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First time cruising decisions are hard :)


Acheavacci
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We are a family of four and want to try cruising and am looking for helful hints. Initially I thought a 3 night RC Bahamas on the Mariner combined with a land add on in Orlando would be good, but am second guessing the duration may not be long enough. I am feeling overwhelmed by all the amazing choices and wonder how you all go through the process of taking a cruise.

 

Should I start with itinerary? Duration? Price? Cruise line? How do you compare cruise lines? Are shore excursions basically the same for each cruise line/ship? I have teens and am looking at ships with more fun things to do on the ship and at port.

 

I am consulting with a TA and am not impressed with the lack of direction I am getting.

 

Any advice is greatly apprectiated!! TIA!!

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try a different TA

 

 

I would pick the itinerary you want then price then the ship

 

the newer & bigger ships have more bells & whistles

 

I would look at a 7 day cruise the short ones are more like frat house party weekends

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I agree with LHT28 on finding another TA. It would help you decide if you first had a feel for an itinerary you want...more ports or more sea days. Once you determine these, then start to look at what your budget will support, taking into account any travel expenses getting to/from your embarkation port and lodging, if necessary also.

 

 

My suggestion would be to "shop" the various cruise line websites and do some "mock bookings" to get a feel for what the cost of the cruise will be. Don't forget to take into account the daily gratuities and the port charges and taxes. Understand that most cruise prices will fluctuate based on time of year and how far in advance you book. Also, a TA might be able to offer some type of incentive such as pre-paid gratuities, meal packages, on board credit (OBC), or some discount on the base cruise cost.

 

 

One last comment, more of a warning. You will probably come back from your first cruise and immediately start looking for the next one! :') It is addictive!!

 

 

Hope you enjoy your per-crusie exploring and you first cruise adventure!!

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How are you going to get to your departure port? Are you going to drive? Or fly? Keep in mind that the cost of flying may be more than the cost of the cruise! And that you should always arrive at the city of departure the day before the cruise, unless it is only a couple hour drive. Go to http://www.cruisetimetables.com. Choose Departure Port list. Note how many departure ports there are in the US. Choose the month you want to cruise for each port. See what is available. Then when you have narrowed down some possibilities, price airfare. That may make your decision easier. Try not to choose a cruise less than 5 days. Shorter cruises are not exactly drunken brawls, but they attract large family reunion type groups, who tend to ignore the fact that there are others around...EM

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We are a family of four and want to try cruising and am looking for helpful hints. Initially I thought a 3 night RC Bahamas on the Mariner combined with a land add on in Orlando would be good...

 

That sounds amazing. Mariner is recently refurbished and I'm sure she is sparkling like the belle she is. A land add-on afterward is a fun way to beat the "after-cruise blues" that many of us tend to get. ;)

 

While it's true that shorter cruises give you only a taste of cruising and do tend to attract a younger, sometimes rowdy crowd, it's also true that you may not really like cruising. It's hard to guide you there as it's such a personal decision.

 

Could you do a 4 night instead? Mariner alternates 3 and 4 night cruises. You will get a sea day that way, perfect for relaxing on board. Your kids would probably like that as well.

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I agree with LHT28 and would look for a different TA. CC does not like to have names of TA's posted and that is why no one is putting out any names.

 

One thing I can recommend is once you get something booked, check back for price drops and claim them with the TA or cruise line.

 

One other suggestion is to get travel insurance. Things can go wrong and ruin a vacation.

 

Welcome to CC and cruising and let us know what you book!

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We are a family of four and want to try cruising and am looking for helful hints. Initially I thought a 3 night RC Bahamas on the Mariner combined with a land add on in Orlando would be good, but am second guessing the duration may not be long enough. I am feeling overwhelmed by all the amazing choices and wonder how you all go through the process of taking a cruise.

 

Should I start with itinerary? Duration? Price? Cruise line? How do you compare cruise lines? Are shore excursions basically the same for each cruise line/ship? I have teens and am looking at ships with more fun things to do on the ship and at port.

 

I am consulting with a TA and am not impressed with the lack of direction I am getting.

 

Any advice is greatly apprectiated!! TIA!!

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic...you're already ahead of the game. (Wish we had discovered Cruise Critic sooner...could've eliminated a lot of mistakes we made when we first started cruising.) You've been given great advice so far.

When we first started, we always looked at the price first...we had very little money. Then the itinerary and time of the year...we had limited vacation time. We cruised different cruise lines and now have our favorites...but it was lots of fun discovering the differences between cruises.

In general, Carnival is the party cruise line, Holland for the mature (ok, us old people), Celebrity a tad upscale and good food, NCL is "relaxed", Princess for good itineraries, and Royal Caribbean for activities onboard.

Shore excursions: Shore excursions provided by the ships are expensive. Most passengers will buy them from the cruiseline because, a) they don't know any better, b) they want to make sure they get back on the ship or the ship won't leave them behind. We typically DIY most ports and do a ton of research before every cruise...it's part of the fun. You can also join your roll-call and share an excursion. Some wait until they are at the port and look for a "local" tour guide and negotiate a price. Some ports, you can just simply walk around and enjoy the nearby sights.

That said, and given you have two teens, your choice of the Mariner of the Seas, IMHO, is a good one. I agree with others that perhaps the 3-day cruise may be a bit short. There's just way too much stuff to do on the ship. With teens, we know you will be limited to summer or perhaps spring or Christmas break....bear in mind that those are the most expensive times of the year to cruise.

Why we think the Mariner OTS is good: The ship has been recently refurbished. You and your teens will have fun with the rock climbing wall, flowrider, basketball court, golf, and other activities onboard. This being your first cruise, you may find that this ship is too big, or not big enough. There are smaller ships and yes, even bigger ships that you can try on your second cruise.

Warning: cruising is addictive.

Happy Sailing! :)

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Our first cruise was 5 days which was the perfect length for us - less of a quick party atmosphere and enough time to determine we wanted more next time. With a 3 day you are hardly unpacked and familiar with the ship and it is time to pack and depart. Have fun looking at this - our family loves cruises.

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Sounds like OP’s original TA was merely an order taker .

Ask friends, relatives, neighbors and I workers who cruise frequently , for their Cruise Specialist TA .

3 night cruise will be a party cruise no matter what mass market cruise line .

3 night cruise includes 2 of the worse days of a cruise ,

Embarkation day and Pack you Bags day .

Go for 7 nights for a good typical cruise experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Sounds like you want some time at Disney or Universal....you will need AT LEAST a week for Disney, and 3-4 days for Universal. They are both best done as a land vacation.

 

I don't think a 3 day cruise is worth the effort....4 days minimum.....but a week is really what you need to get the cruise experience.

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I have a different way of suggesting your first cruise.

 

Pick when you want to go. And what works for departure port.

 

Then see what lines have cruises that match your time and port parameters.

 

Then pick the line the best seems to fit you.

 

Then book the cruise.

 

For your first cruise, the itinerary really doesn't matter. Every port is new and exciting to you. I do suggest picking a cruise with a mix of port and sea days.

 

Your first cruise is a learning time. See if you like cruising. See if you like or hate sea days. See which dining venues fit YOU. See if the cruise line fits YOU.

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Thank you all!! I have decided to take a step back and look at longer 7 day cruises. Still trying to mock up pricing for southern, eastern, and western caribbean. I have been reading some amazing trip reports and have decided that either RC or Carnival best suits our needs since we have teens. Now, the major problem, airfare is outrageous during the holiday weeks. That gives me Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter or July/Aug for the dates. They can miss a few days before or after the school breaks so that gives me a little wiggle room.

 

Does any itinerary in the 6-8 day range leave mid week?

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I suggest you just book direct and do lots of research, which you are already doing. The Mariner is a very nice ship, so you are obviously making good choices. Many TA's aren't all that helpful unless they are going to make a nice profit (that means booking more expensive cabins and sailings.) The CC regulars tend to be MUCH more knowledgeable than the run of the mill travel agent. RCI seems like a good fit for your situation.

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Sounds like OP’s original TA was merely an order taker .

Ask friends, relatives, neighbors and I workers who cruise frequently , for their Cruise Specialist TA .

3 night cruise will be a party cruise no matter what mass market cruise line .

3 night cruise includes 2 of the worse days of a cruise ,

Embarkation day and Pack you Bags day .

Go for 7 nights for a good typical cruise experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I think 3 days is too short, but I think Mariner is a good choice for a first cruise, many of the other ships sailing for 3 days are much older. I like all RCCL ships that have the ice show.

Double Bingo. 3 nights will give you the worst 2 days of a cruise, and you will be with 2000 + party goers. We have sailed on Mariner three times and it is a great ship if you are looking for a short cruise. You really should check out the Oasis class for something totally different. Check out ship tours on youtube.

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Double Bingo. 3 nights will give you the worst 2 days of a cruise, and you will be with 2000 + party goers. We have sailed on Mariner three times and it is a great ship if you are looking for a short cruise. You really should check out the Oasis class for something totally different. Check out ship tours on youtube.

 

Don’t you think a first cruise on a ship th size of oasis might be overwhelming for a first timer?

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Don’t you think a first cruise on a ship th size of oasis might be overwhelming for a first timer?

You may be right considering all the pre reservations needed for shows and dining, as well as trying to fit so much into a week. Hope they do consider a 3 night cruise is not representative of a week long cruise. Happy cruising George.

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Thank you all!! I have decided to take a step back and look at longer 7 day cruises. Still trying to mock up pricing for southern, eastern, and western caribbean. I have been reading some amazing trip reports and have decided that either RC or Carnival best suits our needs since we have teens. Now, the major problem, airfare is outrageous during the holiday weeks. That gives me Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter or July/Aug for the dates. They can miss a few days before or after the school breaks so that gives me a little wiggle room.

 

Does any itinerary in the 6-8 day range leave mid week?

 

Yes, airfare will be high. Maybe an airline like southwest or spirit? Or try looking at cruise air sometimes that can be less, you may be able to do a mock booking and look at the pricing for airfare. Can you drive to a port? Have fun shopping and take you time. Ask lots of questions. There are boards for first time cruisers and family cruising here on cruise critic.

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We are a family of four and want to try cruising and am looking for helpful hints. Initially I thought a 3 night RC Bahamas on the Mariner combined with a land add on in Orlando would be good, but am second guessing the duration may not be long enough. I am feeling overwhelmed by all the amazing choices and wonder how you all go through the process of taking a cruise.

 

Welcome aboard! We're here to help.

 

As a matter of disclosure, I have only taken three cruises, and am counting down to my fourth cruise (and my first solo!). I haven't taken a cruise shorter than one week. And I have previously traveled with just my mom. I am NOT a travel agent.

 

Could you provide a better definition of your family of four? How old are you kids? This does play a factor in your decision. If your kids are 3 and 5 yo, that plays a different factor than if your kids are 13yo and 17yo. Some of the cruise lines (e.g. Disney, Royal Caribbean, Carnival) cater better to families.

 

As for cruise length... be warned that the shorter cruises are not representative of the cruise experience as longer cruises. Two night and three night cruises have a reputation for being "booze cruises" with their party atmosphere/

 

Will you be flying in for your cruise? If so, it is highly recommended that you fly in the night before your cruise, and that you book your return flight no earlier than around 5 hours when your ship returns to port. (e.g. if you ship arrives at 7 AM, book your flight home no earlier than around noon).

 

Are there any particular destinations you have in mind? That will influence your choice of cruise.

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Thank you all!! I have decided to take a step back and look at longer 7 day cruises. Still trying to mock up pricing for southern, eastern, and western caribbean. I have been reading some amazing trip reports and have decided that either RC or Carnival best suits our needs since we have teens. Now, the major problem, airfare is outrageous during the holiday weeks. That gives me Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter or July/Aug for the dates. They can miss a few days before or after the school breaks so that gives me a little wiggle room.

 

Does any itinerary in the 6-8 day range leave mid week?

Make sure to check out the cruse lines air programs. We have used Royals air2sea many times and their prices are fantastic for oneway international, OK for domestic, and may be a good deal for holiday domestic. With the teens check out the Oasis class.

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Spirit will crush you with baggage charges, plus a family that wants to travel together will have to pay extra for that as well.

 

Totally agree. Spirit looks like a great deal when you see the base fare and then comes the avalanche of baggage fees, etc.. :eek:

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