Ok now that I have your attention… 
I am a month away from leaving for a 8 Night cruise ( through Royal Caribbean )!! BUT this is my very first cruise…anyone have any tips???
UPDATED: Have some specific questions…
How much cash should one take?..or NONE at all.
How much have your alcoholic beverages been??
Is it possible to sneak liqour into your luggage to get it on the ship?? I have heard to fill up water bottles and put them in your " checked " luggage ( not the carry on of course )
make sure it’s not a gay cruise before you leave.
(unless you’re into that sort of thing.)
lol …its not a gay cruise. But then again I didn’t make the reservations :doh:
I am going with my mom, aunt, 2 cousins, my best friend from TN all of us are split into 2 people suites.
I’ve only been on one, it was a good time. Be careful putting drinks on your room card, it adds up fast.
If you want to see one of the islands, rent a car. That way you can go your own pace, and stop wherever you like. The local taxis are a pain, at least in my opinion. Once you have 4 people splitting a car, it’s about the same as 2 trips in a taxi or van. They don’t meter like we do in U.S., so “splitting a cab” doesn’t work there. They just charge per person.
Have a good time.
THANKS…yeah I had a dream ( seriously ) that I had a bill for like 7k after getting off the boat. Of course thats a ridiculas dream!!! But do you remember the costs for drinks and what not?? ( of course this will range in price but I’m just trying to get an idea ).
Thats a good idea about the car… though I would hate to come home and have crazy holds on my bank acct. from renting a car --or is it alot different from renting in the states??
When you went did you partake in any snorkling or the different adventures they offer when docked?
eat the late dinner… 6:00 is way to early. 8:00 is good.
you could rent a car, or we rented scooters when we were in Bermuda if you are comfortable on 2 wheels. Cheaper than a car
Oh scooter it IS!!! lol!!
here is a good tip if u plan on drinking alot and it works. most of the bartenders work the same time everynite at the same bar so find a good bar u like and become friends with the bartender. The first night there tip them $30-$50 right away but do it so no one sees it and trust me u will be hooked up on drinks. but remember tip them like $20 the rest of the nites u go there and it seems like a lot but u will get free drinks and its cheaper in the long run.
Make sure u remember where ur room is. its sucks when its 3am and ur drunk as hell and cant find ur room and the next thing u know its daylight out and ur sleeping on a chair on upper deck by the pool (ya this happened to me)
Watch the locals and dont trust them at all. they will rip u off in a second and not think twice about it. we paid $50 for a warm case of beer on one of the beaches lol ya we got ripped off on that one.
im jealous i wanna go with u. i went on one about 2 years ago and its was the best vacation i have ever been on and cant wait to go again. goodluck and have fun take lots of pics
take me with you 
remeber she said it aint a gay cruise 
yes so quit pm’ing her to go!
Be sure to wash your hands. A lot. I don’t know why this is, but it seems like people get sick sometimes on boats (not sea-sick, but regular sick, like a 12 or 24 hour flu type thing).
On the sea-sick thing, even if you aren’t motion sick, take some dramamine or whatever with you. It didn’t bother me, but my g/f got really sick the first day because the waters were a little rough and it just bothered her alot.
7-time veteran, (but all on Carnival).
-the staff are constantly taking pictures.
-you can eat pretty much 24 hours a day
-they usually provide you will bottled water in your room, take it on the islands.
-get as much sleep as you can beforehand, cause you will wanna be up all night.
-when on the island, stay in the tourist area.
i went off the tourist path, and had little kids brushing against me trying to reach in my pockets.
The drinks are expensive. Figure $5 min per drink. They started cracking down on people bringing their own booze, but I took a bottle in the bag I checked and it was fine.
When you register to get on the boat, you leave your large luggage, and they bring it up to your room later (many hours later). Make sure you have a change of clothes or anything else you think you might need with you before giving up that bag.
I used a credit card for the Jeep I rented. It was a major chain.
I went on the Jeep ride in Aruba, that was pretty cool. $65 per peson, 4 of us went (that way you don’t have to share a vehicle with strangers) We took turns driving the Wrangler. They had a fleet of these things and they were all whipped. We got to see a lot of cool stuff. You are on their schedule though, so it’s not the same as renting the car. The upside is you go places you couldn’t go on you own.
I didn’t do many “excursions” as Royal Caribbean calls them. Most of them seemed a little pricey, and I prefer to do my own thing, that’s why I recommend renting a vehicle. I bought a snorkel at wal mart right before I left and took it with me so I wouldn’t have to use some nasty rented stuff, but the water was a little cloudy when I tried it, so I never really used it.
The food was great. It’s well worth going to the “formal” dinner every night.
You’ll have a great time. Which ship are you taking?
Take lots of pics of U & anyother hot chicks in very little clothing ,post when u return!have a good safe trip!
The boat I am taking is called the Grandeur of the Seas. We board the ship in Puerto Rico and return to Baltimore, MD
Ports of Call: San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Cococay, Bahamas; Grand Bahama Island; Baltimore, Maryland
and Brian don’t you worry I will definitely get those pics you want…(especially all the old woman and men in there speedos --that is if I can bear to look long enough to take the pics ) 
The boat I am taking is called the Grandeur of the Seas. We board the ship in Puerto Rico and return to Baltimore, MD
Ports of Call: San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Cococay, Bahamas; Grand Bahama Island; Baltimore, Maryland
and Brian don’t you worry I will definitely get those pics you want…(especially all the old woman and men in there speedos --that is if I can bear to look long enough to take the pics )
so ur saying u’re old & a man?
6 time vet = all different lines
is your dining freestyle or dinner t6 hemed?
been to all these places a couple times (mainly a beach bum)
so here is the beach rundown
puerto rico is like the east la-but the beaches are nice-if your boarding there-you will not see them
st thomas is megans bay#3 beach in the world-good jewelery shopping and free rum punch handed out in the shops by the vendors
st martin- go to the fench side not the dutch side(there is a nude beach here too)
anyway you want oriental bay ftw-not nude-maybe topless-they are french ya know
tortola will have a cookout of jerk chicken-sucks
jet skis will be 100-you can bargin here lower-beaches are like st thomas but not as nice (because its not us owned)
cane garden bay is nice-dont miss the taxis
bahamas-cable beach is nice-you get mugged by people selling everything if you sight see