Once on board, what do YOU do on embarkation day?

[Baked Alaska]

I am thinking about our upcoming cruises and wondering what our embarkation day will be, once on the ship. Will definitely fill the rest of the dining package rezis, but after that. . . 

So, what are your traditional tasks/rounds that you make once on board?

[Sweety]

Check out the ship.

[coneyraven]

Run, Don't Walk (just kidding), to the nearest bar for ceremonial Bloody Maryland's --- Then straight up to the Wind-Ja-Mair.

[Todd W]

arrive early,  grab a cold adult beverage and find a seat in the promenade for some class-A touristy people watching and some food.   after a bit of that, relocate up to the pool deck, grab another cold drink and more people watching.     Once room opens up,   drop off carry on's,  back to the pool deck for another....     it's a vicious cycle but someone has to do it!  

[monctonguy]

It's defn time to put the drink package to use.....grab that first drink and then tour the ship. Great time to get familiar with her...and also a great time to get some pics before it gets crowded. I usually spend the first hour exploring and getting my bearings....then the rest of the time its out on the pool deck to watch it fill up and enjoy the sailaway party!

[Baked Alaska]

Just now, monctonguy said:

It's defn time to put the drink package to use.....grab that first drink and then tour the ship. Great time to get familiar with her...and also a great time to get some pics before it gets crowded. I usually spend the first hour exploring and getting my bearings....then the rest of the time its out on the pool deck to watch it fill up and enjoy the sailaway party!

When you say "exploring" do you follow the crowd or do you have specific places/areas in mind to scope out first?

[monctonguy]

I usually do it deck by deck to be honest(the areas that are open to explore).....that way I have reference points and remember more easily what is on each floor and near/next to what...I just go from one end to the other on each floor...taking lots of pics  along the way...

 

Others we meet up with or travel with are often surprised that I know my way around so easily but I probably wouldn't if I didn't do my own exploring like I do.

[Matt]

Windjammer is always our first stop

[ellcee]

A drink at whichever bar I see first.

[twangster]

Getting a bite to eat (not always WJ) is often top of my list.  Explore a little but I usually wait until cabins have opened to drop off my carry on and without having to drag that around then I explore.

I know many people who do traditional dining find their table to make sure it will work for them.  I tend to do MTD so this I skip this step.

[KLA]

Grab a drink from the nearest available bar, walk around the ship a bit to get our bearings, and grab some food! Planning for Johnny Rockets on our upcoming Mariner cruise. 

[Razerbkfan]

Ceremonial picture of the wife with a drink in one hand and seapass card in the other to let our kids know we made it safely on board.  Then take the elevator to the highest point on the ship.  On some of the ships you actually have to walk up one flight of strairs to reach the chapel.  We then explore each floor by walking down the stairs.  It keeps us off the elevators during the boarding madness and seems more leisurely to us.  Plenty of stops along the way down for snacks and another drink.  We may need to alter next month with our first cruise on Allure because I don't think they give us our seapass when we board.

[KathyC]

We don't really have a regular thing we do, it varies based on which ship we are on, and who we are sailing with...oh, and when we ate last.  If we eat breakfast then head straight to the port, we're not hungry yet.  So we do not go straight for food.  We may explore a bit, walk around on deck, or check out something that is new to us.  We have 2 more classes of ships to try, and have been trying to get on each class once.  So each booking is on a different class for now.  Just figuring out where everything is, trying to decide where "our spots" will be.  If we haven't eaten in awhile, like if we had breakfast at home then drove to the port, then we'll grab something to eat in one of the smaller venues.  WJ is last resort for us due to crowds.  If we're meeting a group or others, then that dictates what we do.  We like to go with the flow, and not have a routine.  

[tiny260]

Schedule dinners, then explore, usually go to the Solarium for a dip in the pool and then grab a bite to eat.

[Sweety]

Book another cruise.

[Lovetocruise2002]

Eat (not always WJ) but definitely eat!

[KWofPerth]

Based off of previous Cruise Compasses and what will be open, I have pre-planned my embarkation day (Explorer, late October SP sailing):

1. Board, straight to the WJ.

2. Walk the ship.

3. Check MDR seating.

4. Try the FlowRider.

5. Register the kiddywinks in Adventure Ocean.

4. Check the Stateroom, unpack, get ready for dinner.

5. Muster drill.

6. Pre-dinner bevvy

7. Dinner.

8. Show

9. Post-show drinks.

10. Flop into bed.

I will be happy if about 30% of that plan actually comes to fruition

[SPS]

We like to grab a celebratory first drink at Schooner. Tour the ship some to get familiar. Get some lunch. Tour the spa to get in on the embarkation day raffle/giveaway.

After muster drill, my wife gets her traditional day one massage to help get further into vacation mode.

[Bob_KY]

Fruity drink by pool.  Does anyone else go for the WJ french fries? Guilty here.

[Rose City Cruiser]

Send selfie to friends and family.  Wait for the bird-flipping emojis to come in.

[arebee]

The only things we regularly do is:  Wind Jammer for lunch, long island ice tea at the first bar, second long island ice tea to take with us to find our MDR table.  From that point on its "whatever".

[bhageerah]

We usually head to the Windjammer and grab a quick meal.  We are usually there right around the time that they start letting people onboard so it usually isn't that crowded.  After that we start walking around and getting our bearings in relation to where our room is.  From that point we are just like @arebee and whatever!!

[KLA]

Actually... I think I just formed a new 'embarkation day' plan that I'm excited to try on our next cruise. 

Step 1: Get to port early and board as soon as possible! (Seriously, we'll probably be there by 10 AM.)

Step 2: Go straight to Cafe Promenade and grab a couple sandwiches and a beer

Step 3: Take those sandwiches with us and go find an awesome spot by the pool before it gets overrun

Step 4: Stay there all afternoon (at least until rooms are open)

[packercruising]

Get a drink. If ship has a Park cafe, get food, otherwise the WJ. If cabin is ready drop off carry ons and then explore the ship. Get a drink.

[June May]

My next cruise (6 and a half months to go, but who's counting, amirite?) will be my first cruise solo and only my second cruise ever. (Explorer, South Pacific, March 2019)

This thread has been hugely informative for planning purposes! I hadn't got much past the "drink package, here I come - cue the party goblin!" 

So, here's the plan:

1. Arrive early!

2. Drink - and toast to the beginning of the rest of my new life sans overgrown man-child

3. Find a spot to sit and people watch

4. Spa open day - forgot totally about that! 

5. More drink! More people watching.

6. Check out cabin when ready

7. Food at some point, depending on hunger

8. MDR visit to secure two person table for solo dining

9. Muster drill

10. Sailaway party

And, like @KWofPerth, I'll be happy to achieve any part of this, so long as the first two items are done.

Oh, and I will be photographing my drinks, my stateroom, my view when people watching and everything else, and then posting it to social media. I want people to know just what a great time I'm having! 

 

[Sunken dreams]

Chops Grill for embarkation day lunch. Perfect way to start the coming gluttony!

its also my favorite place to eat every day. 

[Traveler]

Will try to get early as possible (10-10:30), will go to  a special restaurant to book restaurants if I have BOGO or other dining package. 

Go to the WJ or Park cafe to eat , drink a frozen drink  and drop the bags at the room if it is open, on the newer ships I will go to do some of the activities like  laser tag or zip line before the lines will start to form 

[yaya luvs to cruz]

@June May  Congrats on your new "unencumbered" life. Enjoy !!! Hope you make lots of new friends and have an amazing cruise. Cheers.

[firegal2539]

Monctonguy,

I do what you do. I walk the ship, at least the parts they let me into. I find where the library, internet cafe, etc. are. By the end of the first two hours I have my bearings and can pretty much find everything from there on out. I love to people watch. I usually find a window seat that over looks the Royal Promenade and watch the crazy people. It is funny to me that you can usually tell the first time cruisers right away.

Candie

[Floski]

We don't have a set itinerary, per se'.  Probably hit the trellis bar on our way to the Kummelwick shop, then up to the Solarium, where I plan to spend a lot of time during the cruise.

 

As soon as I get the squirt when I come on board, though, all bets are off!!!

[RickinSTL]

Turn my phone off.. then get..  Beer, Sun and fun..

[fonemanbob]

Arrive at 10:00 a.m.    Make specialty dinner reservations.   Make spa reservations.  Make any show reservations unless already done on line.   Check out M.D.R. table location.  Off to the Windjammer. Then explore until the  room is ready.   During that time of exploring put the drink card to use.  Then unpack. turn off and lock up the cell phones.  Bonn Voyage.   

[tonyfsu21]

On 8/16/2018 at 7:54 PM, firegal2539 said:

Monctonguy,

I do what you do. I walk the ship, at least the parts they let me into. I find where the library, internet cafe, etc. are. By the end of the first two hours I have my bearings and can pretty much find everything from there on out. I love to people watch. I usually find a window seat that over looks the Royal Promenade and watch the crazy people. It is funny to me that you can usually tell the first time cruisers right away.

Candie

Doesn’t anyone utilize the giant touchscreen TVs to find anything @ anytime?? J/K

[rjac]

22 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

Doesn’t anyone utilize the giant touchscreen TVs to find anything

What giant touchscreen TVs? I never noticed any.......

[mk-ultra]

If the ship has a Park Cafe, I beeline to it and stuff my face with a Kummelweck roast beef sandwich (or two -- with extra horseradish and jus).  Then I grab a fruity drink and meander over to the bow to watch the ship and port crews single up the lines and finally cast us off. 

[Sarah]

On 8/19/2018 at 2:02 PM, tonyfsu21 said:

Doesn’t anyone utilize the giant touchscreen TVs to find anything @ anytime?? J/K

I've used the screens to get my bearings, to look at the compass if I've left my copy in the cabin and mainly I use them every day to check out the MDR menu for dinner that night

[accio7]

My embarkation day routine is pretty much as follows:

1. Board the ship while taking eight billion photos on the way LOL. 
2. Try not to look like a dork squeeing in delight as I step aboard. 
3. Try to patiently wait for elevator for that sweet, sweet buffet Jammer food.
4. Try to patiently wait in Jammer line and resist temptation to feel like Veruca Salt 
5. Continue to take eight billion photos.
6. Try to behave like an adult and not eat everything in sight.
7. Locate prison cell studio stateroom when rooms become available and praise the cruising gods that you don't have to share it with anyone else this week  
8. Find prison warden stateroom attendant to say hi. 
9. Continue to explore ship and take eight billion photos.
10. Post photos online with the explicit purpose of making people at home jealous. 
11. Attend muster drill and resist temptation not to sing along loudly and take eight billion photos. 
12. Celebrate, WE ARE ON VACATION! 

 

[Keeves]

On 8/19/2018 at 9:27 AM, rjac said:

What giant touchscreen TVs? I never noticed any.......

Might mean the big screens near the elevators. Full of lots of information, changing all the time... I was halfway through the cruise when I saw someone touch it, and that's when I realized how much you can do with it.

[tonyfsu21]

19 hours ago, Keeves said:

Might mean the big screens near the elevators. Full of lots of information, changing all the time... I was halfway through the cruise when I saw someone touch it, and that's when I realized how much you can do with it.

Yeah I threw people off with “giant”! They are at least 42” though and tell you everything you need to know.