First time cruise Maybe.

[murph1031]

If we cruise this year it will be our first time. We talked about it last year, but didn't do it. Really not sure if we'll like it or not. Our party consists of 2 adults, 2 kids. Kids are 15 and 13, we're in our early 40's.

We are looking at a 3-4 day cruise to the Bahamas, length depends on which port we deceide to leave from. Wife doesn't want to do any longer, scared of sea sickness. Only boat she's been on before was the ferry between Ireland and England.

We have mostly looked at Carnival cruise lines so far, so this is my first question. Is Carnival the best, or does it really matter?

The three ships we can cruise on are as follows

Fantasy (charleston SC)

Fascination (Jacksonville)

Sensation (Port Canaveral)

We live in SC so Charleston is the closest port, but we really dont mind the drive to the other ports. The main drawback we can see with Charleston is the ship doesn't hvae any cabins with balconys. So this is my second question. We are going to book two cabins, one for us and one for the kids. Wife doesn't want a balcony cabin for the kids (scared they will fall over). If there a huge difference in the cabins from ship tp ship? and is it worth getting the baloncy. We are looking at a balcony for us, and a room next door or close by for the kids with no balcony.

 

I think will sdo for my first post, please fell free to add any other info you may feel like I need.

Thanks

Rob

[firefly333]

Is Carnival the best, or does it really matter?

The three ships we can cruise on are as follows

Fantasy (charleston SC)

Fascination (Jacksonville)

Sensation (Port Canaveral)

 

Rob

 

The best?? The best in terms of what? Im afraid Im not sure what you consider the best? The best for you. Obviously, its one of the cheaper options, so its not the best cruiseline .. ?? Im confused what to answer.

 

All three of those ships are almost identical .. it would not really matter which one you choose, as they are sister ships and the oldest in the fleet.

 

I do know some (more than one person and they separately say this) who after trying them several times refuse to ever set foot again on a fantasy class ship because they always get seasick .. the problem is the shorter cruises will be on the oldest ships with the least stablizers.

 

I personally love Fantasy class, small and easy to get around.

 

Why arent you considering RCL ships which also do 3 and 4 day cruises? About the same price.. someone must be influencing you that Carnival is the best line, must be their personal favorite, since you say you have not cruised before.

 

Id say equal between Carnival and RCL, points to each for different things. Either will be the older ships though.

 

As a rule, people I know say the newer larger ships you have less chance of being seasick. Also choose a cabin low and middeck to avoid it

[cb at sea]

Being on a cruiseship is NOTHING like being on a ferry!

 

I can't imagine you NOT having a great time...most folks become cruise addicts...and if they don't go that far, they will still plan another at some time!

 

Yes...get a balcony for you and an inside room (across the hall) for the kids...that way, the kids can "visit" when invited...that's assuming you can get them out of the kid's club...most kids love that!

 

Yes...there can be a big difference in cabin size from ship to ship. RCI has some of the smaller standard cabins, especially on the older ship...those cabins can be teensy. Carnival, on the other hand, has some of the larger cabins....most, whether balcony or inside will be the same size. Before you book, check the deck plans for the ships you're considering....the sq. footage is listed! You want to know what you'll be paying for!

[firefly333]

OP after thinking about this .. if you really think you might be the type to be seasick, maybe look at Carnival Destiny, who is almost conquest class, and a tad larger than the 3 ships you named.

 

Its the only ship I could think of that cruises from FL and is a little larger. (and does shorter cruises)

[April-in-NC]

Just a quick note on the balcony for the kids... Since you said they are 13 & 15 there is no way they can just "fall over" unless they are doing something they are not supposed to be doing (ie climbing/sitting on the railing, trying to climb from one balcony to another). I am 5'3 and the railings hit me right below my chest and most ships (if not all) have plexiglass on the inside to help prevent people from climbing and small children from sneaking through.

 

That being said, unless you have money to burn I would put the kids in an inside cabin across from you. Save a little money. :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

A friend of mine did the Fantasy out of Charleston -- they were not happy with the food.

 

Really think you should look into RCI -- newer ships -- more for children to do.

[DisneyKidsDad]

Why not look at Disney out of Port Canaveral? They have 3, 4 & 5 day cruises also. Your kids will love the teen club.

[murph1031]

Thanks for the answers. One of your replies was this one.

__________________________________________________________

"The best?? The best in terms of what? Im afraid Im not sure what you consider the best? The best for you. Obviously, its one of the cheaper options, so its not the best cruiseline .. ?? Im confused what to answer.

 

All three of those ships are almost identical .. it would not really matter which one you choose, as they are sister ships and the oldest in the fleet.

 

I do know some (more than one person and they separately say this) who after trying them several times refuse to ever set foot again on a fantasy class ship because they always get seasick .. the problem is the shorter cruises will be on the oldest ships with the least stablizers."

 

______________________________________________________________

The Best? thats a good question, I guess because I'm brand new to this, I really dont know what I mean by "The Best". I understand that people prefer different companies, and I guess the reason I'm talking more Carnival is because I see them on TV more often. I have been under the impression that some cruise lines cater more to families while others to singles, this may be what I mean by "the best".

 

I was unaware that the 3 ships I listed where older ships, non did I think that would make a differences. So thank you for this info, and I will look into the newer ships. Like I said our departure port can really be anything in Florida.

So I'll take the great info I got here and research some more. Thanks for the help so far, and I'm sure I'll be back with some more questions.

Rob

[Abear2]

I am not trying to talk you out of Carnival, but that would be my last choice and not my first. Sorry.. This is just from experiences from my cruises. Maybe this is the ship you can afford. That is fine if that's the case, but if it's not, I would definitely look into another cruiseline. :o

[murph1031]

I am not trying to talk you out of Carnival, but that would be my last choice and not my first. Sorry.. This is just from experiences from my cruises. Maybe this is the ship you can afford. That is fine if that's the case, but if it's not, I would definitely look into another cruiseline. :o

 

Money is not the issue. Just when we started looking Carnival is the one we saw most often. So would you say RC in a better choice?

Thanks

Rob

[PrincessE]

If it were me and I was traveling with my two kids I'd choose between RCI and Disney. I don't care for Carnival. I have family that sails Disney twice a year and they LOVE IT! Highly recommend!

 

I get motion sickness and I've only once been seasick. It was on one of the original Love Boats (very small ship - 600 pax) and we were in Europe. Your wife will be fine.

 

A 3 to 4 day cruise will be perfect for your first time cruising. That way you're not making a huge commitment, but you'll get a taste of cruising. I hope you love it!

[Jimnbigd]

The bigger (and heavier) the ship, the less you feel the movement. You will feel the movement on all ships, but not as much or severe on bigger ones. So, consider the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas from Port Canaveral. The kids will love the ice rink, flowrider, rock climbing wall, minigolf, teen club -- the list goes on and on.

 

When are you thinking of going? I assume school reduces your travel date options, right?

[firefly333]

Im not trying to sway you from Carnival. I started cruising them because they were the only full time ship out of Galveston. Many think their food is better than RCL. Both Carnival and RCL both cater to families and are more similar than not. RCL is preferred by most teens. The space per pax on RCL will be more and the pools are considerably bigger on RCL... but people dont like the beef on RCL that much. I dont order steak or beef, so that doesnt matter to me .. but some think Carnival has better beef.

 

Either cruiseline would be a good choice . but I might consider a bigger ship if you really are worried about getting seasick.

[beachchick]

Welcome. I'm glad you found us. In addition to asking questions here (which is a great idea), I suggest that you find a local brick-and-mortar travel agent who specializes in cruises (if possible). The reason is that he or she can help you narrow down what might be best for your family.

 

I am not discouraging you from Carnival--Not even a little bit. I am encouraging you to get brochures and information so you can compare the various mainstream cruise lines and their ships. What's best varies wildly between members here and what's best for us on one cruise might not be best for us on another. You will also find many members here are enthusiasts for their favorite line. Not a thing wrong with that, but as you decide what you prefer, I believe you need a slightly less biased view.

 

I have to agree that it would be extremely difficult for teenagers to "fall over." The balconies are designed to be safe for passengers. You could definitely find connecting balcony cabins on most ships of most cruise lines, so no worries there. But if your wife is adamant about it, then a balcony for you and interior across the hall is a good solution. There are a few ships that have a few (maybe six) combinations of balcony connecting to interior. Normally, that combination is not available due to standard ship design.

 

We have enjoyed a number of cruise lines for different reasons. There are many good options out there, including all those mentioned here so far.

 

beachchick

[trish1c]

The shorter the cruise the more likely you are going to find a "party hearty" atmosphere as some passangers try to cram a week's vacation into a few days. For that reason I would be hesitant to take teenagers on such a trip unless you are OK with them encountering that atmosphere. Longer voyages attract more families. Deserved or not, Carnival has the worst reputation for "party 'til you puke" expecially on the shorter itineraries; but the competitors aren't much better.

I completely understand your wife's concerns & share them. My 1st cruise was 4 days b/c I was scared of seasickness, claustophobia & boredom. Obviously I found cruising pleasurable but not everyone does. I have a lot of friends who will never cruise again b/c they hated it so much.

If you can find a 5 day voyage, that one extra day could make all the difference.

RCL bills itself & targets families. They have lots of sports activities. It is going to have the most to offer your teens but all lines have some activities for their younger passangers. Understand the risks / pros / cons. As of age 10 - 12 I think kids can come & go out of the program as they see fit. The younger ones get dropped off & can only be released to specified adults.

I don't know much about it but some RCL ships also have family cabins which have 2 bedrooms; all Disney ships have privacy dividers for mom & dad. You have to book early b/c there aren't that many of these kinds of cabins or even adjoining cabins.

Otherwise, I really wouldn't try to shove 4 people into 1 cabin; the cabins are small about 160 sq ft. Booking two cabins is tricky b/c someone over 21 (possibly 25) has to be in every cabin which means you & your wife will be booked apart; once you board they aren't going to check when you switch so the kids are together & you are together. If you go that route, book the kids an inside cabin across the hall from yours to save money. Another thing to think about is do you really want your teens in a cabin alone?

[SadieN]

The size of the cabins on those three ships is 185ft. We have had four in an outside (window) cabin on the Paradise (another sistership). It is crowded but very doable, especially on a short cruise. Having the kids across the hall or next door is a good option. Check the deck plans as there might be connecting cabins available. When our kids have are in their own cabin we always get a cabin key and make them call us when we get in. We then call them back JIC they are not actually in their cabin.

 

Unless someone climbs unto the railings you cannot just fall of the ship.

 

My teens have been very happy on Carnival. They are slowly aging out of the programs and are not too happy about it. Make sure they go the first night to the program.

 

Things will be more lively when school is out. Usually a M-F cruise is going to be more 'sedate' than a weekend cruise. That being said our M-F first week of February cruise on the Paradise was more 'party hearty' than our weekend July cruise on the same ship. All depends on the crowd that cruise.

[Jimnbigd]

Note that Royal Caribbean has a 1am cerfew for a certain age -- I think it is 17 and under.

[Happy ks]

I'm going to disagree with the statements that a 3/4/5 day cruise is the best way to do a first cruise. I've been on several 3/4/5 day cruises and no way do they compare to a full week or more cruise experience.

 

With a longer cruise you go to more distant ports, you have several relaxing sea days and you feel like you've been on vacation. A shorter cruise, you feel like you have just gotten onto the ship and it's time to get off.

 

I'm another one who does not care for Carnival, even though we've only been on one Carnival cruise. We've cruised 20 times, on 7 different lines and Carnival is the only one we would not cruise on again. It was on a short 4 day cruise on an older ship. If it had been our first cruise we probably would never cruise again, even when we compare and Carnival is a few $ cheaper, we still won't cruise Carnival (the savings isn't that much).

 

I would say take the longer cruise, book onto a newer RCI cruise and have the time of your life. Book 2 cabins, we stopped sharing with our kids years ago. Everyone is happier with more space and not sharing a bathroom with 4 people.

 

Motion sickness...lots of people fear that issue before their first cruise. I take it on a cruise by cruise experience. I used to get motion sickness almost every cruise and I took less drowsy Dramamine, but I hated that it still made me drowsy, I even took it at night and took half the tab...still drowsy the next day. So now I don't take anything and drink a ginger ale if I feel a bit queasy. You can also eat crackers and have green apple slices. Some people eat ginger candy (I tried it, blech!). There are patches (prescription) to wear behind the ear, not for me since you can't drink alcohol and I like my wine with dinner. Seabands help me a lot, some people say they do nothing. Everyone is different, you need to try methods to see what will work best for you.

[Happy ks]

I will say, though, that a 3/4/5 day cruise is a nice fix between longer cruises :)

[FTLcruisers]

I was unaware that the 3 ships I listed where older ships, non did I think that would make a differences. So thank you for this info, and I will look into the newer ships. Like I said our departure port can really be anything in Florida.

Rob

 

Any of the shorter cruises are going to be on older ships no matter what cruise line you use. But older doesn't mean you won't have a great time. The cruise lines continually do upgrades on their older ships so it will still be nice. Also I would check the cruiseline's website to see if your children can actually be in their own cabin because of their ages.

[trish1c]

I'm going to disagree with the statements that a 3/4/5 day cruise is the best way to do a first cruise. I've been on several 3/4/5 day cruises and no way do they compare to a full week or more cruise experience.

 

With a longer cruise you go to more distant ports, you have several relaxing sea days and you feel like you've been on vacation. A shorter cruise, you feel like you have just gotten onto the ship and it's time to get off.

 

I agree that longer gives you a better flavor b/c the shorties are too rushed. But if the point is to figure out whether your system can handle it or you will be sick & miserable, shorter is definitely the way to go.

To the OP -- can you sneak in a 1 night cruise to nowhere to see how you & DW react to being on board? That may help you decide on meds etc. Just don't overdo it; more meds are not better b/c they will make you sick.

[ladytravlr2]

By the time you get the ship layout figured out and start enjoying yourself (10 minutes after you arrive..LOL) you will find that 3-4 days goes way too fast! My first cruise was 7 nights and I loved it and didn't want to leave. It was a large ship and I didn't get seasick, however some did. It was in the 80's and not as many new fangled stablizers as now.

 

I was on Liberty of the Seas a year and half ago, and if I hadn't known I was on a ship, I wouldn't have noticed the ocean causing any motion. It must have been just a mild cruise, but no movement other than arriving and leaving ports, just a little.

 

The less you worry about seasickness the more chance of NOT feeling it. Take precautions leading up and on the cruise...ie; dramamine if you so desire, but just don't think about it.

 

I agree with another poster, get a balcony for you and an inside for your kids right across the hall. I would not want to get a balcony for kids that would be alone. Not that they would fall over, but just to be safer all around.

 

You will find that once you cruise, you will start planning your next cruise, at least in your mind, before you ever leave the ship. It is a great way to vacation.

 

I am leaving in a month on a 5 night cruise on Carnival, reason being it's shorter is that my companions have never cruised and don't want to take more time off work. But I much prefer longer cruise.

 

My favorite really was Royal Caribbean, but this will be my third Carnival cruise. They are fine, it's just that R.C seems to be a little more 'upscale' in quality. The rooms on Carnival are said to be more spacious, this will be my first Oceanview, so guess I will see. Had balcony on R.C and it was kind of tight and very small balcony and extremely small bathroom! Had inside rooms on two previous Carnival and they were fine for what they were, big bathroom though.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise wherever you go!

[paul929207]

Our first cruise (1987) was 7 days. All since then have been longer. Next up is a 44 day cruise.

[Happy ks]

I agree that longer gives you a better flavor b/c the shorties are too rushed. But if the point is to figure out whether your system can handle it or you will be sick & miserable, shorter is definitely the way to go.

 

To the OP -- can you sneak in a 1 night cruise to nowhere to see how you & DW react to being on board? That may help you decide on meds etc. Just don't overdo it; more meds are not better b/c they will make you sick.

 

I still have to politely disagree with this thought. The older ships are not as stable as the newer ones, don't have as much to offer teens and kids and are not the same as a "real" cruise.

 

I have to agree with the meds. My sis and her husband didn't get immediate relief from meds on our last cruise, so they took more. You should have seen them (especially him) they looked like walking zombies.

[panoramaofthepast]

I still have to politely disagree with this thought. The older ships are not as stable as the newer ones, don't have as much to offer teens and kids and are not the same as a "real" cruise.

 

I have to agree with the meds. My sis and her husband didn't get immediate relief from meds on our last cruise, so they took more. You should have seen them (especially him) they looked like walking zombies.

Of the three "standard" lines - Carnival, RCI and Princess - overall, I like Princess the best. Carnival has great food, but wall to wall kids [at least when we went!] and way to pushy on the extras. We are Diamond on RCI, but this last cruise [Voyager out of Galveston] was a disappointment. The ship appeared a bit shabby around the edges and the food is getting worse. It is very institutionalized; tastes OK, but boring. I found Princess to have a nice selection of on-board activities for everyone, good food and affordable prices.

 

As far as seasickness is concerned, I am very prone, but have only been seasick on a cruise ship once in twelve cruises. That time, 80% of the people were down, including the crew! But unless you are planning a Med cruise that goes between Italy and Greece [my seasick cruise!], I wouldn't worry too much.

 

I would also opt for a seven day cruise. It will take a day or two to get into the rountine. It usually takes me at least that to shed the stress and start enjoying myself. I like ports, so I want a wider variety. My husband wants to do a repositioning cruise [moving ships from one major area to another, like Europe to the Caribbean] because he loves sea days.

 

Our first cruise was on Norwegian - not a great experience. I am so glad we tried again!!!!