PleaseBlitz Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 So, last time I asked for vacation advice on ES, I got loads of great advice that really helped that trip be legendary. SO, the next trip is booked, and it's a cruise in early June. Neither Wife nor I have ever been on a cruise before so we really don't know what to expect other than way too much food, lots of fru-fru blender drinks, and....thats pretty much all I know at this point. Anyways, any and all advice, tips, or thoughts are welcome. We are sailing on the Allure of the Sea to St. Thomas, St. Maartan, and Nassau. If I can answer any other questions as it relates to your thoughts, lemme know. This is the boat, its ****ing big: Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 There's not a lot to do on board, so put your feet up on the A/C ... etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwich Hog Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I haven't been on one myself but my parents love them. They always come back with stories about how great the people on their tables were. I think you're assigned a table for the whole trip and you get a chance to get to know the people. It's a good opportunity to "network" if that's your thing. They always come back with an offer of going to visit someone in their holiday house or the like. It's quite odd to me. They love it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidenreich Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Went on my first this year. Had a great time until the next to last day when the gf and I got violently ill. Not sure if its a "buffet" style cruise, but if it is I highly suggest going to the free cafes, restaurants instead of the buffet. People in general are disgusting, and the buffet took a beating. 75% of the ship got infected with a rough case of GI as they called it. My parents? They hate buffets so they were just fine. Jerks. Oh, and hit the casino. All night every night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Anyways, any and all advice, tips, or thoughts are welcome. We are sailing on the Allure of the Sea to St. Thomas, St. Maartan, and Nassau. If I can answer any other questions as it relates to your thoughts, lemme know. Thanks! Don't drink too much on board (it gets really expensive) and try not to gamble too much either - the odds are horrible at the games. That said, don't be afraid to ask at the formal dinners for extra food, make sure you budget enough to tip at the end of the cruise (it ends up being a few hundred dollars) and make sure you do at least 1 off ship excursion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 The slight listing of the boat can and will amplify your hangovers, so exercise moderation. Or stay drunk the entire time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 I haven't been on one myself but my parents love them. They always come back with stories about how great the people on their tables were. I think you're assigned a table for the whole trip and you get a chance to get to know the people. It's a good opportunity to "network" if that's your thing. They always come back with an offer of going to visit someone in their holiday house or the like. It's quite odd to me. They love it though. Yea, I am a people person and tend to "make friends." My biggest fear is that people at my table will be antisocial. Or children. Went on my first this year. Had a great time until the next to last day when the gf and I got violently ill. Not sure if its a "buffet" style cruise, but if it is I highly suggest going to the free cafes, restaurants instead of the buffet. People in general are disgusting, and the buffet took a beating. 75% of the ship got infected with a rough case of GI as they called it. My parents? They hate buffets so they were just fine. Jerks. Oh, and hit the casino. All night every night Oh, the blackjack tables will be hit. Repeatedly. And my wife is a Roulette savant, its crazy and defies statistical probability. Don't drink too much on board (it gets really expensive) and try not to gamble too much either - the odds are horrible at the games.That said, don't be afraid to ask at the formal dinners for extra food, make sure you budget enough to tip at the end of the cruise (it ends up being a few hundred dollars) and make sure you do at least 1 off ship excursion. I plan on sneaking some booze on board. I play blackjack, so the odds are the same anywhere unless they play by non-standard rules for hitting. At this point we are planning to do off ship excursions at all 3 ports. Trying to get that planned soon, so if anyone has any advice on those, that would be fantastic. The slight listing of the boat can and will amplify your hangovers, so exercise moderation. Or stay drunk the entire time. #1, i plan on getting and staying pretty drunk. This is my "graduating from law school" trip. Also, the ship we are on is the biggest cruise ship ever built and is evidently remarkably stable. Moderation.....PSSSHHHHH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 YI plan on sneaking some booze on board. I play blackjack, so the odds are the same anywhere unless they play by non-standard rules for hitting. At this point we are planning to do off ship excursions at all 3 ports. Trying to get that planned soon, so if anyone has any advice on those, that would be fantastic. I think on my ship they pulled all the Q's from the deck and the dealer didn't bust on 22 or something like that. Also, on my ship the craps table didn't pay out the odds on certain prop bets, etc. like the normal casinos. I did make $400+ on one $30 bet at 3 card poker though. :evilg: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwich Hog Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Yea, I am a people person and tend to "make friends." My biggest fear is that people at my table will be antisocial. Or children. I think I can allay your fears about children, as for the antisocial people - I think it's a crapshoot. Either way - hope you have a good time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 There is alot to do each site like excursions. Those are expensive. Take multiple swimsuits. Take multiple pairs of flip flops. There are shows each night on the ship and take advantage of those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyShoo Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Go check out the Cruise Critic forums. Lots of great information there and was invaluable in helping me plan my cruise a couple years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I just checked the activities on the ship..holy ****. Zip line, nine decks in the air and 82 feet across Two FlowRider® surf simulators Two rock-climbing walls, each 43 feet high Full-sized basketball court Ice-skating rink Mini-golf course Hand-carved carousel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 I think on my ship they pulled all the Q's from the deck and the dealer didn't bust on 22 or something like that. Also, on my ship the craps table didn't pay out the odds on certain prop bets, etc. like the normal casinos. Please tell me you are joking. ---------- Post added December-21st-2012 at 05:33 PM ---------- There is alot to do each site like excursions. Those are expensive. Take multiple swimsuits. Take multiple pairs of flip flops. There are shows each night on the ship and take advantage of those Yea, trying to figure out the excursions. Why multiple flip flops? As far as the shows, I dunno, im not too big into Broadway. Go check out the Cruise Critic forums. Lots of great information there and was invaluable in helping me plan my cruise a couple years back. Done! They even have a thread where people going on my specific cruise can chat beforehand. Thanks! I just checked the activities on the ship..holy ****.Zip line, nine decks in the air and 82 feet across Two FlowRider® surf simulators Two rock-climbing walls, each 43 feet high Full-sized basketball court Ice-skating rink Mini-golf course Hand-carved carousel Yea, like i said, this ship is a monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Please tell me you are joking. Nope. The casino odds on cruise ships are a joke, in a lot of cases. On the plus side they did have a few blackjack tourneys, the most you can win on 10 hands or something like that. My buddy took 2nd place and made some nice $'s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Went on my first this year. Had a great time until the next to last day when the gf and I got violently ill. Not sure if its a "buffet" style cruise, but if it is I highly suggest going to the free cafes, restaurants instead of the buffet. People in general are disgusting, and the buffet took a beating. 75% of the ship got infected with a rough case of GI as they called it. My parents? They hate buffets so they were just fine. Jerks. Oh, and hit the casino. All night every night Sounds like you got norovirus. It's not uncommon on cruise ships due to the close quarters and large numbers of people, although the incidence really isn't any higher than on land. You just hear about it more on cruise ships because they're required to report all instances of gastrointestinal illness. You can check the history or recent outbreaks on cruise ships at the CDC: Outbreak Updates for International Cruise Ships I don't see any outbreaks on the Allure of the Sea listed. Just make sure to wash your hands frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 multiple flipflops for when u walk around just the ship and when you walk on the beach and if you are a germophob, one for the shower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Sounds like you got norovirus. It's not uncommon on cruise ships due to the close quarters and large numbers of people, although the incidence really isn't any higher than on land. You just hear about it more on cruise ships because they're required to report all instances of gastrointestinal illness.You can check the history or recent outbreaks on cruise ships at the CDC: Outbreak Updates for International Cruise Ships I don't see any outbreaks on the Allure of the Sea listed. Just make sure to wash your hands frequently. I will check that out. I would think the instances on a cruise ship would be the same as on land EXCEPT once you are at sea, now everyone is in close proximity and it spreads fast? I have no idea, I will just make sure I wash my hands and stiff arm anyone that looks sickly. ---------- Post added December-21st-2012 at 05:53 PM ---------- Here is the back of the thing. You can see the 2 surfing things, bball court, and mini golf. Below you can see one of the rock climbing walls and the amphitheater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Yeah, to be honest, I hated it (went because it was my boyfriend's dream vacay). But those types of vacations (highly structured and being around 1000's of American tourists ) aren't my style. If I remember correctly, I dealt with my claustrophobia by getting drunk and gambling in the ship's casino the whole time BUT, everyone else I know who've gone on cruises have had a blast and tend to go on one every year or two, so I'm sure your wife and you will enjoy it I recommend getting off the ship as much as possible. I typically enjoyed the cruise's tours (swimming with sharks, off road 4x4ing, etc.) than getting off at the pier and having to barter with locals who would rip you off anyway to go on a tour that was overpacked with annoying tourists... However, if you do get off the ship and decide to go into town, the farther away from the pier you get, the less inflated prices will be. That being said, you will be sacrificing the safety and security of the tourist zone, so I don't really highly recommend that unless you know the area or have a local connection. If you're inclined to get motion sick, get some anti-nausea med Rx's from your doc prior to the trip. I also recommend bringing a broad-spectrum antibiotic anytime I go out of the country, just in case. The ship has doctors, but, well, I prefer to read webMD and diagnose myself, haha, ok jk. Oh yeah, and your days at sea, get up at the butt crack of dawn to get a lawn chair if you want to lay out. And I mean BUTT CRACK. I think there are about 15 people for every lawn chair, so the fighting can get pretty vicious. Oh yeah, and try to get a chair on an "adult" deck. Kids tend to get a little out of control around the pools and my book got soaked and unfortunately I was forced to dunk about 20 toddlers in front of their parents. Anyway, hope you and the wife have a blast! If I think of any other tidbits, I'll make sure to share! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Thanks for the advice SK. I typically hate being around 1000's of American tourists too, especially kids. We picked the ship and week we did specifically because it would have less kids (most get out of school the NEXT week). I don't have claustrohphobia or get motion sickness typically, but again, never been on a boat like this before so we'll see. And if i have to get drunk and gamble, well I'll try to make the best of it. And this thing is supposed to have a lot more chairs than is typical, just because of the size of the thing, and they have several adults-only areas as well as a kids only area, so I am all for the segregation. I seriously have ZIPPY PROBLEMS with dunking the **** out of an unruly kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinsfan1311 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 We've been on 5 cruises...all to the Caribbean....all of them kicked ass. In no specific order....pack everything that you think that you'll need, then take out half.....wash your hands a lot....be nice to the staff......don't buy drinks in the souvenir glasses.....do the late dinner seating.....ships photographers will take lots of pictures of you, let 'em, you don't have to buy them, and they're fun to look at.... If you're going to take home booze, the best deals are almost always in the duty-free store on the ship,(it wasn't always this way, but it pretty much is now), pack everything that you think that you'll need, then take out half, to stave off sea-sickness buy the generic bonine, which is called "meclizine hcl" you get a big bottle of them for a few bucks. We get them from the pharmacy at Costco or WalMart..you do not need a prescription, they are the non-drowsy formula and we start taking them the day prior..... Dinner menus are posted outside of the dining room during the day and a little known secret is that you can have anything off of that menu delivered to your room during dining hours, so if you have a late-seating, you can order whatever they're serving during the early seating, and have it delivered to your room. Try to eat breakfast in the dining room, the menu is much better than the buffets....Eggs Benedict with a side of smoked salmon and extra bacon! MMMmmm!!!!! Go to the shows, they're all pretty good. Since this is your first cruise, towards the end of the sailing, they will have a "debarkation" talk in one of the theaters, MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND IT, it's not long, it's very imformative and they provide some important information on the debarkation process, filling out customs forms, when you can leave, how to find your luggage, etc. The presentation isn't long and it's worth it for first time cruisers. MARK YOUR LUGGAGE VERY CLEARLY!!! You have to claim it yourself before clearing customs and they stick it all on the floor of a huge Customs warehouse. We went to a local craft store, and bought 2 different colors of fluorescent felt, cut it in strips, and tied both colors to all of the handles of our luggage. That sounds like overkill, but it's not...the majority of people have black luggage that looks the same...the fluorescent colors really stick out. I cannot overemphasize the importance of this. Periodically check your bill with the purser...once mid-week, and once in the afternoon of the last day, don't wait until the last minute, as the lines can be long. Make sure all of your charges are legit. Cruise Critic is the best on-line resource, bar none, but some of them are pretty fanatical and there are a lot of anal planners who will make spread-sheets, download planning apps, schedule tons of activities, etc. Don't go crazy scheduling too much.....relax and take the time to smell the roses and have a great time. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to shoot me a PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Holy smokes let me digest all of this in little chunks. #1, thanks for the input. We've been on 5 cruises...all to the Caribbean....all of them kicked ass.In no specific order....pack everything that you think that you'll need, then take out half.....wash your hands a lot....be nice to the staff......don't buy drinks in the souvenir glasses.....do the late dinner seating.....ships photographers will take lots of pictures of you, let 'em, you don't have to buy them, and they're fun to look at.... Can you explain the first one and the last 2? Especially the late dinner seating. Dinner menus are posted outside of the dining room during the day and a little known secret is that you can have anything off of that menu delivered to your room during dining hours, so if you have a late-seating, you can order whatever they're serving during the early seating, and have it delivered to your room. Try to eat breakfast in the dining room, the menu is much better than the buffets....Eggs Benedict with a side of smoked salmon and extra bacon! MMMmmm!!!!! Isnt one of the big draws about cruises eating in the dining room with other folks? Oh, what is the deal with formal night? I don't own a tux and have no intentions of renting one. Go to the shows, they're all pretty good. You're going to have to sell me on this. Like i said, not a Broadway guy. Since this is your first cruise, towards the end of the sailing, they will have a "debarkation" talk in one of the theaters, MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND IT, it's not long, it's very imformative and they provide some important information on the debarkation process, filling out customs forms, when you can leave, how to find your luggage, etc. The presentation isn't long and it's worth it for first time cruisers. Are they going to try to sell me another cruise? :shot: Sales tactics don't work on me. MARK YOUR LUGGAGE VERY CLEARLY!!! You have to claim it yourself before clearing customs and they stick it all on the floor of a huge Customs warehouse. We went to a local craft store, and bought 2 different colors of fluorescent felt, cut it in strips, and tied both colors to all of the handles of our luggage. That sounds like overkill, but it's not...the majority of people have black luggage that looks the same...the fluorescent colors really stick out. I cannot overemphasize the importance of this. I will do that. Great idea. This boat has like 5000 people, I'm not trying to root though all that luggage. Periodically check your bill with the purser...once mid-week, and once in the afternoon of the last day, don't wait until the last minute, as the lines can be long. Make sure all of your charges are legit. Purser? This thing?: Cruise Critic is the best on-line resource, bar none, but some of them are pretty fanatical and there are a lot of anal planners who will make spread-sheets, download planning apps, schedule tons of activities, etc. Don't go crazy scheduling too much.....relax and take the time to smell the roses and have a great time. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to shoot me a PM. Yea, I already made a spreadsheet. :geek: Planning APP????? :idea: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 not broadway shows, some nights they are things like comedy shows, audience participation shows, things like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I know Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I went on this cruise last year and it was the greatest thing ever! http://www.70000tons.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I went on this cruise last year and it was the greatest thing ever!http://www.70000tons.com 70000 tons of metal? My first thought was that the pool scene was probably pretty nasty. And then this actual image was part of their rotation: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.