|
If you want a really really short taste there are also a lot of one night, one way cruises between Seattle and Vancouver for like $69-79 E: that’s going to be mostly a night of eating and drinking/clubbing though. WithoutTheFezOn fucked around with this message at 18:47 on Jan 22, 2019 |
#
¿
Jan 22, 2019 18:27
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 22, 2024 12:51 |
|
|
Yeah basically you get to a port at X AM. You can get off the ship or not. They’ll say “we leave port at Y PM, better be on board by then”. Usually in the Caribbean for us it’s 8am and 5pm. The cruise line itself will also offer excursions in port cities if you want that, and you’ll usually find private companies also offering excursions. Third party ones are often cheaper and/or more interesting, but booking through the cruise line is more convenient and you’re guaranteed not to be left behind.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 22, 2019 18:58
|
|
|
I’ve never taken an Alaska cruise, but my family members have. Yeah they wore winter coats at times, in the evenings. They went in early-ish June and said temps were generally around 45 at night to 65 during the day.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 7, 2019 06:15
|
|
|
Daydreaming can be fun. Since you mentioned sunbathing, though, consider the pool area is more than just the pool and lounge chairs. There will be lots of tables along the sides under a covered area, at least one bar at either end, that’s often where they’ll have a band or DJ, and usually there will probably be a couple of lunch grillouts next to the pool. It’s kind of the place to go, except for later at night. In my experience, at least, which has all been Caribbean.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 10, 2019 06:32
|
|
|
Yeah you can order that, but if you’re, say, out by the pool, you have to get your mixer from the bar/server, walk to your room, then go back to the pool. Also the glasses of soft drinks at the bar are pretty small, as I remember. Unless you get the soft drink package and then buy a (apparently) 14oz. insulated Carnival cup for like $8 and take it to the bar. But I just wanted to mention that the soft drink package is a no brainer for me, because it includes juice. Orange, grapefruit, cranberry, pineapple, and tomato IIRC.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 12, 2019 01:31
|
|
|
A few random thoughts for you, from my own experience. I’ve only been on Caribbean cruises. Other than the casino and maybe one “nightclub”, the ships generally seem to shut down by around 11pm - midnight. You can still get some food, but the decks are pretty empty. In addition to advertised ticket price, pay attention to the “fees, taxes, and port fees” charge. This usually will run you an extra $100-200 total per person. You’re also expected to tip your service people, like cleaners and waiters. In the old days, that usually meant a bunch of envelopes showed up in your stateroom on the last night, but nowadays most lines seem to have a thing where you can opt to just add $16-20 bucks per day to your room charge. Alcohol passes, you generally can’t buy one for just one person — everyone in the room needs to sign up, I think those are about $60-80/day/person? And I’m just guessing here, but “above 70 during the day” on an Alaska cruise probably isn’t going to happen, especially in May. Water is cold.
|
|
#
¿
May 5, 2019 20:16
|
|
|
How long a cruise are you looking at? What departure ports are you considering? Basically it’s Somewhere In Florida, New Orleans, or Galveston. (Or San Juan I guess). Shore stops are generally like 8am to 4 or 5 pm. Anything in particular you want to do? Is just chilling on the ship your main focus?
|
|
#
¿
May 13, 2019 02:15
|
|
|
Dazerbeams posted:Around 7-10 days give or take. I don’t know squat about Bermuda except that it’s a lot further north than I thought when I was younger. The Bahamas are really close to Florida, and Bahamas cruises tend to be short (3-5 days). There may be some cruises that stop in the Bahamas before making the big eastern Caribbean loop. I would assume most Bermuda cruises are short, too. If you’re looking at the Caribbean, I think the first thing to look at is western or eastern. Eastern is like the Grand Turks, the Virgin Islands, and possibly down to Aruba and/or Curaçao. Western would be mostly Jamaica, the Caymans, and along the gulf coast of Mexico. Some also stop on the island of Roatan off Honduras, and Belize City. And Cozumel, the island just off the coast of Cancun, seems to be the most popular cruise destination — that is, tons of cruises stop there. A lot. Not sure what you mean by “see the sites”, but many western ports will give you the opportunity to visit Mayan ruins, which we found really cool but be warned because of the limited time in port and the fact that the ruins aren’t located right next to the cruise ports means those excursions are kind of time limited and generally not chill at all where a clock is concerned. In my limited experience, a ruins excursion is usually a 6 hour deal in total (from leave ship to board ship), and 2-3 hours are at the actual site. For Florida ports, I think it’s safe to say Miami is the busiest one as far as number of departures. Port Canaveral I would guess is next — it’s an hour due east from Orlando, and there are lots of cheap shuttle services between the two so you wouldn’t have to rent a car. There are also some cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale, and a few out of Tampa. All pretty big airports with cheapish fares. Since you mentioned wind-down periods, you might not rule out a shorter cruise + a stay near your departure port. As an example (and not necessarily a recommendation) a few years back my wife and I took a 7-day western Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans, then booked a 3-night stay in NO for after, before flying home. (For info, if you consider this option Port Canaveral is on a barrier island right next to Cocoa Beach). I’d just start browsing the cruise lines' web sites and seeing what’s generally available. You can filter by all sorts of stuff when you search. I might be able to answer some more specific questions about western Caribbean ports if you think of any.
|
|
#
¿
May 13, 2019 15:56
|
|
|
From what I understand June “officially” starts the Caribbean hurricane season, but hurricanes tend to hit later in the year. From my experience rain in southern Florida and south of there is it rains often but not for long, not like the “it’s cloudy all day and it drizzled for six hours” stuff you may be used to in PA. Also as an anecdote, once on a Bahamas cruise the day we landed in Nassau it was raining really hard and .. well we were wearing flip flops, it’s 85, didn’t care at all. Ive never been on what I would call a bad cruise, but they were different situations and different itineraries so I would hesitate to make a recommendation. As far as on-ship stuff goes, I can say this though: Carnival definitely does not have the nicest ships of those I’ve been on, but I’ve had more fun on Carnival ships than on others, personally.
|
|
#
¿
May 13, 2019 21:40
|
|
|
Norwegian cruise lines also runs many Caribbean cruises.
|
|
#
¿
May 14, 2019 06:26
|
|
|
WhiteHowler posted:Seems like most (all except Disney?) cruise lines have premium/upcharge restaurants on board. I didn't try any aboard Holland America, though I heard they were all good -- it just feels weird paying that much for a cruise, and then having to pay $20 extra for better steak or Italian or whatever. And if we’re talking beverages, I always seem to turn into a pineapple juice monster on cruises. Norwegian seems to almost always offer a “free at sea” thing where there are like four things you can pick from — free drink package, free WiFi, premium dining credit, or a $50/port excursion credit. You can pick one with base staterooms and I think multiple when you up your ticket price. If you have two alcohol drinkers, that’s kind of a no brainer choice. E: oops Braksgirl already mentioned that. WithoutTheFezOn fucked around with this message at 20:25 on May 14, 2019 |
|
#
¿
May 14, 2019 20:19
|
|
|
I’m slightly afraid to ask, but ... magnets?
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2019 02:19
|
|
|
Oh right I forgot magnet hooks and clips exist. Also for your packing list, why has no one mentioned earphones and possibly a spare set of earphones?
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2019 02:58
|
|
|
skipdogg posted:I don’t have those on my list oddly enough. I have 2 different kinds of earplugs, but no earphones. Didn’t really think about them since I was going to lock my phone in the safe and not use it on the cruise. The last two cruises I’ve been on had ATMs, and you could also get cash at the casino cashier. Both had significant service charges, though, I think the ATM was $6 per transaction. Also agreeing with Silly, every time we’ve travelled to the Caribbean we wish we’d have brought more 1s and 5s.
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2019 03:53
|
|
|
Just chillin' is cool. Hey speaking of excursions, do you guys want to laugh* ... like a B.O.S.S.? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IAOKccvGXPc *or cry, or 
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2019 06:50
|
|
|
Also this is an option: https://www.carnival.com/FunShops/in-stateroom-beverages
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2019 21:04
|
|
|
Completely up to you, but I’m going to mention that as soon as you board, if not before, Carnival will ask you whether you would like to have them add $14/day per person to your bill as a general tip for general staff — all the people you don’t interact with much if at all. I tip some people more than that, but Imma stay out of tipping discussion. Regarding your previous comment, my wife and I usually debate what tier of room to get, but in my experience it’s not much of an exaggeration to say we're basically only in our room to sleep and shower.
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2019 22:22
|
|
|
15-18 days, 4-5 days of open sea at both ends, starting at roughly $1500 pp before port fees. For us commoners without travel agent juice.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 20, 2020 15:31
|
|
|
I got no answer but in the US the rivers that spring to mind are the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi (don’t know about out west). None of those three strike me as particularly “scenic” and cities are spread way out. The hills between, say, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati can be pretty but there’s a lot of empty space there.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 23, 2020 16:18
|
|
|
coronavirus posted:What do you think is the best deal in Cruising right now out of the big brands (carnival,RC,celeb,princess,NCL) ?  I think the “choose from these five free perks” thing is pretty much constant from NCL.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 22, 2020 06:52
|
|
|
I was browsing for the heck of it last week and saw a last minute Carnival deal for a 7-night East Caribbean Cruise. Total cost for two people, including taxes and port fees and prepaid gratuities was $758.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 28, 2020 23:06
|
|
|
I dunno, I have the most fun on Carnival cruises. Maybe it’s chance. Certainly not the hickiest cruise crowds I’ve seen. My limited experience, and a guess, say if you dislike loud drunks stay away from Norwegian. The fact that they pretty much have a permanent “hey here’s a free 15-drinks-a-day pass” offer with every ticket probably doesn’t help.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 1, 2020 08:56
|
|
|
Don’t know your situation, but me, I’d take the cash. My thoughts: Ain’t no one cruising in 2020. Who the heck knows what next year will bring, both for cruise lines and your personal life. When they do start back up, it may be difficult to get the dates you want for a while. Norwegian may not exist, or you may just want to choose another line.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 17, 2020 00:41
|
|
|
It’s a bad decision to start cruising in August, I agree. It may not be a bad decision to announce it, though, then change plans later.
|
|
#
¿
May 7, 2020 05:25
|
|
|
Annath posted:Ah, I didn't realize the drinks thing was $60 per DAY. Additionally, if one person buys the alcoholic drink package, all adults staying in their room have to also purchase it.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 28, 2022 21:22
|
|
|
Chin Strap posted:There's a pop only package.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 5, 2023 22:29
|
|
|
Hotels near the cruise port like the Intercontinental in Brickell or the Marriott Biscayne Bay (which has some pretty impressive views in the corner suites — including views of the cruise ships — but not much within a block or two to do) afaik don’t have shuttles but the concierge can easily book a pretty inexpensive shuttle for you. Google “Miami Wynwood” and see if that appeals to you. It’s also fairly close to the port. Like Saladman said, your beach options are Miami Beach or a fairly lengthy drive. Edit: don’t get a car. Among other things, every hotel even remotely near the port will charge you $25-30 per night for parking. Plus driving in Miami isn’t fun. Edit2: From what I’ve noticed the last few years, hotel prices in S Florida are very extremely dependent on what time of year it is. Like the price range can be 300%. WithoutTheFezOn fucked around with this message at 19:58 on Jan 13, 2023 |
|
#
¿
Jan 13, 2023 19:44
|
|
|
Saladman posted:. We just never found anything that I would be like "omg you're going to Miami? You HAVE to do [x]."
|
|
#
¿
Jan 15, 2023 22:37
|
|
|
Judgy Fucker posted:This is good advice, thanks. I'll pack a couple books and make use of these patios and other quiet areas. I do intend on hitting up the casino; my dad says it's always dead, so I guess I'll just see for myself. Even if it's busy I can always tunnel-vision some video poker at the bar or something.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 23, 2023 22:26
|
|
|
I am usually pretty chill about big city traffic, but Miami absolutely sucks to drive in. Sucks big sweaty rhino balls. Not A Fan. However, your hotel will be really close to the dock, so on that trip it won’t matter.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 24, 2023 03:08
|
|
|
No ships in port doesn’t seem too uncommon for the three or four times I’ve been down there. Also keep in mind they have pretty fast turnaround. As in, pull in to port at about 8am, unload, reload, and leave around 4pm. Have fun.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 5, 2023 14:58
|
|
|
I have no experience with any of them, but be wary about what it says is “price” because often what’s included in a base package can vary significantly. Some of the differences may be insignificant — for example having “premium” coffees included might be worth $25/day for some people but $0 to others. Same with alcohol, Wi-Fi, spas, non-buffet dining options, etc. WithoutTheFezOn fucked around with this message at 19:19 on May 25, 2023 |
|
#
¿
May 25, 2023 19:17
|
|
|
Not a multiple-time thing, but the Bahamas' 50th independence anniversary is July 10th.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 16, 2023 17:40
|
|
|
The way I remember the cruise stop in Nassau is this, in general terms: Walk off the ship and: 1) Turn left and go towards the (fake?) island with the all-inclusive resorts on it. 2) Go straight a block or two and hit a row of dozens of duty-free shops. Designers, jewelers, etc. 3) Turn right and eventually find an area of bars and restaurants. All surrounded by what seemed to be genericcaribbeancity01.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 16, 2023 18:16
|
|
|
Man you’re not kidding. A day pass is $250.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 16, 2023 19:38
|
|
|
Crust First posted:The issue I'm finding is that booking P&O cruises for an American seems like it might be more complicated than booking as a UK citizen. https://www.poamericas.com/ I’d guess getting two cabins right next to each other may require talking to a person.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 12, 2023 22:08
|
|
|
Ok but I have a question. Since your Blue Cross covers you in foreign countries (ours does too) what benefits have you seen from the extra cruise insurance or whatever it’s called?
|
|
#
¿
Dec 2, 2023 23:36
|
|
|
Well, yeah, ok but you happened to buy at a historic low, and Carnival's outlook isn’t exactly rosy. May not be the best financial thing to do, but /shrug. It’s $1600 lifetime and we’re talking cruises. Anyway you got me interested, and it looks like Norwegian and Royal Caribbean have the exact same benefits, and Princess is owned by Carnival so it applies to them, too.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 3, 2024 19:06
|
|
|
poolside toaster posted:The Carnival stock benefit applies to Princess as well, Seems like lines consider these “onboard credit”, so I would guess a bargain hunter might potentially run into problems with credits not stacking.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 4, 2024 01:20
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 22, 2024 12:51 |
|
|
Isn’t “dated as hell” a large portion of Caribbean cruise ships, especially the short-voyage ones?
|
|
#
¿
Jan 31, 2024 04:12
|
|