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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. 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..
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, Holland A, Royal Caribbean, NCL and Princess.
The activities on the cruise ship can be the most fun.
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. The RC's Freedom and Liberty have THE best gyms I have ever seen on ships.
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.
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.
AND WHAT DO YOU DO ON BOARD THE SHIP??
The things that you can do on ship will vary by the cruise line and the ship. The types and number of activities also 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 ship:
- use the pools, hot tubs and water slides
-use the water surf on a boogie board on ship (RC's Freedom class ships only)
- 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
- play mini-golf course and/or a golf driving range or golf simulator
- go roller blade track and/or ice skating. If there is an ice rink there will be an ice show like the ice capades
- use the rock climbing wall.
- use the basketball/volleyball/tennis court
- play table tennis
-play the over sized Chess/Checker sets and shuffle board
- use the walking/ jogging track
-go to bowling alley (NCL ship)
- use the pool tables (RC ships)
- go to the evening show room where there will be a show every evening, one for each dinner seating
- use the game room with games and cards provided
- use the internet cafe (they charge a fee for this)
- go to the library with books provided or bring your own
- a disco that is open every night starting about 11:00 PM and lasting until the last person leaves.
- go to the piano bar and/or sports bar; all ships will have lounges and cocktails bars at various places on ship
- some ships have a small movie theater and you can also watch movies (most f |
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