Cruise

[PrincesCJM]

I am looking into booking my family's first cruise. Considering a port that's within driving distance of my house so I don't have to worry about flying to get there but am considering others as well. NCL would be the cruise line if we did book within (closest) driving distance.

1) My husband isn't sure if he'd be interested in cruising. If I book him in the room with my 2 sons and I, is it possible to later remove him if he decides he doesn't want to go?
2) Looking at April 2027 dates, would be it the best price to book them as they are released or wait until later? I'm a teacher so it would be a specific week. Flying that week is already expensive which is why I'm looking for driveable ports

Thank you. I'm great with planning WDW vacations but clueless for cruises. Haven't ruled out working with a TA

 

[ronandannette]

I am looking into booking my family's first cruise. Considering a port that's within driving distance of my house so I don't have to worry about flying to get there but am considering others as well. NCL would be the cruise line if we did book within (closest) driving distance.

1) My husband isn't sure if he'd be interested in cruising. If I book him in the room with my 2 sons and I, is it possible to later remove him if he decides he doesn't want to go?
2) Looking at April 2027 dates, would be it the best price to book them as they are released or wait until later? I'm a teacher so it would be a specific week. Flying that week is already expensive which is why I'm looking for driveable ports

Thank you. I'm great with planning WDW vacations but clueless for cruises. Haven't ruled out working with a TA

#1 - Yes. If you are all booked in a single cabin, you can cancel him. If it's before final payment date, you will get his fare refunded. If not, you will lose his fare but have taxes and port fees refunded. If your children are under the age of 21, there must be at least one adult booked into their cabin, which would be you. I'll add that if you decided at some point during your planning process to get two cabins, the official booking must have yourself booked into one and your husband booked into the other and things would then get tricky for cancelling one of the adults.

#2 - It's anybody's guess. Cruise pricing and more to the point, cruiseline pricing policies and promotions morph and change all the time. The price of any particular sailing fluxes with demand. It's impossible to know what the next two years might bring. The best advice is to set a budget and find a price you're comfortable paying, then monitor it up until final payment date to see of something else works better. Do be aware that promotional pricing on many cruiselines specify they cannot be applied retroactively to trips already booked, which might mean having to cancel and lose whatever cabins and/or perks you originally had in order to take advantage of other discounts.

If you have a travel agent you trust, definitely consider working with them for this.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Do not put your husband first on the cabin if you think you will be deleting him.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Haven't done NCL. Did a Carnival one as a teen and then my husband and I have done one together and another one upcoming together on a different cruise line.

For availability of cabins typically the earlier you book the best, for the price it depends, furthermore it can depend on if you use a travel agency or book directly. We booked our upcoming cruise about 14 months in advance and it's been sold out for multiple months. Since you're looking at a fixed week it might be better to secure a cabin if you're really that locked in.

Both times for the cruises with my husband we've used a travel agency where we would not use one for any other travel we've done so far. Both times even with the sales the cruise line came out with the price was lower with the travel agency. The specific travel agency we booked with have been the same and because of what happened with the first cruise we knew to look out for cruises that qualified under the umbrella travel agency as it came with an included excursion on the cruise (first one was in Montenegro, our upcoming cruise it's in Elba).

As far as applying sales after the fact with the cruise line we've booked it depended on the sale or promotion. Certain sales they've been able to double stack other ones not (I'm basing that off of seeing comments from other people on FB pages for the cruise line we've done).

Since you're looking so far ahead just know that schedules may not be fully out yet, the cruise line we're booked with only has Antarctica 2027 cruises Jan-March loaded at the moment and depending on the region of the world you're looking at a cruise line may wait to load cruises in batches meaning Caribbean or European loaded at separate times.

 

[hertamaniac]

I've done an NCL cruise and was impressed with them. I have been sailing with MSC and have cruised with them 4 times in the past year. I have another cruise to schedule with them for cruising in the next month or so. I completely agree with you about driving to the port vs. costs of flying (and associated time stressors). I live close to Port Canaveral, so it keeps the overall travel costs down significantly.

I echo what the above posters state about modifying your stateroom guest(s). The final payment date is key milestone in the payment/cancellation structure.

I have never used a travel agent for cruising. But certainly, don't think it's a bad idea either.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’ve found the lowest fares booking well in advance. If prices go down before final payment you can call and get those rates. After final payment not so much. We’ve been on 4 NCL cruises and enjoyed them all. The website cruisecritic.com is a Disboard for cruising. You can find all answers you need there.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I wonder, would it be easier to get a room for 3 and add him later on than try to remove him if he doesn't go or would you get stuck at the new cost if you wait?

The one thing I would definitely do is get trip insurance. When we cruised the DCL with our kids there were a ton of illnesses going around, it was a relief to know I could back out if one of the kids or adults was sick. April is still heavily in Flu season. I think most insurance refunds for everyone if one person in the party is sick.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’ve found the lowest fares booking well in advance. If prices go down before final payment you can call and get those rates. After final payment not so much. We’ve been on 4 NCL cruises and enjoyed them all. The website cruisecritic.com is a Disboard for cruising. You can find all answers you need there.

I think cruise critic is a good source but it can contain factual errors too much like any "this is my experience" can be.

For example on the ship we sailed in 2023 a recent article (supposedly updated a few weeks ago) comparing it to a specific Regent ship still included factual errors about wifi stating wifi was only included in select suites. Wifi, from a company wide standpoint across their fleet, has been included for all guests for surfing the internet, email, social media (except we did find it blocks google chat), etc since 2021 and most recently they did starlink. You can upgrade to a streaming package if you want or either have high status or specific suites that include that streaming (that's the only factual part to the statement). Most people seem to be fine with the included wifi.

 

[hrhdhd]

I wonder, would it be easier to get a room for 3 and add him later on than try to remove him if he doesn't go or would you get stuck at the new cost if you wait?

Cost would be an issue with adding later. The possible bigger issue is that you might not be able to add anyone if the lifeboats are full due to passengers already booked in other cabins.

Better to put him in the cabin (not as the lead, as a PP noted) rather than add later.

 

[mjkacmom]

Cost would be an issue with adding later. The possible bigger issue is that you might not be able to add anyone if the lifeboats are full due to passengers already booked in other cabins.

Better to put him in the cabin (not as the lead, as a PP noted) rather than add later.

Plus if booking for 3, the cruise line will likely put them in a cabin that sleeps 3, not 4. And if the lifeboat capacity is full, they can’t add another.

 

[mjkacmom]

Haven't done NCL. Did a Carnival one as a teen and then my husband and I have done one together and another one upcoming together on a different cruise line.

For availability of cabins typically the earlier you book the best, for the price it depends, furthermore it can depend on if you use a travel agency or book directly. We booked our upcoming cruise about 14 months in advance and it's been sold out for multiple months. Since you're looking at a fixed week it might be better to secure a cabin if you're really that locked in.

Both times for the cruises with my husband we've used a travel agency where we would not use one for any other travel we've done so far. Both times even with the sales the cruise line came out with the price was lower with the travel agency. The specific travel agency we booked with have been the same and because of what happened with the first cruise we knew to look out for cruises that qualified under the umbrella travel agency as it came with an included excursion on the cruise (first one was in Montenegro, our upcoming cruise it's in Elba).

As far as applying sales after the fact with the cruise line we've booked it depended on the sale or promotion. Certain sales they've been able to double stack other ones not (I'm basing that off of seeing comments from other people on FB pages for the cruise line we've done).

Since you're looking so far ahead just know that schedules may not be fully out yet, the cruise line we're booked with only has Antarctica 2027 cruises Jan-March loaded at the moment and depending on the region of the world you're looking at a cruise line may wait to load cruises in batches meaning Caribbean or European loaded at separate times.

Yes, info can be wrong, but it’s been my experience that posters will jump in to challenge false information.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Love NCL. They're the cruise line I sail on most other than Disney. Gold with them currently and working on getting Gold with Disney. Then hopefully Platinum with both!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes, info can be wrong, but it’s been my experience that posters will jump in to challenge false information.

That's true.

It happens all over, not just a cruise critic thing, just that it can end up being confusing for someone when the actual website for a cruise line for many of those basic details is the best spot.

But I do think cruise critic is good overall maybe once you've narrowed down your choices to the company and now you're thinking about which ship, etc.

 

[PrincesCJM]

Thank you! For some reason, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to cancel just him from the reservation.

I would be the lead on the reservation - I am always. Travel insurance is a must for me if we do actually cruise. My mom had a heart attack when we (my family plus her) were at WDW 5-6 years ago. Thankfully she was ok. I would also make sure that my two boys have passports (hubby and I already have them)

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Thank you! For some reason, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to cancel just him from the reservation.

I would be the lead on the reservation - I am always. Travel insurance is a must for me if we do actually cruise. My mom had a heart attack when we (my family plus her) were at WDW 5-6 years ago. Thankfully she was ok. I would also make sure that my two boys have passports (hubby and I already have them)

For us we've also been doing a separate medical insurance policy on our international trips to give us international medical coverage. I think we do it as a million dollar policy. We use a CC for the trip insurance portion.

Since you're not looking to go until 2027 consider the ages of your children in respects for a passport on when you might get one (thinking about age 16 and up vs age 15 and below).

 

[sam_gordon]

Does NCL not have non-refundable deposits like RCI?

On Royal, you can pay more to have your deposit be refundable, but most people do NRD, which, if NCL does that, your husband would "lose" that money.

If you get "cancel for any reason" insurance, you should get that back I believe.

 

[mjkacmom]

Does NCL not have non-refundable deposits like RCI?

On Royal, you can pay more to have your deposit be refundable, but most people do NRD, which, if NCL does that, your husband would "lose" that money.

If you get "cancel for any reason" insurance, you should get that back I believe.

NCL has refundable deposits, they don’t cost extra.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Bermuda was the first cruise I went on. It was in the 80's and I was in my early 20's and back then went on cruises with my gal pals. I went on a lot of cruises back in the day and Bermuda was one of my favorites. It's been a long time, but I think Hamilton is the "more to do" part. We rented mopeds and went all over the place. At night we went to a club with our waiter from the cruise. We missed the boat leaving Hamilton to St. George but no worries, took the bus (we were returning our mopeds). My husband had never been on a cruise and went on his first of 3 in 2016. All three were DCL. He really liked it. He too was pretty certain "it wasn't his thing." At some point we'd like to cruise again, after daughter finishes college. I'd really like to try Royal Carribean. Note: I was on NCL (n the 90's) and I thought it was for the "older crowd." I don't know the ages of your sons, but I'd check into activities and such for them. From what I've seen and heard, Royal is very family friendly. Check out the cruise critic too. Have fun!

 

[mjkacmom]

NCL is just as family friendly, we’ve sailed 4 ships with our 5 kids, from age 4 to age 20. The newer ships have slides, laser tag, go carts, rope courses, arcades, virtual reality, and of course kids/teen clubs. RCL, NCL and carnival are the top family friendly lines.

 

[Darcy03231]

We cruise a lot. Cruised on Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian. Lately most of our cruises have been on Norwegian.

If you're cruising during a school vacation week I would book at a price I was comfortable with and then just keep watching to see if the price drops. If it does, you can rebook anytime up until final payment. Having said that, school breaks are a popular time and I don't think I've ever had a cruise go down during that time frame.

I work with a travel agent for cruising because I tend to get better deals with him. While the cruise price is usually the same, he adds extras such as on-board credit, paid gratuities, extra specialty dining, etc.