Your First Cruise Is Rarely Your Last Cruise
By Harriet Elder, agent at Latitudes Cruise and Travel
Your first day at sea can be as busy or as laid back as you wish. “Sleeping In”
is a true luxury for most cruisers during “at-sea” days. For the type A
Personality it is all about getting prepared for your first day at port.
Most cruise lines do a good job of preparing you for port. There are lectures, some give historical information and tips on shore excursions. On some cruises the excursions can be sold out weeks prior to sailing so if you have your heart set on going to a particular excursion you should check with your travel
Agent or look on your cruise line’s website for the necessary information before you cruise.
If you choose the “Sleep In” approach you can watch all of the taped lectures via your cabin TV. These shows have videos of all the excursions at the ports you will visit so they are very helpful. The number of at-sea days depends on the itinerary. On a four day cruise there may be only one at-sea day. A 10-day cruise you may have two or three at-sea days. Just check your itinerary at-sea days they are usually the dressy nights.
The first adventure that is required of all cruisers will be the safety drill. The safety drill is mandated by the Coast Guard. Coast Guard drills are very important and this is not one of the meetings you should miss. The Coast
Guard requires missed meetings to be made up. In an emergency, the electronic alarm sounds in your room; and no matter what time day or night, you must proceed to the muster station with your life jacket, warm clothes and good prescription medicines.
The crew is meticulous to see that everyone has a place on the life boats.
You will be instructed to go to your muster station. A map of your muster station is usually found on the back of your cabin door. You must take your life jacket put it on and please tie the ties so no one steps on them, that is an unpleasant surprise.
The evening before you reach your first port, there will be a newsletter of the
next day’s activities. Keep this because there usually is a map of the next day’s port. Also, there may be an activity you just don’t want to miss.
The next day your ship will dock directly at portside. If your ship is anchored away from a dock you will be taken to shore via the “tender boats”.
These small boats are enclosed motorboats that seat from eight to twenty passengers. When you leave the ship your electronic card will be swiped. This card serves as your ID for getting on and off the ship, provides your seating information at dinner, serves as your hotel key and sets up your on board expense account.
When your card is swiped the ship’s security knows when you have left the ship and when you return. That is a good thing! There is a plethora of activities to do. The ship’s Casino, the children’s activities with four different groups of ages are available for families to take advantage of, souvenir shops,
on board games, snacks, movies, T.V., art auctions, pools and water parks, basketball, even skating or bowling, all kinds of demonstrations and the fabulous shows in the lounges and auditorium. There’s never a dull moment on board a cruise ship. There are so many things to do that I hesitate to try to make a complete list for fear I will forget something really fun to do.
Then there is dinner! Many of the larger and newer ships have specialty restaurants that are comparable to 5 star land restaurants. You can dine in the traditional Dining room at specified times, you may wish to dine in the more casual buffet or try the anytime dining so you can dine at a different table every night. It is very easy to gain a few pounds unless you visit the gym and the spa or you can always take the stairs instead of the elevators every where you go. On a cruise there is something for everyone.
By Harriet Elder, agent at Latitudes Cruise and Travel
Your first day at sea can be as busy or as laid back as you wish. “Sleeping In”
is a true luxury for most cruisers during “at-sea” days. For the type A
Personality it is all about getting prepared for your first day at port.
Most cruise lines do a good job of preparing you for port. There are lectures, some give historical information and tips on shore excursions. On some cruises the excursions can be sold out weeks prior to sailing so if you have your heart set on going to a particular excursion you should check with your travel
Agent or look on your cruise line’s website for the necessary information before you cruise.
If you choose the “Sleep In” approach you can watch all of the taped lectures via your cabin TV. These shows have videos of all the excursions at the ports you will visit so they are very helpful. The number of at-sea days depends on the itinerary. On a four day cruise there may be only one at-sea day. A 10-day cruise you may have two or three at-sea days. Just check your itinerary at-sea days they are usually the dressy nights.
The first adventure that is required of all cruisers will be the safety drill. The safety drill is mandated by the Coast Guard. Coast Guard drills are very important and this is not one of the meetings you should miss. The Coast
Guard requires missed meetings to be made up. In an emergency, the electronic alarm sounds in your room; and no matter what time day or night, you must proceed to the muster station with your life jacket, warm clothes and good prescription medicines.
The crew is meticulous to see that everyone has a place on the life boats.
You will be instructed to go to your muster station. A map of your muster station is usually found on the back of your cabin door. You must take your life jacket put it on and please tie the ties so no one steps on them, that is an unpleasant surprise.
The evening before you reach your first port, there will be a newsletter of the
next day’s activities. Keep this because there usually is a map of the next day’s port. Also, there may be an activity you just don’t want to miss.
The next day your ship will dock directly at portside. If your ship is anchored away from a dock you will be taken to shore via the “tender boats”.
These small boats are enclosed motorboats that seat from eight to twenty passengers. When you leave the ship your electronic card will be swiped. This card serves as your ID for getting on and off the ship, provides your seating information at dinner, serves as your hotel key and sets up your on board expense account.
When your card is swiped the ship’s security knows when you have left the ship and when you return. That is a good thing! There is a plethora of activities to do. The ship’s Casino, the children’s activities with four different groups of ages are available for families to take advantage of, souvenir shops,
on board games, snacks, movies, T.V., art auctions, pools and water parks, basketball, even skating or bowling, all kinds of demonstrations and the fabulous shows in the lounges and auditorium. There’s never a dull moment on board a cruise ship. There are so many things to do that I hesitate to try to make a complete list for fear I will forget something really fun to do.
Then there is dinner! Many of the larger and newer ships have specialty restaurants that are comparable to 5 star land restaurants. You can dine in the traditional Dining room at specified times, you may wish to dine in the more casual buffet or try the anytime dining so you can dine at a different table every night. It is very easy to gain a few pounds unless you visit the gym and the spa or you can always take the stairs instead of the elevators every where you go. On a cruise there is something for everyone.
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