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Cruise Suggestions
My fiance & I would like to go on a cruise for our honeymoon. We have never been on one, and not sure what to look for or expect. My sister told us that you can find cruises that have everything included except for alcohol & souvenirs. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on what to look for?
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Re: Cruise Suggestions
My fiancée and another couple went on a Norwegian cruise out of NYC last year. We went for 7 days and stopped in Florida, Great Stirrup Cay (private island owned by Norwegian), and Nassau Bahamas. We all had such an amazing time!! We got an upgraded balcony room and it was under $1500 for both me and my fiance. I don't have any other cruises to compare it to but I would highly recommend Norwegian. We had an amazing time. I would also personally recommend a balcony room. We took a couple cat naps with the door open and the warm ocean breeze filled the room.
[QUOTE]Hello, My fiancée and another couple went on a Norwegian cruise out of NYC last year. We went for 7 days and stopped in Florida, Great Stirrup Cay (private island owned by Norwegian), and Nassau Bahamas. We all had such an amazing time!! We got an upgraded balcony room and it was under $1500 for both me and my fiance. I don't have any other cruises to compare it to but I would highly recommend Norwegian. We had an amazing time. I would also personally recommend a balcony room. We took a couple cat naps with the door open and the warm ocean breeze filled the room.
Posted by manda1933[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the suggestion manda1933! That is definitely not a bad price for that cruise/trip! The balcony room sounds amazing! =)
I am sure CMG will be here soon! She is our local cruise expert and has cruised pretty much across the world.
Almost everything is included in a cruise. Extra's are special dining requests on some cruises, as well as Casino, The Spa, Drinks besides Water and Tea, and any special items like the surfing machine or similar activities, Oil Surcharge and last of all Daily Gratuity (Which they will add on!). Here is a nice link that goes over that: http://www.cruisecheap.com/cruises/whats-not-included.html
Overall cruises are great to go to multiple islands and to spend time on the ship doing activities and seeing shows. But remember, you can usually do an All Inclusive for about the same price!
06.09.2012
Congratulations II31 on your marriage, & recent pregnancy! Also looks like it's getting close to your wedding date Sleeper2013 & hoffse...Good Luck & Congratulations!
absolutely get the balcony room if you can swing it. it's worth every penny.
as for what you want-look at vacationstogo.com and sort for the time you want to go and see what's available and where it's going and from where.
generally cruises include food, the cruise and the entertainment on the ship. extras: spa treatments, soda, alcohol, souveniers, shore excursions, transfers to.from airport, taxes, gratuities.
some ships have specialty restaurants which you pay a small charge for per person-like $30 or $40 but the food is usually very good.
many lines now allow you to bring one bottle of wine per person in your luggage to enjoy in your stateroom (dont forget the corkscrew) or at dinner where they'll charge you a corking fee.
personally i dont feel that dirinks are expensive on board-even less than i pay at home, but others think they are expensive. just depends on what you're used to.
[QUOTE]i've been on 5. carbibean, mediterranean, trans-atlantic, etc ..#6 in april is caribbean. absolutely get the balcony room if you can swing it. it's worth every penny. as for what you want-look at vacationstogo.com and sort for the time you want to go and see what's available and where it's going and from where. generally cruises include food, the cruise and the entertainment on the ship. extras: spa treatments, soda, alcohol, souveniers, shore excursions, transfers to.from airport, taxes, gratuities. some ships have specialty restaurants which you pay a small charge for per person-like $30 or $40 but the food is usually very good. many lines now allow you to bring one bottle of wine per person in your luggage to enjoy in your stateroom (dont forget the corkscrew) or at dinner where they'll charge you a corking fee. personally i dont feel that dirinks are expensive on board-even less than i pay at home, but others think they are expensive. just depends on what you're used to.
Posted by alithebride[/QUOTE]
That's all very good to know, thank you! I had no idea you could bring your own bottle of wine aboard, so I'll have to keep that in mind when shopping. Have fun on your upcoming vacation! Hopefully no surprises that you have to make a hospital visit or anything in another country.
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cruise Suggestions : That's all very good to know, thank you! I had no idea you could bring your own bottle of wine aboard, so I'll have to keep that in mind when shopping. Have fun on your upcoming vacation! Hopefully no surprises that you have to make a hospital visit or anything in another country.
Posted by ndjk16[/QUOTE]
LOL thank you :)
I've been on 3 and DH has been on 7 and hands down our favorite itineraries are in the Southern Caribbean. We loved our cruise that left out of San Juan and stopped in Aruba, Curacao, Dominica, and St. Thomas. There's another itinerary on the same ship (Royal Carribean Adventure of the Seas) that stops in Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Croix, and St. Maarten which we'd like to do for our next cruise.
My advice for 1st time cruisers:
1. Don't overpack. You'll live in bathing suits and coverups by day and sundresses/cocktail dresses at night depending on whether or not it's formal night to go to dinner and a show.
2. Spend the extra money for a balcony. The inside rooms are really small, and with the balcony room you have a larger stateroom with a sitting area, and your own private balcony that you can have breakfast on with room service (which is always free) instead of going up to the overcrowded buffet. It's also nice to enjoy a glass of wine before or after dinner and just listen to the water.
3. Don't bring towels. They'll supply you with both bath and pool/beach towels which can be changed out as much as you need. Just make sure you turn them back in at the end.
4. Bring one bottle of wine or champagne per person and bring your own wine key to open them. If you forget it, you can order one through room service, if you bring the wine to the dining room there will be a corkage fee. If you open it in your room there's no charge and you can walk around the ship with your glass.
5. Don't forget to bring extra money for tipping your room steward and waitstaff from the dining room. They work really hard and always do an amazing job and live off their tips. Also remember, alcohol and shore excursions are an extra cost that's not included in the cost of the cruise so be prepared for the bill at the end if you book a lot of excursions from your room and/or drink a lot. Another good reason to carry on a bottle of wine or two.
6. Make sure and go to the shows before/after dinner and the comedy club (if there's one on your ship) they're so much fun and it's so nice to go and relax at one after a big dinner.
7. You can order as many appetizers and/or entrees at dinner as you'd like. If you can't decide between all the delicious options, order them all!
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[QUOTE]Is the one bottle of wine per person on the cruise new, or has that always been the case? It's a great idea!
Posted by kaos16[/QUOTE]
<div>On our last Royal Caribbean cruise (2009), we were not allowed to bring any alcohol on board.</div><div>
</div><div>On our Carnival Cruise in November, H and I were each permitted to take a bottle of wine in our carry ons. </div>
[QUOTE]You're going to love cruising! It's our favorite way to travel! I've been on 3 and DH has been on 7 and hands down our favorite itineraries are in the Southern Caribbean. We loved our cruise that left out of San Juan and stopped in Aruba, Curacao, Dominica, and St. Thomas. There's another itinerary on the same ship (Royal Carribean Adventure of the Seas) that stops in Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Croix, and St. Maarten which we'd like to do for our next cruise.
Posted by SuMmErKuTiE[/QUOTE]
These are the two cruises H and I are interested in! We're having a hard time deciding. It'll be our first cruise too. This thread is amazing, thanks for the advice everyone!
06.09.2012
[QUOTE]You're going to love cruising! It's our favorite way to travel! I've been on 3 and DH has been on 7 and hands down our favorite itineraries are in the Southern Caribbean. We loved our cruise that left out of San Juan and stopped in Aruba, Curacao, Dominica, and St. Thomas. There's another itinerary on the same ship (Royal Carribean Adventure of the Seas) that stops in Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Croix, and St. Maarten which we'd like to do for our next cruise. My advice for 1st time cruisers: 1. Don't overpack. You'll live in bathing suits and coverups by day and sundresses/cocktail dresses at night depending on whether or not it's formal night to go to dinner and a show. 2. Spend the extra money for a balcony. The inside rooms are really small, and with the balcony room you have a larger stateroom with a sitting area, and your own private balcony that you can have breakfast on with room service (which is always free) instead of going up to the overcrowded buffet. It's also nice to enjoy a glass of wine before or after dinner and just listen to the water. 3. Don't bring towels. They'll supply you with both bath and pool/beach towels which can be changed out as much as you need. Just make sure you turn them back in at the end. 4. Bring one bottle of wine or champagne per person and bring your own wine key to open them. If you forget it, you can order one through room service, if you bring the wine to the dining room there will be a corkage fee. If you open it in your room there's no charge and you can walk around the ship with your glass. 5. Don't forget to bring extra money for tipping your room steward and waitstaff from the dining room. They work really hard and always do an amazing job and live off their tips. Also remember, alcohol and shore excursions are an extra cost that's not included in the cost of the cruise so be prepared for the bill at the end if you book a lot of excursions from your room and/or drink a lot. Another good reason to carry on a bottle of wine or two. 6. Make sure and go to the shows before/after dinner and the comedy club (if there's one on your ship) they're so much fun and it's so nice to go and relax at one after a big dinner. 7. You can order as many appetizers and/or entrees at dinner as you'd like . If you can't decide between all the delicious options, order them all!
Posted by SuMmErKuTiE[/QUOTE]
Great advice & suggestions! I would have never thought about some of these things. Thank you very much! =)
[QUOTE]Sorry. I'm busy at home. Sad weekend for us. Cruisefares usually include your room, as much food as you want to eat in the main dining room and the buffet on the Lido deck by the pool. Most onboard entertainment is included as is the use of the gym machines. Prices are incredibly low, so much so that the cruiselines won't make any money UNLESS they can sell you extras. The mini fridge in your room will be stocked with overpriced snacks and drinks. We usually empty it out and put our own stuff in there. You will be charged for anything missing at the end of the cruise. Bring your own water bottles to fill from the faucet in the bathroom, and put it ini the fridge overnight to cool down for the next day's excursion. They will charge you a ridiculous amount for bottled water as you leave the ship! There are usually "specialty" restaurants with a cover charge. They can be very nice, but you can do without them if you are on a tight budget. All sodas and alcoholic drinks are extra, and the tip is included in the charge. Don't buy anything on the ship. Those fragrances aren't really cheaper than in the stores at home. Everything will be overpriced. OK, you can buy a tee shirt. Most ships will allow you to bring on a bottle of wine per person. Don't forget a corkscrew. Yes, there is a casino onboard. We never use it. Stay out of the spa! Prices are double what you pay on land. In 2006, my son got a $50 haircut! Every where you go you will see ships photographers taking photos of gullible passengers. Fine, if you don't mind paying $17 per photo! Keep you own camera handy, and ask fellow passengers to take pictures of the two of you together. There is always a camera nut around somewhere. (I'm married to one!) There will sometimes be special events, like "art auctions". These are notorious rip-offs. Do NOT buy anything there! There will be promotions like gold chains by the inch (plated!). Not a good buy. The cruise staff will make special shopping presentations. They only stores that are recommended will be stores that pay to be recommended! The cruise line takes a percentage off everything you buy onshore in any of these shops (about 20%). The shop will ask which ship you are sailing with. This is the reason why. Be especially careful about jewelry shops in the Caribbean. They are not owned by local people. They are owned by families of Indian heritage that live in the USA. Yes, the stones you see are real, but of very low quality. Unless you know your diamonds (I do) don't buy anything there! If you want a pair of nice gold earrings for a souvenir, that is fine, but make them weigh it and figure out what you are really paying before you buy. (They HATE this!) I bought one of my nicest gold slides in a non-recommended shop in St. Thomas. It was in the back in a dark case. They had it in inventory for a long time and were glad to sell it. You can haggle at most of the shops. The closer you are to sailing time (They know when it is!) the lower the price. Shore excursions will probably be your biggest expense, and you should do at least one special one! If you reserve them in advance with the cruise line, you will pay a bit more, but if something goes wrong and your excursion is delayed, the ship will wait for you to get back. If you are on your own, good luck catching up with your ship after it has sailed! The peace of mind is worth it for us. You will be expected to tip your guides. About $5 per excursion. For advice on which excursions to book, go to <a href="http://www.cruisecritics.com." rel="nofollow">www.cruisecritics.com.</a> and click on their boards for your destination. Most cruiselines will charge you a hotel charge (tips) fee of about $12 per day per person. OK, that's going to add up. Don't refuse to pay it. The hardworking person from a developing country works long hours for very little money, and is usually supporting a family back home. If you remove that charge, any money you give them privately must be put back into the ship's tip pool for everyone to share. We always give our cabin steward additional money besides paying the cruise fee. Almost everyone does. Cruising works well for my DH and I. We have been all over the world on cruise ships. DH is a nervous traveller, and is fussy about food. He is happy, knowing that he will get American cuisine in the dining room and that the ship's water supply is more pure than the water at home. There is no way we could have afforded to do this traveling on our own, paying our own hotel and restaurant charges, as well as entertainment. Last summer we sailed for 10 days to Alaska on Princess cruises for $875 per person. Our hotel in the port of San Francisco cost $225, and it was only a Holiday Inn Express! Ack - at least they gave us a free breakfast! The cruise charge does not include airfare. If you need it, do arrange your own. You will have more control over your schedule and save money. Always fly in the night before and spend the night in the city you will be sailing from. Flights do get cancelled, and you don't want to really "miss the boat"! BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE!
Posted by CMGr[/QUOTE]
WOW, a $50 haircut! That's crazy! That is a lot of useful information, and Do's & Don't's. Many things I would have never even thought to think about. Thank you very much! I appreciate it A LOT!
And I'm sorry to hear you had a sad weekend. I hope everything is ok, and works out for you!
[QUOTE]Sorry. I'm busy at home. Sad weekend for us. Cruisefares usually include your room, as much food as you want to eat in the main dining room and the buffet on the Lido deck by the pool. Most onboard entertainment is included as is the use of the gym machines. Prices are incredibly low, so much so that the cruiselines won't make any money UNLESS they can sell you extras. The mini fridge in your room will be stocked with overpriced snacks and drinks. We usually empty it out and put our own stuff in there. You will be charged for anything missing at the end of the cruise. Bring your own water bottles to fill from the faucet in the bathroom, and put it ini the fridge overnight to cool down for the next day's excursion. They will charge you a ridiculous amount for bottled water as you leave the ship! There are usually "specialty" restaurants with a cover charge. They can be very nice, but you can do without them if you are on a tight budget. All sodas and alcoholic drinks are extra, and the tip is included in the charge. Don't buy anything on the ship. Those fragrances aren't really cheaper than in the stores at home. Everything will be overpriced. OK, you can buy a tee shirt. Most ships will allow you to bring on a bottle of wine per person. Don't forget a corkscrew. Yes, there is a casino onboard. We never use it. Stay out of the spa! Prices are double what you pay on land. In 2006, my son got a $50 haircut! Every where you go you will see ships photographers taking photos of gullible passengers. Fine, if you don't mind paying $17 per photo! Keep you own camera handy, and ask fellow passengers to take pictures of the two of you together. There is always a camera nut around somewhere. (I'm married to one!) There will sometimes be special events, like "art auctions". These are notorious rip-offs. Do NOT buy anything there! There will be promotions like gold chains by the inch (plated!). Not a good buy. The cruise staff will make special shopping presentations. They only stores that are recommended will be stores that pay to be recommended! The cruise line takes a percentage off everything you buy onshore in any of these shops (about 20%). The shop will ask which ship you are sailing with. This is the reason why. Be especially careful about jewelry shops in the Caribbean. They are not owned by local people. They are owned by families of Indian heritage that live in the USA. Yes, the stones you see are real, but of very low quality. Unless you know your diamonds (I do) don't buy anything there! If you want a pair of nice gold earrings for a souvenir, that is fine, but make them weigh it and figure out what you are really paying before you buy. (They HATE this!) I bought one of my nicest gold slides in a non-recommended shop in St. Thomas. It was in the back in a dark case. They had it in inventory for a long time and were glad to sell it. You can haggle at most of the shops. The closer you are to sailing time (They know when it is!) the lower the price. Shore excursions will probably be your biggest expense, and you should do at least one special one! If you reserve them in advance with the cruise line, you will pay a bit more, but if something goes wrong and your excursion is delayed, the ship will wait for you to get back. If you are on your own, good luck catching up with your ship after it has sailed! The peace of mind is worth it for us. You will be expected to tip your guides. About $5 per excursion. For advice on which excursions to book, go to <a href="http://www.cruisecritics.com." rel="nofollow">www.cruisecritics.com.</a> and click on their boards for your destination. Most cruiselines will charge you a hotel charge (tips) fee of about $12 per day per person. OK, that's going to add up. Don't refuse to pay it. The hardworking person from a developing country works long hours for very little money, and is usually supporting a family back home. If you remove that charge, any money you give them privately must be put back into the ship's tip pool for everyone to share. We always give our cabin steward additional money besides paying the cruise fee. Almost everyone does. Cruising works well for my DH and I. We have been all over the world on cruise ships. DH is a nervous traveller, and is fussy about food. He is happy, knowing that he will get American cuisine in the dining room and that the ship's water supply is more pure than the water at home. There is no way we could have afforded to do this traveling on our own, paying our own hotel and restaurant charges, as well as entertainment. Last summer we sailed for 10 days to Alaska on Princess cruises for $875 per person. Our hotel in the port of San Francisco cost $225, and it was only a Holiday Inn Express! Ack - at least they gave us a free breakfast! The cruise charge does not include airfare. If you need it, do arrange your own. You will have more control over your schedule and save money. Always fly in the night before and spend the night in the city you will be sailing from. Flights do get cancelled, and you don't want to really "miss the boat"! BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE!
Posted by CMGr[/QUOTE]
I knew she'd come. . . . .and with great cruising advice as always!!!
Hope everything is ok at home CMGr. We are here if you need to talk/vent.
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cruise Suggestions : WOW, a $50 haircut! That's crazy! That is a lot of useful information, and Do's & Don't's. Many things I would have never even thought to think about. Thank you very much! I appreciate it A LOT! And I'm sorry to hear you had a sad weekend. I hope everything is ok, and works out for you!
Posted by ndjk16[/QUOTE]
<div>I tried to get a hair cut on our November cruise (I grew my hair out for the wedding and I was dying to get rid of it). I'm talking a straight cut, no frills. They wanted to charge me $90!!! </div><div>
</div><div>CMGr - hope everything is okay!</div>
July 2007
october 2012