Random TA Cruise Q's

[Broons77]

Toying with booking a TA cruise in 2024, seems that these would be quieter cruises with less kids which is right up our alley.  Have others found this to be the case?  Also, for the drink packages, are they really pricing those things out at the $70 -$80 pp/pd that we've been seeing recently?  No way anyone could keep up that pace for 2 weeks straight.  Any big surprises others have found, or things to be aware of?  We're both in it for the relax factor, we love sea days and just hanging out so I think this will be my next big booking...

Edited July 30, 2022 by Broons77

[rrraydon]

Which one?

[livingonthebeach]

I've been on several transatlantics (precovid) and they were loads of fun! I don't know what the situation is now. I imagine the countries visited would have different CV19 requirements.  I met a lot of lovely people on the TAs I've taken and would do it again in a heartbeat when the CV19 thing gets more relaxed. 

Edited July 30, 2022 by livingonthebeach

[Broons77]

Just now, rrraydon said:

Which one?

 

Sorry, hit enter too soon, see my edited post...

[rrraydon]

My first TA is October 2023.

[Broons77]

2 minutes ago, rrraydon said:

My first TA is October 2023.

 

What ship/Itinerary?  What are you looking forward to/expecting?

[rrraydon]

Just now, Broons77 said:

 

What ship/Itinerary?  What are you looking forward to/expecting?

Odyssey out of Rome. I’m super excited as this will be my first time in Europe AND my first TA in over 30 cruises!

I’m a food tour fanatic. I like seeing and hearing about the various sites as we walk along for about 3 hours and stop at various food establishments for food and drink tastings. Best of both worlds—food and drink and being able to see the sites with someone who is familiar with the area. 

[Another_Critic]

I've done the following TAs:

 

1. Star Princess (May 2005) - 14 night Port Everglades to Copenhagen

2. Azamara Journey (Oct 2011) - 10 night Lisbon to San Juan (non-stop)

3. Celebrity Constellation (Nov/Dec 2012) - 15 night Southampton to Miami

4. Quantum of the Seas (Nov 2014) - 8 night Southampton to Cape Liberty (non-stop)

5. Anthem of the Seas (Oct/Nov 2015) - 8 night Southampton to Cape Liberty (non-stop)

6. Vision of the Seas (Aug/Sept 2017) - 16 night Copenhagen to Cape Liberty

7. Anthem of the Seas (May 2022) - 11 night Cape Liberty to Southampton

 

I enjoyed them all.

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Another_Critic

[Broons77]

@rrraydon - That's awesome!  Super excited for you!  We were in Italy about 9 years ago.  Want to go back, but also want to go back to see more of Europe.  We found the whole experience of just being there kind of changes how you think about things.  I hope you have the best time!

[Broons77]

@Another_Critic - Are the per day Cruise Planner items such as the drink and wifi packages priced the same as a 7 day cruise for instance?

 

Clearly you're a cruiser that enjoys a good sea day!  😄🚢

[Another_Critic]

3 minutes ago, Broons77 said:

@Another_Critic - Are the per day Cruise Planner items such as the drink and wifi packages priced the same as a 7 day cruise for instance?

 

Clearly you're a cruiser that enjoys a good sea day!  😄🚢

I've never purchased a drink or wifi package.  I don't think the package prices (per day) are based on length of cruise.

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, Broons77 said:

Toying with booking a TA cruise in 2024, seems that these would be quieter cruises with less kids which is right up our alley.  Have others found this to be the case?  Also, for the drink packages, are they really pricing those things out at the $70 -$80 pp/pd that we've been seeing recently?  No way anyone could keep up that pace for 2 weeks straight.  Any big surprises others have found, or things to be aware of?  We're both in it for the relax factor, we love sea days and just hanging out so I think this will be my next big booking...

We have done 3 Oasis Class TA"S.  They sail at about 75% capacity and sail with 1200 fewer kids. Last TA on Symphony there were 12 kids under 16 years old.  $70 pppd for the drink package would be easy to get your monies worth.  3 drinks, a glass of wine in the MDR, a couple of waters, OJ in the morning, a smoothie from the spa and you are already over the 70 bucks. Just looked at our cruise planner for a 7 night and 10 night coming up at end of Sep and both cruises have the DBP at $62.99 as of today.    happy cruising, TA"S are great. 

Edited July 30, 2022 by taglovestocruise

[bonsai3s]

Have done a numbee of TA's...and we love sea days.

 

* Are you considering eastbound or westbound? Going eastbound, you will practically lose an hour everyday...westbound you gain the hours.

 

* Small ship or big ship?

 

* On our most recent TA, May 2022, Odyssey, Ft. Liquordale to Rome,...it was 10 relaxing sea days then it became port intensive with stops in Malaga, Cartagena, La Spezia, and Rome. (We continued for 2 more sailings, Greece/Turkey, to make the airfare worthwhile).

[Broons77]

@taglovestocruise - TYVM!!!  I always forget to consider the non-booze drinks - morning OJ, waters, etc...

 

2 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

* Are you considering eastbound or westbound? Going eastbound, you will practically lose an hour everyday...westbound you gain the hours.

 

 I was thinking westbound to cut down on the time to get home once off the ship.  Did not consider the time change, but another reason to stick with my original plan, great tip!

 

2 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

* Small ship or big ship?

 

Big - Thinking Symphony out of Rome if it's still in the Med in 2024.  At least for my first TA.  I'll have plenty of time to try to eat my way through it!  😄 

 

2 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

* On our most recent TA, May 2022, Odyssey, Ft. Liquordale to Rome,...it was 10 relaxing sea days then it became port intensive with stops in Malaga, Cartagena, La Spezia, and Rome. (We continued for 2 more sailings, Greece/Turkey, to make the airfare worthwhile).

 

Heading westbound, I'd get the ports at the beginning which is fine by me.  Although looks like a few of the TAs will make a stop in Bermuda.  ideally, it would be great to have a stop in Coco Cay at the tail end if debark was to be in Florida.

Edited July 30, 2022 by Broons77

[Tee & Chilli]

2 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

 

 

* On our most recent TA, May 2022, Odyssey, Ft. Liquordale to Rome,...it was 10 relaxing sea days then it became port intensive with stops in Malaga, Cartagena, La Spezia, and Rome. (We continued for 2 more sailings, Greece/Turkey, to make the airfare worthwhile).

I love it!!

[MikeTheNFT]

5 hours ago, Broons77 said:

Toying with booking a TA cruise in 2024, seems that these would be quieter cruises with less kids which is right up our alley.  Have others found this to be the case?  Also, for the drink packages, are they really pricing those things out at the $70 -$80 pp/pd that we've been seeing recently?  No way anyone could keep up that pace for 2 weeks straight.  Any big surprises others have found, or things to be aware of?  We're both in it for the relax factor, we love sea days and just hanging out so I think this will be my next big booking...

 

Did a TATL a few months back (Ft Lauderdale to Barcelona), will do my best to answer:

 

Yes, there are definitely very few children (like none on my last one, a tiny handful of teens, and limited early 20s folks, definitely an older crowd). Quieter? Mostly. It was a smaller ship (Vision), and often the bars were quite crowded since basically every day was a sea day. It was also hard to find venues without something going on in them sometimes. Seems like there was always trivia or something else happening nearly everywhere we went during the day.

 

Drink Packages - yes, but if you just wait for the right time they'll have BO1OHalf off, so it comes down to like $55/day per person for two people. It's very easy to keep up with it though. Remember you're on the boat all day. It's all the drinks you want, all the soda, all the water, etc. Glasses of wine with dinner, drinks throughout the day. It is nice to just know how much you're spending and not worry about what things cost.

'

No other big surprises. I'd definitely suggest a larger boat if you can though. While we did just want to relax, we ran out of venues to explore very quickly, and meal options were pretty limited. The main dining room, I'm not sure if it was just because it was TATL, or the new post-Covid stat of things, was pretty mediocre most nights, and there were only a few restaurants on the smaller boat so those got old quick too. Windjammer was actually surprisingly decent.

 

Honestly though, the rates on TATL are usually great, and it is well worth exploring.

[njkruzer]

We've done 3 TAs on Radiance class ships cand 1 on the QM2. Sailing on Anthem in October.  The Jewel this past April had only 1100+ passengers but that was probably covid related.  Agree very few children on any of them.  Don't buy beverage packages so can't help there.  We love the long cruises.  Some of our cruises were northern routes so more stops than the typical TA.  We thoroughly enjoy all of them.

[taglovestocruise]

Another bonus if it leaves the last week of Oct.  Awesome Halloween in Promenade and haunted house in studio B. This was on our last Symphony TA. Guests go crazy.

 

[Broons77]

7 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Another bonus if it leaves the last week of Oct.  Awesome Halloween in Promenade and haunted house in studio B. This was on our last Symphony TA. Guests go crazy.

 

I could do without the clowns!  But that does look like a blast!!!!

[taglovestocruise]

Just now, Broons77 said:

 

I could do without the clowns!  But that does look like a blast!!!!

Maybe you are a cat lover. 

[gluecksbaer]

9 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Maybe you are a cat lover. 

 

Well, if they're a cat-lover they probably would have appreciated a picture of the front of a cat costume and not ears on the back of someone's head.  (If you meant the yellow costume, Pikachu is not a cat.)

[Broons77]

15 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Maybe you are a cat lover. 

 

I've got enough trouble packing normal clothes, let alone inflatable costumes 😄 

[texmex.ferr]

The Transatlantics for 2024 have not been release yet, and we're hearing they probably wont until later in the year.

 

We've done a few:

2014     Liberty OTS     (Westbound)

2016     Harmony OTS     (inaugural Westbound)

2017   Jewel OTS    (Westbound)

2018    Jewel OTS (Eastbound)

2022   Wonder OTS    (Eastbound)

 

We also have:

2022    Wonder oTS     (Westbound)

2023     Symphony OTS   (Eastbound)

2023   Odyssey OTS    (Westbound)

 

all booked.   We love the sea days, and the chance to explore the ship.   We have never been bored on any TA's that we've done, and we've met lots of fellow cruisers and made lots of friends from our trips.   We normally buy the DBP because my partner drives all year for their job, so it's time to let their hair down on vacation, and we don't want to worry about the bill at the end of a cruise, or feel we have to watch what we buy in case we go over our limit.    We've never seen many children (if any) on our TA's.

 

We've had lots of fun on our Transatlantics and looking forward to having more, and meeting our old and new friends.

[crzndeb]

So I’m interested to know how Royal treats bringing alcohol on in ports in Europe. I was on the Mariner in 2011 for a TA, and didn’t bother, but Carnival in 2016, and you could bring on alcohol in every port. Has anybody tried this? I am on the Wonder TA in Oct., and could care less, but those that buy the drink package may want to know.

[njkruzer]

7 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

So I’m interested to know how Royal treats bringing alcohol on in ports in Europe. I was on the Mariner in 2011 for a TA, and didn’t bother, but Carnival in 2016, and you could bring on alcohol in every port. Has anybody tried this? I am on the Wonder TA in Oct., and could care less, but those that buy the drink package may want to know.

To my knowledge the same rules apply that apply in the US, but we haven't tried.