Please help me with my very first cruise

[Sparkling_girl]

Hi,

 

I have never been on a cruise before, nor have my family. We have two young children, ages 4 and 7. I would love to go to Greece and Italy, was thinking maybe I can combine both and go on a cruise that goes to both countries. I found out that Norwegian Spirit has a 11 days cruise in April. And the prices were better than the other cruises. I was wondering if you can please let me know:

 

1. Will all the meals be included in the price? What about soda?

2. The one stop flight costs around $500 from IAD to Rome. Do you think it is worth paying $1000 per person to get a non-stop?

3. Which neighborhood in Rome do we stay so we can see so much in three days and then get to the cruise port?

4. Where do we book the excursion to ensure it is good and affordable? Do we need one for each port stop?

5. Booking - where do you recommend me to book this trip on? Expedia, Travelocity, ncl.com?

6. Deciding on the deck: booking thru Expedia or Travelocity gave me the options to pick deck 4, or I think 8 and 9. Which one you recommend?

7. Will the interior room on deck 8-9 be better than the family ocean porthole on deck 4?

8. Which free option are best value? We don't drink any alcohol.

 

Thank you

[debnjoe1438]

Hi,

 

I have never been on a cruise before, nor have my family. We have two young children, ages 4 and 7. I would love to go to Greece and Italy, was thinking maybe I can combine both and go on a cruise that goes to both countries. I found out that Norwegian Spirit has a 11 days cruise in April. And the prices were better than the other cruises. I was wondering if you can please let me know:

 

1. Will all the meals be included in the price? What about soda?

2. The one stop flight costs around $500 from IAD to Rome. Do you think it is worth paying $1000 per person to get a non-stop?

3. Which neighborhood in Rome do we stay so we can see so much in three days and then get to the cruise port?

4. Where do we book the excursion to ensure it is good and affordable? Do we need one for each port stop?

5. Booking - where do you recommend me to book this trip on? Expedia, Travelocity, ncl.com?

6. Deciding on the deck: booking thru Expedia or Travelocity gave me the options to pick deck 4, or I think 8 and 9. Which one you recommend?

7. Will the interior room on deck 8-9 be better than the family ocean porthole on deck 4?

8. Which free option are best value? We don't drink any alcohol.

 

Thank you

 

Hello, I can only answer one question, yes the meals are included with the price of the cruise, with the exception of the "specialty" The main dinning room, buffet and whatever the 24 hr restaurant are include in the price. No soda's are not included. Included, water (not bottled) coffee, tea, juices, flavored water drinks.

 

Cruise critic does not allow advertising or recommending travel agents, so can't comment there.

 

Air flights and prices are subjective. IMHO, an extra $500.00 pp for non stop, no.

[PelicanBill]

You are off to a great start with these questions. I will answer some that I can.

 

1. Will all the meals be included in the price? What about soda?

All meals are included - buffet and dining room. The only added charges are for specialty restaurants and some treats.

 

2. The one stop flight costs around $500 from IAD to Rome. Do you think it is worth paying $1000 per person to get a non-stop?

If you are flying with enough time ahead, save the money and use it for the cruise.

 

 

4. Where do we book the excursion to ensure it is good and affordable? Do we need one for each port stop?

Study each port and decide. If there is enough to do and see by walking from the Pier feel free to save money and just do it yourself. Book a ship tour for a port if you see one you like and are able to afford (log into NCL after booking, and watch for choices 3-5 months before the cruise date.) As this is your first cruise, I don't recommend booking tours on your own. Save that for when you are more experienced.

5. Booking - where do you recommend me to book this trip on? Expedia, Travelocity, ncl.com?

Unless you see a big savings on an agent site, or get a bonus you can't get from NCL, I prefer to book direct with NCL.

6. Deciding on the deck: booking thru Expedia or Travelocity gave me the options to pick deck 4, or I think 8 and 9. Which one you recommend? 8 and 9 are closer to all the places on the ship. Study the deck plans.

 

7. Will the interior room on deck 8-9 be better than the family ocean porthole on deck 4?

It's nice to see daylight when the sun is out. You should check square footage carefully as there may be a difference in size of cabin. With 4 people you want more space more than a window.

 

8. Which free option are best value? We don't drink any alcohol.

If 3rd/4th passenger free is offered, that is always best. Specialty dining would be a treat for the parents while the kids are in the kids club. Being cost conscious the $50 credit for excursions will only be worth it if you book excursions at most or all ports.

[KarimaJ]

I can’t help with the ports since I haven’t been there, but can help with other items.

All meals are included and pretty much food is available all day and night. You can get soda with dinner for free. The buffet area has flavored waters at lunch, and juices at breakfast.

 

I would go to the Ports or Call boards to find suggestions for excursions, it’s always cheaper (and less crowded) to use local providers instead of booking with the cruise line.

 

I would book with whatever website gives better perks such as on board credit or free gratuities. Do mock booking and see which is a better deal.

 

We did an inside room once and it was done for 2 of us. But I wouldn’t do it with 4 people it will be tight. The family ocean will def give you more room. But check the square footage when you book to be sure.

 

Free options: I would say free WiFi and if you plan to book excursions through NCL then the excursions credit. If not then the speciality dining. But you still have to pay gratuity on that one.

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

I can’t help with the ports since I haven’t been there, but can help with other items.

All meals are included and pretty much food is available all day and night. You can get soda with dinner for free. The buffet area has flavored waters at lunch, and juices at breakfast.

 

I would go to the Ports or Call boards to find suggestions for excursions, it’s always cheaper (and less crowded) to use local providers instead of booking with the cruise line.

 

I would book with whatever website gives better perks such as on board credit or free gratuities. Do mock booking and see which is a better deal.

 

We did an inside room once and it was done for 2 of us. But I wouldn’t do it with 4 people it will be tight. The family ocean will def give you more room. But check the square footage when you book to be sure.

 

Free options: I would say free WiFi and if you plan to book excursions through NCL then the excursions credit. If not then the speciality dining. But you still have to pay gratuity on that one.

 

 

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Soda is extra unless you have a beverage package, even at dinner.

[Sparkling_girl]

Thank you all so much fir your helpful replies. I will take notes of all the comments. The family onside measurement reads:

Total Approx. Size153-281 sq ft ---> which is the number I have to go with?

But the ocean view porthole is 153 square feet.

How will I know which room is larger?

Thank you

[Sparkling_girl]

Just to see the price, while on ncl.com website I selected the "guest 3 and 4 sail free" and the price was 4029.00 then I selected the wifi plan instead and the price did not change still 4029.00. Shouldn't the first option bring the price much lower?

 

The port in Rome, is it easy to get to from Rome?

 

Thanks

[fastpitchdad]

Answer to number 3: Campo De Fiori. We had an Airbnb last fall (I think the name of it is in my venice review) and the location was absolutely perfect.

[GUT2407]

Hi,

 

I have never been on a cruise before, nor have my family. We have two young children, ages 4 and 7. I would love to go to Greece and Italy, was thinking maybe I can combine both and go on a cruise that goes to both countries. I found out that Norwegian Spirit has a 11 days cruise in April. And the prices were better than the other cruises. I was wondering if you can please let me know:

 

1. Will all the meals be included in the price? What about soda?

2. The one stop flight costs around $500 from IAD to Rome. Do you think it is worth paying $1000 per person to get a non-stop?

3. Which neighborhood in Rome do we stay so we can see so much in three days and then get to the cruise port?

4. Where do we book the excursion to ensure it is good and affordable? Do we need one for each port stop?

5. Booking - where do you recommend me to book this trip on? Expedia, Travelocity, ncl.com?

6. Deciding on the deck: booking thru Expedia or Travelocity gave me the options to pick deck 4, or I think 8 and 9. Which one you recommend?

7. Will the interior room on deck 8-9 be better than the family ocean porthole on deck 4?

8. Which free option are best value? We don't drink any alcohol.

 

Thank you

 

 

1. There will be free venues for every meal and some upgrade options if you wish to take advantage of them. Soda not included but you can get a package that gives unlimited Soda.

 

2. I wouldn’t pay it, but others would, I guess it depends how long the layover is.

 

3. Can’t help with this one.

 

4. I haven’t booked an excursion in probably 15 years, I still check out what’s on offer, for ideas. Usually just explore ourselves or hire a car.

 

5. We cant discuss travel agents on Cruise Critic

 

6. Personally I prefer higher decks in particular with cabins above and below.

 

7. I couldnt do an inside, no matter what, others love them.

 

8. For us, also non drinkers, it’s usually the OBC but just do the sums.

[GUT2407]

Just to see the price, while on ncl.com website I selected the "guest 3 and 4 sail free" and the price was 4029.00 then I selected the wifi plan instead and the price did not change still 4029.00. Shouldn't the first option bring the price much lower?

 

The port in Rome, is it easy to get to from Rome?

 

Thanks

It won’t change till towards the end of the booking, well that’s what happens with the Australian site anyway.

[Sparkling_girl]

I love your answers, very helpful. Thankyou.

Which other cruises would you suggest with similar countries ( love to see Santorini and Italy), a cruise line with more activirties, bigger rooms, any recommendations please?

Thanks

[casofilia]

The port in Rome, is it easy to get to from Rome?

The port is, in fact, Civitavecchia which is about 45min to 1hr from Rome. You can do it by train BUT..... I would recommend a shared shuttle if you can find someone to share one with; second choice a taxi.

[casofilia]

I couldnt do an inside, no matter what, others love them.

We love them but there are only 2 of us and the main use is sleeping; there are plenty of other places on board for everything else. BUT and it is a BIG BUT there are only 2 of us; I wouldn't want to do it with 4 even if 2 are children.

[Sparkling_girl]

Thank you great tip

[CruiseGal999]

Hi,

 

I have never been on a cruise before, nor have my family. We have two young children, ages 4 and 7. I would love to go to Greece and Italy, was thinking maybe I can combine both and go on a cruise that goes to both countries. I found out that Norwegian Spirit has a 11 days cruise in April. And the prices were better than the other cruises. I was wondering if you can please let me know:

 

1. Will all the meals be included in the price? What about soda?

2. The one stop flight costs around $500 from IAD to Rome. Do you think it is worth paying $1000 per person to get a non-stop?

3. Which neighborhood in Rome do we stay so we can see so much in three days and then get to the cruise port?

4. Where do we book the excursion to ensure it is good and affordable? Do we need one for each port stop?

5. Booking - where do you recommend me to book this trip on? Expedia, Travelocity, ncl.com?

6. Deciding on the deck: booking thru Expedia or Travelocity gave me the options to pick deck 4, or I think 8 and 9. Which one you recommend?

7. Will the interior room on deck 8-9 be better than the family ocean porthole on deck 4?

8. Which free option are best value? We don't drink any alcohol.

 

Thank you

 

Our Mediterranean cruise on NCL Spirit was in 2013. It was end of July/Early August. It was HOT ... 100 + every day and 95% humidity.

 

It was from Barcelona to Venice. It was VERY port intensive and there was A LOT of walking in that heat & humidity. Up at 6am, room service by 7am and IN the theater or meet up location by 8am or 8:30 a.m. and ON the bus by 9:00 a.m. Got back to the port & on the ship between 5pm - 7pm depending on the port & excursion. This was EVERY DAY of our vacation. I skipped going ashore in Ephesus, Turkey (DH did it alone) so I could chill, take a nap and recharge. We didn't see ANY shows on the ship. We had dinner and went to bed. It was exhausting.

 

The NCL excursions are EXTREMELY expensive (in my opinion), $150 - $220 per person, and they were some of the WORST I have ever experienced. But me & my DH had never been in these parts and didn't know how/where to get trips on our own.

 

I am sorry that I sound like a real downer, but it's a little reality of what you might encounter. And with 2 very small children in tow? I truly wish you the best of luck.

[Jack Staff]

I think your questions have been answered in some way or another. For info on ports perhaps look at https://www.tomsportguides.com/ ; https://www.ricksteves.com/;

Booking a cruise can be a little confusing at first but do look at other cruise lines as well as NCL.

Rome can be interesting but is approximately an hour from the cruise port and we used a shuttle to get there. The Mediterranean is hot in the summer -Rome is currently averaging 93F but will be about 82 F in April . April is outside of European school holidays when holidays are cheaper - Easter when schools have at least week off will be very busy

[Huntingdon1701]

I've done a similar cruise and those ports are well worth seeing! I got most of my advice on what to do there in the Ports of Call Forums elsewhere on this board - and also in my roll call. There were a few people looking to share private tours and they were very good value.

 

When booking a cabin, do check the deck plans on NCL's website. Some of the cabins can be over the nightclub or a kitchen area which is noisy until late. But you can find some perfect spots by checking it first - generally, a cabin that has cabins above and below will be quietest.

[newmexicoNita]

I will not bother answering all your questions as they have already been answered and the answers are all very good. I would add though, an inside cabin with 4 would be very crowded especially on the Spirit as the cabins are already very small. As a perk, I would opt for the specialty dining as one. And the only other advise I would give is: please and I can't stress this enough, go though a reputable travel agent. For a first time cruiser, choosing an 11 day cruise, cruising out of foreign country is not something to try to handle on your own. You would be so much better off letting a professional handle the booking. Forget about Expedia, etc. They are wonderful in some situations but not one as involved as what you are planning.

 

Have a great cruise.

[KonkyWonky]

Piazza Navona is a lovely area in Rome, great for people watching and some fantastic restaurants down the old cobbled streets. We stayed in Residenza Zanardelli, excellent modest priced accommodation.

[Corby114]

Most European cruises are port intensive, meaning most passengers take either cruise line or independent excursions during there cruise. I think if your interested in taking your young children on a cruise I would first try a Caribbean cruise to see if you like it. I would wait to do the more expensive European cruise when your children are older enough to actually enjoy it. It’s really tough doing extensive excursions with young children in tow. A four, five, or even a seven day Caribbean cruise gives your family a chance to see if cruising is for you. I personally got hooked way back in May 1983 when I did a seven day solo cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Song Of America Eastern Caribbean sailing from Miami. I currently have cruise number forty booked with my family on Holland America’s Westerdam January 2019 sailing from Singapore.

[Sparkling_girl]

Tyank you all, I learned a lot from your replies.

 

I know we love to visit main cities in Italy and nice Santorini and Athen. It would be a lot harder to travel by train between main cities in Italy and visit Greece another time. What do you think? Do we even get to see so much while travelling to these two countries by the cruise?

[Jana60]

Hi,

 

 

 

I have never been on a cruise before, nor have my family. We have two young children, ages 4 and 7. I would love to go to Greece and Italy, was thinking maybe I can combine both and go on a cruise that goes to both countries. I found out that Norwegian Spirit has a 11 days cruise in April. And the prices were better than the other cruises. I was wondering if you can please let me know:

 

 

 

1. Will all the meals be included in the price? What about soda?

 

2. The one stop flight costs around $500 from IAD to Rome. Do you think it is worth paying $1000 per person to get a non-stop?

 

3. Which neighborhood in Rome do we stay so we can see so much in three days and then get to the cruise port?

 

4. Where do we book the excursion to ensure it is good and affordable? Do we need one for each port stop?

 

5. Booking - where do you recommend me to book this trip on? Expedia, Travelocity, ncl.com?

 

6. Deciding on the deck: booking thru Expedia or Travelocity gave me the options to pick deck 4, or I think 8 and 9. Which one you recommend?

 

7. Will the interior room on deck 8-9 be better than the family ocean porthole on deck 4?

 

8. Which free option are best value? We don't drink any alcohol.

 

 

 

Thank you

 

 

 

#1) Meals are included but soda is not unless you purchase soda package for each of you.

#2) I would go for the cheaper flight unless the layover for the flight exceeds 4 hours.

#3) My sister and I stayed at the hotel Cosmopolita for our trip in 2009. We were very pleased with the location which was right next door to the tomb of the unknown soldier and about halfway between the Colosseum and the fountain of Trevi. We were within walking distance of all the main sites other than the Vatican. My sister had been to Rome several times so we didn’t need a tour guide but did do a guided tour for the Vatican. No matter where you stay in Rome you will not be near the cruise port which is in a different city. We were on a budget so instead of taking an expensive cab ride or shuttle to the tune of €280 we instead took a train which only cost us about €20 each. You do have to be able to manage your own luggage if you do that so if you’re planning to take lots of luggage the train may not be an option for you. My sister and I each had one very large rolling suitcase and one backpack each so we did quite well. Returning from the port to the airport we were able to share a ride with other people and make it very affordable.

#4) When you’re staying three or four days in a city like you will be in Rome you may or may not require guided tours but for the stops of the cruise ship in ancient historical cities you will want to purchase tours at each location. When I’m going to the Caribbean I often arrange my own tours with tour companies but if you are getting off the boat and going on a very time consuming tour to a city in Greece or turkey you should take a ship tour so that no matter what happens the ship will wait for you!

#5) I always book with Travelocity no matter which cruise line I’m cruising because I like getting some extra onboard credit. But I always buy travel insurance from “insure my trip” because it is better coverage for a lower price.

#6) & #7) A trip to Rome with cruise to Greece is a once-in-a-lifetime trip so I would recommend if there’s anyway you can afford it that you get a room that is either oceanview or balcony!

#8) If free gratuities is offered thats a pretty good choice. Shore excursion discount might also help your family. BUT If you only get one perk definitely choose the “third or fourth family member cruises free” choice.

 

 

 

 

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[kitkat343]

I do need to disagree with the previous poster who argued against taking your 4 year old on a cruise to Europe. We began cruising with our children at the age of 2, and have found that it is a really wonderful way to balance out touring cities during the day with using the kids club at night and on sea days. What was most important for us was to book private independent excursions for just our family, so we could completely control the itinerary. Whenever my son started to get whiny or tired we'd just stop and give him a break. He made it about an hour in the Hermitage, which is pretty good for a 3 year old, and then I took him to the cafe on the ground floor to get a treat while my husband got to see the Impressionist wing (we had early admission to the Hermitage and the Renaissance art I wanted to see opened first so we each got to see what was most important to us). You should research your trip thoroughly so you know exactly what's most important to you, and try to do that first since you honestly never know how long your kid's attention span will last. And then within the attractions, try to research what the highlights are so you can jump right to that. For example, in Stockholm you could spend all day just at Skansen, but I knew the highlight for my son would be the open lemur exhibit where you get to go into the lemur cage and walk among them, so that was all we did at that museum due to the time constraints (we had a Stockholm card that granted entrance to most of the museums in the city, so it was actually quite worth it).

 

Try to head off meltdowns by feeding your children often and giving them breaks - on a Mediterranean cruise gelato will help a lot. Please don't take any ship tours, as you might be trapped on a bus with many people and a child who is melting down who just needs a break before he's ready to go into the Coliseum. And you absolutely don't have time to wait for a lot of people to board a bus or take bathroom breaks. You can find private excursions either on the Mediterranean board or on tripadvisor. If you plan carefully and have a completely private tour, you can honestly see all of the highlights of a city. We were able in 2 days to visit everything on a standard St. Petersburg tour, and had a really wonderful overview of that city.

 

I would recommend going to the buffet for breakfast on the first day with a large bag and grabbing fruit, yoghurt and cereal boxes. You want to always have food on hand in case your kids get hungry. The sealed cereal boxes can be taken off the ship so you'll have snacks on excursions.

 

If the heat is an issue, perhaps you'd want to consider a Baltic cruise instead. There's a lot of child friendly activities there (Tivoli gardens, Skansen, Vasa, the fountains at Peterhof, canal river cruises). My 3.5 year old loved the Baltics and keeps asking if we can go back on that trip again since he wants his younger brother to see St. Petersburg and Stockholm (I was pregnant on that cruise, so the little one didn't get to see anything). There's a cruise review in my signature line that talks about what excursions to take with children on the Baltics if that's something you'd consider.

 

 

In terms of your free offers, obviously 3/4 passenger free is best. After that, it depends on what is most important to you. We were very happy with NCL's specialty restaurants (and not nearly as happy with the free included food). But it's important to note that children who order off the regular menu in a specialty restaurant will be charged the full price (it's free for children to order off the kids menu in specialty restaurants). For us, one of the main reasons we love cruises is that our kids get to try a lot of different kinds of food, so it wouldn't make me happy to order off the children's menu. But please remember the kids clubs will be closed on NCL from 5-7 pm on sea days, so you need to take that into consideration since you'll be supervising your kids during that time. You can take them to the buffet and feed them, and then eat dinner in a specialty restaurant just with your spouse after 7, or just pay for everyone to go or use the kids menu for your children.

[gooch47]

When you choose a cabin, be aware of what is on the deck above and below you.

 

Below the pool is bad. They start dragging the loungers around very early in the morning and can be very disruptive.

 

Above the theater or a bar is bad. The worst cabin we ever had was above the theater. Even during the afternoon they would rehearse and the noise was incredible.

 

The best cabins, in my opinion, are those with cabins both above and below you.

[pspercy]

How are your kids in crowds?

Rome will be wall-to-wall.