Cruise line selection help!

[alexandraharrislowe]

Hello crusiecritic forum,

 

My family and I (ages 54, 50, 24, 21) are looking to go on a cruise this year (in late February). We want to go somewhere in the Carribean and area (Belize, and the Bahamas have been popular destinations to talk about) for about 6-8 days, but we are having trouble picking a cruise line. We are pretty sure we want to leave from Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Orlando. Just nowhere too north so that we don't have an extra day on the boat cruising in the cold (Jersey or Boston). Each of us has different expectations for a cruise which I think is making it difficult. My mom just wants to be able to "lay by the pool" and, my dad wants a line that isn't seriously crowded and is under budget ($1600 and under per person), then my brother and I want a cruise line where we can go on cool excursions and have a clean room. Essentially, I need a non-crowded pool, clean and fairly updated rooms, and excursions that I'm not going to be bored on. Needless to say, it is proving to be a difficult task. I have looked at Carribean, Celebrity, Norweigan, and Carnival but they all seem to say the exact same thing.  Any help and advice would be appreciated! Thank you!!!!

Edited November 6, 2018 by alexandraharrislowe
more detail

[paul929207]

Well you will find pools on  all ships, so you mom is done.  🙂

Lots of ships with fares $1600 pp or les. First, question is what are you looking for as a cabin? 2 cabins for 2 people in each or a cabin with 4? Inside? Balcony?

Clean room is not a problem. all will offer that.

Excursions, again all will offer a variety of them in each port.

 

I would suggest talking to a travel agent for advice.

[jlp20]

Okay, your asking an unanswerable question. Totally subjective as to your wants and taste. I would suggest you go online and watch posted videos from pax from those cruise lines going to those ports your interested in. Pay attention to whats going on in the background. what line seems more to your liking.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

You really do need to talk to a travel agent -- we are not allowed to mention any on here.

 

I would strongly suggest that you get 2 cabins -- 4 adults and one small bathroom can be a problem.

 

Remember that pools are not as large on a ship as a land based pools.

[Essiesmom]

1.  Every ship will have a pool or more.  They will all be crowded if you want to be right by the pool.  Some have an adult pool that may be less crowded.  

2.  Every ship has clean rooms...There are cabin stewards that clean them twice a day.

3.  Every ship will offer the same excursions for the same ports.

4.  You can get under $1600pp on every line but the luxury lines if you are not particular about the cabin type.  Inside and ocean view cabins can be a great bargain.  Remember, especially as it is your first cruise, you are not paying to stay in the cabin all day.  You want to be out and about enjoying all the features of the ship.

5,  You said you looked at several cruise lines and they all say the same thing.  That's because they are all more alike than different.  What are you looking for that you haven't seen?  

6.  What kind of excursions are you looking for that are adventurous?   Google those activities and see where they are offered.  Then find a ship that goes there.  Visit www.cruisetimetables.com  to find ships and itineraries.

7.  Is departure port important?  If you have to fly to the cruise, airfare can add significantly to the cost of the cruise.

8.  Visit www.cruiseportinsider.com and check out the ports.  It will list many of the excursions that are available in the ports.  The excursions are mostly directly from the cruise line brochures/websites.  Unfortunately they are a little thin on the islands in the Caribbean, especially the eastern Caribbean.  

EM

[JimnKaren]

Be aware that there are cruises leaving Tampa, New Orleans, Mobile and Houston/Galveston, too. Due to their location, a western Caribbean (Belize, Cozumel, Roatan, etc.) is practical.

 

Jim

[mef_57]

As stated, a cruise expert travel agent would help a lot.  Otherwise, the ship specific Cruise Critic reviews can help with defining the demographics - that might help with ship decisions. The super ships will keep you occupied, but not support Dad's request.  A week membership to the thermal spa might be a quiet poolside option for mom - unless it is some sun worshipping she is looking for.  Shore activities may not live up to expectations for you unless you are interested in water sports.  You have the alternative of choosing non-cruiseline excursions, however.

Winter is high cruise season so ships are bound to be at capacity.  To give some consideration for Dad, then look to a smaller ship...most have  them in their fleet.  Wikipedia defines the fleet for each cruise line and lists passenger capacity, so that might let you short list specific ships for each line and work from there...at least, that is how I would tackle it.  You can then search some 3rd party cruising websites and short list by ship name, and specific departure ports.

 

[cb at sea]

Orlando isn't a "port"...it's inland, about 1 hour to Port Canaveral to the east, and about an hour to Tampa.  Not the most convenient airport!

[SuiteTraveler]

Not sure why you would want to go to crime ridden Belize - it's a very dangerous place for tourists.  If you insist on going there, do go on a ship's tour and don't trust any locals - no cocktails in bars or anything as they will drug you and rob you.  The Bahamas are known to be some of the worst ports, although if you want to go to Atlantis, then Nassau can be fun for a day, otherwise, you may as well stay on the ship.  

 

I've been on cruises in February where it was cold and rainy anywhere North of Puerto Rico.  Sometimes the weather is nice, sometimes not.  Just keep that in mind.  

 

In terms of cruise lines, Carnival is probably the lowest category of those you have listed. Expect crowding on. the pool decks, mediocre food and entertainment is heavily reliant on comedy shows and a couple of production shows.  The better Carnival ships are the newest: Magic, Breeze, Vista, Horizon.

 

NCL and RCCL and MSC are direct competitors and a step up from Carnival.  NCL's newer ships feel like staying in a casino hotel in Las Vegas with a waterpark. RCCL's newer ships feel like staying at an amusement park divided into neighborhoods.  These ships are HUGE - they are called Mega Ships and are actually designed to be the destination. MSC ships tend to be a bit more sophisticated in feeling and style which may appeal to your parents. However, both NCL and MSC can be super crowded around the pool, whereas RCCL offers the adults only conservatory where it is less crowded.  

 

A step up from NCL and RCCL is Princess and Celebrity.  These two lines are the ones I think. your parents would like the most and there is enough onboard, especially Princess for 2 20-somethings to enjoy the ship.  Where Celebrity is weak is in entertainment.  I go back and forth on whether I prefer Princess to Celebrity or Celebrity to Princess and right now, I'm leaning towards Princess.  You will find a mix of all ages onboard Princess.

 

MSC Seaside offers a full waterpark, different shows in the theater nightly, Italian food - this is a nice new ship offering a good itinerary.  This is a Mega ship however,  but the price for this cruise ranges low - $709 pp for a balcony, $1079 pp for a suite which may make it attractive given your budget constraints.  If you compare this ship to the Carnival Magic I've listed below, it is drastically nicer and offers more to do onboard than the Regal Princess, however, I give the food nod to Princess and the entertainment nod to Seaside.  Cabins are equally nice.:

Saturday, February 9	Miami, FL		7:00pm
Sunday, February 10	At Sea
Monday, February 11	Ocho Rios, Jamaica	9:00am	5:00pm
Tuesday, February 12	Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands	8:00am	4:00pm
Wednesday, February 13	Cozumel, Mexico	10:00am	6:00pm
Thursday, February 14	Costa Maya, Mexico	8:00am	5:00pm
Friday, February 15	At Sea
Saturday, February 16	Miami, FL	7:00am

 

Here's a Regal Princess cruise with a great itinerary.  This is a newish Princess ship and it is lovely - was just on it last fall and really enjoyed this ship.  Balcony runs $1199 pp:

 

DatePortArriveDepartSunday, February 10 Fort Lauderdale, FL4:00pm 

---

Monday, February 11 Princess Cays, Bahamas9:00am 5:00pm 

---

Tuesday, February 12 At Sea

---

Wednesday, February 13 Falmouth, Jamaica8:00am 5:00pm 

---

Thursday, February 14 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands7:00am 4:00pm 

---

Friday, February 15 Cozumel, Mexico10:00am 10:00pm 

---

Saturday, February 16 At Sea

---

Sunday, February 17 Fort Lauderdale, FL6:00am 

 

 

For means of comparison, here is a Carnival Magic cruise.  Balcony's are $804pp.  If you compare this Carnival ship to the above Princess ship, the Princess ship would win hands down in every category.  Regal Princess is just drastically nicer and a more luxurious experience in every way.  

Sunday, February 10	Miami, FL		4:00pm
Monday, February 11	At Sea
Tuesday, February 12	Amber Cove, Dominican Republic	8:00am	4:00pm
Wednesday, February 13	St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands	11:00am	7:00pm
Thursday, February 14	San Juan, Puerto Rico	7:30am	3:30pm
Friday, February 15	Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands	11:00am	5:30pm
Saturday, February 16	At Sea
Sunday, February 17	Miami, FL	8:00am

 

If you are interested in trying RCCL, here's a Harmony of the Seas (one of the largest ships in the world) that there is so much to do onboard you cannot do it all in a week.  These ships are awesome and even though they are huge, they never feel crowded.  However, some elderly guests find the sheer size of these ships daunting.  The entertainment is the best at sea.  There is the adults only conservatory for your mom.  You and your sibling will have tons to do onboard.  $899pp. balcony.

Sunday, February 10	Miami, FL		4:00pm
Monday, February 11	At Sea
Tuesday, February 12	Amber Cove, Dominican Republic	8:00am	4:00pm
Wednesday, February 13	St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands	11:00am	7:00pm
Thursday, February 14	San Juan, Puerto Rico	7:30am	3:30pm
Friday, February 15	Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands	11:00am	5:30pm
Saturday, February 16	At Sea
Sunday, February 17	Miami, FL	8:00am

 

 

 

Given that you two are in your 20's I'm thinking you would be happier with cruises with more ports and fewer sea days and your parents would enjoy port days where they can stay on the ship, if they prefer.  So choosing a cruise with more port days may actually be best for the 4 of you overall.  

[GUT2407]

On 11/6/2018 at 11:58 AM, jlp20 said:

Okay, your asking an unanswerable question. Totally subjective as to your wants and taste. I would suggest you go online and watch posted videos from pax from those cruise lines going to those ports your interested in. Pay attention to whats going on in the background. what line seems more to your liking.

What they said.

[Hlitner]

The OP expresses some clear cut issues, most of which have been addressed in other posts.  But we will focus on the comment about having an uncrowded ship and pool area.   This is an area where money talks.  Go on a regular so-called mass market line (i.e. RCI, Carnival, Princess, HAL, MSC, etc) and you will find the area around the pools are crowded on nice days and there can even be crowding at some venues inside the vessel.  If you want to get away from the crowds you must pay a lot more money for one of the ultra luxury lines (i.e. Seabourn, Crystal, Regent, etc) where nothing is crowded and you will not be overwhelmed by noise pollution found on many ships.  An alternative is to take advantage of some offerings on various mass market lines to reduce crowding.  For example, on Princess you can pay extra (up to about $40 per day) to reserve space in their segregated "Sanctuary" area.  On MSC, you can pay a lot more to be in the Yacht Club, which is essentially a ship within a ship with its own pool area, lounge and restaurant.  NCL offers their Haven Suites which also have some private areas similar to MSC's Yacht Club,

 

We recently returned from a Regent Princess cruise (our 27th cruise with this line).  On nice sea days, nearly all the well-placed deck loungers in the main pool area were taken by 10am!  Somebody who wanted to sleep late and have a relaxing breakfast would find that it was difficult to get a deck chair in most desired locations.  This is typical on most mass market lines.  Perhaps the OP's group would not be happy on a mass market cruise line.  They might better enjoy a decent All-Inclusive resort :).  As to "boring excursions" we find most large group excursions quite boring.  This is one reason, among many, where we generally do our own thing rather then paying the big bucks to be crowded into buses, restaurants, etc.  In the Caribbean there is very little reason to take a cruise line excursion as one can generally do a lot better on their own.  

 

Hank

[LuckyStar]

On 11/5/2018 at 5:01 PM, alexandraharrislowe said:

Hello crusiecritic forum,

 

My family and I (ages 54, 50, 24, 21) are looking to go on a cruise this year (in late February). We want to go somewhere in the Carribean and area (Belize, and the Bahamas have been popular destinations to talk about) for about 6-8 days, but we are having trouble picking a cruise line. We are pretty sure we want to leave from Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Orlando. Just nowhere too north so that we don't have an extra day on the boat cruising in the cold (Jersey or Boston). Each of us has different expectations for a cruise which I think is making it difficult. My mom just wants to be able to "lay by the pool" and, my dad wants a line that isn't seriously crowded and is under budget ($1600 and under per person), then my brother and I want a cruise line where we can go on cool excursions and have a clean room. Essentially, I need a non-crowded pool, clean and fairly updated rooms, and excursions that I'm not going to be bored on. Needless to say, it is proving to be a difficult task. I have looked at Carribean, Celebrity, Norweigan, and Carnival but they all seem to say the exact same thing.  Any help and advice would be appreciated! Thank you!!!!

 

I have cruised on three lines:  Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean.  The only benefit I really see from my viewpoint is, unless you pay extra for the Havana areas, the only one with a dedicated adult pool area is Royal Caribbean ship. If I am wrong, please let me know.  

[JimnKaren]

I have never once been robbed in Belize. I have never once been drugged in a bar in Belize.

 

Jim

[SuiteTraveler]

You are fortunate. I. have relatives who live there.  Crimes common and very serious. Here is the US Department of State warnings:

 

Exercise increased caution in Belize due to crime.

Violent crime, such as sexual assault, armed robbery, and murder, is common. Local police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents.

Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page.

If you decide to travel to Belize:

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Avoid walking or driving at night.
• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
• Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs.
• Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
• Review the Crime and Safety Report for Belize.
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.

[pacruise804]

On 11/14/2018 at 4:51 PM, LuckyStar said:

 

I have cruised on three lines:  Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean.  The only benefit I really see from my viewpoint is, unless you pay extra for the Havana areas, the only one with a dedicated adult pool area is Royal Caribbean ship. If I am wrong, please let me know.  

I don't remember if NCL had a dedicated adult area (we had a spa balcony and were mostly there which was adult only).  Most if not all Carnival ships have a dedicated adult pool area (Sanctuary).  Royal's Solarium is the only one I am aware of that is enclosed (and does allow younger ages in case of inclement weather).