Planning My First Cruise - Need Suggestions, Tips & Advice

[dtownjbrown]

I love to travel but have never been on a cruise before. I'd like to start "slow" so Im looking for a 3 or 4 day cruise. Ive been playing around on the carnival.com website and it looks like "short" trips are limited to the Bahamas or Cozumel. Ive been to Cancun before (but didnt enjoy it very much) so Im leaning towards the Bahamas. Any suggestions on choosing between Nassau/Freeport versus Half Moon/Grand Turk? Also, Im torn between choosing a cruise that is mostly "At Sea" versus one that stays docked "overnight". Any advice on which one might be more "first-timer" friendly?

 

My head is simply spinning over cabin location (there are just too many choices). I usually prefer to stay in "roomy" hotels when I travel so more likely than not, I'll probably choose a suite or one of those oddly configured corner staterooms. Im still trying to decipher all that darn symbol legend (i.e. upper, lower, porthole, obstructed view, etc) but was wondering if there is anything I should definitely try to avoid. Also, any tips on choosing a specific deck or room category type? Im not sure if I get seasick or not, seeing as Ive never sailed before, but I figured I could just take some over-the-counter medicine for that.....unless someone has a better suggestion.

 

And lastly, pricing. Im looking to travel soon (like before the new year) and Ive noticed that almost every room I choose has a per/day price for upgrading to a suite. A great thing at first glance, but it seems like the upgrade charge comes out MUCH MUCH cheaper if I select a lower category room. For instance...a 4A room plus the upgrade charge would get me a suite $15 cheaper than a 4B room with the upgrade charge, which is $15 cheaper than a 5A, which is $15 cheaper than a 5B and so on and so forth. When I add it all up, it looks like I can get a suite at a $300 discount if I "book" a 4A room and pay the upgrade charge. Hmmm, is this too good to be true? Im wondering if the "purchased" upgrade is guaranteed or will I be stuck in the lower category if it turns out a suite isnt available?

 

Any and all comments are GREATLY appreciated. Thanks, jb :-)

[phantasmist]

Hi there,

 

I'm a relative newbie but I'll pass on my limited knowledge. The BF and I took our first cruise last year and now we're totally hooked. We started like you with a shorter cruise, a 3-day to the Bahamas. We LOVED the private island stop, but Nassau was not our favorite place. I think if we had booked an excursion instead of wandering around the city on our own we would have had a great time there. The natives can be a little pushy at times. I can't comment on Grand Turk because we have not been there (yet :D).

 

We have booked a 7 day and I'm really looking forward to those 2 sea days. We tried to do everything on our first cruise and we were so exhausted every day! On a sea day we'll be able to lay around and relax.

 

If you are worried about getting seasick, book a cabin toward the middle of the ship. In the front and back of the ship, you feel the movement more.

 

Have a great cruise!

[southbayer]

Make sure your cabin is not at the very front of the ship. When that anchor tumbles down early in the morning, your gonna know it. Also avoid the rear of the ship lower levels, because of all the ship thrust noise. You also want to avoid a stateroom directly under the disco, or lido deck.

 

As far as choosing a stateroom, december around the holidays or even before or after thanksgiving are the best rates. I wouldn't get a stateroom thats a suite for your first time, cause you won't ever be in it much to enjoy it. You will be out and about most of the day.

 

As far as what you want to spend, using the above tips, its all up to what you want to spend. But like I said, your stateroom will just be your place to sleep really.

 

Hope this helps out some.

[dtownjbrown]

Make sure your cabin is not at the very front of the ship. When that anchor tumbles down early in the morning, your gonna know it. Also avoid the rear of the ship lower levels, because of all the ship thrust noise. You also want to avoid a stateroom directly under the disco, or lido deck.........I wouldn't get a stateroom thats a suite for your first time, cause you won't ever be in it much to enjoy it. You will be out and about most of the day.

 

Thanks for the "noise-reduction" room location tips. I was more concerned about engine/ship noise & didnt even think about being under the disco or lido deck (big thanks for that one). I dont think Im going to be able to get away with NOT getting a suite. Im travelling with my bff who must, must, must have a room with a balcony. Problem is, the "short trip" ships are the older ones (namely Sensation, Fascination & Imagination) and from what Ive found so far on the carnival.com website, the only balconies on these ships are in the suites. Besides, I prefer the larger room anyway, balcony or no balcony. Im not officially claustrophic but Im a girl who loves her space!!! Besides, since our travel dates are flexible (and if Im understanding this upgrade option correctly) we might be able to get a Category 11 suite for just a little over 3 "bills" each.

 

Thanks again for the suggestions.......keep 'em coming :-)

[southbayer]

No problem. I was just saying that even with all my cruises under my ever expanding belt, I find myself still out most of the day, and not in my room.

 

For drinks, the strongest one is "The Funship Special". A couple of those or more in a sitting, and you can feel it. A good buy on that one. The other frozen specialites aren't really too strong.

 

Also, the lifeboat drill is mandatory. If you hide in your room, they will know it.

 

If your ship has a deli, take advantage of it, its great!

 

If you want to get a spa treatment on board, find out what day you will be in a visiting port. They have port specials while everyone is getting off the ship, you can stay on and take advantage and keep them busy for less money.

 

For your dining room dessert, you must try the chocolate melting cake, its to die for.

 

I always bring plenty of singles, dollar bills, you will need them for tips onshore, or some stores don't have alot of change, and it comes in handy in foreign shops.

 

Don't overpack, you won't wear everything.

 

Carnival provides soap, and shampoo

 

Carnival provides large towels for use onboard

 

If you buy a soda card, wait a few hours After you leave port, you can avoid extra port tax.

 

See all the show's, they're fun.

[ray98]

Dont get so hung up on the small details like cabin location....just take the cruise....you will enjoy it.

 

All the cabins will be small when compared to a hotel room....its not a big deal because you will not be in it that much. Just decide if you want to save money and just get an inside or spend more for a window or balcony.

 

As for your upgrade question....not sure that I understand. What ship and date are you looking at??

[firefly333]

I was very dissapointed in the Bahamas the first time I went, very brown, but then I had been living in Hawaii before then. I went back to Nassau and Freeport and they still are my least favorite ports. You are right they would be a cheap way to get started, but not much to do other than the beach. If your family enjoys the beach, then this might be a good first cruise.

 

We picked a 5 day on Ecstsasy to start in a 5A, with port holes. We could see out, but port holes arent fabulous lol. Those upgrade prices you see are just the regular prices if you booked that in the first place.

 

If you dont care where you are on the ship, do an upgrade. We were pretty far forward and back to the aft and it didnt bother us. Unless you really think you might be prone to seasickness, dont worry. As far as the anchor, its only on one side of the ship, we didnt hear it. We did feel the vibration in the aft, but its only for about 20 minutes pulling in and out of ports. For 20 minutes you can laugh about it when you sit on the toilet and its shaking.

 

Save your money and book a guarantee unless you have a particular cabin you really want. Spend the money you saved on excursions in ports, they can add up, plus you will need to tip for all of you, that adds up.

[Grits53]

If you will be on a Fantasy class ship, the category 11 "suites" are really "mini suites". They're not very big! They do not have the full bathroom as on the bigger ships. Plus, several of them have obstructed views, with a lifeboat right in front of the balcony. The obstructed view cabins are the ones toward midship, so the "good ones" are in the front. The balconies are not at all private, as the people on the deck below can look directly up at you. With this location, you get a lot of motion if you go through rough water, which is always possible. In a nutshell, Fantasy class ships make me SICK! :o I can't tolerate the motion of this particular class ship. I don't have a problem with seasickness on the bigger ships, even in rough weather. (Yes, I have all the seasick preventative meds and Relief Band.) But if I were to cruise on a Fantasy class ship again, I would NEVER pay the cost of a cat. 11. It simply is not worth it. A midship ocean view would be my choice on this ship. I cannot speak for the cat. 12 suites, as I have not been in one of those. But surely they are better than the cat. 11's and might be worth the upgrade money.

Bottom line for my advice is to go ahead and take a 7 day cruise on a Conquest class ship. It's like the difference between daylight & dark. Plus, you can get a nice balcony room without paying for a suite. :)

[firefly333]

I meant dont do a upgrade, do a guarantee and go and see how you like it. Book the minimum that will satisfy your family and see if you like cruising.

[mariemorgan]

I think i would stay away from a 3 day cruise.. I don't think you'd get a real feel for a cruise that short.

 

I would do a 4 or 5 day cruise for your first.

[Captain Canuck]

the biggest hassle of cruising is getting on and off the ship...with a 3 day or even a 5 day that means 2 days with hassle....

 

I understand the logic of doing a short cruise first. for my inlaws first cruise we took them on a 3 day repositioning from LA to Vancouver. they got a taste of cruising. package deal with 3 nights in Vegas too. all in all not bad. but if I were to do it again I would go the 7 day route. Worst that happens is you absolutely hate it. 7 days of hate is worth the risk cause I can't see that happening to too many people. going for 7 opens up more itineraries and ships. if you are worried about sea sickness go big and go new. cabin low and midship is also best.

 

AND watch out for season...new ships can outrun weather but why book during hurricane season.

 

if you can get to the departure port easily watch out for last minute deals.

 

and to parrot what somebody else already said...take less clothes and more money than you planned.

 

final tip....you sign everything to your room....the extras can add up without you realizing it...you are on vacation so its easy to run up a bill...I am not suggesting you do an excel spreadsheet of every purchase ( I only tell my wife to do that)...but a keeping a rough tally will avoid shock

 

have fun

[Chan_T]

The Carnival Destiny offers 3, 4, and 5 night cruises and has "standard" balcony cabins, so you may want to consider that ship.

[dtownjbrown]

Southbayer – great advice on the spa treatments…..that was one of the things I was definitely going to do. I read somewhere that you can also get them right on the beach at certain ports of call but if it’ll be cheaper to get it on the ship then I’ll go that route instead. Also, thanks for the “heads up” on the drink choice. I’m not a drinker persay but I was still going to take advantage of the one-bottle-per-person rule. Good to know that “The Funship Special” will give me my money’s worth. Couple of questions for you though…..(1) what’s a soda card and (2) do I have to wait until departure to find out which shows are scheduled?

 

Ray98 – our travel days are flexible but Ive been mostly looking at December departures. I found 3 ships that “fit” our criteria (i.e. Bahama Cruise less than 5 days). I found a three-day out of Miami on the Imagination, a three-day out of Orlando on Sensation and a four-day out of Orlando on Sensation. Personally, Im leaning toward the 4-day but the upgrade option keeps popping up on the 3-day Sensation leaving 12/4/08 or 12/11/08. Any idea why that one might be “on special” while the others aren’t?

[Annmarie58]

I agree with Chan-t about the Carnival Destiny short cruise w/a balcony

plus it is being refurbished I think in September so it will be like sailing a newer ship.

[dtownjbrown]

FireFly – thanks for explaining the upgrade thing!!! Turns out I read it incorrectly and it does equal out to be the regular price of the offered category anyway (I didn’t apply the upgrade price to each day). Its just me and my bff that will be traveling so “just” the beach might be okay. We’re not adventure seekers so there wont be any parasailing or cliff jumping (LOL). Regarding location on the ship….what does “back to the aft” mean? Also, is the anchor always on the same side of every ship? If so, which side? Sorry for all the novice questions but I really have no idea :-)

 

Grits – yes, it seems that all the ships Ive been looking at are in the Fantasy Class (didn’t notice that at first, thanks for pointing it out). I’ll let my bff know about the lifeboat obstruction so maybe she’ll re-think her need for a balcony (fingers crossed). She’s never cruised before either but someone told her to make sure she got a room with a balcony. I’m sure the non-privacy issue will sway her too. I’ll try to sell her on your midship oceanview suggestion since she was one of those people who got sick while watching The Blair Witch Project (which I heard induced motion sickness). By the way, what’s a “ReliefBand”?

 

MarieMorgan – Im actually leaning towards a 4-day because I just don’t think the 3-day is going to be long enough. It looks like the 5-days sail on either Monday or Saturday whereas the 4-days leave on Thursday or Sunday. Not sure I have enough vacation days saved up for a 5-day right now….but if I like cruising, I will definitely book one for next year (since I wont get more vacation days until then).

[mariemorgan]

(1) what’s a soda card and (2) do I have to wait until departure to find out which shows are scheduled?

 

A soda Card is a card that you pay 1 price (depends on length of cruise) and you get unlimited fountain drinks (no cans)

[southbayer]

A soda card, or its really a sticker they sell you that you put on the back of your sign and sail card, its for free unlimited soda use throughout your cruise. If your a moderate to heavy soda drinker, its for you. Depending on how long your cruise is, its a one time charge, comes to like I wanna say $5.50 a day. So times that by the number of days you will be onboard, charged one shot, plus the 15% gratuity added. How it works, just flash your card with sticker attached to any bar person, or wait staff in the dining room, and get a free soda, as many times as you want.

As for the activities, the ship has a daily newsletter delivered each morning to your room. It will list all the activities, ship shopping, times for this and that, basically everything.

But, I would highly recommend you choose a 7 day cruise if you could. 3 and 4 days goes very quickly. Even then, immediately after you disembark the ship to head home, you will have this extreme urge to book another cruise quik. This is normal, he he he

Bottom line, your on a cruise, everything is done for you, from room service, stateroom service, bed turndown each night, food at your beck and call, drinks anytime. You will get so used to it all, you will realize you should have taken a 7 day cruise.

Now go take on the day!

[gypsyrose]

Congrats on finding this site BEFORE your 1st cruise (unlike me). Our 1st was a 5 day on the Sensation. We only book 7 days now, wouldn't even pack for less than 5 days. In my opinion, it just doesn;t give you enough time, but, you gotta do what works for you. I prefer a balcony but wouldn't pay for a suite, on the Sensation we just did ocean view and we were fine w/ that. Especially since it is such a short cruise. See if you can't talk her into a 5 day cruise and just do the OV, which has a little ledge you can sit on and look out at the ocean.

 

If you are worried about being sick, we take bonine at nite and ginger capsules during the day and are never sick, even in rough seas.

 

Keep reading this board and asking ??? and you will have a wonderful cruise what ever you decide on . Let us know...

[Quilcruisers]

Hi,

 

Welcome and you have come to the right place.

 

We have taken 5 day cruises and 7 day cruises, we prefer 7 day, however, with limited vacation time this year, I understand taking a 5 day.

 

You will enjoy it either way. As far as rooms are concerned, we have sailed on the Riviera deck for 3 cruises, including our most recent one. Never had a problem!! It is the lowest deck but we always book an outside-Oceanview room--like a 6A or 6B. I like to have space too and this was perfect for my husband and I. Last year, we went with some friends and everyone enjoyed the space in this category. I know a lot of people say you wont spend a lot of time in your room but we spend time in our room--we like to take daily naps and hang out in our room when it gets too crowded other places. We stayed in rooms 1-386 and 1-388 this last cruise, it was mid-ship and on the lowest level -ground level and slept so peacefully every night. We never felt any movement of the ship and had little to no noise. Even on port days, we never heard anything outside of our window and we are on the first floor where all the mechanics are taking place to dock the ship!! You can look at the deck plans on the ships and they will show where the rooms are located. Also, you will be able to see what is directly above you--like the pool, the weight room, the disco, etc.

 

We build downtime into our vacations so that we are not stressed.

 

I agree that once you go on this cruise, you will either love cruising or hate it. Most people love it!!

 

Some tips to remember:

 

You can budget your funds so that you are not shell-shocked at the end. The drinks, purchases and gratuities add up. The ship is "cashless" so everything goes on your sail and sign card. You will be billed tips per cabin on the first day--per person.This is helpful to some, we personally prefer to remove our tips at the beginning and then tip appropriately at the end.

You can bring a bottle of wine per person (over 21) on Carnival--on board with you. You can also bring small quantities of non-alco beverages like soda or bottled water--we brought 12 packs of each and 2 bottles of wine in a soft-sided carry-on cooler.

There will be photographers everywhere and the pictures will be nice. Even though we have cruised many times, we still spent $200 on pictures as well as having over 400 pictures on our cameras. This is an area that you can either break the bank on or spend wisely, your choice.

Excursions can be booked either through the cruise line (they have "meetings" about the shore tours once you are on board and you can attend to determine whether you want to or not). Some places you can walk around once the ship docks or catch a taxi or shuttle bus..Depends on the location. We have done both tours through the ship --and ventured off on our own tours using a taxi or shuttle service. Just make sure to keep up with the ship's time because they will leave at the designated time whether all passengers are on or not!

On a shorter cruise-4 or 5 days, you can pack pretty lightly-1 bag per person, and it will make things so much easier for the space in the room as well as for getting on and off the ship. We always overpack but are vowing not to each time.

Don't take seasick meds without knowing whether it will make you sleepy or not. A lot of people who take them end up using a full day or night of their trip sleeping off the effects. The ships are really large and for the most part, you do not feel constant or rough seas unless there is bad weather.

You can decide whether to be a planner or just go with the flow. There will be a schedule of activities in your room every evening- you can plan from there or not. There is truly something for everyone.

Plan to eat--A LOT --but you can also get some exercise in. Most of the ships have workout facilities. OR you can always just walk around the deck, you will often see people walking/jogging all times of the day and night while onboard.

Once you book your cruise, come to this site and look around at the boards, ask all the questions you want and read reviews. Even though I have cruised before, I still found tips on this board that helped me tremendously.

 

Good luck to you and ask away if you have more questions!!

 

Angela

[ThePatientOne]

Good afternoon to the OP and the rest of this thread...

There has been some really good advice issued here and I would like to offer up my own 2 1/2 cents worth..

Trust me as well as the others that have suggested that you look at a 7 day or longer cruise, even for your first.. Pick one that has a good mix of sea days as well as port days.. There is always something to do on a ship.. (Even if it is "nothing", nothing is actually something:D )

I like balcony cabins. Should you want to "get away" from the hustle and bustle, you can, on your own balcony..

Cabin selection tips.. There is a thread here on CC about just that topic..

Mid ship is the smoothest ride, Pick one that has cabins above as well as below you.. (Quieter) Move away from elevators and stairways.

You have come to the right place.. Cruise (Pun intended) these boards, ask many questions, don't take all you read as gospel, (There are some on these boards that like to mess with your head) Do some research and most of all, get going on a cruise.. You will enjoy it, you will book another, just relax and enjoy...

[dtownjbrown]

SouthBayer – thanks for the explanation. I’m not a heavy soda drinker but I do enjoy the occasional mountain dew for a quick caffeine boost (I don’t like coffee). On the other hand, I drink at least a half-gallon of water a day. I take it “water” doesn’t count with this card, is that correct?

 

GypsyRose – since you’ve traveled on Sensation before, I have quite a few questions for you (I hope that’s okay)…..How many times have you traveled on the Sensation? How would you rate it against the other Carnival ships? Which decks have you stayed on? Any suggestions on specific rooms to avoid? Is the “ledge” that you spoke of similar to a window seat in most homes? And lastly (although not related to Sensation)…do I need a prescription for bonine & ginger capsules or should I be able to find them at a regular pharmacy or health food store? Thanks :-)

 

QuilCruiser – I too like to take mid-day naps or just step away for a quick wind-down so I anticipate being in the room more than most people. I was a little apprehensive about booking a room on the Riviera Deck because going off the deck plans Ive seen on Carnival’s website, it looks like the Riviera deck is so far away from everything. But since you’ve sailed three times on the Riviera deck I have to ask…was the climb up the stairs tiresome? Oh yeah, and thanks for all the extra tips (especially the ones about “sleepy” seasick meds and walking around the deck as exercise).

 

ThePatientOne - I’m new to the board so I haven’t figured out how to do a search yet but I’d really like to read that thread on cabin selection. Where should I look to find it?

 

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HELP :-)

[Captain Canuck]

with the amount of food available the stairs may be welcome....

[gypsyrose]

I was only on the Sensation for my 1st cruise and only have only cruised the Conquest type ships since then which are much larger. At the time, I thought the Sensation was huge.

 

Yes, it is just a small little area to sit. Nothing fancy or roomy, just enough so you can look out at the water. I don't have any special tips for that specific ship, sorry.

 

Bonine we take at nite so you don't have to worry if it would make you drowsy;) Ginger is an herb so there should be no side effects w/ that. Both are over the counter and fairly cheap. We still take them on every cruise but the last time we stopped after the 2nd day. Better to have and not need tho.

[ThePatientOne]

Hope this works...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=207

 

Try this link...

If it does not work, at the very bottom of any thread is a box labeled "Forum Jump" Open it up and scroll until you find the one that says "Cabin selection tips"...

[ThePatientOne]

Mr. Brown, (I am assuming you are a "Mister" if I am wrong, my bad..)

If I may ask, what part of the Buckeye are you in/from???