What determines which cruise you book?

[summer slope]

I was reading another cruise board and the OP had several ports cancelled and was quite upset. MANY of the posters said ports should never be a consideration when booking a cruise. My question to you all is what do you use to determine a cruise? I use time of year and the ports I want to visit. The ports are the most important to me.

Edited October 19, 2015 by summer slope

[towhee]

I agree that time of year and ports are primary for me.

Having said that, I understand that sometimes a port is no longer available (weather, local issues, port overbooking, tides) so, while I'm disappointed, I understand that it happens.

 

We sailed the Caribbean one year and were supposed to go into Grand Cayman. It was a sunny day and the ocean looked calm, so we were surprised when the captain announced that the port was closed. Then our tender came back from the port and we watched waves breaking over the top of it. So much for calm seas.

 

On the other hand to say that "ports should NEVER be a consideration" is rediculous. If ports aren't to be considered, then why cruise? You can just stay home and save yourself a lot of time and money.

[CruiseRQA]

To me ports are the least important consideration. We have been to enough Caribbean islands that pretty much if you have seen one you have seen them all.

 

We choose a cruise based on:

1. Line

2. ship

3. time of year

4. desired length of cruise

5. ports

[dakrewser]

To me ports are the least important consideration. We have been to enough Caribbean islands that pretty much if you have seen one you have seen them all.

 

 

You do know that ships cruise in a number of different locations besides the Caribbean, right?

 

For us it's all about the itinerary. In fact, our upcoming cruise in the Caribbean will be the first we choose for reasons other than itinerary (we'd said we wouldn't do the Caribbean any more), but it's the perfect way to introduce our DD and her family to cruising...

[Alberta Quilter]

For me, it's all about the itinerary. I now try to book cruises, really any vacation, that are a minimum of 14 days to justify the airfare and to obtain the highest shareholder credit.

[WeLoveCruising]

Good question. We've had some ports changed or cancelled over the years, some more disappointing than others.

 

I remember my very first cruise, a 3 day out of Miami. I was 25 years old, newly married. We were on an old small ship, the Dolphin IV. I remember bragging to my husband every time we saw a Royal Carribean mega ship (for the time), in each of the same ports. I would say, "look! we are saving so much money and going to the exact same places". Back then I didn't realize how important other things about the line and ship would become. It was all about the ports. I wonder if that is typical among newer cruisers? (FWIW, the Dolphin had pretty good food! But the ship, oy...)

 

Now, the cruise line is much more important to me. Itinerary plays a role, but more of a role in the general geography (Alaska vs Caribbean vs Europe for example). It would be rare that any one port of call would make or break my cruise. There are definitely some I look forward to more than others, but none that would ruin my trip if missed. Geography is most important to me to set the tone for what kind of vacation I want. For example, is it winter and we want some sun? I'd love the Caribbean, I dont care about which islands, I always say the sun is the same on the ship as in port. In fact we did a 14 day on the Statendam once and never got off the ship. Do I want nature and scenery? Alaska. I might have a preference for Glacier Bay over something else, but it wouldn't be a deal killer. Do I want Europe? I would definitely choose the itinerary based on the embarkation and disembarkation port, where we would have more time. A daily stop in a port of call isn't as important to me.

 

To answer the question, my priorities are:

 

-Line

-Geography (Alaska, Caribbean, Europe, etc)

-Dates (we still work, and like 10-14 day cruises. They have to line up with the days of the week to maximize our weekend time to limit number of vacation days).

-Length of cruise (we don't typically like 7 day cruises, like 10, and love 14 but not the back to back 7 day ones).

-Embarkation / Disembarkation port (easy to get to? reasonable flights? fun for a pre or post day or two?)

-Ship (Special love for the Noordam, Maasdam, and Amsterdam, but any damn ship will do)

Edited October 19, 2015 by WeLoveCruising

[Windsailer]

It's all about the itinerary for us.

 

Next year we have Europe (11 days) (NCL Epic) , Panama Canal (NA) , Alaska (NCL Jewell) and Hawaii (start in Seattle and return to Vancouver) on the Westerdam.

 

We're pretty picky about the ship. I won't sail on the Oosterdam (bad experience there). And if the potential cruise is on a ship I haven't been on I read the reviews first. Very carefully.

[durangoscots]

For me its:

 

Line

Geographical area

Itinerary

Ship

 

UNLESS I see an absolutely fantastic itinerary offered. Since I tend to do longer cruise the geographical area is very important, but the line even more so. I am no fan of large ships.

 

Susan

[freestyling]

We book based on:

Length of Cruise - prefer at least 14 days

Line / Ship - 90% of bookings with HAL

Itinerary - unique is great but not a deal breaker

[RocketMan275]

We go to enjoy the ship. The only reason we like port days is because the ship is far less crowded.

[auntjoy036]

Usually for me it's (1) itinerary followed by (2) line/ship. I chose my next cruise (eastern Caribbean on Oasis OTS) by thinking (1) this conference at sea looks like a fun way to get my continuing education credits and (2) the price is right.

 

Vicki

[CowPrincess]

For our winter cruise to escape winter: 10 or more days, early Jan to late Feb (avoiding President's Week). Ease or pain of getting to the embarkation city. Ports. Cost.

 

When we get to cruise Europe (and we will), it would be ALL about the ports and we would manage the "cost" component with our choice of cabin, flights and pre-cruise hotel.

[whogo]

I choose by itinerary and price and do not plan to do any cruises shorter than about 16 days. I know that ports may be cancelled and will be upset if the cruise line is too cautious. Holland America cancelled world cruise ports in West Africa due to Ebola concerns while Crystal did not, for instance.

[iancal]

Itinerary (ports, time in ports, duration, time of year). Most especially if the departure or embarkation ports are in countries that are in either our top ten bucket lists.

 

Value (combination of price, ship, itinerary,etc, including cost of air to get to embarkation)

 

Ship

 

What else we can wrap around the cruise in terms of additional pre or post cruises, land trips, etc.

 

Cruise line

Edited October 19, 2015 by iancal

[take us away]

For me it is:

(#1 and 2 are tied)

1/2, line (mostly a dedicated HAL cruiser after trying many other cruise lines)

2/1, itinerary which is why I choose a cruise

3, ship - for me smaller is better

4, cost, especially now with the need for a single supplement

[sherilyn70]

Ports are almost always my primary consideration. I have no real loyalty to any line or ship at this point. Length of cruise and budget is next on the list.

 

This next cruise is not normal for me. I picked it strictly for time frame and cost as a break from real life. I didn't even look at the ports and we have no real plans to get off the ship. This is the first time I've ever done that.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Line is first. There are so few I like, that my research for a cruise is generally Cunard and HAL, unless I get a mailing or email that entices me to look at another line.

 

Then general geography and time of year. These kind of go together because not all areas are visited all year long. For example, we usually do a Caribbean cruise in winter just to be somewhere WARM.

 

Specific itinerary is next. If there are multiple options for specific time and ship, that plays into it, too. Last year, we chose our itinerary on Westerdam because I saw a tour in St Maarten that looked good, so we chose a week she went to st Maarten instead of St Thomas.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Itinerary. If it hadn't been for HAL's great Canada/New England 10-day itinerary in 2014, we'd probably still be cruising with NCL. So, for us, it's

 

Itinerary

Line

Ship

Cost

[Fouremco]

While the other factors mentioned here, like getting away from the cold and snow for a couple of weeks, will definitely have a bearing, the ports are the major determinant. If considering the Caribbean, there are ports we like, ports we like less and ports we still haven't visited.

 

Having followed the other thread to which the OP is alluding, the issue there is how critical is any one port on your cruise; would you consider the whole cruise ruined if a specific port was cancelled? The corollary to that is, if the port is so important to you, should you book a cruise to the location, knowing that ports can be cancelled, or should you plan a land holiday to that destination?

 

Personally, I can live with missing a port along the way. It's happened to us in the past and I have no doubt it will happen again. That's all part of cruising. But if there was a port that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wanted to see, I'd visit it by some other means than a cruise.

[kalliekae]

It depends. We have been to most all of the Caribbean ports so now we cruise a mega ship when we vacation in the winter months so we can enjoy the many amenities aboard the large ships. Ports are secondary. If we go to Alaska or Europe, then we choose the cruise based upon ports and not the ship.

[ellieanne]

Most often it's:

(1) Itinerary/Area -- including length of cruise

(2) Time of Year

(3) Ship

 

But depending on who's joining us and their schedules, 1 & 2 can change places, but length is always a high consideration.

 

I don't consider line because I only sail on one line.

 

While I know ports should not be considered guaranteed, I do like to at least have a chance of visiting places I actually want to go.

[Bowie MeMe]

Ports and itinerary are the major cruise considerations. New port or new area is super good reason to plan a cruise there. BUT if we are taking grandkids or other family we will go along to where they are going -- enjoyed this summer's cruise on MONSTER of the seas and went to southern Caribbean in August -- something never would have thought of -- but 13 year old DGD loved it all -- just as she loved Disney 2 years ago when we took all 8 and found the magic -- in Bermuda. If it is just Meme and Granddaddy then we look at the exotic catalog --usually at high season for the area (tulips in bloom/summer in Brazil or New Zealand/leaf peeping in Canada). We enjoy the smaller and more easily walked ships with good service and good food. Cabin depends on the cruise -- how much use of balcony or reason for balcony -- usually midship oceanview is our favorite one deck above the promenade deck. We like to do a one or two city pre cruise of between 5 and 10 days then cruise. Often we start in a city other than embarkation city. Some port should be new -- don't like a cruise that we have done it all before -- unless of course some other reason changes our mind. 30 days is our limit -- by then pretty much ready to check in at home for a month before going again.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Bowie MeMe

[DeepWaterMariner]

At this point in my life it is bucket list. Long cruises to faraway places with strange sounding names. If I go on something that doesn't fit that plan it is because its a family cruise (probably Royal Caribbean to keep the grandkids happy) or a cruise to be with friends. In those cases its who I cruise with that is important and not where it goes.

[cruisemom42]

 

Having followed the other thread to which the OP is alluding, the issue there is how critical is any one port on your cruise; would you consider the whole cruise ruined if a specific port was cancelled? The corollary to that is, if the port is so important to you, should you book a cruise to the location, knowing that ports can be cancelled, or should you plan a land holiday to that destination?

 

Personally, I can live with missing a port along the way. It's happened to us in the past and I have no doubt it will happen again. That's all part of cruising. But if there was a port that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wanted to see, I'd visit it by some other means than a cruise.

 

I agree with this, but....

 

To be fair, the folks on that other thread have been pretty screwed over. They were originally supposed to have an overnight in Istanbul and 3 days in Israel. Now they have neither. I feel their pain.

 

What was billed as a "Holy Land" cruise is now basically a "Greek Island" cruise. In such a case -- while fully understanding the cruiseline is under no contractual obligation to do so -- I do think Celebrity should recognize that the cruise these passengers are on bears very little resemblance to the one they booked. And should offer something to make it right.

[albingirl]

Since we live in Florida, we have little desire to see the Caribbean again. However, we really do book according to itinerary and the longer cruises are best. There is a very special way about them and I feel staff is exemplary during those voyages.