3 or 4 day cruise, what is the best option?

[tvisser]

My wife, my daughter (15) and two sister-in-laws are planning a girls cruise. We have never done a 3 or 4 day cruise before and would like some suggestions. We live in Colorado.

 

TIA,

 

Tim

[Bonnie J.]

Can you do a 7 day cruise? Coming from Colorado for 3 or 4 day cruise isn't worth the airfare!

And, 3 or 4 days isn't enough time for a relaxing, fun cruise! On short cruises you get a LOT of people who really like to party and can't afford a longer cruise. Would this be your 1st cruise? We've gotten so that 7 days isn't long enough.

Check the internet for prices from different cruise agencies, check here at the bottom of cruisecritics home page for cruise agencies and call the cruise companies directly. We are about to take our 3rd cruise paying $299@ for 7 days on deck 9 (pool & buffet deck). Got this from Costa's site. This is inside but we don't care. Once, on Costa we got a balcony cabin on deck 9 for the same price of $299. But the cruise lines do change their prices a couple times each day so when we see a price like this we book RIGHT away. (Then my husband keeps watch to see if price goes lower which it hasn't!)

But, do think a 7 day cruise, you'll be much happier with 7 days vs. 3 or 4! !!!

 

CRUISE LINES WE'VE BEEN ON

(1st 5 no longrer exist!)

Dolphin

Commodore

Regency

Premier

Cape Canaveral Cruises

Carnival

Royal Caribean

NCL

Celebrity

Princess

Costa

[fann1sh]

I've posted this before, but here's my reasoning:

 

On a 3 day cruise, you unpack on the first day, pack on the last, and have one day of relaxation in between.

 

On a 4 day cruise, you have *two* days to relax in between. Therefore...it seems twice as long.

 

It really truly feels that way.

 

However, 4 day sailings are usually Monday to Friday, which blows a hole in a week's vacation in any case. One exception is Celebrity Century. Because it does 4 and 5 day cruises in the winter, you can find a 4 day from Thursday to Monday.

[klct39lg]

We've done a 3 day before. There really isn't much time to explore the ship and relax. It is, however, a good way for someone who has never cruised to get a sample of what's offered.

 

I would definitely go for the 4 day or longer.:)

[morecruise4me]

My first cruise was a 4 night on Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas. We did a western caribbean itinerary that went to Key West and Cozumel with one day at sea. It was wonderful and we were hooked on cruising. Enchantment is a beautiful ship and has been expanded and upgraded since our sailing. I don't think you can go wrong with a Caribbean itinerary...beaches, Mayan ruins, relaxing on deck. I wouldn't do a 3 night unless I lived in FL and didn't have to pay for airfare.

[cb at sea]

Since you'll have to fly to a port, take the longest cruise you can, to make that flight worthwhile!

[cruiserbryce]

just b/c I have cruised monarch twice and have done a 4 day Bahamas cruise with Disney I would be partial to combining the 2 and doing a short cruise on Monarch

[hollywood34711]

If it's between a 3 and 4 night cruise, go for four. If there is bad weather the captain might have a bit more flexibility in switching the sea day and port days.

[trish1c]

If taking time off from work is a consideration, think about this:

For a 3 day cruise you still have to take 2 days off work if you live in Colorado. If you were driving to the port you might be able to get away with 1/2 days on F & M.

For a 4 day cruise you take 5 days off. You also take those same 5 days off to go on a 7 day cruise. Which now makes more sense to you?

[suezyq50]

I agree, 3 day just doesn't give much time. I would go for 4 if can't do more.

[yogi2929]

You can combine a 3 or 4 day from San Diego or Long Beach (Los Angeles) on Carnival then do a short tour of CA.

[TheVegasMan]

Are you asking which cruise you should take as far as destinations? Or whether a 4 day cruise is that much better than a 3 day cruise?

 

From Colorado on SWA you can fly for the same price to Los Angeles, San Diego or Houston. 3, 4 and 5 day cruises are available from these ports. LA and SD go to Catalina and Ensenada. Galveston goes to Progreso and Cozumel Mexico.