Choosing your cruise depends on...

[Mr. Luckytoo]

When you choose your cruise what affects your decisions:

[Bookish Angel]

The more remote the better!

[JLC@SD]

When you choose your cruise what affects your decisions:

 

Itinerary

[Azure Moon]

~ Itinerary

~ Finances (for instance, my dream cruises are on hold due to flight costs :()

~ Length of cruise and travel time (due to work constraints we have to keep things to 8 or 9 days).

 

[Andee]

Our primary consideration is itinerary. We consider the ship a floating hotel that takes us from one interesting place to another.

[WeBeGone]

Itinerary, cruise line, ship, then price.

[lcarney1125]

I always set a month range I want to search - then by price in that range - price includes gas/flights/parking/etc. :)

[AZaTaz]

Itinerary

Itinerary

Itinerary

[Glaciers]

Ports

[airlink diva]

With me it comes down to price, itinerary, and what time of year.

The main factor is price. On the bulk of my cruises, I sail solo. This means that my bottom price is going to be slighty higher that those traveling with others. For example, I really wanted to take a 14 day cruise with HAL,but booked the 11 day instead. I couldn't justfy spending over $600 for three extra days on the ship :(!

Next is itinerary. There are some places like St. Martin or Cozumel that I can visit over and over again. Then there are others like the Grand Caymans where one time is enough. I try to make sure that the majority of the port stops are places where it's my first time there.

The other factor is what time of the year. Once again, there are certain times when the pricing is cheaper than others. Also at my job, they really made some major changes on how we can take vacation. Even with being number #4 out of all the full timers, there are certain times of the year that I can never book a cruise because of how the #1 person like to take her vacation.

[Nebr.cruiser]

For us it's first price, then itinerary and then time of year. Since we've cruised quite a bit, we've seen most of the Caribbean and Mexican ports and have done a couple of TA's., so we look for a good price and consider it a bonus if we hit a new port. We also love sea days.

 

As to time of year, we mainly want to cruise in the winter to get away from cold weather and aren't interested in cruising during summer, unless it was an extraordinary itinerary and price.

 

We also are unlikely to cruise during fall because One of us doesn't want to miss Nebr. football games. I know, pathetic, but true.

 

We would love to do some of the longer exotic cruises if prices were decent.

[spookwife]

1: when DH can take Leave

2: price.. we have a budget and try to get the best deal we can within that budget

3; whether or not we need plane tickets.. if we don't, we can spring for a longer or more upscale cruise.

4; quality of food/wine on board

5: number of rug rats.

 

we are one of those people for whom Itinerary means little to nothing as to be perfectly honest we almost never get off the ship in port. we don't do beaches, we see no reaosn to go out in town to spend money on food when we can eat for free on board, we trust the Bartenders on board a whole lot more than we do random strangers in a foreign port to not water the drinks/overcharge and we know the water is potable on board.

[Kathie44]

I usually decide on itinerary and time of year first. I prefer Celebrity, but will also look at RCCL. Just booked a cruise yesterday for June 3 '11 on Constellation. The similar cruise on Jewel OS was actually a bit more for cruise and air. I have cruised on Jewel and loved it, but really prefer X overall. The new friend who is cruising with me next summer has never been on X and was less than thrilled with the old, small Holland Amer. ship she sailed to Alaska with another friend this summer. I think she will be very happy with the upgrade to X on Constellation. I stick to those lines because "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", lol.

 

1/02 Explorer OS E. Carib. 1/03 Explorer W. Carib. 8/03 Summit Alaska cruise/tour

2/04 Adventure OS S. Carib. 2/05 Galaxy P. Canal 6/06 Jewel OS Brit. Isles/Nor. Fjords

1/07 Mercury mex. Riv. 1/08 Mercury Aust./NZ 1/09 Galaxy S. Carib.

6/09 Summit Classical Med. 1/11 Summit S. Carib. 6/11 Constellation Scand/Russia

[maryann ns]

ports, time of year (generally early spring or late fall as we would hate to miss a Nova Scotia summer and we love to ski), price, ship. I cruise for the ports and am not interested in onboard entertainment. Good food and wine and great ports are the ticket.

[TB08]

For us it's the time of the year. My husband can't take any time off in the summer so we either have to go in the spring or fall. :rolleyes: Then it's finding one that would work out with our schedules at our jobs. Gotta love it! :p

[mamasue]

Price

Length of cruise

Embarkation port.

[chasetf]

Itinerary; date;

then cost

[printingchick]

1. Cruise Line

2. Itinerary

3. Date

4. Cost

5. Ship

[lady_cruiser]

When you choose your cruise what affects your decisions:

 

Since I drive and don't fly I choose the best port closest to my home, within driving distance. And, the cruiseline also is an important factor in my decision.

[GORDONCHICK]

Timing

Itinerary

Price

Sometimes ship or line

 

In that order....

[geoherb]

Price for the dates we can go, but only with certain cruise lines. There are some that I would not sail on again even if it were free.