When choosing cruises what are your priorities?

[calliopecruiser]

Since retiring we find ourselves cruising less in favour of independent land trips.

 

We still do cruises but we typically include them in our land tours. Often at the last minute. If we are travelling and find ourselves close to a port we often take a look at the last minute offerings on cruises. We keep our land trips flexible so change is seldom an issue for us.

Interesting, as I find myself doing the opposite -- when I was younger I did more land trips. However, I miss them and after several years of cruise vacations (transoceanic, lots of sea days), I'm going back to a land (only) trip next year.

[K32682]

The cruise has to make sense as the optimum way to meet my vacation objectives and offer me something that is not easily obtained in another fashion.

 

Our Tahiti cruise made sense because we wouldn't otherwise go there and it included stops in the Marquesas. Alaska was good because it went to places that weren't that easy to get to and where facilities were spartan to non-existent. The cruises that go off the beaten path are the ones that interest me most.

 

I won't take another cruise in the Caribbean. All the ports are pretty much the same and it makes more sense to simply fly to one and stay at an all inclusive resort. The Mediterranean was okay but I'd rather go there independently. The constant clock watching and seeing sights with 4 thousand of your newest friends is not my idea of a good time. There is a reason land-based travellers avoid places when the cruise ships pull in.

[NMLady]

Apart from price and duration when choosing a cruise do you prioritise the port of calls or the amenities offered by the ship?:confused:

 

Itinerary is more important to us than amenities.

If the price is right and so is itinerary, that's what matters most.

[bigwally]

Itinerary all the way for me. Then I typically have to look at the length, because I'm still working and can only get away for so many days. Then the price, unless the price is already too outrageous (I'll never be able to book irrespective of the cost). The trifecta is a great itinerary at a bargain price, for just the right number of days with the pre and (sometimes) post-cruise stays included.

[sail7seas]

School terms when working.

 

Still school terms in retirement ( mainly) as we are responsible for some childcare for grand daughter.

 

Makes for expensive, child filled holidays !!!

 

But also makes for the joys and pleasures of being with your grand daughter. ;) priceless.

[sail7seas]

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What is embarkation city' date=' wha t ports? How many days is cruise, what date is embarkation Is there availabity of the

 

 

cabin category I want? What is debark port? which ship?

 

 

]Is that particular cruise, worth the amount of money to Me.......

 

Not necessarily in this order

[Velvetwater]

Ports

 

After that its bargain hunting

 

Then its finding a line that's not too old for us.

 

Everything else like the ship features are a mere afterthought.

[jocap]

We've many different reasons- last cruise was to try a different line and a local port- the itinerary was Norway again, but some new fjords.

Next is a repositioning from the UK to Malta...not many new ports, so it's the price, which is extremely low and includes coach there and flight back.

Later, old ship but new itinerary- Iceland

Looking to sail from Dubai (new to us) next winter, and I'm interested in the new Saga ship which launches next year, so the itinerary will be secondary.

[taglovestocruise]

Sea days, sea days, sea days. and few kids. Getting hooked on transatlantics. Looking into 30 days Australia to Seattle with 20 sea days.

[pris993]

ship, ports, costs, ease of getting to port to board by air and return.

[OCruisers]

Itinerary and Cruise Ship/Cruise Line.

Keith

 

So agree with Keith! Even the best itinerary would not be enjoyable on a Cruise Ship/Cruise Line we didn't like.

Also being able to get the type of cabin we want is very important to us. :)

[Joebucks]

1.) Price: Cruising during the summer is out of the question for me. I will not pay 2x-3x for what I can get in the Spring or Summer for the same vacation.

 

2.) Itinerary: Doesn't hurt to go to new places you've always wanted to and even return to ones you've really enjoyed

 

3.) Cruise Ship: Sometimes you gotta have those certain amenities!

[Nebr.cruiser]

For us, it would be itinerary, time of year and length. We prefer longer cruises, don't want to cruise in the summer but do want to get away from the cold winters, and like spring and fall for European destinations.

 

One more important factor is cost and length of flights.

 

But, itinerary is #1, except that we almost always cruise the Caribbean in the winter for warmth. We've done that so many times the itinerary is not so important.

 

Ship is really not an issre as we like most cruise lines and manage to have a good time on any line/ship.

[CanobieFan]

My priority is the itinerary. The ship is a very comfortable floating hotel. I prefer maximum port days and minimum sea days.

Pretty much, this. Although I would sacrifice in port days for extra at sea days, if it meant I got to visit new destinations. Although I don't really mind one or two over all day at seas. So far 3 days at sea are the most I've had in a single cruise.

[Wayfairers]

Itinerary. We use cruises to see new areas and determine which places we want to return to on a land trip or we use them to get somewhere (US to Europe for instance) instead of flying

 

 

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[printingchick]

#1 Itinerary

#2 Cruise line/ship

#3 Date (we like to escape winter!)

 

 

I didn't know quite where to list cost. Cost narrows the field of choices right off the bat. I don't choose based on cost, but it does eliminate options before I begin to consider the other factors.

[navybankerteacher]

1) Date -you only want to consider something that fits in with the rest of your life.

2) Itinerary - you only want to go someplace, or cross a body of water, which interests you.

3) Line - you know what you are inclined to enjoy and what you are inclined to avoid.

4) Cost - unless you are the Sultan of Brunei (or the like) everything you spend money on represents a decision not to do something else - you want to be sure you are not precluding better things.

[lenquixote66]

My priority is the itinerary. The ship is a very comfortable floating hotel. I prefer maximum port days and minimum sea days.

I agree 100 percent with the above.

[shipgeeks]

Ship. There are some older and smaller ones we still want to sail on. We cruise to be on a ship at sea, not in a port.

Sea days. As many as possible.

Onboard atmosphere. Formal rather than casual.

Time of year, to fit other commitments.

Ease of getting to and from the departure port.

Cooler weather over hot.

[SPacificbound]

Number one is itinerary

[Tiggertastic]

A real mixed bag. If just the two of us it starts with itinerary and timing. If it’s a friends cruise it’s availability of us all followed by itinerary and it’s often a case of repeating itineraries as the time with friends is the priority

 

 

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[cmdchiefthom]

Obviously the season, the suite location, and the itinerary! Never missed yet!:)

[OCruisers]

#1 Itinerary

#2 Cruise line/ship

#3 Date (we like to escape winter!)

 

 

I didn't know quite where to list cost. Cost narrows the field of choices right off the bat. I don't choose based on cost, but it does eliminate options before I begin to consider the other factors.

 

(y) Totally agree! Cost is the last thing (while a factor) we consider when we find what we want! :D:D

[printingchick]

(y) Totally agree! Cost is the last thing (while a factor) we consider when we find what we want! :D:D

 

 

 

And, in direct opposition to some cruisers who wan lots of sea day, our itineraries of choice are port-intensive. We like waking up each day in a new place.

[SailBadtheSinner]

If the cruise is going where I want to go, when I want to go, within my cruise budget, and preferably does not include flying to the departure port.

 

SBtS