Hello all,
My husband decided to surprise me with a 12 night Mediterranean cruise for our 10th anniversary (and believe me, it was quite a surprise) but now that the shock has worn off and I'm trying to prepare, I'm starting to realize we only have the vaguest idea of what we're in for.
If there are any kind and well-traveled souls out there who could share their experience with us, it would do a lot to put my mind at ease!
1. Embarcation/Debarcation! This seems a little silly even to me, but.. what exactly do the stated times refer to? If, for example, we're in port from 7am to 6pm, does that mean we can get off right at seven? Do people start lining up earlier? Are red-eyed zealots camping prime spots at 5:30am? The same goes for the 6pm time. I've heard we're required to be on board at least 90 minutes before the ship is due to leave- what kind of time should we factor in to get back to the boat and through the process? 3:30? 4:30?
2. Beverage packages! After coming to terms with the fact that cruising is not the same as having a floating all-inclusive resort, I purchased packages for DH and myself... which I think are displayed on the ship cards we carry around. How does ordering actually work in practice? Do the cards need to be swiped through a machine, or just flashed? Would it be possible to stick them in a clip badge holder with a retractable line, or would we have to remove them from the plastic every time we wanted another pina colada? Are there other, non-beverage-related times we're expected to present the card? Is it important to have it handy all the time, or are they just used for getting back on the boat?
3. Balconies! I've heard conflicting things about exactly how they work, which makes me suspect some of my information must be coming from a different ship. From pictures, it looks like the barrier between balcony spaces is half opaque white, and half... something else. Does the other half let air and light through, or is it just semi-opaque stuff with a pattern on it? I've also heard strange bits and pieces about being able to open and close these dividers, though I can't imagine how that would work if you and your neighbor disagreed on which way you wanted it. I love the idea of having breakfast out there, but don't really relish the prospect of small talk in my jammies and bunny slippers with the people unfortunate enough to have booked next door.
4. Dining! We tried (and failed) to book the "when you feel like it" dining option. Not even room on the wait list! So for now, we're scheduled for the 8:45 seating. Does this kind of schedule work like a reservation? Should we show up at 8:45 on the dot, or early and expect a significant line? Following the trend of being not-so-sure about the social aspects of travelling with 2900 strangers, we were also a little nervous about being seated at huge communal tables for the first few days. Do 2-person tables exist? If so, is it important to arrive early to get them? Can you reserve a table on top of reserving a dining time? Or are "reservation-y" type reservations only for the specialty dining rooms?
Any assistance would be very much appreciated!
My husband decided to surprise me with a 12 night Mediterranean cruise for our 10th anniversary (and believe me, it was quite a surprise) but now that the shock has worn off and I'm trying to prepare, I'm starting to realize we only have the vaguest idea of what we're in for.
If there are any kind and well-traveled souls out there who could share their experience with us, it would do a lot to put my mind at ease!
1. Embarcation/Debarcation! This seems a little silly even to me, but.. what exactly do the stated times refer to? If, for example, we're in port from 7am to 6pm, does that mean we can get off right at seven? Do people start lining up earlier? Are red-eyed zealots camping prime spots at 5:30am? The same goes for the 6pm time. I've heard we're required to be on board at least 90 minutes before the ship is due to leave- what kind of time should we factor in to get back to the boat and through the process? 3:30? 4:30?
2. Beverage packages! After coming to terms with the fact that cruising is not the same as having a floating all-inclusive resort, I purchased packages for DH and myself... which I think are displayed on the ship cards we carry around. How does ordering actually work in practice? Do the cards need to be swiped through a machine, or just flashed? Would it be possible to stick them in a clip badge holder with a retractable line, or would we have to remove them from the plastic every time we wanted another pina colada? Are there other, non-beverage-related times we're expected to present the card? Is it important to have it handy all the time, or are they just used for getting back on the boat?
3. Balconies! I've heard conflicting things about exactly how they work, which makes me suspect some of my information must be coming from a different ship. From pictures, it looks like the barrier between balcony spaces is half opaque white, and half... something else. Does the other half let air and light through, or is it just semi-opaque stuff with a pattern on it? I've also heard strange bits and pieces about being able to open and close these dividers, though I can't imagine how that would work if you and your neighbor disagreed on which way you wanted it. I love the idea of having breakfast out there, but don't really relish the prospect of small talk in my jammies and bunny slippers with the people unfortunate enough to have booked next door.
4. Dining! We tried (and failed) to book the "when you feel like it" dining option. Not even room on the wait list! So for now, we're scheduled for the 8:45 seating. Does this kind of schedule work like a reservation? Should we show up at 8:45 on the dot, or early and expect a significant line? Following the trend of being not-so-sure about the social aspects of travelling with 2900 strangers, we were also a little nervous about being seated at huge communal tables for the first few days. Do 2-person tables exist? If so, is it important to arrive early to get them? Can you reserve a table on top of reserving a dining time? Or are "reservation-y" type reservations only for the specialty dining rooms?
Any assistance would be very much appreciated!
