Cruises question for a first-timer?

Question

I'm looking to book a cruise and just want to know what are the things that I should look for in a package that is good and what to shy away from. Are there any cruises out there that you don't have to pay anything extra once you go aboard, expect when you leave the ship when you come to different ports of course. Also is the winter months good to go and are they cheaper?

Answer 1

My husband and I went on our first cruise a month ago in April.  We went on a 9-day trip  to the Greek islands, 4 of which we spent on a cruise.  Here's my general advice:

If it's your first cruise, save up your money and make sure to board a luxury ship.  We were horrified by how small our room was.  The food was pretty gross on board too - we found ourselves waiting to disembark just to get a good meal.

Make sure to bring some kind of seasickness remedy.  I got ill the third day in when we came across some very rough waters - it was not a fun experience.

See if you can get a room in the middle of the ship, on a lower floor - that's where you'll feel the least movement.

Bring one dressy outfit to wear for the captain's dinner night.

Choose an American cruise over European - Americans typically want luxurious quarters and great food; with European cruises, it's all about the destination - the boats are smaller and not nearly as nice.

Have a fun trip!!

Answer 2

i would say that the best time to go would be late summer like august or september,

because this is the cheapest time to go,

this is becasue typically it's peak hurricane season in the atlantic, but it's not a big deal because cruises tend to avoid an island that is in the projected path of the cruise,

also most cruises include all the food you can eat, this includes room service, and water, tea and coffee and jucies

everything else usually is extra such as alchol soda, etc..

you can bring your own soda on board,

not your own alochol,

if you don't drink and bring your own pop/bottled water, then you could go on a cruise without having to pay for a single thing.

hope you have fun on your first cruise i love them!

Answer 3

Call Carnival.  There is a PVP there that we deal with all the time.  He has all the answers, and is only concerned about us getting what we want.  In fact last year, we changed our booking 5 times, and he was there to help every time.  If you would like his number, e-mail me, and I'll send it to you.

Answer 4

If you look at the answers you were given you'll see that many did not read your entire question and that they are limited with their information about the different cruises.

I'm a travel agent so I'll try to answer your questions.  Yes, there are cruises out there that include all beverages (alcohol and soft drinks), gratuities, and specialty restaurants.  The cruise lines that offer this type of all inclusives are Silversea (www.silversea.com), Regent Seven Sea Cruises (www.rssc.com), Seabourn (www.seabourn.com) and SeaDream Yacht Club (www.seadream.com).  Yes, there prices are considerably higher, but you are getting a suite (usually with a balcony) vs. a 10x10 room, you don't have to sign for overpriced drinks at the bar or pay $3 for a bottle of water, and you won't have to deal with trying to figure out how much and who to tip at the end of the cruise.  

Figure how much you'd pay for a similar suite on a cruise line you know (Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity), figuring sodas and water at $3 ea., mixed drinks at $8 ea., wine at $10 / glass, and beer at $6 / bottle. Add up how much you and the other person in the cabin would pay for drinks, then figure in $2 tip/drink, then figure $18/person/ day for gratuities you'd regularly pay the room steward, waiter, busboy, matre'd, and wine steward.  You'll get a good idea of how much you're going to spend on a cruise then you can compare apples to apples.

Take a look at the websites for the cruises I mentioned above and look for special deal, discounts, and early booking discounts and you'll find cruises that are about the same price (and sometimes lower overall) than a cruise on one of the conventional cruise lines.

When booking a cruise the line will offer to book your air, transfers, insurance, and even your pre- and or post-cruise stay.  Have them quote you a price for everything, then look to see if you can get a better price booking the air, transfers, and insurance, pre- and post- cruise stays on your own.  

I'd always recommend flying into the embarkation port tat least 1 day before the cruise to assure you don't miss the ship.  If you're flight's delayed due to weather or mechanical problems on the day of the cruise, you'll likely miss the boat.

Fly in a day early, tour the embarkation city and you can board the ship as soon as its possible.  Once on board and you're shown your cabin, go book your shore excursions, make reservations in the specialty restaurants, and spa/salon appointments.  Everyone else will be waiting in their room for their luggage, but this isn't necessary since the steward will put your luggage in your room whether you're there or not. You'll avoid waiting in long lines and make sure you get the times and shore excursions you want.  

Also consider spending at least a day or two in the destination port (if its not the same as the embarkation port) to tour that city as well.  If you've already come all this way and spent all this money doesn't it makes sense to see more of this city than the drive from the port to the airport?

When is the best time of the year to take a cruise?  That would depend on where you planning to cruise.  If you're looking at the Caribbean then the summer months through the week before Thanksgiving will probably be the least expensive.  If you're looking at the Med, then the least expensive months would be Mar- Apr and Oct-Nov.  The best value cruises would probably be the repositioning cruises, when the lines move their ships from one sailing area to another.  In Nov. the cruise lines will move their ships from Europe to the Caribbean.  They will make a few stops in Europe before sailing across the Atlantic and some may also make a few stops in the Caribbean, but keep in mind they will not make as many stops as a conventional cruise and it will not be warm on deck until you get closer to the Caribbean.

Don't worry about dealing with seasickness or which medicines to buy.  Make sure you purchase travel insurance to not only cover cancellations/delays, lost luggage, etc., but also to provide you medical coverage.  Your health insurance will not cover you outside the US.  If you do get seasick on board, call the doctor and let the doc decide how best to treat your illness - simple pill or a shot.  The insurance will reimburse you for anything you'd have to spend on medical while on board or on shore.

Getting a cabin mid-ship and on the lowest deck used to be true, but hasn't been for a long time.  Ships are built with stabilizers, thrusters, and pods to keep the ship sailing smooth and steady.  If there are rough seas it really doesn't matter where your cabin is.  Because so many people still believe the mid-ship myth and that its noisy and you feel alot of vibration if your cabin is near the back of the ship (over the engine) the cruise lines charge a premium for mid-ship cabins.  Ships are soundproofed so well and are so stable, that many times you'll have to look outside to even see if you're moving.

If you've never been on a cruise, do not book an inside cabin, even though they are the least expensive.  An inside cabin doesn't have any kind of window and doesn't receive any natural light, so its dark in the cabin even at 9:00 a.m. and you'll  have no idea what its like outside unless you get dressed and head up on deck.  If you have a bathroom without a window or a closet, this is the type of environment you'll have in an inside cabin.

If you price a cruise and it doesn't fit you're budget, consider taking a cruise with less days to afford a particular type of cabin or a particular destination.

Someone in these answers already gave you one piece of excellent advice - book your cruise thru a travel agent.  They'll find you the cruise best suited for what you want to do, when you want to go, and your budget. There are a lot of details to booking a cruise and if you're unfamiliar with what's involved, a travel agent is your best friend.  Look for an agent who will check into air fares, insurance, transfers, and pre- and post-cruise packages and not one that takes the easy way out and simply does everything through the cruise line.  Make sure you ask them to provide you with the best prices on these items and to let you know the difference between what the cruise line offers and what they can do.  If the agent simply hands you a brochure and tells you this is the cruise you want to do without asking you any real questions, find another agent. Don't let the agent tell you which cruise the agent enjoyed, make sure they book a cruise you'll enjoy.  

Good luck and bon voyage.

Answer 5

If you are going to the Caribbean then book one for September its the cheapest time.Its also Hurricane season but they keep an eye on that for you. Buy the insurance this is probably the only time of year that a cruise may get cancelled. My friend goes on a cruise every year at this time and she has only had one stop that was cut short by an approaching hurricane. Also if you have far to travel you may want to stay over night near the port before you get on the boat. Traveling is very tiring.

Answer 6

Let me help you please vist my site @ www.taylormadetrips4you.com. I can get you the best deal on your cruise unlike travel agents that add extra to your cruise for there commission

Answer 7

You need to run, not walk to your nearest travel agent.

They will fit the right cruise for your personality and needs.

There are a lot of extras out there.

If you post this question in the search above, you will see pages of answers to this very question.

Answer 8

I recommend the disney cruse line for a family with kids

Answer 9

We went on the Norwegian Dawn out of NYC to the Caribbean and you had to pay for alcohol, pictures, and some of the restaurants onboard. (We still had a blast, though) Some cruise lines don't charge for some extras, but I don't know which ones.

I recommend getting a balcony room. They are worth it!