What do you recommend?

[sweetcurves]

We (my sister and I) lost our cruise-ginity last week on Carnival Freedom, 6 day, west caribbean.

 

We are now hooked and want to book another cruise for next year. Here's the problem...I start a 16 months consecutive nursing program in January and have very little time off (a week here and there), so our schedule is not at all flexible.

 

We are on somewhat of a budget and don't want to spend a crazy amount of money but do want to do at least 6 days to make the airfare worth it.

 

Is it better for us to just pick a cruise, book it, and hope for mega price drops, or wait and watch and hope that ANY cruise during my weeks off drops a little in price and then book it?

 

We are spoiled because we got such a great deal on our first cruise.

[cruise_pirate]

We (my sister and I) lost our cruise-ginity last week on Carnival Freedom, 6 day, west caribbean.

 

We are now hooked and want to book another cruise for next year. Here's the problem...I start a 16 months consecutive nursing program in January and have very little time off (a week here and there), so our schedule is not at all flexible.

 

We are on somewhat of a budget and don't want to spend a crazy amount of money but do want to do at least 6 days to make the airfare worth it.

 

Is it better for us to just pick a cruise, book it, and hope for mega price drops, or wait and watch and hope that ANY cruise during my weeks off drops a little in price and then book it?

 

We are spoiled because we got such a great deal on our first cruise.

 

Look at off season months and hurricane season sometimes they have some real good deals! We are going at the end of Jan. on a 5 nighter with an OV cabin on Empress for under 200pp:)

[AndrewD65]

My Suggestion is book somewhere between November and April or so, that's the lowest price cruises I have ever seen

[sweetcurves]

My Suggestion is book somewhere between November and April or so, that's the lowest price cruises I have ever seen

 

I have two weeks off at the end of April (20th to May 6), one week from June 24 to July 1, August 17th to Sept 4, October 19-27, and I'm off December 14th to probably the first Monday in January 2014.

 

October seems to be the best deal but I don't know if I want to go on a week long vacation mid semester. Blah!

 

End of April is what works best but not for the pocketbook.

[GAMOM4]

Look at the first or second week of December or the second or third week of January. This will be our 2nd year in a row going the 1st week of December..and our cruise is cheaper this year than last...same cruise out! :)

[sweetcurves]

Look at the first or second week of December or the second or third week of January. This will be our 2nd year in a row going the 1st week of December..and our cruise is cheaper this year than last...same cruise out! :)

 

Beginning of December is the end of a semester and beginning of January is the beginning of a new one.

 

Thanks though.

[klmorg]

I have two weeks off at the end of April (20th to May 6), one week from June 24 to July 1, August 17th to Sept 4, October 19-27, and I'm off December 14th to probably the first Monday in January 2014.

 

October seems to be the best deal but I don't know if I want to go on a week long vacation mid semester. Blah!

 

End of April is what works best but not for the pocketbook.

 

One of our favorites times to cruise is the end of April/first of May. We've received some good deals during that time because it is after spring breaks & before summer vacations, which are typically more expensive times.

[loxley]

Get thru your schooling and then plan your cruise.

[SNJCruisers]

I'm off December 14th to probably the first Monday in January 2014.

Just found you the best deal on the best that Carnival has to offer. After Thanksgiving and before Christmas is a great time and cheap time to cruise. On Sunday 12/15, there is a 6 day sailing on the Breeze, with stops in Grand Turk, Ocho Rios and Nassau. There is only 1 cabin left that is a porthole cabin. With the ES rate, it is only 542 including all taxes. It is cabin 2221. It has two movable twin beds just like a regular inside cabin, but it also has two portholes. If that cabin is gone by the time you decide, another option which is 20 bucks cheaper is a similar cabin that has 1 twin bed and a sofa bed. The cabin numbers are 2211, 2212, 2216 and 2217. They would be 522 pp including taxes. Of course this far ahead, you could very easily get ES price drops. Best of luck with your decision. Another reason to pick this week of course is that you'll have your semester behind you and you'll still be able to spend the holidays with your family.

[sweetcurves]

I just put a hold on a room on the April 21 sailing of the Glory. But now I'm trying to find this "hold" and I can't find it. LOL

 

I want to talk to my sister about it. It's about $635 including taxes but it's 7 days and some really nice ports of call...Nassau, St Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk.

 

And then fingers crossed for a price drop or two.

[sweetcurves]

The cabin I reserved is an "inside" but it has a picture window that looks out to a public walkway. I'm ok with that because I want the natural light. I don't know if I could handle a true inside. I'm a little claustrophobic. On our Freedom cruise we initially booked an inside but then when prices dropped, we were able to move to an oceanview for only $20 more each.

[SexyK]

Make sure its not a handicapped room. Cause if they need it they can bump you. Good luck on finding the right cruise n have fun.

[sweetcurves]

Make sure its not a handicapped room. Cause if they need it they can bump you. Good luck on finding the right cruise n have fun.

 

Nope it's not. They were available and as much as I'd love the space, I think those who are actually handicapped should get those rooms.

[SNJCruisers]

The cabin I reserved is an "inside" but it has a picture window that looks out to a public walkway. I'm ok with that because I want the natural light. I don't know if I could handle a true inside. I'm a little claustrophobic. On our Freedom cruise we initially booked an inside but then when prices dropped, we were able to move to an oceanview for only $20 more each.

So, Sweet....didn't like my Breeze offer...it has the portholes to eliminate your claustrophobia, it's not in the middle of your school year and it's on the best that carnival has to offer, not an older ship like the Glory....

[NurseSteph]

Get thru your schooling and then plan your cruise.

 

 

Agreed! There is no time for vacations......vactions are filled with homework for when you get back.... and for me I needed that week to catch up....at least that was how it felt

[sweetcurves]

So, Sweet....didn't like my Breeze offer...it has the portholes to eliminate your claustrophobia, it's not in the middle of your school year and it's on the best that carnival has to offer, not an older ship like the Glory....

 

Not that I didn't like it, but airfare in December is astronomical. Plus coming from the north, there's always the risk of being snowed in etc. Also my job gets VERY busy in December and since I'll have a few weeks off school, I would want to work as much as possible.

 

 

In doing that math and looking at a bunch of angles, we could do a 4 day Bahamian in April and a 4 day WC in October, including airfare for just a couple hundred more than the 7 day I was looking at for April. So, we'll see.

 

Oh and I found porthole cabins on all the short cruises.

[sweetcurves]

Agreed! There is no time for vacations......vactions are filled with homework for when you get back.... and for me I needed that week to catch up....at least that was how it felt

 

I totally agree, which is why I wouldn't want to do them on my breaks but in between semesters if at all possible. Won't have "homework" between semesters, and would LOVE to get away for a few days.

 

Fingers crossed I can do it all. LOL

[n6uqqq]

Make sure its not a handicapped room. Cause if they need it they can bump you. Good luck on finding the right cruise n have fun.

 

How do they know if you have someone handicapped in your room before they bump you? Do they call and inquire?

[kingoftheicedragons]

I totally agree, which is why I wouldn't want to do them on my breaks but in between semesters if at all possible. Won't have "homework" between semesters, and would LOVE to get away for a few days.

 

Fingers crossed I can do it all. LOL

 

Your situation is so similar to a coworker of mine. I keep trying to convince her that she and her husband should go on a cruise, but she's going to school (online) and doesn't want to go during the semester...she could go on breaks but she says she still has homework to do for week-long breaks...plus, cruises are more expensive when there are breaks.

[silvercrikhix]

Got to laugh that you are into another cruise so quickly!

You do got it bad, girl! :D

But, bad is now good, eh? LOL

DH and I were the same way, so smitten......

We booked our second cruise a within a week after our first,

And then booked our third a week after the second one.

I am feeling out of sorts to not have one booked, but am looking,

I NEED A COUNTDOWN CLOCK........SOON........

Wishing you and your sis more fabulous cruises into the future!

Your plans for the Glory in April sound wonderful....enjoy :)

[sweetcurves]

Got to laugh that you are into another cruise so quickly!

You do got it bad, girl! :D

But, bad is now good, eh? LOL

DH and I were the same way, so smitten......

We booked our second cruise a within a week after our first,

And then booked our third a week after the second one.

I am feeling out of sorts to not have one booked, but am looking,

I NEED A COUNTDOWN CLOCK........SOON........

Wishing you and your sis more fabulous cruises into the future!

Your plans for the Glory in April sound wonderful....enjoy :)

 

It's like an itch I have to scratch. I don't know if I could do a land vacation ever again!

[SNJCruisers]

It's like an itch I have to scratch. I don't know if I could do a land vacation ever again!

Ever been to an all inclusive in the Riviera Maya area of Mexico? If you're a drinker, they're a great option because you don't have the sticker shock like at the end of your cruise when you see your sail n sign bill. But, on the other hand, there are way more differences between resorts with qualities of food and drink when you're doing comparisons, so the research aspect is way more than when comparing cruise lines, IMHO.

[sweetcurves]

Ever been to an all inclusive in the Riviera Maya area of Mexico? If you're a drinker, they're a great option because you don't have the sticker shock like at the end of your cruise when you see your sail n sign bill. But, on the other hand, there are way more differences between resorts with qualities of food and drink when you're doing comparisons, so the research aspect is way more than when comparing cruise lines, IMHO.

 

Not a drinker at all. Diabetic so I don't even drink juice. We lived on water and crystal light. I loved EVERYTHING about cruising.

[SNJCruisers]

Not a drinker at all. Diabetic so I don't even drink juice. We lived on water and crystal light. I loved EVERYTHING about cruising.

So that eliminates that possibility....;)....now that you have the cruise bug in your system, you have less worries when you vacation. You don't have to wake up in the morning and try to figure out what you're going to do, where you're going to eat, etc. You just have to decide if you're going to wear your bikini or your one-piece. :D

[sweetcurves]

So that eliminates that possibility....;)....now that you have the cruise bug in your system, you have less worries when you vacation. You don't have to wake up in the morning and try to figure out what you're going to do, where you're going to eat, etc. You just have to decide if you're going to wear your bikini or your one-piece. :D

 

I think that's why we loved it so much. There was no pressure. There wasn't a multitude of decisions to make. All the land vacations I've taken with my sister, I do ALL the planning, all the driving, all the navigating. It turns out to be more stressful than restful. On the cruise, we have limited options and end up eating just to fuel ourselves instead of as an experience, we are forced to relax because there aren't 478 malls that we can explore. It felt like a REAL vacation, not just like my every day life in a different city.