How did you prepare for your first cruise?

[XRAYDAVE]

I must admit that I was less than excited before my first cruise. My wife and daughter had got together and decided this is how we all should celebrate our 35th Anniversary.

 

They booked a cruise on the Inspiration out of New Orleans for the first of June and and told me I was going.

 

I really did not even think that much about the cruise even up the the last week. In fact, I did not even go buy some new shirts and shorts for the cruise until two days before we left and that was because my wife made me.

 

I must admit I was not excited at all at the thought of being couped up on a ship for 7 days with a bunch of people I did not know, when I could be at home playing golf with my buddies.

 

When the bus from the airport pulled up to the Terminal in New Orleans and I show the size of the ship, my mouth dropped. When we boarded the ship and show the Atrium and all the ship had to offer, I was in the process of being hooked and have been a numerous cruises ever since.

 

I was wondering what your experience my have been.

 

David

[truecruiser]

i shld e-mail your post to (one of) my brother(s). the one i'd e-mail it to is the only one in our family who has never cruised. he is a big vacation person, but thinks the "be all and end all" are his awesome land stays at spots around the caribbean and mexico available to him through his 2 timeshare interchange privileges. cabo is his favorite, even though he owns a time share in st. maarten.

 

he has no interest in cruising for almost every reason you stated as not being excited about going on your cruise. i keep tellin' him to try it. i know he'd love it. i'm gonna get him to try it one day. cabo's a stop after all isn't it?

[sjohnson529]

We had no idea what it was going to be like. I didn't know these boards existed. We were on the first sailing of the brand new Paradise out of Miami. I read the cruise brochures front to back and the Carnival Cruise catalog was about worn out. When we got our first glimpse of the ship we were awestruck. It was a great experience and we were hooked from then on.

[PA Dutchman]

Well for me way back in 1995 it was WOW look at this when we entered the Atrium on the CCL Sensation. Had no idea what would follow, and how many cruises we would go on in the future, and places we would see, its been a great ride on 20 and two booked, real easy to get hooked on cruiseing:D .

[Cruising_K]

David:

Your story is very close to my Husbands. For myself, I could not wait to get on my first ship. I just always wanted to go. I put together a group of friends. We had 32 people including my Daughter. My Son and Husband stayed home for that first cruise. We had and great time and spent 6 months sharing our experiences with my Husband. He was under the impression that “Julie” from the “Love Boat” was running around making you have fun whether you wanted to or not.

A few months after we got back, convinced he would have a great time, I put together my next group cruise. All of my family, his family, and some friends were going on the Glory to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. I told him that he could come or not but his family would be there. Coercion? Maybe but it worked. He came and loved it. He went on another cruise the next year and had a great time again. He still has his “Sail & Sign” card in his wallet. He is keeping it there until he has a new one to replace.

[GayleR]

Our first cruise was way back in 1990 before we had kids. We went with my parents and I was like you.....didn't really get excited and I didn't buy any new clothes. We were on a really small oceanliner, but I LOVED every minute of it. We didn't cruise again until 2003 as we were busy having and raising kiddos, who BTW love to cruise as much as we do! Now we try to go once a year!

[tribbs1]

My TA had been trying to get me to book a family cruise for years, but 2 of my 4 kids (twin boys) were pretty wild then and I had visions of them catapulting themselves off the deck and into the water. In June 03 we tried out a 4 day Bahamas on RCL. I did not like it, but the kids and hubby did. I felt too rushed and that I was always getting up and signing kids in and out of kids camp. In June 05 I tried cruising again on a 7 day trip on the Conquest. I had talked to my TA and perused the message boards of cruise critic, read through Frommers guide to Caribbean cruising and made the decision to try Carnival. We had a great time. The kids still loved it and they were teenagers then (except for 10 y.o) so I wasn't in and out of the kids club. We had nice stops and fun excursions. We all agreed that the ship was much better than the Soverign of the Seas and that 7 days was the way to go. We will be taking our 3rd cruise, 2nd Carnival cruise, on June 17 on the Valor. We are hoping that it will be at least as fun as the last one.

[johnaricka]

My first cruise was without my hubby but with our oldest daughter and our friends. It was a girls only, graduation party. I remember feeling like you. I wasnt excited but it was because I didnt want hubby to think that I wanted to go without him. He couldnt have cared.

This cruise is for the whole family. He isnt that excited. I know he will be when he sees the ship. He too is worried about being cooped up all day on a boat (like it is the size of our jetboat!)

[MikeNKim]

I never had any interest in cruising. I thought the same thing. I don't want to be trapped on some ship. No where to go just stuck there.

 

Well, after my first cruise I was hooked and we have been on 3 cruises since Oct 05 with 3 more either booked at planned.

 

I like the idea of visiting a port and returning to the safety of the ship and food I know isn't going to come back and haunt me later in the evening....;)

 

Kim

[caribbean dreams]

We had no idea what it was going to be like. I didn't know these boards existed. .

 

We had the same experience on our first cruise, no one to ask any questions, we just went and hoped for the best, it was probably one of the most nerve racking, yet exciting experiences in my life to board that ship for the first time and set sail.

Then couldn't wait to get home and book another, and so the addiction begins:)

[bubbles1209]

For our first cruise last June, it was a birthday cruise for me & father's day cruise for him, and family vacation for all of us. I researched & researched, scoured these boards every day.......still do:o made myself a list of hints, tips, see & don't sees, and all of that good stuff. I shopped myself silly, new clothes for all 3 of us, all we basically had were work clothes, sweats, & t-shirts & shorts that were mostly for around the house. Didn't really have a lot of casual wear, etc. We bought clothes, made up our own traveling first aid kit, bought a camcorder, dvd's for it, batteries, digital camera, formal gowns, dress shoes....hey a girl's gotta have it all match;) camera cases, suitcases, memory chips, we spent months preparing. We made a list of things to take, cross-packed each other's clothes, all of that good stuff, checked everything off, did as I had planned, and it all came of beautifully.:) We (DD & myself) had never flown before, so it was all a brand new experience. We were so anxious, I'll never forget it, and when we got to the port:eek: jaw-dropping doesn't begin to describe it. We were so amazed. As soon as we were onboard, I was videotaping every step we took, while DD took pics. This was something we never wanted to forget. We wound up with over 800 pictures, and 4 hours of home video I think it was around 8 or 9 dvd's we recorded in the ports and around the ship. I still scour the boards, don't have to really shop anymore, have everything, they were all good investments, and am still in awe every time I go to a port. We take our 3rd cruise in June on Valor, and are gonna try & go once every 6 months.

[cowen]

My husband didn't want to cruise but I convinced him to go on a little 3 day out of Port Canaveral because our daughter and I wanted to go so badly. He agreed to go but said he would spend his time in the cabin watching movies...he really had no interest in going. Well, long story short, he loved it. When we returned to port, headed out on I-95 to South Carolina, he asked me to go ahead and call our TA, Joe Cruiser, and book another cruise for the next year. We are getting ready for our 3rd cruise and now have 10 friends going with us.

[bluepetal]

I just got back from my 1st cruise and I didn't really know what to expect although my of my relatives (who I went withh) had been on cruises before so they filled me in. I was very excited to go but I had no idea just how great it would be or just how hooked I'd get lol. I'm already planning a cruise for me and a few of my friends for January. Nothing beats a cruise : )

[MaddyMom]

I am going to print all of your posts and hand them to my husband to read! We leave in less than 3 weeks, and he isn't excited! I cruised 20 years ago, before I met him, and had a wonderful time. I have been trying to talk him into a cruise for years, and this year he finally gave in. He is worried that he will get sea sick and all of our money will be wasted. Needless to say, I have been stockpiling Bonine, Peppermint Oil, Ginger tablets, and Sea Bands. Maybe reading all of your posts will finally help him to get excited about our cruise.

[PINEVIEW01]

I must admit that I was less than excited before my first cruise. My wife and daughter had got together and decided this is how we all should celebrate our 35th Anniversary.

 

They booked a cruise on the Inspiration out of New Orleans for the first of June and and told me I was going.

 

I really did not even think that much about the cruise even up the the last week. In fact, I did not even go buy some new shirts and shorts for the cruise until two days before we left and that was because my wife made me.

 

I must admit I was not excited at all at the thought of being couped up on a ship for 7 days with a bunch of people I did not know, when I could be at home playing golf with my buddies.

 

When the bus from the airport pulled up to the Terminal in New Orleans and I show the size of the ship, my mouth dropped. When we boarded the ship and show the Atrium and all the ship had to offer, I was in the process of being hooked and have been a numerous cruises ever since.

 

I was wondering what your experience my have been.

 

David

 

You sound like my DH. It wasn't my first but, his. I did all the planning and shopping. He just got on the plane when I said it was time. He did admit it is great. He just doesn't like to leave the animales but, has loved everyone of his six cruises.

 

Me on the other hand for MY first cruise, did it all. I went on a diet to prepair for the wieght gain:) . Had to get a 2 month tanning membership. Went shopping for 4 months. Week before had my hair cut and styled, massage, nails put on, facial, toes. Major deal:eek:

 

Now I just pull out the bag that always is ready to go, add a few cloths and grab the airplane/cruise tickets.:D

[bluepetal]

I am going to print all of your posts and hand them to my husband to read! We leave in less than 3 weeks, and he isn't excited! I cruised 20 years ago, before I met him, and had a wonderful time. I have been trying to talk him into a cruise for years, and this year he finally gave in. He is worried that he will get sea sick and all of our money will be wasted. Needless to say, I have been stockpiling Bonine, Peppermint Oil, Ginger tablets, and Sea Bands. Maybe reading all of your posts will finally help him to get excited about our cruise.

 

 

 

The sea sickness only lasts the first night, after that I guess you just get use to the movement. Everyone I talked to on the ship said the same thing so it's not just me.