Going on first cruise

[deewalt99]

Me, my husband and my 16 year old son will be going on our first cruise in November 2008, and i am having a hard time deciding which cruise line will be the best for him, he is into sports, I do not want him to be bored on ship as we will be on a 7 day cruise. any suggestions, RCL, Disney, Carnival?

[deewalt99]

Help, my family of three will be going on a 7 day western carribean cruise in November 2008, which cruise line is the best for a very sport orientated 16 year old? Myself and my husband will be happy just sunning ourselves, also what is extra costs on the cruise, excluding alcohol, gambling, spa, etc.:) Any and all help would be appreciated.

[Happy ks]

I really don't think you can go wrong with any of your choices, they are all geared for family travel.

 

Extra costs onboard? Well, you already mentioned some of them. Soda is extra (Disney is the exception, they include it with meals I think) but you can either buy it individually or purchase a soda sticker for unlimited soft drinks. Photo's are extra, souvenirs are extra, tips to the staff, specialty restaurants (not the main dining room).

 

Everything extra is also discretionary, you don't have to buy it, you only do if you want to. People can actually cruise for the cost of the cruise and gratuities if they really want to. We usually spend about $50-100 per day for extras, including a bottle of wine with dinner and a photo (1 for the week), a few drinks during the week and a tiny bit of shopping.

 

The answer is really personal, no one can predict how much you will or can spend for the week.

 

When you are in port you may want to do an excursion and those are extra. If you have a meal off the ship it is (obviously) extra. If we're close to the ship we sometimes re-board for lunch, but only if it is convenient.

[dforeigner]

Most cruise lines have activities for all type of passengers. Extra costs are going to be port and taxes, excursions, soft drinks (except Disney), etc, specialty dinning, etc. I forgot to add tips.

[Cruising89143]

If you're going in November and any other time than Thanksgiving week then there is going to be less kids on board for him to get to know.

 

Here is a couple of sites that you might want to take a look at that will show you something about two of the newer ships for Carnival and Royal Caribbean. This will show you what each has to offer.

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/Virtual_Tours_Freedom.aspx

 

http://freedomoftheseas.com/

[catmand]

Most cruise lines have activities for all type of passengers. Extra costs are going to be port and taxes, excursions, soft drinks (except Disney), etc, specialty dinning, etc. I forgot to add tips.

Hope you don't mind. Since the original question is from a new cruiser I thought some clarification was needed so they don't get scared LOL..:D

Yes, the port and taxes are "extra" charges but you'll find they will somehow be included in the basic price of your cruise.

[caribbean dreams]

For a sports minded teen, i would thing Royal caribbean would be a good choice especially one of the newer ships.

[bmccarthy]

Royal Caribbean ships have rock climbing walls, mini-golf, jogging tracks, basketball courts, and fitness centers. The new freedom family ships have surfing as well. They have lots of options if you choose to be active on board. I have never been on Carnival so I can't offer any advice on their ships.

 

You can prepay your gratutities. Extras you can charge on your sea pass card: soda, specialty restaurants, spa, fitness classes, salon, casino, alcohol, photos, shopping. One thing that might be helpful, is to budget how much you plan to spend so you won't be surprised at the end of the cruise.

[barbarah33]

With a 16-year old I would also recommend Royal Caribbean. They have a teen program, teen club, teen dances, activities, etc. where he can meet others and they always seem to be having a great time. You will get a list of activities on your bed each night for the next day and on RCCL if he goes up to the teen club he can get his as well. Of course the newer the RCCL ship the more sports amenities they have like the surfing: which is only on two ships, and the ice skating which is on several of their larger ships. You will find rock climbing on all of them. If you do go on one of the newer ships they also have Johnny Rockets which is considered specialty dining and is an additional charge of $3.95. The pizza and regular burgers and fries at the grill are free.

 

Since this will be your first cruise I would add between $150 and $200 per day for all the 'extras' assuming you will want a souvenir or two for each of you, perhaps a photo or two, an excursion on one of the islands, maybe parasailing or jet skiing if you go to a private island, tips, etc. After you pay the cruise fare, and keep the tips in mind, you really can make it as expensive or inexpensive as you want to but each time you - or your son, orders a drink, keep in mind that it is going to your bill. And they do add up quickly!

 

Enjoy your first cruise - no matter what you decide on I’m sure you'll love it.