Cruise Vaca???

Question

My family is considering going on a cruise this coming summer for vacation. i am supposed to be in charge of finding out where and everything like that and i need some help. if you have ever been on a cruise can you tell me where you went, what cruiseline, and your overall experience? thanxx =]

Answer 1

UK reply.

What country are you in?  Makes a lot of difference!

Our first cruise was to Alaska from Vancouver on Princess.

Our latest has been to Antarctica.

Most weird was the Galapagos islands, snorkeling with baby seals and seeing all the uniquely different birds/mammals/reptiles!

    

Such choice nowadays, we've done 20 cruises!  We now go for smaller expedition type ships, no entertainment or shops but with nature all around you the world's best show is there!

Have you sat 50ft above a polar bear and watched it eating a seal - we have - in Spitzbergan whilst on a 12 person converted trawler!    

The big cruise liners are very false and shallow after a while, and can get very crowded when 3 of them with 6/7000 guests arrive together at  a small island!

Answer 2

go to cruisecritics.com and read all the message boards.  learn about the ships / get the passenger reviews.   if it is your first cruise as a family, you will be WOWED by any of the major cruise lines , Carnival, Royal Carib, Princess, Celebrity .   Figure out how long you can go on vacation together . do you want a 3 or 5 or 7 day or longer ?  then figure out the itinerary (places you want to go).  also figure out where you want to sail from.  if you live in california , it might be more cost effective to leave from Long Beach than to travel to NY or Florida for a cruise.  But it all depends on where you want to go on vacation and how much money you have to spend.  shop around for comparison.  you don't need to buy expensive air from cruise company / make your own air reservation.  and when you are in the ports , you donot usually need to buy their tour packages. you can research the port and get off the ship and do your own packages for 3/4 less of the price.   you will be fine.  have a great time with your family !

Answer 3

I have written reviews of my last four cruises (I have been on eight with four more booked).  Links to my review are below each cruise listed below ...

Mexican Riviera, October 2005, Norwegian Star ...

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreview...

Eastern Caribbean, April 2006, Carnival Glory ...

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreview...

Western Caribbean, June 2007, Freedom of the Seas ...

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreview...

Baja California, December 2007, Monarch of the Seas ...

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreview...

Answer 4

You can use www.vacationstogo.com to get detailed info on cruise lines, ships and destinations.

They have a great search engine that allows you to search on most any critiera including departure port.  

I recommend a 110 or larger ship for best ride.  There is less motion on the larger ships.  New and recently refurbed ships are also better.

Carnival is the most economical cruise line and serves many families.  However, Carnival is the parent company to many other lines such as Cunard, Princess, Seabourn, Holland America and Costa.

We have cruised Carnival many times with large groups and there is always something for everyone to enjoy.

Disney is good for families with little ones but unless the group includes the 8 and under crowd, I would look at another cruise line.

Royal Caribbean is a bit more upscale than Carnival but we had a horrible experience on RC and will not sail them again.  

Holland America serves the older and foreign tourist groups.

Notables while planning a cruise-

-) stay in touch with the new passport requirements for cruising in 2008.  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbp...

-) the prices you see quoted on the web are per person for the smallest cabin on the ship.  The quote does not include the port fees, taxes and the new fuel surcharge.  Have your travel agent include these fees upfront in any quote that he/she gives you.

-) Hurricane season runs from July-November.  Cruise prices are lower but we avoid cruising during this time.

-) Get in contact with a travel agent or the cruise line asap as early summer cruises sell out quickly.