TINKERTOY ..... the 1 & only
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Melisa I have been on 20 cruises and have 3 more booked right now so I'll tell you quite a bit. I am not sure which cruise line and ship you will be going on but here's how it normally goes.
Passengers may arrive at the port by bus, taxi, or private car. Some take a taxi from the airport. Some drive to the cruise port. I have done all three. If you take the "transfers" bus provided by the cruise line, they will have a representative meet you at the luggage claim area and help you get to the bus. Some cruise lines will even retrieve your luggage and take it to the bus, based on the luggage tags that you should put on before you check your bags.
If you drive to the port or take a taxi there will be porters at the pier who will take your bags (except carry ons) and take it to the ship's gangway to be put aboard.
Check in at the cruise ports goes like this.
You arrive at the port by car or bus and drop your luggage with a porter who works for the port, not the cruise line. So tip the guy a couple dollars at least. These people put all of the luggage in carts based on the luggage tags on your bags. The porters take your bags to the ship's doors and there ship's personnel send then through a scanner, one bag at a time just like at the airport, with someone watching content. I don't know for sure but my bet is they have dogs sniffing for bombs and other stuff too. Then your bags are delivered to your cabin door.
Meanwhile you get in a line where they check first to see if you are even supposed to be there; many cruise lines use a self print pass that says you are to sail at that date and time. Then you get in line to go to a window to have your passport and other paperwork checked and to give your credit card so they can set up your on board cruise account.
Then some cruise lines take your photo at the check in desk and other will take it at a different location as part of the check in process.
Then they issue you your cruise card which serves as your room key, pass to get off and on the ship in ports and your charge card for everything you buy on ship. Then you and all of your carry on things (including handbags, camera, cell phone, and all packages) go through a scanner just like at the airport. Everything you are carrying goes on a belt to go through an X-ray machine, just like at the airport.
When you clear the scanner-x-ray machine you head to the gangway and there some cruise lines take your photo (those that did not at the check in desk). The photo is an image that is on the magnetic strip on your cruise card so that when you enter or leave the ship they have your photo as well as your name.
Now all of the foregoing may vary just a little by cruise line but that's been the process when I have cruised with Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, NCL, and Princess.
The activities on the cruise ship can be the most fun. You did not say what cruise line or ship you are going on but regardless just about every line and ship has programs for kids. The cruise lines have professionally trained staff who develop and run programs for kids by age groups. These staff people supervise the kids in activities on ship all day and sometimes into the early evenings. The kids are grouped by age. Some ships have special areas where the kids go to participate in the activities.
For adults there are always pools and hot tubs and many ship have a Solarium (a cover area) with a pool and hot tubs for adults only. This is in addition to the regular pool and hot tubs for everyone. Some ships have water slides. Ships have great gymnasiums with a variety of equipment. So take workout clothes if you want to use the gym or just walk the track. You should take at least two set of swim wear.
The cruise director will organize games and activities around the pool, especially on "at sea" days when there is no port stop. They may also have a midnight party on the pool deck with a buffet, music and dancing one night. Each night there will be a show and it is usually run twice so that no matter what time you go to dinner you can see the show. For the most part you will be in shorts and swim wear and then after 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sport or resort casual" clothes, kinda like what people wear to work or church. Your cruise will likely have a formal night or two but those are "requested" attire and not mandatory. So you can dress up in a gown or party dress if you want or just dress sports or resort casual like the other nights.
If you are a gambler there will be a casino, except on Disney ships. Each day you will receive a "newsletter" type flier in your cabin that details the time and location of all of the activities on ship the next day. So you will know what is happening and where. Also, most ships will have a channel on the TV in the room that recaps activities for the current and next day. If there is a port stop the next day most ships will have a presentation in the show room or a lounge that talks about where to shop; then this is repeated on TV.
Most ships these day have 2,000 to 4,000 passengers so things on ship are very well organized and in most cases the ship does not even feel crowded.
The very first thing that happens after you board the ship and before it even pulls away from the pier is a mandatory safety drill. You and all passengers will be required to go to their cabin and get their life vest and go to the location for the drill indicated on the back of your cabin door. That drill takes about 15 to 20 minutes and then the "sail away" party begins, usually up around the pool.
The types and number of activities that you can do on ship varies by cruise line with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line having by far THE most activities. Things and activities that may be available, depending upon the cruise line and ship:
Use the pools, hot tubs and water slides
Use the full service gymnasium with all types of free weights and exercise machines
Use the full service spa where you can get hair and nails done and massages and wraps.
Use the sauna and or steam rooms
Use the mini-golf course and/or a golf driving range or golf simulator
Use the roller blade track and/or an ice skating rink. If there is an ice rink there will be an ice show like the ice capades
Use the rock climbing wall.
Use the full sized basketball/volleyball/tennis court
Play table tennis
Play with the over sized Chess/Checker sets and shuffle board
Use the walking, jogging track
Play a video arcade
Use the kids only area, some with a pool and/or water slide
Use the teens only area, some including a teen disco
Use the pool tables (RC ships)
Go to the show room where there will be a show every evening, one for each dinner seating
Go to the game room with games and cards provided
Use the internet cafe (they charge a fee for this)
Use the library with books provided or bring your own
Go to the disco that is open every night starting about 11:00 PM and lasting until the last person leaves.
Go to the piano bar and a sports bar; all ships will have lounges and cocktails bars at various places on ship
Go to the movies; some ships have a small movie theater and you can also watch movies (most for free) in your cabin. Princess has movies under the stars on top decks of some ships.
Use the free 24/7 room service
Go to the casino for gambling
Enjoy a huge variety of food and plenty of it, seconds and thirds are OK too.
Sit on a deck or your cabin's balcony and watch the ocean go by.
Go to art auctions
Go to lectures and learning seminars on some ships
Goo to the Karaoke bar
Go to the wine tasting
Shop for souvenirs
There may even be a few others things that I have not listed. Remember that not all ships have all of these things. Some may have only a few.
Now when you get to the port stops on your itinerary you can get off and on the ship as much as you want and you DO NOT have to buy any of the ship's tours in order to get off. You can explore on your own, or book a tour with an operator who may be on the pier.
OK lastly, the evening before your cruise ends you will receive another set of luggage tags for your bags. You need to pack your bags, put the luggage tags on and put them outside your room by about 2:00 AM so that the ship's staff can start taking the bags to the lower floor to off load the next morning.
You may also receive on the morning of the departure a copy of your bill that was charged to your credit card. If you want you can go get a copy of your account from the purser's desk at any time.
People are allowed to depart the ship in categories; usually based on those with the earliest flights. Some cruise lines use a process called "Express Walk-off" for people who want to just leave first and carry their own luggage. I have used that when I drive to the port so I can get started driving right away.
When you luggage tag color is called you proceed from the ship, scanning your cruise card on the way out. Then go claim your luggage which will likely be spread out in a big room, or on a revolving luggage belt, depending upon the port. Then you go through Customs and Immigration, turning in the Custom's card given you the night before. Then you board your bus, or car, and you are off to the airport or home. |
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