs when you enter the terminal.  It also gives you My Choice dining.  
   Try not to pack your entire closet…you do not need to change clothes three times a day, though by the size of the cases you will see, it appears some folks do…There will be security screening before you enter the ship and your carryon cases will go through the same scanner used by the airlines.  And every time you return to the ship in a port of call, your bag will go through that scanner.  
 Have a great cruise!

[lahlah57]

Monster Joe will never steer you wrong with his simple advice!

[lahlah57]

Sometimes the best advice for 1st timers is just take it as it comes and be in the moment! 

You'll get the hang of it 😉

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, Simon Hall said:

While we are seasoned travellers we have never been on a cruise ship before. So what advise would be give us in terms of what we should do

Start taking seasick medication 24 hours before one boards.

[jsn55]

Stay relaxed and patient during the boarding process.  Dump your stuff in your cabin, meet your steward, read the activity listing, and go find some lunch.  Pick up a drink, walk around the public areas and absorb it all.  Your luggage will probably have shown up by the time you come back to your cabin.  Put it all away, then head for dinner.  Check out the entertainment.  Next morning, hit the top deck and walk all the decks that have outside access.  Read the activity list again and off you go on the most hedonistic of activities a human can enjoy.  

[JamieLogical]

17 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Start taking seasick medication 24 hours before one boards.

 

This! If you are at all prone to motion sickness, I highly recommend taking Meclizine (not sure what the brand name would be in the UK) the morning before you sail and each morning of the cruise. I get terribly motion sick in cars/buses/boats usually, but someone suggested this to me before my first cruise and it has never failed. I have never been motion sick on a cruise.

 

I went on my first cruise in February 2018 having not really been at all interested in cruising and thinking I would hate it because my only conception of cruising that it was all about beaches, pools, the sun, and dressing fancy for dinner. All things I HATE. Boy was I wrong! Cruises are far more casual then they were back in the days of the Love Boat and there is a LOT more to do than just lounge around the pool!

 

If you can find a ship tour video or two, I always find those helpful for getting a feel for how to navigate around the ships. Otherwise, you will probably spend at least the first 3 days of your cruise just trying to figure out how to get to where you are trying to go and you might just completely miss out on venues you never even stumble upon on your own.

[Simon Hall]

Thank you everyone who has answered my post, I really appreciate it. There is loads of excellent advise for me to absorb so thank you again. A couple of people mentioned travel sickness tablets, which is something I intend to purchase. Meclizine (aka Bonine) seems to be the tablet of choice for me, but I don't seem to be able to find it for sale in the UK. Can anyone help with this? 

[SirWolf]

You may consult your physician before taking any kind of medicine. Bonine is non-prescription drug available over-the-counter in the U.S.A. and other countries. Bonine and other drugs with similar compounds have side effects. You don’t want to be tired all the time during your cruise.

You can take Bonine if needed in case you experience motion sickness while onboard.

 

Modern cruise ships are equipped with sophisticated stabilization systems that provide a relaxed sailing experience in calm/smooth/slight sea conditions.

You will get used to the slow motion of the ship soon.. it’s a pleasant feeling.

 

There are other methods to treat motion sickness when weather conditions are rough.. go down to a lower deck in the middle of the ship , keep your eyes on the horizon , getting fresh air , drink ginger root tea against nausea , peppermint aromatherapy , listen to music.

 

“ Dance with the waves, move with the sea. Let the rhythm of the water set your soul free. “ - Christy Ann Martine -

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Gordoncruickshank]

3 hours ago, Simon Hall said:

Thank you everyone who has answered my post, I really appreciate it. There is loads of excellent advise for me to absorb so thank you again. A couple of people mentioned travel sickness tablets, which is something I intend to purchase. Meclizine (aka Bonine) seems to be the tablet of choice for me, but I don't seem to be able to find it for sale in the UK. Can anyone help with this? 

Try Google and you should be able to buy it, it looks like you can get it from Amazon or Boots, probably under Dramamine. 
 

I always find that if it gets a bit rough seas, if you get outside snd concentrate on the horizon, that it works for me.

[JamieLogical]

Bonnie is not as drowsy-making as Dramamine. In fact, Meclizine is the active ingredient in the "less drowsy" version of Dramamine. But again I don't know anything about the options available in the UK. I learned on a Canada and New England cruise that Meclizine is not available over the counter in Canada.

[morpheusofthesea]

Some cruise lines(Celebrity) give little packets of these seasick pills out free of charge at guest services. Worse comes to worse one can always go down to medical center for a special shot in the butt. Do not think it is complimentary.

Edited September 3 by morpheusofthesea

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, Simon Hall said:

Thank you everyone who has answered my post, I really appreciate it. There is loads of excellent advise for me to absorb so thank you again. A couple of people mentioned travel sickness tablets, which is something I intend to purchase. Meclizine (aka Bonine) seems to be the tablet of choice for me, but I don't seem to be able to find it for sale in the UK. Can anyone help with this? 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and cruising!

 

Cinnarizine is a similar medication. Or you can consult your physician. 

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/cinnarizine/

[Essiesmom]

There is a board here for UK cruisers.  You might ask there what is available in your area.  EM

[PTC DAWG]

Special shot in the butt..I’ll pass. 🙂

[morpheusofthesea]

5 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Special shot in the butt..I’ll pass. 🙂

If nothing else the shot in the butt takes your mind off of being seasick for about an hour.

[P2l]

On 9/2/2024 at 10:42 PM, Essiesmom said:

I have not sailed MSC from within Europe, but do find that folks from Europe who sail the ships on our side of the pond dress a bit better in general than we do.  There will be an Elegant night, but it is not necessary to take formal wear, though some will.  There will also be a White Night, and lots of people take white outfits for that.

From my recent experience, the White Night is the one that most people make the special effort for. I chose to wear a tux for elegant night, but I think I was the only non crew on the entire ship that did! So long as you have something other than board shorts & flip-flops for main dining rooms of an evening, dress how you feel comfortable.

[Georgia_Peaches]

If you like airflow when you sleep, I recommend a small, usb port fan to keep you cool at night. My only gripe about cruising is that I can’t seem to get cool enough at night. The small fan helps. About $12 on Amazon. 

[lahlah57]

On 9/2/2024 at 11:21 AM, Simon Hall said:

Hi,

 

My wife and I are taking our very first cruise on the MSc Preziosa in November from Southampton for 7 nights. We have booked an Aurea Balcony cabin with a premium drinks package. While we are seasoned travellers we have never been on a cruise ship before. So what advise would be give us in terms of what we should do (or not do) when we first board and any hot tips to make our cruise that little bit special?

 

Many thanks

 

Simon

Always grab a ziploc bag and put daytime/nighttime cold medicine...diahrrea medicine, over the counter pain meds, seasick pills, bag with bandages, spray antiseptic and neospirin, eyedrops,over the counter sleep aides.

If you wish to purchase on the ship or on shore.......$$$$$$$ even for a simple bandaid.

Somehow, someway you will need one of these items and you will be happy to have them.

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, lahlah57 said:

medicine...diahrrea medicine, over the counter pain meds, seasick pills, bag with bandages, spray antiseptic and neospirin, eyedrops,over the counter sleep aides.

You forgot sore tooth kit. I was once on a cruise where I met a fellow passenger who lost their crown while on board. They had nothing for the pain. Once home, I added a toothache kit to my first aid travel kit. 

[DaKahuna]

On 9/3/2024 at 8:50 PM, PTC DAWG said:

Special shot in the butt..I’ll pass. 🙂

 

 It only stings for a little bit.  

 

[lahlah57]

14 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

You forgot sore tooth kit. I was once on a cruise where I met a fellow passenger who lost their crown while on board. They had nothing for the pain. Once home, I added a toothache kit to my first aid travel kit. 

Always a good idea 💡 

[lahlah57]

Just now, lahlah57 said:

Always a good idea 💡 

I've had more cruise mates from cruises past that have had minor medical issues and I have helped them out from my traveling medicine cabinet.