What have been the Main reasons you booked a cruise

[Vagabond Knight]

In general, for an all-inclusive, "unplugged" vacation experience on the water.

 

My first cruise - Too many reasons to list (Windjammer Barefoot cruises)... the primary being the romance of sailing to tropical locations on an historic barquentine.

 

Our first Alaskan cruise (our honeymoon)... To experience a location so unlike anything we've previously experienced and to visit a location to which neither of us had traveled before.

 

Our second Alaskan cruise...  To relive the FANTASTIC experience of our honeymoon and share it with friends.

 

Our Caribbean cruises... To get away to tropical locations and "unplug" (no calls, no texts, no Facebook) with embarkation locations to which we could drive (we live in Florida).  The actual islands aren't quite as important as the general cruise experience (and number of days!) when it comes to the Caribbean.  We booked our most recent one (which, unfortunately was cancelled) because friends we'd met on a previous cruise were taking that one.

 

Our upcoming Alaska cruisetour....  The breathtaking scenery of Alaska never gets old, and we chose that particular itinerary because of the number of rail legs on that itinerary.

[upwarduk]

5 hours ago, Blue Magic 1959 said:

Please explain how the 20% vat reduction works ?

The prices on the ship look a little cheaper than UK anyway - but interested in how I could save some vat as well ?


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The price is in $US.

No VAT is added, unless you exceed the UK customs allowance (£390).

When I bought my iPad mini in  2015, there was also a great e change rate, so I was actually able to buy 128gb for slightly less than £390.

[DENIE]

Great thread!  Can we say "all of the above?"  😀  The escape, the food, Martini Bar, fresh sea air.  We don't need the "warm weather" destination, as we already live in such a place. Just a perfect vacation.  Though we are still working, our trips have to be planned carefully.  However, we are starting to add more world destinations.  Last year, an Italy/Dalmatian coast cruise.  Next year, a Baltic/St. Petersburg cruise. 

Edited August 31, 2020 by DENIE

[miched]

9 hours ago, Esprit said:

Our first choice has always been Princess so we only booked our five Celebrity cruises to see our DD who was working on board. We missed her one time when she was moved to another ship  at the 11th hour. That was weird because we met so many of her work colleagues but without her!

When both her and my SIL were on the Edge for it maiden season it was an opportunity not to be missed and pre Christmas too. We were so lucky to see them both happy working together.

That is a reason to book other than all of the typical of to be at sea, food, on a ship and etc. that we all normally take a cruise for.

 

Happy to hear that you finally got to see her working.   It has to be a great feeling watching a show with your daughter in it
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I love being at sea.  I love being pampered.  And I love that my hotel moves in the night as opposed to my having to move to a different hotel.

[wrk2cruise]

Not us but we had table companions on a TA who were a young couple where the wife did a study abroad program in Paris, fell in love and got married.  After a couple of years in Paris they decided to move to Ohio near her parents.  After doing a bunch of research determined the cheapest way to get them and their belongings to the US was by cruise ship. 

 

They explained that the in-laws drove them to Barcelona with their 12 suitcases in a trailer.  When pulling up the porters asked if they know how big the rooms were.  Of course they were young and living on a shoe string.  By the time we told them the stateroom attendant could probably find places for their extra luggage they said no they had it all stashed in their inside room. 

 

The other 2 ladies traveling together at our table nicely shared their wine with them nightly.  They were trying to get some money transferred so I logged them on with my loyalty internet minutes.  When arriving FLL they were being picked up by friends.  On the last night when we were saying our good byes we asked if they had some US cash.  They said they had $20.  I gave them most of the cash I had.  Would have liked to see that they got picked up at the port in the morning but both DW and I got Noro that night.   That is another story!   Never heard from the couple again, we have always wondered how they made out.  Made for an interesting trip.

[diamondintn]

I love having a new view every morning and unpacking once. Also coffee, croissants and fruit delivered every morning to eat in bed! 

We live in middle Tennessee and road trip to Florida. Last time we went to the keys, next time Kennedy Space Center.

SO much to love!

[garyl62]

The main reason we first booked a cruise was to take a trip over spring break (DW is a teacher) and we "discovered" Celebrity and found an agenda that was reasonable in cost and visited 5 ports in the 7 night trip.  We booked a Sky Suite and on that trip we were hooked.  Now I always say I take a vacation to escape my reality at home.  That results in booking a suite so we are pampered, called by name, offered things we never get at home and have someone try to think of ways to cater to us and take care of things we don't even think of.  At home, that never happens!  We could save money, or go more often, but I'd rather take one trip in the best cabin possible so we can "escape into a different reality".  We are still locked into the spring break schedule, so dates are the most important thing now, but itinerary and ship also play a factor.

[SPacificbound]

Our first cruise was booked to avoid flying back to the US from Australia. We had no expectations at all. A few hours in and I was hooked.

 

Since then always the itinerary. 

 

I love the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Esprit]

7 hours ago, miched said:

That is a reason to book other than all of the typical of to be at sea, food, on a ship and etc. that we all normally take a cruise for.

 

Happy to hear that you finally got to see her working.   It has to be a great feeling watching a show with your daughter in it
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

Thanks, but my DD wasn't a performer as such. She was the Activities Manager and her husband was an Audio/Visual Manager. They met each other on Constellation. Never thought I'd have a Venezuelan SIL

[TeeRick]

-We used to cruise just to get away for a week and just relax away from our work and stress.  Cruised without our kids.

-Then we cruised with our kids on school holidays.  Nice family time.  Mostly Royal Caribbean.

-Then our kids got older and we cruised alone again but were sometimes feeling lonely (but not often). 

-Started trying newer ships (latest & greatest phase) and it was fun comparing experiences on different classes of ships.

-We also compensated by using the money we used to spend on our kids for the Suite Life.  That was a game changer for us!

-Sometimes we invited family along and that was mostly fun.  Larger groups.

-Then we retired and started cruising on longer itineraries and less kid/family friendly ships and times.

-Now we mostly cruise in quiet times (non-holiday) and try to experience different parts of the world.  Frequently add stays on both ends of the cruise.  Tend to meet a number of new friends doing the same.

[Tapi]

My reasons to book my last five cruises:

 

- 3 new destinations, kids sail free promotion, new ship.

- Didn’t choose it. I was invited to celebrate a friend’s surprise 50th birthday cruise.

- Found a very affordable deal on an Aurea Loft Suite on MSC (double deck suite with forward facing private jacuzzi). I had no intention on sailing the Mediterranean that year, but the low price enticed me. 
- Dad wanted to see Cuba for his 80th birthday. The whole family got together and made it happen. 

- Wanted to take the kids on a Disney Cruise before they got too old to enjoy it. Bucket list item. One time and done. 
 

Edited September 1, 2020 by Tapi

[chemmo]

The simple beauty of cruising is it can be what ever you want...

 

bucket list destinations 

significant sight seeing 

a total crash out

a musical extravaganza

a wine and dine experience...

[cruisequeen4ever]

The foundation is that cruising is my favorite activity. Beyond that, we want to explore the world, one itinerary at a time. 

[DrKoob]

On 8/31/2020 at 7:36 AM, Ray in NH said:

 

C-Dragons,

Sounds a lot like our rationale for picking a cruise itinerary.  Sometimes, it is to join friends, or a particular group of friends.

Thank you for condensing our rationale, to just a few sentences.

 

NRayH

 

 

 

 

I couldn't agree more with Ray in NH (HI RAY!). We book for a combo of itinerary and to sail with one of our different groups of cruising friends. We met a group of people on a Cruise Critic roll call for an Infinity cruise in 2005 and we have sailed with all or parts of that group more than 20 times all around the world. If someone in the Martini Mates posts that they want to go someplace, a bunch of us all will join in. We last got off a ship on March 2 of this year when we all went to Mardi Gras on Reflection. 

 

Jim

[phoenix_dream]

So many cruises, so many reasons.  In general, we cruise to relax - we love being spoiled, getting great meals, great entertainment, live music a few steps away, unpacking once and done, getting to meet people from all over the world, getting to know staff and enjoying seeing them on multiple cruises and I could go on and on.

 

As to why we pick one cruise over another - it all depends.  Sometimes we look for itinerary (Alaska, west coast US, Panama Canal, and last year Norway).  For other cruises, we just want to be warm in the Caribbean.  We'll look for itineraries we prefer, but the main point is to just get out to sea and out of the Chicago weather!