Totally overwhelmed potential first time cruiser!

[SoberJulie]

My hubby and I are looking to vacation in late Jan or early Feb and initially thought of simply going to an all inclusive resort..........but we've been to resorts before (enjoyed them very much) but 7 days simply doesnt seem long enough.

This is when it occurred to me that many cruises offer a 10 day jaunt, which would be perfect!

So I began my research.....I am a planner, whereas hubby is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kinda guy.

I think we are looking at a Caribbean cruise because we desire warm weather. (we are escaping the cold of Ont, Canada's winter!)

The more I researched, the more overwhelmed I became......how to choose a cabin/cabin placement on the ship? I desire a balcony. but how will I know if it has a good view?

Things that aren't included.....I knew alcohol wasnt included (no big deal, we don't drink) but is water included? Coffee? Are gratuities added to these extra drinks on top of the standard gratuities that the cruise line adds to your bill?

Are there quiet, relaxing places on the ship......all the pictures I see seem to include dozens of people everywhere! Hey, I dont mind people...but this is afterall, a vacation!

Seasickness? I dont anticipate it....but Ive heard of some type of bracelet or ear patch that will prevent it? What are these?

 

I havent even begun to research info on excursions at ports......Im not sure Ill make it past the ship info.

What I really want is for someone to take my hand and say "Julie, we book room #6543 and it had a fantastic view, a lovely lil'balcony and no noise. Book that one!"

Oh, and it wont cost you your first born.....;)

[spookwife]

Balcony: no such thing as a bad view. sure one port you may be facing an industrial looking dock, but the next one you will see nothing but crystal blue water. Mid ships tends to be 'better' since it offers easy access to the main set of elevators.

 

Generally speaking: included beverages include tap water, plain coffee, plain hot and iced tea, lemonade( squash or cordial depending who you are) at eats one flavored non carbonated water, hot chocolate and milk in all venues. Morning offering s will be 2-3 different juices from concentrate. soft serve from the machine on the pool deck

 

Extra charge: soda( except on Disney) specialty coffees and teas and all mixed drinks including non alcoholic, smoothies and shakes. also Bottle water. specialty ice creams/sundaes (some lines have ice cream stations at the buffet which are included)

 

EVERYTHING that incurs a charge will have 15-18% added in gratuity no matter what.

 

even the smallest ship has an out of the way quiet spot.

 

green apples and ginger are safe, non drug non drowsy motion sickness cures.

 

the mainstream lines: Carnival, Royal, NCL, Princess and to a lesser extent Disney and Celebrity all offer nearly identical experiences over all. Our Drug of choice is Royal followed by Celebrity. (late 40s, no kids, not huge into night life)

 

we prefer mid size ships( not the behemoths like Oasis and Allure)

[chengkp75]

My hubby and I are looking to vacation in late Jan or early Feb and initially thought of simply going to an all inclusive resort..........but we've been to resorts before (enjoyed them very much) but 7 days simply doesnt seem long enough.

This is when it occurred to me that many cruises offer a 10 day jaunt, which would be perfect!

So I began my research.....I am a planner, whereas hubby is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kinda guy.

I think we are looking at a Caribbean cruise because we desire warm weather. (we are escaping the cold of Ont, Canada's winter!)

The more I researched, the more overwhelmed I became......how to choose a cabin/cabin placement on the ship? I desire a balcony. but how will I know if it has a good view?

Things that aren't included.....I knew alcohol wasnt included (no big deal, we don't drink) but is water included? Coffee? Are gratuities added to these extra drinks on top of the standard gratuities that the cruise line adds to your bill?

Are there quiet, relaxing places on the ship......all the pictures I see seem to include dozens of people everywhere! Hey, I dont mind people...but this is afterall, a vacation!

Seasickness? I dont anticipate it....but Ive heard of some type of bracelet or ear patch that will prevent it? What are these?

 

I havent even begun to research info on excursions at ports......Im not sure Ill make it past the ship info.

What I really want is for someone to take my hand and say "Julie, we book room #6543 and it had a fantastic view, a lovely lil'balcony and no noise. Book that one!"

Oh, and it wont cost you your first born.....;)

 

I'll try to get a few points covered.

 

As for cabin placement, those who suffer from seasickness prefer a lower deck, and midships, rather than higher and forward or aft. Some swear by the aft balcony cabins, though you will have more vibration there.

 

As to views from balcony, there are some "obstructed view", but these are normally called out in the cabin category, and are less. Generally, this means there is a lifeboat in front of, or directly below your balcony. All balconies will give the same "view", its just that the scenery will change daily.

 

Tap water is free. Ship's tap water is safe and fine to drink. Some complain about the taste, but mostly that is the chlorine used to sanitize the water, and in places like the dining venues, bars, and drink dispensers, the chlorine has been filtered out, so there will be a taste difference to your cabin's sink, but its all the same water. Water taste is pretty subjective. Coffee and iced tea, and juice in the morning are free. Sodas are extra. There are gratuities added to any beverage that is not free.

 

You will be able to find quiet areas of the ship, starting with your balcony.

 

I would be hesitant to recommend the transderm scopolamine patch as a first remedy for seasickness, unless you know you are prone, and have tried other medications. This drug is very powerful (it is actually the truth serum of spy movies), and can have serious side effects. I have not tried the "sea-band" pressure bracelet, so I can't speak for those.

[Essiesmom]

Scopolamine (hyoscine hydromide) was not the 'truth serum'...that was Sodium Pentothal.

 

I suggest that before you go worrying about a cabin, that you choose and itinerary, then a ship. Then go to the forum here for that ships cruise line, and ask for help with cabin choice.

As for being a planner, and hubby a 'last minute' kind of guy...If you are just now looking for a cruise in Jan or Feb of next year, you have basically joined him...EM

Edited November 25, 2015 by Essiesmom

[Cuizer2]

My hubby and I are looking to vacation in late Jan or early Feb and initially thought of simply going to an all inclusive resort..........but we've been to resorts before (enjoyed them very much) but 7 days simply doesnt seem long enough.

This is when it occurred to me that many cruises offer a 10 day jaunt, which would be perfect!

So I began my research.....I am a planner, whereas hubby is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kinda guy.

I think we are looking at a Caribbean cruise because we desire warm weather. (we are escaping the cold of Ont, Canada's winter!)

The more I researched, the more overwhelmed I became......how to choose a cabin/cabin placement on the ship? I desire a balcony. but how will I know if it has a good view?

Things that aren't included.....I knew alcohol wasnt included (no big deal, we don't drink) but is water included? Coffee? Are gratuities added to these extra drinks on top of the standard gratuities that the cruise line adds to your bill?

Are there quiet, relaxing places on the ship......all the pictures I see seem to include dozens of people everywhere! Hey, I dont mind people...but this is afterall, a vacation!

Seasickness? I dont anticipate it....but Ive heard of some type of bracelet or ear patch that will prevent it? What are these?

 

I havent even begun to research info on excursions at ports......Im not sure Ill make it past the ship info.

What I really want is for someone to take my hand and say "Julie, we book room #6543 and it had a fantastic view, a lovely lil'balcony and no noise. Book that one!"

Oh, and it wont cost you your first born.....;)

 

I can answer your questions. However, after reading your post, I believe what you really need is a good travel agent. Not an online travel agent, but a real live person (I think there are a few left) who lives in your community (hopefully a polar bear is not your nearest neighbor) and is willing to sit down with you and answer your questions. FYI, I've been on 28 cruises and I use a travel agent.

 

As to your questions:

 

Cabin placement / balcony view - most balconies are on the side of the ship. Unless a balcony is noted as an obstructed view, all side facing balconies will have the same view (see the photo below showing the side of a ship with balconies). The best place to be is in the middle of the ship with cabins above and below you.

 

 

As you can see, all the side facing balconies have the same view. And, if you don't like the view, wait three minutes and you'll be one mile (1.6 KM) away from the last view.

 

What is included - tap water (which is very good), regular coffee, juice (that is not fresh squeezed in front of you), milk and most food is included. Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, specialty coffee (Starbucks, Seattle's Best ...) and optional extra cost meals (high quality steaks) are not included.

 

Most cruise lines automatically add a 15% tip to the drinks you have to pay for. Only if you want do you have to add more.

 

Quiet places - yes there are quiet places. Your balcony, the ship's library, the promenade deck, and some hidden places (you'll have to hunt for these places) are quiet places to sit and relax.

 

As for seasickness, you might look into ginger tablets ...

 

[chengkp75]

Scopolamine (hyoscine hydromide) was not the 'truth serum'...that was Sodium Pentothal.

 

I suggest that before you go worrying about a cabin, that you choose and itinerary, then a ship. Then go to the forum here for that ships cruise line, and ask for help with cabin choice.

As for being a planner, and hubby a 'last minute' kind of guy...If you are just now looking for a cruise in Jan or Feb of next year, you have basically joined him...EM

 

Actually, scopolamine in higher doses than allowed medically, is a hallucinogen, hence some of its side effects, and was used, as was pentothal, for interrogation purposes during the cold war.

[cb at sea]

All ships include ice water, coffee, tea (iced or hot) lemonade or punch or flavored water, milk and juice at breakfast.....

 

Soda and alcohol are extra.

 

Get a guidebook on your ports, so you'll know what is in each place....THEN you can plan what you want to do and how to do it. Most things don't need an excursion....info can help you have a great port day without spending a ton of money on "tours"!

[OCruisers]

A travel agent who specializes in cruising could be so VERY helpful to you. :)

[NMLady]

My hubby and I are looking to vacation in late Jan or early Feb and initially thought of simply going to an all inclusive resort..........but we've been to resorts before (enjoyed them very much) but 7 days simply doesnt seem long enough.

This is when it occurred to me that many cruises offer a 10 day jaunt, which would be perfect!

So I began my research.....I am a planner, whereas hubby is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kinda guy.

I think we are looking at a Caribbean cruise because we desire warm weather. (we are escaping the cold of Ont, Canada's winter!)

The more I researched, the more overwhelmed I became......how to choose a cabin/cabin placement on the ship? I desire a balcony. but how will I know if it has a good view?

Things that aren't included.....I knew alcohol wasnt included (no big deal, we don't drink) but is water included? Coffee? Are gratuities added to these extra drinks on top of the standard gratuities that the cruise line adds to your bill?

Are there quiet, relaxing places on the ship......all the pictures I see seem to include dozens of people everywhere! Hey, I dont mind people...but this is afterall, a vacation!

Seasickness? I dont anticipate it....but Ive heard of some type of bracelet or ear patch that will prevent it? What are these?

 

I havent even begun to research info on excursions at ports......Im not sure Ill make it past the ship info.

What I really want is for someone to take my hand and say "Julie, we book room #6543 and it had a fantastic view, a lovely lil'balcony and no noise. Book that one!"

Oh, and it wont cost you your first born.....;)

 

Before you worry about a cabin, first choose your itinerary, then cruise line and ship. If you do find a travel agent, make sure it is someone who has cruised before, not just someone who only books travel.

 

When you have chosen your itinerary and cruise line you might want to read posts on that forum on Cruise Critic since each cruise line has its own forum.

 

Since you want to cruise late January or early February, cabin choice will probably already be fairly limited since it's less than 90 days before the cruise so final payment has already been due for people who book that cruise.

 

Cruise ships have stabilizers so unless the ocean is choppy there is not bad motion. Even so, as others have said, the cabins that are lower decks mid-ship are the ones with least motion.

 

For quiet places I have often found that some of the bars are not frequented much during the day so I read there. It will depend on which ship you choose.

 

Do you want one of the new huge ships with lots of things to do and places aboard to explore or one of the older, smaller ships? Smaller as in " only" about 2000 passengers.

[_beachgirl_]

It can definitely seem overwhelming at first but I promise you that it's really not that bad. Just takes a bit of planning.

 

First things first, pick your cruise line and itinerary. There will be a large variety of cruise lines to choose from with very different prices. Once you've found something in your budget, book it. What types of activities are you most interested in doing? If you like water activities you'll have more fun in certain ports. If you want to be with animals, there are great ports for different ones. Grand Cayman and stingray city come to mind immediately. Or you can always shop or have a beach day too!

 

I've honestly never worried about booking a cabin. I just let the cruise ship put me wherever and I've never had a problem. Sometimes that means you get bumped up to a better room (it happened to us once). If you are particular about what you want then by all means, choose your cabin. Like others have said, mid ship is best with cabins above and below. If you call up the cruise line, they are very kind and will be more than happy to help you out start to finish.

 

Many drinks are offered for free like others have already mentioned. You'll only pay extra for pop/specialty coffee and alcohol. Oh and bottled water. The tap water is perfectly fine though.

 

You will most definitely be able to find quiet spots on the ship so not to worry about that. Just make sure if you are booking in February that you aren't there during reading weeks at the different universities.

 

I've done a few cruises now and I'm more than happy to help you out with whatever questions you have. I'm also from Ontario planning to escape this winter for the Caribbean.

[wampuscat7]

If you're looking at the mainstream lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, etc.), I'd recommend plugging your dates into a cruise finder and looking at which prices and itineraries are most appealing.

[griffy116]

We kind of stumbled onto our Travel Agent and it was the best decision ever. Not an on-line agent and he's not in the same state as us. He specializes in Cruises and has been on the ships himself. He has saved us from MANY mistakes, such as cabin selection, costs, ships/cruise that he felt wouldn't suit what are preferences are. He's been invaluable and it doesn't cost you anything...and we also get some perks from him.

[Steviemk14a]

Have you got most of your questions answered by now? You seem to have some good advice offered. We find the wrist bands work well - tried with and without. They also work well on helicopter flights.

 

Anything else?:)

[ShadowzBtlr]

For additional information, you might want to check out this information : http://www.cruisecritic.com/ftc/

[Jimnbigd]

Your cruise choice and cabin selection might be limited. A lot of cruisers are already booking for 2017 -- better cabin choices. You can expect to pay maybe $2000 per person or so for a 10-day cruise with balcony, depending on the ship and sailing date. Then add to that tips ($120 per person for a 10-day cruise), plus extras such as excursions. And of course the airfare (which you'd have to do even for an all-inclusive vacation). And a hotel to stay at before the cruise -- you really should fly down at least one day before the cruise, and maybe even earlier since you never know what the weather might be in Jan. or Feb.

 

I do not know the rules for Canada bookings for cancellation and refunds. I know the USA typically is: Deposits fully refundable until final payment date, usually 75 days or so before sailing. So, booking something now for 2017 if fully refundable is probably a good idea. Deposits vary, but are usually around $250 to $500 per person.

 

Before we can offer specific suggestions, tells us more. Do you want lots of ports, or do you want some time on the ship? (You probably don't even know since you've never cruised before.) Do you want relaxation or adventure, or a mix?

 

For lots of ports, consider flying to Puerto Rico for a 7-day cruise. You could fly down early and visit Puerto Rico itself. These ships do a Southern Caribbean route -- like St. Kitts and St. Barts.

 

For some sea days on the ship, you can sail from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Or, another option would be to sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, fly in a few days early, and go to Orlando for Disney World and/or Universal Studios. I'd probably do this option: Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas and visit Disney World for a few days before the cruise.

 

But...As I said...You might find most ships are already booked. A travel agent might be best since he/she can find what is available.

 

When you book your return flight, don't book too early. Ships can be delayed in returning. Since you are from Canada, you probably have a different and perhaps longer USA customs line to go through, so allow plenty of time -- maybe even opt to stay overnight in the arrival port and fly home the next day.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Jimnbigd

[teebird150]

Hello from Alberta, Julie

 

My gf and i just came off our first cruise and i can tell you we are addicted! like you i was overwhelmed with everything.

 

we were on the 5 day Carnival Victory via miami through the Western Caribbean (jamaica, grand cayman island).

 

I booked us a room with a aft (rear of the ship) balcony and i can tell you it was worth every (US) penny. Great for escaping, great for chilling during sea days under the sun and amazing until the moonlight. unobstructed views of the ocean and a million $ view of Miami as we departed.

 

I preferred to pay for Grats up front rather than have to deal with it onboard. any grats on top are at your discretion.

 

Multiple coffee stations/ hot water tea stations onboard - no charge. Pop/soda are not free.

 

The Victory had an area called Serenity which was on the very top of the ship that allowed for a quiet adult-only getaway and it really was. nice big lounge couches that protected from wind and sun.

 

Seasickness - wasn't much of an issue although my girlfriend did suffer from it slightly on Sea Day 2. the gravol ginger we brought didn't really help. I got her some hard core stuff form the onboard medical and after some sleep it did the trick for the rest of the trip. i was told the band doesnt really help and She avoided the ear patch and regular gravol as she didn't want to get drowsy - but wound up sleeping anyway so we could have tried those options.

 

hope this helps -feel free to ask me anything

 

Jason :)