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Talk to me about cruises (1 Viewer)

Yeah, small house but large vacations. Costs include flights, airport parking, and everything from the second we leave the house until the second we return.
 
Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, or celebrity would be my first 3 choices. I wouldn't recommend carnival, heard nothing but bad things from every cruiser I met on a celebrity ship. All had good things to say about Norwegian and royal Carribean. I have only been on celebrity but even their small ship had lots of entertainment for kids.
But the poker table did not open all week for cash game as there were not enough players. There were three daily $60 single table tournaments on sea-days that was about $20 rake to the house lol super turbo blinds, but if u can win your flips you can profit
I'd probably go for Norwegian for my next cruise if not celebrity again.
 
I've cruised a lot. Princess the most (7x), HollandAmerica (2x), Disney (2x), Celebrity (1x). Stayed relatively close to home while the kids were younger (Alaska, Pacific Coast, Caribbean), but have gone further afield in the last couple years (Japan, Norway, next year Mediterranean). None were bad.
The only consistently bad thing I've heard about is Norwegian's Pride of America which stays in Hawaii and does the same 7-day itinerary all the time. Everybody I've talked to that has been on that cruise says the service is terrible.
There's only video poker on Princess ships so if you want a better casino experience then you will have to look elsewhere.
 
WedgeRock said:
Wife and I kicked around the idea of taking a cruise with the fam. Initially, we we're planning on winter break in Feb, but hockey and non-aligned school schedules is bumping it to likely June. Thinking 5-7 days. Done a few cruises in the past (Norwegian and RCL, both Carribean), but not with kids.

Haven't cruised since 9/11. Are they stricter on the passport issue now?

Kids are (or will be by June) 16, 14 and 12. Pitch me on destinations and/or Cruise lines for a tween-ager/teenager.

Any tips/tricks/insight to save a few bucks? I was using a travel agency, but I kinda fell off the radar because it's so far out and that's okay, I can handle booking myself. Thinking of adjoining staterooms, one for me/wife and one for the boys, so last-minute bookings are probably out. I guess we could do non-adjoinint staterooms if the savings justify it.

Go!
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Check out vacationstogo.com. A friend of mine works for them if you want to go through an agent.
 
So I was looking at both cruisesonly and the RCL website, and both say for groups of more than 4 (I have 5) you need to call.

I'm just trying to get prices, but I can't get a good estimate because I can't book 5 people. I haven't made any decisions on when/where/etc. So I don't want to call an 800 number yet. RCL website let's me book two rooms for 2 and 3 people respectively, but they are on different decks...

Soooooo.... It appears that August is significantly cheaper than June or July. When should I call to lock something in to get the best price? I'd hate to book now only to find out that the price drops a couple hundred bucks pp (which is $1000+ for 5 people).

Also appears the Bonaire is almost always part of an 8-day cruise. I'm not sure I can be out of the office for 10 days consecutively, with 8 of them being no/limited internet access.
 
If you stop by tonight and my wife is home you should talk cruises with her for a few minutes. I am bankrolling a cruise expert.
 
WedgeRock said:
So I was looking at both cruisesonly and the RCL website, and both say for groups of more than 4 (I have 5) you need to call.

I'm just trying to get prices, but I can't get a good estimate because I can't book 5 people. I haven't made any decisions on when/where/etc. So I don't want to call an 800 number yet. RCL website let's me book two rooms for 2 and 3 people respectively, but they are on different decks...

Soooooo.... It appears that August is significantly cheaper than June or July. When should I call to lock something in to get the best price? I'd hate to book now only to find out that the price drops a couple hundred bucks pp (which is $1000+ for 5 people).

Also appears the Bonaire is almost always part of an 8-day cruise. I'm not sure I can be out of the office for 10 days consecutively, with 8 of them being no/limited internet access.
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Translated-8 days with no XHamster
 
If you go on longer than a 7 day cruise, it will be loaded will retirees....not that there's anything wrong with that. I did a 9 day once and 1) it was too long and 2) any night life ended pretty early 3) I gained 10 lbs
 
Don’t forget that Carnival Corp. owns not only Carnival, but Princess, Costa, Holland America, Seabourn, Cunard, Aida, and others.
 
pltrgyst said:
Don’t forget that Carnival Corp. owns not only Carnival, but Princess, Costa, Holland America, Seabourn, Cunard, Aida, and others.
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I think I've pretty much settled on RC. They get solid reviews. They we're awesome on the 3-day I took (won) 10+ years ago.

I thought being first timers, the boys might not appreciate the difference and would still enjoy a Carnival Cruise, but I decided there's too much downside to risk it. RCL is reapectable, leaves from where I want to leave from, and goes where I want to go.

I think I might do Eastern Caribbean. I have zero interest in any Mexican ports (which seems to be part of every Western Caribbean cruise) and Southern Carribean cruises are 8 days to get to the ABC islands. Eastern may be the right balance. And I wouldn't mind a stop in the Keys, as I don't think I'll ever get my wife to drive the bridge.

Again, departure and days are flexible (and ports, even zoning in on a region) which makes it difficult to lock in anything. Hi

And I've considered an all-inclusive like Atlantis. I know it's super touristy, but the kids would fooking love that Mayan drop slide that goes through the shark reef... Hard to get prices there too without firm travel plans...
 
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WedgeRock said:
So I was looking at both cruisesonly and the RCL website, and both say for groups of more than 4 (I have 5) you need to call.

I'm just trying to get prices, but I can't get a good estimate because I can't book 5 people. I haven't made any decisions on when/where/etc. So I don't want to call an 800 number yet. RCL website let's me book two rooms for 2 and 3 people respectively, but they are on different decks...

Soooooo.... It appears that August is significantly cheaper than June or July. When should I call to lock something in to get the best price? I'd hate to book now only to find out that the price drops a couple hundred bucks pp (which is $1000+ for 5 people).

Also appears the Bonaire is almost always part of an 8-day cruise. I'm not sure I can be out of the office for 10 days consecutively, with 8 of them being no/limited internet access.
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The only RCL option for five in a single stateroom is their "Family" stateroom. They have very limited availability and aren't on every ship, and you have to call. I have a family of five, and we always just book two staterooms. It's a better option IMO to let the kids have their own room, for sanity and other reasons... :sneaky:

RCL pretty much always has some kind of sale going (it's the mattress store pricing model), so I don't think it matters too much when you book. That said, I have a good friend who is a cruise travel agent, and she usually books for us - and often cruises with us. Sometimes I tell her exactly what I want, other times I give her a set of parameters and she brings me the best matching options, and the prices she gets are always the same or a little better than the RCL site.

Have you talked to an agent? If not PM me and I can send you her contact info (end shameless plug).
 
WedgeRock said:
I think I've pretty much settled on RC. They get solid reviews. They we're awesome on the 3-day I took (won) 10+ years ago.

I thought being first timers, the boys might not appreciate the difference and would still enjoy a Carnival Cruise, but I decided there's too much downside to risk it. RCL is reapectable, leaves from where I want to leave from, and goes where I want to go.

I think I might do Eastern Caribbean. I have zero interest in any Mexican ports (which seems to be part of every Western Caribbean cruise) and Southern Carribean cruises are 8 days to get to the ABC islands. Eastern may be the right balance. And I wouldn't mind a stop in the Keys, as I don't think I'll ever get my wife to drive the bridge.

Again, departure and days are flexible (and ports, even zoning in on a region) which makes it difficult to lock in anything. Hi

And I've considered an all-inclusive like Atlantis. I know it's super touristy, but the kids would fooking live that Mayan drop slide that goes through the shark reef... Hard to get prices there too without firm travel plans...
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We are going on our first RCL in February, 7 day Eastern Caribbean. I’m sure there will be lots of pictures and everything. If you don’t plan to book before then let me know if there is anything specific you are interested in and I’ll get ya some info.

Also went to Atlantis around 5 years ago with the kids, sister, BIL and the grandparents. It was awesome! We didn’t stay at Atlantis but had wristbands for the waterpark and spent 90% of our time in the resort property.
 
Atlantis is really nice although on the expensive side. The water park and aquariums are fantastic. The sharks almost never jump down the slide.
 
WedgeRock said:
And I've considered an all-inclusive like Atlantis. I know it's super touristy, but the kids would fooking live that Mayan drop slide that goes through the shark reef... Hard to get prices there too without firm travel plans...
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If you want Atlantis, look into Comfort Suites Paradise Island. Cheaper, next door to Atlantis, includes breakfast and guests have full privileges at Atlantis.

https://www.choicehotels.com/bahama...06&checkOutDate=2019-01-07&ratePlanCode=SAPR2

In fact, one time I was visiting Nassau on a cruise ship - it was cheaper to book a room, check in, pick up our wristbands and use Atlantis for the day and get back on the cruise ship than it was to get day passes directly from Atlantis.
 
moose said:
In fact, one time I was visiting Nassau on a cruise ship - it was cheaper to book a room, check in, pick up our wristbands and use Atlantis for the day and get back on the cruise ship than it was to get day passes directly from Atlantis.
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I did this with the kids when they were younger, it worked great! Highly recommend this if your in port with kids for the day.
 

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