December Honeymoon Help!!!

S&M_Porter

Hello! My fiancee and I are getting married on December 16th of this year (2017)! I'm so excited! We live in Ohio and were hoping to go somewhere a little warmer than the winters that we are used to. We aren't exactly "beach people", so going to a warm exotic place that only has beaches and not a whole lot else to do isn't appealing. Beaches are fun for a few days, just not the whole week. I feel like I've looked everywhere for options...so I come to all of you for your expertise!

Does anyone have any budget friendly, warm, fun honeymoon ideas? I think we would like to stay in the USA if possible. We love to travel, but abroad just isn't in the budget right now!

Thanks in advance!
Megan-

CMGragain

S&M_Porter said:

Hello! My fiancee and I are getting married on December 16th of this year (2017)! I'm so excited! We live in Ohio and were hoping to go somewhere a little warmer than the winters that we are used to. We aren't exactly "beach people", so going to a warm exotic place that only has beaches and not a whole lot else to do isn't appealing. Beaches are fun for a few days, just not the whole week. I feel like I've looked everywhere for options...so I come to all of you for your expertise!

Does anyone have any budget friendly, warm, fun honeymoon ideas? I think we would like to stay in the USA if possible. We love to travel, but abroad just isn't in the budget right now!

Thanks in advance!
Megan-

You sound like cruise people to me.  First, you need to tell us your budget and how many days you have for your honeymoon.

Cruises give you a most-inclusive vacation for a bargain price.  December is a big bargain time until Christmas, when prices go up.  On a cruise, you are in a different place every morning.  You get off the ship and go do activities which the ship will arrange for you at extra price, then you return, dress, eat dinner, go to a show, hit the bars, and go back to your cabin to sleep while the ship heads towards the next day's destination.  Read the sticky I wrote about cruises at the top of this board.

If this appeals to you, you should talk to a travel agent who specializes in cruises.  They can get you the best prices, and they can recommend which cruise lines might suit your personality.  There is a difference between, say, Carnival and Holland America!  Travel agents cost you nothing.  They are paid by the cruise line, not you!

Puerto Rico, Aruba, Jamaica...there are so many choices!  One issue is that there are a lot of cheap cruises leaving Dec 17, which means that you need to take a red-eye flight into Orlando or Ft. Lauderdale after your wedding and spend the night to be sure to catch your cruise the following afternoon.  You could take a chance and take an early morning flight, but I wouldn't chance it in December.

Here is a good example of a bargain cruise with Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, one of their big ships: 
https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/7NightWesternCaribbeanCruise-OA07W223?currencyCode=USD&sCruiseType=CO&sDateMin=2017-12-01&sDateMax=2017-12-31&sailDate=12/10/2017
If you two can stay in an inside cabin (see sticky) then we are talking about $717 per person + taxes, tips, and drinks.  Flying to Orlando and back would be extra.  Southwest Air?  Passports are not needed for this cruise.  There might be slightly better prices with a travel agent, but not much difference.

If the date is a problem, there is a Holland America Koningsdam 7 day cruise that leaves on Dec 20.  Upscale food, few kids.  Lots of older passengers.  This one goes to Puerto Rico, Grand Turk, St. Thomas, and their private beach in the Bahamas.  A bit pricier - $926 per person, but they give you $250 cabin credit to help pay those other expenses, so it works out.  http://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=10839  You fly to Fort Lauderdale.

ernursej

Your budget will determine quite a bit. Hawaii can be awesome but it might be pricey. Have your thought about Florida?

missJeanLouise

Without knowing your budget it is hard. Lots of nice cities and places in the south to visit. New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, Sedona, Blue Ridge National Forest, Arches National Park, San Antonio.... there is an island in Georgia that has wild horses. 
Also, the west coast and PNW will be less chilly than Ohio. I am not as familiar with that area though.
I, personally, would have loved to have gone rafting down the Grand Canyon.

CMGragain

In December?!!!  

CMGragain

Disney World?  Universal Orlando Resort?  Sea World Orlando?  You can save money by staying outside the resorts in Kissimmee.  You will need to rent a car.  We really need to know your budget!