Never been on a cruise...should I try it? Tell me about your cruises!

3rdWaveRudeGirl · March 2014

Hello!

I am super excited to start thinking about our honeymoon and since we have already done Hawaii together, B (my guy) wants to try something different and while he has been on a few cruises, I have never been. What I am having a hard time with is finding a cruise that does not have reviews that scare me...so I thought I would ask you lovely ladies who have cruised for recommendations or warnings.

We were originally looking at Regent Seven Seas but I keep reading that their ship that goes through the Caribbean, is not balanced super well and that people really felt the sea and that the price they paid did not live up to the luxury they expected.

Anyhoo, I would love to hear what you guys think about cruises as I search through the honeymoon board for other cruise topics!

TIA ^_^

QueerFemme · March 2014

@cmgrAgain cruises a lot. Hopefully, she'll have some helpful hints.

mlg78 · March 2014

People either love or hate cruising. We went on our first cruise on our honeymoon and we will soon have 3 more booked! We were on Royal Caribbean and went to St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados. We also did two nights in Puerto Rico before departing on our cruise. We loved that it allowed my husband to have his relaxing time that he loves and I got my fix of having fun and exploring. Neither of us ever really felt the boat moving much. A lot of it is placement of your cabin. Mid-ship won't feel much at all and the aft has a lot of movement. You'll find positive and negative reviews for every cruise. When you're transporting thousands of passengers every week you're bound to have a few unhappy people. You'll find the same thing at resorts.

emmyg65 · March 2014

It's really not my thing. When I travel, I like to really immerse myself in one area, and my hotel is basically just where I sleep. So the idea of a moving hotel with brief stops doesn't appeal to me. But then, I'm not really a resort person either. There are lots of people who love cruises. I've heard Princess and Celebrity are the nicest lines.

LarraO2530 · March 2014

I've never been cruising either, but my fiance and I have been looking into it for our honeymoon as well. We have been all over on road trips and to the Florida Keys, and we both agree that we would like to do something that offers a lot to do in one place. Even if we end up not doing an excursion at one of the ports, we figure the ship has plenty to do and see, we won't be bored. We still have plenty of time to decide as we are not getting married until 2016, but we don't want to get stuck at a resort on an island that "offers plenty" but comes up with beach/restaurant/bar for 7-10 days. Also, it kinda eeks me out to see that when you book these all-inclusive resorts, you pretty much have to stay on resort property because the area surrounding isn't exactly great for tourism

. Maybe you could take a mini cruise that is only a few nights to see if you like it, time allowing of course

[Deleted User] · March 2014

LarraO2530 said:
Also, it kinda eeks me out to see that when you book these all-inclusive resorts, you pretty much have to stay on resort property because the area surrounding isn't exactly great for tourism . Maybe you could take a mini cruise that is only a few nights to see if you like it, time allowing of course

This kinda eeks me out. We have been to five AI's (Sanadals Grande St. Lucian twice, Sandals Negril once, Sandals Grande Antiguan once, Sandals Whitehouse once*leaving today to come home but will be back same time next year* and THE Royal Cancun ^now a Hyatt* and have left the property EVERY SINGLE TIME. In Antigua and Cancun we've even rented a car and gone on our own.

That being said, we've cruised too and hated it. Short time in ports = no time to truly explore. Plus just wait till you get the bar bill. Holy crap. 2 drinks each a day for 8 days plus what we drank from the mini bar and we were looking at close to $400. We had a suite on Carnival back in '07, left out of NY, went to St. Thomas,Puerto Rico and Tortola, also had two days sea travel each way. Food was horrible, I lived on salad all week. Cost was just over 6k.

Just ending out 6 nights at whitehouse in a penthouse ocean front suite. Total cost for everything including excursions 10 professional pics,airfare,airport food, tips (drivers) hubby's scuba class, plus as much great food as we wanted and all the booze we could handle(which we certainly drank way more than we did on the cruise), the included snorkeling through the resort...6k

And yes, I have spreadsheets of all of this so, I'm not making it up.

It truly comes down to personal preference. Some love cruises,se hate the, se love AI',some hate them, some (like us) love Sandals and some hate them. For us, we found what makes us happy. You need to find what makes you happy. Its trial and error to do so. You don't know unless you try it.

Rant over.

climbingsingle · March 2014

Cruising is one of those things people either love or hate. I happen to love it. FI and I took a cruise on the QE2 last years with Cunard. It was by far the best vacation I've ever taken. We stopped in Portugal, Gibraltar, Spain, France, Monaco and Italy.

Our room was a good size. The food, I'll admit, was very hit or miss. 75% of the time, it was fantastic.

I don't get seasick so I can't speak for that. I did feel the boat moving though on the last time and my FMIL did get seasick from it.

AprilH81 · March 2014

Cruising is a GREAT way to get a sample of different islands for a relatively cheap price without having to pack and unpack at every location. A lot of things are included in the price, shipboard entertainment, almost unlimited food, and your cabin.

Things that cost extra: tips, soft drinks, alcohol, specialty coffee (free coffee is available, but it isn't a Latte or Cappicino), spa, casino, shops, and excursions are the big ones. Some ships have restaurants that have a surcharge to eat a "premium" meal but those are easily avoided if you don't want to add to your budget.

Depending on the itinerary you get about 6-8 hours in port to go explore (typical is 8-4 but can vary greatly). I normally schedule an active excursion like ziplining, snorkeling or kayaking in the morning and then spend the afternoon at a beach that is near the port to make getting back on time easier. I personally like to be at the pier (normally shopping) two hours before the all-aboard time so I can have that cushion and not worry about missing the ship.

The drawbacks are that it isn't a true AI (although some lines are moving that way with optional beverage packages that include alcohol), you don't get a lot of time to really get to know an area and you do have to keep a watch on the time to make sure you are back onboard. Most people who are even close to missing the ship are usually the ones that have spent all day drinking themselves silly and not paying attention. The rooms are smaller than a typical hotel room but perfectly fine for two people.

That being said, they are a LOT of fun. You can do as much or as little as you want both on the ship and on shore. If you want to lay on the beach all day you can, if you want to go find waterfalls and climb a mountain you can.

I've been on 5 cruises and never had a bad time. I've done two on Carnival and three on Royal Caribbean (my favorite).

ALWAYS take reviews with a grain of salt. Some people really like to complain and thing that cruising is still a "luxury" vacation that they only have to pay a few hundred dollars a person to enjoy. It isn't luxury on the main lines, but it is still a really nice vacation. I usually ignore the overly negative and the overly positive.

You can find a lot of information at cruisecritic.com I always use that website to get information on ships, ports and excursions there.

3rdWaveRudeGirl · March 2014

Thank you everyone for the awesome replies.

I am glad some of you love it and I am even glad that some of you hate it. It is nice to hear both sides.

I believe I want a vacation that gives me the option to be active if I want to and allows me to see parts of the world that with out almost 2 year old, it feels like we will never get to see. So that part of a cruise appeals to me a lot. Even though...yeah, it is a short time in each port, to be able to spend an afternoon looking at Mayan ruins and then the next day be on some island, really blows my mind.

2013 was my first REAL vacation when we went to Hawaii. It was amazing and I loved the people and food but man, it was a pricey week with the three of us. It would be nice to not have to worry as much about food and cost of most things when we were on vacation. I am looking at some of the "luxury" cruise lines for their all inclusive-ness to bring down stress and worry but I think we would end up being some of the youngest on the boat being in our 30s.

I will for sure report back when we start to figure this out more.

Again, thank you all so much for sharing your opinions, I truly appreciate it.

majesty318 · March 2014

LarraO2530 said:

Also, it kinda eeks me out to see that when you book these all-inclusive resorts, you pretty much have to stay on resort property because the area surrounding isn't exactly great for tourism . Maybe you could take a mini cruise that is only a few nights to see if you like it, time allowing of course

the above really depends on where the AI is. Punta Cana? Yes, I agree totally - the surrounding area did not look so nice when I was there. Playa del Carmen or Cabo? You would be missing out on the adorable towns by not leaving the resorts.

@3rdWaveRudeGirl I cruise a lot - I have been on like 15 cruises. I have tried Norwegian (awful), Carnival (awful), Princess (OK), Celebrity (quite nice), and Royal Caribbean (my favorite and the one that most of the 15 cruises have been on).

emmyg65 and immerse myself in the culture, spending as little time as possible in the hotel. But I love cruises for the chance to see several islands and always think about which ones I might later want to go back to for an extended trip (more than just a day). At the same time, some islands are not so nice, so then I am happy to have sampled them for a couple hours and not booked a full week there. And on the ship itself, there is so much to do, whether you want to be active or relax.

Unless you or your FI is scared of boats I would say it is at least worth a shot. Oh and one more thing, I am claustrophobic but have zero issues with cruise ships. I have heard people say they don't want to try a cruise for fear of being closed in.

AprilH81 · March 2014

I forgot to give some specifics on my experiences.

First cruise: Carnival Victory, Western Caribbean

7 night cruise with my friend and sister. Three young adults in a balcony cabin... We had a blast and didn't spend a lot of money because we didn't make a lot and the airfare and cruise fare took up most of our budget. Our "excursions" were free/cheap. We went to the beach in Costa Maya and Grand Cayman and did an island tour in Jamaica. I learned that while I love the beach I wanted to see more of the islands we were visiting and I wanted to do it in a more active way (normally not a fan of van tours).

The ship was garrisly decorated (common for Carnival ships) but the staff was great and food good. We met some other girls our age and hung out with them a lot in the evenings.

Second Cruise: Monarch of the Seas (RCI), Bahamas

This was a 5 night cruise out of Port Canaveral to the Bahamas and while it was on the oldest smallest ship in the fleet at the time (now retired) it was one of my favorites. I went with my friend and we were lucky enough to see a space shuttle launch before the ship left port! We spent more on excursions this time and it was worth it. In Nassau we went swimming with the dolphins (worth every penny!) and then walked around Atlantis and Ardastra Gardens. The second stop was RCI's private island and we did a jet ski tour and did a massage on the beach.

The ship was beautiful and very simple in its elegance. It didn't have a lot of ammenties and the food was just "okay". We didn't meet anybody fun and just hung out on our own.

Third Cruise: Serenade of the Seas (RCI), Southern Caribbean

This one had the potential to be horrible since my friend backed out 3 weeks before we left. I went by myself and it was one of my favorite experiences yet! I was really active on CruiseCritic (I usually am right before a cruise) and had some online friends that really helped make my trip fun. I changed my dinner seating so I could sit with them and had a blast each night!

I packed this trip with excursions since there was so much to do on the islands. I swam with sea turtles in Barbados, went zip lining in St. Lucia, did a segway tour in Antigua, did the bio bay kayak trip and toured the forts in San Juan, snuba in St. Martin and relaxed on the beach in St. Croix on the last day.

The ship was beautiful and there were lots of places where you could see out to the ocean.

Fourth Cruise: Carnival Victory, Southern Caribbean

This was a family trip with my parents, sister, BIL and nephew. We all had a blast even with a toddler with us. This was another trip with a lot of activities... I took mom ocean and river kaying in St. Lucia, we went swimming with the turtles in Barbados (I loved it so much I did it again!), hung out on an estate with an infinity pool and gardens in St. Kitts, snorkled in St. Thomas and did a van tour with a stop at the butterfly farm in St. Martin.

Fifth Cruise: Freedom of the Seas, Western Caribbean

This was my first trip with H (we left the day after he proposed) and the first time I was traveling with an SO. This was his first cruise and although I spent some time being sea-sick (never really bothered me before, not sure why it did this time) we both had fun. This ship has all the latest bells and whistles so we went ice skating in the middle of the Caribbean, played on the surfing simulators, I took a cupcake decorating class and H did a cigar tasting seminar.

We swam with sting rays in Grand Cayman, climbed waterfalls and did river tubing in Jamaica and a mini-sub adventure in Cozumel. We would have gone parasailing in Haiti but the boat broke so we got a refund.

We chose not to do a cruise for our honeymoon to make sure that I didn't get sick and to give us the most flexibility in travel dates. Our next vacation will probably be another cruise.

A cruise really is what you make of it. You can lay by the pool and drink the day away or you can participate in the activities that go almost 24 hours a day.

CMGragain · March 2014

I have been on 17 cruises, mostly with Princess and Holland America. I am older, myself, so the age gap doesn't bother me.
Cruises work best for people who want to do a lot of unusual activities in a short time. They are not so good for people who want to just lie on the beach, or are looking for a cultural immersion experience. MY DH would go crazy just sitting on a beach all day!
The shorter cruises tend to have a younger crowd. There will be more young people and families on a 7 day Caribbean cruise than on a 14 day cruise out of Singapore. I have never been on a luxury line cruise. They include Crystal, Regent, Radisson, Silverseas. Those are very pricey, costing four times as much as a mid-range line.
Mid range lines include Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity. They are most-inclusive, which is how they can keep their prices so low. We don't gamble, drink heavily, or buy stuff on the ship, so somebody else is making up the difference on our low fares. There are lots of free activities to keep us busy. Our big expense is the excursions, where they take you to that Mayan temple hidden in the jungle.
Lower price range cruises include Carnival (the largest) and Norwegian. I have never been on them. They market to younger people and families.
You should talk to a good travel agent to decide on your cruise. Travel agents cost you nothing. They are paid by the venue or cruise line. They can usually negotiate a better price for you, or at least get you a free bottle of wine. All online sites are travel agencies without walls. This includes Expedia, Travelocity, Vacations to Go (which we use), Sam's Club, etc.
We love cruising, and have never been seasick. If you are worried about a tiny room, get a suite with a private balcony. Those cost more, but if you are looking at luxury lines, this shouldn't be a problem for you.
Time of year is important. I wouldn't pick a Caribbean cruise in the summer. Alaska is more popular at that time of year, as is Europe. Winter is the season for Caribbean, South America, and New Zealand/Australia.
I love cruising because it releases me from all responsibilities. No cooking, making beds, cleaning, or planning where we eat. DH doesn't have to worry about losing his stuff, going from hotel to hotel. He doesn't worry about the local food or water. (Yeah, he's paranoid.) He doesn't have to drive. It is a true vacation for us.
PM me if you have any questions. I'll be glad to share my VTG travel agent with anyone. He has saved me thousands of dollars on cruise fares.

missmarissa14 · March 2014

My FI and I went on a Norwegian Cruise to Bermuda and we loved it. It really depends what type of experience you are looking for. Cruises are great because there is a lot to do on and off the ship and you can just sort of pick what you want to do without worrying about the logistics….basically everything excursions and events are already set up.

The downside is obviously you spend more time at sea than at whatever destination you cruise to. When we went to Bermuda it was a week and we were docked at Bermuda for 3 days. While I wish we were there longer, we still got to see and do a lot and usually cruising is less expensive (at least in our experience.) We went to Horseshoe Bay one day, we went snorkeling one day, and jet skiing another day. We also took the ferry one night to another part of the island.

We also liked on our ship there were 2 main restaurants and like 4 other ones as well as multiple bars, a casino and shows. We never had a dull moment.

If it's viable…a way to save money would be to depart out of a place close to home so you don't have to pay for airfare.

mlg78 · March 2014

The comment was made that their cruise cost over $6K when all was said and done...Ours was nowhere near that so I'll break down the cost: $1,600 cost for 2 for the Southern Caribbean for 7 nights going to 5 ports with a balcony room, $800 airfare (we actually didn't pay this as I used frequent flier miles but this is what the fare would have been to PR), $300 (two nights hotel prior to the cruise...but really you'd only need one), $60 (cabs to the hotel, hotel to port and port to airport), $710 (the cost for the drink packages had we purchased them -- we didn't, but I'll include it), $600 (let's estimate for excursions? We only did one formal excursion though...)...total for all that is $4,070. We didn't pay nearly that much but I was going on the high end for comparison purposes. When all is said and done I don't know that an AI is going to be much cheaper and I'd lose my ever loving mind having to sit on a beach for 7 days.

3rdWaveRudeGirl · March 2014

I so appreciate all these replies!

We have been speaking with a travel agent friend of mine and I think we are going to go for it! We are not looking to cruise until late 2015 or early 2016 (wedding is September 2015 here in Oregon) so we have to wait to view itineraries and such to find the perfect cruise ...but yeah, I think I am pretty excited for this.

Thank you all again!

AprilH81 · March 2014

3rdWaveRudeGirl said:

I so appreciate all these replies!

We have been speaking with a travel agent friend of mine and I think we are going to go for it! We are not looking to cruise until late 2015 or early 2016 (wedding is September 2015 here in Oregon) so we have to wait to view itineraries and such to find the perfect cruise ...but yeah, I think I am pretty excited for this.

Thank you all again!

A travel agent will help a lot, but I still recommend hanging out on Cruise Critic. The information you learn there can help you pinpoint where you would like to go and possibly what cruise line might suit you best. If nothing else they are full of little tip and tricks that new cruisers aren't aware of (like being able to board several hours earlier than the documents say).

Jells2dot0 · March 2014

I enjoyed reading this thread. I travel extensively, but have never cruised. I'm now in the process of booking a 12 day cruise from Australia to Fiji on the Paul Gauguin. It's a very small ship and the itinerary is focused on WWII history in the Pacific Theatre. I'm hoping my experience will fall in the "loved it" category. This particular itinerary would be very hard to do by land (perhaps impossible) so I'm viewing this is either I cruise and see this or I don't go at all, ever.

3rdWaveRudeGirl · March 2014

AprilH81 .... I started an account there and have been getting some great opinions on cruises...I have been reading reviews and wow...there is just so much and it is all a lot of fun to look at!

AprilH81 · March 2014

3rdWaveRudeGirl said:

AprilH81 .... I started an account there and have been getting some great opinions on cruises...I have been reading reviews and wow...there is just so much and it is all a lot of fun to look at!

When I first started there my head almost exploded from the amount of valuable information that I found. I would try not to dwell on nitty-gritty details until you have a good idea of which cruise line and/or itinerary you are most interested in. That may help to keep your brain intact.

Now that I have a basic understanding of the popular lines and Caribbean ports it is a lot easier to plan a cruise and find the excursions that I would most enjoy.

If I ever do a European or Alaskan cruise I'm sure I will get overwhelmed again with new types of information because the destinations are so different from the Caribbean. I've planned out an Alaskan cruise before to get a realistic budget but we ended up not going. H wants to do an Alaskan cruise so I'm sure we will do one someday.

mlg78 · March 2014

I agree, Cruise Critic is a valuable resource. What I've found even more beneficial is the Facebook group for various cruise lines. I'm a Royal Caribbean girl and there are a few groups but the largest is the Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society group which has nearly 6,000 members and great questions and topics go on every day. I've found it more beneficial than CC. So, once you have identified which cruise line and which cruise you're doing, head over to FB and try to find a group on there.

WinstonsGirl · March 2014

We did a cruise for our HM, to the eastern Med. I like it cos we got to experience a lot of different places, some of which we want to see again, some of which we don't. It was also a nice way to see some areas we weren't crazy about seeing alone (Egypt, Israel) for safety reasons. We did ship excursions instead and enjoyed those.

I get seas sick though, so I'd only cruise for very specific places that you couldn't do otherwise (Panama Canal, around the Horn, etc.) I'm not one to cruise for the sake of cruising. Ditto PP's and check out Cruise Critic. Also, when you do book, check carefully about what you can bring on board. We could bring some alcohol and pop and we stocked that fridge to save on some cash on board.

beachyone15 · March 2014

My FI and I went on our first cruise last year (it was a Carribbean cruise on Carnival) and we loved it! The staff was wonderful and we felt so pampered. There was so much to eat and the food was so great! We made the most of our time at each port so we were pretty exhausted when we got back. I'd recommend taking a day off to relax at home before going back to work. I had never been on a ship before and was worried about getting seasick so I brought some Bonine. Only took one before getting on the ship and felt fine the entire time!

beachyone15 · March 2014

Oh yeah, definitely bring a bottle of alcohol on board with you, if allowed. Drinks aren't cheap!

CMGragain · March 2014

sarah1551 said:

Oh yeah, definitely bring a bottle of alcohol on board with you, if allowed. Drinks aren't cheap!

Hard liquor will not be allowed to be brought on board with you.It will be confiscated, and returned to you when you finish your cruise. They have the same security scans for luggage that the airlines use. Last Holland America cruise, they confiscated my curling iron! Most (but not all) cruise lines will allow you to bring one bottle of wine or champagne per person. Problem is, you can't easily fly with it, so we are always looking for a place to buy wine the morning of our cruise!

smgold6 · March 2014

@mlg78 where did you stay in Puerto Rico? My fiance and I will be doing the same cruise for our honeymoon and are looking for a hotel to stay at the evening before the cruise. Thanks for your help in advance!!

mlg78 · April 2014

We stayed at the Condado Palm. It was newly renovated so their rooms were super cheap at the time. Now, not so much... I'd stay closer to the port or near Old San Juan. It's a great cruise -- enjoy!

hwilliams18 · April 2014

While I have only been on one cruise, I think I can give helpful advice. Do not go on a cruise for your honeymoon! You will be surrounded by tons of people and even in your room you do not feel a great sense of privacy. My fiance and I went on a Celebrity cruise out of Miami for Valentine's Day one year and we upgraded to a balcony room and we had the beverage package and the whole nine yards. It was nice, but not honeymoon-worthy. I would suggest picking a destination in the Caribbean like the Bahamas and maybe you can charter a boat just for the two of you for a day and visit other islands. This way you would still get your visiting multiple destinations out of the way and you would also be able to see the sea by boat.

MrsMcCaw · April 2014

I have been on four cruises and love it. I am going on the cruise out of Puerto Rico this Nov. I am getting married June 20,2015 and we are planning on another cruise for our honeymoon.

buddysmom80 · April 2014

I've been on four cruises.

The first left from Newark, NJ and stopped in Halifax, NS and St. John's, NB. We did that in summer, cruised with Royal Caribbean and it was a nice trip for the summertime

Next cruise was out of Fort Lauderdale and sailed to Turks & Caicos in January with Carnival. Turks & Caicos was beautiful and I wished we spent more time there!

Cruise 3 was out of Miami and cruised to St. Thomas, Ochos Rios in January again with Carnival. I don't have anything memorable about that one!

Last cruise was out of Miami to Cozumel and Key West in January with Norweigan, fell in love with Mexico.

On average I've spent over $1000 on each cruise with drinks and casino time. When you book a cruise you think you get an awesome deal but then you start drinking and holy crap.

With that being said, FI and I have started going to AI's for vacation, we go to Mexico and stay at Ocean Coral & Turquesa. You pay one price and it covers food and drinks. We bring cash for tips and spending money. Our honeymoon will be at an AI (Sandal's Negril). We prefer these better since we don't have to get that dreaded bill at the end of the trip with all of our drink and gambling charges on it!

Would I cruise again? Probably. But I love to travel so if you ask me to go with you somewhere I'm going to say yes!

mlg78 · April 2014

hwilliams18 said:

While I have only been on one cruise, I think I can give helpful advice. Do not go on a cruise for your honeymoon! You will be surrounded by tons of people and even in your room you do not feel a great sense of privacy. My fiance and I went on a Celebrity cruise out of Miami for Valentine's Day one year and we upgraded to a balcony room and we had the beverage package and the whole nine yards. It was nice, but not honeymoon-worthy. I would suggest picking a destination in the Caribbean like the Bahamas and maybe you can charter a boat just for the two of you for a day and visit other islands. This way you would still get your visiting multiple destinations out of the way and you would also be able to see the sea by boat.

I never felt that we didn't have privacy when we wanted it. We also enjoyed talking with people and meeting others. We didn't feel the need for it to just be us the entire time. We loved going on a cruise for our honeymoon and I'd never agree with what you said.

majesty318 · April 2014

mlg78 said:

hwilliams18 said:

While I have only been on one cruise, I think I can give helpful advice. Do not go on a cruise for your honeymoon! You will be surrounded by tons of people and even in your room you do not feel a great sense of privacy. My fiance and I went on a Celebrity cruise out of Miami for Valentine's Day one year and we upgraded to a balcony room and we had the beverage package and the whole nine yards. It was nice, but not honeymoon-worthy. I would suggest picking a destination in the Caribbean like the Bahamas and maybe you can charter a boat just for the two of you for a day and visit other islands. This way you would still get your visiting multiple destinations out of the way and you would also be able to see the sea by boat.

I never felt that we didn't have privacy when we wanted it. We also enjoyed talking with people and meeting others. We didn't feel the need for it to just be us the entire time. We loved going on a cruise for our honeymoon and I'd never agree with what you said.

We are also going on a cruise for our HM. It will be my 15th (I think) and FI's second. I already know I will agree with @mlg78!

Never been on a cruise...should I try it? Tell me about your cruises!

Re: Never been on a cruise...should I try it? Tell me about your cruises!

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