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Cruise Tips?!

MandaKay

MandaKay

Loyal as they come.
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So, in a little less than two weeks I am going on my first ever cruise. We won the trip thru my husband's work and we are going with another couple! I am beyond excited! We are going on a Royal Carribbean cruise - going to Haiti, Jamaica, and Cozumel. So I am wondering if you have any tips for me - as I have NO CLUE what to bring, what to do, etc...!!! Thanks in advance - hope we have some cruisers in here! Oh - by the way - we will be on the Allure of the Seas ship if that helps!
 
We LOVED our cruise!! It's different for everyone, but we loved the formal dinners and never did go to any of the extra restaurants. Personally, I'd be a little leery of Jamaica, and possibly Haiti, mainly because I've never heard good things about either one. So I would be careful being off the boat there.

We did a 7 day cruise, and 2 nights were formal - evening gown and tux formal, which was fun. Other than that the other nights were just more dressing up for a very nice restaurant. You might want to take motion sickness pills depending on how you are. John doesn't get motion sick at all, but we had one night that even he was a little queasy because of the weather. I can't think of anything else that we took specific to the cruise. It was just like a beach vacation.

Have FUN! I want to do another cruise!!
 
I have read very similar things about Jamaica and Haiti - although the port and area of Haiti is owned by Royal Carribbean, so I think in that aspect the part we will be on will be safe, but I think we will only do an excursion in Cozumel. I think we would have liked Eastern Carribbean better, but we were limited on options since we just booked a little over two weeks ago - so one month in advance. It will be nice to stay on the ship even on those days and enjoy the little bit quieter atmosphere as others are off and about! I am excited for the formal nights as well - just got my two dresses!!! What girl doesn't like to get dressed up, right?! I think we will pack motion sickness pills just in case - good tip - I don't think either of us tend to get sick like that, but you never know! Glad to hear you loved your cruise experience! Any tips on WI-FI on board?!
 
When we went, I didn't have a laptop, or scrap, or anything like that, so I don't know if they even had wi-fi! LOL! It was about 9 years ago. In hindsight, we would have spent more time on the ship too -- I was just so geared up about getting off at each port, the only opportunity we had to stay on the ship was our one day at sea. So that's one thing I would do differently. We did eastern Caribbean, and while I loved some ports, others were just ok.
 
I have only been on one cruise and it was about nine years ago too, but i LOVED it. In general, I am a 'plan every minute, see everything' type of traveler and I have always told everyone that a cruise is the best vacation, because you are 'trapped' on a boat and can't go anywhere. I went with my best friend a few months before I got married and we had the best time. We had great food...we loved how our servers had these little crumb sweeper things and he would be discreetly cleaning our table while he talked to us and it was like the crumbs magically disappeared! :)

We went to Cozumel and I was kind of 'eh' about the excursion, but it was still fun to get out a little. One thing we did was took a deck of cards and any time we had spare time, we would sit down and continue our continual Rummy game--which was fun.

And I have no idea about Wi-fi either.
 
I will not be taking my computer, but I thought even for my ipod touch and just to check in with the kids on facetime would be nice, and the ship says it has wifi, but I think we will have to pay an arm and a leg for it - nothing is spelled out real well for that issue on the website I don't feel. I am actually looking forward to disconnecting digitally for a week, but have to have some contact with my kids!

I think we are going to do a snorkeling excursion in Cozumel - it's a snorkel/beach club day, but that will be our only excursion, otherwise we pretty much plan on being on the boat and there is SOOOO much to do on there!!!
 
We have done three cruises, Alaska, Hawaii and New Zealand to Australia. I am not sure about wi-fi in port areas, but the internet on board is very expensive.
Depending on where you are tours can be best booked through the cruise company's or best done on your own. For Haiti and Jamaca, I would say go through the cruise company. Take one nice evening dress for the formal night, get involved and have a great time, would be my tips.
 
What great cruise locations Amanda!!! Thanks for the tips - I am most excited for the formal nights!!!
 
we leave for our 2nd trip to cozumel in 38 days :D
we love to cruise. i don't really have anything to add but i definitely suggest getting involved. we thought stuff was cheesy, but omgosh we had SO much fun.
 
We went on our first cruise this past October. It was a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas. My advice: SEA BANDS. Get them before you leave, they are totally worth it and help tremendously with sea-sickness. Also, don't overpack, although I know that's hard. I didn't take a laptop or computer with us, so I spent months stocking up on memory cards for my camera so that I could take plenty of pictures without running out of room. Also, take a small notebook to use as a journal, and just jot down what you did each day, what you ate and where so that you'll have a record of that.
 
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