Honeymoon Cruise in July

[TheVolpes]

My Fiancé and I just booked a cruise for July 11th leaving from Rome for 11 days and ending in Venice. We are mid 20's and after planning a wedding for a year we are looking for relaxing but awesome excursions.

 

He has been on one cruise before to the Caribbean, and I have never cruised before. I have a few questions, hopefully somebody could assist :)

 

Are formal nights included in the price?

You can't bring alcohol on board, correct?

Should we book excursions through Holland America or through another company?

 

Anybody else going on this cruise? I can't find it listed in Roll Call!

 

Thanks in advance!

[CruiserBruce]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Yes, formal nights are included in the fare. You can bring one bottle of wine per person on board. No hard booze, no beer.

 

If you look around the boards, the shore excursion question is a common one, with many different opinions. There is no one right answer.The first thing you need to know is it is quite possible to see a port/city without any excursion, simply by walking around, taking public transit, or possibly a taxi to sites.

 

MANY people take private excursions. You can start by research who provides these on the Med Ports boards, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=603

 

You may join others on your cruise doing private excursions by joining your roll call, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=86

 

You will learn huge volumes of info just be looking around here on Cruise Critic. I would start on the Holland America board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=171

 

You may, of course, also book thru the cruise line. We tend to do a mixture of all three- ship excursions, private excursions, and just walking round.

Edited August 8, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[trish1c]

While HAL is a wonderful cruise line I'd be hard pressed to think of a worse choice for a HM trip for two twenty somethings. I think at this point you can get your money back & would urge you to consider a line that is more targeted to your age group.

 

Are you also aware that it's a good idea fly to your departure port the day before you are scheduled to sail. So if you are getting married on a Saturday, leaving from your reception to the AP then flying across the Atlantic to arrive the morning your cruise departs is a very risky & inadvisable proposition.

 

If you are otherwise well traveled it's fine to book independent excursions. If this is your 1st trip abroad take the safer option & book with the cruise line

 

All that cold water aside, congratulations & best wishes on your marriage.

Edited August 8, 2014 by trish1c

[CruiserBruce]

While HAL is a wonderful cruise line I'd be hard pressed to think of a worse choice for a HM trip for two twenty somethings. I think at this point you can get your money back & would urge you to consider a line that is more targeted to your age group.

 

 

Wow! The last three European cruises we went on- 2 Med, 1 Baltic- averaged over 100 kids on each. So no problem with family, ages or anything like that.

 

European cruises are usually very port intensive, so long days in port wear people out. You will be fine on HAL.

[celebrity]

While HAL is a wonderful cruise line I'd be hard pressed to think of a worse choice for a HM trip for two twenty somethings. I think at this point you can get your money back & would urge you to consider a line that is more targeted to your age group.

 

Are you also aware that it's a good idea fly to your departure port the day before you are scheduled to sail. So if you are getting married on a Saturday, leaving from your reception to the AP then flying across the Atlantic to arrive the morning your cruise departs is a very risky & inadvisable proposition.

 

If you are otherwise well traveled it's fine to book independent excursions. If this is your 1st trip abroad take the safer option & book with the cruise line

 

All that cold water aside, congratulations & best wishes on your marriage.

I so agree! I urge you to at least explore another cruise line for your Honeymoon. Either Royal, Celebrity or Princess.

Happy Honeymoon!

[Sauer-kraut]

Be sure to book all tickets with the name on your passport.

Edited August 9, 2014 by Sauer-kraut

[Essiesmom]

Looks like you have a whole year to plan... Get a copy of Rick Steve's Mediterranean Cruise Ports and see what you can do on your own. If this is your first trip to Europe, you might be more comfortable taking HAL excursions. EM

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Spend 3 days before your cruise in Rome ..

[138east]

Be sure to buy trip insurance that covers you from the time you leave the US to the time you get back, which may mean a policy from a private company instead of the cruiseline.

 

Don't haul your entire closet with you, particularly shoes. Less is more in Europe. You need good walking shoes, water shoes or flip flops, and one pair of dress shoes. Laundry can be sent out. You need less stuff and more money.

[zoncom]

Agree with Trish. HAL is a floating nursing home. Average age on that cruise will be over 70. Its still early. Consider Celebrity or Princess as alternatives.

[CruiserBruce]

Agree with Trish. HAL is a floating nursing home. Average age on that cruise will be over 70. Its still early. Consider Celebrity or Princess as alternatives.

 

Have you been on a 10 or 12 day Med with HAL? I have. The average age, was not 70. As I mentioned, there was over 100 kids, and some pretty serious partying Aussies- about 400 of them.

[zoncom]

Been on 14N S. Caribbean. I am in my 70s. No one spoke to me. Asked my cruise companion why. He said you have nothing in common .Still remember that and lousy food.They could have used the Aussies for some life on my cruise.

Edited August 9, 2014 by zoncom

[6rugrats]

HAL has nice ships, good cabins and service and pretty good food for a mainstream cruise line. If OP is on their honeymoon and doing a port intensive Med cruise, I am not sure why they care what the age might be of other passengers.

[TheVolpes]

Thank you all for your advice and responses!

 

We have been abroad before together, and did research on all other cruise lines that sail to these locations with and with our travel agent. We decided on this HA cruise because it ports in all of the location we wanted to visit. Other cruise lines also didn't have the length we wanted and were about the same price for 3-4 days less.

 

We also do have travel insurance, and plan on only taking carry-ons, we went through hell with lost luggage last time we traveled to Paris and I don't plan on doing that again.

 

Our wedding is June 20th and we are leaving for Rome July 7th (cruise departs on the 11th). So we will have plenty of time to prepare in between and arrive to Rome early.

 

We don't really mind the age of others on bard as we are mostly going for the experience together since it is our honeymoon, and not exactly for the wild parties every night.

 

Thanks again!

[Rogueperson]

Your doing an 11 night honeymoon cruise with just carryon? That's impressive. I would be hard pressed to do that for a 7 night

 

 

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[celebrity]

Thank you all for your advice and responses!

 

We have been abroad before together, and did research on all other cruise lines that sail to these locations with and with our travel agent. We decided on this HA cruise because it ports in all of the location we wanted to visit. Other cruise lines also didn't have the length we wanted and were about the same price for 3-4 days less.

 

We also do have travel insurance, and plan on only taking carry-ons, we went through hell with lost luggage last time we traveled to Paris and I don't plan on doing that again.

 

Our wedding is June 20th and we are leaving for Rome July 7th (cruise departs on the 11th). So we will have plenty of time to prepare in between and arrive to Rome early.

 

We don't really mind the age of others on bard as we are mostly going for the experience together since it is our honeymoon, and not exactly for the wild parties every night.

 

Thanks again!

 

I was one who discouraged you from Hal due to the demographics but I clearly underestimated your priorities.

Sounds like you made the right choice for you. Have a wonderful cruise.

[trish1c]

Marvelous. Based on your 2nd post it sounds like you did your homework & made the right choice for you.

Enjoy!

[dancinman66]

Formal nights are included

 

I would mostly book tours independently

 

Can't take alcohol

 

Congrats

 

 

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