jammen

Don't push things, get there at least 2 hrs. before hand.

Have a good cruise.

Okay, you’ve decided to take your 1st cruise! Great! Fantastic! Outstanding! Now there are basically FIVE questions you must ask yourself:

 

Where Do You Want to go? Caribbean? Alaska? Europe?

When Do You Want to go?

What kind of cabin/ stateroom would you like? ( You can read about those in Pt. 1 thread OR read “Thanks, cruise ship balcony” in the “cabin selection tips “ section on these boards..)

How long would you like to cruise ? 3-5 nights? 7 Nights?

Perhaps the MOST difficult decision - Which cruise lines are best for me / us ??

 

This is NOT an easy question to answer because there are so many factors that you must consider before choosing a cruise line..before I go into them, please remember these are MY opinions based on 3 things: my own experiences on all but 2 of the mainstream lines ( Costa & MSC ) as both a cruise agent & avid cruiser, reviews here on Cruise Critic ( CC) , and reviews from friends & family NOT on CC..as stated in Pt 1, reviews here can be confusing, intimidating & I’m sure OVERWHELMING to many…isn’t that how you feel when you start looking here on CC and see & read SO MANY different reviews on the same ship of the same cruise line, even on the same cruise sailing date?? I know I was- I couldn’t believe how 20 different posters could have 20 different opinions on the same cruise ship on the same cruise date sailing..well, the reasons actually make sense..different cruisers have different REASONS to cruise. I.E., are you looking for a lot of activities on board, OR are you looking to relax & chill out a bit? Is entertainment & seeing all those Broadway style shows you hear about important to you? How about a casino & gambling? Do you like “fine dining” or are you satisfied with casual dining? Would you like “traditional” dining ( eating at fixed times like 6 or 8:30 PM) or the more popular “anytime” or “my time” dining when you choose what time & where you dine? Do you like to drink, or go dancing or go to lots of bars. lounges, or Pubs? What age group are you in? Would you prefer the passenger age to be close to yours or does it not matter? All of these are VERY GOOD questions to think about and most important, ALL cruise lines offer something to satisfy most, if not all of these qualities you are asking.

 

Here’s an example of 3 different types of cruisers and what they may look for:

Cruisers # 1 - a family of 4, parents in their 30’s ,kids are grammar school age, 1st cruise..

Cruisers # 2 - a couple in their 50’s, kids gone , likes entertainment , looking to relax & drink a little, likes lots of dining options ideas, been on several cruises already..maybe looking for a cruise with people in their age group..

Cruisers # 3 - 2-3 single passengers looking for LOTS of activities, not much $$, loves dancing, partying, food not important, likes gambling & drinking, 1st time cruisers…

 

As you can see, these are 3 different groups of cruisers with DIFFERENT NEEDS..I would suggest different cruise lines & ships for all 3..I.E., let’s look at cruisers # 1, the family- forgetting $$ and cost, I would right away think about Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Disney, & MSC. Why? Because those cruise lines purposely try & attract families & younger cruisers.They do this by having slides at the pool, Flowriders ( surf simulators), Zip-Lines, specific kid’s pool areas, cartoon or kid’s characters on board , huge arcade & video rooms, 3D movie theaters & rides, etc… some of the other cruise lines like Holland American ( HAL), Princess, & Celebrity are all wonderful in their own way, BUT seem to cater & attract a more mature, older passenger clientele. It makes sense if you think about it…I would bring a 4-5 yr. old to the Magic Kingdom, but I would not bring the same age to EPCOT, right? Same here. BTW, yes, you will find seniors on Disney cruises ( Like us!), and you will find some young people on HAL, but those examples are the exception, not the rule.

 

So once you have determined what you are looking for in a cruise, now you can look at not only the cruise lines, but, more importantly, the SHIPS themselves because as you will see, there are HUGE differences in size, amenities, dining options, entertainment, etc. Let’s look at some obvious ones: RCI soon will have 7 different classes of ships. The Sovereign class is the oldest & smallest and the Oasis class the largest..the Majesty of the Seas is 74,000 tons has one dining room, one pool & 2 hot tubs, and about 5-6 bars & lounges..the 2 Oasis class ships are 225,000 tons, have 10 pools & 16 hot tubs, 24 dining options, 16 bars & lounges, a zip-line, rock climbing wall, mini golf, adult pool area, Flowriders, Central Park, Boardwalk with a Carousel, a diving show & ice-skating show, and much more. Norwegian at one time all had smaller ships, from 77,000 tons to 93,000..now, the last 3 ships have been from 146,000 to 154,000 and have elaborate musicals & shows , dozens of dining options ( known as “Freestyle cruising”) and complex pool areas with slides and lots of activities at the pool..

 

How about cruisers # 2? The couple in their 50’s, no kids , likes entertainment , been on several cruises, and very important: they would like a cruise with people in their age group- they want less kids & young families, fewer young adults & singles,etc.. etc…for this couple one would think of Celebrity, Holland American & Princess..These cruise lines & ships tend to be more elegant & upscale and less “glitzy” or “Vegas” style…they are more “traditional” , and ships are a smaller than the giants at RCI & Norwegian , which many passengers, especially Seniors, find appealing ( some older passengers find mega ships confusing & intimidating)..the latest Celebrity Solstice class ships ( there are 5 ) , latest Princess ships ( Royal & Regal Princess) and the last 2 HAL ships ( Eurodam & Nieuw Amsterdam ) are all very appealing & combine both tradition & modern perqs..what you won’t find on most of these ships are the kid’s slides & fun zones , and mostly the differences are that the other cruise lines are active till 1, 2 even 3 AM, while the last 3 I mentioned often ( but not always..) close down earlier , perhaps by 11 or midnight…This is one of the concepts you must think about: is activities & entertainment important to you? Are you OK with dinner, a show, maybe drinks at a pub or bar, then to bed? Or after the show, do you want to visit many bars, dance, maybe gamble, & stay out late?

 

Which brings us to cruisers # 3 - the singles…from what I’ve said so far, what cruise line do you think I would recommend? If you said Carnival, RCI, or Norwegian , you are correct ! In fact, Norwegian was the first mainstream cruise line to build SOLO cabins on their latest ships- it started with the Epic, then the Breakaway, and now the Getaway. These cabins are small, about 100 square feet ( normal insides are 119-170) , BUT , I’ve seen them and they are comfortable for one..there’s a shower, flat screen TV , double bed, AND Norwegian even has a solo bar/ lounge & singles activities scheduled every cruise. It’s a great idea because until this happened, one would have to pay between 150-175% EXTRA for a cabin..remember cabin prices are based on DOUBLE occupancy …now RCI are putting single cabins on their new Quantum class ships, which debut in Nov of this year…I believe this will catch on & most cruise lines will include these solo cabins in future builds..

 

A word on Carnival: some people love Carnival, some hate them…very divided on CC..their newest ships ( Breeze, Magic & Dream) have had good reviews..their strengths are decent pricing & very good variety of itineraries, lost of activities on board, all- around fun, and the 3 G’s here are apparent: glitz, glamour, and gambling, constant upbeat music, etc…if this doesn’t appeal to you, Carnival may not be right for you- this is why many young people like Carnival- they are NOT hear to relax or chill, they are here to have fun & be active…to me, Carnival would be the opposite of HAL…both are well packaged and offer a lot to cruisers - just in different ways…next up what to do next after you’ve decided where, when, how long, and which cruise line is best for me / us…any questions or comments, please let me know..I’m sure I’ve forgotten something you may want to know…Happy Cruising!!

 

Big Al

Ok, Big Al do the cruise you or ( they like) , I'm sure you will have a good time. Nothing is Taj Mahal

HI we are a family of with a 7 n 11 yr old we are doing our first family cruise this christmas on the carnival spirit. We are very excited this is a big holiday for us as we usually go camping. We are going to Noumea, Mystery Island, Denarau, Suva and Isle of Pines. Has anyone got any tips on going to these islands we are always up to a new challenge. Have you got any tips on what to take? We have heard a lot of people say to take some snacks n drinks with us for its great to take when we go to the ports but i've had some people say you cant take food off the boats. We got told to take snap lock bags these can come in handy at the buffet at breakfast i was told i can grab some snacks and put them in the bags. I was also told to take a power board but to make sure that they don't have a surge protector on them does that mean the ones that have a red button thing on it. where can i find one that doesn't ive only found double addaptors. Ive got so many questions but just cant think of them. If you can think of anything i need to know please let me know. If you have been on a christmas cruise what type of things did they have and do?

Thanks

You won't need snacks or drinks. You might if you cannot live without a certain item.

It is not permissible to take food off the ship. Water OK.

Go to Cruise Packing 101 on Google, this will help.

Hope this helps.

This may be a silly question. When they deliver your luggage to your stateroom, do they place it inside or leave it outside the door.

 

 

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Outside the door, I have had them place it inside.

I thought I would post this on the first cruise board, because its more a comparison of the two. I've been on 7 RCL cruises, both balcony rooms and interior. Carnival, I have 12, balcony and interior. So, a few comparisons.

Cabins: Carnivals are always bigger, and bathrooms are bigger. The shower curtain opposed to the sliding doors, I vote for the curtain. The stall is way bigger. RCL has only one dispenser, I never could figure out if it was shampoo or body wash. Carnival wins with clearly marked Shampoo and body wash dispensers. Plus you get the goodie bowl with a few items in it. Soap is provided on both lines of course.

Entertainment, RCL has it by a hair. We enjoyed a few of the shows, but due to our age, didn't rock climb or ice skate, or play basketball etc. RCL does have live music on the pool deck. Carnival is stuck with a DJ. If you think music is music, go for it.

Food, Pretty much even, with both providing good (if basic) food, RCL breakfast is pretty boring with the same stuff every morning. Plenty of choices, of course. I think Carnival has a bit more variety. Bacon is better and not so greasy on RCL. very important to me. lol

Casino.

All here is relative of course, but all the Carnival ships I've been on have had the three card poker (my game) with the extra 5 card kicker on the side. RCL does not. Very disappointing. Plus RCL uses the card dealing machine, which I don't like. I win more with hand shuffling, I don't know why.

Everyone calls me by my name on Carnival, never on RCL. It makes the trip so much more personal and friendly.

Well thats pretty much all that I wanted to say, if you have any questions just ask.

A few points:

My favorite ship is still Carnival Legend.

Anything over 7 days is lovely.

5 day cruises have more younger people.

Have a good cruise. Try a B2B, and compare.

Hi all, I’m new to Cruise Critics and new to posting and wanted to say hello. Like many of you, am trying to learn as much as I can so I make the most of my first cruise experience. My partner and I (49 & 57) want to bring my parents along with us to try it out and see if we like it - sort of a “taster” cruise. I’m a decent researcher online, although there is SO much info out there it’s a bit overwhelming.

 

Given the parameters of wanting to keep it simple, we’ve decided that the Princess Coral 4-night Alaska sampler Vancouver-Ketchikan return in May 2-6, 2015 would be the best. Price is decent, it's not too long, no flights involved since we live in Vancouver area, and only one land stop-off in a pretty area of lower Alaska (even if it rains :) We have agreed we are all fine with inside cabins to start with, unless there is a magical upgrade to something with a window. I guess you could say I’m a bit “budget”, especially since I am paying for my parents as well.

 

Currently I’m trying to decide whether to book online or with a travel agent and have read about the benefits of each. I hope the prices don’t go up while I’m trying to decide.

 

This seems like a great site with lots of nice folks posting helpful information. I tend to be a bit of a shy poster, but look forward to getting more involved.

 

Wishing you well in your cruising and dreaming/planning!

You can check prices and perks on their web site.

We are going on 1st cruise 11/3/2014 on the Carnival Fastination. Our cabin # is m219, anyone stayed in this cabin before?

No , but welcome to CC.

If you miss something, always ask when you board.

I am participating in my first CC gift exchange and cannot come up with something that would be appropriate and appreciated. So, I am asking you what you got, or saw someone else get, at an on-board gift exchange that you really like. I am not looking for complaints, just things that people really like. Thanks:)

Hey everone. First time cruiser. Very excited. Taking the carnival pride out of baltimore for A 7 day eastern caribbean cruise. Turks and caicos and the bahamas. June 15th. Anyone else going? What can i expect my deck level is main with a balcony. I am planning on getting the cheers program.

 

 

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Have fun and don't drink too much, they will cut you off.

Not sure of this one???

Bring plastic ones or a picture.

Is there a Pub Lunch offered on a 3 day cruise?

Good question, one of my favorites'.

This happened to us also.

How do I find out if there is a Meet & Mingle on the 2015 New Year's cruise on the Emerald Princess sailing out of Houston on December 28, 2014?

Ask that same question on your cruise date or start one on the board.

Looking forward to our first Princess cruise. Dining is a big part of why I cruise. Maybe some veterans could tell me what your favorites are in the MDR and at the buffet. Don't want to miss any great dishes. Thanks in advance.

Not always in this order..

Hi all!

 

We've just booked a southern carribean cruise through royal caribbean jewel of the sea in mid october, starting from:

 

San Juan, PR ->St. Croix, USVI -> Philipsburg St. Maarten -> St. John's Antigua -> Castries, St. Lucia -> Bridgetown, Barbados

 

Problem: This is a very active itinerary with only 1 day at sea. If you were to choose one island port to stay onboard and relax, which would you suggest and why?

 

Thank you for your input. :)

Stay with a group, you should be OK.

Contact the cruise line..

You pay for the cruise like everyone else, I know you want a good cruise, not too fun to walk the other way, and keep your eyes closed.

Is there an easier (more efficient) way to search for cruises? For example, I want to see all of the sailings for the Carnival Sunshine for the next 12 months. If I go to their site, I get presented with specific offers, then have to drill in deeper to get all of the dates and prices. I would like to see a LIST of all of the trips with dates and prices. Does this exist?

 

 

Dannyf

Pick a month out for, Carnival Sunshine, and ask your TA

Would you take a cruise where you only knew the length but not where it was going?

Yes, any cruise I would go on, all are O.K.

Why is it so important for cruisers to be loyal to the point of being rude? I've spent more time in forums lately, and I am amazed at the snide comments, criticizing of other lines than the ones you like, etc. I have been on several cruises on one specific line (other than in the 70's), and I've enjoyed them all, but I see no reason to blast those that don't care for the line I usually sail. Thoughts? I'm just curious really;)

You said this right. All are good cruises... :D

OK~the Lovely Miss Sheryl an I were talkin about a MASTER~10 List that we could laminate and put in each weekender and cruz suitcase~

Any and all changes are welcome:

1. Passport+ Pic ID

2. CASH

3. Wallet with all credit cards

3. All Travel Docs and Excursions Confirms

4. Meds~yep-We`re all getting older.

5. Cellphone/ipads/Tablet & Chargers

7. Carry-On with 1 set on Swim Trunks/Bikini/Change of Clothes/Backpack

8. Real Bar of Soap

9. MP3/IPod/ Music Player

10. Smuggled Rhum~Ya gotta have a little bit!

 

 

Lookin for any ideas for the TOP 10 ITEMS THAT HAVE TO GO ON EVERY TRIP!

I need to think about this one???

My daughter and I want to book a Feb. 2015 cruise for our birthdays, but she wants her own room/cabin. I am 74 and on a fixed income so I really can't afford the larger size cabins. I like the Norwegian Epic's solo rooms but the total price is a bit much for me -- $886 for a 7 day cruise. I'm trying to keep the price in the $500 to $600 range. Is that possible if we have separate rooms?

Thanks,

Bobbye7:confused:

The price is for a single cabin. She can pay for own room if she can.

Hello - New Cruiser here (2nd). On 11/9 we will be on the Carnival Freedom to Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Cozumel. We were on the Carnival Ecstasy in Feb of this year and the weather in Key West / Cozumel was fairly cool, I'm just curious if anyone has any real life experience with what to expect temperature wise in these ports in early November as far as rainy/dry, avg 70's,80's,90's etc? Are the seas rougher or anything. I know a lot of general questions that have 100's of influencers, just wondering what other people have experienced for themselves. Being from Northern Minnesota pretty much anything will be warmer once we hit November!!

No one knows about the weather, Google the forecast.

Getting a little confused on what travel documentation is required on my cruise to the Western Caribbean (Falmouth, Georgetown, Cozumel). especially what we need to board the Serenade in NOLA.

 

We are applying for a Passport card, which the State Department website says is good for sea travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean (and is $80 cheaper). When we have these, are we still required to have a government issued photo ID (driver's license) and proof of citizenship (birth certificate)? Just want to make sure we don't get turned away at the dock...

Passport card, should be good enough, bring a photo ID, if you like.

As this is our first cruise ever, how is the weather during this time of year?

 

We will be cruising OOTS, Eastern Caribbean, from February 7-14th.

 

What is the open water like during this time of the year?

 

Thanks!

February is a good month weather. Check the forecast on google, just before you go.