Cruising - The Boat Kind

[Etoile]

My girlfriend and I are finally booked on our first cruise! We've talked about it for almost the entire six years we've been together, and now we are finally doing it! The recent "Cruise Week" on the Travel Channel encouraged us to look for bargains, and we found a great cruise in October. It is a seven-night trip, aboard the Galaxy. Our stateroom is on the Continental Deck, amidships but not too near the elevator so we won't have to hear people walking around at all hours. We managed to get a cabin on the starboard side, which will be the side facing land for the duration of the trip - it's one-way, Baltimore to San Juan - so we may have something to see out our little window. I found some reviews of the boat on Epinions, and they seem to be pretty positive; Travelocity has more information on the boat, too.

So, do any of you have any cruising experiences to share? As I said, we've never done this before, so I would love to hear tips from previous cruisers!

 

[TNRkitect2b]

I've never done it before either, but it is on my list of things to do once i have money again. Please keep us posted! It sounds like a blast!

 

[sunfox]

I've never been, personally... but my parents have gone on multiple cruises, and his parents have just come back from one, and one of my dear friends works for Royal Caribbean and gets free cruises. This is what I've been told.. we're planning to go on a cruise sometime soon.

Take seasickness supplies. The sea can be exceedingly choppy, and even the good travelers sometimes get nauseated.

Be careful where you go on stopovers.. some of the islands have heavy crime areas.

They feed you till you explode, so be ready for it.

I'm envious. Hope you have a great time!

 

[Vixandra]

Got dragged on a "family cruise" aboard the "Disney Magic" when I was 17 and while I liked the cruise part and Nasau in the Bahamas ROCKED, I wouldn't recommend the line.

Sunfox's right- take something for motion sickness, be it the wrist bands or medication.
Lots of sun block! Can't stress that enough. Would suck to burn the second day out and be crispy the rest of the trip. Take some Aloe-vera gel along for the same reasons.
Traveler's checks are a wise idea.
Check out the tours offered by the ship at your cruise stops. We did a swimming with Dolphins one in Nasau and it was a wonderful experiance.
Have a great time Etolie! And pictures, lots of film you'll be needing.

 

[Etoile]

Ah! Thanks for the reminder about sunblock, I hadn't considered that yet. I have extremely sensitive skin - my grandmother had malignant melanoma - and a dermatologist once told me "basically don't go out in the sun ever again without sunblock and cover up when possible!"

And we have a digital camera, so film is not an issue, fortunately! I might bring my laptop along, so I won't have to worry about having a big enough memory card either.

I do remember that some areas have heavy crime. When we were planning our trip to the Caribbean last year (we ended up in Grenada), I remember that Jamaica had crime and the Caymans were homophobic, etc. Our trip is going to St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Puerto Rico - I'll have to research them!

 

[Vixandra]

The USVI are wonderful!
Went there at 18 before I joined and it was great. Stayed on St. John, visited around St. Thomas, and all over St. John. Was sooo beautiful! Best water I've ever seen for snorkling/scuba/snuba.

 

[WriterDom]

There was an old thread about a bdsm cruise last year.
This year the same group is having an all inclusive long weekend at Hedonism in Runaway Bay, Jamaica.



http://pages.prodigy.net/sbaier/events2004.htm

 

[MissTaken]

I would have loved to go on a bdsm cruise.

Have a great time, etoile.

For now, my boating is confined to our starcraft and the St Lawrence River.

 

[Etoile]

I do remember reading about the BDSM cruise last year. This one won't be anything like that, of course...except for maybe in our stateroom!

My other boating - the human-powered kind - is increasing significantly. I'm expecting to go out kayaking three times a week over the next month and a half. I'm going to be so sore! Fortunately I just bought a PFD that's a lot more comfortable than the kind I usually wear - no more breast "bondage" (squashing) while paddling (the boat)!

 

[BlueSugar]

Careful what you eat, bottled water is a must, watch the soda intake/ice even when you're out on the islands bc of the water. Keep hydrated.

when they say the food is spicy on the islands... they mean burn your tongue off and your stomach becomes the 9 firey pits of hell.

read up on tours and little local places so you don't get hit with tourists prices.

lotion, sun block, lotion, sun block, a hat, cotton clothing, light colors ... that sun is very different, its a big cruel monster.

 

[Etoile]

Yep. We used SPF 70 when we were in Grenada for a week last year.

 

[Circuit]

I'm going to Cozumel and Key West in August...

Sun and fun...

w00000!!!!

 

[waterkemist]

Cruises

Went on one to Mexico. Basically a cruise just for a day or two with the top deck reserved for nudists. Clothed passengers could come up there too, if they were ok with the rest of us.

Take your motion sickness pill BEFORE you get on the boat.

I don't know if it was the water ( I drank none), the food, or too much beer, but I became very ill and was sick for two weeks. I was not a happy camper at all.

The casinos are not regulated by anybody.

Don't be surprised if you get hit on.

Have fun and come back healthy. Take stomach medicine with you.

--Waterkemist

 

[Etoile]

Oh wow, a nude deck! That rules. I'm pretty sure this boat won't have that.

And as usual I will hydrate myself with my beloved soda - Celebrity has a soda card where you pay $5 a day and get unlimited sodas...woohoo!

 

[waterkemist]

A nude deck!

Yeah, but if you have the nerve, I doubt they would throw you in the brig for sunning topless. Just ask security to apply some SPF15 for you!

--Waterkemist