New Cruiser

[cldcp00]

I am planing to go on my first cruise and have some questions

 

I would like to go on caribbean cruise.

 

If it is my fisrt cruise sould I start with a 1 week first or just go for the 2 week which one is better value?

 

Is sea sickness a issue?

 

What should be my budget for a cabin with a balcony?

 

Any tips for getting a good deal?

 

Any ships or companys that are highly recommended

 

What should I avoid

 

Thanks in advance for your help

 

Regards

 

Desmond

[Grandma Dazzles]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Notice you are in London (assume UK). You probably should check with friends and family and ask a lot of questions.

 

Many people here are in the US and pricing etc. can be very different. Suggest contacting a travel agent who specializes in cruising.

 

Some things to think about. Many cruises are 7 days, you can do two 7 day cruises, or perhaps a 10-12 day with a few days before or after the cruise. Would not recommend anything less than 7 days.

 

What do you enjoy? Food/drink, entertainment, swimming/pools, sports, casino. Lots of choices. Will you be traveling solo? If so, expect to pay more. Cabin prices are usually based on double occupancy. Remember you need to budget for alcohol, gratuities, shopping, excursions, etc.

 

Balcony cabins are very nice, but are more expensive.

 

Check out all the major mainstream lines such as Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, Princess, NCL, HAL. There are also British lines such as Cunard.

 

Come back with specific questions or check the boards of particular cruise lines for more in depth information on specific ships.

 

Good luck.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Seeing that you are from London and have to fly a long distance, I would go for the 14 day cruise. Our first cruise(s) many years ago was a back-to-back cruise for 14 days -- very port intensive.

As to sea sickness -- neither of us have ever been sea sick and we have done well over 140 cruises. There is no predicting who will get sea sick. Talk to your family doctor to see what he suggests. He knows you better than any of us -- he knows what medications (if any) you are taking and make suggests that hopefully will work for you should you get sea sick.

When do you wish to cruise? During the summer months many of the ships leave the Caribbean to go elsewhere -- Alaska, Canada/New England, Europe, etc. Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. The worst time for hurricanes is September and October. You may encounter a hurricane in August and November.

Balconies are wonderful. They come in all price ranges -- according to location and how large a cabin you want.

You really need to talk to a TA.

[ramey1911]

Talk to a good travel agent about pricing and what you're interested in seeing/doing. They'll make appropriate recommendation. I just returned from my first cruise and 12 days almost didn't seem long enough. I did spring for a balcony, but I knew I'd be solo and asked my TA to find me one. Not certain I'd be able to do any other type of cabin in the future [emoji6]

 

 

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[taglovestocruise]

How about a 15 day transatlantic Southampton to Florida with the last 5 nights in the Caribbean. Checkout RCL Independence of the Seas. Plus you will only need one way air back to the UK, right now Virgin Atlantic has one way fares from $380.00 coach for the Oct. 2017 sailing if booked through Royals air2sea program. happy cruising

[Cruisin' Chick]

I would definitely have a sit down session with a cruise specialist in your area. Ask friends, family, co-workers for recommendations for someone they used.

 

the one point made above I would disagree with is about going on a cruise that's more than 7 days. shorter cruises tend to be party-harty types (depending on time of year) but I would be concerned if you discover during the cruise you're not the cruising type....and ends up unhappy. I remember on my first Hawaiian cruise (15-days rt from Los Angeles), there was a couple assigned to our table who were unhappy campers (they were from the UK, but that's besides the point).

 

My advice is to look at a 7-day cruise to the Caribbean (avoid hurricane season) and add on a couple of days before the cruise (to get over jet lag) and a few days after for a land trip, especially if you haven't been to Florida before.

[Scrapnana]

I personally would not fly that far for a week or less.

 

Contact a good travel agent. Ask friends, co-workers, etc. for a good one. In the UK you can often find package deals which include the flights, sometimes hotels, and the cruise. That would likely be the most cost effective if you can find one at a convenient time for you to travel.

 

Keep in mind that there are fewer cruise ships in the Caribbean in the summer. Many that are based in Florida during the winter are sent to Europe or Alaska for the summer season. Therefore, your choices are reduced then.

 

I seldom get seasick but always take tablets with me "just in case".

 

If you are cruising by yourself you will likely find a hefty "single supplement" that will raise the price of your cabin (likely it will double - you are paying for the person who is not there!).

 

Hope you find a great cruise but be prepared to be bitten by the "cruise bug".:D

[jocap]

For your first cruise to the Caribbean, it's wiser to go with a fly/cruise package which will take you from your local airport all the way to the ship and back again with no hassle or transport problems. The two main companies which do this are P&O and Thomson.

From the moment you hand over your luggage at the airport, you're in their hands, so if anything should happen, such as a delay, you're covered and cared for.

Once you've done your first cruise this way, you'll be hooked :D and will have a good idea how to plan your next one, which you might do independently. ;)

There's also the option of sailing from the UK; visiting 7 or 8 islands then sailing back again, but this will take a month... ;) We do it this way, but we have the time to spare.. :cool: