SQL Cruise Tips

Currently there have only been two SQL Cruises to date. There is one more in May and it still has a few spots open. You may remember that it sold out the first day. After I learned I was pregnant, my husband and I were forced to cancel and a couple of spots have opened up. If I were you, I would book those spots as quickly as possible. That is, if you are interested in some of the best training available.

Having two of the cruises to compare against, I thought it would be good to provide some tips of things I picked up on after becoming a SQL Cruise veteran.  Here they are in no particular order.

 

1. Attend SQLBBQ.

SQLBBQ is the perfect time to meet all of the cruisers you are going to be cruising

with.  It gives you the time to break the ice, talk shop, and enjoy delicious food.  I cannot begin to stress the importance of this event.  Once you get on the cruise ship,

everything starts to happen very quickly.  It is easier when you are able to recognize everyone and start working together as a group.  You will already know everyone and you will be able to get settled quicker.

 

2.  Copy presentation materials.

The second time I went on the cruise, I just brought my iPad to take notes.  It worked perfectly for note taking.  When we started class though, they passed along a USB key with the presentation material on it.  I had no way of downloading the information.  One of the cruisers kindly downloaded it to my USB key for me, but I did miss out on some of the material when I forgot my USB key the next day.

 

3. Watch out for time zone changes.

On the first cruise, I took my phone out of roaming to call my husband and the time changed.  I didn’t catch it.  Since I was using my phone as an alarm clock, it means I was the only cruiser to wander into the first session one hour late.  On the second cruise, the cruise told us to change our clocks by one hour and some of the cruisers didn’t get the information.  Finally, I wasn’t the only person to stroll in an hour late.  The title had been passed.  If you don’t want the title to be passed to you, I suggest a watch or just pay close attention to the time.

 

4. Formal Night

There is always one formal night on the cruise ship.  Some of the cruisers like to join in, some don’t.  I found it to be a lot of fun both times.  If you are going to attend formal night, bring a semi nice outfit along.  Some people on the cruise go all out.  You don’t have too unless you want too.

 

5. Chatter

You have a great opportunity to get to know the cruisers before you even get close to the day, week, or month of setting sail.  Get on twitter.  Send out emails.  Engage the rest of the group.  Get excited! On the first cruise, I felt like I knew EVERYONE long before it was time for our SQL Cruise.  It really made a difference.  On the second cruise, many weren’t able to attend the SQLBBQ and so introductions happened the day we started to set sail and only after we worked to gather everyone together.

 

6.  Hotels, etc.

Email the group and ask where they are going to be staying, how they are getting around, etc.  Do it early.  When this happens, many people can try to stay near each other and share advice, recommendations, and meet up more as a group, or even share taxi/car rental expenses, etc.

 

7.  Arrive at the boat early.

The line can get long.  Once you are on the ship, there are things to do.  You can’t go to your cabin right away but it is the perfect time for getting to know the ship.  By the end of the week you’ll be a master but at the beginning of the trip, especially if this is your first cruise, getting used to the layout of the floating city you’re about to experience will make it much easier later when you’re trying to figure out where food is, where your cabin is, where meeting rooms are, etc.  Plus it makes for some great people watching.  Keep an eye out for a good place that the group can gather at after you have set sail and in between training sessions.

 

8. Internet

Internet can be expensive on the boat.  It can also be really slow.  Be prepared to pay for it or live without it.  Personally, I only paid for it once and that was only for five minutes at .75 cents a minute plus a $3.95 activation fee for the first time log in.  If I wasn’t trying to get a bridesmaid dress shipped from Germany one month before the wedding, I wouldn’t have bothered.

 

8. Relax

You are going to have a blast.  You are going to get some amazing training, have great conversations about SQL and non SQL things, get a vacation, etc. It will be a trip to remember.  Don’t forget your camera!