angelwinks_ca

We're an hour from Toronto and usually fly out for our cruises from there when we travel in the winter. We've cruised out of Miami a few times(flew into Ft. Lauderdale), Galveston and Tampa when flying. The Florida ports were much easier than Galveston (flights go into Houston)! Flying info Ft. Lauderdale was cheaper than Miami for us Canadians at the time and the outside company we hired for the transfer to the port of Miami the next day was only $15 per person as appose to the close to $50 per person transfer to Galveston. TONS of flights into Ft. Lauderdale and Miami! So take flights into consideration!

 

 

NEXT...I'd be looking at itinerary. What ports are you interested in? Once you know if you want Western, Eastern, etc. itinerary...look at what ships go there on both Carnival and say Royal Caribbean for the time period you are looking at. We've done both and there are pros and cons with both. For us...it comes down to budget. Both cruise lines have great children activities but the ships for each vary activities. Meaning...they both have kid's clubs but some has rock climbing, skating rink, etc. All the extras that can be fun!

 

If you are cruising in the summer or fall...consider driving to a port. We've drove to South Carolina and Baltimore. Saved on flight costs which is a significant cost for us! There's cruises out of New York as well!

 

There's cruise ship centers all around. Look for one in your city and sit down and talk to someone. They can offer great advise and give you some inside scoop! They often have cruise nights where they promote a certain fleet.

 

Good luck with your search and enjoy your 1st cruise!

Somehow us and our friends were in different restaurants and requested this be fixed as soon as possible.

 

There was me, hubby and daughter and we were seated with another family the same the first night. Our daughter's looked around the same age. We looked about the same age as the couple. I was excited to meet another family and make new friends!

 

They were BORING!! The conversations went like this...

Me - Do you have any excursions planned?

Them - no, not this time

Me - So you've cruise before?

Them - This is our 3rd cruise

Me - Have you been to these ports before

Them - No

 

This is the way the entire conversation went until I finally gave up. No asking us questions, no trying to interact in any way. It was weird and extremely awkward!

 

THANKFULLY they fixed our reservations and we were seated with our friends who are lively people the next night!

We LOVE our packing cubes. My hubby was not a believer until our first time using them.

 

We roll all our clothes and always cross pack! Unpacking/packing is easy. Cube comes out and goes on the shelf. I like the medium size the best. Holds for us about 3-4 outfits. Bought two sets from Amazon.

 

I too use the small one for the plane. Grab out before take off and it has everything I need for the flight.

I've bought bathing suits from Addition Elle, a plus size store in Canada (they also ship t the US!) and I've never had an issue.

 

I too bought my last bathing suit from Addition Elle. I'll never shop elsewhere from now on. It's held up amazing the past 2 years!

Do I need luggage tag holders for our bags? How are these supposed to go on? If holders are needed isn't it kinda silly they don't provide them?

 

We usually fly to the port so we have to remove the airline luggage tags and attach the cruise luggage tags we printed at home. I've always packed clear packing tape to attach and 'laminate' the tags however...I just bought CRUISETAGS from Amazon. I'm excited to use them for my next cruise! No more clear packing tape needed for this cruiser! :)

For all fellow Fellow Canadians who want to cruise this year. Seems the cruise rates have gone way way up. Due to our bad dollar. What are some ways you may be still cruising this year? what type of cruise you doing and what ways are you looking to save? or are you biting the bullet and willing to pay triple the price, lol

 

We just cruised in August and drove to the port of Baltimore from Toronto area. It was an 8 hour drive but saving the airfare was a HUGE saving! It was Sunday to Sunday so we drove Saturday and spent the night. Baltimore hotels are CHEAP compared to other ports. Off the ship the following Sunday and drove straight home. Had the Monday off due to the long weekend which was nice! Cruise cost us about $3500 CAN for 4 people for balcony room.

 

We've also drove to South Carolina from Ontario. The drive was 2 days there, two days back. About 17 hours to drive. BUT what an amazing drive it was! Such a pretty part of the US to see! That cruise cost us less than $2000 Can for 7 day cruise for 3 people. Window room.

 

We don't mind the roadtrip and find its a great way to still travel but stick to a budget. I find airfare is the biggest cost to factor in.

Wanted to get feedback on this excursion with RCI passengers specifically.

 

The reviews are saying the boat ride there is either 1.5 hours or 45 minutes - lol that's a big difference! Anyone have experience with it?

 

I'm a bit concerned with ocean conditions the beginning of January. Do you think we need to worry that the water will be rough? Is it historically at that time of year?

 

Also, if we take the 8:30 excursion and get back to the ship by 12:30/1:00 will that leave us time to then take the a tender over to the mainland and check out the mainland alittle bit. I believe we leave port at 6 that day so it sounds like it should be plenty of time. Just wondering if anyone has ever done it.

 

Thanks :)

 

We did the Barrier Reef Snorkeling Wonders - BE31 with Navigator of the Seas last week. We loved it! Our excursion was for 11:30am and the tender picks you up right at your ship. It was about 45 minutes to the island. The water was pretty calm which could account for the difference in time. We booked the night before at 11pm after confirming the next days weather and thankfully it was not booked up and we got a spot. Once on the island, they ask you to join either beginner, intermediate or advanced. We were intermediate so can't speak on the rest. It was AMAZING!! We brought our Go Pro and our own snorkle mask and snorkle. They provide the fins. Once in the water, where was two staff in the water directing, giving information, diving down to bring up interesting things like a star fish. There was another staff on a kayak. We spent about an hour in the water and I found that was enough. Back on the island for about 1.5 hours to swim on the beach, snorkel from the beach or lie in the sun or shade. They sell burgers, etc. so bring money. We never did and just waiting till we got back to eat on the ship. Back around 3pm, grabbed some money and quick sandwiches and caught the 3:30 tender to the port to do some quick looking around and get my daughter her Belize bracelet. Back on the 4:30 tender back to the ship.

 

If you have a morning excursion and want to tender to the port to look around for the afternoon, you should have time to do that.

We were just at Nachi Cocom last week. AWESOME!!

First time there and we will be back! Grabbed a cab directly off the Navigator of the Seas and it was $17 one way for two people. Prices are listed on the sign at the cab pick up.

Upon arrival, they take your picture with hats at the entrance and come around later to sell you the picture. It was $12. Other than someone coming over to see if we were interested in massage or water sports, no one else approached us.

 

Limited to 100 people a day, I would guess there was only about 50-60 the day we were there. The only other ship in port was Carnival Dream.

 

We had a palapas with four lounges just for the two of us. One for wet, one for dry lounging! Clean, clear beautiful beach to enjoy. Lunch was delicious the drinks were plentiful! Spent most of the day on the beach and about an hour in the pool which was busier. Swim up bar and lots of loungers. We will DEFINITELY be back!

Not very happy with Royal at the moment. Had a relatively early flight (for Galveston from Hobby) but figured with the priority disembarkation I'm supposed to get as a D+ and we would be fine. And the flight was after the recommended time.

 

But customs had an issue that stopped disembarkation right before Group 4, the first of the Diamond Plus groups. When they allowed it to restart, instead of coming and telling us we could go, in an effort to clear the ship really fast, RCCL announced groups 1-10 (out of 20 - and that doesn't include the 6 self disembark groups) in the public areas but waited 15 minutes before coming and telling the Diamonds and Diamond Plus that were in the assigned waiting area that we could go.

 

As a result, instead of getting priority disembark we ended up behind over half the ship and it took 2.5 hours to get through customs - in an extremely hot and sweaty terminal. And we missed our flight home.

 

I understand about customs issues, but Royal made it 100 times worse by calling everyone at once, instead of sticking to the priority of groups that they assigned. This was the worst disembarkation I've ever experienced. My transatlantic was a breeze compared to this.

 

That really sucks!! We were on your cruise and did self assist and at 7:30am and out of the terminal at 8:20am and seen the line up really stalling behind us! We had a 12:00 flight out of Bush so we had a private driver pick us up at Starbucks across the street for 9am. Thankfully he was right on time and got us to the airport for 10am. I wasn't taking any chances but to do self assist with that tight of a time line.

We have a teen that has special needs that requires our occasional assistance. She can't just leave us a note on post it or walk around the ship to find us or wait until our meet up time.

She's completely independent and is capable of being on her own BUT for this one issue where she needs one of us immediately.

 

We found a walkie-talkie that has a vibrate option. My husband would wear it and my daughter would activate it and my husband would go to a quiet place to answer her. They would plan where to meet, usually back at the room and that's it. She understood it was only for a NEED basis. We were respectful of fellow cruisers but in our case, it was a necessity to be able to communicate immediately.

 

We got two schedules for her activities so we had a copy and she had a copy. We knew where she was at all times. We planned when and where to meet up so the walkie-talkie was never needed but a few times over the week. Careful planning and discussions about the activities your kid will be involved in will help plan WHEN and WHERE to meet up. Bring a highlighter and outline clear expectations of where your child can hang out. Found my kid mostly in the teen club, the lido deck, and the food area! Cabin rooms were forbidden right off the bat!

 

BUT for her special needs, I wouldn't think a walkie-talkie is necessary and would gladly leave it at home!

My husband and I booked our first cruise, 7 days in the western Caribbean on the carnival glory in November! We leave out of Miami and go to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, and grand cayman. i have a couple questions

1. How much cash should i bring? I know excursions are put on your card but what about pictures or other things?

2. what should i pack aside from clothes and bathing suits?

3. any tips on good excursions in any of these locations, we are up for anything fun!

Any other tips you have on the ship or the ports or just tips for a first time cruiser would be great!!:)

W

 

We just did the Glory in March! If the cruise director is still Dr. E, you will love him!! He's so much fun!

 

We did this itinerary our first cruise and minus Grand Cayman, its our itinerary for our next cruise as well! We LOVE these ports!

 

We only use cash for sourvenirs, tips, cab, and wine and water/pop. Everything else is on the credit card. Ship card account goes on the credit card.

 

Excursions - read the message boards here. Check out Trip Adviser and Other cruising websites.

We went to Zunantunich in Belize (booked with cruise line). AMAZING!!

We Ziplined in Roatan at Gumbalimba Park (booked with cruise line). AWESOME!!

We did the 7-mile beach in Grand Cayman (cab) and never again. WAY WAY too busy for us!

We just shopped in Cozumel. Ventured away from the touristy area and felt safe and found some unique shops

This upcoming cruise we booked:

Cuzumel - Nachi Cocom all inclusive - LOOKS GREAT!

Belize - nothing planned yet - might just shop in the cruise area and enjoy the quiet ship!

Roatan - Victor Bodden Group Tour

 

Excursions can cost A LOT of money!! My advise...if its an all day, book with the ship! If its not, if you feel comfortable, book with an outside company which is often cheaper.

Set a budget and figure out what you REALLY want to do! Ziplining, cave tubing, ruins, all inclusive? THEN find which port offers the best of those options and plan that first. OR say you can only afford 2 excursions, think about where you can go off and tour on your own by cab or group bus. I would NOT recommend Belize! Belize is where I would plan an excursion. I find Grand Cayman and Cozumel is the best of the 4 for going off on your own based on safety and accessible places beyond the port.

 

The message boards on this site are amazing for tips for new cruisers. They will give you great packing advise! We are planning our 4th cruise next month and our packing list is still changing. Things I thought I wouldn't need, I did and things I brought and didn't use. I love the over the door organizer but since this upcoming cruise we will be kid free and not need as much room, I'll likely leave it at home! One think I cannot do without is my travel medicine cabinet!! Finding meds is not always accessible and each time we have needed something! Daughter had bad ear ache last cruise. AND an allergic reaction to something! Think gravol, immodium, benedryl, etc. Unfortunately these are items where thinking WHAT IF comes in handy and could make a difference in the quality of your cruise.

 

Have fun planning!!

If we cruise - it looks like it will be on Carnival.

 

We've only cruise Carnival so far and have loved it!

 

If AI resort - it will be somewhere Mayan Riviera (Cancun? Playa del Carmen?)

 

For an all inclusive - We loved Grand Bahia Principe Sian Kaan (adults only) in the Playa Del Carmen area.

 

I was curious what cost differences there are. We would be flying from Detroit likely, possibly Toronto (there are not many flights out of Windsor Airport yet at the right time).

 

We have flown out of Toronto, Detroit and Buffalo. Driving a 3.5 hours to detroit is worth it to us to save money. We have found for an all inclusive, Toronto is affordable but for a cruise (booking flight only)...Detroit or Buffalo is more affordable for us. OVER ALL...the price for cruising Carnival is about the same as an all inclusive.

 

We are both happy spending lots of time on a beach.

An all inclusive will give you more beach time for sure. Chairs around the pool on a ship for Sea days can be hard to find! HOWEVER...you can book excursions to all inclusive resorts. Booking privately will keep the cost down.

 

We are not big drinkers, but it's vacation....so..... we would plan on drinking some alcohol.

Carnival, you can each bring on a wine bottle. BUT you pay for alcohol unless you buy a package. We like to drink on vacation and we plan for only 2-3 drinks each per day and budget for that.

 

As for shore excursions....the only thing we want to see (mostly me, but my wife will certainly come with me) is Chichen Itza - so that gives options for both cruise or AI. But then again, how do you know that excursion is going to be available, until after you book??? Beyond that, we probably wouldn't do many shore excursions. We would like to see some of the local shops, food places, see some local culture. Mostly relax.

Not all cruises to Mexico offer this excursion through the cruise line. You might have to book privately and keep in mind then timing. I've never had an excursion not available months in advance. Well...Half Moon Cay always has the cabanna's booked in advance! Just don't wait too close to the cruise to book your excursions!

 

Carnival seems interesting because it seems like they are the most casual. I really don't want to "dress up" on vacation, I'm a jeans and t-shirt, shorts and t-shirt and ball cap kind of guy. Do you have to attend the fancy dinner on a cruise?

NOPE!! You can get room service or go the buffet.

 

We are a bit budget conscious, so I want to be aware of things that are extra - like gratuities for example? Are there port charges involved (I've heard something about this)?

I THINK all port charges are included in your cruise fees. BUT I could be totally wrong! I've never had an extra cost for port charges on Carnival BUT was reimbursed port costs when our port was cancelled.

Gratuities can be included in your cruise or you can stop at the customer service on the first/second? day and have them removed and administer your own gratuities.

 

Something to consider for the budget conscious...how about driving to the port? We took a great cruise out of South Carolina! About 14 hours for you! AND there's New York City, New Jersey and Baltimore. about 8-10 hours. If you don't mind the drive...it saves the airfare which is one of the biggest costs with cruising for us Canadians. I don't think you'll find Western Caribbean out of these ports but if you plan to continue to travel every year/every few years...you could always think about a lower cost cruise by driving in the future!

 

One thing about resorts I keep reading about is the push for time-shares....uhm..no thanks!

Some do but the resort I mentioned above...there was no push at all. Actually there was an area set up in the lobby but no one approached us.

 

Cruise looks neat because see multiplte destinations (Cozumel, Roatan, Grand Cayman) as an example.

That's what we LOVE about cruising more than all inclusives. I love the ports but husband loves the ship. We love that we are entertained all the time on the cruise ship if we want to be. There's always something to do! AND always time to do NOTHING but read if we should choose!

We love the pools more at the resorts but for our upcoming cruise...we've booked an all inclusive resort in Mexico so we can get our drink on and enjoy the pool!! We found resorts...after the nighttime entertainment ends at say 10pm, there's not much to do unless you like the casino or night club. The cruise ship has the comedy club or movie on the big screen on the Lido deck AND night club and casino until into the early hours. WE LOVE THE OPTIONS!!

I know that the ride is 2 hours each way but I'm curious as to how long you actually get to spend at Xunantunich. We are booking through Carnival.

 

I'd like to say you get about 1.5 hours at Zunantunich. The drive there goes really fast. The guides are great with explaining Belize, explaining what you are seeing outside and answering questions. You come to a small stall market and river where you are transported across on foot by a hand cranked ferry. Then into Jeeps to transfer up the hill. There's washrooms and a snack shop where the jeeps stop and you walk to the ruins. About 5 minutes. We followed the guide around explaining the history of the ruins and climbed to the top. To be honest, with the heat it felt like enough time. I was eager to get out of the sun. There is some shade but not a lot. Back the way we came to the bus. Then on to an outside restaurant for chicken, rice and beans. It was great to sit in the shade and relax. Most slept on the way back. It was a long day but it was so worth it!

I am going on my first cruise in September for my honeymoon. I keep asking people I know who have cruised what type of clothes they suggest and most can't answer me. I was told you can't wear short shorts? What type of clothing do you suggest is best for females to bring?

 

Daytime - shorts, t's, tanks, bathing suit, sundress, flip flops/sandals, water shoes. Running shoes for any shopping shore days.

I always change for the evening.

Evenings, I'll wear a dressy/breezy/light top, usually with a tank top under (I can wear the tank again) and bring 2 pairs of pants & 2 light sweaters. Surprisingly evenings could be cool. Maybe I just feel cool because I'm usually burnt! LOL If its hot, I'll wear dressier capris or skirt.

 

Carnival 7 day cruises usually has 2 formal nights. I bring 2 dresses. Last cruise, I wore the same skirt (Maxi) and changed tops. I brought a light infinite scarf and next night, chunky jewellery. One pair of strappy heals.

 

Of course...a few bathing suits and cover ups! I bring one gym outfit as well as I try to fit in a bit of gym time.

 

Short shorts are fine during the day. Most are in bathsuits and coverups for entering the buffet dining area so you will be fine! Can't wear short shorts for evening dining however.

 

I love Pinterest for cruise clothes ideas! AND for lots of other cruise stuff too!!

Hi. We're curious about Canada/New England as a cruise region and would love to know: Is it on your bucket list and if so, why? What about the region appeals to you? And if this region, which features ports like Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Prince Edward Island, Trois Rivieres, Quebec City and Montreal

 

Living in Southwestern Ontario, we see fall foliage yearly. AND too much snow for that matter!

 

To escape the long winters, we love heading south! HOWEVER...this is definitely on our bucket list! For many reasons!!

 

1 - We LOVE cruising!

2 - We can drive to the port in New York City (which is where we'd like to go out of) This saves us money as we usually have to fly!

3 - New York City is my one of my favourite places in the world!

4 - I've never seen the east coast of Canada and I've heard it's BEAUTIFUL!!

5 - I can use Canadian $'s and use my cell phone! LOL

6 - I'd likely not take the cruise to Quebec because then I'd have to fly. This cruise would be a "save me money cruise since I can drive!!" Been to Quebec already! BUT not to Quebec City. Also on my bucket list!

 

Since this will likely be a sight seeing trip as apposed to adventure type trip, we'll likely wait until we're much older to go! For now...Caribbean for us!

 

Budget-wise, I'm rather flexible but wouldn't want to have my cruise fare go above the $2000 mark for a 7-day voyage.

 

Not only consider the cost of the cruise and flight but added cost will be a hotel the night before if you don't fly in the day of and consider transfer fees!

 

2) Destinations - as I said, I'm *completely* open here, so as long as it's somewhere warm, and the departure port isn't too out of reach from Toronto.

 

We are in Kitchener-Waterloo and have been on 3 cruises. Once we flew out of Toronto, once out of Buffalo and once we drove to South Carolina. Consider flights out of Detroit! Flights seem the cheapest if you don't mind the drive! Closest ports to drive for us would be New York, New Jersey and Baltimore.

 

3) Cruise lines - I'm quite low key and do have "champagne taste" if you will, but at the same time would appreciate a vessel with other young(er) passengers;

 

We've only done Carnival so far. Definitely younger crowd but there was ALWAYS quiet areas for us to escape to!! Not quite a champagne taste cruise line but we loved the low key feel! Booked for Royal Caribbean this August out of Galveston so it will be fun to compare!

 

4) Embarkation - I'm looking through the site, but can anyone provide a brief idea or link where I can understand how the process of loading onto and getting checked into the ship works? I'm picturing an absolute GONGSHOW!

 

I've found some ports are better than others. Miami was awesome compared to South Carolina. I think once you book, the message boards for your port would be the best spot to answer your questions regarding this.

 

6) Connectivity - Given the nature of my business (branding, web design, and digital marketing), 24/7 connectivity is absolutely crucial. What experiences has everyone had with the on board WiFi packages? Are there other options to staying connected on board?

 

We had WIFI once and it was NOT reliable. We only needed it to keep in touch with home. Early morning and late night...not many issues. During the day...forget it!

I'm looking forward to getting to know many of you here on the forums, and quickly advancing from "cruising newbie" to "cruising afficionado"!

 

Many great boards to check out here. Becomes addictive really!! Have fun with your planning!

We collect Christmas Ornaments from the ships. We've been collecting ornaments for about 20 years from all our travels. Its nice to only bring them out for Christmas...unpacking brings back memories and nice to share with friends and family over the season but then packing them back away again.

This trip I found a great price on Spirit for $700 round trip for 4 including 2 pieces of luggage. That's in U.S. dollars but still can't beat that. I can handle Spirit on flights less than 3 hrs. We are flying in on Friday night. Any recommendations for hotels would be greatly appreciated. I believe we land at FLL around 9:50 pm. Not sure the best place to stay would be. Hope you don't mind but I will take you up on your offer.

We flew out of Detroit on Spirit to Las Vegas. GREAT price but small plane! As you said...good for short flights!

 

I have a WORD document that I can email you. Email me at photo.life.memories@gmail.com and I'll send it to you. Basically...I knew we were going to go with SAS Transportation as we went with them 3 years ago. Search transfers on these forums and there's a few that provide transfers to port of Miami from Ft Lauderdale hotels. SAS has a list on their website what Ft. Lauderdale hotels they pick up from. From there, I went through every one and weeded through based on distance from airport (wanted complimentary airport to hotel transfer), cost and convenience to purchase pop and wine. We got a great deal on Holiday Inn on State Rd 84 the first cruise so we stuck to that area again. Costs went up considerably from our first cruise but we knew there was a liquor store and grocery store right across the road. This last time however we booked Candlewood Suites.

SAS was great and picked up exactly the time we arranged. Only $15 per person!

Holiday Inn was one of the only hotels with late (after 10pm) complimentary transfer from airport to hotel as well! We got in around 11:30 pm the first cruise.

 

Second cruise...we got in late afternoon so we considered trying to get to a hotel in Miami from the airport but again...you need some sort of transfer and couldn't find one that wasn't a private car agency or cab which could be expensive. AND not all hotels, especially in our price range provide transfers to the port, even in Miami! SO...again, we'd need a cab just to get to the port. Found hotels closest to the port of Miami (that provide complimentary transfers)...the more costly they were.

 

So Ft. Lauderdale hotel it was!!

 

SAS picks you up at the Port of Miami upon getting back and brings you to the Ft. Lauderdale airport as well!

 

Going to keep this short. I just wanted to be able to finally post on CC. Looking forward to picking everyone's brains for information to make this a memorable trip for DW so she will want to go again. Me being selfish :)

 

Hey Fellow Ontarian!! Welcome to CC!! Are you flying or driving? If so, flying into Miami or Ft. Lauderdale? We cruised out of Miami twice, once flying out of Buffalo and once out of Toronto. Found the cheapest flights go into Ft. Lauderdale. I'm sure out of Detroit, you can get some great deals! If this is your plan, you'll need to be book a transfer. We went with SAS transportation. Hotels in Ft Lauderdale will NOT transfer you to the port of Miami. If you are looking for a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale for the night before, let me know and I can offer you my research! :) Found easier to stay in Ft. Lauderdale and get the transfer to pick up from hotel and deliver to port the next day. One thing to consider is WHERE to purchase pop/water and wine that you can bring on board. :)

 

We've always cruised with our teen on Carnival. She's had great experiences with the teen club!

 

Ask away any questions you have. This site is a wealth of information. Sounds like you are a planner like me! What I did was create a Word Document for every port I was heading to. As I seen ideas on this site and others, I just copy-pasted into the word document and went over the info with my hubby who is NOT a researcher.

 

Have fun with your planning!!

What's the truth? Am I being fed a bunch of bs from someone who sees cruising completely different than most? I've been talking with a coworker who cruises with his wife quite a bit.

 

My husband and I LOVE to cruise. BECAUSE it can be exactly the vacation we want it to be at any given time. We can be lazy or we can be active and entertained and we get to see some wonderful locations while we do just that! Our friends we just cruised with enjoy all inclusives better. BECAUSE...they love to just lay by the beach and pool all day and basically stay in their swimsuits. To each their own! HOWEVER...When we went to an all inclusive, we got dressed up for some a la cartes!

 

Dress code....Fancy night...my husband wore a golf shirt and slacks. You don't have to participate and just eat at the buffet. Some people eat all their meals at the buffet! We like to sit down at the end of the day and be served. You can also get room service. Its included but a tip would be suggested but not required.

 

There are things on the ship that are not included in the cost. Casino, Bingo, gift store, certain restaurants and some shops like the candy store or fancy coffee bar. OH...AND the booze (and pop) unless you buy a drink package.

Carnival lets you bring on pop/water and a bottle of wine each so look into that. We don't spend more than $100 over while on board. We buy a few drinks, play a bit at the casino and get a fancy coffee but that's about it!

 

Other things that cost money...PHOTOS!! Those darn photographers! Have a sense of humour and politely decline!! $20 for one 8X10. AND they take TONS of photos while on board! You do NOT have to participate but will be asked often. LIKE DISNEY!! :)

 

PORTS - excursions cost money!! Cheaper option...a cab to a beach! So you'd need to budget this. OR stay on the ship and enjoy the quiet! Some ports....there are people that approach you for money or to sell stuff.

 

So...in addition to the cost of the cruise and for us...airfare, we expect about $100 extra for well...EXTRAS on board. We plan usually one excursion so that's another $200 approx. Because we fly...we have transfers and hotel cost for 1-2 nights and the cost of food for that transition time and the cost of pop/water/wine to bring on board. We set a budget and can easily stay in it knowing somethings can give (once we drove) and some things can't.

 

Travel preference is so personal. We talk it up as being the best experience because we love it but cruising is NOT for everyone. We like to do stuff! We like tops a few days on the beach or by the pool and other than that...we like to do stuff. We go to the shows, comedy club and play trivia and participate in the silly games (Hasbro Game show) We love to see ruins and experience the culture of the places we travel. We love to snorkel and shop at markets. Cruising provides everything we love to do!

 

You need to experience it to decide if its something you enjoy doing. Nothing anyone says pro or con will help you know. You just need to go!

Greyhound from London will be about CAD$60 for the 2 of us return.. Amtrak is around US $690 return for the both of us

 

We're from KW! I've been to New York twice and LOVE it!! On our list is the east coast cruise out of New York to Canada in the fall. Nice to drive and save the airfare!

 

Friend of ours did the same cruise and travelled Grey Hound overnight from Toronto. Left around 7pm and they arrived around 6am in NYC. Too early to go straight to the port so they toured around Time Square...suitcases and all!

AND then walked to the port. Amtrak sounds so much better!! :)

 

Have a great time!

As a surprise, my father in law has offered to take my wife, two kids, and I on a cruise next spring (2016). He's been on a couple of cruises previously, but the rest of us are newbies. He's left the choice of cruise line, itinerary, and ports to us. And I'm freaking out.

 

There are way too many choices, even in the small spring break window we'll have next April. My father in law's only caveat is no Disney: he does not like the mouse. But beyond that, I'm stumped.

 

It seems as though every line has an itinerary that might work for us: Carnival, Royal, Norwegian, Holland, Celebrity... Which to choose?

 

My kids will be 6 and 9. My wife is not excited about forced socializing and worries about seasickness. She also refuses to fly long-distance to get to a port, so the cruise will need to stay in the Caribbean. I love snorkeling, and the barrier reef off of Belize and Roatan is firmly on my "list". But I worry about things for kids to do.

 

Are there must-do ports that we can't miss with mid-sized kids? Are there cruises that work better for more introverted travelers? The big ships sound so over the top and Vegas-y, but the small ships might not have enough to do on long transit days. I want this to be amazing so that my wife will agree to that future Eastern Med cruise that is my dream trip - so no pressure!

 

I'm freaking out. Please help. :eek:

 

WOW...how nice of your father in law!!

 

We've only cruise Carnival so I can't speak about other ships. The ships never lacked for things for us and the kids to do. On Carnival, they have a registration time where the kids get to meet the leaders and get the weekly activity guide. Bring a highlighter! We highlighted all the things they wanted to do and during the time they didn't want to be in the club, we did family things like swimming, ping pong, trivia, etc. Adults get a daily activity guide as well. Its left in your room the night before. Again, we would highlight the activities we wanted to do. The ships we were on were midsize and we never felt a lack of things to do or felt there were too many options on the ships we were on. Our favourite of the Carnival once we've been on is the Liberty.

 

We found being on the Western side, the water was much calmer than being on the Eastern side (Atlantic ocean). Both times we were on the ocean side, we got a bit sea sick the first few days. The Western side (Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea), was very calm for us. Could be the time of year (March) we were there.

We brought Gravol with us!

 

Our first cruise had Roatan. BEAUTIFUL!! Our cruise this summer includes Roatan as well and snorkelling is on our must do list! Reason we booked the Western side again.

 

I have yet to be at a port I didn't like! Some are more beautiful than others for beaches but all provide so many different things, culture, people than I would never experience at home!

 

My husband and I tend to stick to ourselves. I'm more of a people person than he is but I respect that he really doesn't want to talk to strangers. You can be as social (or not) as you want to be!!

 

Read through the reviews for the cruise ships and ports on here as well as other websites to help narrow down your selection. BUT keep in mind that what peeves other people off could be just fine for you. I always look at reviews of the cruises I've just been on. I had an amazing time, wonderful food, thought the entertainment was awesome, etc. and someone else is complaining about the food and the entertainment. I look for a common theme throughout the posts. Are there many people complaining about the same thing?

 

Hope you have a wonderful time!! AND let us know what you decide!

Cruising is perfect for my husband and I because he's all about the ship and I'm all about the ports!

 

I'm all about the excursions and what the places I'm visiting has to offer.

 

You've narrowed down what ships appeal to you but what I would do next is research each of the ports and see what it is about them that appeals to you. Do you want history, beaches, snorkeling, shopping, etc?

 

We live about a 12 hr drive from Houston, Galveston and New Orleans. I am I better off flying to another port (Miami, Cape Canaveral) or driving to a closer port?

 

Hubby is a bit paranoid about getting on a ship and the whole ship getting sick. Are there any cruise lines that tend to have this problem more frequently than others?

 

Am I better off to get a cruise travel agent to help me or do it online myself?

 

Our 1st and 3rd cruise, we flew to Miami from Toronto and Buffalo. We live in Ontario, Canada. Our 2nd cruise, we drove 17 hours to South Carolina. Paying airfare is a HUGE chunk of the budget! We don't mind driving and look at it as part of the vacation. We have closer ports...New York, New Jersey, Baltimore that's about 9 hours away. We wouldn't hesitate to do this in the future. Driving can save us upwards to $1000 depending on how many in the family are going so to us...if we have it in our budget to fly...we will. If not, we don't mind the drive!

 

Our second cruise, the captain decided not to stop in Grand Turk because previous ships that had stopped had reported cases of a gastrointestinal infection. What made people sick or how many of them...who knows! Maybe high bacteria levels in the water?? Captain made arrangements for us to visit Freeport Bahamas instead. Disappointed to miss this port but hey...better than getting sick! Regardless of being on a ship or at an all inclusive...you have to take precautions to not get sick. That means washing your own hands frequently and using antibacterial soap when you can't wash your hands.

 

We have only gone with a cruise travel agent for our last cruise. We did this only because we were travelling with another family and wanted to make sure everything was linked up together. I'm good at researching and LOVE it!! I spent many many hours going through this website and others. Making notes, asking questions, etc. We were fine booking our own and figuring everything out with the help of our online friends.

My daughter has special needs and requires us to help with specific things so she needs to always have a way to get a hold of us. Not life threatening but we can't just have her NOT be able to get in touch with us.

 

We bought walkie talkies that had a vibrate option. We didn't like the idea of the ringing being annoying to others. When she pressed the button, it vibrated. My husband just wore it on his hip. We would then reply to ask where she was and where to meet her. We were respectful to not answer if we were somewhere that's disruptive and went to an area where she could both hear us and us hear her.

 

We would go over her schedule every morning and plan to meet up at places so we barely used the walkie talkies. We just made sure she always had a her watch! There are limited clocks around the ship.

ALSO...we got two schedules. One she had and one we had. We knew where she was on any given time and would go and just check in.