I need some help choosing a cruise?

Question

Me and a few friends are looking to take a cruise (5 to 7 day) from San Diego to Mexico (cabo I would guess) round trip - we are in our mid to late 20's - we want a cruise with a younger crowd (20 to 30) does not need to be a spring break style cruise but we are looking for some partying.... Any suggestions? my fear is I will end up on a cruise with all families or a really old crowd...

Answer 1

I would say Carnival then Royal but both are very good, I would suggest to get a price from

http://www.vacationsnbeyond.com

Answer 2

for freinds i strongley suggest the Costa Cruse line. The mediterania is there best ship.

Answer 3

Well, if you want to avoid the "really old crowd" then stay away from Holland America and Celebrity, both of which sail to Mexican Riviera from San Diego.  The cruise lines you want to go with are Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian (NCL).  

Basically you can find three, four, five, six, seven and eight night cruises to Mexico, though most are from Los Angeles.  Now keep in mind that all three lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL) are family friendly.  So, you want to go when school is in session (if you are looking to avoid most families).  

Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean offer three and four night cruises from Los Angeles.  Carnival has its own dock in Long Beach and Royal Caribbean leaves from the dock in San Pedro.  Currently the ship on this run for Carnival is the Paradise and for Royal Caribbean the Monarch of the Seas.  In October 2008 the Monarch of the Seas will go to Florida and currently there is no ship scheduled to replace it.

The three night cruises leave out of Los Angeles on Friday and go to Ensenada and spend one day at sea.  Most of the four night cruises leave out of Los Angeles on Monday and go to Ensenada and Catalina.  Carnival also spends one day at sea while Royal Caribbean goes to San Diego.

Carnival also offers some four, five and six night cruises to Cabo out of San Diego on the Elation.  The four night cruises spend one day at sea, one day in Cabo and another day at sea returning to San Diego.  The five night cruises spend a day at sea, a day in Cabo, a day at sea and a day in Ensenada.  There are a few six night cruises, where the first day is a day at sea, the second day is at Cabo, the third day is at La Paz, the fourth day is a day at sea and the fifth day is spent in Ensenada.  

The seven night cruise leave from Los Angeles and go to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo.  Three days are also spent at sea.  Carnival uses the Pride for this cruise (the Pride will be replaced in early 2009 by the Splendor).  Royal Caribbean uses the Vision of the Seas on this cruise (the Vision will be replaced by the Mariner in early 2009).  Both cruises leave on Sunday.  Carnival does the cruise in the order listed above, Royal Caribbean does it in the reverse order.

One eight day cruise leaves from San Pedro.  That is the NCL Star.  It goes to Acapulco, Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo.  The ship spend two days at sea getting to Acapulco and one day at sea returning from Cabo.  The other eight day cruise leaves from San Diego on the Carnival Spirit.  The Spirit goes to Acapulco, Ixtapa and Manzanillo.  The Spirit also spends two days at sea when leaving San Diego and when returning to San Diego.  

So there you have it.  Stick to Carnival, NCL or Royal Caribbean and your fellow passengers will be younger.  Go when school is in session and you will find less families.

Answer 4

Don't worry. Most of the short distance cruises are younger people. You will have a party type of atmospher on these. It might not be spring break but there should be plenty of people in a similar age group with lots of fun things to do. I'd look at Royal Caribbean. Great Value for the money. Good Luck!

Answer 5

I would almost certainly book with Carnival or Royal Caribbean.  It has a younger crowd and the atmosphere is better for partying than on the more upscale lines.  

This is experience.  I just finished a San Diego to Mexico 7 day trip on the Dawn Princess (Princess Cruises) and the average age was probably 65.  While I still had a good time (I'm 41), the ship catered to that age bracket.  Even the adults only comedy show was tame; the four letter words were included  but it wasn't all that dirty.  I've done the same cruise on Carnival (though out of Los Angeles) and there is a clear difference in the style.  Everything seems more festive and loose on a Carnival ship, while things are more dignified and upscale on Princess.  

The time of year also is going to influence the crowd you get on a ship.  During school months, you have fewer families on board.  As a counterbalance, you'll get more single people or more retired people at those times.  

Finally, I suggest a large ship.  A large ship is going to carry more people of all types, and even if a good number of them are seniors or families, the sheer numbers will ensure that you'll have peers.  You'll be able to hang out with people of your own age in  one of the discos or clubs.

Answer 6

Carnival is doing 5 night cruises from San Diego to Cabo. The best pricing is during the 1/21 and 1/26 sailing starting at $279 per person plus taxes and fees. This is a great deal!