NEWBIES UNITE! What most concerns you?

[AMONTG]

I'm just worried mainly about getting there on time, and also my husband having a good time. This is our anniversary and I really would like to go on cruises at least once a year, but I hope my husband feels the same way after it's all done.....:)

[KKB]

Dremac373--don't worry about it. There is always a huge variety of what people wear. Of course, if it's not officially formal night, no one will be wearing a tux or an evening gown. But on formal night, there is a huge range. There will be people in tuxes and gowns, people in suits and dresses, and people in the same "resort casual" that they wore on the other nights.

 

On the second formal night, one husband said his jacket was TOO tight & uncomfortable & he refused to wear it. His DW was furious that he came to dinner in a polo!!!! HORRORS! :eek: WHO CARES??!! I'd much rather he be comfortable! Didn't ruin our diner or cruise for one minute!

One wife (young) showed up hungover in jeans & cotton cami. No one blinked an eye. Wouldn't have been my choice, but who cares?

[celbercrz333]

Darla,

Oh and take good shoes. You'll want them for all that walking. I know taking the stairs wasn't our choice either, but sometimes depending on where your cabin is and where the dining room is, you either wait forever or take the steps. We chose the steps. Hey, you can always take the steps going back down!! They will most likely give you a map when you board the ship. We often wondered why some stairs went all the way up and some only went to a specific level, especially if it was in the middle of the ship. That's because of the pool, lol. One ship we went on, Carnival Fascination, had a staircase next to the pool and it only went down one level. We always knew where we were because the potted plants were at the bottom. Have fun and eat what you want on the ship, just keep moving!

--JO

[darladelight]

Darla,

Oh and take good shoes. You'll want them for all that walking. I know taking the stairs wasn't our choice either, but sometimes depending on where your cabin is and where the dining room is, you either wait forever or take the steps. We chose the steps. Hey, you can always take the steps going back down!! They will most likely give you a map when you board the ship. We often wondered why some stairs went all the way up and some only went to a specific level, especially if it was in the middle of the ship. That's because of the pool, lol. One ship we went on, Carnival Fascination, had a staircase next to the pool and it only went down one level. We always knew where we were because the potted plants were at the bottom. Have fun and eat what you want on the ship, just keep moving!

--JO

Thanks, I never thought about a map of the ship? That will come in handy as I have a habit of getting lost and end up wandering for hours

:eek: . Thanks for all that advice. I will also be on Carnival, do u have any advice on cant miss foods?

[julieanne]

Sailing in April again. Back on weight watchers! LOL.....I have actually managed to lose weight or not gain on 90% on our trips if I stay on a "program". I always find that I eat too much! I am a seasoned cruiser (35+) and I always weigh in on the dress issue. I have dresses from ebay and dresses from Nordie's. I have formal cocktail and gowns and I have nice blouses and some inexpensive long shiny skirts. The average price I pay is about $19. My two from ebay were under $20 combined. Do I care if you come into the dining room in jeans? Yes, I do. But you won't ruin my trip! There is alternative dining for informal and casual attire or you can order the dining room menu in your cabin. We have done this many times. Will I say anything to you or be impolite? Never! Am I crusty or crabby? Nope! LOL.....Yes, you paid for the vacation and they're throwing the parties! Isn't it fun to dress? Nobody said the men are required to wear tuxes. In fact, we see fewer men wearing them every year. My hubby is the one with the nice tux and suit. But he wouldn't hesitate to take a sportsjacket, slacks and a few ties for formal nights either. On our last cruise, our tablemates (from England) dressed every night! I think that made the rest of us feel underdressed and none of us were 1st timers! My shoes are always kitten heels. Even the formal ones! You'll walk a lot so leave the stilettos at home!

[Shortone]

My friend has gone on cruises before and is giving me lots of advice, but I worry that I don't know enough to know which questions to ask. I wish someone would list the little things that vets. know but newbies don't.

[KKB]

How MUCH fun/relaxing can one person have in one week??!!:p :p :p :p :p

 

Trust me, as soon as you board that ship...all your worries will leave your mind (except maybe for the occasional confusion of where you are on the ship...)

 

Have a cocktail (if that is your thing), sit back, enjoy the weather, scenery, the fact that someone else is making the beds & cooking your dinner (and cleaning up after it!).

 

As they say in Jamaica, "NO PROBLEM, MON!"

[moencat]

It's just DD (14) and myself going on the CB this May. First cruise for both of us. For the record, I worry about EVERYTHING pretty much all the time, so this is nothing new. So, here goes...

 

1. That DD will be too shy to get involved with the teen club, and not have as much fun as she could.

 

2. Claustrophobia. I had to get an outside room because I even hate it when my family closes the blinds to watch TV. I need light!! I'll keep watching the prices...if there's a drop, I'll go for the balcony.

 

3. That DD will get hurt, lost, sick, etc.

 

4. That I haven't chosen the "right" excursions. I hate that I only have one day in each port because I know there are so many things I'll want to do.

 

5. Forget the sunburn...I'm worried that I won't come home tan ENOUGH!

 

6. That I will fall off the exercise wagon, despite my fabulous plans to hit the gym. I love it once I'm doing it, but it sure doesn't take much for me to avoid it!!

 

7. That somehow I'm missing something in my calculations, and this isn't as good a deal as I think. I fear that HUGE bill hitting me the last day, even though I can't imagine what we'll spend money on while on the ship.

 

I better stop now...I sound like a nut job! :o

[moencat]

It's just DD (14) and myself going on the CB this May. First cruise for both of us. For the record, I worry about EVERYTHING pretty much all the time, so this is nothing new. So, here goes...

 

1. That DD will be too shy to get involved with the teen club, and not have as much fun as she could.

 

2. Claustrophobia. I had to get an outside room because I even hate it when my family closes the blinds to watch TV. I need light!! I'll keep watching the prices...if there's a drop, I'll go for the balcony.

 

3. That DD will get hurt, lost, sick, etc.

 

4. That I haven't chosen the "right" excursions. I hate that I only have one day in each port because I know there are so many things I'll want to do.

 

5. Forget the sunburn...I'm worried that I won't come home tan ENOUGH!

 

6. That I will fall off the exercise wagon, despite my fabulous plans to hit the gym. I love it once I'm doing it, but it sure doesn't take much for me to avoid it!!

 

7. That somehow I'm missing something in my calculations, and this isn't as good a deal as I think. I fear that HUGE bill hitting me the last day, even though I can't imagine what we'll spend money on while on the ship.

 

I better stop now...I sound like a nut job! :o

[Rudyard]

We'll be taking our first cruise this September and I am so glad that this board exists to help me get through it without making a complete fool of myself once on board :p

 

My worries...

 

Seasickness. I've only ever been in deep water twice. Once a fishing trawler in a heavy storm in the English Channel, the other a ferry in the Irish Sea during the worst gale they had had in twenty years. Needless to say I was sick as a dog both times. I have no idea how I will handle calm water.

 

Newb mistakes. I'm just afraid of doing something so ridiculously stupid that people all around me will know I'm new to cruising. I'm really looking forward to it because it will be so unlike any vacation I've taken in the past, but am worried for the same reasons.

 

Dining wear. We plan on following the "rules" on what to wear to the dining room, but I'm still worried that if we dress up, all the people around us will be even dressier and will look down on us.

 

I'm so glad these boards are here to help :)

[darladelight]

We'll be taking our first cruise this September and I am so glad that this board exists to help me get through it without making a complete fool of myself once on board :p

 

My worries...

 

Seasickness. I've only ever been in deep water twice. Once a fishing trawler in a heavy storm in the English Channel, the other a ferry in the Irish Sea during the worst gale they had had in twenty years. Needless to say I was sick as a dog both times. I have no idea how I will handle calm water.

 

Newb mistakes. I'm just afraid of doing something so ridiculously stupid that people all around me will know I'm new to cruising. I'm really looking forward to it because it will be so unlike any vacation I've taken in the past, but am worried for the same reasons.

 

Dining wear. We plan on following the "rules" on what to wear to the dining room, but I'm still worried that if we dress up, all the people around us will be even dressier and will look down on us.

 

I'm so glad these boards are here to help :)

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic

[samtig]

I'm just worried mainly about getting there on time, and also my husband having a good time. This is our anniversary and I really would like to go on cruises at least once a year, but I hope my husband feels the same way after it's all done.....:)

 

We always arrive early and are some of the first ones on the ship. My DH never really wanted to go on a cruise. (He was in the Navy & didn't really care about going on a ship again.) He also had the idea it was a more structured trip that he wouldn't like (and learned it's what you want it to be). My DIL's mom is a TA & after talking with her, DH decided to give it a try, much to my surprise. He enjoyed it even more than I and is the one who can't wait to book the next one!! We leave on our 6th cruise in 2 weeks and wish we had started years ago. Best value & most fun vacations we've had. Hope it turns out the same for you guys!!

[Peter Cabot]

Rudyard - From the sound of it, you should fit right in during formal nights.

 

Believe it or not, for all of the heat that "formal night wear" discussions generate on CC, there is very little of it on a cruise. Something about being face to face with the folks who have a different perspective than you tends to inspire a bit more generosity in people's behavior.

 

Guaranteed, there will be better-dressed people than you. Most will not look down on you, and those who do most likely will not let you know. Everyone is so relaxed and generally having a good time that they let things slide by.

 

DW and I love to dress up, but we're not rich. Thus our clothes are nice, but not super-expensive. I don't own a tux, so I spring for the rental each cruise. DW loves how I look in a tux, and doesn't care a whit that I look like a polyester penguin. I've had a guy make a comment about my rental, but you know what? A quick squeeze of my arm and word of encouragement from DW made it all just fine.

 

And at the end of the night, when we've dined and danced and sang and wandered the deck looking at the stars, and we retire to our cabin, she's still the one I want to make happy. If she's happy with her polyester penguin, then I'm happy, too.

 

HTH.

[JHCALLAHAN]

Greetings fellow newbies!

 

I suppose my biggest worry is just being out of the good ole US of A. Only time I've been out of the country was a trip to Juarez when I was about 6 years old.:p I've travled about the US a bit but only that once "internationally" (HAW!) I'll probably be one of those paranoid types that won't leave the ship without my passport. Missing the boat and being stranded in a foreign country (especially without a passport :eek:) doesn't sound like my idea of a good time!

 

Second biggest worry is cruising will be like going to Vegas. One trip and I was hooked! Be my luck cruising will be the same way and end up costing me a bundle!:D Oh well, ya only go 'round once, and you can't take a dime with you when you when your time is up!;)

 

Regards,

JHC

[darladelight]

Greetings fellow newbies!

 

I suppose my biggest worry is just being out of the good ole US of A. Only time I've been out of the country was a trip to Juarez when I was about 6 years old.:p I've travled about the US a bit but only that once "internationally" (HAW!) I'll probably be one of those paranoid types that won't leave the ship without my passport. Missing the boat and being stranded in a foreign country (especially without a passport :eek:) doesn't sound like my idea of a good time!

 

Second biggest worry is cruising will be like going to Vegas. One trip and I was hooked! Be my luck cruising will be the same way and end up costing me a bundle!:D Oh well, ya only go 'round once, and you can't take a dime with you when you when your time is up!;)

 

Regards,

JHC

 

Welcome to cruise critic.

[AQW]

Can I just ditto everything KKB has said on this thread???

 

I cruised for the first time last week and am here to tell you that 99.99% of the worries posted on this thread will literally melt away within moments of you stepping on that ship! Really! Cruise ships are delightful places. :) I was worried my cruise would be full of drunken frat boys and bimbos (short, weekend sailing). It was 75% families.

 

People wore everything - and I mean everything - at every point of the cruise. I'm sure there were a few lurking in the shadows judging others, but for the most part NOBODY GAVE A WHIT. Our (fabulous, fabulous) server told us the night before formal night that he was "not a formal guy" (unbelieveable, given his impeccable service and grasp of dining etiquette) and that while there was a minimum dress code in the dining room for formal night, we were HIS guests and he would be honored to serve us in whatever we chose to wear. Talk about making people feel at ease!

 

All kinds of people, wearing all kinds of things, will be on your cruise. 99.99% of them will be there to have a good time on their vacation, not to care about - or even notice - your clothes, or your mannerisms, or anything else you might be worried about.

 

Relax and enjoy. Relax and enjoy. Relax and enjoy!!!!

[jkudzu]

This will be my first big traveling experience too but I've never (in my life) worried so much about what to wear! :eek: And now my husband is even asking for wardrobe advice for our cruise. I've decided to just relax (this is our vacation after all) and just wear what makes me feel good. And before I get yelled at--don't worry I will follow "the rules".:)

[darladelight]

I was worried my cruise would be full of drunken frat boys and bimbos (short, weekend sailing). It was 75% families.

I hope that is true of my Carnival Cruise.

[rin1]

Sunscreen advice - Coppertone makes some non-greasy sunblocks.

 

My worries:

 

1. Seasickness - I'm going to try Bonine, starting 24 hours before the cruise and continuing throughout. We have a mid-ship, inside room, low down in the ship so that should help.

 

2. Seasickness 2 - The scuba trip that we are taking involves a catamaran in an allegedlly protected bay. I'm hoping that my stomach holds.

 

3. Being over/underdressed - I plan to do skirts and flip flops throughout. I'm hoping that it isn't so windy that everyone gets a view. ;)

 

4. Spending too much money - We're not big gamblers or drinkers, but I'm sure that money will be spent. I just don't want the final bill to scare me.

[mekomeko]

My greatest fear on our dream vacation is the safety for me and my daughters travelling alone.

Anyone ever taken a cruise without your hubby?

[darladelight]

My greatest fear on our dream vacation is the safety for me and my daughters travelling alone.

Anyone ever taken a cruise without your hubby?

Always, then again, I have never been married

:D . But I travel alone all the time.

[mochuck]

I have to fly from Sydney to Rome (23hrs). We have one night in the hotel and cruise the next day. I just hope I'm not too tired to enjoy the first few days.

[Jennyfer]

hidden charges

 

excessive mechanical or human noise

 

formal night- if my husband does not own a tux, would we have to hide in our room that night? he only has a very nice suit and tie

[trunky]

I've recently stumbled on this website and wish I'd found it before booking my first cruise just 2 weeks ago. Whats funny to me is i've been on the Boards for just under a week, and havn't noticed this wonderful section of the forums til tonight!!

 

My concerns:

 

-I just found out tonight (on these forums) that smoking is allowed in cabins. LOL I wish i knew about this earlier. Definitely my biggest worry/concern is being stuck in a cabin with the smoke smell :( . Hope that doesnt offend anyone who is a smoker. But this is coming from someone who's never smoked, and has many 'no smoking indoors' laws in the Province I live in.

 

-overdressing or underdressing at formal/semiformal nights.

 

-unable to find pickup point for excursions, or not being dropped off in time when ship departs port.

 

-sea sickness. I'm planning on getting those wristbands everyone keeps talking about.

 

-tipping. I've read many threads on tipping and I just get so confused because the threads seem to go in circles. I figure I'll just ignore this worry and experience and learn all this first hand in May.

 

-spending too much money lol. Someone else had mentioned this already. I have the exact same feeling. I dont want to be surprised by the final 'bill'.

 

-bad weather. Can we just have atleast 1 day of sunshine please!?

 

:D

[Cruise wild]

#1 Biggest fear-Making it to the ship ON TIME! We fly into Tampa at 12:30 Ship is to sail at 4! YIKES

 

#2-How am I going to fit everything in my suitcase.....and I havn't even thought about SHOES!

 

All in all not worried about the virus deal