Stupid Cruise Questions

blahblah85 · December 2011

So, FI and I are going on a cruise for our honeymoon. (On Carnival to Cozumel, and Cayman Islands) I've never even flown on a plane. I have no idea what to pack, or bring, and after reading numerous books, sites, ect ect I still have questions.

1. How formal do I really need to get for formal dinner? Does Fi need a jacket? How do I pack my formal dresses, and FI's clothes, without wrinkling them? What do I need to pack for a 5-day cruise?

2. Do all cruise ships have small twin beds? Are we going to be sleeping separately for our honeymoon?

3. Do I have to keep my passport on me whenever I leave the boat?

ElleB87 · December 2011

For the dress code - it should say on the website what they mean by "formal" usually it means a suit jacket and tie for men.

The bed size depends on the room you book, just like with a hotel.

Personally I wouldn't leave my passport on the boat. I don't know what the official rule is in terms of customs and such but I don't let my passport out of my sight when I travel. You never know what could happen and it's always better to have it with you.

Tanq&Tonic · December 2011

Definitely check with your specific cruise, but yes, most of the formal dinners would require your husband to have a jacket, and you to be n some sort of dressier attire. Not black tie, but just a nicer dress / shawl -- no jeans, flip flops, etc. You will most likely have an iron in your room. If not, you can steam the clothes in the shower or send them out to be pressed if absolutely necessary.

Also, most cruises have a variety of bed types - twin, queen, king, etc. Be sure your reservations are for one queen or larger bed, and that they know this is your honeymoon.

As for the passport, I actually never leave the boat / hotel with mine unless I have a purpose where I'd need it. I much prefer to keep it locked in a safe onboard and carry only a photo copy with me. The exception if is you know you'll need it -- crossing into a new country, major credit card purchase where ID might be required, etc. For any water activities - snorkeling, kayaking, etc the passport stays put on board.

strlzfan11 · December 2011

I've only cruised with NCL, but I would think some of what I experienced would be the same across all cruise lines.

Check out cruisecritic.com and read some reviews of your specific itinerary. There are also boards for specific sailings that will probably help you determine how dressed up you need to get on formal night.

As for the bed situation, I'm pretty sure you can ask when you check in to have the beds pushed together into a double. Again, the cruisecritic.com boards may be able to help you out with that.

As for your passport, I would keep it with me at all times, but make sure there was a copy (or two) of it in your luggage or stateroom safe just to be on the safe side.

vegasgroom · December 2011

Most of the cuise lines have very active forums, or there are forums related to the specific line if they don't have one themselves. I'd recommend checking those; chances are you'll find someone who has stayed in the exact same section of rooms and can tell you what to expect. But yes, if you've already booked, you should already know what kind of bed you'll have.

I haven't been on Carnival but I have been on NCL a few times and have found that the class of room may not always change certain aspects of the room in the manner you expect. For example, certain sections outside balcony rooms in theory sleep three, and are made up of what looks like a bed but is really a glorified futon, then the couch can fold out to make a third bed. Whereas the external window-only rooms on the lower decks have an actual full or queen mattress. So the room that costs a lot more because of the balcony has the less comfortable mattress. That's why I'd recommend checking the forums, you can't go by what you read on the cruise line's website.

smartlypretty · December 2011

I always keep my passport with me. What happens if you miss the boat (hey it happens) and need to fly back home/to the next island???

lopezalonso · December 2011

1. This usually means slacks and a nice collared shirt for men. For women it means dress pants and a nice shirt, or a nice dress. You don't have to dress formally every night. For a 5 day cruise I would bring 1-2 formal outfits max for each of you.

Just make sure to fold your clothes very nicely and tightly and it should be fine. It all depends on how you fold it.

2. You will not be sleeping separately on your honeymoon unless you requested twin beds. When you book the room it should give you the option of what size bed you want.

3. There should be a safe in your room where you can leave your passport. I left mine in there and just carried the ID card the cruiseship gave us and my license.

SuMmErKuTiE · December 2011

From my cruise experiences on Carnival and Royal Caribbean.. formal night is usually on the "at sea" days and on those nights you'll see anything from nice dresses and the men in nice slacks and a button down shirt to ball gowns and tuxes. I usually pack cocktail dresses for these nights and DH usually wears a nice shirt and tie and brings his suit coat, but doesn't always wear it.

As far as packing them, I usually lay out my dresses flat in my suitcase, and we also bring the wrinkle release spray just in case.

Most rooms have two twin beds that they push together and make up as a queen or a king bed. The only rooms on the ship where this isn't possible is in the cheapest possible rooms that have bunk beds in them. Make sure they know it's your HM and the bed will be made up as a queen or king bed and they'll probably leave you something special on the door or in the room to congratulate you.

As far as your passport, we always lock ours in the safe during the trip since you really only need them to board the ship and to disembark and go through customs at the end. Make a photo copy of it to carry with you if you're concerned, but I wouldn't carry the actual passport with you on the islands or around the ship. It could very easily get lost or stolen.

GreenEire · December 2011

1. On regular dining nights, most people wore business casual-type clothes. I wore a skirt and a nice top while H wore a collared shirt and khakis. On formal dining night, H wore a full suits and I wore a dress. But don't stress too much. I did see a few people in the dining room who apparently hadn't gotten the memo that it was formal night, and were wearing shorts and t-shirts. That was on RC. Not sure how strict the other cruise lines are about dress code.

If your H wants to bring a suit, he could put it in a garment bag have it checked for the flight. That's what we did, and I put my dress in with H's suit.

2. It said online that our room would have two twin beds. When we got to the room, we did have the two beds, but they were pushed together and sheeted to make one big bed.

3. On RC, you had to have your passport on you when you left the ship. They would check it when you got back on the ship, as well as scan your ship ID card. When we were on the ship, we kept the passports locked in our room's safe.

monkeysip · December 2011

I've been on two carnival cruises and "formal" didn't mean tie/jacket, it just meant that the man should wear pants and a shirt with a collar. They let my brother in law in the dining room for formal night wearing a t-shirt and jeans, actually.

I usually pack stuff that doesn't wrinkle too easily. When you get to the cabin, leave any wrinkled clothes on a hanger in the bathroom, and everytime either of you shower, the steam will help the wrinkles fall out.

I'd suggest mostly comfortable, beachy, relaxed clothing. A couple pairs of shorts, some t-shirts/tanks, a formal dress/outfit, swimsuit, beach cover-ups, COMFORTABLE SHOES, sandals/flip flops, and a sweater because it can get chilly on the boat at night.

Carnival has amenities, but their shampoo/conditioner is AWFUL (even my not-picky fiance thought the shampoo did nothing). Bring your own toiletries. Depending on your ship, the ship may not provide a hairdryer. You can check on carnival website to see which ones provide them and which don't.

On a side note, most cabins only provide two power outlets. One in the bathroom is only for electric razers. Then there is one in the main room. Bring a power strip if you want to be able to plug in multiple items.

All of the regular cabins (I don't know about any of the fancier suites) come with two twin beds that they make into a king by using king sheets.

And I would leave my passport in the safe. Bring a photocopy with you when you leave the boat, unless you know you need your passport for a specific reason.

Also, in case you're interested, you can bring soda, bottled water, and I think up to two unopened bottles of wine if you want to save money on the boat. While food/juice/tap water/ milk etc. is all included, you have to pay for soda/bottled water/alcohol.

alithebride · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_stupid-cruise-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:819441a2-7fc6-4509-b767-5168c8bd5453Post:187a53a7-9db8-4015-9f3f-749bac042364">Stupid Cruise Questions</a>:
[QUOTE] 1. How formal do I really need to get for formal dinner? dress nicely-a nice dress or skirt and shirt are fine.
Does Fi need a jacket? no. a nice button down shirt and tie are fine
How do I pack my formal dresses, and FI's clothes, without wrinkling them? you dont. you pack them and then hang them up and spirtz iwth wrinkle release or hang in bathroom to steam out wrinkles. or bring non-wrinkly clothes.
What do I need to pack for a 5-day cruise? not much. a few days worth of shorts/tanks/tees, a few swim suits, a few pairs of shoes (flip flops, dressy for dinner that can go with all outfits, sneakers or other non0skid for any excursions you might do)
2. Do all cruise ships have small twin beds? yes. they push them together to make 1 large bed. when you book tell them you're on your HM.
Are we going to be sleeping separately for our honeymoon?
3. Do I have to keep my passport on me whenever I leave the boat? i do. i've been asked at some ports to show it to get back on the ship. also-i find scanning and emailing myself a copy works much better than copies. if oyu happen to lose it you dont have to go all the way back to the ship to retrieve the copy, just log onto your email and print it out.
Posted by blahblah85[/QUOTE]
with only a 5 day cruise you wont need much at all. i like to pack for half (or lesS) days and then just wash the clothes halfway though-either in the sink or on the ship-they have self serve laundry machines. also for dinners-pack 1 pair of capris, 1 skirt and a few shirts/cardigans/accessories to mix and match. you dont need one separate outfit for each day.
also i never go iwthout my yoga pants-anywhere. i dont wear them out in public (i find that tacky) but they're great for lounging in the room or on the balcony or where ever-super comfy.

dalm0m · December 2011

For a 5 day cruise on carnival I would back 1 pari capri pants, 1 skirt, 1 nice sun dress, 2 pairs of shorts, 6-7 tops that go with all of the bottoms. 1 cardigan or wrap b/c the main rooms get cold, 2 bathsuits, 1 pair of beach shoes & 1 pair of sandals that go with all of the outfits.

Carnival is not very dressy even on formal night. It would be lovely if DH could manage a sports coat but it's not required.

You only need your sea pass (the card that doubles as your room key) in port. You can bring a copy of your passport but leave the original locked in your safe. Don't miss the boat.

The beds will be pushed together to make a queen.

[Deleted User] · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_stupid-cruise-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:819441a2-7fc6-4509-b767-5168c8bd5453Post:bc68b423-c9a3-4a29-b29b-85ca1f790a77">Re: Stupid Cruise Questions</a>:
[QUOTE]. Also, in case you're interested, you can bring soda, bottled water, and I think up to two unopened bottles of wine if you want to save money on the boat. While food/juice/tap water/ milk etc. is all included, you have to pay for soda/bottled water/alcohol.
Posted by monkeysip[/QUOTE]

I can't speak for Carnival, but on Royal Caribbean you can't have your own alcohol in your stateroom. They x-ray your bag on the way in, including your return from any ports, and they will hold any alcohol you bring on board until the last day. I think this is the same for any cruise line. We didn't mind, its not like we went on the cruise to get sloshed every day. Cruises are great for exploring new places and getting to see several different countries in a short period of time without having to do any of the travelling yourself. Those who just want to drink their faces off can go to an all inclusive.

You will have an amazing time and get hooked. We've done two caribean cruises and can't wait to do more.

monkeysip · January 2012

@ trinity

Carnival makes an exception for I think 2 unopened bottles of wine, and you CAN drink them on the ship. You can't bring any other alcohol, and if you buy any while on the cruise, Carnival does the same thing where they keep it until the last day.

While I rarely drank on my cruises, most of the people I was with spent hundreds of dollars on booze on their cruise. Honestly, I don't blame them, as there often wasn't much to do on board the ship at sea (in port is another story). And when a glass of wine is $8+, a mixed drink is 10+, and a beer is 7+, plus gratuities, the alcohol can add up quickly over 5 days even if you don't drink much.

[Deleted User] · January 2012

There is certainly lots to do on RC while at sea! We went rock climibing, ice skating and surfing in the same day!

monkeysip · January 2012

See, now that's probably the way to go. We didn't have any of that stuff.

I don't mean to worry our dear OP. There are certainly some fun things to do, and the best part is being able to relax carefree for several days and see interesting ports.

But for my first cruise, we had really bad weather, so even the activities that Carnival does provide were often unavailable (not swimming or sunbathing weather, and some of the shows and games were cancelled).

Also, OP may have a better Carnival crusie ship. Both of my cruises were on the "fantasy" class of ship, which is one of the lower classes so to speak. So there may be more activities on the other ships, I don't know.

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