First time cruiser/Honeymoon - HELP!!

[DrRazorback]

I am in a delimma!

 

I am getting married next month (Sept. 10th) and due to my finances running low, I have talked my future bride into a cruise! She hasnt been open to them because she is nervous about being out on open water...

 

However, I have purchased her a ring, started a new practice about 3 months ago, and am closing on our new house next month! So, thats why Im running a bit low on money and its pretty much either a fairly inexpensive cruise or nothing at all right now! lol...

 

Anyways, I want this to be a cruise that she will enjoy in hopes that she will want to go back again some day! We really really need a cruise leaving out of Mobile, New Orleans, or Galveston - It looks like only Carnival for the most part...

 

But I need HELP! There are SO many options and I dont know what EXTRA charges are involved and which ship would be the best for the money and yada yada yada...

 

Can ANYONE give me a website/agent that can get us a GREAT price out of one of those ports with a window!?!? Other than that, I dont know WHAT im being charged and can probably come up with about $1000-$1200 for this WHOLE thing...Is that enough?

 

Anyways, I would really appreciate some help and direction...Thanks...

[montgomeryfamily]

I assume that since your wedding is in September, you are also looking for a honeymoon right after your wedding. I think with the price range you are looking at, the fact that you want a window (which is an outside cabin) and the limitation of embarkation ports, plus the date, your options are probably limited to Carnival, especially if you are looking for a seven day cruise. That is a very small amount to pay for a cruise for you and your wife together.

 

If you could accept an inside cabin, you could probably get an inside on the Rhapsody of the Sea leaving Galveston--this is an RCI ship for the upper part of your range of 1200.

 

If you were to travel to Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or some of the other Florida ports, you could get a three, four, or even five day cruise within your price range on RCI or Celebrity. Later on in the year, you could even get RCI, NCL, or possibly even Princess from the embarkation ports you want within the price range you are looking.

 

We can't recommend travel agencies or sites on this board, as it is against board rules. In addition to the cruise price, there will be port charges and also fees/taxes. Many internet sites quote rates with port fees but not fees/taxes.

 

Travel insurance is extra and you would not be able to get it for the rates you are looking at paying (which even if you don't need cancellation, you may want to get for medical/evacuation). All of these mainstream cruiselines charge for alcohol and sodas. You also need money to pay for tips to the cabin stewards, waiters, etc. It will be difficult for you to go ashore and not spend anything. Of course, you won't be able to gamble or play bingo either.

 

Carnival has a lot of things for which there are extra charges. So you wouldn't be able to get any of those. Read the Carnival board and you'll get an idea of what those are.

 

Frankly, with your budget, I don't think I'd try a cruise right now, with your embarkation port limitations and budget. Even if you get a Carnival cruise within your price range (and whether this would be a cruise your new wife would like) I don't think that worrying about keeping to such a strict budget will allow you to have a very happy honeymoon and your wife will not get a good taste of what cruising is all about. I don't mean to say that you have to spend a fortune on a cruise for it to be a good cruise, but I think you would want to be able to order a drink or spend some money ashore.

 

I'm going to suggest two possible ways you might pull this off, besides driving to one of the other ports and getting a three day cruise. One is that it is possible that RCI could run a special pricing on the Rhapsody enabling you to get a cabin at the low end of your budget. They run promotions usually on Tuesday, so you could see. The second way is to ask people to give you shipboard credit. Once you decide on the cruise, anyone can purchase shipboard credit for you to use on the ship. This would give you a way to pay the tips and to provide some money for extras like drinks and flowers.

 

(Also, some travel agencies, and I can't mention which ones, but they are on the internet, have some arrangements where people can give money toward your cruise as a wedding present. But since it is so late, any cruise you book you will have to make full payment, so this won't work.)

 

You might also consider just going to a romantic hotel for a few nights and saving the remainder of your money for a cruise you could take for your first anniversary or some other time. I don't know where you are located, but if you are near Galveston, there is a Bed and Breakfast in Galveston that has some romantic suites with private hot tubs on the deck. You could stay there for three nights for half your budget and save the rest.

 

Congrats on your wedding! Hope you have a happy honeymoon whatever you do. :)

[patnjohn]

My advaice is BOOK SOON! Not too much time left if you want to honeymoon right after the wedding. Post 9/11 have restrictions.

[Square]

You might be able to get a last minute cruise with an inside cabin (the window is really not THAT big of a deal) for what you are looking at. That would still leave you with costs associated with driving / parking at a port, drinks, gambling, and souvenirs. If you guys have a dollar dance at the wedding, you can count on some extra spending money, but you might have to charge most of your sign and sail stuff to a credit card and deal with the bill a month after your cruise. So I think you could get buy, but I definitely agree that you would have to book ASAP because there is a longer lead time needed since 9/11 restrictions. Just find ANY travel agent or call Carnival direct. I don't know if it really matters at this point....you just got to get something going. Good luck and congrats (I went on a Carnival cruise for my honeymoon two years ago and had a great time).

[Cotton]

Wow! You've got a lot on your plate right now! Congrats on the upcoming marriage.

 

OK, I'd suggest trying to book a 4 or 5-nighter out of Mobile - The HOLIDAY happens to be my favorite ship. She is the oldest and smallest of Carnival's present fleet - but a GREAT ship! I've cruised on her four times, and will do another in the near future.

 

You could easily do this within your budget. I'd suggest you call Carnival (1-800-CARNIVAL), and ask for a PVP (Personal Vacation Planner). I wish I could give you the name of the one I've used for the past five cruises, but not allowed here.:o

 

If there is one available, you can get a porthole cabin for less than an oceanview (picture window). I've done that several times, and I like those cabins. There aren't many, though, so you need to check ASAP.

 

Once you've paid for the cruise, and at this late date, the entire amount will be payable when you book, there really isn't a lot more to use cash for. Everything will be charged to your Sail & Sign account, and you can settle up at the end with cash OR have it charged to your credit/debit card (which is what I do).

 

There are LOTS of ways to enjoy a cruise without spending your life savings! For instance, the only photo I buy is the one they take just prior to boarding the ship. You don't have to purchase any photos. Take your camera and ask fellow passengers to take shots of you and your bride together. I've always found everybody more than happy to do this for me.

 

On the Holiday, there is no "specialty restaurant" that you would be charged for. ALL your food and beverages (except alcoholic & soft drinks) are included in your fare. There's fruit juices, tea, coffee, lemonade, fruit punch, etc. all over the ship - on Lido Deck, dining rooms, room service. (No charge for room service - but tip the delivery person $1 or $2.)

 

Your automatic tips of $10 per person per day will be on your S&S account, and are broken down as follows:

$5.50 per day to dining room waiter

$3.50 per day to cabin steward

$1.00 per day to Lido Buffet staff

 

NO extra tipping is required throughout the cruise, unless you just want to. Even when you order a beverage, the 15% tip is automatically added, so no extra tipping required.

 

Oh, and a good thing - Carnival allows a coupla bottles of wine and a reasonable amount of soft drinks to be brought on board with you at the port of embarkation. (No beer or alcohol though.)

 

Really - unless you want to buy souveniers in the gift shops, or take an excursion in port, you could get by easily. In ports, I sometimes stay at the port area, and sometimes take a cab to one of the beaches. On Cozumel, for instance, lots to do and see right there - no need to go anywhere.

 

Sorry this is so long, but just wanted to say you CAN do this well within your budget. Call Carnival and talk to a PVP - now - and I think you'll quit worrying and book that cruise!:) Good luck!

[Cotton]

Ooops, I forgot a coupla things. If you park at the terminal in Mobile (nice, covered parking garage), it will cost $10 per day, and you'll need to tip the porters at the pier $1 per piece of luggage. They aren't Carnival employees, but employed by the port authority.

 

The 4 or 5 night cruise might be best for your bride - if she's "iffy" about being on the ocean, so a 7-nighter might just be too long for her?;)

[montgomeryfamily]

The only problem with cruising on the Carnival Holiday from Mobile is that unless you want a category 1A cabin, which is an upper twin and lower twin, you can't get on a Holiday sailing until October. I wouldn't think you would want a twin bed for your honeymoon :) and I assumed that you wanted to cruise shortly after your wedding. However, if you want to wait until October, the Holiday would be an option.

 

If you are willing to wait some time period after your wedding for your honeymoon, you may be able to pick up some last minute specials on some of the other cruise lines, as I mentioned above. Also, your cash flow might improve and you may be able to budget more for the cruise and the extras. But if you are wanting to cruise on the Holiday or another Carnival ship, especially for the shorter cruise, you should book soon, as the outside cabins, even with a porthole, do go fast on those short cruises.

 

If you are firm in your budget and are not willing to defer charges on a credit card, then you definitely need to factor in all the expenses like parking and tips. Plus, we don't know where you are driving from and depending on where you are and where you are embarking, you may need to come in the day before. A really long drive during the night/wee hours of the morning is going to exhaust you and your new bride and isn't a good way to start your trip.

 

Remember that your honeymoon is a celebration of your marriage for the two of you and your new bride is likely to be expecting a romantic experience with you. (Of course, this really depends on the personality of your bride--you are the best judge of that). So I suggest that you keep that in mind when planning your honeymoon (and deciding whether to get that Cat. 1A inside cabin) :)

[Cotton]

Hey Doc... I'm gonna take a wild stab here and guess you're in Arkansas. (Razorback) You might try for the Sensation out of N.O. - about the same, just a tad bit more hassle getting to the pier, and the parking at area garages (no terminal parking right now) has, I just learned, gone up to $14 per day. I forgot the Holiday's going to be in drydock. Maybe the 5-night Sensation would work for you?

[grvdggr71]

If you can find cheap airfare, I might recommend trying a cruise out of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. Within a week of your wedding date, I have found a 4-night Bahamas cruise for $239pp plus port fees and a 5-night Western Caribbean for $269pp. Prices were for the cheapest available interior stateroom. The 5-night Western Caribbean cruise was out of Ft. Lauderdale on Empress of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) departing on Sept. 17th. RCI, unlike Carnival, doesn't have staterooms with Upper/Lower bunkbeds unless you are talking about a room for 3 or 4 people. I checked Expedia quickly for airfare from Little Rock (just guessing here) and for the dates the ship leaves and returns, airfare was about $168 plus tax pp. You could probably find cheaper airfare by doing some looking on the web or calling a travel agent. I'm guessing that when you throw in tips, tax, and port fees, you'll be looking at around $1050. That leaves you with $150 for extras (drinks onboard, shopping, shore excursions). Note that free drinks include water, lemonade, iced tea, and some hot beverages. Soda and liquor are extra. If you can't squeeze anymore money into your budget, it might be a "bare bones" cruise without many frills, but at least you will be on a vacation (to Key West and Grand Cayman, no less!)

[DrRazorback]

How much money DOES one need to budget for a cruise?

 

If I can pay $900-$1000 NOW and book for a November cruise, then I can save another $700 by the time the cruise comes around...For fuel, hotel, and extras!

 

Is that enough or does it cost more?

 

I have ALWAYS been under the impression that cruises were supposed to be "cheap"! lol...Im finding out otherwise now! lol...

 

By the way Cotton, I understand that you can not post your agent here, but would you be so kind, as to email the person to me: drrazorback @ yahoo.com

 

Thanks for all of your help...I really appreciate it!

[Sarapdot]

I did this last year. My husband and I got married in late Oct. and I booked our honeymoon cruise in August.(:confused: ) We didn't register for gifts since we already lived together, so we got money from almost every guest. We ended up with about $900 cash and used most of it to pay for the extras on our cruise. (we had a small wedding) We were on the Carnival Ecstacy which I do not recommend. It was ok for our first cruise, but now that we know a little bit about cruising I would not willing choose this ship again. We are booked on the Rhapsody for our anniversary cruise this year and I am hoping that RC will be a much nicer experience. I would not book the Ecstacy if you can avoid it. Carnival does have another ship that sails out of Galveston, I think it's the Elation and it is supposedly a bigger/nicer ship. You could give it a shot for your price. I haven't cruised but once, but I found that the closer you book to the sail date, the cheaper! Because, they want to fill the rooms.

[wrp96]

RCI has an Oceanview Guarantee Stateroom on the Empress of the Seas 5-night leaving 9/17 which would cost $675.30 total with taxes and fees. Assuming you are flying out of Little Rock, Northwest currently has flights for $173 per person to Ft. Lauderdale. The $1,000 you have now would pay for the cruise, less would be needed if you went for an interior . Then you could use the other money you can save and earn to pay for extras such as excursions, drinks, souvenirs.

 

There is also an Oceanview Guarantee available on a 4 night October 10th on the Majesty of the Seas, which would cost $617.90 including taxes and fees. There are flight available on NW for around $173.00. This cruise goes out of Miami, to Nassau, Key West, and CocoCay(RCI's private island).

 

You can go on Rhapsody out of Galveston on a 7 night cruise in an Interior Guarantee in October for a little less than $1200. It would be about $1400 for an Oceanview Stateroom.

 

Carnival's Elation 7-night out of Galveston on Sept. 18th in an Oceanview Guarantee would be about $1000, not including taxes and fees.

[montgomeryfamily]

If you drive to the port, you'll have gas and parking expenses--amount of parking depends parking location. If you fly, you'll need money for taxi to and from port and possibility tips for skycap.

 

Tips for dining room waiters and room steward will run approximately $10.00 pp.per day on most cruise lines. Most people tip the porters that take the bags from you at the dock and put them on the ship--you can carry on or decide whether you want to not tip the porter instead.

 

Alcoholic drinks, sodas, bottled water and mocktails all are extra and have 15% gratuity added. Its your honeymoon--will you have any champagne, flowers, chocolate covered strawberries or the like? Speciality coffees, such as like lattes and expresso, are extra. Carnival has ppv TV if you wanted that. There are other shipboard extras you have to pay for also if you want them, like photos, certain gym classes, etc. You would need to go to the particular cruise line board and look at this to see if you are going to want any of these and how much you think you would want--then you'd know how much to budget for these extras.

 

If you take a shore excursion tour--private or cruise line, it is extra. At Key West and the private islands you can walk to a beach, but you would probably need to take a taxi to the beach on other islands. At many beaches there is a charge for a chair and an umbrella. The places where you can sit at a beach bar you are expected to buy something. Anything you eat or drink at any of the ports except the cruise line private island you have to pay for yourself, so are you going to take any bottled water with you ashore, get drinks ashore, or try to tough it out until you get back (may not be a good idea depending on heat/activity level). Are you coming back to ship for lunch? How about souvenirs?

 

I don't think anyone can tell you how much it will cost you or how much to budget outside of the basic cruise fare (including port and fees) because it is dependent on what you and your wife want to do/purchase. I've tried to give you an idea of the costs or potential costs.

 

Remember, this isn't a vacation--it is your honeymoon, so the focus may not be quite the same. Make sure you know what your fiance expects on the honeymoon. You've already said that your fiance is nervous about cruising. If you want to be able to go on a cruise on your future anniveraries or vacations, you should make sure that she has a good time and that she is not going to be disappointed in this honeymoon cruise, as this experience will be a significant factor in how she feels about cruising in the future.

[DrRazorback]

Well, thanks a LOT everyone...

 

You've helped clear up some of my questions! I really appreciate the help...

 

I posted at another travel board, but no one EVER answers posts there...They just all ask questions! lol...No one EVER answers anyone!

 

Anyways, with less than a month til the wedding, I am seriously thinking about booking something for Oct, and saving our spending money between now and then...I guess we'll just come home and get settled in the week following our wedding! I told my bride to be that she wouldnt have to work that week following our wedding if she would do that and postphone the honeymoon until Oct...And she said that was fine with her...

 

Anyways, thanks again for your help!

[clackey]

Hola Doc,

 

First let me say congats on the upcoming nuptials.

 

I am guessing that the razorback part is an Arkie thing, huh? If so we are in the same boat. Pardon the pun.:p

 

As for the cruise, I checked with my TA, (my internet TA,) and the cheapest trip that I saw was out of Mobile for around $300 PP with a window. However, you are getting into a time frame where rates have a tendency to go up. If you are going to book, I suggest that you do it soon. So far we have not spent over $1500 per trip, but we book in December are January when the rates are cheapest and we book an inside cabin. We drive from northern Arkansas to the ports and take whatever tours that we want. So your trip in your price range is doable.