What to expect on your first day on a cruise

Question

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Answer 1

On check in day, you will stand in a few lines at the terminal.  Length of time to board can be anywhere from 15-90 minutes depending on how efficient the people at the terminal are.  Expect alot of photographers running around when you are boarding the ship.  When you get on board, your room may or may not be ready.  If it isn't ready when you get on, it will be soon.  Your luggage will arrive sometime in the afternoon / early evening. 1st night dining is casual since some people won't have time to unpack before dinner.  The buffet will be open when you board or it will be open shorly after you board. The pools may or may not be opened.  There will be something going on on the lido deck. There will be a muster drill around the time you are departing.  It will last 30-45 minutes. The first night also has a welcome aboard show which is usually a song / dance / comedy type of show. Also on the first day, you may want to check your dining seating and make changes if needed.  You may also want to make reservations to the optional dining room. The casino and shops will open when the ship leaves US waters.

Answer 2

You will leave your luggage with the porters and go inside and sign in. It doesn't take long. Then you go to your cabin or go to the dining room and have something to eat. Your luggage will be delivered to your  door and you can unpack. They will have a lifeboat drill the first day. After that you are free to enjoy any of the amenities of the ship.  

Answer 3

Establishing a purse account, safety courses, reserving off ship outings, sometimes there is disembark festivities.

Answer 4

All the paperwork will be handled before you board.  If you pre-register on the Cruise Lines website, and give them all your information ahead of time, it is usually a pretty painless process.  You will then board the ship, and go to your cabin, or hang out somewhere until your cabin is ready (depends on the Line, different ones do it differently).  There will be a buffet going on, and probably some music by the pool.

Depending on what time you are scheduled to leave, you will have a lifeboat drill either immediately before, or immediately after you leave the dock.  Again, depending on what time you are leaving, but usually after the muster drill you will have a bit of time to explore the ship and unpack before dinner, and from then on it's pretty much up to you - shows, clubs, casinos, shopping, whatever. WOO HOO