So who has been on a cruise? Advice?
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Don't go cheap. Save up and get yourself a balcony room. It's totally worth it. I learned the hard way the first time.0
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Don't go cheap. Save up and get yourself a balcony room. It's totally worth it. I learned the hard way the first time.
Not as important on the luxury ships with port intensive itineraries.0 -
been on over 20 of them ask away anything you need0
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Don't buy into the excursion packets they try to sell you on the ship, they will railroad you. On my honeymoon we just walked around town and found nice locals to take us snorkeling/swimming with manta rays for $20 per person, versus the $75 per person they were trying to charge on the ship. We did that at every port, and saved about $200 from our fun money fund. (Obviously don't follow them into any dark alleys, though. Be smart and stay safe.)
Oh, and stay away from Carnival lines. That should be a given, though.
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Don't buy into the excursion packets they try to sell you on the ship, they will railroad you. On my honeymoon we just walked around town and found nice locals to take us snorkeling/swimming with manta rays for $20 per person, versus the $75 per person they were trying to charge on the ship. We did that at every port, and saved about $200 from our fun money fund. (Obviously don't follow them into any dark alleys, though. Be smart and stay safe.)
Oh, and stay away from Carnival lines. That should be a given, though.
That advice depends on the cruise and the port. Sometimes you'll find that a cruise line "Buys Out" popular things like dolphin swims and only those booked through the line can be accommodated. There are some places that aren't accessible by just walking or even taking a cab/bus/train where you don't have much of a choice but to take the ships excursion if you want to get there. Some ships offer special excursions that are put together just for them and not sold otherwise. Do your research.0 -
Don't buy into the excursion packets they try to sell you on the ship, they will railroad you. On my honeymoon we just walked around town and found nice locals to take us snorkeling/swimming with manta rays for $20 per person, versus the $75 per person they were trying to charge on the ship. We did that at every port, and saved about $200 from our fun money fund. (Obviously don't follow them into any dark alleys, though. Be smart and stay safe.)
Oh, and stay away from Carnival lines. That should be a given, though.
That advice depends on the cruise and the port. Sometimes you'll find that a cruise line "Buys Out" popular things like dolphin swims and only those booked through the line can be accommodated. There are some places that aren't accessible by just walking or even taking a cab/bus/train where you don't have much of a choice but to take the ships excursion if you want to get there. Some ships offer special excursions that are put together just for them and not sold otherwise. Do your research.
This is all true. My main point was, though, don't think you always HAVE to fork over tons of money for excursions, because in many cases, chances are there are cheaper ways to do it if you are smart about it. :flowerforyou:0 -
Is it terrible that I hardly even know where my cruise is going and I haven't even thought about ~excursions~ and stuff like that? I'm going on the Drag Stars at Sea Cruise, and let's be honest, I just want to be stuck on a boat with my favourite drag queens for a week!
But I am lucky because there are themed parties and that will definitely help me figure out what to pack. But I'm still going to overpack. I always do, no matter where I'm going.
I have no idea if I'm prone to seasickness and that's what makes me the most nervous. Any of you that have cruised before, have you gotten seasick? How badly? How do you deal with it? I'm scared of it!!!0 -
bump0
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I've been on quite a few cruises, but I can't be of any help with advice on the large boats. All of mine have been on these:
www.starclippers.com - Best cruise you will ever experience. (NOT recommended for children though as there are no activities for them.)
My only advise, if prone to seasickness, is to avoid Dramamine. Use Bonine instead because, for most people, it has less drowsiness effect. Also, start taking it the day BEFORE you board. Once seasickness starts, there are very few things that can stop it.0 -
Is it terrible that I hardly even know where my cruise is going and I haven't even thought about ~excursions~ and stuff like that? I'm going on the Drag Stars at Sea Cruise, and let's be honest, I just want to be stuck on a boat with my favourite drag queens for a week!
But I am lucky because there are themed parties and that will definitely help me figure out what to pack. But I'm still going to overpack. I always do, no matter where I'm going.
I have no idea if I'm prone to seasickness and that's what makes me the most nervous. Any of you that have cruised before, have you gotten seasick? How badly? How do you deal with it? I'm scared of it!!!
I've only gotten seasick once--the entire ship was seasick--we hit hurricane force winds. Pretty miserable and nothing worked.0 -
I've been on quite a few cruises, but I can't be of any help with advice on the large boats. All of mine have been on these:
I haven't been on either of those, but a different ship with sails on another line. It was outstanding.0 -
cruisecritic.com
everything you wanted to know about cruising.
I was ready to post that!0 -
I haven't been on a cruise, but I work as a tour guide for excursions when the ships come into port.
It sounds obvious, but when you book an excursion, be sure you want to go on it.
So often, I get tourists who spend the entire time obsessing about when we finish so they can finally go shopping, or complain about having to walk *gasp* two miles on what is explicitly sold as a walking tour, or who book a tour to a historic site but don't like history...
You don't *have* to go on the excursions. Exploring by yourself has its benefits, and lets you plan your own time rather than following a group and sticking to it schedule.0 -
went on a cruise to caymen islands and jamaica last winter.
we didn't do an all inclusive, most food was paid for but drinks weren't.
find a bartender and stick with them, as well as a live band that plays at that same bar (or a different bar, whichever). tip well. this will result in very strong long islands where you only need 2 at most to get a good drunk on, and the band will play anything you request right away (tip them the first night too and you're good). we did this, and i was drunk off minimal drinks while dancing to all my favorite songs.
have fun!0 -
Disney is the best BY FAR!! If you have children that would be the only one I would take them on.
I would not recommend Carnival for ANYONE!! Not just because of what's happened lately with that company but also from personal experience.
really? the only cruise i went on was carnival and it was great!
oh yeah, do some excursions too if you have the money. we went snorkeling with sting rays in the caymen islands and it was amazing! we also did a bobsled thing in jamaica, as well as dunns river falls in jamaica, where you are rock climbing up this crazy river. awesome workout!! some of the excursions come with food provided as well. but like i mentioned before, most of our meals were included, unless we were at a port for the day (unless we did an excursion).
i totally gained like 10 pounds as well haha but the food was amazing! and available any time of the day.
but bring something to do as well, if you spend the day at sea it can be boring so read a book by the pool or something.
we also found a few young couples around our age that we spent time with, it was fun they were from arizona and canada so we went out for drinks and dancing with them (we were paired at the same table for dinner so it was nice to meet others around our age)0 -
also bring alcohol, you can bring i think a bottle of wine per luggage or something.
and make sure to take advantage of any duty free items like alcohol or cigars/cigarettes. huge savings!!0 -
Good thing about Disney is soda & parking is included in cruise ticket & also they have fresh water pools.. Every other line makes you pay for both & has salt water in their pools.
Not to mention the food is INCREDIBLE!!
carnival includes free drinks except alcohol0 -
I've been on two cruises, both with Royal Caribbean. Here are my tips!
1) Pack clothing that is mix and match. A few pairs of neutral pants, with some neutral tops. Pack a couple of nice dresses/suits for the formal nights if you plan on attending. If you don't want to attend, you can always find a casual place to dine on board.
2) Don't bother trying to count calories! Just try to make sure half of your plate is fruits or veggies. Limit the bread and desserts. They will literally bring you AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. I can remember having 3 desserts with my dinner one night, because I couldn't decide between them!
3) If you want sodas, pack them in your suitcase. The price for a soda card is ridiculous!
4) Try to get some activity in. The various excursions often offer an opportunity to get active. There is also a gym on the ship. Utilize it!
5) Swim with the dolphins. It was expensive, but it was the most fun part of my cruise! I LOVED IT! (that's just my own, personal, two cents!)
That's pretty much all I have! Enjoy yourself! Cruises are the best!0 -
Just did my first a couple of weeks ago!! My suggestions SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN!!!!!!!! :bigsmile:
I tried to be good/stay within my calories, didn't happen, lol, awesome food!!! Gained 7 pounds, but now have lost all that now!! The ships are big, so lots of walking, instead using elevators, use the stairs, that's what I did!!! Just enjoy yourself!! Have a great time!! :happy:
Going on my third cruise this year, absolutely agree with this! I never take the elevators on the ships. Ever. Also, from what I understand some of them have gyms...? Maybe I'll check that out...
The nice thing about a cruise is you can generally tailor it to your own wants. I like a lot of down time, so I don't do much but there are tons of things to do even on at-sea days. We've been known to hit up trivia or a dance club or two...0 -
About 15 friends and I went on a Carnival cruise about 9 years ago. We had a GREAT time! Booked a few excursions (including a dolphin encounter - the only difference between that one and swimming with the dolphins was actually holding on and going for a swim and about $100). Unfortunately, I had a real bad sinus infection the weekend before we sailed, so I was sick most of the week and was in bed by 10 pm most nights. I may be the only person in history to have actually lost weight on a cruise. (I made up for it and then some when I returned, but that's another story.) I also took the stairs A LOT. Some of our group had cabins below the kitchen - and were awakened to carts rolling around above them. I had a cabin between other passenger decks and slept like a baby. We had traditional dining, but that was great because with such a large group, we didn't see everyone throughout the day, so it was good to catch up at dinner. Waterproof sunscreen is a must, as are good walking shoes if you plan to enjoy the sights while in port.0
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Love Love Love to go on cruise....have been to Alaska - twice....Panama Canal....Mexican Riveria....and the Hawaiian islands.... and I am one to get motion sickness - but the big ships are nice...so much to do... so much to see...and yet if you want you can just relax....also the food is alway wonderful.... I really have had only great experiences... the lines I have been on ...Holland American / Princess / Royal .. and Hawaiian.... in any case I am sure you will enjoy it....I think right now my only advice is not to go an any Carnival line....(sorry Carnival... but your luck has been awful in the last couple of years...)0
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I've been on two cruises, both with Royal Caribbean. Here are my tips!
1) Pack clothing that is mix and match. A few pairs of neutral pants, with some neutral tops. Pack a couple of nice dresses/suits for the formal nights if you plan on attending. If you don't want to attend, you can always find a casual place to dine on board.
2) Don't bother trying to count calories! Just try to make sure half of your plate is fruits or veggies. Limit the bread and desserts. They will literally bring you AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. I can remember having 3 desserts with my dinner one night, because I couldn't decide between them!
3) If you want sodas, pack them in your suitcase. The price for a soda card is ridiculous!
4) Try to get some activity in. The various excursions often offer an opportunity to get active. There is also a gym on the ship. Utilize it!
5) Swim with the dolphins. It was expensive, but it was the most fun part of my cruise! I LOVED IT! (that's just my own, personal, two cents!)
That's pretty much all I have! Enjoy yourself! Cruises are the best!
So how was swimming with the dolphins? I will be doing this soon and am not sure if I am scared to or not! A little worried about it.0 -
ive been on a few. im not a fan. too much time spent on the boat. at night id rather be having dinner then going to a bar or club/show at a destination rather than on the boat. id much rather soak up the local culture.0
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I went on my first cruise last November. It was a Disney cruise.
Firstly, it you have strict dietary needs, there may be some issues. The food was ok, but I think there was gluten in lots of things that shouldn't have it ("dredged" in flour). Plus the coffee cream is a Coffee Mate hybrid and I could taste the sugar in it. Yuck. However, at the formal sit down meal, there was always food that I could enjoy while sticking to my dietary needs. That said, I didn't like that the formal sit down meals lasted about 2 hours. The food that was available at the concessions and 24 hours room service were not compatible with my dietary needs at all. I know it's a cruise for kids, but still.. kids need healthy food too.
Besides the food, the cruise was not my cup of tea at all. I went into it knowing that it probably wouldn't be since I'm more of a camping-in-the-wilderness kind of person. My mom said that it was more crowded and less enjoyable than a Princess cruise that she went on before. If you don't mind crowds everywhere, nowhere to sit by the pools, waiting in line for everything, and being surrounded by nothing from nature then you may like it. The kids club is great for allowing couples some alone time, but since I'm single I just sat staring at the phone waiting to pick up my little one. My child definitely enjoyed herself, but the things she remembers now are when we stayed in Florida in a hotel on the beach. We saw lots of lizards, jelly fish, people fishing and surfing... we both LOVED the sound of the waves.
I could happily live the rest of my life without ever seeing another Disney character. And all the little extras were VERY expensive.0 -
i missed that this was a Disney cruise. i would imagine that would be fun because you are enjoying through your kids eyes.0
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An idea that we did when we went on our cruise:
Get a big poster board and on it, write: "Where in the World Are You From?" in big, colorful markers.
Attach it to your cabin door with a pencil or marker at the ready. Sign your first names and city. Watch how the signatures and locations accumulate as people walk by and just HAVE to add their names to the list. It makes it fun for the kids to see the signatures and locations pile up.0 -
Disney is the best BY FAR!! If you have children that would be the only one I would take them on.
I would not recommend Carnival for ANYONE!! Not just because of what's happened lately with that company but also from personal experience.
really? the only cruise i went on was carnival and it was great!
You think it's great only because you have nothing else to compare it to, and based on your previous post you were all about getting hammered, so in that case, Carnival is probably a good choice for you. It is a very poor choice for many. I can't suggest strongly enough that people research the demographic that sails on a particular line--and even ship within the line--before they book and make sure that it appeals to them and that they are a good match for it.0 -
ive been on a few. im not a fan. too much time spent on the boat. at night id rather be having dinner then going to a bar or club/show at a destination rather than on the boat. id much rather soak up the local culture.
Take the Paul Guaguin Tahiti and the Society Islands cruise--you overnight in port at least a couple of the nights.0 -
I went on my first cruise last November. It was a Disney cruise.
Firstly, it you have strict dietary needs, there may be some issues. The food was ok, but I think there was gluten in lots of things that shouldn't have it ("dredged" in flour). Plus the coffee cream is a Coffee Mate hybrid and I could taste the sugar in it. Yuck. However, at the formal sit down meal, there was always food that I could enjoy while sticking to my dietary needs. That said, I didn't like that the formal sit down meals lasted about 2 hours. The food that was available at the concessions and 24 hours room service were not compatible with my dietary needs at all. I know it's a cruise for kids, but still.. kids need healthy food too.
Besides the food, the cruise was not my cup of tea at all. I went into it knowing that it probably wouldn't be since I'm more of a camping-in-the-wilderness kind of person. My mom said that it was more crowded and less enjoyable than a Princess cruise that she went on before. If you don't mind crowds everywhere, nowhere to sit by the pools, waiting in line for everything, and being surrounded by nothing from nature then you may like it. The kids club is great for allowing couples some alone time, but since I'm single I just sat staring at the phone waiting to pick up my little one. My child definitely enjoyed herself, but the things she remembers now are when we stayed in Florida in a hotel on the beach. We saw lots of lizards, jelly fish, people fishing and surfing... we both LOVED the sound of the waves.
I could happily live the rest of my life without ever seeing another Disney character. And all the little extras were VERY expensive.
I had just the opposite situation with food on Disney. They bent over backwards to make sure my dietary needs were met--particularly when it came to allergies. (Unlike Royal Caribbean who were terrible about it!)
I also thought Disney had the least nickel and dime stuff of all the non-luxury/all-inclusive cruises I've been on. I love long dinners, we ate at Palo and I want to think we were there four hours--well worth every moment for the incredible cuisine! We only saw one character on our last Disney cruise, but we didn't seek them out, either.0 -
An idea that we did when we went on our cruise:
Get a big poster board and on it, write: "Where in the World Are You From?" in big, colorful markers.
Attach it to your cabin door with a pencil or marker at the ready. Sign your first names and city. Watch how the signatures and locations accumulate as people walk by and just HAVE to add their names to the list. It makes it fun for the kids to see the signatures and locations pile up.
This is a GREAT idea - definitely filing that away from my next cruise!0
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