Cruise Newbie Here

[Kimmers127]

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction here...

My DH and I are planning a vacation for late August. We were initially planning to go to WDW but have decided to try something new instead. I'd really like to try a cruise, because I have never been on one before and I like the concept of seeing many different places on one trip.

Question #1 - Am I crazy to plan a cruise in August?? I know it's hurricane season but I've rolled the dice on this many times in WDW and mostly lucked out... Although DH points out that a hurricane on a cruise ship would be far less manageable than a hurricane at WDW... then AGAIN I just heard on the radio yesterday that this summer is projected to be not bad at all for hurricanes.

The dates are not flexible because I'm in grad school. It's late August or nothing. If we didn't do a cruise I'd still want to do something in the Caribbean so I kind of feel like, if a hurricane will be a risk either way, we might as well take the trip we really want (cruise) and hope for the best.

So: have any of you cruised in August? Result?

Question #2 - What cruise line do you suggest? Disney is probably out just because of price. I've never cruised before, and DH went once on Royal Caribbean but he won that trip so it was top of the line all the way and therefore not a great comparison for us. I'd like to go for 7 or 8 nights and spend around $2000 - $2500 if possible with airfare from CT.

Ok - hit me with any and all cruise experiences and suggestions! Thank you!!

 

[MIGrandma]

DH and I started cruising in January 2001, to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and we've taken several since then, with our next one in January out of New Orleans.

We started out with Disney (7-night Magic) Eastern, and later did that ship again on the Western Route. We've also done the Wonder once, with my parents. While Disney cruises are nice, lately they just seem too high priced so we haven't gone on that line again.

We've done the Mariner of the Seas (twice) and Monarch of the Seas on Royal Caribbean. And we've done the Carnival Fantasy, Glory, Freedom and our next cruise will be the Conquest.

We've enjoyed them all. We feel Royal and Carnival are pretty similar, except Carnival is less expensive so lately that's the line we've been going with.

We have never cruised in August, so I can't really help you with that. There will probably be a lot more children on board the ships in August though. When we go in January there are far less. In fact, on our cruise this past January we hardly saw any. We always cruise in January, except once in October. October was hurricane season too but we didn't encounter one.

You will find a lot of useful (and some not-so-useful, ha ha!) at cruisecritic.com, they have boards for each line, and other informative boards too, and a reviews section where you can read reviews written by cruisers about the ship they were just on.

Cruising, we feel, is wonderful. We do love getting a balcony room, but if you're budget conscious the inside rooms are less expensive and you still get the same sun, food, and entertainment.

Good luck with planning your vacation. To me, half the fun is in the planning.

 

[doxdogy]

Your best bet is to go to cruisecritic.com for a wealth of information. I went on a cruise about three years ago and had a blast. To me, there is no better way to relax.

 

[mjkacmom]

Cruise critic is just like these boards, but for cruising. Cruises are never cancelled due to weather - they just sail around it, and you might end up with different destinations. We've only done DCL and NCL, and prefer NCL because of the freestyle dining (eat where and when you want, just like land based restaurants). We also like leaving from NYC, a very short drive for us (they also leave from other ports, but with 7 of us, flights are expensive). One thing about cruises is that they're usually cheaper the farther you book out. We have one booked that is 1 1/2 years away. Summer is also the most expensive time to cruise.

 

[erincon23]

You aren't crazy to think about going in August. If there is a hurricane threat, your captain will know about it ahead of time -- they have procedures in place to deal with it. Generally, they'll reroute -- you may not go to the islands you were scheduled to go to (and they'll refund anything you paid for excursions you can't do because of it), but you'll go somewhere else. They won't drive you right into a hurricane.

We've been on one Disney, one Royal Caribbean, and one Princess (Alaska). I thought the RC cruise was the best (as much as I love Disney). I thought the food was better, the onboard activities and the diversity of the entertainment was better. My parents have been on about 20-25 cruises -- they prefer Celebrity, but keep in mind that they're in their 70s.

When you look at the info on each cruise ship, look for what type of onboard activities they offer -- I presume you're younger people, so you might want dance lounges, sports activities, rather than bingo all day long. Also think about how you prefer to eat -- a lot of the cruises (for dinner) are assigned time seating, but some of the newer ships have more like restaurant seating, where you go when you want. Which do you prefer? With the assigned time, you'll be sitting at the same table with the same people for most of your dinners -- great if you end up with good people.

I think you should seriously consider dealing with a travel agent for this -- they know the ships, the routes, how to deal with the paperwork needed (we saw people unable to board because they didn't have the right paperwork in hand or hadn't brought the correct ID, like their passport). I used a TA for my first cruise (the RC -- the TA was my aunt); for the Princess cruise, my inlaws took us and they used a TA; for the Disney cruise, I did the whole thing. Once you've been on a couple it's easier to do yourself, but a TA won't cost you any more (and may save you money because they know the deals) and you'll know you have the right info. Have a great time! We love cruises.

 

[MIGrandma]

I think you should seriously consider dealing with a travel agent for this -- they know the ships, the routes, how to deal with the paperwork needed (we saw people unable to board because they didn't have the right paperwork in hand or hadn't brought the correct ID, like their passport). I used a TA for my first cruise (the RC -- the TA was my aunt); for the Princess cruise, my inlaws took us and they used a TA; for the Disney cruise, I did the whole thing. Once you've been on a couple it's easier to do yourself, but a TA won't cost you any more (and may save you money because they know the deals) and you'll know you have the right info. Have a great time! We love cruises.

I disagree.

We did use a local TA for our first cruise, but after that I did the research and booking myself. It's super easy. Now I have never done the on-line booking, I do prefer to speak to a real person, but always just call the number of the cruiseline (found on their websites) and book it that way. They can help you choose a room that is perfect for you, and they can answer all of your questions.

If you book (at least with Carnival) with a TA and you want to ask a question or need to make some sort of change, you must do it through that TA. You can't call Carnival and do it that way, they won't talk to you. So, if you want to change something or have questions to ask on a Saturday, you might have to wait until the TA's office opens up on Monday to do that if you go through a TA.

 

[Kimmers127]

Thanks for the suggestion of checking out Cruise Critic - I will definitely do that.

I had not considered that in case of bad weather the route would simply change... that makes me feel better about August!

We are young - I'm 28 and DH is 32, so activities are definitely a consideration. I don't think I really have an opinion on the kids thing... I'm in school for teaching, so I like kids. I'm envisioning myself spending a lot of time on the actual ship curled up on a lounge chair with a book... DH is interested in casinos and would happily play bingo!

I also did not know that not all ships have the set dining schedule. I think I'd rather avoid that if possible.

Looks like I need to do some research!

 

[minkydog]

I think you should seriously consider dealing with a travel agent for this -- they know the ships, the routes, how to deal with the paperwork needed (we saw people unable to board because they didn't have the right paperwork in hand or hadn't brought the correct ID, like their passport). I used a TA for my first cruise (the RC -- the TA was my aunt); for the Princess cruise, my inlaws took us and they used a TA; for the Disney cruise, I did the whole thing. Once you've been on a couple it's easier to do yourself, but a TA won't cost you any more (and may save you money because they know the deals) and you'll know you have the right info. Have a great time! We love cruises.

I completely agree with this advice. We took our first cruise last year for our 30th anniversary. I really didn't know anything about cruising and reading stories on cruisecritic.com actually made me *more* anxious--there was too much information! We have AAA so I called them up and got a travel agent. She was very knowledgable about cruising, knew the cruise lines, the itineraries, port lodgings, etc. I basically sat down with her to talk our ideas and within 10 min she had me pegged! We ended up taking a 5-day cruise on Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas to Mexico.

My greatest fear was sea sickness. I get car sick very easily, so I was really worried about this. Everyone told me "Don't worry! You won't even feel the ship move!" Well, that wasn't the truth. I did feel the ship moving, up, down, and side to side. However, I had taken all my precautions (Bonine, sea bands, ginger ale) and I didn't get sick. One evening we did have some rough seas and everyone was getting sick. I didn't feel great, but I managed to eat some broth and some apples, which settled my stomach. I was able to get through the evening without incident.

We really liked Royal Caribbean. The cater to families and active adults, although you will see children and elders aboard. Our cabin steward and dining room wait staff went above and beyond for us. I would cruise again in a heartbeat, even in August. After seeing how well our captain skirted some tropical-type weather, i was very reassured. One thing I always remember is THEY don't want to go through a hurricane either, especially not on a giant cruise ship.

 

[fly girl]

Cruise Critic is the way to go! They have great forums over there and you can get a wealth of knowledge.

Deciding a cruise line is a personal preference. Are you a partier? Go with Carnival. Do you prefer a mix of family and little nightlife? Royal Caribbean or NCL is a good option. Or would you like elegant and serene? Then I'd suggest Celebrity.

As for the dining options, a lot of cruise lines are offering "my time dining". Whereas you don't have the same dinner table at 6pm or 8pm seatings. At first I thought I wouldn't like the set schedule of a dinner seating, but it does come in handy. You have the same servers every night and they really put care and personalization into the service. But go to cruise critic and you can read about all the different dining options with the cruise lines. Many have specialty restaurants as well.

FYI, Costco does give some good discounts with the cruise lines. If you are a member try checking them out for good rates and onboard credits.

Cruising is fun! It is great to travel to different areas and only unpack once.

 

[Shelly888]

We got engaged in 1999 on our first cruise, and for some reason, it took us until 2012 to go again!! We had an absolute fabulous time. It far exceeded all of our expectations. We started off at WDW for 3 nights @ OKW, and then headed to the ship. From the minute we got to the terminal we had outstanding customer service. Dare I say it blew Disney's out of the water. It was honestly that good. Obama was in WDW when we were, so I don't know if that had anything to do with what we called lacking customer service or not. The staff at OKW was great, but it ended there.

We sailed on The Carnival Dream, and to be honest we were a bit nervous about the undeserved reputation of this cruise line. I had zero complaints, and we didn't even receive a bill from the doctor when my 2 year old's hand got shut in the elevator door(totally his fault). They loaded me up with bandaids, bacitracin, and a big bottle of liquid tylenol. I thought the bars were fun, the child care great, entertainment good, and the drinks priced fairly.

We decided to cruise again next winter. Good luck with school and vacation planning!

 

[Muushka]

Just a few comments from a cruise lover:

If you are in CT, consider a cruise from Boston or NY or NJ.

If you cruise in late August, prime hurricane time, consider getting cruise insurance. That way if your cruise is affected by a hurricane, the insurance will cover the fees associated with it (late arrival or leaving from or going home to a different port than planned).

We have done 3 cruises during hurricane season and never had a problem, but we were prepared to be flexible.

If you disdain cigarette smoke like we do, be careful about which line you choose. We had an RCI cruise almost ruined by neighbors who chose to smoke out on their balcony every time we were sitting out there. Yuck. And some lines allow it in the cabins too, just beware. Our cruise line of choice, Celebrity, bans it just about everywhere but a few open public spaces. Nice.

 

[lemondog]

First of all I am going to debunk the myth right now that Carnival is for partiers. I am NOT a partier in fact I like quiet and I loved our Carnival cruise. Super quiet but plenty of fun if you wanted that too. Definitely check out Carnival..you just cannot beat their price for what you get. I also second the recommendation for cruisecritic.com

 

[Shelly888]

First of all I am going to debunk the myth right now that Carnival is for partiers. I am NOT a partier in fact I like quiet and I loved our Carnival cruise. Super quiet but plenty of fun if you wanted that too. Definitely check out Carnival..you just cannot beat their price for what you get. I also second the recommendation for cruisecritic.com

I agree 100%! In fact we thought there was a disproportionate high number of old people!! Wheelchairs, walkers, and people In Their seventies and beyond! Fun was had for sure but it was NOT like everyone warned me it would be! I wonder how many that equate carnival with only partying have actually cruised carnival?! We found it extremely family friendly and fun!

 

[disneymarie]

Thanks for the suggestion of checking out Cruise Critic - I will definitely do that.

I had not considered that in case of bad weather the route would simply change... that makes me feel better about August!

We are young - I'm 28 and DH is 32, so activities are definitely a consideration. I don't think I really have an opinion on the kids thing... I'm in school for teaching, so I like kids. I'm envisioning myself spending a lot of time on the actual ship curled up on a lounge chair with a book... DH is interested in casinos and would happily play bingo!

I also did not know that not all ships have the set dining schedule. I think I'd rather avoid that if possible.

Looks like I need to do some research!

I was debating the same thing for Sept 2, trip. Last year we went with a local group on our first cruise, Norwegian Free styling and eveyone had the most wonderful time. Kids loved the parting and shows, dh loved the food, and loved how much fun they had and no cooking or worring about meals.
Choose Sept as the rate was $400 compared to $1000 during June.

Norwgian freestyle leaves from Boston and NYC. All the basking in huge round loungers, BBQ on the deck, great dining whenever, in about a dozen included areas, and 4 that are about $10 to $25 each. Well worth the extra money.

The funny deck games, like mens sexy leg contest, live music, THey only cash you need is the casino and drinks.


Noticed also that the hurrican seasons have not been as bad, ie) irene and the tropical depression that flooded our area in NE PA. Entire large city evacuated. ]

But I watched the website and the same cruise to Bermuda was hit with a tropical storm and I think they left a day early spending it out at sea. That is concerning.

The other issue was not getting back in to NYC during Irene and the guest were stuck on board an extra day, oh my. But the neck cruise out lost a day, plus there were not flights in due to Irene, what a nightmare.

Talk about trip insurance.
But, I am feeling good about our trip, we did have two days of rough sea, and it was rocky, but the docked weather was perfect.

I am so excited to go, picking out clothes and hoping to lose a ton of weight over the summer.
Post when you get back

 

[Grog]

First of all I am going to debunk the myth right now that Carnival is for partiers. I am NOT a partier in fact I like quiet and I loved our Carnival cruise. Super quiet but plenty of fun if you wanted that too. Definitely check out Carnival..you just cannot beat their price for what you get. I also second the recommendation for cruisecritic.com

I just recently started cruising and took my first cruise a couple of months ago (Mariner of the Seas), but from people I've talked to it seems like Carnival got this reputation based primarily due to some of the stuff that does (or did) go on on their shorter (3 and 4 day) cruises. Kind of like a floating version of a quick weekend in Vegas. I've heard it's not as bad as it used to be. For example, The Triumph (which I'll be on in November) does 4 and 5 day cruises from Galveston. People say that the 4 days can get a bit rowdy during Spring break but are pretty tame the rest of the year (reviews and TRs I've read bear this out).

OP, while it's true that Carnival usually has lower prices than Royal Caribbean, be sure to check out both. When I got ready to take my first cruise I was leaning heavily towards the Carnival Magic. It was between Magic and Mariner as both sail from Galveston (close to home for me). Magic, being a new ship was going to cost about $300 more for a similar itinerary so we booked Mariner (and loved it). I'll get to do a comparison of the two lines after I sail on Triumph, but I doubt I'll be disappointed

 

[etoiles]

We did a cruise in August - two cruises actually. One was on the Norwegian Pearl to Alaska and one was on the Carnival Victory to the southern Caribbean last August).

It was hot in the Caribbean since it was August of course but we definitely enjoyed it. You said you two are active so I do recommend the Carnival Victory since it visits a ton of ports in one week, more than most cruises which is one of the reasons we chose it, since you can see so much. It also starts in San Juan, Puerto Rico which is a beautiful city and fun to visit a few days before the cruise.

I agree with the others about Cruise Critic. I found lots of info and great non ship tours through the site.

I have a a review of our cruise with lots of photos here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1462601

 

[Kimmers127]

We did a cruise in August - two cruises actually. One was on the Norwegian Pearl to Alaska and one was on the Carnival Victory to the southern Caribbean last August).

It was hot in the Caribbean since it was August of course but we definitely enjoyed it. You said you two are active so I do recommend the Carnival Victory since it visits a ton of ports in one week, more than most cruises which is one of the reasons we chose it, since you can see so much. It also starts in San Juan, Puerto Rico which is a beautiful city and fun to visit a few days before the cruise.

I agree with the others about Cruise Critic. I found lots of info and great non ship tours through the site.

I have a a review of our cruise with lots of photos here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1462601

Thank you for posting this! I will definitely check into the Carnival Victory as I love the idea of lots of ports in one week. I'm now obsessively poring over your review haha. Thanks for the link!

 

[lemondog]

I just recently started cruising and took my first cruise a couple of months ago (Mariner of the Seas), but from people I've talked to it seems like Carnival got this reputation based primarily due to some of the stuff that does (or did) go on on their shorter (3 and 4 day) cruises. Kind of like a floating version of a quick weekend in Vegas. I've heard it's not as bad as it used to be. For example, The Triumph (which I'll be on in November) does 4 and 5 day cruises from Galveston. People say that the 4 days can get a bit rowdy during Spring break but are pretty tame the rest of the year (reviews and TRs I've read bear this out).

OP, while it's true that Carnival usually has lower prices than Royal Caribbean, be sure to check out both. When I got ready to take my first cruise I was leaning heavily towards the Carnival Magic. It was between Magic and Mariner as both sail from Galveston (close to home for me). Magic, being a new ship was going to cost about $300 more for a similar itinerary so we booked Mariner (and loved it). I'll get to do a comparison of the two lines after I sail on Triumph, but I doubt I'll be disappointed

We sailed the Triumph on a 5-day out of New Orleans to Mexico. Very nice cruise...it was the "quiet" one I was talking about. Nice ship...it's one of their mid-size I believe. I was sad when it got repositioned to Galveston because N.O. is a much easier port for us to access. Have a great time!

 

[Bob NC]

Are you a partier? Go with Carnival.

Usually people that say this have never cruised Carnival.

 

[Grog]

We sailed the Triumph on a 5-day out of New Orleans to Mexico. Very nice cruise...it was the "quiet" one I was talking about. Nice ship...it's one of their mid-size I believe. I was sad when it got repositioned to Galveston because N.O. is a much easier port for us to access. Have a great time!

Thanks. I like just about everything I've read about Triumph so far. I have yet to read a bad TR that was related to the ship or crew.