First cruise - any suggestions?

Question

my husband and i are taking our honeymoon on our 1 yr anniv - we are leaving from new york on the norweigan dawn freestyle and it will port in bermuda for 3 days its a 7 day total cruise - any do's and dont's?

this is our first time - and we want to make it awesome!

Answer 1

Go to CruiseCritic.com, click on "Boards", then go to "Norwegian Cruise Lines" and look for info on the Dawn.  You can also look at "Reviews" [especially "Member Reviews"].

You might especially be interested in "First Time Cruisers", "Ports of Call" and "Money-Saving Tips".

You're likely to see a wide range of opinions on NCL - some people love it, others don't.  But everyone has different criteria and since it's your first cruise, I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Have fun - and, congratulations!

Answer 2

I have been to Bermuda twice by cruise ship so I will give you some information at Bermuda. I have also cruised on Norwegian many times so I'll give you some information about the cruise and things you may want to consider when you pack.

In my two visit to Bermuda it seemed to me that the majority of the people visiting the island were those on the two or three cruise ships which docked there during my stay. There are a few hotels in the town of Hamilton and about a dozen other properties/beach hotels, but they are nice. There are NO slums and ghettos in Bermuda like you may see on other islands like the Caribbean. It's a very safe island to travel around, even on the buses. All of the houses are well maintained and painted in pastel colors. All of the public beaches are great. Be sure to go to Elbow Beach and Long Bay Beach. When you cruise there its less expensive than flying and staying in a hotel because, you stay and eat on the ship. We ate on ship and that was good because meals (and everything else) are expensive since everything has to be imported. In fact Bermuda is an expensive place for about everything.

There is not a lot to do in Bermuda other than water sports and golf. There are two main towns Hamilton, the largest (where most cruise ships dock for at least a day) and St George (also a port stop) which is like a small town.

St George is like a small new England town with a small town square and a few shops. But it has bus service that will take you anywhere on the island, and since the island is pretty small (about 22 miles long) it only takes a few minutes to go other places. You can visit one of the many forts on the island like Fort St Catherine , its walking distance from St George also. If you want to the beach from St George you have several options within walking distance of St George and if you want to snorkel, the Tobacco Bay Beach near the town of St George is great, and its walking distance (about 3/4 mile from town).

The third place ships may dock while there is The Kings Dockyard.. The Dockyard is on the far end of the 22 mile long island and has a small mall with shops and a museum. It also has a new attraction called Snorkel Park Beach. The Crystal Cave and Fantasy Caves are worth visiting as a tour, or on your own. I also visited one of the lighthouses.

In the town of Hamilton we took a walking tour from our ship which took us to the Cathedral of the Most Holy, a maritime museum and a nice garden/park a few blocks from the port. There is shopping in Hamilton and restaurants, but not much else.

The best way to get around in Bermuda is to buy a transportation pass (sold in stores and the bus station) which will let you take the buses, and the ferry, all over the island. We bought our bus pass at a store in St George, near where the ship docked. There is a big bus depot just a couple blocks from where ships dock in the town of Hamilton. You can take the buses to the beach, they are not very far away and easy to get to from the bus stop. You want to go to Elbow Beach and Long Bay Beach, both open to the public. You can rent a scooter but remember that they drive on the opposite side of the road so unless you are used to that it can be dangerous, especially in turns and circles.

I have been on many NCL cruises since they started the freestyle cruising. It basically means that you do not have a set dinner time, table or waiter. You just go to dinner any time you want after about 5:030 to 6:00 PM. They will seat people as they arrive and most times ask if you care to share table. Some days you may have to stand in line awaiting a table and or seating. You can also reserve a table for your party in advance in the main dining room. We found that your could only do this for two days at a time. Since its your honeymoon you may want a table for two each night and the best way to get one is reserve it and/or go to dinner as soon as the main dining room opens.

If you decide to eat in the alternative dinner restaurants you must make reservations in advance and there will be a fee of between $10 and $25 per person for each visit. The daily cruise news that you receive in your cabin each evening will list all of the specialty restaurants and the fee to eat there if there is one. We usually skip these specialty places and just eat in the main dining room; its always good and there is plenty of variety.

I am not sure which ship you will cruise on but all NCL ships have pools, hot tubs and gym, plus a walking/jogging track. There will also be a game room with games provided and internet access for a fee.

The price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals (including breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks and free room service)(you do pay to eat in the specialty restaurants), all shows and entertainment, and free use of all facilities on ship. The things that you will have to pay for are:

GRATUITIES: They will amount to about $10 per person in your cabin per day; about $70 each for a 7 day cruise. When you check in at the pier they will set up an on-board charge account for you to cover any and everything you may buy on ship. They will issue you a "cruise card" which will also serve as your room key and pass to get on and off the ship.

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND SOFT DRINKS: Coffee, tea, milk, juice, and lemonade and punch will be provided free but you must pay for soft drinks  and alcoholic beverages and they will add a 15% gratuity to each drink and soft drink order.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Cruise lines will take plenty of photographs of you all over the ship, in the dining room, and as you exit the ship in ports. These will cost a lot, like $15 to $20 for most.

TOURS/EXCURSIONS: You are not required to book any tours and can get off and on in the ports as much as you want. But the cruise line will offer a lot of tours and these are expensive.

Always pack your passport and cruise documents in your carry on bag ONLY.

The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM, so take:

-swim wear (at least 2),

-shorts, tank tops and "T's"

-sandals,

-beach shoes,

-your snorkel equipment if you have it,

-sun glasses and sun screen,

-lotions,

-a cap or big hat for the sun,

-a book if you are a reader,

-your music player,

-sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym,

-good walking shoes,

-your camera, and

-other personal toiletries including tooth paste, mouth wash or lotions.

Your cabin will have towels and soap provided, including pool and beach towels, and a hair dryer. It will also have a generic hair shampoo so you do not need to bring that unless you like a specific brand.

After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports or resort casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, (like a bank employee), shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc. Don't over pack , take clothes that you can mix and match tops and bottoms and plan to wear each piece twice.  You will likely be in shorts and/or swim wear most of every day so evening clothes don't usually get much wear.

Your cruise will have a formal night or two when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. You will not be denied entry to the main dining room if you decide not to dress up, as long as you are at least sports casual. But most people do dress up. A gown or party dress for women and a suit or tux for men. Some people dress up both formal nights, some don't.

- Its best to pack using soft-sided luggage because with space limited in your cabin it fits under the beds better if its not hard sided luggage.

- Pack using the vacuum clothing bags (about $20 for 3 at Target) so that you can get more in your bag AND so that if the TSA at the airport opens your bag they can see what's inside without rummaging through your things.

-Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about 2:00 AM so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and your clothes that you sleep in.

- If you are taking your cell phone, MP3 player or other item that needs to be plugged in take an extension cord as the plugs in the cabin are generally not in the best places and there are usually only one or two.

- Take a small bottle of hand sanitizer and/or hand-wipes. There are generally sanitizer dispensers at the entrances of restaurants, the buffets and dining room, but some times the are not there or not working. The sanitizer helps prevent the spread of the Norwalk Virus that sometimes occur on cruise ships.

-If you plan to get into the pools or hot tub as soon as you get on ship (they will be open), bring those clothes in your carry on bag; you other luggage may not get to your cabin until much later in the afternoon.

- Take a can of air freshener for your cabin bathroom. The bathrooms do not have exhaust fans.

- Take a few zip lock bags of various sizes; they allways come in handy.

Answer 3

The only thing I don't like about cruises are getting on and off. Finally I started booking flights and travel to and from the ship. Try to get to the ship approx 2 hours before you sail and try to stay 1 extra night in a hotel when you get off of the ship. these are the two times when people are rushing to be somewhere.

Our last cruise (we've been on 12) we got up late on the last day, went into eat just before they closed, sat around and talked until there was only 50 to 60 people left on board. We finally walked off, the crowds were gone, customs was starting to relax, taxi's were plentifull, and the hotel was a nice transition back to real life. The next day the trip to the airport was at our pace, and the flight was calm.

The problem with cruiseing is adjusting to real life. take an extra day, both before and after. It will make it much more relaxing.

Answer 4

I went on a cruise to Bermuda for 7 days with Royal Caribbean. So here is the basic information you need to know:

-plan what you are going to do in Bermuda before you get there

-everything is really expensive in Bermuda, so bring extra money for souvenirs & stuff

-make sure you pack enough clothes & bathing suits

-go to the shows & dances at night...they are so much fun!

-eat on the ship, not in Bermuda

-bring a digital camera, there are so many cool things to take pictures of

-watch out for buses!!!! This is really important. When I was in Bermuda I saw sombody get hit really hard because the bus drivers don't pay attention.)

-if you want to buy anything on the ship, wait until the last day(thats when everything goes on clearance.)

-if you like seafood (like shrimp and/or lobster), if u see it on the menu at dinner get it because they only have it like twice.

-don't  forget sea sickness medicine

-don't make phone calls on the ship or in Bermuda unless you plan on spending a lot(same for the internet)

This is basically all u need to know. So have fun & next time try Royal Caribbean or Carnival!

Answer 5

If you desire spa treatments schedule them for times when the ship is in port.  You will have the place almost to yourself.  

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Answer 6

When my now hubby and I went on our first cruise, we stayed up as late as we could and got up as early as we could to get as much in as possible!! We did a few excursions, but we stayed on our on for the most part. They will always have shows and stuff on the ship, but we didn't go to many because we wanted to stay outside as much as we could to enjoy the weather. Do keep track of your cocktails if you are on a budget - they add up very quickly!  Do take advantage of the pool during the days you are at sea.  Do read the daily bulletin they bring to your room to see if there is anything exciting you want to try that day. Have a great time!!! you'll totally enjoy it!!