Your 1st cruise..what was main factor that helped you choose which cruise?

[PoppyMac]

what was the main factor for your first cruise? Some here might not even remember as they have been on so many, but when you planned your first cruise..what was it that finally determined what cruise? Money? Destination? kids club? Pool? Family chose? Tossed a coin? Pro and con list? Friend recommendation?

 

Really just wondering if all this research that makes you want to go on each cruiseline is worth it? Maybe I will just pick top 5 and pull one out of hat!:p

[Dayenu]

For me, the first time was just to see if I get sea-sick. Picked a 4-night Mon-Fri out of LA, stops: San Diego, Catalina, Ensenada - I thought, if I get sick, it won't be far to get off the ship to go home.

 

Loved cruising! The next one was Alaska, then Panama canal, Norwegian fjords, Caribbean, Greece... Hope to continue.

[tak81288]

what was the main factor for your first cruise? Some here might not even remember as they have been on so many, but when you planned your first cruise..what was it that finally determined what cruise? Money? Destination? kids club? Pool? Family chose? Tossed a coin? Pro and con list? Friend recommendation?

 

Really just wondering if all this research that makes you want to go on each cruiseline is worth it? Maybe I will just pick top 5 and pull one out of hat!:p

 

I have several friends that started cruisng before I did, so talked with them to find out which line they thought would be best for me since they really knew me. I wasn't really too concerned about itinerary because I just wanted to get away to someplace warm. Once we decided on a line, we just picked a cruise based upon the date and price that worked best for us and went for it.

 

Yes, the research can be a lot, but I think after awhile you just kind of have to pick one and go. Once you do that, then planning future cruises will be a lot easier. You will know the things you like and dislike so can plan future cruises accordingly.

[cb at sea]

Went to a travel agency, got alot of brochures on the different cruiselines, and looked through them until one line "felt right"...and so, we booked!

[Essiesmom]

Wanted to go on a vacation that did notinvolve going home to see the parents. Read travel agency ads in Sunday NYT, and realized I could afford a cruise. Something unbelievably romantic/exotic. I went to a travel agency and they booked me. Old ship, porthole single, bathroom down the hall. I was in heaven! Oh yeah, this was 1972. EM

[cruisin'tex]

what was the main factor for your first cruise? Some here might not even remember as they have been on so many, but when you planned your first cruise..what was it that finally determined what cruise? Money? Destination? kids club? Pool? Family chose? Tossed a coin? Pro and con list? Friend recommendation?

 

Really just wondering if all this research that makes you want to go on each cruiseline is worth it? Maybe I will just pick top 5 and pull one out of hat!:p

 

1st in 1982 - just to take a cruise........nothing else. Now, cruises are based on itinerary.

[trish1c]

I saw a banner ad on Yahoo! advertising a 4 day cruise for $236 pp. I was bored & in need of a get away. It sounded perfect. Little did I know . . . after airfare, excursions, on board expenses etc. my cheap get away ended up costing almost $1,500 for 2 people. Whoops! :eek:

After that I learned to do my research & compare the whole cost of the cruise before making a buying decision.

[venohe]

My reason for choosing the TA with Queen Mary 2 as my first real (more than 24 hours) cruise is very simple: I move to the US. Could there be a better way of doing this ;):):p

[rkacruiser]

I had been thinking "cruise" for quite some time and had been collecting brochures and reading as many different sources as possible in order to gain information. Finally, the decision came down to three possibilities: Prudential-Grace Lines Santa Rosa or Santa Paula, the North German Lloyd liner Bremen, and Holland America's Rotterdam V. My friend and I decided that the Grace Lines ships did not offer the itinerary we wanted. The German ship was much older, having been built in 1939, but had an interesting history having been the French Liner Pasteur. The Rotterdam's itinerary was just about what we wanted, the cruise length, schedule, and cost fit our needs, and the Line's and ship's reputation sealed the deal. Our travel agent felt we had made a good decision. And, indeed we did! That cruise in July of 1970 is still among my most memorable and favorite ones!

 

Cunard's old slogan was "Getting there is half the fun." For me, the other half is the joy and expectations raised in doing the planning!

[Jhawktraveler]

With our first cruise we started with the region and destination which helped us choose the stops we wanted in an itinerary. After that we moved on to our budget and vacation time which helped narrow down the cruise line and length. For us, the locations we visit are the controlling factor and frankly, the cruise line and ship are secondary (they are the transportation not the destination for us). We have enjoyed all of the cruise lines we've been on and have found that the food, service and entertainment are always better than at home:D.

[6rugrats]

It was free. Windstar in Tahiti, 1988.

[jocap]

It was because of an advert in my local paper offering door to ship transport, and was a fly/cruise on Sea Princess to the Caribbean. I knew we'd enjoy it, as ferry travelling has always been part of our holidays.

OH was on raptures because of the snorkelling; I was because of the ship.

Since then, we've been on 9 others, with various lines, and reckon we've about another 140 ships to go......:p

Jo.

[aohkay]

My birth mother took me, my husband and two kids to Alaska several years ago.

[Cruise Girl Forever]

Acually. a friend of mine picked the first cruise celebrity century 7 day eastern caribbean. She liked the ratio of crew to passanger. Which seems so funny now as I never look at that. I called another friend who was a ta and she agreed celebrity was a great line. She got us a price we were all happy with. Been crusing ever since.

[Clydesmom7865]

Haven't actually sailed yet but the itinerary. Have always wanted to see some of the ports in the Caribbean in Central America.

[AmoMondo]

For me it was a last minute decision. I was due to have a week off at the end of may and had been planning to do a day here and there and enjoy (usually) nice weather at that time of years. However it was a dire (nay non existent) summer that year and I came to the conclusion if I was still in my winter clothes in early may it wasn't looking good. I'd intended to book a last minute deal for an apartment or studio in Spain for the week but people at work convinced me that a cruise would be a much better option for a holiday on my own.

 

I did a search of what cruises were available at such short notice and the itinerary of one really jumped out at me as it was too countries I'd never visited before and beautiful historic cities too (which are my perference). I had no idea this site existed or anything about any cruiseline. I did a quick search on google for the ship and discovered it had got a 100% score on its last public health inspection, so booked it on as little knowledge of that.

 

Friends had been telling me for years that i should try a cruise since I kept going on multi destination land based holidays but I'd always resisted, thinking it would be like a holiday camp at sea and far too claustrophobic as I'm a bit of an independent soul who likes her space. As a result kept having second thoughts right up until the point I arrived in venice airport...but absolutely had a ball and was hooked thereafter!

[LA_CA_GAL]

what was the main factor for your first cruise? Some here might not even remember as they have been on so many, but when you planned your first cruise..what was it that finally determined what cruise? Money? Destination? kids club? Pool? Family chose? Tossed a coin? Pro and con list? Friend recommendation?

 

Really just wondering if all this research that makes you want to go on each cruiseline is worth it? Maybe I will just pick top 5 and pull one out of hat!:p

 

1978, a friend and I were at a Philadelphia Flyers hockey game. Fan club had a deal on a cruise. Cunard Princess, leaving from Florida for one week, airfare included.

 

We did the math, for three of us to go, it would cost us each about $350. We figured we spent more than that just staying home doing nothing.

 

NO BRAINER!:eek:

[RollTideRollRich]

Mine was the fact that Epic had Studio with no 200% solo hit. I'll tell you how it goes later!

[sunluva7]

"Love Boat ... promises something for everyone ...". That was the deal breaker for us. Not just any cruise. Just had to be Princess. :)

[STARFISH*4]

first cruise with hubby he SURPRISED me with ALASKA--reason he chose was ALASKA and that his bf and his wife were going!

[Andee]

In 1996, my parents took us on a Celebrity cruise to the Western Caribbean to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Since they were paying, and it was their celebration, they picked.

 

We went on several other cruises together; the last one was in 2006 to celebrate their 60th anniversary. Three months later, my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; a month after that, he was dead.

[paul929207]

We wanted to see several Caribbean islands to decide which one to go to for a vacation. Decided the ship was better. Never went to any of them

[John Bull]

what was the main factor for your first cruise?

 

She wanted a cruise to the Caribbean.

I wanted to drive down to Italy.

We compromised, by going on a cruise to the Caribbean

 

JB :rolleyes:

[TriciaEMTB]

Haven't sailed yet, but I picked mine because of price and the fact it's home port is less than an hour away. No flight costs!

[jtdlmc]

We already knew what cruiseline we wanted from recommendations and reading reviews/posts here on CC (Carnival).

 

Our first consideration was dates - had to pick a cruise that fit with DD's college break.

 

Second factor was port days - we wanted as many port days as we could get.

 

So we found a few that matched her college break and then narrowed it down to two that had 4 port days. We made the final decision based on what port we sailed from.