Would You Consider a 5 Day Cruise on NCL a Booze Cruise?

[Daruma]

Hiya, folks. 

 

Specifically this cruise, (see attached)?

 

Since I don't drink alcohol and I'm not a partier by any definition of the word, I'm wondering if I should maybe swap to a 7 day cruise. 

 

Five days seems to be right on the cusp of Booze Cruise vs a more sedate cruise. 

 

Thank you for your thoughts. 

 

 

[nordicacres]

In November? Not personally.

[www3traveler]

NO   Waste of money 

[MohrPfun]

No, and with the full day in Nassau (and waterslides at Atlantis), this looks more like a family/kids cruise than anything.  Especially with the possibility of Thanksgiving break happening around that time, although I don’t know what day it falls on this year and would be heavily school dependent upon their time off.

[Daruma]

3 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

NO   Waste of money 

 

Why a waste of money? 

 

I don't want a Booze Cruise... I neither drink alcohol nor am I a partier. 

[JandC_Cruising]

26 minutes ago, Daruma said:

I don't want a Booze Cruise... I neither drink alcohol nor am I a partier. 

We've done two 5-day'ers on NCL and both were fun diversions for us.

The first one was January of 2022 and our first post covid on the Escape out of Orlando.  It hit Cozumel and Costa Maya with a couple of sea days. 

The 2nd time was January 2023 on the Encore from Miami to GSC and Jamaica (replaced Puerto Plata the on embarkation day).

In both cases the ship felt the same as other 7-day cruises in terms of passenger's attitudes and behaviors.  Neither felt like wild "booze cruises" IMHO

[www3traveler]

1 hour ago, Daruma said:

 

Why a waste of money? 

 

I don't want a Booze Cruise... I neither drink alcohol nor am I a partier. 

From the Pacific Northwest flying to Miami that only goes to 3 ports in the Bahamas in 5 day cruise-- total waste of time and money.  Rather go on a longer to cruise to somewhere much more interesting than beach, beach and beach.

[Daruma]

8 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

From the Pacific Northwest flying to Miami that only goes to 3 ports in the Bahamas in 5 day cruise-- total waste of time and money.  Rather go on a longer to cruise to somewhere much more interesting than beach, beach and beach.

 

I'm not flying in from the PNW, I'm driving about 4'ish hours from Sarasota to Miami 🤷

[HowardK]

I found Cananda New england to be very subdued. I went on 6 NCL cruises, 4 of them I didn't have a drink, the 2 that I had the free drink package - I ended up getting colds on- I was never drunk but was spacing drinks out to get the most of the free perk and I regret it.

I have a 7 day NCL Epic scheduled for 2025 that has 6 port days- that will keep me out of trouble as far as I am concerned. 

 

[mjkacmom]

2 hours ago, MohrPfun said:

No, and with the full day in Nassau (and waterslides at Atlantis), this looks more like a family/kids cruise than anything.  Especially with the possibility of Thanksgiving break happening around that time, although I don’t know what day it falls on this year and would be heavily school dependent upon their time off.

Actually with thanksgiving on the 28th I wouldn’t expect many children, since most just get the days off later in the week.

[debenson0723]

No, not really.  3 and 4 day cruises, full of last minute locals at a $299 p/p, with one or two ports are typically more booze cruises. If the price was right on this cruise and you live nearby, this could be a nice relaxing few days.

 

I have only done one 4 day on NCL and the reason for that was to go to Cuba. There were some hard partiers on there with no interest in the port but I generally stay away from the pool deck and bars so it didn't really affect me. The destination was my reason for sailing, not the ship.

[Eggs2Go]

Although it's true that the shorter cruises out of Miami attract partiers, I would expect any cruise departing midweek in early November to be rather sedate. You are considering the Breakaway ship which has a nice waterfront deck for lounging where it is usually very quiet.

Not sure what you want in the way of ports. Personally, I would rather be on the Jade 5-day cruise departing the following day Nov. 20 which also includes a stop in Key West, a great port to go exploring in the old town.

 

Or you can join me on Nov 21 for a 14-day transatlantic on the Encore. Certainly won't be a booze cruise and the price isn't much higher than your 5-day Caribbean sunshine trip (except you have to pay to get back home). If you live in Sarasota, you already have one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Siesta Key. Go discover new horizons. 

 

Yvonne from Fort Myers

 

 

[crazycatlady82]

No. I'd say Carnival 7 day cruises are more of a booze cruise than our 5 day NCL cruise. Yes, there was drinking, but it didn't feel like a booze cruise at all. Maybe the weather stopped some of it? We had poor weather in January on the Sky.

[Buford T Justiice]

With Free at Sea... I consider all NCL cruises "booze cruises".

[JimR24]

Not at all.  It's a cruise I would do in a heartbeat.  I'll take any chance to get away from reality and spend time with the family.  I'm not a fan of Nassau but would use it as a "sea day" and enjoy the ship.  

[schmoopie17]

42 minutes ago, Buford T Justiice said:

With Free at Sea... I consider all NCL cruises "booze cruises".

Damn...beat me to it.

[graphicguy]

19 hours ago, Daruma said:

Hiya, folks. 

 

Specifically this cruise, (see attached)?

 

Since I don't drink alcohol and I'm not a partier by any definition of the word, I'm wondering if I should maybe swap to a 7 day cruise. 

 

Five days seems to be right on the cusp of Booze Cruise vs a more sedate cruise. 

 

Thank you for your thoughts. 

 

 

Given you don't drink, you do not have to go to any of the bars.  IT's pretty easy to spot and steer clear of, those on board who are just there to drink.  But, generally speaking, 7 day cruises are less populated with "sloppy drunks".

 

Truth told, I've seen them on Celebrity, Carnival, Royal, NCL, MSC and HAL.  I've even read reports about them being on the Oceania, Seabourn, etc cruises.

 

Just don't "hang out" at places like the Vibe, around the Pool bar, or anywhere people will stay for hours and drink.

 

Caribbean itinéraires tend to have more drinking than those in the New England/Canada or PNW/Alaska itineraries.  Spring Break seem to have more partiers than other times on board.

 

 

Book a week in the spa, where there are no bars.  Book more excursions and time off the ship while at port, away from the ship's bars, and you'll be fine!

 

 

Edited May 13 by graphicguy

[DCGuy64]

4 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

Damn...beat me to it.

Yeah, I was gonna say the same things! ANY cruise is a booze cruise, as far as I'm concerned. 🍷🍺🍸🍹

[david_sobe]

Wow tough crowd.  I've done a 5 night from Miami on NCL to western Caribbean and it was not a booze cruise.  It was the tail end of spring break too (last week in March).    When the NCL Sky took weekend cruises from Miami to the Bahamas for 3 nights the prices were cheap.  It was called a booze cruise because weekend partiers would pay little to board and drink all weekend.

Anything both good or bad can happen on any cruise at any time. 

[astera]

How bad would a booze cruise get if you ended up on one? Are we talking really bad, like staff cleaning up puke from the corridors in the morning and some pax getting aggressive deep into the evening and then being frogmarched off the ship at the next available port?

[jackieodonnell]

I did a 5 day to Bermuda out of NYC in September. The first night, as always, people go nuts with the unlimited package. Then everyone calms down until we do sail away from Bermuda. See picture below. That was a wild night. The final day everyone is grumpy, hungover but taking it a little easier. Lots of couples arguing and in a bad mood because the vacation just flew by! My husband and I sipped our wine and laughed at everyone. hahaha!

A 5 day cruise is awesome! I have a 7 day coming up and I am wildly excited. Those 2 extra days mean more relaxing!

[ziggyuk]

On 5/13/2024 at 1:35 PM, crazycatlady82 said:

No. I'd say Carnival 7 day cruises are more of a booze cruise than our 5 day NCL cruise. Yes, there was drinking, but it didn't feel like a booze cruise at all. Maybe the weather stopped some of it? We had poor weather in January on the Sky.

 

Can you have a booze cruise on carnival with a 15 drink limit?