First Time Cruiser with lots of questions

Hey everyone, I've been lurking on this site for awhile trying to plan cruises. Let me start off with some background information so that my questions may get answered appropriately. I am 33 years old and my husband is 26. We are both overweight people and I have a genetic bone disease that makes walking long distances painful. I also have a 15 year old son. Now for the cruising questions. We live in Fort Lauderdale and because we are all afraid of being seasick we think we should take a short cruise to the Bahamas for a first time cruise. Does that sound like a good idea? The idea is we build up to my husband and I taking a week or longer cruise to Alaska for his 30th birthday. Where can do I find advice for planning the family cruise to the Bahamas and the cruise to Alaska?

For the Bahamas cruise we are the thoughts on Atlantis? The commercial makes it look awesome but the reviews are mixed.

Also for the Bahamas trip, I'm worried about my son the teenager. He's very shy so should I look into asking one of his friends parents to come with us?

For my husband's 30th birthday cruise his birthday is September 10th. What are the thoughts on going to Alaska around then?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

A short 3 day cruise will not give you the full "cruise experience"..and cruising around the Bahamas isn't always calm and smooth seas....so far, that's been our roughest cruise areas!

You should always cruise with some sort of motion sickness meds.....just in case!

And, a Bahamas cruise is NOTHING like an Alaskan cruise.....two totally different "feels".... An Alaskan cruise is all about ALASKA...not so much the ship!

If you go to the Bahamas, and have a FULL DAY in Nassau, then Atlantis may be worth the money. If you are only there until the afternoon, find something else to do. Also, check price via the Comfort Inn/Suites next door...that is sometimes cheaper than booking thru Atlantis Hotel, and ALWAYS cheaper than booking thru the ship.

You will need to check sail dates for Alaska...I'm not sure when the ship's leave Alaska for the winter....

Living in Ft. Laud will make Caribbean locations quite easy for you...no flying required! That means, you're not restricted to the airline weight limits as far as packing goes!

There is a lot of walking on a ship...just so you'll be prepared for that. If you need scooters or wheelchairs, you'll need a HC cabin, so you;ll have room to store them...you can't leave those in the hallways!

As far as your son...would you be asking just the child to come, or the friend's entire family? There will be kids on the ship..and going to the open house the 1st evening means EVERYONE is new to each other....that's the time to meet the other kids! Especially, for shy ones!

Welcome to CC and congratulations on your first posting. Taking a shorter cruise is a wonderful way to try out your first cruise. I would recommend that you research various remedies for sea sickness. I use the patch that you put behind you ear and don't experience any side effects.

My sister visited Atlantis several years ago and had a wonderful time. I would encourage you to spend a lot of research on the crime rates in Nassau. You may wish to start here: https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=17138. I am Canadian and our gov't has issued an extreme caution warning for the area: http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/bahamas

We cruised to Alaska last year and it was a beautiful cruise. There is no other cruise like it. The scenery is breath taking. It should be on every cruiser's bucket list. For advice on planning, you may want to visit the Ports section on CC. This should link to the Alaska: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Good luck with your research.

We recently cruised to both Alaska and the Bahamas and we enjoyed both cruises.

You don't have to do much walking at the ports if you don't choose to. There are many excursions offered that will put you on a bus.

Our most recent cruise stopped at Port Canaveral, Nassau, Cococay and Key West. Since you live in Florida you've probably already been the Port Canaveral and Key West (we enjoyed both). While in Nassau we didn't go to Atlantis as it was too expensive and we didn't think it was worth it.

Alaska was wonderful. We went on a round trip from Vancouver BC via the Inside Passage and there was no rough water to speak of (since we were never in open ocean). We went on excursions at Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan and there was minimal walking.

it does not matter if you are on a 3 days cruise or a world cruise.. rough seas can happen. there are plenty of options though. I personally prefer Ginger as it is non drowsy( and candied it tastes great). also a 3/4 day cruise is NOT long enough. Green apples are also an excellent remedy and that is usually what the ship carries( button rough seas they run out FAST) you no sooner unpack than it is time to go home. MINIMUM a 5 day( our first one was 6)

in fact Bahamas is typically the roughest seas, no matter what time of year. what about Bermuda? most ships overnight there at least once so you have a day or two pier side if you need to hang out on dry land. or pick one of the mega ships( Oasis and Allure on Royal, for instance) to minimize any movement.

the Caribbean is all about beaches and the ship as destination. Alaska is all about the PORTS as destination. two completely different experiences.

my NSHO: Atlantis is a total waste unless you are doing a land trip there or will be there ALL day( as in more than 8 hours) then again we also think taking a cruise just to lay on a beach is silly. I'd rather be touring ruins, shopping or hitting the local zoo.

the Alaska Season is Late May to early September. better times( for wildlife, weather, etc) is July/August time frame. many insist that an Inside Passage Itinerary is the only ay to go.

I would NEVER take on the responsibility of another person's child. there will be clubs or teen hangout areas where he can meet people.

WRT walking: the mega ships are huge. also in port there is a LOT of walking with some ports being very far to get from the ship to the good stuff( including taxi stands) Translation: bring a wheelchair or ECV. you can rent one that will be delivered directly to your cabin, or you can rent locally and just take it with you.

ECVs may NOT be left outside the cabin at night( and must be charged) that means you'd have to get a HA cabin. these go FAST. a WC can collapse inside the cabin but most cabins are VERY tight( these are NOT hotel room size unless you spring for a suite)

Welcome to CC and congratulations on your first posting. Taking a shorter cruise is a wonderful way to try out your first cruise. I would recommend that you research various remedies for sea sickness. I use the patch that you put behind you ear and don't experience any side effects.

 

My sister visited Atlantis several years ago and had a wonderful time. I would encourage you to spend a lot of research on the crime rates in Nassau. You may wish to start here: https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=17138. I am Canadian and our gov't has issued an extreme caution warning for the area: http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/bahamas

 

We cruised to Alaska last year and it was a beautiful cruise. There is no other cruise like it. The scenery is breath taking. It should be on every cruiser's bucket list. For advice on planning, you may want to visit the Ports section on CC. This should link to the Alaska: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

 

Good luck with your research.

Just a word of caution - there are side effects to using the patch. Some of them can be quite bad. Most people experience the "dry mouth" that comes with the patch, but other effects can include disorientation, hallucinations, blurry vision, muscle weakness, and irregular heartbeat. It's best to discuss the patch use with you doctor before just asking for it and using it.

The short ones we were looking at are 4-5 days and thanks I've never heard of seas being rough... definitely something to look into. My husband takes dramaean (sp?) before going out on fishing boats... would that work?

What we like to do at Atlantis is the water park/slides but I'm worried about weight restrictions and the aquarium but then I think I saw something about swimming with dolphins and thought if we didn't do Atlantis we could do that.

For Alaska I put in dates and they had 2 in September of next year one coming home around his birthday and the other just after his birthday.

What other Caribbean ports would you recommend. My husband is not a beach goer unless he can SEE through the water. We went to the keys on a snorkeling trip but he never left the boat.

I was thinking just the child but wasn't sure if the cruise ship would allow that... I didn't know they had an open house lol

The short ones we were looking at are 4-5 days and thanks I've never heard of seas being rough... definitely something to look into. My husband takes dramaean (sp?) before going out on fishing boats... would that work?

 

What we like to do at Atlantis is the water park/slides but I'm worried about weight restrictions and the aquarium but then I think I saw something about swimming with dolphins and thought if we didn't do Atlantis we could do that.

 

For Alaska I put in dates and they had 2 in September of next year one coming home around his birthday and the other just after his birthday.

 

What other Caribbean ports would you recommend. My husband is not a beach goer unless he can SEE through the water. We went to the keys on a snorkeling trip but he never left the boat.

 

I was thinking just the child but wasn't sure if the cruise ship would allow that... I didn't know they had an open house lol

The 'open house' referred to is for the kids club the first night so your son could meet other teens and see what kind of teen activities are available.

Even though you found a couple of September AK cruises that is the very end of the cruising season so shops and excursions are starting to close up.

You might want to think of doing the AK cruise as an early birthday present and do one of the earlier AK cruises.

Check out the Disabled Cruise Travel forum. There are some current discussions there that you might find helpful.

When is the best time for seeing the wildlife and still have excursions open. We're not big shoppers

When is the best time for seeing the wildlife and still have excursions open. We're not big shoppers

We saw lots of humpback whales in Auke Bay (Juneau) in August.

Welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

Since you live in Ft. Lauderdale, doing beaches is no big deal to you.

Alaska could be a very good choice for you!

Atlantis is great so if you can get a day pass I would consider that.

Keith

We live in Fort Lauderdale and because we are all afraid of being seasick we think we should take a short cruise to the Bahamas for a first time cruise. Does that sound like a good idea?

No, short cruises are not nearly as fun or relaxing as longer ones. Go to your doctor and see about getting something for sea sickness if that is an issue for you. Most people do not suffer any sea sickness, it sounds like you have not? Of over a dozen cruises we've been on, I've had slight sea sickness twice. Both times green apples and ginger helped. No one I've traveled with has ever been sea sick.

Where can do I find advice for planning the family cruise to the Bahamas and the cruise to Alaska?

Here, Google, friends, cruise line website, some will suggest a travel agent-I don't-but some will. Keep in mind there are several travel agents that post here at CC so this may be a motive as to why they suggest this.

For the Bahamas cruise we are the thoughts on Atlantis? The commercial makes it look awesome but the reviews are mixed.

We LOVED Atlantis and were also lucky to find a discount coupon so it was 100% worth it to us. It depends on you. If waterparks are your thing-then do it. If you don't have a huge interest in that, then it will be a waste of money.

Also for the Bahamas trip, I'm worried about my son the teenager. He's very shy so should I look into asking one of his friends parents to come with us?

That is a personal parenting decision we can't make for you. If you do this, be sure you have all documents in order such as letter to make medical decisions for a child that isn't yours. This must be signed by a notary.

For my husband's 30th birthday cruise his birthday is September 10th. What are the thoughts on going to Alaska around then?

We've gone twice, never in September but heard great things. Go, you'll love it. There is an active Alaska board here at cc which will give you more information.

edit because I just saw your post on weight limits at Atlantis:

We went with a family group. Not sure of everyone's weight, but one uncle is probably around 375# and about 6'5", he went on everything. The only one who couldn't participate was my 8 year old niece who is teeny tiny. She couldn't stay inside some of the inner tubes. Still did the rides but kept falling out!

The Dig is a small(but cool) aquarium that is free and you just walk through.

We were there on a ship excursion, I think from about 10-4. We didn't see half of the stuff, but we did enough to feel we got our monies worth. Be on the look out for deals including the hotel next door to Atlantis.

Have fun, you will love cruising. :cool:

I swear by Bonine to ensure no seasickness. Two tablets every night before bed and good to go for 24 hours. The key for me is to start a couple of days PRIOR to boarding the ship and to continue throughout the cruise. We have experienced at least one night of really rough seas on a couple of our cruises, and I have never had any problems.

Given the OP's concerns, I think she may be right to take a short cruise from Ft. Lauderdale as a trial run since they are right there by the port and don't have to spend extra time and money on flights. Then, if all works out well, start planning the Alaska cruise and then the next one, and the next one, ….

hellllo! ^_^

I don't have much knowledge since I am still a newbie myself only 2 cruises so far and the third in January but I think I might help since I was in a similar situation on our first cruise :).

I think taking short 4 day cruise is a great idea, its what we did. Yes they are night and day to a Alaskan cruise, but at the same time you can get a feel for if this is something you would want to drop a lot of money on for another cruise without spending so much money initially. Our goal is to eventually take an Alaskan cruise or a European one for the week plus cruises. So to me it made sense to spend a bit of money try out a short cruise and see the Bahamas in the process.

At the time of our first cruise my dad had horrible knees, he had double knee surgery last year but at the time of our first cruise both his knees were at the point he should have had surgery on them years ago (bone on bone for both). So for him walking was very painful and tired him out quickly since he had a limp to accommodate for the lack of cushion on his bones. So for me being the planner finding something that was close by was very necessary and a smaller ship was a must as well for him to walk and for my mom who still was on the fence about being on the Ocean.

To make everything easier I made sure everyone was taking their sea sickness meds the night before ( just over the counter kind), I called guest services in advance about my father to make sure we had a seated muster drill, when choosing the room I tried to get something near enough to an elevator, and researching on cruise critic and other places for any information about making our cruise amazing.

For Nassau we decided to skip atlantis, it was just too expensive and from people I know and other places it just did not seem worth the expense. For our first time we went to the public beach junkanoo, which was meh. I would not go again and it was a bit of a walk for my father unfortunately, but we did stop a lot to let him rest a bit.We also went into the shops and went to senior frogs which was nice and it also gave my dad a chance to sit and take a break.

This upcoming cruise we plan on going to the British colonial Hilton it's 60 dollars per person but comes with a 40 dollar food and drink voucher and is closer to the pier then other places.

For Freeport we went to Our Lucaya which was a 15/20 minute ride on a packed van costing us 10 per person for a round trip, you get a voucher to use for coming back. We went to the Radisson or the Our lucaya resort(?) right by where they dropped us off, it was 15 per person for a day pass at that time and allowed access to their beach and pools. I highly recommend this and we plan on going back there again in January.

For your son, I would recommend bringing someone with him or maybe seeing if he wants to join some of the kids groups, but being a shy kid myself growing up and having anxiety/panic attacks I know for me it was better just to avoid those situations and kind of be on my own. I would just ask what he would want to make himself more comfortable. Either way I am sure he will have fun there's just so much to do and see.

Honestly I would start looking at the Bahamas board to get some ideas of what to do in each port. You guys will have a blast, it wasn't something my parents thought they would enjoy, nor my sister (she went with us last time and is afraid of water like no other) but my parents are with us on their third one in January and my sister on her second in jan as well. Just keep an open mind, don't try to do everything in one go, and just enjoy your cruise.

Personally I'd recommend going for a full 7 day cruise just so you can get the full effect. For seasickness, it's usually recommended to try to go low and midship for the cabin. I've been on deck 2 and all the way up to deck 9 and I've never really noticed a difference at all, but if you are worried that is one step you can take. There are tons of ways to combat seasickness if it does strike so prepare in case but it might not even be a problem at all. :)

As for Atlantis. We did this on our second trip to Nassau. It is HUGE!! It's also extremely expensive (food, lockers). We had a lot of fun there but the prices were insane. If your family is interested in the slides etc then you will have fun. If your son has his heart set on this place then I would go, otherwise I would probably skip it. We've definitely had much better excursions.

Hey everyone, I've been lurking on this site for awhile trying to plan cruises. Let me start off with some background information so that my questions may get answered appropriately. I am 33 years old and my husband is 26. We are both overweight people and I have a genetic bone disease that makes walking long distances painful. I also have a 15 year old son. Now for the cruising questions. We live in Fort Lauderdale and because we are all afraid of being seasick we think we should take a short cruise to the Bahamas for a first time cruise. Does that sound like a good idea? The idea is we build up to my husband and I taking a week or longer cruise to Alaska for his 30th birthday. Where can do I find advice for planning the family cruise to the Bahamas and the cruise to Alaska?

 

For the Bahamas cruise we are the thoughts on Atlantis? The commercial makes it look awesome but the reviews are mixed.

 

Also for the Bahamas trip, I'm worried about my son the teenager. He's very shy so should I look into asking one of his friends parents to come with us?

 

For my husband's 30th birthday cruise his birthday is September 10th. What are the thoughts on going to Alaska around then?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

As I am from Alaska, I would recommend going to Alaska in the middle of the summer like July. It's kinda chilly on land in September, so being on a ship would be really cool. Just my opinion. Alaska is beautiful when ever you visit!!

If your husband is willing to go out on a fishing boat, I would not classify him as getting "really sea sick". I HATE small boats because me and my sister are pretty susceptible.

That said, a cruise ship is like a floating hotel. That's on land. Seriously, they're so big, you really don't feel anything. The bigger the ship, the less it moves. In rough waters, yes, even the giant ships will rock and a ton of people get sea sick. Still, for the most part, especially if you're on a bigger ship, it really is like being on land.

I have no idea how rough the Bahamas get though. I've cruised there once and it was totally calm. Certain parts of the world are known for having rougher waters though, so best to ask in a specific part on this board.

Having grown up being a shyer kid, I always had more fun when friends came along. The most fun I had has been when there was more than my immediate family. Granted, my family doesn't really talk to each other (voluntarily, with no anger or disputes; we just don't have a lot to say to each other), but still, we all had more fun when going with others we already knew. Even if it's just him, I'd try to bring that friend. It'll make the first experience that much better.

Larger ships usually have less movement, or at least slower movement, but larger ships require more walking. I agree with a previous poster and suggest a motorized scooter for both of you, but this will require a handicap accessible cabin. For a WOW experience, try the Oasis or Allure of the Seas from Ft. Lauderdale. Plus if you drive to the port you save money on airfare and can take more luggage -- unlike airlines ships don't charge for luggage.

Bahamas - First safety caution! Former British colony! Cars are on opposite side of road and you need to be very careful crossing streets. High petty crime rate (some strong arm robbery). Stay with group if possible.

Atlantis - difficult to work into short port visit.

Cabin - wheelchair capable is probably your best bet. Cruise line will help you with what additional needs you might need.

Alaska - Wonderful! Inside passage is protected by barrier islands that almost eliminate wave action Until and if you are going on to Seward or Anchorage then you are in more open water. White Pass railroad tour (Skagway) to gold fields is easy regardless of weight. Strongly suggest Denali National Park if you are going all the way with park Bus tour.

Friends going with your son - probably more fun for each even though on board programs are great. You will need to get written and possibly notarized approval from child's parents. Tell cruise you are travelling with minor friend of family and you are temp guardian. We took three teen girlfriends with our daughter for HS graduation trip. It can be done and it was fun for all.

I swear by Bonine to ensure no seasickness. Two tablets every night before bed and good to go for 24 hours. The key for me is to start a couple of days PRIOR to boarding the ship and to continue throughout the cruise. We have experienced at least one night of really rough seas on a couple of our cruises, and I have never had any problems.

 

Given the OP's concerns, I think she may be right to take a short cruise from Ft. Lauderdale as a trial run since they are right there by the port and don't have to spend extra time and money on flights. Then, if all works out well, start planning the Alaska cruise and then the next one, and the next one, ….

Agree with this post. My Grandson is quiet and shy. We've carried a friend of his on several cruises and it was not a problem. You have to be sure to get signed permission. There's a form on here we used several times. Make sure you have passports. If it would work out, ask the friends parent if they would like to go along on the cruise. If you son's friend doesn't go with you, take advantage of the meet up on the cruise. For a short cruise, even without a friend, I don't think your son will be bored. A day pass to Atlantis sounds great.