Have you ever been on a cruise?

[mommaU4]

Doesn't have to be a Disney cruise, just any cruise. I would love to have our next vacation be a cruise, but there are so many choices it's alittle overwhelming. I know there's a DCL board on here but I'm not sure if I want to do Disney. I heard the Disney cruises are more expensive and with 6 of us going, I can't afford to pay extra just to see Mickey (sorry). So I'm open to any cruise line.

I just wondering if there were any cruisers who could help me get started with my research. Did you use a travel agent or book it yourself? Is 7 days too long? What about sea-sickness? Are some cruise lines better than others? (cheaper, bigger, more luxurious, etc) Are there activities for kids on all ships? Anyone know what the accomodations are like when it's a large group?

I went on a cruise eons ago (more like 15 yrs ago) with DH (then DBF) and his parents. But it was just one of those little 4 day cruises to Mexico and back. The ship was probably tiny compared to some of the ones today, but we had a great time and I want to go again.

I would love to hear any advice you have to share or even just your own experiences. Thanks!

 

[akhenaten]

I personally have not been ..but my sister ,BIL and mom are (as we speak) on the Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Dawn ...
This is there second cruise(same ship) and they love it!! Especially the freestyle dining........

My MIL went on Carnival Valor to Western Carribean and was very unhappy with the food etc....

edited to add: have fun researching/planning!!!

 

[4cruisin]

We have been on 4 cruises. 2 on DCL and 2 on Carnival. DCL is very expensive but has wonderful entertainment. We have another DCL cruise booked for December 06 because it goes to Castaway Cay twice. It was dh's idea but when he saw the price, he told me to see if there was any other cruises that I was interested in.

The great thing about a cruise is that you get to see several places in a short amount of time. You have access to all types of activities on board ship or you can just lounge around reading a book, the choice is yours. We have had wonderful experiences on all 4 of our cruises. I wasn't sure if we would like it but now I'm hooked.
Check your pm's for some websites. I'm not sure if I can post them openly on this thread.

Nancy

 

[ObsessedwithWDW]

Cruising is great as long as you don't have anyone in the group that has a chance of getting sick. I don't feel the boat move til I get off but had a friend have a horrible time b/c she could not get used to the boats movement. BUT anyhow great deals on carnival and norweign through BJ's Club Travel. It's nice b/c all your food is paid for in advance and you just show up at different ports of call vs. having to plan your travels. They have lots to do so no worrying about getting bored.

 

[HoneyPooh]

I did a 7 day from NYC to Bermuda on NCL years ago with my sister. A week was perfect for us for that trip, we had enough time to have down time and didn't feel rushed to fit things in. Bermuda is a beautiful place to sail to. We had no problems with sea sickness even though we had 30 foot swells one night and the ship was pitching a bit. I would do it again in a heartbeat and in fact I'm trying to talk DH into it for our 25th anniversary.

 

[LEO_Magic]

The best cruise is Royal Caribean. My fiance & I had a real good time. The food was real good. They make you feel welcomed. I haven't done a Disney cruise yet!

 

[ObsessedwithWDW]

Oh also I am not sure if it's 5 cabins or 6 cabins but you can book groups through BJ's and if you have enough people your trip would be free with the exception of port charges and taxes. NICE DEAL it can be alittle work but for a free week on a cruise it's a deal! So get a reliable group together and book it

 

[SC Minnie]

We are headed on 12/18 for a 10 day cruise!!! Can't wait!!!

DD enjoys cruising more than WDW . Being an only child the cruises give her the chance to meet others kids and do things with other kids.

We have sailed on Disney as well as Princess. We took our first Princess cruise because Disney was going to be over $1000 more for the 3 of us. We have booked ourselves as well as gone through a TA. Check out http://www.cruisecritic.com for information on all the cruise lines.

 

[Tiffann4k]

I heard the Disney cruises are more expensive and with 6 of us going, I can't afford to pay extra just to see Mickey (sorry). So I'm open to any cruise line.

I just wondering if there were any cruisers who could help me get started with my research. Did you use a travel agent or book it yourself? Is 7 days too long? What about sea-sickness? Are some cruise lines better than others? (cheaper, bigger, more luxurious, etc) Are there activities for kids on all ships? Anyone know what the accomodations are like when it's a large group?

I would love to hear any advice you have to share or even just your own experiences. Thanks!

Disney cruises are a bit more exspensive but worth every penny and your not really paying more just to see "Mickey". I think the childrens programs are a lot better than any other cruise line. I have only been on 2 other cruise lines besides Disney but my parents have been on many others and will say the same thing..Disney has by far the better childrens program & family styled programing/activitys than any other cruise line.

We have went through TA and have also booked ourselves. 7 day is perfect but we generally do 4 days. In my opinion I do think some cruise lines are better than others. A while back someone posted a link that showed all the crime reported on different cruise ships and reading through them for the last couple years it seemed like Royal Carribean had a ton of reports while Disney cruise line only had one or two if I remember correctly so as far as safety and my personal opinion there are better cruise lines than others.
We are not into the drinking and gambling so DCL is more geared towards us. Yes there are activitys for kids on all ships but they do vary.
Forgot about the sea sickness part, we generally take something before we get on the boat and take it every day. We have never had a problem with it though.
As far as accomadations with large groups, what do you mean ? We have went with large groups 2 years ago we went with 14 , it was a ladies only trip and we were treated like royalty , we had "the captains table" it seemed like we were in the middle of everyone and we were all able to sit with each other. In January we are going with a group of 24 and will all be seated with each other as well.


Good luck with whatever you decide, I am sure everyone has their own favorite cruise line, but mine is Disney and not just because this is a Disney board, the cruise line fits my family more than any other cruise line

 

[ChrisnSteph]

We've been on 3 Disney cruises. I can't rave enough about how beautiful the ships are and how much fun it was! Plenty of activities for kids and adults, and though it's Disney, it's not like the kind of Disney at the parks, more elegant I would say. Our first was a 4-day - not long enough! Seven days is just right. You can avoid sea sickness by wearing the Sea-Bands - yes they really do work! You can also get a cabin midship, that helps with the rocking. Yes, DCL is expensive compared to other lines. You can get much better rates by booking off season. We have always sailed in late Jan/early February. Our family of 5 is sailing in 2007 for around 6K. You can always book a year or two in advance and pay it off little by little. I haven't sailed with any other cruise line, but I've heard from other people who have sailed DCL and other lines say that DCL wins hands down as far as accomodations and the service you get. Good luck!

 

[icebrat001]

We loved Princess cruises www.princess.com I use KimsKruises great deals, check out boards.cruisecritic.com for cruise advice. Cruising is great!

 

[poohqueen]

I went on a curise almost 5 years ago now, and love it. I would go on another cruise again for sure. We went Carnival, on the Victory boat, it was brand new that year. I found that there were tons to do, and they also had a kids program. I went with 3 other girlfriends, but I didn't see a bored child on board. There was a ton of stuff to do for adults as well. The thing I liked about the curise is that I could relax on the deck by the pool if I wanted, or I had the option of activities to do as well. Also we got to see 3 different places in one week. I found 7 days to be just the right amount of time.

Good luck and happy cruising if that is what you decide to do.

 

[crz4mm2]

I have been on two week long cruises. Both NCL (Norwegian). I LOVE NCL. One was Carribean and the other was to Bermuda.
I get seasick very easily. Took Meclazine (over the counter med you can buy) and had no problems.
I think cruising is a great vacation. Your meals are included. Plenty to do on board and there are lots of excursions you can do too.
There are also deals to be had if you can wait and go last minute.
I hope to have a family cruise planned for 07 when DS gets married.... If they will agree

 

[Bashful2]

We've been on lots of cruises, from 3 days to 7 days. We prefer cruises that are 5 to 7 days in length. The cruise line you choose depends on what you're looking for. Disney cruises have no casino so DH won't even consider one of them,

Carnival Cruise line is generally a little bit cheaper. Most of our cruises have been with them. They have a very good kids program and lots of fun activities for adults. There teen program is not the greatest though. Food is good. They serve lobster on most voyages, not sure about the 3 day though. Cruise staff is generally very friendly.

We've been on 2 Royal Carribean Cruises. The first was quite a few years ago on what is now called Empress of the Seas. We really were'nt impressed then. One thing we didn't like was that the bathroom was so small you couldn't even shave your legs in the shower and DH had to sit sideways when he was indisposed. The second cruise with them was this past summer. We had a great time. Food was very good. There were a lot of activities for kids and adults and their private island was great. Cruise staff was also very friendly.

The only other line we've ever been on was Celebrity. The ship was beautiful, but it was a little too stuffy for us.

We always go through a travel agent. We've tried to do it ourselves, but found better deals through an agent.

 

[jody]

We took two cruises back in the early 80's and then one on the NCL Sun for our 20th wedding anniversary in 2002. This year for spring break we are booked on the brand new Norwegian Jewel. We are taking the kids for their first cruise, a special trip because DD17 will graduate high school this year.

We really like the Freesyle Dining on NCL.

We enjoy cruising because once you are on the ship there is nothing to worry about. Meals and entertainment are included. You unpack once and you're in the same cabin all week, yet you travel to several different locations. It really is a lot of fun.

Our kids have never even seen the ocean before so this trip will be exciting for them. We will go snorkeling and see some beautiful beaches. It will be an adventure for them!

 

[minniecarousel]

We've done a few of the 3-day Disney cruises. This past summer DH & I did the week long Pride of America that sails around the Hawaiian Islands. Beautiful ship - great way to see the different islands. (I booked too many full day excursions - wasn't as restful a trip as we needed!) We also did a "cruise to nowhere" with NCL a few months ago: we sailed out of San Francisco and went down the coast and back for a weekend - no ports of call - just on the ship! It was great!

(I get seasick on sailboats, catamarans - but never on a huge cruiseship!)

 

[DwarfMaster]

We just did the 7 Day Carnival Victory this fall. Had a great time & loved every minute of it. We're looking into another cruise this spring. They had a great kids program & plenty of things for the adults. I booked directly through Carnival. I though the price was very reasonable compared to others I'd researched.

 

[WeirdEyes]

We've been on 3: one with Carnival and two with Royal Caribbean. The Royal Caribbean was hands-down the best. We love the Voyager class ships. My favorite ship is Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas. AWESOME!!!

 

[frndshpcptn]

" Bermuda is a beautiful place to sail to. We had no problems with sea sickness even though we had 30 foot swells one night and the ship was pitching a bit."


The thought of 30 foot swells terrifies me. Does it feel like the ship is going to capsize? I am so scared of drowning if the ship falls over. Seriously.

 

[tikilyn]

Dh and I took our first cruise this last May with carinval. Carnival has a great Military discount too. And the best part is you only need to serve two or more years and have a honoralbe discharge. We booked a 5 day cruise out of Galveston to the western carribean and the cost was 316.00 each and thats with a room with two porthole windows ! Can you tell how excited I am to go.