college graduation gift - which ship?

[havanadaydreaming]

My wife and i are looking at booking a cruise for our son for his college graduation.   We are only able to do so since he left us NO COLLEGE DEBT!!! 

 

All things considered which ship would you recommend for a 23 yr old + a buddy?  

 

He has only sailed on the smallest Carnival ships.  Only ports he has been to are Cozumel, Bimini and Amber Cove.  I looooooooooove the Epic but that is out of our consideration due to weird cabin bathroom layout.  Only other ships in the fleet we have sailed are the Escape and Sky.  Loved both, also, but i think they too are out of consideration.  i think we are looking at 4000 pass ship and Escape gets scratched off since all the others have been built or refurbished since Escape started sailing in 2015.  

 

Likely looking for a Florida port of departure.  Time of year is up in the air...but likely Q1 or Q2 2023.   \

 

I appreciate any and all feedback....much obliged!~ 

 

 

[weltek]

I'd consider Joy, Bliss and I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the Escape. I pretty much exclusively like to sail all the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class ships, and the Escape is a favorite so far (extra points for being the only ship that has Pincho Tapas). Important to me (and likely him): Spice H20, District Brew House. I think the Joy and Bliss are the only two, other than Escape, that have these. I think the Joy and Bliss are top for me to sail for having all my favorites (Spice, District, Obs Lounge). Escape doesn't have the Obs Lounge, but is still a great ship, IMO.

He'd probably love the Prima's food hall, but I'm bummed it doesn't have the District Brew House.

 

I'd consider the Western Caribbean routes, even though he's already been to Cozumel. They are always priced nicely so that you can get him a nice stateroom.

Edited November 15, 2022 by weltek

[Karaboudjan]

Another of those threads that does not live up to the title.  I was going to point out that none of the NCL ships appear to be for sale.

[EvanBedar]

Not for nothin' but I also wouldn't rule out exploring all other cruise lines besides just NCL.  It should be a younger clientelle.  But just because he's young doesn't mean it has to be a party ship.  He's becoming an adult now, so it's time to also learn some culture and refinement (presuming he didn't just graduate from Julliard.)

[CruizinSusan70]

Go with the Prima.  Will be able to embark from Port Canaveral during first qtr of 2023.  If pushed back into second qtr, Prima will be doing 5 day sailings out of NYC, so I would lean towards Escape, Joy or Bliss.

[PTC DAWG]

Any of the Away class ships would be great.  

[PTC DAWG]

21 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

Another of those threads that does not live up to the title.  I was going to point out that none of the NCL ships appear to be for sale

Call for a price.  🙂

[Liljo22]

Why discarding the Escape?  Many feel its the perfect NCL ship in terms of public spaces to passenger capacity.  Its not going to have the go cart tracks that the other ships will have but it does have a lot of what a 21-22 year old will like.  

[mjkacmom]

26 minutes ago, EvanBedar said:

Not for nothin' but I also wouldn't rule out exploring all other cruise lines besides just NCL.  It should be a younger clientelle.  But just because he's young doesn't mean it has to be a party ship.  He's becoming an adult now, so it's time to also learn some culture and refinement (presuming he didn't just graduate from Julliard.)

Lol I have 3 college graduates and 2 college students (plus 1 in grad school), although they do enjoy the finer things with their SO’s, their friend groups are still a bit in the college mindset (my 24 year old son and 12 friends spent $65,000 on a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom beach rental this summer, walking distance to the bars, already found a rental for next summer a block closer to the beach). NCL, RCL and Carnival should be fine.

[EvanBedar]

Of course, if he has a sense of humor, you could always send him out for two weeks on a ship that looks like something straight out of Who-ville.

 

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, EvanBedar said:

Of course, if he has a sense of humor, you could always send him out for two weeks on a ship that looks like something straight out of Who-ville.

 

LOL…

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, EvanBedar said:

Of course, if he has a sense of humor, you could always send him out for two weeks on a ship that looks like something straight out of Who-ville.

 

 

 

 

Icon OTS won't be completed until after the OP wants. RCCL interior colors are often a bit....much. The exterior colors of Icon turn the color volume up to 11. 

 

 

[kelib]

Joy and Bliss are both doing a lot of Panama Canal and Mexican Riviera cruises, so their cruises out of Florida are limited.

 

[EvanBedar]

11 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

 

 

 

Icon OTS won't be completed until after the OP wants. RCCL interior colors are often a bit....much. The exterior colors of Icon turn the color volume up to 11. 

 

 

 

 

 

[vacation44]

As a mother of two young adult college graduates, who have cruised with us many times, I know they would pick the Escape for the DBH.

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Call for a price.  🙂

LOL.  I'm pretty sure that POA could be had for a very low price.  In fact, they may pay you to take it off their hands.  🤣