What to expect for 1st timer

[trafficbabe2000]

Ok I have never really seen a cruise ship before, and I have had fun since my mom bought me this cruise for my upcoming 40th birthday. It is also a new ship and we will be sailing over halloween. The anticipation is killing me!:D So, we leave Charlotte for Miami the day before sailing on the Norwegian Pearl. We party on Miami beach, and after we check out and head for the port I have no idea what to expect. So I need everyones help to paint me a picture of what it is like pulling up to your first cruise. I need something to tie me over until real thing sails into the sunset.:) Every detail, leave no stone unturned.....

Thanks,

Kristie

[heatherandfred]

Congrats on your first cruise. I would consider posting this in the Norweigan Cruise Line board, they would give you specifics on the Pearl.

[KC_fn]

LOL awww.... congratulations! I envy you the magic of that first cruise.

 

Find a good picture of the ship, and take it with you. As you approach the port, start looking for it. That first sight of your ship will send shivers up your spine. I'm always amazed at how BIG they are -- magnificent!

[trafficbabe2000]

Oh I have been to yahoo images and gotten a lot of the Norwegian Pearl, It is killing me. I am ready to pack, but I have to wait 68 more days...

[JanineM]

My first cruise was just a year ago in March, and I was hooked from the moment we walked on to the ship! I had only seen two cruise ships before, so was pretty clueless myself.

 

My suggestion is to read all of the information on the cruiseline website (Norwegian). They will have an area with frequently asked questions where they will tell you a lot of the basics (what to pack, what to expect, what is included, etc.)

 

Also, be sure that you are prepared with your passport and/or official birth certificate (not the one from the hospital). If you are unsure of what you need then check out the US government sites, and also confirm with the cruiseline EXACTLY what they will require from you.

 

Although it is really tempting to spend a lot of time here on these boards asking questions, I would suggest you don't do too much of that. Why? For two reasons: it's really fun to have some surprises onboard, and there can be some unnecessary negativity here. I spent a lot of time on the boards before we went on our first Celebrity cruise this year and read a LOT of negative comments on everything from food to bedding to the ships themselves. So I was pretty freaked out and nervous in advance (and it turned out to be a great cruise). If you decide to spend a lot of time here then take the cheerleaders and the super-negative people with a grain of salt.

 

The time til your cruise will fly by. Hope you have a wonderful time!

[frudutx]

How would I discribe the feeling I had on my very first cruise?

 

Remember Christmas Eve as a 5 year old?

 

Remember going to bed on the night before that first day of school before your Senior year?

 

Remember buying and scratching off the numbers on the first lottery ticket and thinking you'd be the jackpot winner?

 

Well, this is way better than all of those wrapped up together!

 

Have a blast! :p

 

d

[Lefty Writer]

I posted something similar in the "official" roll call thread, but found this while exploring some of the other boards/threads on this site.

 

This will be my fiance's and my first cruise, coming up at the end of October. We will be sailing on the Carnival Conquest. Neither of us has ever been on a cruise, so we are both really excited. My sister and brother in law are going with us, and they are cruise veterans...having been on multiple cruises on multiple cruise lines.

 

We're looking forward to it, and hope to make this a regular event.

 

Now if I could only convince my fiance to watch Titanic and The Poseidon Adventure (the original version) before we sail.....

 

For some reason, she doesn't think that's a good idea. :D

[mckinna]

I think the most important thing is to relax and have fun. I know that sounds simple, but when you get there and read the list of all the activities, and think of all the choices, you can really "activity" yourself out of a good time! I also liked what Water Baby said about reading the boards too much. I would read them and ask questions about what ports you are going to, because you will really need to decide ahead of time what you want to do there, but be wary of complainers, especially if it is over trivial things. I remember reading a review once about a ship I was going to be going on, and the review was very negative about the service in the dining room, but when I looked at specifics, she didn't like the fact that the server didn't remember every night that she liked 2% milk for her coffee! :mad:

 

Bottom line, if you decide up front that you are going to have a good time, you will, and you won't let little trivial things that probably will happen affect your vacation. We all spend too much money on these trips to be upset over wrong room service orders, lounge chair hogs, kids in the Solarium pool, and 2% milk!! Have Fun!!:)

 

Sovereign of the Seas—July 2000

Grandeur of the Seas—March 2003

Adventure of the Seas—Feb 2004

Mariner of the Seas—May 2005

Rhapsody of the Seas—April 2006

Freedom of the Seas—Feb 2007

Voyager of the Seas—March 2008-- CAN”T WAIT!!

[trafficbabe2000]

Hey Mckinna, Lefty Waterbaby and Nittany Lions, thank you so much!!!! I agree with reading too much, the way I look at it is, I need to decompress......badly! So as long as I am not at work, then I am good to go. I already feel like I am waiting for Santa, it seems like it will NEVER get here. I have read the negativity of different people who are either at the resorts of the shore excursions, who give bad ratings because the cruisers come in a ruin there holiday, or people who are sailing and weren't told that is was a biker group tour, or star trek tour and it ruined their cruise. I say lighten up an meet everyone you can. But I digress...again thanks for descriptions. I am so psyched!!:p Thank Youuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!

[smooth_sailin]

EVERYTHING!!!

 

The anticipation is the best part for me. Planning what to take... making lists... buying new clothes (finally - a REASON to buy a party dress!). Reading the boards heightens the anticipation, as does choosing shore excursions and reading all the info about what's available.

 

35 days 'til my 5th cruise... and each one is just as anticipated as the first, because each one is a little different -- even though 4 out of 5 were to the Caribbean. (and BTW, not all were that great - but even a so-so cruise is better than work!)

 

I am also sailing on the Pearl 10/28 - hope to meet you at the Meet & Greet on 10/29. Check the thread for our sailing for the meeting place and time.

 

We sailed on the Dawn in her inaugural year and found NCL to be great in every way. The entertainment was great, the crew was nice, the food was better than others and much more available at odd hours. You made a great choice for your first time out to sea; you won't be disappointed.

 

See you on board -- I'll be the one grinning like an idiot for 5 straight days.

[klynne2]

Hi all! I am new to this site but not new to cruising. Believe it or not, I won my first cruise in a contest at work and was probably the only one not excited to win. I am not a "boat" person and so I thought it would be pretty boring. BOY WAS I WRONG! I did not anticipate anything with excitement that first cruise, 10 years ago when Carnival's Imagination was a new ship. I was just kind of going along for the ride. In fact I was a bit nervous. Needless to say.....7 days later I was hooked! We have cruised as often as we can since that first cruise. This year is our 10th anniversary and we selected the Norwegian Majesty out of Boston to Bermuda for convenience and savings. We have been on many of the Carnival Ships and The Big Red Boat just before it retired, and Disney, and now Norwegian.

 

I agree with the person who said even a bad cruise is better than a good day at work!

 

We have recruited many new cruisers in the family and hope to get my youngest sister next year on a Bermuda out of Boston or Bayonne.

 

Hugs to all the cruisers out there, and God Bless the first timers, for what is sure to become an addiction!!!

 

Kelley:)

 

[smooth_sailin]

Kelley,

 

I agree with everything you said, especially the part about recruiting others. I convinced my sis in FL that cruising was a great way to travel, so she made plans for her first cruise. I was so excited for her that DH and I booked a stateroom right down the hall! (We asked her first of course; we didn't want to horn in on "her" vacation if she wanted alone time with her own DH.) Now the two sisters, the two DHs and her 16-year-old daughter will be partying in the Caribbean over Halloween, and we are all totally CRAZY with anticipation. Some of it comes from seeing my sis for 5 days, since we live pretty far apart and don't get to see each other very often.

 

D from NJ

[trafficbabe2000]

I can't hardly wait. And smoothsailin', I have been on the fence all day about buying a dress I saw online, and thanks to your post, I may just have to go ahead and get it.....IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!!! THAT'S MY STORY AND I'M STICKIN' TO IT.:p

 

Kristie

[Heirloom]

......in that it's so unique. As with all travelling vacations, we start off with anxiety about what to do, where to go, how to do this or that....you know, trying to make the best of our time off the job.

 

But once the cruise begins, you know, once the ship leaves port and land gets further and further away, and then your eyes glance into the vacant ocean....you feel the greatest escape from all pressure.

 

If you're like us, the next several days and nights will be the most relaxed and worry free you've ever enjoyed.....pressure free. Do what you want, when you want...there are no rules, no check-out time, no packing and unpacking, no calls to make or receive, no car to drive, no blah blah blah blah blah.

 

Most things we choose to do or not do at a place the ship stops.....can be decided once we wake up and discuss at breakfast. Worst that could possibly happen? That the ship excursions are sold out....rarely does this happen....but if so, who cares ? Do something else !!! Or get an independant provider on your own.....there are tons of them looking for business as the ship docks.....every time. Or do nothing and enjoy the empty decks around the pools.

 

Ah, such peace of mind.

[AZPam]

Ok I have never really seen a cruise ship before, and I have had fun since my mom bought me this cruise for my upcoming 40th birthday. It is also a new ship and we will be sailing over halloween. The anticipation is killing me!:D So, we leave Charlotte for Miami the day before sailing on the Norwegian Pearl. We party on Miami beach, and after we check out and head for the port I have no idea what to expect. So I need everyones help to paint me a picture of what it is like pulling up to your first cruise. I need something to tie me over until real thing sails into the sunset.:) Every detail, leave no stone unturned.....

Thanks,

Kristie

 

Since you were sailing over Halloween, hopefully you are back by now. What did you think? Was it everything you were expecting? Are you hooked now like the rest of us?

[DiveCruiser]

Try to do it all in moderation.

[B&JHall]

Kristie,

 

There are TONS of videos posted on YouTube for you to check out. You may very well find one from your ship.

 

Bill and Jo Ann

[nickie218]

Congrats on your 1st cruise and turning 40(I love your sig). Yes, 40 is the new 30!! ;)

 

I think that as you pull up to the dock you will be stunned at the size of the ship! Make sure all your bags are properly tagged and get the the port as early as you are allowed, the best part of getting on a ship is exploring before any of the real fun begins! Try and get an idea of the layout before you sail so you are not too confused.

 

Generally speaking everyone will greet you with a smile on their face!

[pmfan]

traficbabe200...OMG you are going to have a blast. Get plenty of rest before your cruise so you can do it all once on the ship. Enjoy and have the time of your life.:D

[thegotogirl]

On our first cruise, my DH was not happy that I had booked it, and was NOT excited about it. We were on the RC Adventurer of the Seas. We sailed on Sunday, and by Monday, he told me to go find someone on board, and book the NEXT cruise!! We have been hooked ever since. This June we're off the Alaska on the Golden Princess....and he (and I) can't wait!!! You can expect to have the VERY best time, lots of laughs, lots of love, and lots of wonderful experiences! Have the BEST TIME!!!! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!:)

[MouseCruzr]

OMG my first cruise, DW booked it and told me about it later, only with the promise of a stop in Disney World afterwards would I go. She took me kicking and screaming onto the Norway. She then took me kicking and screaming off

[Piperpals]

This is our 3rd cruise and I still feel as excited, only different is a little less anxiety about the unknown. Will I dress right? Will my cabin be okay? Will the ship be okay? Will I like the people I am having dinner with?

 

I do a lot of online research regarding cruise lines and ships before going and read lots of great reviews and some not so great. So before going ask yourself:

 

Why am I going?

Will I have to go to work durig this time?

What is going to be done for me that I don't have to do for myself?

 

Our first cruise was on the Celebrity Infinity for my husbands 50th birthday. There is a plaque in the elevator that stated

"The destination is getting there".

 

Have a great first cruise.

[momofmeg]

Ok I have never really seen a cruise ship before, and I have had fun since my mom bought me this cruise for my upcoming 40th birthday. It is also a new ship and we will be sailing over halloween. The anticipation is killing me!:D So, we leave Charlotte for Miami the day before sailing on the Norwegian Pearl. We party on Miami beach, and after we check out and head for the port I have no idea what to expect. So I need everyones help to paint me a picture of what it is like pulling up to your first cruise. I need something to tie me over until real thing sails into the sunset.:) Every detail, leave no stone unturned.....

Thanks,

Kristie

 

Kristie how was your cruise? I loved the Pearl.

[MsEve]

We're celebrating our anniversary on the Ruby Princess on Valentines Day!

Just wondering what to except..

[RUBBER DUCK]

Without giving away the actual surprises, here's some things that will/may surprise you based on my own cruises and what others have asked and stated:

 

1. the ship is HUGE. You will see it dwarf the port building it is parked next to.
   
2. Plan on waiting in line to get checked in. They are efficient, the cruisers are typically not ready so there is a little wait depending on whan you get there.
   
3. plan on eating first thing once aboard. you will not find a table, so go eat by the pool.
   
4. the ship is like a hotel that moves. They can handle just about everything necessary regarding your room and entertainment. interact with these people, they really do enjoy the ship's customers, and often will do small things for you that really make your trip special ie: towel animals, special requests, etc. We have had appetizer/food gifts from the staff left in our room, the bartenders remember how we like a certain drink, and headwaiters prepare special tableside dinner accompianments.
   
5. Be outgoing and really try to let your guard down and relax. Enjoy yourself. There's so many entertainment options if you're willing to explore or try something different.
   
6. Expect to be shocked at your stateroom bill if you don't pay attention.
   
7. The port of calls are expecting you, but you are in thier country. Expect to abide by thier laws and customs. most near the port understand you are a visitor (some prey on it). You can always play dumb and pretend you are from Europe and don't speak english. It's easier to ignore some of the people who may pester you-especially in Nassau. That being said, there are some real gems who will go out of thier way to help. We have had some very nice guides while on excursions who have gone beyone our epectations.
   
8. plan ahead. Some people have really good luck with winging it at a port, but knowing some of the attractions or things you want to see and do will be a help-especially the farther away from the mainland you go, or the more seldom visited island you go to. Use the library and internet to get a plan together. There's a whole section on here with destinations too.
   
9. you really can find so much to do that when you get back, you still need a vacation. That's when you know it was fun.
   
10. the days fly by so fast that just as you get comfortable with ship life, it's back to homeland life
    
11. and finally: when you get off the ship at home, your body will still try to walk like it's on the ship. It doesn't happen while in port cities for some reason, but your balance will be off a little. Happens to most people.