What Drives Your Cruise Choice?

[Lady Chew]

It's really a combination for us, there is not one thing that really pops out as the most important.

On some cruises, in Jan/Feb, we just want to be where it's warm. We look at the ship & ports first, then the price. Sometimes we have cruised during that time with family members who have calendar constrictions, and as long as the price is right we go, too.

For all of the other cruises, the itinerary is the most important thing. We are trying to see as much of the world as we can from a cruise ship. After that, we look at the ship, and if the price is right, we go. The time of year doesn't matter very much.

[jackretired]

Many things.

Cost

Home port (east coast or gulf)

Length (6-12)

Ports

Ship (not real big or real small)

Handicap cabin

 

 

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[Sunebeach]

Do you have an 'all of the above' button? :o

[Booking It]

There have been some interesting replies. What is crazy important to me is the least important for others (and vice versa). I am a teacher as well, so price isn't important because it's high no matter what during the summer or winter break. I just know going in that it's going to suck and deal with it:D

 

For me, it's the ship. The newer and the bigger the better. I don't care too much about ports because I would be happy staying on the ship for the while week!

 

I am taking my mom on a cruise to her "motherland" this summer, otherwise I would have done maybe the Disney Dream, the newest Celebrity ship, or the Allure again.

[Guest maddycat]

Our main consideration is the departure port. We only sail out of Bayonne, NJ these days. We no longer want to fly. We sail twice a year, spring and fall. We mainly sail with RCI but ocassionally sail with Celebrity. RCI is our prefered cruise line.

 

At one time the ports were very important to us. That is no longer the case. We've been to most of the Caribbean ports many times. At each port we get off of the ship for a few hours and walk around a bit.

 

At one time we couldn't understand cruisers who loved sea days. Now after many cruises the ship has become our destination. To us a cruise is like going to a spa or all inclusive resort. We love how we are pampered on a cruise. We love how relaxing the sea days can be.

[Karma5]

Ports of call, length of cruise and home port matter to me.

[vivavegas]

I'm all about trying to visit different ports these day. I'm done with the caribbean routes:rolleyes:.

[B_Mc]

Up until now, always date and price.

 

Our next trip on Adventure was booked 100% for the southern route! And I'm never going back to Cozumel, so from here on out: #1 ports, #2 date, #3 price!

[willysgrandma]

Ports, then price and ship. We booked the Med on the Epic this year because they offered several different embarkation ports this year, we can fly into Rome early and do our touring, and we paid $999 for a balcony - NO ONE had a price like that for a balcony!

 

Wanted RCCL but that cruise had everything we were looking for.

[KeywestK]

It really depends on what our needs are for that cruise. One cruise was picked specifically for the ship (Jewel OTS during her inaugural season), some specifically for the itinerary, and some where chosen because the dates and/or price worked best and we didn't care what the itinerary was.

[Sequim88]

Another flavor of "Ports of Call" or itinerary - for us 1st question is - "Is it a transatlantic or repositioning cruise?" Next comes - "how many relaxing sea days?" The So, Caribbean we did was selected by my parents who paid for it. :cool: After the TA is decided next criteria is big enough ship - Radiance class or larger.

[SamFritz]

When I first posted this, I said dates, because my availability is limited. But that really means I can't consider options; I have to cruise on certain dates regrardless of other factors.

 

So my two non-negotiables are the Cruise Line (I'm going to sail Royal) and Date.

 

I think, then, that of the factors in which I have some flexibility, price probably does have the greatest influence. I haven't sailed Oasis or Allure yet because I can't see paying that much. I've sailed Jewel and Radiance out of Tampa the past two winters because they were the most affordable. Though I am starting to shy away from cruises less than 7 days. Jewel this year was a compromise because we had to get back home for weekend wedding.:mad: And I've never looked at those three and four day Bahamas runs, because they're too short. So maybe I'm shifting from price to length becoming a primary consideration.

[Cruising89143]

I've always been pleased with Royal and haven't felt a need to look elsewhere. When the thought crosses my mind I actually feel guilty, like I'd be cheating on them. Anyway, once you've decided on Royal, what factors drive your decision to purchase a specific cruise. As a school teacher, I'm pretty locked into the date of the sailing as my first requirement, after that it's usually price, then length of cruise, then ports of call, then ship.

 

I wouldn't feel guilty if I were you with the thought of trying another cruise line. We are all a number to them. While we love RCI, we try other lines. I think that it's good to step out and try other lines. You never know what you're missing if you don't.:)

[Tak8]

Ports is probably my number one factor followed closely by the ship. I tend to like the newer ships. I usually cruise Caribbean and like the more island itineraries.

[StarSander]

For us it is the price. If there is a cruise that is 7 days long and a cruise that is 14 days long and they are the same price I would choose the 14 day cruise. Repositioning cruises usually have really good prices. We went on a 14 night repositioning cruise out of NYC and only paid $750 a person.

 

We are going in July because of one of the ports is Boston, okay it is also going to Newport RI and Bermuda. So this one we chose because of the ports.

 

If I am taking children I would choose a ship that they would be happy on. Don't need bored children for 7 days. though my grandchildren just love cruising even though they have only been on one cruise.

[yogimax]

It's all about price. At least that's the first consideration. Another is the departure port. We just completed a trip on Voyager because we had never been to New Orleans and we wanted to spend a couple of days there.

[atb]

Although; technically; it would be the port of embarkation / debarkation. We love the port of Baltimore - and will sail just about anywhere - just so we don't have to fly.

[lrn2cruise]

FOS was about FOS! My DH was begging me to leave out of Galveston! But I wanted to do FOS so badly! I want to do Oasis/Allure something fierce as well!

 

At some point, it might likely be about leaving out of Galveston because DH hates to fly. I wonder about the planes fares too with the economy and wonder how things will pan out

[shaggyofwv]

I voted dates, but it is really a combination of all of the above for us.

[klingoncruiser]

Interesting.... it seems that ports are too important on a cruise. Are you listening RCI?

 

I have to say that next in line is price as my choice of time is limited by work. Not all that surprising I guess.

[seaofwonder]

I am a professor, so I am restricted by the time of year; however, that isn't an issue as there is ALWAYS a cruise being offered somewhere.

 

So right now, it is PORTS. I am so sick of Cozumel. We just did Grandeur out of Panama for new islands. We also picked Alaska for something new, and we're doing another Southern route to hit up 3 new islands.

 

The ship is an important factor. DH likes the newer, big ships....so if everything is the same then we go for the bigger ship. However, we does realize that big ships aren't everywhere and will compromise for a great itinerary. We are going on Allure though....just for the ship.

 

Price doesn't matter...we have a figure in mind that is our max and we're always guaranteed to get at least a balcony with that figure (almost always a JS...even an OS next year!).

 

Right now our cruising schedule is:

 

Boring Caribbean for Spring Break - picked for ship/itinerary. After doing San Juan next year we will have visited all islands Royal goes to. Might branch out....some cruise lines actually visit Guatemala!

 

Summer is something exotic - Alaska, Europe, or somewhere else exciting. No point being in the hot Caribbean when we live in TX.

 

Christmas - has traditionally been Caribbean, but after we do Allure we'll be over that. Now I think we'll start thinking about exotic cruises since I have a month off. Maybe Europe?

 

We're about ready to try Celebrity, and might even give up one of our cruise vacations and switch to land vacations for variety. I don't cruise for the ships....I cruise to get a taste of new areas of the world. Life is too short to continue to visit islands or countries (Mexico) that I don't really like.

[ctcruiser1721]

Ship first and price second for me. Once I'd been on 4 or 5 cruises I stopped caring about the ports.

[Tika]

its a very interesting question really and as I think how we have booked prior cruises, one was a cruise line that back in the 80s gave airline employees HUGE discounts so it was that line (and the ship we selected had caught fire a couple of weeks before we cruised so our entire trip was redone to accommodate a different ship).

 

One time we cruised, it was price - was looking for something for hubby and myself and found a really great rate to take the teenagers.

 

The last time, it was destination - with extended family, in summer to accommodate kids school schedule, didn't want the folks going to high humidity.

 

This time, it is all about the ports. We are on Liberty and I didn't even want a ship this big.

 

Could that have been the fire on the Homeric and everyone booked was transfered to the old Statendam out of NY to Bermuda? We were booked on the Statendam and that ship was packed to the brim with all the pax from the Homeric. Unforgetable cruise!!!!!!!!!

[willysgrandma]

I have to agree. We have started doing more land vacations to get a real feel for different places. We've stayed at resorts in St. Lucia, Antigua, Riviera Maya and went to Costa Rica for a week last year, which we enjoyed so much were are going back in May.

 

We like all inclusives because it ends up costing less than a cruise, since all the drinks and activites are included.

 

 

 

We're about ready to try Celebrity, and might even give up one of our cruise vacations and switch to land vacations for variety. I don't cruise for the ships....I cruise to get a taste of new areas of the world. Life is too short to continue to visit islands or countries (Mexico) that I don't really like.

[Shooraq]

It's mainly ports. Location, location, location! For instance, I started getting into Irish whiskey and scotch, and then thought a trip to the British Isles might be in order. Then I waited to see if one of my usual cruiselines offered it before going with Princess. Thankfully Celebrity has a great option at a great price and now I'm booked!

 

So ports first, price second. Then ideally cruiseline and time of year follow afterwards.