Help me decide - Getaway in April

[lild428]

Hello!

 

So I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on the April 25th cruise out of Miami on the Getaway for my birthday...

 

In reviewing prices, I'm debating between an inside room or an oceanview to take advantage of the ultimate drink package. There is about a $700 difference (total) in price. Which means my husband and I would "need" to drink more than that to make the difference in price worth it.

 

Clearly NCL is keeping their oceanview and higher staterooms priced higher to help offset the promotion they are running.. which is understandable.

 

I'm caught between just getting an inside and paying for each drink as we go.. husband drinks way more than I do.. I can take it or leave it type of thing. Plus, the three days that we are in port, and the last day of the cruise.. that's time that we will not be taking advantage of the free drinks.

 

What would you decide? Honestly we don't mind inside rooms so my decision has nothing to do with window vs. no window. I'm wondering if NCL will drop prices closer to the sailing date or they'll do nothing but go up. Also, I know they say the promo ends April 6th... but something tells me they'll continue to offer it after that date... thoughts?

 

I wish NCL would allow only one person in the cabin to purchase a drink package.. doesn't Royal do that now?

[Lori3015]

We are on the Getaway for the april 11th sailing and for this date the prices have dropped. You can get a balcony cabin for only $899 and this would include the drink package.

[Lori3015]

Sorry it's $799 for a Balcony Cabin, which is cheaper than the outside cabin the following week. But I realize it's only a benefit if you can go a week earlier. Still that's a great price for balcony cabin for 7 nights.

[lild428]

Sorry it's $799 for a Balcony Cabin, which is cheaper than the outside cabin the following week. But I realize it's only a benefit if you can go a week earlier. Still that's a great price for balcony cabin for 7 nights.

 

we'd go earlier if we could... flights don't work out or are too expensive :(

[kydustbunny]

Lild - we made our decision by calculating the # of drinks per day per person. They say avg drink price is $7-$8 each. Say $7 for ease of calculating. That equates to 100 drinks. 50 per day. 25 per day per person, including port days. :eek: hope this helps!

[lild428]

Lild - we made our decision by calculating the # of drinks per day per person. They say avg drink price is $7-$8 each. Say $7 for ease of calculating. That equates to 100 drinks. 50 per day. 25 per day per person, including port days. :eek: hope this helps!

 

that does seem like a lot.. i'm hoping the prices will continue to drop.. we always book last minute so in some cases if prices don't go down we just don't go lol inside rooms are down to $475.. probably cuz no one is getting them because it doesn't come with a promo lol

[Beachgirl85]

I was faced with the same decision, would love to have the balcony room and UBP but couldn't justify the $741, our typical bar bill isn't that much granted it could be more because sometimes I wouldn't have a drink b/c of the $$but I decided I could have a ton of drinks and other stuff for $700.

[lild428]

I was faced with the same decision, would love to have the balcony room and UBP but couldn't justify the $741, our typical bar bill isn't that much granted it could be more because sometimes I wouldn't have a drink b/c of the $$but I decided I could have a ton of drinks and other stuff for $700.

 

i'm leaning towards just getting a cheap inside room. it'd be my birthday during that week and i think i'd rather splurge on a spa treatment or do something really cool on a port day..

 

i'm like you.. sometimes i won't order a drink because of price.. we just came from getting married at sandals in jamaica in november so the idea of all inclusive drinks is enticing.. but i don't want to have to try to drink a ton just to justify the cost.. that could get ugly lol

[Beachgirl85]

i'm leaning towards just getting a cheap inside room. it'd be my birthday during that week and i think i'd rather splurge on a spa treatment or do something really cool on a port day..

 

i'm like you.. sometimes i won't order a drink because of price.. we just came from getting married at sandals in jamaica in november so the idea of all inclusive drinks is enticing.. but i don't want to have to try to drink a ton just to justify the cost.. that could get ugly lol

 

 

Love that idea!! Spa treatment and something fun from port!!

[mitsugirly]

For me, I would have to go with the cheaper interior room. I couldn't justify spending $700 more just to have the UBP. I think I would feel the "need" to drink more than what I normally would on any given cruise.

 

Normally what I do when cruising, I try not to spend too much on alcohol on the ship (maybe a few drinks here and there) and book places that offer an AI while in port that includes the drinks with it. We get our "fix" that way and it's all included in the price and works out great. But then again, we are not big drinkers to begin with. :)

[lild428]

Love that idea!! Spa treatment and something fun from port!!

 

i know towards the end of the week they usually run a good spa promo.. like 3 things for $xx which usually ends up being a really good deal.. of course that leaves my husband free to roam the casino which might suck up any savings i get lol :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[lild428]

For me, I would have to go with the cheaper interior room. I couldn't justify spending $700 more just to have the UBP. I think I would feel the "need" to drink more than what I normally would on any given cruise.

 

Normally what I do when cruising, I try not to spend too much on alcohol on the ship (maybe a few drinks here and there) and book places that offer an AI while in port that includes the drinks with it. We get our "fix" that way and it's all included in the price and works out great. But then again, we are not big drinkers to begin with. :)

 

i agree.. in nassau i'd like to spend the day at sandals royal bahamian. we did that on a pearl cruise that stopped in ocho rios.. we got a day pass for sandals grande riviera (where we ended up getting married, we liked it so much) and drank and ate our faces off lol

 

plus i think about all the drinks we won't be having during port days.. i'd hate to spend the night trying to "catch up" lol i can't help but be money conscious... i love getting good deals and weighing the money vs. reward. it's how we vacation 2-3 times a year. usually we do at least 2 cruises a year because we hang on to book till the prices hit rock bottom. this promo was just throwing me for a loop..

[mitsugirly]

i agree.. in nassau i'd like to spend the day at sandals royal bahamian. we did that on a pearl cruise that stopped in ocho rios.. we got a day pass for sandals grande riviera (where we ended up getting married, we liked it so much) and drank and ate our faces off lol

 

plus i think about all the drinks we won't be having during port days.. i'd hate to spend the night trying to "catch up" lol i can't help but be money conscious... i love getting good deals and weighing the money vs. reward. it's how we vacation 2-3 times a year. usually we do at least 2 cruises a year because we hang on to book till the prices hit rock bottom. this promo was just throwing me for a loop..

 

It sounds like you are a lot like me. We have been cruising in interiors for the last 4-5 years just to save money and be able to cruise 2-3 times a year. I have only been in a balcony twice and that's ONLY because I was upgraded when the prices of the balconies hit below what I had paid for my interior OR because of an awesome upgrade special during booking. I can take or leave a balcony. Yes, they are nice, however I don't spend much time in the room other than sleeping, changing and showering. I'm always on the go and can't sit still. Both times I have had a balcony, I find myself forcing myself to spend more time in there to justify it...but it's never for long. We have a balcony on our upcoming cruise on Carnival Pride (second time on Carnival) and I was FORCED to get one if I wanted to sail on it because everything else was sold out. :eek: This cruise will be the MOST expensive cruise I have ever booked costing me 2 1/2 times the amount I have ever paid for any NCL cruise. I ALWAYS book ONLY when they have the kids sail free promo with NCL (since we have a little one) and I'm very cost savy when it comes to that...just to be able to cruise more. I'm hoping I don't regret paying this much since we will be on the NCL Dawn just 2 months after this cruise (at a great kids sail free promo of course). :D

 

I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise...no matter which you decide. :)

[lild428]

It sounds like you are a lot like me. We have been cruising in interiors for the last 4-5 years just to save money and be able to cruise 2-3 times a year. I have only been in a balcony twice and that's ONLY because I was upgraded when the prices of the balconies hit below what I had paid for my interior OR because of an awesome upgrade special during booking. I can take or leave a balcony. Yes, they are nice, however I don't spend much time in the room other than sleeping, changing and showering. I'm always on the go and can't sit still. Both times I have had a balcony, I find myself forcing myself to spend more time in there to justify it...but it's never for long. We have a balcony on our upcoming cruise on Carnival Pride (second time on Carnival) and I was FORCED to get one if I wanted to sail on it because everything else was sold out. :eek: This cruise will be the MOST expensive cruise I have ever booked costing me 2 1/2 times the amount I have ever paid for any NCL cruise. I ALWAYS book ONLY when they have the kids sail free promo with NCL (since we have a little one) and I'm very cost savy when it comes to that...just to be able to cruise more. I'm hoping I don't regret paying this much since we will be on the NCL Dawn just 2 months after this cruise (at a great kids sail free promo of course). :D

 

I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise...no matter which you decide. :)

 

we've only had a balcony once.. had a porthole once too.. it was nice but i don't spend much time in the room either so i always say.. if you want a balcony/view.. go upstairs to the pool deck, there's a huge balcony up there :D:D

 

i'm hesitant to book any kind of carnival cruise.. i've heard not so good things but then again people only like to b!itch about stuff, not praise lol we love ncl for the anytime dining and all the specialty restaurants. and the cheap prices but quality vacations.

 

thanks - i'm stalking airline prices right now.. waiting for them to drop too lol :cool:

[mitsugirly]

we've only had a balcony once.. had a porthole once too.. it was nice but i don't spend much time in the room either so i always say.. if you want a balcony/view.. go upstairs to the pool deck, there's a huge balcony up there :D:D

 

i'm hesitant to book any kind of carnival cruise.. i've heard not so good things but then again people only like to b!itch about stuff, not praise lol we love ncl for the anytime dining and all the specialty restaurants. and the cheap prices but quality vacations.

 

thanks - i'm stalking airline prices right now.. waiting for them to drop too lol :cool:

 

 

I was hesitant to book Carnival for many years. I have been sailing NCL exclusively since 2010 and have only done 1 other (RC) back in the 90's and NCL before that. I read a lot of the negativity about Carnival and of course everything that happens to them seem to end up in the news. But I have to say that the main thing that held me back was the dining. I like the "freestyle" concept and no way did I want to be assigned a dining time and dining mates. We like our private dining time alone. I remember back in the 80's-90's when you were assigned to a certain table every night with the same people and it just wasn't a pleasant experience for me. I'm never hungry at the same time either. So, I've never booked with anyone other than NCL.

 

Since they have the "anytime" dinning, it worked just as if we were on NCL and ate when we wanted to. I was kicking myself for not trying this earlier. My fears were put to rest after that. They also have the specialty restaurants as well, but I try not to go to many of those on any ship because of the added cost. I can always find something I like to eat on any ship that's free. :D

 

However, I'm super glad that I went with my gut and not what others warned me of...otherwise I would have not had one of the best cruises I have been on. We went on the Dream and it was absolutely WONDERFUL all the way around. Yes, it's a "little" different than NCL (I think it's lacking in the entertainment in the theater department but everything else was pretty comparable to NCL). To date, my favorite cruise and ship was the Epic (which is a very controversial ship to many...either you hate it or love it) and the Dream is right behind it. :D

[kz1231]

We are cruising on April 11 and don't drink (I know, crazy, but there you have it...) - we're going to go snuggle seals in the Bahamas :-) among other things instead of paying for the drink package. If I do decide to indulge, one is more than enough for me. Someday I am going to try one of those balcony rooms though!

 

However you spend your birthday cruise, have a great one!

cheers,

kc