Winter Cruise Question

[new2cruise1981]

Hello all. My husband will be 60 January 2019 and my plan is to surprise him with a winter cruise. I found a short three night cruise on Carnival that sails out of Florida on January 18th. We live in PA so my plan is to fly to FL the day before departure and stay in Fl a day after we get back.

 

My question. What is a winter cruise like? My husband HATES flying in the winter (bad experience when we returned home from Vegas for his 50th birthday). I just want to feel confident that the cruise will not be to rough in the winter since:

1. I'm "surprising" him with a winter flight. (yn)(yn)

2. It will be our first time cruising.

3.I am thinking three nights will be just enough for our first time.

 

Any suggestions to make the nice for him? He deserves it:hearteyes: However, I am flexible to celebrating his 60th in the spring if I have too.

[lisiamc]

That’s a lovely thought, to plan something nice for your husband’s birthday. I don’t want to rain on your parade, but a three-night Carnival cruise, over a weekend in January, is likely to be Party Central. Does your husband like a party-hearty atmosphere? I think a seven-night cruise might be more enjoyable for a 60th birthday, but that’s very subjective. (I’m 61, and that’s what I’d prefer, so I’m a bit biased!)

 

Also you’re going to spend one day travelling to Florida and one day travelling back. The ratio of days spent at airports and days spent on the cruise ship is not very good. On a three-night cruise, you’re only really going to be on the ship for two and a half days. So that’s another reason to consider a longer cruise if you can.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hello all. My husband will be 60 January 2019 and my plan is to surprise him with a winter cruise. I found a short three night cruise on Carnival that sails out of Florida on January 18th. We live in PA so my plan is to fly to FL the day before departure and stay in Fl a day after we get back.

 

 

 

My question. What is a winter cruise like? My husband HATES flying in the winter (bad experience when we returned home from Vegas for his 50th birthday). I just want to feel confident that the cruise will not be to rough in the winter since:

 

1. I'm "surprising" him with a winter flight. (yn)(yn)

 

2. It will be our first time cruising.

 

3.I am thinking three nights will be just enough for our first time.

 

 

 

Any suggestions to make the nice for him? He deserves it:hearteyes: However, I am flexible to celebrating his 60th in the spring if I have too.

 

 

You may find that a 3 day cruise is quite different than a week long cruise and a world apart from two/three/more weeks. Different demographic/reasons for cruising etc. And it is often a true observation that some 3 day trips are "booze cruises" (which may or may not float your boat).

FWIW, my opinion is that a 3 day cruise is really a 1 day boat ride since you unpack on day one and repack on day 3.

As for a "winter" cruise: it's only winter in the Northern Hemisphere. We often do our "winter" cruises from and to destinations within the Southern Hemisphere (South America, Australia et al.) when it's their "summer."

If nothing else, I'd reconsider the length and opt for at least a week, hopefully with at least one "sea day" so that you get a truer taste of cruising.

Recognize as well that there are vast differences in the cruise industry segments (mass market, premium, luxury, expedition) and you'll probably best enjoy the segment that offers your usual land based travel preferences in food, service, amenities.

That said, you may want to talk with a "cruise specialist" TA about which lines/itineraries would best fit your needs/means/preferences.

[mom says]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. A 3 day Carnival Cruise? I suggest you do a forum search for "booze cruise". Quite frankly, that's the last cruise I would recommend for a first timer. And 3 days is really too short to get a sense of what cruising is all about .

 

Nothing wrong with sailing on Carnival, if that's what fits your budget and the itinerary is one you like. But I'd strongly recommend something a little longer.

 

No one can predict if any cruise will encounter rough seas. But Jan is outside of Hurricane season. If either of you is prone to motion sickness, bring along s remedy, just in case . (A search for seasickness remedies will yield many previous threads).

 

Knowing how unpredictable winter travel can be (airport closures due to snow storms), we usually hedge our bets a bit more and fly into our embarkation port 2 days early. We also watch the forecasts closely in the days preceeding. If a big storm is forecast, airlines will often allow you to change your flights to avoid it. But it's first come, first served, so you need to be watchful.

 

I agree that it would be a very good idea to talk to a TA who is a cruise specialist. They can help you find a cruise that will best suit you and your DH.

[diane.in.ny]

The other posters jumped on what was my first reaction. I agree totally.

 

If within your budget, I would consider a better option a week cruise out of San Juan. I mention that because is is not unusual to have a bit of rocking and rolling as you sail south from Florida and you mention rough water as a concern.

 

Definitely speak to a cruise specialist. And not an 800#. Find an agency where you can sit down and speak with someone.

[Z'Loth]

A Caribbean or Mexico cruise would be a nice vacation from winter's woes. I would highly recommend flying in at least one-two days prior to the cruise to account for bad weather. Also, I would make sure your passport books are valid.

[Heidi13]

I am in the same age group and a 3-day Carnival cruise would be the furthest from my ideal birthday celebration. As a previous poster suggested, best to research "Booze Cruises"

 

My suggestion is to first research and brainstorm what your preferences and expectations are for a ship. Even within the mainstream lines you have a multitude of options, then premium lines, luxury lines and ultimately the niche market lines. Without knowing you and your expectations, based on your ages, the probability of Carnival being a good fit is fairly low. Without getting into the premium/luxury options you may want to check out HAL, Celebrity, etc.

 

For a 3-day, I concur with the previous responses, as I don't believe you will get a reasonable impression of the cruising lifestyle with really. My suggestion, especially if DH isn't to happy with winter flights, is to find a 1 week cruise.

 

If you can expand on some of the things you are looking for, or not looking for, we can assist by suggesting appropriate Lines - size of ship, quality of meals, activities, shows, shopping, cultural presentations, photogs, art shows, casinos, all-inclusive, etc.

[diane.in.ny]

I just noticed you are in PA. If in the eastern part of the state, have you considered the train?

[1025cruise]

I wouldn't spend that much time on the road for a 3 day cruise. Heck, I wouldn't even fly for a 3 day.

[Langley Cruisers]

It looks like OP has already booked the cruise as she has posted on her Roll Call, Carnival Victory Jan 21/19.

 

Can we turn this around for her? Can anyone say something positive?:D

.

[new2cruise1981]

Oh my goodness! Thanks guys for the quick and smart replies. You can tell I have no clue to what I am doing. Karen, I didn't book yet but my plan was to book tonight. Thank God I thought to put this question out there before I booked.

Most of you are correct. At 60, the booze cruise is a definite no-no. Heck, even when we were younger it wouldn't be something that would interest either one of us.

I think I need to get in touch with a TA and I will. I also think I may postpone the 60th birthday surprise to March or April. Do you guys think a five day cruise is good for first timers? I am just nervous that a week may be too much.

I sure did wait until late in life to do this.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Oh my goodness! Thanks guys for the quick and smart replies. You can tell I have no clue to what I am doing. Karen, I didn't book yet but my plan was to book tonight. Thank God I thought to put this question out there before I booked.

Most of you are correct. At 60, the booze cruise is a definite no-no. Heck, even when we were younger it wouldn't be something that would interest either one of us.

I think I need to get in touch with a TA and I will. I also think I may postpone the 60th birthday surprise to March or April. Do you guys think a five day cruise is good for first timers? I am just nervous that a week may be too much.

I sure did wait until late in life to do this.

 

 

 

Depending on Spring Break (which varies from Easter time to mid-semester/quarter/etc), even five days with a near-to-Florida tropical itinerary will get you a good shot at a spectrum from booze cruise to kiddie-central, particularly at the low end of the cruise line continuum.

Without knowing your preferences/needs/means/etc. it's hard to recommend alternatives.

As for TAs, search here on CC for the zillion threads of choosing the right TA (including what to ask when you interview them).

[MCC retired]

Consider canceling and rebooking a longer cruise . Preferably one that sails into the Caribbean and not just the Bahamas. January temps in the Bahamas can be cool , similar to Florida in January . If time is short , do at least a 5 nighter and forget the 1 day before and 1 day after plans .

Although flying the day before is a nice option , but if time is limited , fly the day of . Those 5 days are better spent onboard for a better First Time Cruise experience.

[Essiesmom]

Look at Celebrity Infinity from Miami, 5 day cruise. Will not be as frantic as the 3/4 day cruises, different vibe. And decor will not be as garish. march is not as good a time as Jan because of Spring Break crowds with lots of kids. Prices will be higher because of that. EM

[new_cruiser]

The other posters jumped on what was my first reaction. I agree totally.

 

If within your budget, I would consider a better option a week cruise out of San Juan. I mention that because is is not unusual to have a bit of rocking and rolling as you sail south from Florida and you mention rough water as a concern.

 

Definitely speak to a cruise specialist. And not an 800#. Find an agency where you can sit down and speak with someone.

+1 Also, a cruise from San Juan will have better port times and is likely to visit the main ports (e.g. St Thomas & St Maarten) on light days instead of the mid-week days when they are crowded with a bunch of ships that started from Florida on the weekend.

 

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[obnurse]

Another vote for doing a 7 day. Skip that post cruise Florida day. That will help with the cost. Consider the cost vs the ship you're sailing. The older ships may offer less, just like a old hotel. The newer ships are just......nicer all the way around. Again, just like a hotel, the nicer it is, the more the cost. Skip specialty dining, it's expensive. Skip the booze package, it's expensive. Before you know it, you'll have those extra days paid for and you'll have a nice cruise to celebrate a special time. Incidentally, I turned 60 earlier this year and I was surprised by my husband with an 8 day on Freedom of the Seas. It was amazing! Perfect trip!

[new_cruiser]

Oh my goodness! Thanks guys for the quick and smart replies. You can tell I have no clue to what I am doing. Karen, I didn't book yet but my plan was to book tonight. Thank God I thought to put this question out there before I booked.

Most of you are correct. At 60, the booze cruise is a definite no-no. Heck, even when we were younger it wouldn't be something that would interest either one of us.

I think I need to get in touch with a TA and I will. I also think I may postpone the 60th birthday surprise to March or April. Do you guys think a five day cruise is good for first timers? I am just nervous that a week may be too much.

I sure did wait until late in life to do this.

January is a good time to do the Carribbean. If you start from a Carribbean port instead of from Florida, you may have one sea day & plenty of port time so a week cruise won't be too long.

 

Our first cruise was a 7-day from San Juan on Celebrity.

 

Or, if you want something really special and a bit more adventurous (but at a higher price point) you could do a 7-day Costa Rica & Panama Canal on Windstar. January is a good time for that because the rainy season has ended but things are still very lush.

 

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[sykimball1498]

Oh my goodness! Thanks guys for the quick and smart replies. You can tell I have no clue to what I am doing. Karen, I didn't book yet but my plan was to book tonight. Thank God I thought to put this question out there before I booked.

Most of you are correct. At 60, the booze cruise is a definite no-no. Heck, even when we were younger it wouldn't be something that would interest either one of us.

I think I need to get in touch with a TA and I will. I also think I may postpone the 60th birthday surprise to March or April. Do you guys think a five day cruise is good for first timers? I am just nervous that a week may be too much.

I sure did wait until late in life to do this.

 

In March and April you will have to deal with Spring Breakers on anything 7 day or less. Just keep that in mind. Even the non-Booze cruises can become one during these months with the college students

[zqvol]

One thing that I didn't see mentioned is that a 3 day cruise at that time of year can be down right cold. Temperatures might not get above 60 if a cold front blows through. To cruise that time of year you really need to get into the Caribbean and out of the Atlantic.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1) go for a week

2) go to the Caribbean - it will be nice and toasty. Skip Cozumel, if you can.

3) Go at the end of Jan or beginning of Feb. Prices will be lower, and there won't be thousands of school aged children all over the place.

4) since you are 60 or so, I'd take a good look at Princess (Regal and Royal Princess to be exact). Both have a very relaxing atmosphere and the food is great. Beautiful ships too!

 

P.S. We always sail out of Miami or FLL, so I am good with these ports. Fly in a day early, since you are in PA.

[shipgeeks]

If husband doesn't really want to fly, how about looking at cruises out of Baltimore? Both Royal and Carnival have ships there, with varying lengths of cruises. They tend to be longer ones in January, but become more varied in the spring.

[Bookish Angel]

If husband doesn't really want to fly, how about looking at cruises out of Baltimore? Both Royal and Carnival have ships there, with varying lengths of cruises. They tend to be longer ones in January, but become more varied in the spring.

 

This is a truly excellent suggestion for first-time cruisers.

 

We have sailed to the Caribbean from Baltimore on the Grandeur of the Seas many times, usually 12 - 14 day cruises. Grandeur is a wonderful smaller ship with a top notch crew.

 

We drive to Baltimore and it is an easy, aprroximately 2 hour trip for us. Baltimore is a great town with good food, great art and sports and friendly folks.

[new2cruise1981]

Thank all of you for so much information. There is a lot about cruising that I didn't know. I decided to reach out to a travel agent that specializes in cruises. I also asked for cruises that leave New York or Baltimore since NY is a 2 hour drive from us and Baltimore is 1.5 hours. You all really helped bring some clarity to my plans. I may have to celebrate his surprise 60th a couple of weeks after his birthday.

[Heidi13]

Thank all of you for so much information. There is a lot about cruising that I didn't know. I decided to reach out to a travel agent that specializes in cruises. I also asked for cruises that leave New York or Baltimore since NY is a 2 hour drive from us and Baltimore is 1.5 hours. You all really helped bring some clarity to my plans. I may have to celebrate his surprise 60th a couple of weeks after his birthday.

 

While the NY or Baltimore options don't require flights, you should also be aware of and consider the potential of heavy weather in the Atlantic, especially in the winter months.

[Mike981]

I would shy away from leaving from NY or Baltimore as stated above, and it will be cold if you are still thinking of a non-summer cruise. As for timing, now that you have a TA (I hope they know their stuff, some are better than others) you can easily figure a trip for you two for this January.