first time cruiser

[sunflower12]

Bahamas here we come! Husband and I are taking our honeymoon on the October 29th cruise to the Bahamas from New York...FIRST TIME CRUISERS...what can we expect?? how much do we pack?? Formal wear?? Please help..excited first time cruiser wanting to be prepared...thanks all!!:)

[cssmom]

1. Have a wonderful time.

 

2. Day time is casual, short, t-shirts, bathing suits.

 

3. Evening is really what you want. Resort casual, semi-formal or formal.

I like to dress up at least once for a cruise. It really is a personal

choice.

 

4. The weather will be wonderful. People will be very friendly. Service

will be outstanding.

 

5. Enjoy each other.

[LateCruiser]

Keep in mind no jeans or shorts in the dining rooms at night, except in the buffet. Dockers for men with a collared shirt at night (and shoes of course) is perfectly acceptable - even on formal night. 10-20% will wear formal (I own a Tux, I like to get my money's worth out of it:D ). Ladies can wear slacks, capri's, skirts, corresponding tops (no halters, ets). Resort casual is pretty much the rule. You can never go wrong dressed that way. Have a great cruise!:)

[papadave]

You only need to pack formal clothing if you want to dress up. It is a good opportunity to have formal pictures taken. Otherwise, a look I would call country club casual is the most that is required -- nothing ripped, no shorts, jeans or sandals in a restaurant at night, no muscle shirts or T-shirts. Portions of the ship will cool from the air conditioning, so a jacket or sweater belongs in your luggage.

 

You can pack for 2/3 of a week and send out your laundry 2 days before you run out of clothing to wear, or you can pack enough clothing for the entire cruise. I prefer to pack light and pay someone to do laundry. Everything comes back clean, ironed and folded.

[garycarla]

Welcome aboard and welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

You might want to scan back through postings over the past month or so. You will find answers to questions that you did not even think to ask.

 

Read some reviews.

 

Visit the Roll Calls and get to know fellow passengers.

 

Make use of the search function when you have a specific question.

[fkfad]

Put everything you think you are going to need into your luggage, wait one minute, then take half of it out. We ALWAYS overpack...never use 1/3 of what we pack...and then swear that we will do a better job next time! Things that we have found very valuable...a power strip, a Clorox spot-removal pen, an over-the-door shoe holder (the little pockets come in handy for storing small things like sunscreen, lotion, etc.), underwater camers (if you are planning on snorkeling...they are cheaper if you buy them at Wal-Mart)... You will find lots of helpful packing information on these Boards!

 

Also, do your research on the ports before you get on the ship...know what you want to do where and plan accordingly!

 

Have a great time! My DH and I are looking for a way to retire on a cruise ship.... LOL It is the BEST way to travel!

[Treven]

In addition, take along a couple of large plastic tumblers. They're great for iced tea/lemonade throughout the day. Yes the ship does have glasses for that but they, generally, rather small.

[terri1020]

Sunflower,

 

There is a Roll Call for your cruise. Come join.

 

Also, go to the cruise fashions section of the boards. There is a ton of information on what to pack.

 

Another good section is the first time cruiser threads.

 

All in all, you'll remember your honeymoon forever. You'll also remember your first cruise forever. Great combo! Have fun and enjoy your wedding!

Maybe we'll see each other on the cruise.

 

Terri

[98Charlie]

Sunflower

 

Congratulations on your marriage and your upcoming honeymoon cruise. I think you've picked a great cruiseline for a honeymoon as NCL's freestyle dining gives you the option to eat at a table for two in the dining room or share a table with others to make new friends.

 

Agree with others who have posted to read the mutlitude of threads and posts on these boards and learn as much as you can regarding ports, dining, excursions, etc.

 

And always remember to never be afraid to post a question about anything you don't understand about cruising or areas where you need more info.

 

Happy honeymoon!

 

Dianne