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Help & Advice Needed, Nevered Cruised Before


Excite Excursions

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Hi All

 

All help is welcome here. I want to take myself and my girlfriend on a cruise. As this is our life dream. We both want this and are saving. Only problem is every cruise looks amazing in the photos. How do we pick, where is the right cruise path for a couple in their early 30's. We are outgoing people who enjoy fun and want a lively ship. No offence but not full of kids or old people. A ship for our age. THIS WILL BE OUR 1ST EVER CRUISE. Please can anyone help with advice and ideas so we can start looking and to narrow down. So we can get something

book.

 

I hope this finds someone here. As we need advice. I would ask a high street agent. But I know they will only be after our money and looking to get a booking what ever it takes even if that means lying to us. Trust me, I used to be a travel agent. I just have never been on a cruise and need advice. PLEASE WRITE BACK IF YOU READ THIS or Email me on info@exciteexcursions.co.uk

 

Thank you

From Dan

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Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

First thing you need to decide is where you want to go. The general area (ie caribbean, med, baltic, etc) and if there are any specific ports you want to see. Other important factors are your budget and the length of your desired cruise.

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Hi Paul

 

Thank you for writing back, Well looking at what you have wrote, We would be looking at this side of the world, Med or Cruises that leave the UK. Money. Well we looking at about £900 each unless it can be cheaper. As for stops we don't know what is good what is not good. We have always been on land holidays to Turkey. Looking for different now.

 

We just want to have a taste of a different type of holiday. Every cruise seems to offer a something different. Is there any ships to NOT go for or in your view one that is like WOW 100% book on that again.

 

Dan

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Most Med cruises are Port Intensive. This means they are in port most days. We took a 12 day Med cruise last October and had two sea days. Because of this the ship is not as important. The ports should be the main thing.

 

Probably the best thing is to go to a travel agent (ask friends/family/coworkers/etc for recommendations) to get some brochures on cruises that might interest you.

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I agree with Paul. This is a tough question to answer because there is just so much out here right now. Based on wanting to cruise from UK and your brief description of yourselves, I would say Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas would be a good choice. Take a look at that ship.

 

However, active cruise lines are also family cruise lines. Try to pick a date that isn't during any of your school holidays.

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Have over l00 cruises to my Credit and 80 with RCCL so needless to say I love their ships. Oasis and Allure are awesome ships and full of fun. Carnival Dream, is a great ship, out of Port Canaveral. Its new and the value for the money can not be beat. Fun and awesome food. I think Dream would be an excellent choice for you for a first Cruise. You can NOT get new ships on 3 or 4 night Cruises so hopefully you can sail for 7 nights. Happy Sails!!!

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We have done R C and P & O and on P & O there was an older age passenger we are 57 and 67 and found some of the older ones a bit boring ! ha ha - but there were quite a few in your age bracket too - and for a first cruise with p & O being English and I note you are - you might like it better, only drawback is cruising out of the UK you lose holiday days going through the Bay of Biscay which can be quite rough, R.C. are more fun ships with lots more to do and see, but the drinks are twice the price of P & O. Enjoy whatever you chose x

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Can't help you pick an actual cruise or ports to visit, as I'm unfamiliar with what is offered in the UK. I will say this though you can start your search by limiting to the departure ports you have the easiest access to. Not only does this cut you travel prior to the cruise down, but if there is a port within public transport range it should also help by cutting on parking expenses. Once your able to get your choices down to 2-3 ships then I would do an in depth research on the amenities and activities offered on the different itineraries.

 

Just remember just about every cruise will have a wide range of paxs, from young singles to families w/ children to empty nesters to the elderly. Then within those general types you will find others, perhaps not quite your age, that share your same interests and have similar personalities. Simple because they booked the cruise for the same reason as you did, for the activities and entertainment offered on board.

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Dan- you have a massive choice of ships....from Southampton alone there's most of the big lines, and others from Dover and Harwich- even smaller, older ones from other ports.

RCI's Independence, and P&O's Ventura and Azura are favourite family ships, but so long as you stay away from school holidays, the children shouldn't overwhelm you. Agreed, some P&O ships won't be for you- 3 are adult only, and seem to attract the older crowd, so be aware of those.

 

Independence does try to appeal to the UK/Irish market by introducing such things as kettles in cabins, and not adding tips to bar sales; the prices for things on board do appear to be expensive, but you have to look at the price you're paying for the cruise first.

Barcelona is an easy flight away- I'd plan my own flight, though, as cruise lines go for the cheap option, which might incude a change in Amsterdam :eek:....there's one ship there, NCL Epic, which would suit you; also some RCI and others.

Have a look at Thomson- old ships which attract all ages, with great entertainment and service- and tips are included. One good point is that they fly their own aeroplanes to various destinations for you to catch the ship- from umpteen local airports....they keep a ship in Sharm, Egypt, all winter, and when we went, they had 17 different airport choices in UK/Ireland. They also have a ship in Newcastle, then Harwich, for Norway. They're good starter cruises, and lots of people are drawn to cruising through them.

Also check last minute cruises- we've managed to get some of those a month or 2 before sailing, for under the price you're thinking of. A week from S'ton to N. Spain/France is a good start, with only 1 sea day.....although we enjoy sea days on an active ship.

Seeing as how you enjoy Turkey so much, there's a Thomson cruise which goes up the Turkish coast and also takes in some Greek islands.

I think any of these options will suit you for a first time! :)

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