Cruise as a honeymoon?

Question

Could you please give me a better idea of what to expect on a cruise I've never been on one

Do you get to spend much time in different countries on your own?

Excursions?

Entertainment?

Is there a Dress code in the evenings?

Thankyou in advance

Answer 1

We have just booked with Ocean Village for the second time in 3 years - It's a brilliant way to get around differnt places that you wouldn't get to otherwise. The atmosphere on Ocean Village is very relaxed and informal - casual wear at all times - more for the under 50s. the excursions are rather expensive as are the drinks in the bars - but evrything else is paid for. P&O are very formal and you will need evening dress etc - more for the over 60s.

Answer 2

Ignore those who say cruises are for old people - choose a modern ship and you'll have lots of fun.

Time ashore on your own - typically 6 - 12 hours in port, but remember that some ports (not all) are only cargo docks not geared up for cruise ships, and it can be a long and expensive taxi into town. Ship may offer shuttle buses for those not on excursions, but don't count on it.

Excursions - wide choice at every port, can be expensive.

Entertainment - fantastic on bigger ships, limited on some small ones.

Dress code - some ships have 2 or 3 formal nights (dinner suit etc. expected) during a cruise, but not all. Trend seems to be away from this, but actually it's part of the excitement in my view.

Moral - look at lots of brochures or on-line, choose the ship and the destinations that suit you. Have fun!

Answer 3

A lot depends on the cruise company you are with and the schedule of the cruise ship.  Again you may find with some lines that the people are older than you but that wasn't a problem for us and we made some great friends. Some cruise lines cater more for a younger market.

Generally the excursions are expensive. When we were in Dublin the cruise ship was charging £12 for thebus into the city but we walked through the docks (marked path) and caught the service bus for a Euro each. Do your research and you won't get stung. Usually hiring a local guide works out about the same cost or a bit cheaper and you get much more information.

There are a few sites which give you information - google "cruise critics" for a LOT of information on the various cruise lines.

I'm sure you will have a fantastic time and congratulations on your wedding!

Answer 4

I hope you are over 60.... If not find something else a bit more exciting

Answer 5

this site has good info for your cruise questions

http://allcruiselines.info

Answer 6

there is dress code but ring your agent he can tell you more to put you at ease my auntie has been on loads and loves them you can have a great time so go enjoy yourself good luck for the future

Answer 7

I'm 63, and still don't think I'm old enough to go on a cruise.  Still backpacking round the world with beloved.  But one day, perhaps after the hip replacement, I'll choose a cruise.

Edit: Have just read Tinkertoy's detailed account - sounds like h*ll on earth (or water!) What on earth is "sports casual"?  Look, cruises are for people who are too scared to travel independently, want to be told waht to do and where to go, only want to stay in one place for a few hours, never get to know the locals and only eat "safe" food - no surprises.  I will never be old enough for that.  

However, it might work for a honeymoon I suppose - just don't confuse a cruise with travel.

Answer 8

When you arrive at the port to check in you (each passenger) will have an on board charge account set up and receive a key card which will serve as your room key, charge card for anything you buy on ship (i.e.,drinks, photos, souvenir) and its also your pass to get on and off ship in each port. When you first board the ship the security personnel will take a photo of you that is included in the magnetic strip on the card.  Each time you get off ship you will need this key card and sometimes also a photo ID (passport or driver's license). This card allows them to keep an accurate track of all passengers entering and/or leaving the ship.

As soon as all passengers are on board there will be a mandatory safety drill for all passengers.  You will get your life vest from your cabin and go to the "muster" location shown on the back of your cabin door.

The standard cabin that most people get is generally between 175 and 200 Square feet, about the size of a 9 by 12 ft home bedroom (balconies are about 45 to 55 sq ft). Suites and penthouses can be between 350 and 1300 square feet. Each cabin has a two beds which can be made into a queen, a bathroom with a shower stall, a closet and some drawer space, a TV and telephone, a safe for valuables, and a life jacket for each passenger.

Each day of your cruise you will receive in your cabin a "newsletter" listing the time, place and particulars of everything happening for you on ship. There are generally activities like demonstrations of ice carvings, napkin folding and towel folding, and cooking demonstrations.. There will be organized games and other activities around the pools. In the evenings there are shows, one show for those with an early dinner seating and another (same show) for those who eat late. There is always free food available. Usually there is a place in ship where you can go get something. Or, you can always just pick up the phone in your cabin and order from the room service menu (food is free).

There are free morning exercise programs, stretching and walking, etc, and on some you can pay for other things like Spinning.  The ship will have a gym so you can go workout, usually any time from 6:00 AM to late at night. There is usually a walking/running track on one of the decks also. Some ships leave the gym open all night.  There are always pools. Some ships have more than one and the newer ships generally have an indoor pool as well as outdoor ones and all of these have hot tubs. There is generally a basketball court on the top deck, a place for scuffle board, and a mini-golf course.

There are places on ships to play cards and board games, and the cards and games are provided. If you want to just sit and read, there’s a library where you can bring your books or select one from the shelf.  Ships have internet cafes and some offer WIFI if you bring your prefer to use your computer in your cabin (some ships offer notebooks for rent).  There are cocktail lounges that feature a variety of music.  Some have a piano bar with jazz. There is usually a disco that starts after 10:00 PM each night and last until everyone leave.  On certain days ships will have special activities like a chocolate lovers buffet, or a midnight deck party.  There will be a free show each evening (variety, comedian, musical, etc., ) and on many nights more entertainment like adult comedy or karaoke, or other activities that start late in the evening.

The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM. So take swim wear, shorts, sandals, beach shoes, your snorkel equipment if you have it, sun glasses and sun screen, lotions, a cap or big hat for the sun, a book if you are a reader, your music player, sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym, your camera, and other personal toiletries.

After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc.

On Norwegian ships the dress is sports casual every evening, unless you just want to dress up and maybe have a photo taken.

Most 7-day cruises have two formal nights when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. But most people do dress up in a tux for men and a long dress (any color) for women. Some men just wear a suit and tie and some women wear a nice dress but not a gown. You will not be denied access to the dining room or anything else if you choose not to dress up.

Most cruises spend just one day at each port,usually from about 8:00 AM until about 6:00 PM.  You will be required to be back on ship at least 30 minutes before the ship sails; they will tell you want time at each port.  You can explore on your own, book your own tour on shore or on the internet, or book a ship's tour.  Ship tours are almost always more expensive, but if you go on a ship sponsored tour you never have to worry about getting back on time because the ship will never leave one of it's sponsored tours.  

On some occasions the ship may stay in port much later, or even a couple days.  But generally you can count on have about 8 hours to explore.  The countries that you explore will depend upon what cruise itinerary you pick.

I have been on many cruises and recommend for your honeymoon Princess, Celebrity, or Royal Caribbean cruise lines.  For an itinerary I recommend an Alaska cruise, Panama Canal or Mediterranean cruise.

Answer 9

Those who say cruising is only for "old people" must not have ever been on one.  There are cruises for every age, interest and activity level.

Cruising would be a perfect honeymoon and the ones we have been on have had many honeymooners.  Most cruise lines do special things for honeymoon couples.

Go to CruiseCritic.com, click on "Boards" and "Reviews" at the top of the page.  There is also a category called "Romance" which would have discussions about cruise honeymoons.

You can also find books at your library that describe what cruising, and the different cruise lines, are like.  You do have to do some research, because there are many variables involved, and even if you go with a travel agent [a good idea for a "newbie"] he/she would ask you a lot of questions about what you prefer.

Cruises are great because you can be as active or as relaxed as you want, you get to see different places [although for a short time] that you might want to return to, etc. etc.

Cruises do have a dress code for dinner, though most lines don't enforce it - as long as you don't show up in a raggedy tee-shirt and cut-offs they probably won't turn you away.  However, there are formal nights, when most people get dressed up.  If you don't want to dress up, there are alternatives - you will NOT go hungry on a cruise unless you are terribly fussy about what you'll eat.

Excursions can be booked through the ship or on your own.  There are advantages/disadvantages to both.  There's lots of info about that at CruiseCritic - the "Ports of Call" boards can give you an idea about that.  For first-timers, I'd recommend using ship excursions, even though they are more expensive and less personalized, but that depends on your comfort level.  Some ports are very safe and easy to go on-your-own; some are rather risky.  Excursions cost extra and can add up quickly.

Entertainment runs the gamut on most ships:  bars with different kinds of live music, sports bars, wine tastings, trivia games, karaoke, bingo, casino games [the last two cost extra], stupid pool games, art auctions, fitness centers, spa [treatments cost extra], etc., etc.

I was very skeptical before going on my first cruise - thought I'd be bored, seasick, suffer from claustrophobia, etc.  Now, that's my favorite vacation.  

Have fun doing the research - I hope you decide to cruise.  I'm sure you'd have a great time.

Answer 10

It's a fallacy that cruise holidays are only suitable/desirable for the over 60s.  We've been on Ocean Village twice now (we are 38 and 41); once on our own and once with our daughter, who is 8, and who thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.  Answers to your questions will really depend on which cruise company you're travelling with as they are all different in terms of dress code, entertainment etc.

If you're travelling around the Mediterranean, it is possible in a lot of shore destinations to go off and do your own thing, using public transport.  This is more advisable in some places than in others.  For example, if you dock at Villefranche for Nice/Monaco, it's easy and MUCH cheaper to walk to the train station and hop on a train in either direction, rather than paying £30 each to go on a coach.  That said, if you dock in Naples for Pompeii, it's much easier to go on an organised excursion as you know you're going to get there and back before the ship sails!

Again, dress code depends on the ship.  Ocean Village is completely informal in terms of entertainment and dress code; everything is arranged if you want to join in but if you don't, they leave you alone.  Most people do get a bit dressed up in the evenings but it's not the sort of QEII mentality of tuxedo/evening dress every night.  So your best bet, if you know which company you're travelling with, is to read the brochure or go over their website with a fine toothcomb, as all the information you need will be provided.

Have a really wonderful time!