what to expect on a cruise?

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So,I'm going on my first cruise and I am very! excited. Its four days and im going to key west and cozmuel. As far as what to expect im not really sure. Form first hand experience whats it all like? regarding breakfasts and dinners. Whats free and what you have to pay for. Possibly things like spas and swimming pools?



How's motion sickness?

Comments

  1. charlie says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    okay well first off it is really big when u first walk up to a ship u feel so small but then when you leave you are really nervous and you are almost freaking out but then you get to going and doing stuff and it is absolutely sooooooooo much fun i loved it! but it was my first time and it was amazing the feeling of being adventurouse and being around people that are sooooo laid back and there is something for everyone to do on the ship and idid i mention it is just amzing oh and motion sickness only if you have a really really weka stomach or you think about it to hard which is what id did and i got slightly nauseated but you should be fine becuz the ships are so big that you dont even realize that you are on the ocean except for the fact that you look out the window and instead of seeing building there is nothing but a beautiful ocean so just dont think to hard about it and just relax and the time you spend on the cruise will just seem like a really really awesome dream that you wont ever forget

  2. Maddiiiee ♥x says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    being pampered you will LOVE it ;) x♥

  3. Shelley says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    Expect a show every night either before or after dinner(your choice). The best food. You have to pay for everything like spas, alcohol drinks. For sodas they give you a coke card. Which, I think is $20.00. You can get as many sodas as you like with this card. I was pregnant when I was on a cruise. I had no problem with motion sickness. Everyone is different though. The waiters entertain you as well before dinner.

  4. Captain Obvious says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    A lot of water, a giant boat, waves, that sort of thing.

  5. blizzake1979 says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    Congrats on going on your 1st cruise! It’s definitely a blast and you will have fun. It’s kind of hard to answer the question when I’m not sure which cruise line or travel package you chose. Most cruise ships will feed you 24 hours a day. Expect to gain weight. lol Spas usually cost money, but the swimming pools are free to swim in. When my wife and I went a little over a year ago, we found that there is TOO much to do on the ship. You’ll never be able to do it all! Everything is awesome. The ship is so big that you won’t feel any motion hardly at all. Unless the water is rough. If you have a choice, get a lower cabin. You’ll thank me when you get back because you don’t feel as much rocking back and forth. Good luck and have a great time!

  6. MartinD28user says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    i great experience but mainly filled with couples , family and old people, very relxing,, fun can games at night. swimming pools, saunas, shops, resturant, and just a very nice getaway relaxing holiday,, you will stop off at certain places too where you can get off and shop or look around, or you can stay on the cruise upto you… karaoke, bars casinos…

    cruises are amazing. you will not feel board, its not like being stuck in a hotel because you have abosolutely everything u need on the cruise and service is great have fun xx

  7. Melanie Goob says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    All your meals (breakfast lunch & dinner) are included in the price of the cruise. There are various restaurants open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are free to you onboard, check with the cruise line which ones. They serve four-course gourmet dinners every night. BE CAREFUL you don’t eat too much!!! lol But keep in mind soda and alcohol do cost money. You can get a soda card to get unlimited sodas, and most cruise lines have drink specials, too. There will be "specialty" restaurants that do charge small amounts (like for sushi) but they are totally optional, up to you, and the regular restaurants have great food. There is also a Buffet on board that is probably open 24 hours, and room service is probably free, too (with a limited menu).

    Pretty much everything onboard is free for entertainment. There are concerts and dancing and comedians and games. (If you want to get a good seat, especially for the comedy shows, make sure you get there early!) The only thing extra would be if you want to spend money at the casino, in the boutiques on board, or in the spa for massages or beauty treatments or whatever.

    The shows in the evening, the pools, the games and events onboard, they’re all free. A lot of people ask me if it costs anything to leave the ship in the ports you visit, and of course it is free! However I highly recommend booking shore excursions in those ports. The cruise line makes sure they are excellent tour providers, reasonably priced, and most important they get you back to the ship on time. I did a Nature Kayak tour in the keys and a Bike & Snorkel tour in Cozumel- both were amazing!!!

    As far as motion sickness, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem because most cruise ships are HUGE and the bigger the ship the smoother the ride. They also have stabilizers to keep you steady. If you do have a sensitive stomach, I recommend booking a cabin mid ship or towards the back. Avoid the front! That’s where the motion is strongest.

    Have a great time, hope this helps!

  8. Mary says:
    January 22, 2010 at 10:07 am

    Congrats on booking a cruise! This may sound pretty simple-minded, but I’m going to suggest that since you have internet that you go to the cruise company web site, look at all the photos, and read every scrap of information. Then follow the link to the ship you will be sailing, and take a look at the deck diagrams. Find your cabin! Then, look at all the photos and read everything about your ship. You can often check out the ports you will be visiting on the cruise company web site. If not, run a simple search and find out about the ports!

    As to your questions – - –

    Breakfast is basically 3 choices — the buffet (most popular), the dining room, and room service. I suggest the buffet! There is a huge variety of food, and if you can’t find lots of things to please you then nothing will ever please you.

    Lunch has the same options as breakfast, plus usually an outdoor grill line near the pool for burgers, hotdogs, pizza, etc.

    Dinner has the same options as breakfast, plus on some ships an optional extra-cost reservations-only restaurant. Dinner is the time to dress up a bit and go have a lovely dinner in the dining room before the show or the casino or whatever. There are often ships’ photographers, and they take some really nice photos. Smile at the fellow, and the next day you can see your photo and may want to buy it. Or not.

    By the way, most ships also have a "midnight buffet", which is an array of some of the most beautiful pastries, etc. you will ever see. They really knock themselves out, so do go at least once if only to take a look!

    Pay versus free in the food and drinks area is that with almost no exceptions, food is included in the price of your ticket. (The exceptions are the optional restaurants and special ice cream and coffee bars.) Drink-wise, coffee, tea, milk, and juices are included in the price of your ticket, and are available 24 hours a day in the buffet area. Soft drinks are not included and are an extra charge added to your shipboard account along with a 15% tip. You can, however, purchase a "soda card" which is for unlimited soft drinks on board during the cruise. It can be a bit expensive, so it is worthwhile to divide the cost of the card by the number of days to see whether it is worth it to you. By the way, you cannot treat friends and family on your soda card! It is for you only. Alcoholic drinks are not included in the cost of your ticket, and tend to cost about the same as in any very nice bar or restaurant or hotel. They also add the 15% tip to the bill. With almost no exceptions, cruise ships do not have a drink card like the soda card.

    Getting away from the food (which you can eat all day long if you like!), you should know that all of the shows, movies, fitness classes on deck, pools, water slides, and exercise center are all included in your ticket, so go have some fun!

    Beyond the food again (keep on munching!), what is NOT included in the price of your ticket are photos, souvenirs, gambling and bingo stakes, spa services, medical services, shore excursions, internet connection (horribly expensive!) and ship-to-shore telephone (horribly expensive!) and tips (which are usually added to your shipboard account at the rate of $10 per person per day for the "tip pool" shared with housekeeping and food staff — they really earn it, so don’t cancel the tips!) You will also have to pay to get yourself to and from the ship. As to telephone and internet, figure doing that on board is only for true emergencies. It’s terribly expensive and the satellite connections aren’t all that reliable anyway (and you don’t get a refund if it conks out while you’re on the phone or on line). If you feel you really need to be in touch, ask the crew where the internet cafe is on shore — it’s how they keep in touch and they are happy to direct you.

    The Caribbean is not a place you find people getting seasick — it’s very smooth, and the ships are large and have stabilizers. It’s always possible that someone will get sick, but very unlikely! (I get car sick regularly, and am often seasick on North Atlantic crossings and in the Bay of Biscay, but never have a problem in the Caribbean.)

    Some things you haven’t asked but might find useful — be sure to pack flipflops or watershoes, since the decks around the pools can get very hot and very slippery. USE SUNSCREEN — the sun is really fierce! Take a totebag, which will be good for carrying sunscreen, a cheap paperback, sunglasses, the daily program, and your ID/key on the ship. Don’t bother taking an iron — it’s a fire hazard and not allowed in your cabin. Don’t take a hairdryer, since that is provided in your cabin. Don’t take perfume, either. A cruise is your chance to stop by the shop on board and try the testers. You may find something lovely that you will want to purchase on shore! Don’t take heels or hose — there is a LOT of walking, and you will be a lot more comfortable

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