What cruise to take?

[Avril]

My family is thinking about takeing a group cruise sometime in the next couple of years. 4 of us have been on at least one cruise before. The group would be my Mom (52 years old - 5 cruises), Me (22 years old - 6 cruises), my Grandma (83 years old - 1 cruise), my Grandpa (85 years old - 1 cruise), my aunt Sheryl (49 years old - no cruises) and my uncle Dean (53 years old - no cruises). I was just wondering what cruise line, ship, and itinerary would be best for us. We are active, adventurous, fun and love to meet people and make new friends. Any ideas?

[serene56]

Are the past cruises all on the same line?? Different cruise lines give different perks depending on how many times you have cruised with them.

 

I have used CArnival many times.. ROyal CAribbean once. Had a great time. prefered carnival for night time activities.. Trying PRincess for the first time come February.

[Avril]

My Mom has been on Royal Caribbean (once), Carnival (twice, soon to be 3 times), Celebrity (once) and Princess (once).:)

 

I have been on the same as Mom except I have sailed on Princess twice.:)

 

My Grandparents have been on Princess once.:)

 

My aunt and uncle have never been on a cruise.:(

[cruisinbuddy]

Which ever you choose, I hope you have a great time. I've been on 4 cruises, with 3 different lines. The 1st 2 cruises were with the same co., now defunct. I've been on the other 2 once each, and all were great, see my signature. Choose wisely young one.:)

[serene56]

How many cabins you looking to book for your group? I would go with whoever gave me the best amenities.

Depends on when you want to cruise too-- I find Carnival gives me the best amenities for my groups.

[sea_breaze]

Looks like between you and your mother you guys have alot of cruising experience and should have a pretty good handle on what the different lines have to offer.

 

Would expect your Aunt and Uncle to have a great time regardless of which cruise you went on being their first time.

 

That leaves Grandma and Grandpa who I'm sure everybody wants to have a good time. If it were me I'd focus on a cruise that they would enjoy. Maybe Celebrity or Princess, maybe stay away from the megaships to make it easier to get around.

 

Just opinions. Sounds like fun to organize though. Wish I would have been able to set something up like this when my grandparents were still around.

Have fun.

[newmexicoNita]

Carnival and HAL have the largest cabins: other lines, of course offer other features. None of us can advise you as well as a good cruise agent. Contact one, think about where you would like to go, your budget requirements and whether lots of sea days or ports are more importatnt to all of you. Do you like lots of ship activities or is just visiting with family or reading a good book more to your likeing? Whatever, you can get the name of a cruise specialty company from the phone bookd or check the Sunday paper.

 

Whatever line you should have a great time.

 

Nita

[japester]

Everyone is being uncharacteristically vague, Avril. :p

 

Just from the ages and the "adventurous" part, I'd say an Alaskan cruise would be fun. Ages tend to trend higher on those runs, but that should suit everybody but yourself (and you're the most experienced cruiser, so who better to sacrifice just a little?). If you cruise the inside strait, you get incredible views the entire way up and back (make sure to get at least one balcony cabin). And the shore excursions when you get up there are incredibly diverse. If your group isn't very mobile, some ports have scenic train rides through the mountains (lovely). If you've got the money and want to go nuts, you can helicopter to the top of a glacier and tromp around or try your hand at dogsledding while you're up there. Or you can just hike around.

 

My last Alaskan cruise was in 2001, and I know it has become much more popular since then. Ages may be more diverse, and most cruise lines now offer "cruise tours" where you get off the ship and take a train ride up to a private lodge or somesuch. I haven't experienced any of that, yet.....(soon, soon) :)

 

Although every ship of every line is different, I tend to prefer Princess. I like elegance on my cruises, and Princess seems to pull it off fairly consistently without charging an arm and a leg.

 

Good luck!

 

Jape

[rain_bowbrite]

You don't mention where you have cruised to on your past cruises but jugging from your past cruise list it mainly looks like you have cruised the caribbean. Maybe you should try somewhere new like the above poster suggested. Alaska or a mediterrean cruise?

 

Maybe even a river cruise...they require less cabins to be considered a group. Only 5 cabins instead of 8 and you are a group.

[Avril]

You don't mention where you have cruised to on your past cruises but jugging from your past cruise list it mainly looks like you have cruised the caribbean. Maybe you should try somewhere new like the above poster suggested. Alaska or a mediterrean cruise?

 

Where we (Mom and I) have cruised:

 

Imagination: Western Caribbean

Radiance of the Seas: Alaska

Carnival Victory: Western Caribbean

Caribbean Princess: Eastern Caribbean (with Grandparents only)

Zenith: Bermuda

Sun Princess: Panama Canal

Carnival Legend: December 2006 New Years cruise to the Southern Caribbean. Can't Wait!!!!

 

Mediterrean is too expensive. We would probably need 3 cabins. Would like to have at least 1 balcony. Would like to go on one of the megaships such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, NCL or Holland America. But, which is best?

 

Mom, aunt, uncle and I have no issues at all. My grandparents have mobility problems (Granma has a cane and can't walk to far for to long and Grampa has a walker). I went with my Grandparents on the Caribbean Princess for their 1st cruise and they got a wheelchair cabin with a balcony accross the hall from the elevators and they did just fine. I think they had seen the entire ship before the cruise was half over!!!!:D

[rain_bowbrite]

 

Mediterrean is too expensive. We would probably need 3 cabins. Would like to have at least 1 balcony. Would like to go on one of the megaships such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, NCL or Holland America. But, which is best?

 

 

Avril,

 

You might enjoy doing a cruise on one of Royal's Vision or Voyager class ships. I think that you grandparents would enjoy having so much to do onboard and they have great staterooms to choose from for families.

 

However if you are interested in one the family style staterooms they book up FAST! You should be looking into booking them now for anytime next year.

 

NCL also has a nice selection of larger staterooms for families but it sounds like your family enjoys the traditional dining (since you get to meet and mingle with your table mates) versus NCL's freestyle dining.

 

Just a thought.