How do I figure it all out?

[snewsie]

This will be my first short cruise. I tend to be a person who likes to figure things out before I go. I've been reading thru these threads and there seems to be so much to "know". Drink cards, decks, tips, dining rooms, day trips... How do I learn about all this or will it come step by step as I progress thru the vacation. I booked directly thru Carnival and basically she said "ok...I'll send you a confirmation email and be at the port between 11-2:30." That's it!

 

I don't have control...I think that's the problem.

 

Thanks! :)

[big_duck]

http://www.e-travelbrochures.com/viewBrochure.asp?campaignId=492

 

The above link is to an electronic copy of the welcome aboard booklet Carnival ships with your docs.

 

Give it a read through, and if you have any questions, come back to CC and post your questions.

[rwilymz]

This will be my first short cruise. I tend to be a person who likes to figure things out before I go.

 

Can't remember everything, and if you write it all down you have reams of paper to sift through. Have a drink; relax.

 

 

I've been reading thru these threads and there seems to be so much to "know". Drink cards, decks, tips, dining rooms, day trips... How do I learn about all this or will it come step by step as I progress thru the vacation.

 

That second thing. But there's some good things to remember:

 

Unless you're like my wife and drink a few 2L bottles a day, forget the drink card and go by the glass. You don't own the lounge chair unless your butt's in it, or your buttprint is less than 5-minutes old. No jeans in the dining room except on the first night. Unless/until you get the hang of it, book excursions through Carnival; it's safer.

 

I booked directly thru Carnival and basically she said "ok...I'll send you a confirmation email and be at the port between 11-2:30." That's it!

 

Good advice, that. Don't miss the boat!

 

I don't have control...I think that's the problem.

 

It's a vacation. Relax. Did you get that drink yet? What are you waiting for?

[CatgirlNC]

Thanks for the link the Welcome Brochure. I am sailing on Sunday but this was the first time I got to see it. My reservation is through my parents, and so all of the documents were sent to them.

[taszmom]

You mean they (CCL) didn't tell you to complete the Fun Pass? Go to their website, it has tons of info for BOOKED GUESTS. You can set up a sign in and view your reservation, view & book shore excursions and get lots of other info (FAQ's and as the other poster listed, the Welcome Aboard brochure). Do a search on the internet and get yourself some maps of the ports of call you are visiting, then when you get there, you'll have your bearings.

 

Next time book with a TA and save money too! Why pay full price when you don't have to?

[RJ7591]

This will be my first short cruise. I tend to be a person who likes to figure things out before I go. I've been reading thru these threads and there seems to be so much to "know". Drink cards, decks, tips, dining rooms, day trips... How do I learn about all this or will it come step by step as I progress thru the vacation. I booked directly thru Carnival and basically she said "ok...I'll send you a confirmation email and be at the port between 11-2:30." That's it!

 

I don't have control...I think that's the problem.

 

Thanks! :)

 

Snewsie

 

Don't worry - everything will be fine! I'm just as much a control freak as you are. My daughter laughs because I make vacation plans months in advance and even have the details planned down to what restaurants we're going to for each meal. You have at least discovered these boards and that will help. I didn't know about cruise critic until after we returned from our first cruise and I'm sure I drove my cruising friends crazy asking questions!

 

Just try to relax and everything will fall into place. Once you're on the ship you'll receive your Capers (Itinerary) every night for the next day. It will help you plan out your day and you'll feel more in control once you get these in your hand. In fact you can probably find a thread where someone who has been on your same cruise has posted their Capers. They don't change very much and you can go ahead and make a list of things you don't want to miss. Just know that you can't do everything that's offered so you'll have to plan another one! :)

 

Keep reading these boards and check out the roll call for your cruise so you can get to know some of the other people traveling with you. Relax and Enjoy!!

[deemk]

snewsie... i too am a control freak when it comes to our vacations, and we will be headed for our first cruise at the end of this month! i felt the same way when i got to these boards and was posting messages all over and couldn't keep track of how many i had to go back and check the answers for! i just kept plugging away at it and reading everything i could and slowly i feel better, and that i have a better handle on what to ask and read about. i read through the carnival faqs and that helped a ton. how much time do you have before you leave?

 

when i booked through carnival i received the same response, and also wished there was a bit more direction of what to do next. but i guess they book tons of those each day and so it's routine for them. it sure wasn't for me! :)

[elizablake]

Reading reviews helped me prepare for my first cruise. What ship and itinerary?

[c&a'smom]

I tend to be a person who likes to figure things out before I go.

 

Yeah me too!!!

 

For my last cruise on the Destiny, I purchased a 1 inch 3 ring binder with the front clear covering and tabed section dividers. I labeled each section in order of our itenerary. First label was air, then hotel, then the name of each port. I also printed a page with the map and itenerarly of our cruise and sliped that into the see through front cover.

 

As I printed information worth keeping, I would 3 hole punch it and put it in the proper section. After I decided what air, hotel and excursions we were going to book, I printed the confirmation pages and put those in the proper sections and threw away all the stuff I didn't need any more.

 

I use a backpack as a carry-on and the folder fits nicely in it. I also use the inside pockets of the folder to carry our birth certificates (or passports) so everything is together in one organized place. During the cruise I just quickly review what's planned for the next day right before bed.

 

Hope that helps.

[Sunshineaddict]

Control freak here, too!! :) I agree with other posters here--you've come to the right place! Before my first cruise, I read everything here in CC (ports of call, cabin selections, money tips, cruiseline boards) as well as searching the internet for ports of call and ship information (travelocity was my 2nd favorite site for info--CC is #1!) By the time I got on the ship, I felt like a pro!! Most of the printed information stayed right in my suitcase untouched.

It may seem overwhelming at first, but it will all fall into place. Do you have someone you are planning with? It helps to bounce ideas and questions off each other, too.

Have a great time on your cruise and don't worry....be happy! :) The members here are the nicest, most informed group of people I could ever hope to run across and you will get tons of answers you need. Good luck!

[Sunshineaddict]

Double-post. sorry!

[semala]

Ditto on the control freak part. My cruisemates made fun of me because I spent the 7 months before the cruise reading this board 5 times a day and obsessing over researching every little detail. Once we got on board, I discovered that none of it mattered. Book your excursions through Carnival, make sure to pack sunscreen and your swimsuit, and forget the rest.

[mrdood]

Part of the enjoyment of cruising is discovery, don't feel you need to know it all, explore, learn, all while on board...

[LittleBit]

For my last cruise on the Destiny' date=' I purchased a 1 inch 3 ring binder with the front clear covering and tabed section dividers. I labeled each section in order of our itenerary. First label was air, then hotel, then the name of each port. I also printed a page with the map and itenerarly of our cruise and sliped that into the see through front cover.

 

As I printed information worth keeping, I would 3 hole punch it and put it in the proper section. After I decided what air, hotel and excursions we were going to book, I printed the confirmation pages and put those in the proper sections and threw away all the stuff I didn't need any more.

 

I use a backpack as a carry-on and the folder fits nicely in it. I also use the inside pockets of the folder to carry our birth certificates (or passports) so everything is together in one organized place. During the cruise I just quickly review what's planned for the next day right before bed. [/quote']

 

 

Oh THANK GOODNESS! It's NOT just me!

Perhaps we can start a new table - the OBSSESSIVES!

I ALWAYS make a folder/book for every trip - cruise, general vacation, conference, whatever -

itinerary, flight info, tickets/confirmation printout (I've used eticket for forever I think), train scheds or car lot parking info (depending on what mode of travel using to/from airport), where to go, what to see, maps, coupons?, port info, contact info, car rental info if renting car, hotel info if staying ain hotel....

 

Everything is packed neatly into my (backpack) carry-on and readily accessible when I need it. Passport, papers, confirmations, done. If I am travelling with someone new, they are always amazed at how organized I am. When traveling with old companions, there are always amazed when I DON"T have something or know something off the top of my head.

 

I am completely prepared to be spontaneous, as long as you give me some notice...

 

[ok, I am so well packed for trips that one flight to Myrtle Beach we even had an atlas with us the allowed us to follow the major highways from the window of the plane (it was a low flying cigarette plane) - made it inteeresting to see how quickly we covered territory...]

 

Don't get me wrong - I CAN and HAVE travelled at the drop of a hat, and been fully able to adjust to plans being changed on the fly - being prepared means being able to adjust...(great, now I sound like a Girl Scout...)