what do do when you get to ship ??

[huckster]

ok we are at the port getting on to the ship . They announce your name.. then you??
if you have no Palo . or other res to make.. what ?where do yo go?
top deck . room?
i am trying to get this all straight so i am not wondering like a " "First Timer" lol "i am a first timer"!!
ok i maybe even be close to an "old timer" "NOT"

 

[webray]

LOL huckster,

I was just saying that same thing to my hubby last night. With all the great help we have gotten from the people on these boards we won't look like first time cruisers when we leave on 9/13.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[disney6]

You go eat!!

We always go to our stateroom first. They say the rooms aren't ready but the cabin stewards we've had always let us drop our bags in the room anyway since we always let them know we are not staying, just dropping. Then we head to the restaurant for lunch.

I do believe there are CM's kind of "directing traffic" so to speak. They try to direct you to either the restaurant or Topsiders. Just go where ever you want - you don't HAVE to go to one or the other - they just kinda make it seem that way.

 

[moinab]

The first thing to do once you've walked through the atrium is to go to the lunch buffet, either in Parrot Cay, or Beach Blanket Buffet (the food available is the same in both locations.) After lunch, you'll want to dump off your carry-ons in your stateroom, and take a moment to go over your Navigator. After that, I'd recommend going up to decks 9 and 10 for a tropical drink and check out all the action.

It was really nice to just walk around without an agenda and to get to know the ship.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

change my lime green Mickey head to say

"IGTD finally made it!"

run to the top of the ship and get a sailaway drink! ahhhhh

 

[mostyn17]

You can also pack your swim suit in your carry on and go swimming before or after the deck party....the pools ar practially deserted because no one carries them with them.

Have fun!

Travis

 

[snowball22]

After we boarded, we headed to lunch and ate ourselves silly. Then we explored the ship from the top deck down. Now is a great time to explore because the decks are almost empty. We took the kids to the game room and the kids played their hearts out as they were the only ones there. They both won a stuffed bear from the "claw" game. We did see a couple of people with their suits on by the pools. Check out each pool to see which ones your family will probably want to hang out at. Sit on a deck chair on deck four and check out the "secret sitting area on deck 7". Play some ping pong or shuffleboard as they are usually free. Locate the stores and the theater areas. Just have fun and explore. Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

[swandiverpatt]

I'm glad I'm cruising with my daughter, she's been before so I won't look like a total waste of space, haha.

 

[jrabbit]

Since you won't be participating in the ressie rush, you have lots of options.

I would definatly go and find your stateroom and get rid of your carryon luggage. Keep your camera with you!!

If you have children age 12 and younger who will be going to the Lab, Club or Flounders, I would recommed geting them signed up as soon as possible. later the lines will be longer. It's really not that big of a deal, but there are a lot of kids to be signed up. If you have a teenager, this is the only time you get to check out Common Grounds and the councilors. I think that at 7pm it becomes off limits to adults for the duration of the cruise.

Go enjoy a nice lunch. Tons of great food.

Then its time to explore the ship. Like someone said, start at the top and work your way down. Someone wiser than me said that the lifts (elevators) are for looks only. They are usually crowed and slow arriving. There is different pictures / art in each stairway, so my family spent a lot of time going up and down stairways looking at them. Take a look in all of the different clubs from ESPN to Off-beat before they get over run with people.

Try to figure out landmarks in the ship to help keep you oriented. It is a big ship with many different levels. Generally speaking "Food" ie. restaurants are mid ship to aft, and "Fun" is to the front mid ship to forward (kids clubs, adult clubs, WD Theater, Studio Sea). At one point I think I figured out that the pattern in the carpet in the hallways where the rooms are pointed to the front and back (color red points aft, blue forward). But I am not entirely sure about that.

Take some time to goto the pools if you like.


About 3:30 everything is shutting down for the MANDITORY emegency drill at 4:00. Be sure to go to your room sometime between 3:30 and 4. If you go earlier you will have a chance to look over the daily navigator and see what activites are planed for later in the day. By 4:00 you should have put on your life jacket (as instructed) and go to your muster location when instructed to. Take your camera, it's a great photo op.

When the emergency drill is over, return your lifejacket to your room (put them under the bed so you have more room in your closet.) Then go up to the sail away party, and enjoy your cruise.

 

[gometros]

The first thing I do is get on my knees, facing the statue of Steamboat Willie (Ariel if you're on the Wonder) thanks the gods for allowing me to arrive safely and pray for perfect weather for the whole cruise. Then I would go to Parrot Cay and eat myself silly, cause you never know if they're going to run out of food

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Hi huckster.

what do do when you get to ship ??

If you REALLY have to "do do," take a seat in a public facility rather than using the one in your cabin. Not only will you be amazed at the cleanliness and generosity of space, you will also be able to "test flush" anonymously...

 

[dclwdwlover]

Both cruises we went straight to our stateroom & our luggage was already there! That was nice! We were able to get our Navigators early & checked them out. We made reserv. the 1st trip - none the 2nd. Then we went to eat, walk around & admire the ship, and just relaxed & got ready for a great 4 days.

 

[Windermere]

Eat lunch, make ressies for Palo, visit the spa just for a tour even if you're not boking anything then it's down to the Promenade for a bottle of Fairy Tale Cuvee. There we watch everyone going crazy - excited, overwhelmed, exhausted all at once.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Thanks for the great ideas, I had the same question!

When do you get the Navigators? Can you get them when you go check in?

 

[mostyn17]

No...yo uget them in our room....They will be sitting on the desk for you....Tons of fun on a piece of paper!!

have fun!!

Travis

p.s you can pick one up at guest services on the ship though!

 

[fireplug]

Weather nice = topsiders

Weather not so nice = Parrot Cay

Then sit around and hope I can move for the safety drill ( way too many shrimp )

Steve

 

[BethC1952]

BD said:

take a seat in a public facility rather than using the one in your cabin

That's hilarious...it's also the first thing we do. This way, our bathroom stays "clean and fresh" for at least the first hour or so!

Beth

 

[jrabbit]

Just a note: on embarkation day you get two navigators, one for in the terminal with information regarding where to go to make the various reservations. Then once on board, in your room you get the "real" navigator with a list of all of the activities that are going on for the rest of the day.

Most of all, have a great time!