New to cruising

[Maureen Preston]

this will be our first cruise and would like any tips about drink packages and excursions.

Also info about entertainment on sail days.

Regards Maureen

[cruisestitch]

Welcome to Cruise Critic

 

What ship, what itinerary? And what sail date?

[DinaS]

A quick search on these boards will bring up a ton of information on drink packages.

 

If you want information on excursions, you can look at the ports of call forum, and get lots of info for things to do in each port on there.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and welcome to cruising :)

[Pinkbudgie]

Welcome! I'm new to cruising too and we leave for Alaska this week! I just would come on the boards here and read threads so I could start learning. I also went to my port of call board to read more about our destination. We leave tomorrow so I'm here trying to pick up and last minute info I haven't learned yet.

[4774Papa]

this will be our first cruise and would like any tips about drink packages and excursions.

Also info about entertainment on sail days.

Regards Maureen

 

Here are some tips on excursions:

 

Preview all the Ship's excursions for your ports. Pick 1 oe 2 that you prefer. Then research on the internet for private tours that cover the same thing the ships covers, or even does more (and you really like it).

 

Compare the prices and choices, including going DIY. Some ports you can do it yourself. You might study cc under the Alaska page on cc if you are going to Alaska. If you can find a guide book like Rick Steves that is another good resource.

 

Join your roll call on cc for your cruise. People usually recruit others for their private tours. If you find one you like, join that tour, especially if it beats the ship's excursion.

 

Regarding drinks packages. Once size doesn't fit all. We never buy the expensive packages. DW and I will spend about $500 for a two week cruise on alcohol, mostly wine. Paying $50+ a day each for drinks is insane. Further, we don't pay for the $5 specialty coffee or drink the bottled water (ship's tap water is just fine).

 

If you drink a lot of specialty coffee, hand squeezed juice, bottled water and especially copius amounts of alcohol, perhaps the drinks packages are for you.

 

Do the math. How much will you plan to spend on drinks in a normal day.

Remember, on shore days, you will be off the ship most of the day.

[cheryl20772]

this will be our first cruise and would like any tips about drink packages and excursions.

Also info about entertainment on sail days.

Regards Maureen

 

Welcome Maureen. You'll get a newspaper in your cabin each day that will list more activities than you can ever do, so days at sea will not be a problem at all. Hope you have a wonderful cruise :)

[boscobeans]

https://secure.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/media/celebrity/shared_assets/pdf/Classic-Premium-Bev-Pckgs.pdf

 

As to beverage packages the above pdf. should give you enough info tomake a choice.

 

I have found the brands included for liquors to be very good, most brands were at one time and are still, in some places, considered to be top shelf.

 

If you start out your day with a Bloody Mary or fresh squeezed juice and a special coffee drink, have a wine, beer or a drink or two before or with lunch and a few during the day and during dinner then have a drink or two for the rest of the evening a package can serve you well.

 

OMO

 

bosco

[ClaudiaB]

It's likely too late to do this, but when we are going to be going to a new port/city I like to do my research the old fashioned way first: I get a Frommer's Guide or Fodor's or Rick Steves or some other guide. Then I read all about the place and what there is to do. We choose independent tours (not through the cruise ship) in 95% of the cases. Right now at age 61 we HATE getting on a big bus with people for a tour. Really, we just won't do it. So what we do is get small groups maybe 4 to 10 at the most. Sometimes through researching here on cruise critic and our roll call, sometimes finding something on the internet or from one of the books I research.

 

The cruise line will give talks about the ports. Really those are selling talks. They will recommend places they "guarantee" to shop.

Those are the shops to avoid as they've paid the cruise line to recommend them. You won't get the good deals there. If there is the word 'international' in a jewelry store, walk past it on the other side of the street! Find local places to shop and get local handcrafts and save your big ticket items for your local economy at home. UNLESS you really know the price of something, then if you see a real deal it's fine.

 

You won't learn everything beforehand and that's good. You want to be surprised around every turn as you first step aboard and have that ooh and aah moment.

 

Have a lovely cruise and please report back!!