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Which cruise to do for first timers?


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My fiancee and I have been going back and forth on what we want to do for the honeymoon....we know we are going on a cruise. I had originally looked at Navigator of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas going to Cozumel, Belize City and Roataan on a balcony stateroom. She about hit the roof when I told her how much it was going to cost. She prefers an interior stateroom because if she gets migraines the only thing that cures it is a dark room. We are planning on going August 30, 2015. We want to do a week long cruise and here are the other options we have...please help us choose!

 

Carnival Dream out of New Orleans going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay.

 

Carnival Liberty out of San Juan going to St Thomas, Bridgetown, Castries, Basseterre and Philipsburg

 

And obviously Navigator of the Seas is still in play....also Carnival Pride is going out of Baltimore to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.

 

We're first time cruisers, so we want to do something enjoyable. Thoughts?

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no way would we spend the money on a balcony. its just not worth it to us as we spend very little awake time in the stateroom. as a general room a balcony will runn about $400 more than oceanview. thats a chunk toward the next cruise. as for an inside cabin we have certainly done that and may do it again next year when we take our two kids after graduating college simply as a matter of economics. as for the ship and itenerary, our experiences aboard all of the major lines has been positive. this year has already seen us on carnival, princess and royal carribean. we leave november 1 on norwegian. its all good. just pick one and put the remaining possibilities on the next time list.

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As she is concerned about cost, choose the cruise that best fits your timeframe, and the cost of airfare. Some departure ports may be easier/cheaper to get to than others. As for a darkened room, all OV and balcony cabins will have blackout drapes, just like hotels. Maybe not pitch black, but very soothing. As for the ports, this will be your first cruise...concentrate on getting to know what being on a cruise ship is all about, explore it, and consider the ports an opportunity to buy souvenirs. EM

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My hubby likes to sleep in completely dark rooms so insides are fine for us. We did like our OV cabins too. I suffer from migraines so I agree with her that when one hits...it's best to be in a darkened room. So go with what she wants. If she has triggers (wine can do it for me), then be cognizant of those.

 

As for travel agents, find yourself a cruise specialist (that's a TA who has been on many cruises and hopefully different ships). If he or she is good, they would want to get you on the ship that works for you so you'll want to book future cruises there. Come in with an idea of budget, ports/itinerary, type of cabin (which your fiance has decided on). If the TA is trying to ignore your wishes (eg. telling you to consider Holland, when you're narrowed down to Carnival and RC, or suggesting a med cruise), then stick to your guns and if he/she doesn't respect that....you can say thanks, but that's not the cruise you want and leave.

 

Some things to be aware of:

1. If flying to your embarkation port, go in a day ahead.

2. August is during hurricane season. So if it looks like a major storm may be popping off, the captain has the right to change the itinerary.

3. Don't overschedule every moment on board or in ports. This is a great type of vacation for relaxing.

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My fiancee and I have been going back and forth on what we want to do for the honeymoon....we know we are going on a cruise. I had originally looked at Navigator of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas going to Cozumel, Belize City and Roataan on a balcony stateroom. She about hit the roof when I told her how much it was going to cost. She prefers an interior stateroom because if she gets migraines the only thing that cures it is a dark room. We are planning on going August 30, 2015. We want to do a week long cruise and here are the other options we have...please help us choose!

 

Carnival Dream out of New Orleans going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay.

 

Carnival Liberty out of San Juan going to St Thomas, Bridgetown, Castries, Basseterre and Philipsburg

 

And obviously Navigator of the Seas is still in play....also Carnival Pride is going out of Baltimore to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.

 

We're first time cruisers, so we want to do something enjoyable. Thoughts?

 

 

Carnival Liberty out of San Juan going to St Thomas, Bridgetown, Castries, Basseterre and Philipsburg. Don't forget the cost for the flight.

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My fiancee and I have been going back and forth on what we want to do for the honeymoon....we know we are going on a cruise. I had originally looked at Navigator of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas going to Cozumel, Belize City and Roataan on a balcony stateroom. She about hit the roof when I told her how much it was going to cost. She prefers an interior stateroom because if she gets migraines the only thing that cures it is a dark room. We are planning on going August 30, 2015. We want to do a week long cruise and here are the other options we have...please help us choose!

 

Carnival Dream out of New Orleans going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay.

 

Carnival Liberty out of San Juan going to St Thomas, Bridgetown, Castries, Basseterre and Philipsburg

 

And obviously Navigator of the Seas is still in play....also Carnival Pride is going out of Baltimore to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.

 

We're first time cruisers, so we want to do something enjoyable. Thoughts?

 

 

Coming from In. you are going to fly, so that mean everything is in play!

Our opinions...

1) Forget Baltimore and all northern ports unless you're within driving distance of one, cause you waste time cruising in colder weather south instead of enjoying warmer weather in the Caribbean by flying to a southern port!

2) We love balconies, and rest assured the double curtains they have on cruise ships gets your cabin dark!

Right now most cruise lines are offering balconies at terrific prices, about what you'd normally pay for an ocean view.

Right now there are available prices that range from $50.-$150. more per person for a balcony over an ocean view!

Imagine waking up and having room service deliver you coffee, juice, and a snack to help you get started each morning quietly on your own balcony! Honestly we feel inside cabins are a prison! But each their own!

3) You mention price is important, and most 7 day cruises out of Miami and Ft Lauderdale give you 4 port of calls instead of 3 from New Orleans and Texas!

 

The Carnival Valor out of Port Canaveral gives you a nice 7 day cruise, Port Canaveral is a very easy going Port, and you fly into Orlando and spend a few days there before or after your cruise seeing the sights there too!

 

The Carnival Glory out of Miami is also a popular ship for good reason! With the Glory, you can choose either the Eastern Caribbean, or the Western Caribbean!

 

A bonus of selecting Carnival this far out is they offer 'price guarantee' which means they will give you a lower advertised price up to 90 days before your cruise, and then give you On Board Credit for the difference! Of course you must make your travel agent aware to keep an eye on the prices for you!

 

The Carnival trip out of San Juan we also looked at a few years ago, but decided against it as there were a lot of bad comments of way too many small kids running wild, as this cruise is the lowest priced at the San Juan port, and is attractive to large families of small kids!

 

Just remember, going in August means there will be a lot of children on all ships because they're out of school!:eek:

 

Whatever your decision, congratulations, and enjoy!:D

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If you need to fly to the embarkation port, skip the Caribbean and go to Hawaii.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Gonna disagree, 6-7 hours more flight time going to Hawaii vs the Caribbean, and at least 4 times more expensive in Hawaii ! Our opinion, just not worth it! But each their own!

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My fiancee and I have been going back and forth on what we want to do for the honeymoon....we know we are going on a cruise. I had originally looked at Navigator of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas going to Cozumel, Belize City and Roataan on a balcony stateroom. She about hit the roof when I told her how much it was going to cost. She prefers an interior stateroom because if she gets migraines the only thing that cures it is a dark room. We are planning on going August 30, 2015. We want to do a week long cruise and here are the other options we have...please help us choose!

 

Carnival Dream out of New Orleans going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay.

 

Carnival Liberty out of San Juan going to St Thomas, Bridgetown, Castries, Basseterre and Philipsburg

 

And obviously Navigator of the Seas is still in play....also Carnival Pride is going out of Baltimore to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.

 

We're first time cruisers, so we want to do something enjoyable. Thoughts?

 

Of course you are going to get many points of view so here is mine. Eliminate the cruise from Baltimore because it doesn't really go to the Caribbean. Besides it may be chilly leaving from a northern port and it is the beginning of hurricane season. Eliminate the cruise from San Juan because airfare to get there is more expensive.

My first choice would always be Royal Caribbean so I would pick Navigator. If flying go at least a day ahead and overnight in a hotel. Now as far as cabins the ones with a window or balcony have blackout drapes so you can make the room dark. Balcony cabins are usually a good rate at that time of year. I would never recommend an interior cabin because it is like staying in a closet.....although I know people say they are never in their cabin anyway but the nicer your cabin the more you will enjoy it. I like to sit on my balcony in the morning and have coffee.

Whatever you decide have a great time.

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Thoughts?

 

 

Being that you are Honeymooners and I am assuming traveling without kids, you picked a good week. A week long cruise as most kids are going back to school which will mean less kids onboard. (Start your flaming, I can ignore anything)

 

As empty nesters we travel after spring break and before the end of the school year for that reason. For you its still warm and can probably enjoy many cruises around your anniversary in the future. Enjoy which ever you pick.

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I have been on the Navigator on a transatlantic reposition and really liked that ship. I haven't been on the others. I have sailed to New Orleans on another reposition and that port is a destination in itself; it is also a pretty long way down the Mississippi to the Gulf which is interesting. Puerto Rico and Galveston are also interesting ports. It's to your benefit cost wise that your wife prefers the darkened inside. I don't think you would go wrong with any of the cruises you mention. Unless you would receive substantial perks from a travel agent, I would go with booking directly. If you do book with a travel agent, the cruise line will only deal with the agent for any changes you may want.

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Congratulations on your upcoming marriage

With the ships you have selected it's hard to go wrong because you have nothing to compare it to. All of the ships will seem grand.

Before you make a decision, since cost is an issue, look up the airfare for you both to each port. Now pick the cruise that is overall more cost effective. I paid more per person in airfare than I did my total cabin on my last cruise out of San Juan.

Bear in mind that most ships sail on Sundays. If your wedding is Saturday, sailing Sunday morning the day of is a bad idea. It's always better to arrive in your port of departure city the day before your ship sails.

August is hurricane season. The ships can & will go around / avoid the storms but you have to be flexible for your own safety. Especially out of places like Baltimore & New York depending on the weather, your Bahamas or Bermuda cruise may suddenly take a detour to Canada.

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Of course you are going to get many points of view so here is mine. Eliminate the cruise from Baltimore because it doesn't really go to the Caribbean. Besides it may be chilly leaving from a northern port and it is the beginning of hurricane season. Eliminate the cruise from San Juan because airfare to get there is more expensive.

My first choice would always be Royal Caribbean so I would pick Navigator. If flying go at least a day ahead and overnight in a hotel. Now as far as cabins the ones with a window or balcony have blackout drapes so you can make the room dark. Balcony cabins are usually a good rate at that time of year. I would never recommend an interior cabin because it is like staying in a closet.....although I know people say they are never in their cabin anyway but the nicer your cabin the more you will enjoy it. I like to sit on my balcony in the morning and have coffee.

Whatever you decide have a great time.

 

Sailing from NYC or Baltimore on August 30, you would NOT have cold weather. Temps might be in the 90s! And August 30 is NOT the START of the hurricane season. Hurricans season is June 1 - Nov. 30, and late August is smack in the middle. EM

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Sailing from NYC or Baltimore on August 30, you would NOT have cold weather. Temps might be in the 90s! And August 30 is NOT the START of the hurricane season. Hurricans season is June 1 - Nov. 30, and late August is smack in the middle. EM

 

The last cruise I took leaving out of New York was in early September and the weather was terrible. When we sailed out of NY people had jackets on. It was 55 degrees and very windy.

It was also chilly the entire first day at sea....and very windy too. Weather improved on the second day when we had sailed further south. I would never tell anyone that they will have good weather that time of year.

 

I know hurricane season does not start in August...my mistake.

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Weather is one of those things. You can't predict.

I have sailed out of NYC when it was 60F in January. We also sailed out of Miami when it was 40F; that same trip it never got above 70F on any of the islands and it was snowing in Tampa when we had our stop over on the flight home. :eek:

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I have no opinion regarding the selection of cruises (except to say that northern ports in AUGUST are more likely to be warm than not. Trying to predict a year in advance is impossible).

But, regarding room selection: in addition to whether you choose inside, outside, or balcony because of light, be mindful of location because of noise.

To get the quietest room, make sure there are staterooms above and below you.

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Congratulations on your upcoming marriage.

 

I haven't sailed any of the ships that you mention and if you asked what ships were our favorites, I'd probably have to say the Sunshine and the Freedom. So, on the ship front, I can't really advise you. But then again, we don't sail for the ship, we look at itineraries and cost and whatever ship and home port that is, that's what it is. We will also look at cost of getting to the home port, too.

 

As far as itineraries go, I'd pick Liberty's southern one if you can afford airfare to San Juan. The stops are some of the best in the Caribbean. Hotels in San Juan can be expensive ($100+/night), but we did find one that was a little cheaper if you stayed two nights and it was an easy walk to the port. We only had two carry-on size and two full size suitcases to worry about though.

 

With San Juan, you can fly in the day you cruise as the ship doesn't leave until 10 pm. However, if you're flying to San Juan anyway, why not enjoy the city, the rain forest, or other attractions that are nearby. We stayed two nights in San Juan, explored the old city on our own, and then boarded the ship at noon and enjoyed the ship while it was fairly empty all day, but going back into town after you drop off your luggage is also an option as San Juan is then treated as a port after you board and you can disembark again as long as you are back by 8:30.

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My fiancee and I have been going back and forth on what we want to do for the honeymoon....we know we are going on a cruise. I had originally looked at Navigator of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas going to Cozumel, Belize City and Roataan on a balcony stateroom. She about hit the roof when I told her how much it was going to cost. She prefers an interior stateroom because if she gets migraines the only thing that cures it is a dark room. We are planning on going August 30, 2015. We want to do a week long cruise and here are the other options we have...please help us choose!

 

Carnival Dream out of New Orleans going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay.

 

Carnival Liberty out of San Juan going to St Thomas, Bridgetown, Castries, Basseterre and Philipsburg

 

And obviously Navigator of the Seas is still in play....also Carnival Pride is going out of Baltimore to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.

 

We're first time cruisers, so we want to do something enjoyable. Thoughts?

 

It seems that from your location, you are going to fly anyway, or have to endure a very long drive to an eastern port like Baltimore.

 

I would choose Carnival Liberty out of San Juan. Go there a day or two early. It's like getting an extra port in the deal. In your case it's a Sunday departure, and if you are getting married on the Saturday, stay an extra day or two at the end of your cruise.

 

Been to all the ports there and they are excellent. Bahamas are nice, commercialized and overrated. Cozumel is boring, and with bad experiences in Jamaica, sorry will not set foot there.

 

Weather will not be an issue, great wherever you go.

 

Best advise is to seek out a TA that specializes in cruises and keeps your budget in mind. Book your flights seperate from the cruise as it is way cheaper that way, and book those early too for best prices.

 

We prefer to cruise inside cabins ourselves, simply because it allows us to afford more cruises, but we have gone on balconies also. The really nice part about balconies is enjoying them as you are sailing in and out of your ports.

 

Whichever one you choose, I am sure you will have a great time.

 

BTW, our first cruise was our honeymoon. Cruising is very addictive. :D

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I have sailed out of NYC when it was 60F in January. We also sailed out of Miami when it was 40F; that same trip it never got above 70F on any of the islands and it was snowing in Tampa when we had our stop over on the flight home. :eek:

 

Snow in Tampa: January 18/19, 1977. The likelihood of cold weather in Florida is minimal.

 

You are closer to Caribbean destinations when you sail out of Florida. If you get a reasonable flight, use Florida as your gateway.

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My fiancee and I have been going back and forth on what we want to do for the honeymoon....we know we are going on a cruise. I had originally looked at Navigator of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas going to Cozumel, Belize City and Roataan on a balcony stateroom. She about hit the roof when I told her how much it was going to cost. She prefers an interior stateroom because if she gets migraines the only thing that cures it is a dark room. We are planning on going August 30, 2015. We want to do a week long cruise and here are the other options we have...please help us choose!

 

Carnival Dream out of New Orleans going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay.

 

Carnival Liberty out of San Juan going to St Thomas, Bridgetown, Castries, Basseterre and Philipsburg

 

And obviously Navigator of the Seas is still in play....also Carnival Pride is going out of Baltimore to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.

 

We're first time cruisers, so we want to do something enjoyable. Thoughts?

 

Take the cruise that has the best travel itinerary.

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