Need help/opinions

[TriGirl]

My fiancee and I are getting married May 20, 2006. I've been trying to find a honeymoon that's in our price range and have had little success and I'm getting frustrated. Originally we wanted to go to Hawaii, but that's just not in our budget. (We're paying for a good portion of the wedding ourselves)

 

He suggested we look into a cruise instead, which is ok with me. But, I really wanted to go somewhere special for our honeymoon. We're going on the Zuiderdam next month to the caribbean. We live in California, just outside San Francisco. I looked to see if there were any cruises to Hawaii and all I could find were NCL cruises. I'm hesitant to book a cruise on NCL because I've heard so many mixed reviews.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance!

[jhannah]

You might check out HAL's Mexican Riviera with and without Sea of Cortez itineraries. That wouldn't require expensive flights cross country and would make a very nice honeymoon getaway.

[wwinfl91]

HAL, Princess, Celebrity, RCCL and Carnival all do Hawaii cruises in the fall and spring. They use ships which have been doing the Alaskan cruises in the fall and that are on their way to Alaska in the Spring. Other times of year you are pretty much limited to NCL which has two ships which do Hawaiian cruises, one doing 7 day cruises and another which visits Fanning Island and does 10-12 day cruises. By the time you are talking NCL will actually have another ship doing 7 day cruises. But most of the other cruise lines do their cruises in March and April and then again in Sept thru Nov. In looking at an online web site ***** search feature the only cruise line other than NCL that does a cruise in May seems to be RCCL Radiance which does a 14 day from San Diego on May 7.

 

You might consider an Alaskan cruise. There are a couple of cruise lines that do cruises from Californian ports to Alaska.

 

My sister and brother-in-law recently did an NCL cruise in Hawaii and generally had a good time.

 

Good luck in finding a cruise you will find special for your honeymoon. Use the online cruise web sites search engines like the one mentioned above.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[dakrewser]

I'll second Jim's suggestion of Mexican Riviera out of San Diego. There's also Hawaii on HAL R/T from SAn Diego but it's a 15-day cruise and may be longer than you want to do. THe 7-, 8- or 10-day outings to Mexico should be abe to accomodate you nicely.

[TriGirl]

Thanks for your replies! I really appreciate the input. I was thinking about looking at the Mexican riveria cruises. DF won't even consider Alaska because it's COLD. He's the kind of guy who can play golf in 110 degree heat in Palm Springs or Vegas. He likes it HOT.

 

Stephanie

[xpcdoojk]

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding.

 

I am doubtful that a cruise is going to be cheaper than flying to Hawaii, but sometimes you can get a deal.

 

The cruiselines other than NCL only visit Hawaii with trips from the mainland as repositioning cruises. These just occur during the time leading up to the summer Alaska season and at the end of the season as the cruises reposition to/from Alaska from/to the Caribbean. These either begin or start in Hawaii or on the mainland usually either Ensenada or Vancouver to get around the passenger transportation laws (jones act that requires a cruise ship to visit another country). I have done this kind of a cruise and got a very good deal, but they are only at a limited time of the year. I know some lines (HAL) that does roundtrips that are like 16 days or so. That start on the mainland and sail to Hawaii then return to the mainland. Any time you start looking at a 16 day cruise it can be expensive, but if you live on the west coast you may not have to have any plane fare expenses. NCL is exempted from the Passenger act because of their American crew and flagging. I have heard lots of really bad things about the NCL cruises in Hawaii, and can not recommend them. However, you may get a good deal on one of those, and heck it is a cruise and vacation and you get to go to Hawaii.

 

jc

[K&RCurt]

Jim & Dave:

 

 

 

My first thought was also Mexico....However, HAL doesn't have a ship sailing to Mexico Late May 2006. Here is a link to the 2006 HAL cruise calander: http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/nextYearCalendar.do

 

The choices on HAL for the time of her honeymoon are Alaska, Europe or the Maasdam to CAnada / N.E..

 

I also checked the Celebrity and RCI sights and that's about it with them also other than the Caribbean or the "X" Xpedition cruises to the Galapagos.

 

I would suggest talking to a TA.

I agree with jc that a flight and resort in Hawaii may be cheaper than a cruise, especially with the prices I've been seeing lately.

[dakrewser]

My first thought was also Mexico....However, HAL doesn't have a ship sailing to Mexico Late May 2006.

 

Ah, the date slipped right past me, Keith - thanks for catching that!

 

The Infinity leaves on the 20th and the Regal Princess on the 26th both R/T San Francisco to Alaska. That would be a nice trip.

[cactuslady]

[but, I really wanted to go somewhere special for our honeymoon.

In my opinion, a HAL ship is somewhere special.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

[Bookish Angel]

I'd recommend the NCL Spirit to Alaska. Hubby and I went last year and it was as nice as any HAL ship on which we have cruised; however, the food and service are not quite up to HAL standards. Not that they were in any way bad, it is just that HAL has such understated, impeccable service and food (in the Pinnacle, anyway!). Having said that, I still loved the NCL Spirit's Alaskan itinerary.

[TriGirl]

Thanks for all your input.

[sail7seas]

Congratulations and Best Wishes on your upcoming marriage.

 

Please let us know what you decide to plan for your honeymoon.

 

(I always like to hear the 'end of the story'.)

[mrskmirolla]

Trigirl, we live in Southern California and we got a great deal flying to Hawaii and taking the Pride of Aloha. We just told ourselves we were going to use the stateroom as a bedroom (which is smaller than our own :D ) and then use the food services of the ship and rented cars on some of the islands and kept our price down to around $2000.00 for the two of us. It was great and we weren't disappointed as we prepared ourselves. Granted it isn't Holland America and anywhere you go with them is great but at least we saw 4 islands and spent alot of time on each island more than any other line. Just check the newspaper on Sundays in the travel section and believe me there are alot of great deals especially for us in California.

 

Kathy