# Back From Our Cruise



## moosehead (Jul 26, 2019)

Being a somewhat experienced cruise person and just having returned from a cruise I have decided to talk about things NOT to do on a cruise:

First  and foremost....Don't be late getting to the ship. One is unable to catch the next one as there is usually not a next one with YOUR cabin. We know a couple who did miss their departure. They had to fly to the ship's next destination to hook up with their cruise.....Unfortunately for them they flew to the wrong port....They divorced shortly thereafter.

Second.....And this is important....Do NOT, under any circumstances, try to bring gin, vodka, beer, wine or any other type of beverage....I am excluding milk....onto the ship. If the crew finds out, you and your partner.....Which, at one time was usually your Wife but times have changed .... Will lose their beverages and will spend a few days being shamed. Well, it might seem like that but not everyone who is snickering at you would know. It could be the shorts you are wearing.

Third.......When sitting out on the deck in deck chairs, enjoying the sun, sea and sea breezes, under NO circumstances, if  someone asks you to save their deck chairs for them when they decide it's time for lunch, do not do it. See, deck chairs are a prized possession on a cruise ship.

Anyway, We saw a couple do just that and after an hour had passed the lunch folks had not returned. Seeing the deck chairs not being occupied another couple moved in to take them. That's when WW3 started......Couple saving the chairs told the other couple they were being saved for some long lost souls who were out for lunch....This led to an argument and eventually staff had to break up the feud....Meanwhile, while this was going on, the lunch couple returned, found other deck chairs and watched the fireworks, oblivious to the fact it was because of them. Very entertaining though....

Fourth....AND I strongly recommend NOT doing this....Sign up for Bingo. Oh sure, Sue did and disappeared to the bingo place for an extended period of time...Leaving me to stare at the ocean.....However there is very little chance of winning anything. Sue actually had a winning card. Of course, so did 15 other people. Her winnings amounted to $ 6.00....I assume she spent a lot more then that....AND it's boring.

Fifth.......Rock climbing. We were out wandering about the ship one day when we stumbled across the rock climbing venue. Of course, Sue HAD to try it. After being harnessed in off she went clambering up the wall like some kind of Asian acrobat. I was impressed. After successfully scaling the mountain, down she rappelled.

She stood beside me and said "Your turn."

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"I'm too old. Besides, there is NO way..."

As the woman was strapping me into the harness I asked her if it was safe....Apparently they have yet to lose anyone. So, after staring at the wall, I started my climb.

All was going smoothly for about a minute and I was thinking how easy this was when, horrors, I misstep, lost my balance and suddenly I was seeing Sue way below me as I was now upside down....I began to sway back and forth as the instructor began yelling instructions... A crowd was now gathering and I felt like a deer in the headlights..I think I heard laughter as I twirled around.

The instructor began reeling me in, or down...I was a bit confused. Next thing I knew I was on the ground wrapped in rope and harness.....AND that is why I do not recommend Rock climbing. The good news is we received a bottle of wine from the staff for the show.

Sixth....I will now Address the buffet...Now I am NOT saying don't visit the buffet but one should approach it with some caution. So much food and so little time. I have heard that some people arrive for the cruise slim and in good shape and leave the cruise rather roly-poly, as it were. And then there's the lack of enough tables and the race to get to tables . Now that is quite the sight . Sue and I figured out quite early that the early bird gets the bagels as we arrived for breakfast before the swarm of apparently starving cruisers. Same for lunch and dinner........And watching people balance their trays of food and drinks is entertaining indeed....

Anyway, if anyone would like to ask us any questions about cruising we would be happy to answer them. Unless of course we don't know.


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## MeAgain (Jul 26, 2019)

Thanks for info.


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## 911 (Jul 27, 2019)

1. Where did you depart from and cruise to?
2. Any seasickness? 
3. How’s the sleeping? Beds comfortable? Can you feel the ship moving about?
4. Is it worthwhile and cost prudent to get a balcony room or suite? 
5. Do passengers need to take at least one formal outfit, like a suit? 
6. Is there gambling and entertainment onboard? 

My wife is trying to convince me that I need to cruise. The consensus among my friends is that they are boring.


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## JustBonee (Jul 27, 2019)

Had a 7 day cruise some years back  in the Caribbean.   It all went fairly well,  and we visited three islands along the way.  I  personally had issue with the food served.  The cooks over-salted all food served and when I asked if they could cut back some,  they asked if I needed a 'special' diet ....   NO, just less salt.  They  could not understand that!    ( My husband didn't seem to be bothered by it, but he loved salt)
Anyway, the cabin was nice with a porthole for viewing... cute towel animals on the bed everyday when we returned to the room.  
Different entertainment venues both day and evening;   gambling, bars, dancing, shops, art gallery.    Nothing on our cruise required formal wear.  
Top deck was my favorite place to hang out,   and watch the  ocean.   The water got rough a few times, but nothing to cause seasickness (for us anyway).


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## hollydolly (Jul 27, 2019)

I'm pleased you had a good time, but cruising is not for me.

This photo was taken just yesterday on a Norway to UK cruise ship... 

Not my idea of a relaxing holiday.....














..and this wasn't a little ship...it was huge..


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## JustBonee (Jul 27, 2019)

WOW  @hollydolly   ... that looks insane!!

our cruise deck looked like this:


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## 911 (Jul 27, 2019)

Thanks for the pictures, Holly, I’ll be sure to show them to my wife. Maybe that will cure her of wanting to cruise. I told her to go and take our daughter or one of her friends and I would even pay for it, but she has this thing where I have to go along. I think it comes from watching movies where the man and woman stare at the moon and then romantically kiss. 

I can be romantic, but I just don’t see the need to spend days out on the water looking for land and wishing I was on it. She doesn’t ask for much, so I guess that I will be out buying some cruise-wear one of these days.


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## charry (Jul 27, 2019)

i have never fancied going on a cruise.....surrounded by all those people !! ..i would go mad !!


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## JustBonee (Jul 28, 2019)

hollydolly said:


> I'm pleased you had a good time, but cruising is not for me.
> 
> This photo was taken just yesterday on a Norway to UK cruise ship...




The UK to Norway return apparently wasn't any better ..   a clown,   and a brawl ..  

*Passenger dressed as a clown causes mass brawl on cruise ship, witnesses say*

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/28/uk/cruise-ship-brawl-uk-gbr-scli-intl/index.html


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## RadishRose (Jul 28, 2019)

from the article-

 "There was blood everywhere," Gaisford wrote. "Passengers used furniture and plates as weapons. Witnesses told me they were so frightened they had to hide as family groups fought," Gaisford added"

I'm sick to death of this clown-crap but I think alcohol was the real problem here.


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## RadishRose (Jul 28, 2019)

moosehead said:


> Being a somewhat experienced cruise person and just having returned from a cruise I have decided to talk about things NOT to do on a cruise:
> 
> First  and foremost....Don't be late getting to the ship. One is unable to catch the next one as there is usually not a next one with YOUR cabin. We know a couple who did miss their departure. They had to fly to the ship's next destination to hook up with their cruise.....Unfortunately for them they flew to the wrong port....They divorced shortly thereafter.
> 
> ...


Moose, I loved your story. I'm laughing yet again!


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## Uptosnuff (Jul 28, 2019)

Thank you Moose for the entertaining cruise story.  As it so happens, I am going for a cruise in November to the Bahamas.  My first time.  You mention not to bring booze onto the ship.  Did you buy a beverage package or just purchase your drinks on the ship?  I hear they are expensive.  Also did you purchase excursion packages before the cruise?  I'm debating whether to do this or not.


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## moosehead (Jul 28, 2019)

911 said:


> 1. Where did you depart from and cruise to?
> 2. Any seasickness?
> 3. How’s the sleeping? Beds comfortable? Can you feel the ship moving about?
> 4. Is it worthwhile and cost prudent to get a balcony room or suite?
> ...



 We left from Tampa Florida and ended up in Barcelona. No seasickness at all, at least for us . The ships have stabilizers. 
Sleeping was fine, beds very comfortable and, no we can't feel the ship moving. Unless one has a few too many  pina coladas.
Well, we book a balcony. Had an inside cabin once...Wouldn't do it again. However many folks figure that an inside cabin is ok as they say they only are in there at night. That said, having early morning coffee, sitting on one's balcony watching the world go by.....
As for formal outfits or a suit some folks do but it's not mandatory. We travel with a backpack each so no luggage. Lots of wash and wear....
Yes, there is a casino on board and entertainment each evening at the theatre. Also, lots of things going on around the ship. We stayed away from the pool is a zoo  during the day. 
As for being boring it can be I suppose but we keep ourselves busy if we want to.....One of the wonderful things we do, at night, while many people are out dancing and stuff, we would go to the back of the ship, get ourselves coffee and danish, find a table in a quiet location and enjoy our time together.....


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## moosehead (Jul 28, 2019)

Uptosnuff said:


> Thank you Moose for the entertaining cruise story.  As it so happens, I am going for a cruise in November to the Bahamas.  My first time.  You mention not to bring booze onto the ship.  Did you buy a beverage package or just purchase your drinks on the ship?  I hear they are expensive.  Also did you purchase excursion packages before the cruise?  I'm debating whether to do this or not.


Yes the beverage packages are expensive but we don't purchase them as we don't drink enough to make it worthwhile. And, no, we didn't purchase excursion packages before the cruise. We did purchase a few on board if we felt like it. The first cruise is really exciting so just relax and enjoy yourself.


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## JustBonee (Jul 29, 2019)

moosehead said:


> We left from Tampa Florida and ended up in Barcelona. No seasickness at all, at least for us . The ships have stabilizers.
> Sleeping was fine, beds very comfortable and, no we can't feel the ship moving. Unless one has a few too many  pina coladas.
> Well, we book a balcony. Had an inside cabin once...Wouldn't do it again. However many folks figure that an inside cabin is ok as they say they only are in there at night. That said, *having early morning coffee, sitting on one's balcony watching the world go by.....*
> As for formal outfits or a suit some folks do but it's not mandatory. We travel with a backpack each so no luggage. Lots of wash and wear....
> ...



Like you, we didn't  have any problem with just relaxing and totally enjoying ourselves.   No issue with crowds whatsoever.


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## JimW (Jul 29, 2019)

> _I hate when people accuse me of_ *lollygagging*
> _when its quite clear I am_ *dillydallying *


 
This post has nothing to do with the thread, I just wanted to say to Bonnie I love your signature! My wife and I go back and forth all the time calling each other a lollygagger or a dilly dallyer. Your sig made me laugh!


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## JustBonee (Jul 29, 2019)

Thanks Jim!


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## 911 (Jul 29, 2019)

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. 
BTW, what cruise line did you use?


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## moosehead (Jul 29, 2019)

JimW said:


> This post has nothing to do with the thread, I just wanted to say to Bonnie I love your signature! My wife and I go back and forth all the time calling each other a lollygagger or a dilly dallyer. Your sig made me laugh!


So sorry I posted it in the wrong thread. Hope I didn't ruin your day by doing that. I'll try not to do that in the future. Have a nice day.


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## moosehead (Jul 29, 2019)

911 said:


> Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.
> BTW, what cruise line did you use?


NCL.....Have also cruised on Holland America Lines.


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## JimW (Jul 29, 2019)

moosehead said:


> So sorry I posted it in the wrong thread. Hope I didn't ruin your day by doing that. I'll try not to do that in the future. Have a nice day.



No worries, all good on my end.


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## JimW (Jul 29, 2019)

I went on an Alaskan cruise back in 2001. It was okay, but I'd rather just stay in one destination and enjoy my time there. Thankfully (for me) my wife gets seasick, so I don't see a cruise in our future.



moosehead said:


> Anyway, if anyone would like to ask us any questions about cruising we would be happy to answer them. Unless of course we don't know.



Do you have your own cabana wear for going on a cruise like Frank Costanza did?


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## Uptosnuff (Jul 29, 2019)

_"We stayed away from the pool is a zoo during the day. "_

Well, shoot.  I had planned on doing a lot of swimming onboard.  I guess I'll have to see how the pool situation shakes out.  I don't want to be in a huge crowd.

_"One of the wonderful things we do, at night, while many people are out dancing and stuff, we would go to the back of the ship, get ourselves coffee and danish, find a table in a quiet location and enjoy our time together....."_

Now that sounds wonderful.  That's the type of stuff I love to do with hubby.


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## CarolfromTX (Aug 8, 2019)

We just returned from an 8 day cruise from Athens to Venice, with a 3 day extension in Tuscany. It was Viking, so there were fewer than 1,000 people on the ship. Pool was never overcrowded, and we never had to wait in line. Food was usually good, sometimes fabulous. There was no casino, which I'm glad about, and the entertainment was fine. Viking was as far removed from that mob scene  above as you can get. Of course, all that is figured into the price, so it didn't come cheap. We cruised last year with our grandkids on Carnival. It was a more like that mob scene above -- nearly 5,000 folks on the ship, long lines, average food. But we spent far less for the five of us than we did for 2 of us on Viking. So you get what you pay for.


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## 911 (Aug 8, 2019)

Yeah, I can hardly wait until my wife makes our plans for our first cruise. I can’t believe that I agreed to go on a cruise. She asked me if I had any ideas. I told her whatever she decides will be fine. I think that I sealed my date.


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## needshave (Sep 1, 2019)

We really enjoy cruising. We normally go every winter (we live in Ohio) and like to depart out of Tampa if Possible. We did depart from the Cape and that was just overcrowded  and uncomfortable. But we have reached a point where we have been to all the planned destinations so this year we are going to Ireland and maybe a shorter cruise. Last year we went to the Panama Canal which was very entertaining and educational. It was of special interest to me, since my father was stationed there during the war.
WE have never had a problem, never know of anyone on our ships to have a problem. The food has always been good and you can eat from the buffet or from the individual restaurants depending upon how you want to dress. The buffet area can get crowded and crowded quickly but you soon get the swing of things and get to know a lot of people. ( both guests and employees) I did have one cruise where English was a difficult language. I asked our house steward about it and the next day we had a person that spoke with us every day to make sure we had everything we needed and ask if we needed anything. The house stewards were friendly and would great us each day in the hall or galley and call us by name. Our berth was very spacious without outside sitting and dinning area. We took advantage of that to watch sunrise and sunsets. As well as use it for private sunning. Meals could be delivered to your room as well, at no charge. A private pool, message, and therapy area was available and the wife will always purchase it. I on the other hand, spent my time in their very well equipped gym.

Always been a pleasant experience for us, we used to buy the alcohol package. But the last two trips we did not, simply because we tried to hard to make sure we got our moneys worth!


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## Kimwhiz (Sep 1, 2019)

moosehead said:


> Being a somewhat experienced cruise person and just having returned from a cruise I have decided to talk about things NOT to do on a cruise:
> 
> First  and foremost....Don't be late getting to the ship. One is unable to catch the next one as there is usually not a next one with YOUR cabin. We know a couple who did miss their departure. They had to fly to the ship's next destination to hook up with their cruise.....Unfortunately for them they flew to the wrong port....They divorced shortly thereafter.
> 
> ...


LOL! I laughed so hard I cried. Do you write much? You are hilarious.


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## Kimwhiz (Sep 1, 2019)

911 said:


> Thanks for the pictures, Holly, I’ll be sure to show them to my wife. Maybe that will cure her of wanting to cruise. I told her to go and take our daughter or one of her friends and I would even pay for it, but she has this thing where I have to go along. I think it comes from watching movies where the man and woman stare at the moon and then romantically kiss.
> 
> I can be romantic, but I just don’t see the need to spend days out on the water looking for land and wishing I was on it. She doesn’t ask for much, so I guess that I will be out buying some cruise-wear one of these days.


That’s sweet that you will go. I don’t want to take trips without my hubby either. He does a lot of stuff because I want to, not because he really wants to.


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## 911 (Sep 1, 2019)

Considering Alaska. I need to find out which cruise lines sail there.


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## StarSong (Sep 1, 2019)

Our experience and to answer some of 911's questions: 

Hubby and I have taken around 15 cruises including a transatlantic (loved it!). A*laska is beyond gorgeous* from the balcony of a cruise ship. 

Other than the first one circa 1990, *we've always smuggled booze aboar*d . Only got caught once. They confiscated my little rum runners. (Drat.) Such is life. No drama, no shaming, no biggie. I've never heard of anyone losing beverages or being punished in any way for being caught bringing alcohol aboard. Not sure what cruise line OP is talking about, but Royal Caribbean doesn't make a big deal out of it.

We've never been big drinkers so we always had to smuggle the booze back through customs when leaving the ship, which is a bit weirder than smuggling it on. 

We probably won't bother with the booze on future cruises because most lines now let you bring on a couple of bottles of wine. We don't drink that much these day anyway, and certainly not enough to justify buying a liquor package. 

*I always get prescription for seasick patches* (transderm scop) as I am highly prone to motion sickness. I cut the patch in half because otherwise the meds are too powerful for me. I put a non-medicated round band-aid on top of it, and otherwise follow the prescription's directions. Been doing that for years. OTC seasick meds and wrist bands are ineffective for me. When cruising we see plenty of folks with the tell-tale round band-aid behind one ear. What you don't want is to get seasick on board and have to visit the doctor for help. $$$

We do plenty of research and don't book cruise excursions through the ship which tend to be very expensive and cookie-cutter. 

*We book balcony rooms or outside rooms* if balconies are sold out. If you have a balcony room you don't need to spend a lot of time on deck by the pool - the view, fresh air, and sound of the waves slapping the side of the ship are heavenly. For the record, I've never witnessed any kind of pool mob scene like the photo on this thread. 

Food - agreed that some folks make absolute pigs of themselves at the buffet line because they have the mindset of "Hey, I paid for this so I'm going to get every dime's worth." Better them than me. *We have had great food* in the dining rooms, the specialty restaurants, and the buffet restaurants. Chefs have been extremely responsive to our requests. It's sometimes difficult to get a premium window table during peak dining time at the buffet restaurant, but we've never been unable to find seating somewhere in the restaurant. 

Cruise ship staffers are friendly, engaging, and eager for guests to have a good time. We've run across very few who are not. 

*Beds are very comfortable.

Yes, there are casinos on board most ships*. Interesting diversion, but not even close to Vegas odds. Figure out how much you're going to play and stick with it.
*
My advice - don't book the cheapest cruise company.  L*ike a lot in life, you get what you pay for.  We're mostly loyal to Royal Caribbean but have cruised Norwegian and Carnival (won't return to that line).   Unless you're cruising top tier lines, all will hawk their wares.  The cheaper the line, the more they hawk.  *
*
Our favorite part of cruising is the days at sea.  Watching the ocean slide by is the most heavenly, relaxing experience.  We've sailed from many ports and have learned to arrive the day before embarkation.


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## 911 (Sep 1, 2019)

Carnival is not even a consideration. We don’t drink, but my wife does like the slots and I may play some Blackjack or Craps. The problem will be keeping busy, which from what I have been told, just the opposite is what cruisers are supposed to do. I have to keep busy. This is why I have been posting a lot. My wife has been out of state going on 2 months now (except for a quick visit back here) and I just don’t have much going on. 

I work p/t in the evidence room, but the rest of my days are boring.


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## Pecos (Sep 1, 2019)

Having been on numerous "cruises" while in the Navy, and several as a civilian vacationer, I can add the following:

Cruise ships don't ride like destroyers and very few people get sea sick, further more cruise ship captains generally have the good sense to go around storms. Navy ships, well they like the challenge, and watching new sailors (and any marines) get seasick brings some kind of joy to the old hands. By the way, I get seasick when it gets rough and it is very unpleasant.

If you like getting a good nights sleep, pay attention to where your cabin is located. Stay away from elevators, the kitchen, the dining room, the main entrances and loading areas as these get noisy when they dock at 4 in the morning and start loading supplies.

On a Navy Carrier stay at least 2 decks below the flight deck so that you don't listen to nighttime flights ops. That catapult makes a lot of noise. Stay away from the engine room, and stay away from the ships hull so that you don't wind up listening to the sonar all night. On destroyers and cruiser, the center of the ship is a smoother ride.

On cruise ships, sign up early for the good day trips, they sell out quick. Make good memories.

Sign up early for early dining as it will go quick and at our age our food needs to settle down before we go to bed. Late dining is pretty late. 

Portholes and windows are nice except when you are going to Alaska. That sun comes up awfully early in the summer months.

Travel as light as you can, but men will probably need one sports coat. Good walking shoes are a must, as is rain gear and a hat.


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## terry123 (Sep 1, 2019)

Many, many years ago my boss treated the management team to a cruise the day after Christmas through New Years day. Had a great time. It was a Carnival cruise line.  Just needed one fancy outfit for a dinner.  Had a great time and pools were not crowded. I am a early riser so I would be enjoying a great early breakfast with other early people.  The only requirement from the boss was that our group have dinner together each night so we could charge it off as an expense.  He would make a business comment, ask me to second it as I was CFO and business was over.  We were on our own to enjoy the rest of the cruise. Had a great time but would not go again unless I could afford a really nice one. Looks like they have changed since I went.  Would not like too many people!


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## terry123 (Sep 1, 2019)

Do sign up early for the trips. Back then there was no problem bringing back a couple of Crown Royal bottles.  Also Have plenty of money for tips on the last day.  Not much of a drinker but Crown is expensive so getting it cheaper was a no brainer. The boss and I were the only ones that drank Crown so it was more expensive than the Jack everybody else brought back.  Two bottles lasted me well over a year.  When you live in a small town with one liquor store you did not buy Crown very often!


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## StarSong (Sep 2, 2019)

terry123 said:


> Many, many years ago my boss treated the management team to a cruise the day after Christmas through New Years day. Had a great time. It was a Carnival cruise line.  Just needed one fancy outfit for a dinner.  Had a great time and pools were not crowded. I am a early riser so I would be enjoying a great early breakfast with other early people.  The only requirement from the boss was that our group have dinner together each night so we could charge it off as an expense.  He would make a business comment, ask me to second it as I was CFO and business was over.  We were on our own to enjoy the rest of the cruise. Had a great time but would not go again unless I could afford a really nice one. Looks like they have changed since I went.  Would not like too many people!


What a wonderful treat!


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## AnnieA (Sep 2, 2019)

StarSong said:


> ...
> *My advice - don't book the cheapest cruise company.  L*ike a lot in life, you get what you pay for.  We're mostly loyal to Royal Caribbean but have cruised Norwegian and Carnival (won't return to that line).   Unless you're cruising top tier lines, all will hawk their wares.  The cheaper the line, the more they hawk.



I've never wanted to go on a cruise on account of being an introvert with mild claustrophobia.   That's until I learned about Viking Ocean Cruises a few years ago.   Viking carries about half the number of passengers on a ship compared to other cruise lines, and all staterooms have a verandah. They go for a serene, informal atmosphere with a focus on history and culture.    Like their River Cruises, the demographic is older.   Their experience sounds sublime, but you do pay well for it!

One of these days I hope to go on one to the Baltic Sea.


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## OneEyedDiva (Sep 8, 2019)

I am laughing so hard right now (ie: ROFLM*O!)   I agree with all your don'ts.  I took my first cruise in July and read up (plus YouTubed) all the do's and don'ts of cruising.  I also checked the port's website to see if I could bring my own bottled water (I don't drink alcohol).  Their warning about bringing liquor aboard was just as you described (well except they didn't say they'd shame ya).  Good, fun tips.


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## OneEyedDiva (Sep 8, 2019)

911 said:


> 1. Where did you depart from and cruise to?
> 2. Any seasickness?
> 3. How’s the sleeping? Beds comfortable? Can you feel the ship moving about?
> 4. Is it worthwhile and cost prudent to get a balcony room or suite?
> ...


My late husband never wanted to cruise but I bet he would have loved it.  I went on my first one July 21st of this year.  I didn't have a problem with seasickness.  I know you didn't ask me the question but it was a cruise to Bermuda, our only port, which was nice as far as I'm concerned. The ship had two formal nights (which they now call "chic" nights.)  So yes, I would suggest taking at least one suit.  We sailed on Celebrity and they had a casino (which I never set foot in) and entertainment in their theater every night.  There was also entertainment on dec


911 said:


> 1. Where did you depart from and cruise to?
> 2. Any seasickness?
> 3. How’s the sleeping? Beds comfortable? Can you feel the ship moving about?
> 4. Is it worthwhile and cost prudent to get a balcony room or suite?
> ...


I'd say you'll need at least one suit.  The ship I was on had two formal (now called "chic") nights.  See my post entitled My First Cruise, posted today.


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## win231 (Sep 8, 2019)

What?  You went on a cruise & there was no food poisoning epidemic & the plumbing worked?


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## jujube (Sep 8, 2019)

My first cruise was in 1967 on the old Queen Elizabeth, one of her last voyages.  My sister and I, two teenagers, were returning from three months of bumming around Europe.   The ship was elegant and shabby, like an old _Grand Dame _down on her luck.

Sailing was a lot different back then.  You stayed in your class (we were in "tourist class", a polite name for "steerage"), there were no discos, belly flop contests (not that anyone would want to flop in the ship's pool, a cold tank in the dank bowels of the ship), no hairy-back competitions, no Broadway productions. 

You could play cards, watch a movie in the small theater or sit on the deck chair wrapped in blankets and try not to be blown overboard.   I think there were classes in flower arranging and napkin folding, but, man, WE WERE TEENAGERS. There was dancing every night in the ballroom, but it wasn't the kind of music we liked.  Usually the band leader would take pity on us and occasionally play something we could dance to.  At 10 p.m., the stabilizers were shut down in order to make better time and the ship started its gentle "roll" back-and-forth.  Couple that with the slick-as-ice dancefloor and the first pair of spike heels I had ever owned (bought in London along with a "mod" mini dress I had splurged on at Carnaby Street and it was a wonder I didn't get off the ship in New York with my leg in a cast.

One thing I really had fun doing was racing down the Grand Staircase just as the ship was falling into a trough (we had rough seas for a couple of days).  I'd feel weightless for a couple of seconds.  Of course, I was scolded for it...…..politely.

The teens and young adults banded together for company. Mostly we sat in a bar and drank. Beer was a nickel and cocktails were 25 cents.  I had my first, second and third cocktails the first night, followed by my first hangover the next morning.  A heady life for this grungy backpacker.  I think 16 was the drinking age on the ship.  My sister, being only 14, had to find a younger crowd.  They still hung out in the bar, but the bartender would only serve them lemonade and sodas.

Food was "strange" to an American teen (I mean, what teen back then or now for that matter wants to face down a bowl of pickled herrings on a bed of chopped onions at 7 a.m.?) and kedgeree, while delicious, sounds like something that got dredged up with the anchor.  We found the food mostly boring....mushy peas and mystery meat dishes. 

Ship's personnel were mostly British, Welsh, Scots and Irish. Veddy, veddy polite and formal.  No towel animals.  No dancing on the tables.  No parades through the dining room waving flags and singing.

It was a good 20 years before I cruised again.  Boy, had things changed.


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