goin' on a cruise (advice please)

the wife and i have decided that next year's big trip is gonna be a cruise. we're thinking 4 or 5 nights to the Bahama's or Caribbean. other than that i am more than ignorant on the subject. what do i need to know?

 

We went on a cruise to the Caribbean and hit up Nassau, Free Port, Key West, etc. Snorkeling is always a must do. Once you get a cruise company and trip/ship picked out, you should have access to a list of day activities you can do when you're at whatever places you want to go to. Just pick the things you'd want to do, and try to ignore costs as much as possible But like a said, snorkeling is always a must.

And window rooms are quite worth it if you're into that sort of thing.

And free ice cream 24/7.

If you're looking more into just being on a generic cruise ship and looking for great service and fun day/land trips, I'd check out Carnival. If you want all sorts of awesome outdoor activities on the boat, like rock climbing and wave pools and whatever the heck they fit on those things, I'd check out Royal Caribbean. We went with Carnival and loved it. Those are the only 2 companies I'd consider if I were to do it again. I've never been with Royal Caibbean, just heard great things about them. Carnival still seems the most family friendly activity filled stereotypical cruise company IMO.

 

Not a big cruise fan but i will share some advise. First remember when on a cruise and you screw up with the wife, and you will, there is no place to hide.

OK that aside you need to figure out what you want to do and see and find a cruise ship the matches your desire. Do you want to see alot of places for a short time or a few places for long time. How long at each port and what can you do at each.

Again I am not a cruise person. I like to fly to where i want to go, rent a house, and live like I have money for 10 days a year. It has worked for me. I do not like cruises because I am on somebody elses schedule. We usuall fly to the Virgin islands rent a house and do things our way. We go when we want, do what we want and if we don't like something we move on. No waiting on somebody else

Read as much as you can about the cruise you pick. What can you bring on the boat (booze ect) or do you have to buy theirs. Then have a great time. Vacations are more of what you make of them not where you go.

Enjoy

 

Go to cruisecritic.com and check out the boards. It is the 3reef of the cruise industry. ;-)

Personally I have never been on a cruise, but my bosses go 12-15 a year and they are always on there.

 

My folks are big on cruises....they prefer Norwegian. But the one piece of advice is that the rooms with a window are really a waste of money. Not really that much of a difference in an inside room. If you can swing, the best rooms are the ones with a balcony. Bigger and don't feel so cramped.

 

Yeah, i've never done the cruise thing and kinda assumed i wouldn't have any fun but i had a buddy get back from one and had nothing but great stories. that, AND prices are dirt cheap right now. i saw a 4 nighter for 300 bucks. thats less than the hotel rooms i stay in. the window rooms are only like 20 bucks more, even if they aren't that great (like everyone says) for 20 bucks, why not?

i was already looking at Royal Caribbean and Carnival (actually, i didn't know there more than two companies, jk). you can choose the boat you stay on, does it really make that big of a difference? or are they all pretty comparable?

 

I loved our window room! Maybe it's just the outdoor ocean lover in me, but looking out into the endless ocean is like staring into a camp fire. It's mesmerizing. Totally worth it if you're into that sort of thing. Plus, no matter what day at sea it is, you'll either see a sunrise or sunset from the window. No one else gets that. Plus, if the window is clean, stars are everywhere. And there's always a curtain to pull closed if need be.

We went on one of the smaller boats of the Carnival fleet, the Jubilee. It had less things to do on the boat, but had it's own feel to it. I'd compare a small boat to a large one by comparing a mom and pop store to Walmart. The smaller store has less in it, but the people are friendly at there's less crowd, plus the chance of easily seeing someone again. While walmart has tons of stuff, the employees act like they're on an assembly line, and you may never see the same shopper twice.

I liked meeting people on the boat we were on, and it was small enough (it was still pretty stinkin' big) that you could see people you've met again.

To each his own. I'd like a larger boat if I went on another cruise, simply because there's more to do. If there's a small boat with the activities of a large, I'd take it hands down. And I will definitely want a window or balcony again.

 

Two words..........TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!

 

Carnival - if you have kids
Princess - if you dont


There is a big difference between the 2 cruise lines. The Princess ships have more SF per person and more "old People".

But if you like the party scene or have younger kids then carnival is good.

We love to cruise and have never had a bad time.

 

I have been on Carnival, & Royal Caribbean but they don't hold a candle to Disney Cruise Lines. I though when my wife book Disney that it would be a bunch of screaming kids but there was about 30% of the people there without kids. Disney knows how to entertain people. Also after you get tired of the Caribbean take a Alaskan cruise. We done one last year and it is breath taking.