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Suggestions for cruising with first timers.


CruizIan

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We are going on our next cruise over Thanksgiving on Wonder and we are taking my brother in-law with us and it will be his first cruise. He is not the type that I can just recommend the boards and videos to him he wouldn't take the time to actually do it. As someone who has been on many cruises I feel the need to almost be his tour guide so that he has a good time but I also don't want to overwhelm him with too much stuff while we are on the cruise. 

My question would be or recommendations I am looking for would be; What if anything do you do when you cruise with First-timers? Just go about your cruise like normal and let them figure it out on their own? Try and do a full tour of the ship on the first day and explain how food and certain things work? Tell him the cruise compass is his roadmap to success?

I appreciate anything that you all have done to make rookies have a better time!

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I'd take care of these things:

  • Get him checked in with check-in time and info added
  • Book everyone's dinner together
  • Book shore excursions

When you get onboard, book the shows.

Beyond that, let him stick with you or go on his own as he sees fit. But at least you have the core stuff down and you'll see him for dinner.

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I decided to tackle this question with what I would do if I was taking my own first timer - specifically my godsister.

First thing I'd do is book a show together for all of us, so they have something to look forward to already. On Wonder I'd pick the aqua theater because it should appeal to everyone since it has so many fun aspects.

Second would be a casual walk about of the ship. On such a large ship, I think it's easy to get overwhelmed and turned around so it may make them not want to venture too far on their own. A walk about would let them see things first hand that they may want to do (together or separate) and give them some idea of their bearings.

Third, I'd take them to at least one or two of the chiller events like trivia or a game show. I think a good showing of the different levels of what can be done would make sure the first timer gets a good all around experience on the ship. (in a similar vein, I once took an ex to his first anime convention and he didn't know what to do but I had so much on my plate I couldn't show him around. For him, the first time was really boring and hectic because he could only follow me as I ran from photoshoot to photoshoot. Fortunately he came back a second time and with a bit more confidence/experience, he was good to go around on his own and said he had more fun getting to do calmer things. From this experience, I realized not everyone goes to places for the same experience and it's best to let them taste all the different ways they can have fun so they can choose their best flavor)

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Matt's suggestions are great. When we were newbies my sister, who is an experienced cruise queen, took us through information we needed to pack, being prepared to board and what to expect once on board. We did travel with her and others at the beginning which made it so much easier. We just had to follow their lead to dinners, shows etc. and when we took our third cruise alone the 'education' we got from the first two served us well. BTW...as Matt said ''let him stick with you or go on his own as he sees fit.'' is exactly what was done for us on those first two cruises.

Hope y'all have a great time!

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Good suggestions here. 

The thing to remember is that most of us on this board over plan things and try to understand every detail.  For me, that's just how I am.  I have come to realize that most others are not like that but still manage to have a good time.  

Show him the basics and let him make his own discoveries.  

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I would only add to watch for information overload, disappointment, or confusion.  That is, stand ready to assist but don't hover once you have followed Matt's suggestion.  When our son's girlfriend traveled with us on her first cruise, she had a great time.  The only extra effort we suggested was to walk around the ship to see the venues (Harmony).

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I think a lot of the suggestions are spot on. My advice would also be to temper expectations. I took 3 newbies in Oct during the restart, and I told them while the ship has wonderful offerings, we may not be able to do much. They were amazed at the Aqua show on Allure......even though it was not a cohesive show but an exhibition. We did a walk around and they were like wow it really is a floating city. I believe because I prepared them with info about drink packages and excursion but left everything else up in the air, they enjoyed it more. Now it looks like it will become a yearly thing that they cruise with me as we are doing Odyssey in Nov. 

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Offer to answer any questions the newbie has rather than offering too many suggestions. The things YOU think need to be known may not be what HE wants to know.

And don't assume that the new person will have the same experience as you, even if you're doing the same things. Definitely a YMMV situation when experienced cruisers travel with new cruisers.

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I just went through a similar thing with my son.  He cruised from the age of 8 though 18 then we stopped while we paid for his college.  In July he did his first cruise at the age of 24 as an adult.  Cruising as an adult is way different than as a kid.  What I had to learn was to give him options then do my thing.  I wanted to take him to everything and have him experience everything with me but after 2 days I figured out that was not working.  I ended up letting him know what I was doing and giving him the option to do it with me or not.  I would let him know I am doing breakfast in the windjammer and then hitting the hot tub.  I am doing bumper cars at 10 am and doing waive runner at 11:30 am.  He would join me or not and I ended up doing my thing, some of the time with him and some without him.  Every day we did dinner together then the shows in the evening because that is something we both liked all the time.  

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Teach them the easiest way to find their room.

this is the forward elevator….look at the signage to see if you are forward.  If you are not make your way forward at the nice deck…usually the Promenade, the pool deck, or Central Park (if on Oasis class).  It sure beats walking hallways.

Once  you establish which area elevator look for a piece of artwork that they can look for to turn left or right to their correct side of the ship to find their cabin.   I remember how it ducked getting lost most every day, multiple times, because I didn’t orientation myself on the ship.

when I travel with others dinner is always together, and if it works, morning trivia.  We use those meet ups to discuss the upcoming events and determine if we’ll do anything together.

I do recommend a cruise compass (paper planner of events) since you can mark who is doing what….it may come in handy if you decide the magic show isn’t for you and  you can marked  your friends went to the karaoke and  join them there.   I also feel it holds more info than the app in regards to the whole ship.   My most recent sailing, last week, they did have a “scan the QR code” to see the actual compass so while it may be difficult to “mark up” you still have the benefit of seeing all ship things.

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