newbie to cruising - help please

[kello]

Hello everyone

My husband and I are brand new to cruising and are seriously considering taking a fly/cruise in early 2011. I’ve found this cruise critic review site and I can see from comments on there, that you all have a vast amount of knowledge and experience regarding all aspects of cruising, ships and destinations and I wondered if I could pick your brains!

We are both in our mid forties and are first time cruisers. I never really thought about cruising as an option until I was off sick from work recently and confined to my bed, watching daytime TV. There was a programme on cruising and the idea of waking up in a different place really appealed to me and the whole concept of cruising looks like such an amazing experience. I then started researching the different destinations and cruise lines and came across Costa.

We are limited to taking our holidays in the early part of the year, so we’re looking at Dubai on the Costa Luminosa or Costa Deliziosa sometime between January 2011 and March 2011

As far as cruise lines/ships are concerned, we are looking for something a bit on the luxury side, but also relaxed, good food; spacious, very clean cabins (cleanliness is a big thing for me); interesting shore excursions. We’re looking for a cruise line which attracts our age group (so 30s, 40s, 50s). Do you think that the Costa cruise line and either of these ships would fit our needs? Can you recommend any others??


Thank you so much for taking time out to read my posting and hoping that I hear from you soon.

Best wishes

[Blu*Donau]

Originally Posted by kello

We are limited to taking our holidays in the early part of the year, so we’re looking at Dubai on the Costa Luminosa or Costa Deliziosa sometime between January 2011 and March 2011

As far as cruise lines/ships are concerned, we are looking for something a bit on the luxury side, but also relaxed, good food; spacious, very clean cabins (cleanliness is a big thing for me); interesting shore excursions. We’re looking for a cruise line which attracts our age group (so 30s, 40s, 50s). Do you think that the Costa cruise line and either of these ships would fit our needs? Can you recommend any others??

Costa will have the Luminosa & Deliziosa positioned in Dubai for the 2009/2010 Winter season. Costa's current catalogue only coveres upto November 2010, so it is not known which ships will be in Dubai for 2010/2011. Costa bring their catalogue out about mid February.

There are more luxurious cruise line available than Costa, that being said, most of their ships are relatively new, spacious, very clean and good food. Costa tend to open up new markets first.

With regards to shore excursions, I always try to do my own thing, instead of the prodiction line excursions that Costa has available.

It is very difficult to say what the mix of passengers will be, it is dependant on so many factors; school holidays, destinations, time of year, if a travel agent has made a large block booking, price, etc.

Ron

[Captain Canuck]

there are so many cruises it is tough to pick....that being said we have never run across a dirty cruise ship...have been on some older ships that show a little wear but they started out classy with teak etc so they show their age well..stick to at least 3.5 stars and you should be happy

we use a cruise vendor that often advertises here. rules prohibit me from telling you the name..but check out the cruise magazines for full page advertisers...their website is really good..you have to sign up but then they have a search engine that lets you search by time of year, destination, cruise ship stars etc etc...

we normally pick cruises by the ports. we have been on Costa and they were nice new ships...but we picked these cruises for the ports..med cruises are great...its simply special entering Istanbul or Venice on a cruise ship

have fun...for me at least planning is half the fun..

[bob&france]

Any of the major cruise line's will amaze you,all will be clean and all will have good to great food. For your age group Royal Carribean is well suited, Princess and celebrity might have an older crowd and carnival's crowd a bit younger.I have yet to be on Costa {booked for Nov21,2009}, but i beleive it will be much like MSC, in that it has not yet etched out an age group. All that said all ships will have a wide range of age groups on it, so you will easliy find a crowd well alligned to your age. Given it's for first cruise, start with your dates and where the cruise will start. IE the week of _______, sailing out of _{city]____...once you have those 2 items then you can find out which cruise line sails from that port. Don't bother with which ship , there all nice. For many this should narrow the search down to 3 or 4 Cruise line options.

Bob