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Looking for a vacation that takes you to exotic countries? A tropical getaway? Maybe the fjords or glaciers? Desire the ability to stuff your face with unlimited food and drink? Want to party all night long and not worry about getting back to your hotel? Looking for offshore gambling and tax-free shopping? Or maybe you want some quality time with your family? Just want to sit by a pool with a frozen drink? Or do you fancy yourself and explorer looking for adventure on the high seas? Cruising may be for you! Cruise vacations have exploded in popularity over the past few decades and so have the number of cruise lines. More than 27 million people are expected to cruise in 2018 with one of over 50 cruise lines and 500 ships. There is something for everyone these days whether you want a short booze cruise around the Caribbean or a ulta-luxury tour of the Mediterranean. Ok, great! Where do I start? Generally when you start looking for a cruise you want to decide if the Destination or the Ship/Cruise line is more important to you. Cruise Destinations The Caribbean     More than a third of all worldwide cruising takes place in the Caribbean. It offers a huge variety of island destinations and is warm year-round. The Caribbean is also easily accessible for most Americans as most ships will be departing from Florida, Texas, New York, or Alabama. Thanks to the number of ships there is a lot of competition and lots of deals can be found especially during the June-November hurricane season (buy travel insurance). Both short and long duration cruises can be found here and no matter if you want a party or an adventure there is something for everyone. Typically a cruise will either be to the Western or Eastern Caribbean with 2-4 stops at different ports and if you cruise a major line you will likely get a day at one of their private islands. A cruise is also one of the few easy ways for Americans to visit Cuba. Popular ports of call: The ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) Bahamas Belize Cozumel Grand Cayman Havana Honduras Jamaica Key West Puerto Rico St. Maarten/St. Martin Turks and Caicos The Virgin Islands The Mediterranean     The second most popular cruising region for similar reasons as the Caribbean (warm and close to most Europeans). The major tourist hotspots all make appearances here although if you are doing a cruise to see places like Rome or Athens you may not be able to fully experience these cities in the few short hours you have in each port. But you can balance a warm weather vacation where you don’t have to worry about travel between cities with your desire to see some of the most ancient cities in the western world. Popular ports of call: Athens Barcelona Florence Istanbul Israel Marseille Naples Rome Santorini Venice Northern Europe     While not as warm, the northern European ports are just as popular destinations for cruisers. Discover the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Scandinavia, Russia, France, Portugal, even Iceland or Greenland! Europe is also where you will find many of the increasingly popular river cruises. These small ships travel the the many inland waterways of Europe and get you to more places that the big ocean ships cannot go. Popular ports of call: Amsterdam Copenhagen Dublin Helsinki Lisbon Oslo Southampton St. Petersburg Stockholm Asia     The fastest growing market for cruising, in Asia you will find most of the major lines you see in the rest of the world plus ones more focused on the local market. Make sure you take into consideration that many cruises departing China are designed for the Chinese and may not be quite the same experience as you find on cruises departing the US (think food and entertainment). Popular ports of call: Bali Bangkok Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Hong Kong Shanghai Singapore Tokyo Australia/Pacific     The Pacific is a big ocean. This region is vast and covers everything from booze cruises out of Sydney to honeymoons in French Polynesia. Unless you are a local these are typically the most expensive cruises. Popular ports of call: Auckland Bora Bora Fiji Honolulu Melbourne New Caledonia Sydney Tahiti Alaska     Popular in the summer, these cruises are focused less on the ship experience and more on the natural beauty, wildlife, and culture of Alaska. Popular ports of call: Anchorage Juneau Ketchikan Skagway The Others If none of those regions appealed to you, look around. Anywhere there is water you will likely find a cruise. Canada and New England, Central and South America, the Mexican Riviera, the Middle East, Africa, and Antarctica are all open to you. Cruise Lines For some people the ship itself is the destination. Cruise ships these days are more like floating theme parks than the stodgy ocean liners of the past. Although if you want a throwback luxury voyage those are available too. Consider what amenities, atmosphere, food, entertainment and accommodations each line offers when making your choice. Within most lines you will also have a wide selection of types of ship. There are big ships with lots of activities and small ships with a more sedate feel. There are ships with the newest technology and ships that are older but offer lower prices. Just like your destinations, the cruise lines cater to all types of tourists. Here is a very short list of the most popular lines.  Carnival Cruise Lines “The Fun Ships” appeal to those looking for just that… FUN! Carnival has a well earned reputation for being party ships but while you will certainly find the booze cruise crowd on shorter voyages, Carnival is also a great choice for family vacations. Their newer ships feature modern specialty restaurants, waterslides, mini-golf, ropes courses, IMAX theaters, and broadway shows. They also depart from the widest range of ports in the United States although many of these are served by the older and smaller (but recently refurbished) ships. A good choice for all ages and those looking for a vacation on a budget. Notable ships: Carnival Horizon - the newest and largest Carnival Breeze - recently renovated Carnival Mardi Gras - coming in 2020 it will be Carnival’s largest ship and the first Liquid Natural Gas fueled cruise ship in the world      Celebrity Cruises The upscale Celebrity Cruises is a premium line that offers smaller ships and a more relaxed atmosphere. Don’t expect a lot of kids by the pool (although there will be some) and there are no rock climbing walls here. What you will find is excellent food, entertainment, and adult clubs. Their newest ship, Celebrity Edge, features more dining options, Infinity balcony staterooms, and a “Magic Carpet” room that hangs off the side of the ship and can move up and down from the sea to the top deck. Private Islands: CocoCay in the Bahamas and Labadee in Haiti shared with their sister line Royal Caribbean Notable ships: Celebrity Edge Celebrity Reflection - largest and second newest after Edge Celebrity Xpedition, Xperience, and Xploration - ultra small ships that have a capacity of less than 100 passengers      Disney Cruise Line Mickey Mouse has been running his own cruise line since 1998. Although a small line by industry standards (only 4 ships) thanks to the Disney brand it is a popular choice for families. Most voyages depart Port Canaveral (an hour from Walt Disney World) for both Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises. Their smaller ships also make seasonal voyages to Europe, Alaska, and the Pacific. Their ships are designed like classic ocean liners and feature fun touches like Mickey ears on the smokestacks and horns that play Disney songs. On board you will find pools, waterslides, lots of entertainment for kids and families but also adult-only spaces. Their rotation dining has you and your waitstaff moving between various restaurants during the voyage and is the only line that offers free soda. Disney is also unique in that they offer various theme cruises throughout the year like Star Wars, Marvel, and Pirates. Pick DCL if you are looking for family fun. Don’t pick Disney if you are on a budget. Their cruises are twice as expensive as comparable trips on other lines. Private Island: Castaway Cay in the Bahamas is a port of call on most Caribbean sailings. Notable ships: Disney Dream and Fantasy - the newest ships feature the Aqua Duck water coaster Disney Magic and Wonder - the original ships are the only ones currently sailing outside the Caribbean Three more ships are currently on order for the early 2020s      Norwegian Cruise Line Despite the name, NCL is based in Miami and does most of its sailings out of the United States. It is the third largest cruise line in the world so you will also find voyages in Europe, Alaska, and the Pacific. NCL is known for “Freestyle cruising” which turned traditional cruise ideas like dress codes and dining rooms on its head. Although other lines have now made similar changes NCL remains an alternative for those looking for something a little bit different. Their ships are new and modern and each have unique art on the hull that makes them stand out. Norwegian ships offer a premium area called “The Haven” that offer adults-only sun decks, martini bars, and spas. They are also known for their booking promotions like free drink packages, WIFI, excursions, and specialty dinners when you book. Their fares are usually a little higher due to these “free” offers, however. Private Islands: Harvest Caye in Belize and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas Notable ships: Norwegian Bliss - launched in 2018 and the largest non-Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the Caribbean Norwegian Joy - sails out of Shanghai Pride of America - the first American flagged cruise ship in 50 years sails from Hawaii      Princess Cruises A member of the Carnival family, Princess Cruises caters to an older audience with its focus on a more traditional cruise experience. It is not totally stuck in the past, however, as you will find modern touches like celebrity chef restaurants and current broadway shows. Princess is also rolling out its Ocean Medallion technology. These wearable RFID tokens replace your ship ID/room key and promises features like more personalized service, easier boarding, and more ways to connect with your family, friends, and the ship. Princess offers a wide variety of voyages all over the world (and occasionally fully around the world). Pick this if you want something a little more upscale and traditional or a little more exotic. Private Island: Princess Cays in the Bahamas Notable ships: Royal Princess - The flagship of their largest class, the Royal Princess just had a recent renovation in 2016 and sails both the Caribbean and California/Alaska Caribbean Princess - Older and smaller but also recently renovated. It’s one of the first ships to have the new Ocean Medallions Sky Princess - Newest ship launching in 2019      Royal Caribbean International I saved the largest for last. Over the past two decades Royal Caribbean has been building the largest ships in the world again and again. It now boasts the four largest cruise ships in the world and 7 of the top 10. The Oasis class debuted in 2009 and is so large it has a massive open air central park down the middle with interior balcony rooms. Oasis ships also have multiple theaters, an ice rink, and a ten-story tall slide off the back of the ship. Royal includes the latest and greatest attractions on their ships and they can feel more like theme parks than cruise ships. You will find activities for everyone on Royal: bars, spas, mini-golf, water slides, zip-lines, surfing, skydiving, laser-tag, bumper cars, escape rooms, rock climbing, observation towers, carousels, Broadway shows, and on-board shopping malls. Their ships also offer a range of food options from the main dining room and buffets to specialty restaurants. Royal passengers will be everyone from partiers to families to older guests. Pick Royal if you are want the latest and greatest ships and activities. In addition to the Caribbean, Royal ships also sail in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Private Islands: CocoCay in the Bahamas is currently being remodeled for a 2019 relaunch that will feature the first water park on a private island. Labadee in Haiti is another private destination (it is actually a peninsula) for Royal that has multiple beaches and the longest zip-line in the Caribbean. Notable ships: Symphony of the Seas - the largest cruise ship in the world just arrived in Miami Anthem of the Seas - newer but slightly smaller than the Oasis class, this ship is designed for cooler weather with more indoor spaces and can be found in both New York and Europe Majesty of the Seas - an older ship but recently remodeled with regular sailings to Cuba Spectrum of the Seas - launching in 2019 it is the first Royal ship designed with the Chinese market in mind Icon of the Seas - currently scheduled to launch in 2020 it will be only slightly smaller than the Oasis class but be powered by liquid natural gas.     There are so many major cruise lines that I can’t list them all in detail. You can also check out MSC, Holland America, P&O, Costa, Viking Ocean, and others. If you have experience with one I haven’t covered (or one that I have) please feel free to share your thoughts. There are also specialty cruise lines. These usually feature smaller ships and an experience focused more on where you are going. Cunard Line - Owners of the Queen Mary 2, their ships call back to the golden age of ocean liners. While the QM2 is a true liner, their other ships offer more traditional cruises. Lindblad Expeditions - Small ship cruises to some of the most remote places on earth including the South Pacific and Antarctica. Paul Gauguin Cruises - Offers a single ship sailing around French Polynesia. Viking River Cruises - Sail the rivers of the Europe, Africa, and Asia Virgin Voyages - Richard Branson’s take on cruising starts sailing in 2020. The ships will be 18+ only and feature no-fee specialty restaurants. Finally there are also chartered cruises. These are usually ships chartered from one of the major lines for a single voyage based around a single theme. Themes of charter cruises include music, television, religion, LGBTQ, and even nudist. Usually these must be booked directly with the organizer instead of the cruise line. Booking Alright you have your destination and your ship (and sailing date, I hope). How do you actually book a cruise? Believe it or not, cruise lines are one of the few vacations where you should still be using a travel agent. No really. In fact the cruise lines strongly prefer you use an agent over booking directly with them. While you can still book directly with most lines the use of a travel agent has a lot of benefits. They can help you narrow down your options if you are not sure, keep an eye out for discounts and deals, get you on board credit or upgrades, and assist you with any issues that might come up. Best of all their services are free (they’ll get a commission from the cruise line). How do you find a travel agent these days? Well Google for starters. You can also ask around for referrals if you know anyone else who cruises (that’s how I got my agent). Many of the cruise blogs and websites have relationships with agents. If you are Costco member you can use them as your agent. Now what are you paying? Well it is going to depend on your cabin to start. Most lines have similar categories that break down into the following: Interior - no windows Oceanview - window or porthole Balcony - ocean view balcony Suites - A lot of variety here from rooms that are only a little bigger than a normal cabin to two-story super suites on mega ships     With suites and above you will usually get additional benefits that may include access to private areas, reserved seats for shows, and a concierge. Are interior cabins always the less expensive? No. Newer ships are designed to have far fewer of the less popular interiors and more balcony cabins. The laws of supply and demand will apply and you will likely see interiors that cost more than a balcony or maybe even a suite! Unlike a hotel where you buy a room for one price per night, usually prices quoted for the entire trip and per person based on double occupancy. Some rooms will accommodate more than two people and if you have a 3rd or 4th person you will pay an additional premium for them. This also means that solo travelers on most lines are required to pay full fare for a minimum of two people. A few lines (like Norwegian) give discounts on the single premium and there are newer ships (like on Royal Caribbean) that sometimes have single studio rooms with no premium at all. Depending on how far out you are booking you will put down a per-person deposit with the full balance due about 3-4 months before the voyage. This allows you some flexibility to spread out payments without needed to pay credit card interest. If you are booking a cruise that sails within a couple months you will likely need to pay in full immediately. The base fare will include your room, lots of food, and some non-alcoholic drinks. If you want a specialty dinner, booze, or spa treatments that all costs extra. You should also expect to pay extra for crew gratuities (usually automatically added to your bill on most lines) and shore excursions at your ports of call (if that is your thing). Most lines allow you to reserve and pay for all these extras ahead of time online. Many will also offer sales and packages were you may find things cheaper than if you had waited to buy them on board. Summary There is so much to research and consider before booking a cruise. If you are interested I hope you use the information I’ve provided as a jumping off point. Please use this thread to ask questions, share your experiences, or talk about news. If you want to know more I suggest reading Cruise Critic, https://www.cruisecritic.com/ , the major cruising website that covers every line. It really helped me plan and prepare for cruising. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7yfISlGLNU Zero One fucked around with this message at 05:13 on Feb 16, 2019 |
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Dec 11, 2018 05:20
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Where do you live? You could probably find a 3 day cruise for a couple hundred dollars per person that will give you a taste to see if you like it. I just finished a 7 day on Oasis of the Seas in October and even though there were over 6400 guests it never felt crowded. That ship is well designed to spread people around. Sure there were a lot of people but I never waited in lines for food or drinks or shows. I did Alaska years ago and it is a beautiful place. I've never cruised north Europe but there are probably cruises through the fjords there too. Because the south pacific is so expensive there are fewer options. But there is more than just the few things in my op. Browse Cruise Critic. You can search by region or city and see all the sailings on all the lines.
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Dec 12, 2018 17:31
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Lots of choices. Royal Caribbean does sailings out of Copenhagen or Stockholm for 7 day cruises through Scandinavia and St. Petersburg. Looks like they even have a few 2 week cruises but that might be a bit much for your first time. Looks like in 2019 they have Serenade of the Seas or its sister Brilliance. It's not a huge ship (only 2500 guests) which sounds like your desire. There will certainly be groups of tourists but its going to be more people looking for cultural adventure vs. a party cruise in the Mediterranean. I would also look into MSC. They are a European line and I don't know much about them but I have heard good things. MSC Poesia does sailings out of Stockholm: https://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=384
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Dec 12, 2018 20:35
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Royal released some 2020 schedules today and the big news is that Oasis of the Seas will spend summer 2020 in New York City. It will do sailings to both the Bahamas and Canada/New England. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2018/12/12/royal-caribbean-will-homeport-oasis-of-the-seas-new-york-city-area-2020 Edit: not to be outdone with big announcements today, Carnival 's newest ship the Mardi Gras is going to have a rollercoaster. https://twitter.com/carnivalcruise/status/1073220773756760065?s=21 Zero One fucked around with this message at 15:46 on Dec 13, 2018 |
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Dec 13, 2018 04:03
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Solo cruising is either expensive or difficult. Very few lines offer single cabins and if they do they are very limited in number. You are free to book a normal room but you will still need to pay as if there is another person (ie. Double). Norwegian is one of the few lines that still has some discount rates on doubles for solo cruisers. Not sure on your situation but you'd make it a lot easier and cheaper on yourselves if you could room together. Cruise Critic is the best you will find for searching various lines. They have pretty much everything. Every site has some affiliation with selling cruises but the info is honest. The reviews are from readers and you can browse their forums for more opinions. What other features do you care about? But honestly since your needs are so specific I highly recommend finding a travel agent to do the work for you. It's no cost to you and they can advise you on your options especially if you still intend to book solo rooms. Zero One fucked around with this message at 06:36 on Jan 22, 2019 |
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Jan 22, 2019 06:31
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Alaska is going to be your only option out of Seattle or Vancouver. Not that it's bad! Alaska cruises can be amazing and most certainly focus more on culture / exploration than on parties and clubs. There are some shorter ones but it's basically Vancouver to Ketchikan and back. If you are not afraid of a week long cruise (don't be scared of noro. Outbreaks like Oasis are rare). I would look at Princess or Celebrity. They are a little more upscale and sound more your speed. Royal Caribbean or Carnival wouldn't be bad if their schedules are better for you but they may lean a little more towards party ship. One thing about Alaska is that many cruises are one way (instead of returning to where you departed like most other cruises). Based on your friend make sure you book one that is round trip. Ruby Princess does round trips out of Seattle in the summer. It's a big ship but not a giant. Celebrity Solstice also has round trips from Seattle. It's slightly smaller than Ruby and more upscale. Zero One fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Jan 22, 2019 |
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Jan 22, 2019 17:48
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Pixelante posted:^ Might be more fun than taking the Clipper from Victoria to Seattle. I often get a bit seasick when hurtling over the waves in that drat thing. I have no information on designated single cruises but most regular voyages will not be that. Plenty of people sail alone or with a friend and you can chat with others onboard or keep to yourself. The "host" thing I have never heard before but I wouldn't expect it on any mainstream line. Formal dining nights still happen but on most lines dress codes are more recommendation than enforced. Dress as nice (or as casual) as you want. quote:How do ports work? Does the ship just roll up, open the doors and say "be back by 7pm or we leave without you"? Or is it more structured than that? I've only ever been on the receiving end of working retail on Vancouver Island during cruise season. Every shop downtown had the schedule of cruises and often had to put extra staff on when several ships were in town at once. That's the basics of ports. You can walk off and do your own thing until your all-aboard time. You can book an excursion (either from the line itself or with a third party company directly) with specific activities or you can explore the port on your own. You can also stay on the ship and enjoy the facilities with less people around. Edit: I've never personally used Costco but I've heard good things about their travel business. Zero One fucked around with this message at 19:33 on Jan 22, 2019 |
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Jan 22, 2019 19:11
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Cool let us know what you end up doing.
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Jan 24, 2019 05:06
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Alaska summers are not that cold but there will be times you want a jacket. Also many ships sailing in more northern climates are designed with more indoor spaces than southern ships.
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Feb 7, 2019 17:50
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Internet was pretty good on my last Royal Caribbean cruise. They claim to have the best of any line but it is expensive! You can get up to 5mbps for $15-20 per day. They use low orbit satellites over the equator so coverage is best in the Caribbean and not as good on more northern voyages.
Zero One fucked around with this message at 00:00 on Feb 13, 2019 |
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Feb 12, 2019 23:57
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Buying from the line itself is going to be more expensive and may not cover everything. It may only cover what you buy from the line itself and not things like plane tickets purchased seperately. Your travel agent should be able to arrange insurance.
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Mar 3, 2019 15:20
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skipdogg posted:Taking my first cruise in 3 months, and I've been watching youtube videos and reading the cruise forums to prepare myself. Going on Carnival Valor out of NOLA with stops in Cozumel and Progreso. We booked a balcony room on the 8th deck. Any bottles you buy on board are for home use and will be held until your last day. They don't allow you to drink them on board (they want to sell individual drinks at a higher profit). As for shore excursions it's really up to what you want. You can go to a beach resort and relax there if you want something more "real" or you can stay on the boat by the pool and enjoy it when most everyone else is gone. Cozumel is big enough that you can make a reservation for Mr Sanchos (or any other nearby attraction) and grab a taxi at the pier. If you want something more advanced like going to the ruins on the mainland you might be better off just arranging with the cruise line. On my last cruise we had Jamaica and Cozumel (and Labadee but that's just a private beach). In Jamaica we didn't do any excursions and just walked around the port shops for a couple hours. In Cozumel we went to Tulum which was cool but also felt rushed. I don't feel bad about either choice. It was a nice balance of doing something real and just enjoying the tourist stuff.
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Mar 11, 2019 22:51
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skipdogg posted:I thought Carnival let you order a bottle for the room now, you just can't take it out of the room. Was thinking about doing this instead of paying for individual drinks over the course of the trip. I thought you were talking about buying a bottle at the on board duty free. I was going to mention pre-buying a bottle which isn't a bad idea if it's all you want and will only want to drink in your room. Don't feel pressured to buy an alcoholic package if you don't think it will save you money. But I will say (on my RCI cruise) the drinks were easy to get on the pool deck and at dinner and I easily had 5-6 drinks a day because it was so easy to get one with my package. I paid $45 a day for the package and easily beat that.
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Mar 12, 2019 03:51
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Thanks for sharing. Did you meet the McElroy bros? The paid soft drinks has been a thing forever on pretty much every line. I remember a cruise I went on as a kid in the 90s and my parents had us only ordering the free ice tea. The only line that has free soda is Disney. As for the ship size that is pretty common for charters. Buying out a ship is expensive and you need to make sure you can fill it (the lines typically don't offer you any assistance with sales once you've chartered). There is one group that is able to charter the big Oasis class every year. It's the LGBTQ Atlantis events so they have a much broader audience than JoCo. Zero One fucked around with this message at 22:23 on Mar 18, 2019 |
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Mar 18, 2019 17:41
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How to move a giant ship down a tiny river backwards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09mr_IePyrs Zero One fucked around with this message at 16:35 on Mar 27, 2019 |
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Mar 27, 2019 16:32
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Navigator of the Seas would be a great ship to go on. It just finished a huge refurbishment last month that added new features like restaurants and waterslides. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/02/28/navigator-of-the-seas-completes-115-amplification-upgrades-across-the-ship
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Apr 4, 2019 15:29
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Cruises to Cuba may be over. https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/trump-administration-imposes-restrictions-on-travel-to-cuba No one is really sure how this will impact already booked and scheduled sailings. No lines have made any statements yet.
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Apr 18, 2019 16:51
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Hurricane season is June through November. The tail ends are usually much less risk and the peak is the beginning of September. With cruises though most of the time your voyage will be rerouted (ex: switch to a Western Caribbean itinerary if the storm is headed to Puerto Rico) instead of cancelled.
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May 13, 2019 22:01
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It's all a matter of perspective. My family is used to doing Disney World vacations so the prices of specialty dinners on Royal felt like a great deal. Food was also a lot better than you get at most Disney restaurants now. But if you have 20 years of cruising from when everything was included then the addition of specialty dining probably feels not as good. FWIW we never felt any "hard sell" pressure on our last Royal cruise. I think one crew member asked us about dining packages at lunch on the first day. We already had one so he moved on. No one else ever approached us again. Zero One fucked around with this message at 20:54 on May 14, 2019 |
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May 14, 2019 20:46
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Might be too late now but I recommended getting a Charles Schwab Bank debit card for travel. They refund any ATM fees that are charged and have no foreign transaction fees.
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May 15, 2019 04:19
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https://twitter.com/ap/status/1135902786548318208?s=21 Cruises to Cuba now banned again. When does this take effect? Hell if anyone knows.
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Jun 4, 2019 20:00
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Yeah. This was all so short notice they're not sure what they can or cannot do so they are redirecting today and tomorrow's sailings. https://twitter.com/royalcaribbean/status/1136044804847165440?s=21 Carnival and NCL are also changing sailings. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4155/ quote:(Updated 8:51 a.m. EDT) -- The Trump Administration announced new travel restrictions today that will effectively end Cuba cruises from the U.S., carrying American citizens.
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Jun 5, 2019 14:47
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Royal Caribbean accidentally listed their Premium drink package for $18/day online. Normally it goes for $40-60. It was actually less expensive than the non-alcohol package. Of course people starting buying it and telling their friends. Within a few hours Royal said it was a mistake. The people on Cruise Critic FREAKED OUT. "How dare they go back on their offer?" "They've RUINED my vacation." People started emailing the CEO. Royal said today that while they can't keep people at $18, they'll give anyone who books the package in the next few days 30% off the onboard price which brings the price down to the 40-45 range (depends on exact sailing). People are flipping out again because they didn't offer an even deeper discount (or didn't keep the original $18). No matter that everyone is back to the exact same place they were at Monday morning (or in a better spot if you had bought at an even higher price). It has been hilarious to watch. In other news, Carnival Vista has broken azipods and needs immediate repair. Unfortunately, back in April Oasis of the Seas broke the only drydock in the Caribbean capable of fitting Vista. What will Carnival do? Bring in a giant floating dock from the Netherlands: https://twitter.com/orlandosentinel/status/1146078453088825344 Video of how it will work: https://vimeo.com/345668784 Zero One fucked around with this message at 00:13 on Jul 3, 2019 |
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Jul 2, 2019 23:59
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Yeah people's cards were charged. However the law is very clear that mistake prices are not required to be honored. It wasn't a case of them jacking the price it was a case of a wildy low discount that has never been given for that product before. But In the end Royal did the right thing and honored that price for those who managed to get it at $18.
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Jul 5, 2019 00:11
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Drone footage of Carnival Vista parking on the floating dry dock. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR00XpFkExQ
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Jul 15, 2019 02:15
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At their D23 expo, Disney announced that their 5th cruise ship will be called DISNEY WISH. Sailings begin January 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1935sXbGFng They also announced their new private destination in the Bahamas. Located on Eleuthera at a place called Lighthouse Point. Not many details yet (or a name) but it is being designed by legendary Imagineer Joe Rhode who was (and still is) the lead designer of Animal Kingdom and the Aulani resort in Hawaii. quote:With local artists and cultural experts, he has explored cultural sites across New Providence and Eleuthera, from Junkanoo shacks to noted art galleries.  
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Aug 25, 2019 21:01
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Here is video from right above it. https://twitter.com/wendybrew5967/status/1208039729368690693?s=21
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Dec 20, 2019 18:36
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I've never been but I've heard of Key Lime Pie on a stick covered in chocolate. Try to find that. https://www.southernliving.com/travel/florida/kermits-key-lime-pie-on-a-stick
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Jan 19, 2020 00:13
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Silly Burrito posted:Great write up, thank you! I went to Coco Cay for the first time in October (I never went to the old version). It was pretty great. Even though there were two ships that day (us on Mariner and Grandeur) it never got too busy. I picked up a water park pass in advance for $38 and got off first thing on the morning to hit the slides. I probably didn't need to do that since there were never any lines for the slides but it was pretty at sunrise. https://twitter.com/cchard/status/1186607600344932352?s=20 The tallest slide was amazing. It was very fast and also long. The only downside was the insane climb to the top... it was so exhausting that I only did it once. Coco has something for everyone and I tried to do it all but you could easily spend the day just doing what you want. Waterpark/zipline/balloon for the thrill seekers. Pool for the party people. Beaches for those looking for a relaxing day. The food was great too and all included (I think the chicken wings at one bar cost extra but that was literally the only thing). 
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Jan 20, 2020 20:30
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slidebite posted:There is definitely some value in cruise critic and real gold info, but holy poo poo yeah there is a metric poo poo ton of whiners. Don't you even dare taking away a Diamond Platinum Ruby Plus member's access to the suite lounge! You will regret this! Also, tuxes are required in the dining room at all times. Anything less is just another sign of decline of the once-prestigious Caribbean Party and Booze Line. Zero One fucked around with this message at 06:26 on Feb 13, 2020 |
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Feb 13, 2020 06:24
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I used the Key on Mariner last year. It was nice but never needed to use the special seats because on that ship they just weren't as busy. The welcome lunch and departure breakfast were good though. The menu is not the full Chops menu so I do highly recommend going to dinner there one night. It was our favorite on both Mariner and Oasis.
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Feb 16, 2020 22:31
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Forgot to mention: for Oasis ships even with the Key you still need to make show reservations. But you will have a reserved area so you don't need to show up super early.
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Feb 17, 2020 00:06
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If you want to try a megaship you can't go wrong with an Oasis class on Royal Caribbean. Trying to pin down or compare prices will drive you mad. For deals and such it's a lot like airline tickets. One day might be one price and then it changes the next. Sales may or may not change the price of the sailing you want. Again I highly recommend a travel agent to help you book. They can look at various options and may be aware of upcoming promotions that would work for you. Zero One fucked around with this message at 06:07 on Feb 21, 2020 |
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Feb 21, 2020 06:02
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Royal did an amazing job designing the Oasis class so it doesn't feel like there are 6000 other people on the ship. There are multiple "districts" spread out on different decks that allow people to move around. And popular places like the pool deck are huge with tons of room for everyone. Honestly when we were on the smaller Mariner it felt a lot more crowded even with a fraction of the people.
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Feb 22, 2020 17:01
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Royal wasn't afraid to go huge to make a good guest experience. It will be interesting to see how Carnival Mardi Gras compares. There was already some grumbling last year about some of their refurbs adding too many rooms and taking away too many public spaces. Oasis 5484 passengers (double occupancy) 1186 ft long 198 ft wide 226,838 gross tons Mardi Gras 5200 passengers (double occupancy) 1130 ft long 138 ft wide 183,000 gross tons
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Feb 25, 2020 21:52
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Saladman posted:Is there any easy way to find videos of how cruise ships look in normal situations? I was kind of curious what various ships look like in action, and I could only find a handful of videos that seemed representative of an actual ongoing cruise at peak hours. 95% of videos just used stock footage of either nearly-empty areas that I presume were taken either at like 6am or during major shore excursions. I think a lot of those videos are made by travel agents who are invited on board for a tour on turnaround day. I suggest looking at the Cruise Critic boards for trip reports. Not many have videos but a lot will have tons of photos of all times of the voyage.
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Feb 26, 2020 23:46
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That picture is a Boardwalk balcony with which could have an obstructed ocean view out the back. There are also Central Park balconies which have no ocean view at all but are generally quieter because the park is more relaxed. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/10/19/what-you-need-know-about-neighborhood-balcony-staterooms-royal-caribbeans-oasis-class Zero One fucked around with this message at 17:35 on Feb 27, 2020 |
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Feb 27, 2020 17:31
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I would say that a cruise that soon is unlikely to be cancelled. And while it is possible it is unlikely that your ports will change. Even though two ports stopped that one MSC ship this week, dozens of other ships are still cruising the Caribbean every day.
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Feb 28, 2020 16:29
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Timely article: https://twitter.com/sunsentinel/status/1233382625320087553?s=21
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Feb 28, 2020 18:24
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 05:41 |
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NYT article about the Joco cruise: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/travel/joco-cruise-jonathan-coulton.html But for something even crazier check out the bitcoin cruise: https://breakermag.com/trapped-at-sea-with-cryptos-nouveau-riche/
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Feb 28, 2020 22:08
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