What do you do on a cruise as Ive never been on one?

Question

*sigh*...we dont simply wish to eat and drink (I actually dont drink alcohol).

We actually want to enjoy it and we want to do sightseeing in the port cities.

Answer 1

I just took my first cruise and a 7-Day is probably good for a first timer. You might push it to 10, but I don't think I would do more then that the first time.

I received a event guide for all the happening on the ship each night before I went to bed. There is a lot to do all the time so it is hard to put it into words.

There is a lot of eating; I mean a lot. The formal night or nights are basically a suite for men and a nice dress for women. There will be those that have the tuxes, but it isn't necessary.

The service is excellent. Tipping is done at the end of the cruise. The cruise line should have a chart as to what to tip. I believe for us it was $150 per person in a cabin. That is given to several individuals. Your room Stuart, your server and assistant, and the Matre-de.

We had a blast in Alaska. My friends wife get seasick and she felt a little woozy, but was fine once we got her to actually put the path on.

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!

@>--->-----------

Answer 2

Since this is your first cruise, I'd encourage you to check out the CruiseSavvy guide to cruises.  It has sections for a lot of your questions ...

Introduction to Cruises describes what it's really like onboard, what costs are included/not included, and the FAQ has info on cell phones for each of the major carriers.

http://www.cruisesavvy.com/savvyguide/in...

To pick the right line for you, I'd encourage you to read Choosing Your Cruise, which discusses how cruises are different based on different  criteria -- including formal dress code, cost, nightlife, etc.

http://www.cruisesavvy.com/savvyguide/ch...

You should also check out Buying a Cruise which explains a bit about buying online vs. over the phone vs. in person, including when to book and tips on getting the best deal:

http://www.cruisesavvy.com/savvyguide/bu...

To answer your question about ports, for the time the ship is in port, you can do as you please. Lots of people go on tours, though.  You can get one organized by the cruise line, which is really convenient but more expensive than going around on your own.

Regarding Paris specifically, unless you're on a river boat cruise, it's unlikely a cruise would go there -- it's pretty far inland.  A ship MIGHT dock at the closest port and bus people in, but that would cut into your sightseeing time.

Formal dress depends on the cruise line.  On higher-end lines like Holland America Line and Celebrity, men must wear tuxedos or dark suits ... not quite Titanic style, but close.  =) Other lines (Carnival, RCI) are less strict.  If you can tell us which line, I could go into more detail, or read the article I mentioned above.

Hope that helps.  Feel free to contact me through my Yahoo profile if you have other questions.

All the best,

PJ

Answer 3

all you do is eat. :]

Answer 4

Any respected and trusted travel agency has all this information on their flyers or at their office when you go buy the tickets.

Have fun!

Answer 5

eat drink and gamble, that's about it

Answer 6

i'm a first time  cruiser too, going in may, so i don't really know. but i do know that my cruise has like a whole computer room with free internet and phones.

Answer 7

i dont know, but i here its loads of fun. like theres a dance room for clubbing at night, activities for teens and children for the day, a pool and some other stuff. but i would like to go on one myself, just to see what it is like.

Answer 8

my cruise went to tropical places like mexico, grand cayman etc. and when we got dropped off at the ports, you would be stuck in the most tourist-y parts and kind of have to fend for yourself. book any of the fun excursions that you can with your cruise line so that you aren't stuck wandering around for the time you're there.

as for the formal dinner/captain's dinner, people get pretty dressy. like prom dress dressy. dresses of any kind are appropriate for that.

my cell phone did not work, as you're out on the ocean, far from any cell phone towers.

have fun :))

Answer 9

I would book with the a travel agent - just my personal experience.

"Ive seen some of the iteneries and most of them say like "Lisbon, Portual: arrive 7am, depart 10pm"."

Before you go, you get a book that has all of the excursions listed that you could go on in each port. (Guided tours, etc.) or you can wing it in each port and wander around.

"And what about on the ship?"

Formal night is when you get dressed up and have a fancy dinner.

On board there is a ton to do! When talking to the travel agent tell them what your interests are. If you like to eat elegant food, like to dress casual, want to have a cruise that is jam packed with events or if you want to just hang out and relax.

"And if we go for a long period i.e. 2 weeks what source of communication would we have say with our families, work etc.?"

Most ships do have an emrgency phone number where people can contact you, but it is VERY expensive. There is also usually a few computers on board so that you can catch up with email, but they'll charge you an hourly rate. Usually your cell phones won't work once you pass the US international bordes, again the travel agent will be able to give you accurate information.

Most of all - have a great time!

Answer 10

I went on my first cruise last year and I suggest you go on the Internet to find out about the places you are calling at, that way you can find what trips to book and the places you can make your own way round.

The only night you need to really dress up is Captains night, but if you don`t want to be introduced to him or eat in the main restaurant then that is fine, otherwise smart casual is fine.

I could not use my phone whilst we were at sea but could once we had docked, and they all have Internet rooms now.

  Hope you enjoy your cruise as much as I did?

Answer 11

There is plenty to do on ship!  Your biggest problem will be deciding how to fit it all in.  On most ships you can swim, rock climb, gamble, dance; there is a full service spa, beauty salon, gym; you can shop, watch broadway-style revues, listen to music, play board games, attend seminars, watch movies.  There is a lot to do and it's all fun.  The best are probably the entertainment acts in the evening.

Ports - you don't really have enough time to see most of the city, but you can get in a few main attractions.  Skip museums and other time-absorbing attractions.  Give yourself more than enough time to get back to the ship - 10pm means you leave wherever you are at 8:30 and get back to the ship no later than 9:30 or they WILL leave you.

Formal evening dress does not mean Titanic or prom.  It means a suit for men and a cocktail dress for women.  

Your phones won't work at sea, and you'll face international charges while abroad.  Calls made from ship phones at sea are tremendously expensive, so it's better to get an international phone card and use a land line while at port.

Email and internet is available on ship, and it by far the most affordable and practical way to communicate.  You'll find you don't really need it much though - just a quick update every few days.

Answer 12

there are too many fun things to do on a cruise im not sure its possible to fit it all in this yahoo answers box. :-) but ill try to answer each question as best i can. What your assuming about each port of call is almost correct. there are times that you are able to leave the boat and times when you absolutely need to be back on. on my most recent cruise a women lost track of time at mexico and missed to boat. she had to pay at her own expense to arrange a flight to meet the boat at the next port. so always make sure to be back on the boat by the designated time the ship is leaving the port. there are numerous excursions that you can book either through a company of the port you will be going to or through the cruise line itself to take up most of the day at the port but otherwise youre free to roam. shopping on my cruise was the highlight of the vacation. in all of the southern caribbean islands its so easy to make a deal with the sellers because when it comes down to it all they want is your money. For a european cruise i suggest having a map of each port and having a planned out route of where you will be going once you get off of the boat. you also may want to research any activities or great shoping spots at each port. on the ship for formal evenings it is up to you how dressed up you would like to get but you have to comply with the ships dress codes for that evening. on royal caribbean there was so many picture opportunities on the formal nights. Not only were there photo ops during the fancy pansy days but there were so many photo ops throughout the cruise. so if you forget the camera (which i stongly advise against :-) it wont be a total disaster. cell phones are usually not the way to go if you want to communicate with family back at home seeing it as that you need to buy an international calling card which i do not know too many deatails about. but the ships usually have calling rates at aroun 7-8 US dollars a minute to call from your room to home. so i suggest you say goodbyes before you leave and bring the address book for post cards because the amount of money that can rack up from that call from the room may become enormous. so if you do need to have constant communication i would loook into the international calling card. and most ships do have internet cafes also for a price that may range between each cruise line. I hope this information helped in planning yur vacation. all in all a cruise is a great way to spend some time off and relax. i love cruising and i hope you will too! good luck!

Answer 13

There'll be tours you can take from the harbour - they'll know exactly what time the ships are in dock - also, there'll be information on board as to what type of activity you could do in the time available.

Formal evening dress means suits and evening type dresses/trousers/ - not casual wear - 'dressing up' clothes.

Yes you can use your cell phone if you contact your provider before you go.

Internet will probably be available.

Have a good one :-)

Answer 14

Eat and drink and try not to fall overboard

Answer 15

I have been on exactly one cruise in my lifetime, so I'm not exactly the best source. (It was a Carnival cruise to Mexico)

But going on what I experienced on that cruise, you are free to wander around Lisbon (to go by your example) but will probably also be some guided tours provided for a fee.

They did have internet on the ship, but as I recall you did have to pay an hourly fee to use it.

I hope that helps.

Answer 16

Before you leave for your cruise you will recieve an excursion brochure which will lists sites, length & price. However due to weather & how you feel I would wait until you are in port to book them. They sell them on the dock. As for formal wearing; it is suggested. You do not have to get all dressed up unless you want to. Cell phones you can check with your carrier but they may be roaming charges. Phones on the ship are very expensive. I used one for Alaska to New York for 3 minutes & it costs around $75.00. There is internet service but that too is costly. Your best bet is wait until you are in port and before you leave home buy card cards that work internationally. I have been on 22 cruises and learned alot after the first one. You will find many things to do on the ship. Each day you will recieve a newsletter listing everything going on for that day. You should have a great cruise that you and your friends will always remember. Buy souveniers in port and save money. Take a good camera with you.

ENJOY.

Answer 17

Book through a travel agent- they have been to most of the itineraries and can give good advice.  formal dinner means formal. Wear your prettiest dress and be prepared for an amazing meal. Cell phones often work on ships and they all have internet cafes, but they are a bit expensive and charge you by the minute. Do your homework in advance and know what you want to see ashore (travel agent is good resource for this, too). Be back on the ship at least one hour before it sails.  Have a wonderful time- I envy you!

Answer 18

i got real drunk...i mean real drunk. the captain even asked me if i was "ok" when i got off the boat. i was like "wtf. how do you know what i was doing?!?" lol

Answer 19

The main thing to do is eat to be honest. :-( Depending on the cruise line the food with either be mediocre or really good.

Drinks almost always costs money. The phones on the ship are super expensive and if you bring a cell phone and dial out it will use the ships tower which costs alot of money also.

Most ships have internet available for a reasonable price so that should be your main mode of communication with family if you don't want to pay 20 dollars for a 3 minute call. :P

Oh.. as far as dress.. that depends on the cruise line. The more expensive the line the better dressed you will need to be.