I am planning my and my husbands first cruise for our first anniversary in January...?

Question

I have been unable to decide which cruise line to go with...I am thinking Carnival. we are only going for 3 or 4 nights to the Bahamas because it isn't far from home (Florida) but should be nice considering we didn't have much of a honeymoon. I was wondering, for those who have been on cruises, what level of the cruise liner is best to be on? Closer to the bottom or top? I see that the ones on the bottom are more expensive in some cases. Ocean view or interior? Help please!!

Answer 1

Ok, I have no doubt I'll get flack for this but here goes...I work for Carnival so I can speak from just a bit of experience. Will I tell someone that you are never in your cabin so why pay for a window? h**l yes. I get nothing from having someone pay for a window. As many of my guests have said "I am not going to sit in my cabin and stare out the window, if I want to see the ocean I will go outside" Do some people feel claustrophobic in just 4 walls? Yep. For them, it's money well spent for a window.  Is Carnival call the Fun Ships? Sure are! Are there kids on board? Yep. Will you find many of them when school is in session vs Summer? While we are probably not the most enjoyable time for those over 60 or so, anyone in the 20-50yr old set will always find something to do. Now that I've said all that, there is a website anyone can go to and check out the different awards a cruise line has won- www.porthole.com. Don't take my word for it....

Answer 2

For  your 1st cruise I would not book an inside cabin. You'll hear that you are never in your cabin...but I still like to be able to see outside -- see the day...or night.  Try to book a mid-ship cabin on a lower level,  not the lowest level but a lower one.  You'll experience the least movement being lower and mid-ship. Hope this helps a little ...

Answer 3

We went on our first cruise for our 15th anniversary.  We took a three night Bahamas cruise out of Port Canaveral.  It was great but too short.  I think we are hooked now.

I like Carnival because of the price.  I always book the cheapest inside room.  I have had no problems with their ships at all.  In fact you can usually pay for the cheapest room and get upgraded to a better room for free.

The larger ships quite often have a lower per day price.  The more people on the ship at one time, the more they make.

Answer 4

I highly recommend going through a travel agent. I've been using the same guy for a couple of years and he always has found me a good deal and he makes sure you get a good cabin. Plus he can answer all you questions...

www.awwtc.com

Answer 5

I don't know if you have ever been sea sick. If you get sea sick they say get a room close to the middle of the ship. I went on the Carnival Cruise Line the Imagination ship and I absolutely loved it. You can eat 24 hours a day. Everything you purchase is duty-free (no taxes) when you get to the Bahamas. Perfume or colognes you can get double the amount that you get here in the states and pay 1/2 the cost. Stock up on your favorite one. Some say Carnival is like the fun ship. Some other cruise lines I have heard might be more for a couple who wants to be more sophisticated. Although, I don't know the price of those either. Just a thought though. I wish you much luck and have fun. Its the most romantic thing you could do with your loved one.

Answer 6

If money could be saved to book your cruise, would this help?

http://www.earnvacations.com/Freedom Go over it with your husband, its a good program.

Answer 7

i have been on a carnival cruise and it was very fun but if its only your and your husband an you want it to be quiet i recommend a different cruise line because carnival has a lot of young children and it may not be peaceful. on the other hand if you love kids you would have a great time. well i hope your first anniversary is fun!

Answer 8

For comfort, I try to get a cabin in the middle of the ship from front to back. The motion is hardly felt there. Top to bottom changes the price but I can't tell the difference.Stay away from the cabin directly across from or next to the elevators.. too noisy. I just got back from a 10 to the southern Caribbean and had an inside cabin and we had the best time ever. If I had taken an outside we could only afforded a 7 day cruise. We were only in the cabin to sleep. Do bring a nightlight and a small digital alarm clock. They are very dark. But I sleep better that way. The Caribbean sun comes up early and BRIGHT!  Also, try cruiseaddicts.com or cruisecritics.com for tips from experienced cruisers who love to share.

Answer 9

the rooms on top are good if you get seasick because you can't feel the boat moving...the rooms on the bottom are good if you don't get seasick because you can feel the boat moving a lot...even if you don't get seasick it's better to stay with the upper rooms...ocean view is nice, but it is more expensive...why get an ocean view room when you are never going to be in your room except for when you are sleeping and it is dark out

Answer 10

Many Cruise Lines are now offering 3/4 escape cruises for busy people or for those just wanting to escape for a weekend. Carnival is a great line but remember, they are advertised as the "fun ships" and so yes, there are many children and with children comes noise. Avoid cabins near elevators and below lifeboats or directly above life boats as often these are used to transfer passengers to islands where the ships are too large to fit at the quay. Carnival has beautiful public areas. Their rooms I always refer to as "The holiday inn on the sea" as they are comfortable and offer the basics. When looking at brochures, remember the rooms are photographed with a wide angle lens. An easy way to see how big the room is in a photo is to look at the end of the bed and judge how much room from there to the wall. It is often 20 inches, and that will tell you how wide your room will be. For a first time cruise, I would strongly urge you to book a outside cabin. The inside rooms are functional, but most like to see outside to judge the weather and enjoy the sea view when at sea. Look at a ship in a brochure. Measure the lenght of it with a ruler and draw a line through it. Now find the middle of that measurement. From that point, draw a line top to bottom. Where the two lines intersect would be the place where the least movement would be felt. Some things to keep in mind when looking at ships. Are you going for elegance or just to see the ports and the trip is merely a way to get to the different ports? For me the  ship is the destination, not the ports of call. Do you want to walk half a football field to get to dinner? If not then choose a smaller ship. Check out Royal Caribbean as they have wonderful ships and Celebrity as well. I always save to book a cabin with a balcony. There is something about breakfast on the balcony while in port. It is a wonderful way to start the day. But, if you are afraid of heights then forget the balcony as you could be as high as 10 storeys above the waterline! An excellent magazine with features on ships, reviews and customer letters is Cruise Travel Magazine.  http://www.cruisetravelmag.com/    Know what is important to you and your husband. Check the packages also offered regarding romance and such things as they are not as expensive as most people think. It depends upon the cruise line.