Questions about Cruises

[akaler2010]

We are trying to budget out our potential cruise and have a few questions:

1. I keep seeing all of these different excursions at the ports, but what do you do if you don't do an excursion?

2. Does the whole room have to be on the same beverage package? For example, I don't drink alcohol but my husband does.

3. With RCCL, are there TONS of kids around, or will it be manageable for an adults only vacation?

Thanks!

 

[BamaGuy44]

We are trying to budget out our potential cruise and have a few questions:

1. I keep seeing all of these different excursions at the ports, but what do you do if you don't do an excursion?

2. Does the whole room have to be on the same beverage package? For example, I don't drink alcohol but my husband does.

3. With RCCL, are there TONS of kids around, or will it be manageable for an adults only vacation?

Thanks!

1. It's perfectly possible to cruise without doing any excursions. It depends on the port. Most ports it's easy to walk off the ship, and explore or shop on your own in the area near the ship. Some ports have free or inexpensive beaches where you can just chill without doing an elaborate excursion. You may need to take a taxi or other transportation to get there. Many people even enjoy just staying on the ship with much fewer people on board of they're not that interested in the port. The restaurants, pools, etc stay open and there will still be things to do on the ship.

2. I believe you and your husband can have a separate drink package

3. I haven't been on RCCL yet, but even on Disney we never felt overrun by kids. The pools are loaded with kids of course but there is an adult only pool area. Bars, discos, casino, etc are 18+. Flow rider and other activities have certain times it is adult only. There will be kids in the dining rooms, just like any other time you go to a restaurant but it's never bothered me. I think it's more than manageable.

Hope this helps, I think you'll have a great time! Cruising is a great way to vacation

 

[bumbershoot]

On Royal each person can get their own drinks package, or no package. Their choice. This is brand new as of last winter!


When I was in adult mode...lazing in the sun on my own, or wandering the ship with DH, I barely noticed other kids. When I was with DS, I noticed other kids. It's all in the mindset, IMO. And there's the solarium area on many/most/all? ships that is adult only.


You don't have to do an excursion, you don't have to get off the ship!

Our honeymoon was an Alaska cruise on Radiance. Skagway did an official ship excursion to Jewell Gardens and then wandered, Ketchikan wandered, Juneau wandered AND took the "big blue bus" up to the glacier.

First Disney cruise had NO excursions booked at all. Got off in Nassau, didn't trust my map, went back to the ship. Castaway just lazed all day, no excursions. Second Disney cruise, had an official excursion in Nassau, did snorkeling on Castaway.

First Royal cruise to Caribbean...CocoCay, St Maarten, San Juan, no excursions at all! San Juan did a walking tour on our own. St Maarten had planned to do the same but San Juan had worn us out so we slowly wandered the tourist area. Coco, just lazed.


If you want to DO things in port, research research research! Make SURE you know where you're going and what you're doing and how to keep safe and how to make sure you're back to the ship well within time! If you're on a ship's excursion, they either have the ship wait OR if is their responsibility to get you to the ship if you miss it. If you're on your own, it's YOUR responsibility.

I love the "ports of call" section on cruisecritic.com's message boards.

 

[ilovetexas]

I love the "ports of call" section on cruisecritic.com's message boards.

^^This!

On our first cruise, we did ship's excursions because we didn't know there were options. Now, I use the cruisecritic boards to research, even to places I've already been. I've been booking my own excursions for years.

 

[akaler2010]

Great information! I am pretty sure that we will do RCCL, hopefully next year?!

One more question, how far in advance do you recommend booking? I see you can book well over a year in advance, but I can't commit that far out.

 

[BamaGuy44]

Great information! I am pretty sure that we will do RCCL, hopefully next year?!

One more question, how far in advance do you recommend booking? I see you can book well over a year in advance, but I can't commit that far out.

The earlier you book, the more options you will have as far as getting the stateroom you want, dining times, etc. You cancel up to 75 days before your cruise and get your full deposit back. So you're not really committed until that point.

We are already booked for our May 2015 cruise, but we can back out if we have to and not lose any money. The only downside is we have RCCL basically holding our $750 during that time. No big deal to me.

 

[bumbershoot]

The earlier you book, the more options you will have as far as getting the stateroom you want, dining times, etc. You cancel up to 75 days before your cruise and get your full deposit back. So you're not really committed until that point.

If a specific room is important, book it when it's available. If it's not, wait.

 

[BamaGuy44]

If a specific room is important, book it when it's available. If it's not, wait.

Not necessarily a specific room, but also certain classes of rooms. On most cruises the cheapest rooms sell out first so if someone is looking for that it might be best to book early.

Not arguing, I'm honestly asking, since I haven't sailed RCCL yet: What is the upside of waiting, besides not having your deposit money tied up? If the prices go down before my PIF date they will adjust my price down, or am I wrong about that?

On Disney we usually booked the first day of avaliability because that would be the cheapest price you'd ever see for that cruise. Disney virtually never has sales or discounts, the price only goes up never down