Cruise-curious person with a LOT of questions

SO likes lazy vacations, I like seeing new things, we are considering compromise for vacation next year by going on a cruise...both of us are barely into the "age where a lot of folks like to deny their age", and would be (if anything) Geek-Americans whose past vacations have been to things like concerts and conventions and artisan craft shows (!).

For the first time out we're thinking of a 3-day or 4-day to the Bahamas (to see if we like the concept of a cruise vacation--if so, we have ideas for future, if not, we note this as a learning experience that is not horribly expensive compared to an all-inclusive). We're basically treating the idea of a shorter cruise as a Cruise Sampler.

We know what line we'll probably be going with (Royal Caribbean per the recommendation of many people who know us who've done the Cruise Thing; if we find we LIKE cruises a lot maybe we can someday try other cruise lines or just book the infamous Cow Room on Freedom of the Seas) and we even kind of have an idea of the port and/or ship (probably Enchantment of the Seas, probably Port Canaveral).

We would likely drive as we are in a part of the world where driving is actually reasonable to get there (especially if trading of shifts for driving happens) and airline travel is sufficiently problematic that it'd be more expensive to fly and/or we'd have to drive nearly as long to get to a hub airport with reasonable rates (Pretty much everything within 100+ miles is a regional jet provider. Unfortunately where I live you only get to fly cheaply and directly if you are a package or a lobster going to a restaurant :p)

I figure we can take advantage of some of the hotels where they have weekly parking if you stay a night, especially as we may be doing some exploration of Astro Stuff after the ship trip--basically drive in and sleep in PC, be bright and refreshed for the ship the next day, and stay a night in PC after we get back in port.

There are some things we'd like to do in the Bahamas, like the small-batch rum distillery (John Watling's), the choccy factory, try some cracked conch (and I've heard there are some very good hole-in-the-wall places for the latter)...Everything else (including the date!) is still up in the air, and I have not yet booked--if anything, I can be best described as "cruise-curious".

Passports are fortunately not an issue, as we do have them (and consider it a generally good idea anyways--for those few destinations I can fly to directly they do serve handy as ID for the Nice Folks With The TSA).

So I come to you kindly (and considerably more experienced) folks. Yes, I have a lot of questions. Hopefully these won't be too annoying, but I was always taught that the only dumb question is the unasked question...

a) Do you have some suggestions as to possible other cruise options out of PC that would be good for first-timers? (I.e. for a newbie at cruising, what would be some good options for 40something geeks with a bit of interest in interesting food and a not-exactly-unlimited budget?)

Heck, for that matter, do you have any other suggestions in general for Cruise Samplers (basically quickie cruises for the Cruise-Curious who may be exploring whether they might like being on a ship enough to do a five- or seven-day cruise in future)?

b) What would be probably the best time of year (that is not roughly April-June) to go?

b1) Re hotels--like I noted, we're driving. I know Comfort Inn and Suites and Radisson in PC do free/cheap parking for cruisers; what are your favorites for "stay the night, let the car vacation here and we'll be on the ship" sort of hotels in the Port Canaveral area?

c) On travel agents--I have found a few decent ones locally (even one with both of the "Big Cruise Travel Agent Recommendations" for accreditation), and have a AAA travel center nearby (I also know you cannot recommend a specific travel agency, I'm all good with this).

Basically my biggie question is "are the little guys better"?

c1) Do travel agents typically charge for a consultation on "Here's the sort of cruise you'd like best based on your preferences for line, general things you like to do, and budget"?

(I am a complete and utter newbie regarding travel agents. Never used them, my family never used them, and pretty much am utterly inexperienced with them as all vacation planning I have done in past has been via AAA Tourbooks or the Internet.)

c2) In general, can one get a better deal by booking with a travel agent or with the likes of Expedia et al or direct with the cruise line?

d) Neither of us get particularly carsick or anything like that, and everyone I've talked to says "If you can, spring for the balcony rather than a regular exterior room". Is it that much more worth it? :D

e) Re travel insurance--any particularly good options? Any particularly bad options? Any travel insurance companies willing to insure a well-controlled diabetic and a well-controlled asthmatic?

f) Speaking of the SO with diabetes--One of the drugs that keeps things so well controlled is a medication that needs to be kept cool (not insulin, but a GLP-1 agonist) that comes in little pen needles (so it doesn't take up much room).

Is there an additional charge for a minifridge and a sharps container, or can we bring a (very small) sharps container and a cool gel pack with us? How much of a PITA is it in practice to get aforementioned Cooling Method and Sharps Container?

(I know in theory you can note someone is a disabled traveler who needs some way to keep their meds cool, but would appreciate other commentary.)

g) When the heck IS the best time (on average) to actually bite the bullet and arrange this with a travel agent or a cruise booking agency? Is it better to book early, or is it better to book closer to the time of the trip?

What the heck is "early" and "late" as far as cruise booking, anyways?

(Again, never have really booked more than two months in advance on a vacation in my life. I'm used to "early booking" being "two months from trip" for hotels and flights, and (unlike with planes) it almost seems that cruises get cheaper the closer they get to the sail date--up to a point?)

h) Other than the usual hints I've seen on the forums (plan for spending at least twice what you paid for tickets on things like boozahol and extras, turn the phone on airplane mode if not off (not a problem as I want to be in a Zone of Inaccessibility ;)), GET THE TRAVEL INSURANCE, pack light, etc.) does anyone else have their own suggestions for the cruise-curious?

For example, excursions that might be nice for a couple? Excursions that I should AVOID?

i) This last one may be incorrigibly dorky, but it is a possibility since we'll be driving and thus we don't have to worry about carrying it on a plane. Is it possible to take your own kite on the beaches in Nassau or CocoCay? (No, I would not want to kite off the ship. That's dumb and illegal--especially as that's a good way to wreck a kite.)

Will they even let me take a kite on the ship to take to a beach? Has anyone ever done kiting from the likes of CocoCay's beaches or Junkanoo Beach or the many pay beaches in Nassau?

Again, please forgive me for asking as many questions as the average three-year-old, mostly sorting out curiosity at this rate...the whole concept of "hey, let's go on a ship" is kind of in the very roughest of planning stages in that the whole idea SOUNDS appealing, we kind of have an idea of what to expect, but could really use helpful hints from the community who've done it more than once.

For the first time out we're thinking of a 3-day or 4-day to the Bahamas (to see if we like the concept of a cruise vacation--if so, we have ideas for future, if not, we note this as a learning experience that is not horribly expensive compared to an all-inclusive). We're basically treating the idea of a shorter cruise as a Cruise Sampler.

1. would go for a 7 day cruise. you spend the first day getting on and the last getting off. 3 or 4 day does not give you much time to experience the cruise.

a) Do you have some suggestions as to possible other cruise options out of PC that would be good for first-timers? (I.e. for a newbie at cruising, what would be some good options for 40something geeks with a bit of interest in interesting food and a not-exactly-unlimited budget?)

Heck, for that matter, do you have any other suggestions in general for Cruise Samplers (basically quickie cruises for the Cruise-Curious who may be exploring whether they might like being on a ship enough to do a five- or seven-day cruise in future)?

2. since you are driving Ft Lauderdale and Miami are not much further. Opens up a huge number of options and lower prices.

b) What would be probably the best time of year (that is not roughly April-June) to go?

3. we live in the cold north so try and get away during winter time. but avoid busy times like when school is out. fewer kids and lower prices.

b1) Re hotels--like I noted, we're driving. I know Comfort Inn and Suites and Radisson in PC do free/cheap parking for cruisers; what are your favorites for "stay the night, let the car vacation here and we'll be on the ship" sort of hotels in the Port Canaveral area?

c) On travel agents--I have found a few decent ones locally (even one with both of the "Big Cruise Travel Agent Recommendations" for accreditation), and have a AAA travel center nearby (I also know you cannot recommend a specific travel agency, I'm all good with this).

Basically my biggie question is "are the little guys better"?

c1) Do travel agents typically charge for a consultation on "Here's the sort of cruise you'd like best based on your preferences for line, general things you like to do, and budget"?

(I am a complete and utter newbie regarding travel agents. Never used them, my family never used them, and pretty much am utterly inexperienced with them as all vacation planning I have done in past has been via AAA Tourbooks or the Internet.)

4. last time we used a local travel agent to book a cruise they booked us on a ship that was in dry dock at the time we were to cruise. missed out on Jerusalem as a result cause replacement ship older and slower. got in trouble with cruise critic for giving my email address out to recommend who we book with. suggest you check out cruise mags and google.

c2) In general, can one get a better deal by booking with a travel agent or with the likes of Expedia et al or direct with the cruise line?

d) Neither of us get particularly carsick or anything like that, and everyone I've talked to says "If you can, spring for the balcony rather than a regular exterior room". Is it that much more worth it?

5. depends on the ports. in hawaii ports except Honolulu were pretty industrial and as we spent all day ashore balcony was not worth it. new ships have bigger % of balcony so price differential is smaller now. we used to book guarantee and got bumped from paying for inside to outside or balcony every time but once. now book balcony guarantee and while might get stuck with obstructed view balcony they are so few that doubt it will happen. we normally fly on airmiles so have to book really early and this works well with guarantee cruise booking

e) Re travel insurance--any particularly good options? Any particularly bad options? Any travel insurance companies willing to insure a well-controlled diabetic and a well-controlled asthmatic?

f) Speaking of the SO with diabetes--One of the drugs that keeps things so well controlled is a medication that needs to be kept cool (not insulin, but a GLP-1 agonist) that comes in little pen needles (so it doesn't take up much room).

Is there an additional charge for a minifridge and a sharps container, or can we bring a (very small) sharps container and a cool gel pack with us? How much of a PITA is it in practice to get aforementioned Cooling Method and Sharps Container?

(I know in theory you can note someone is a disabled traveler who needs some way to keep their meds cool, but would appreciate other commentary.)

6. I am on insulin. travel with a small insulated bag. at the worst you can get ice and keep stuff cool. normally have a room mini fridge but if not you are covered. have always just asked the steward for a sharps container and gotten one without an issue.

g) When the heck IS the best time (on average) to actually bite the bullet and arrange this with a travel agent or a cruise booking agency? Is it better to book early, or is it better to book closer to the time of the trip?

What the heck is "early" and "late" as far as cruise booking, anyways?

(Again, never have really booked more than two months in advance on a vacation in my life. I'm used to "early booking" being "two months from trip" for hotels and flights, and (unlike with planes) it almost seems that cruises get cheaper the closer they get to the sail date--up to a point?)

7. think you are talking about dinner sittings. normally an early sitting and a late one..say 6 pm and 8 pm. we like anytime dining. either make a reservation or just show up. not sitting with assigned people for the whole cruise and now we normally dine alone. norweigan started this but available on a lot of lines now.

h) Other than the usual hints I've seen on the forums (plan for spending at least twice what you paid for tickets on things like boozahol and extras, turn the phone on airplane mode if not off (not a problem as I want to be in a Zone of Inaccessibility ), GET THE TRAVEL INSURANCE, pack light, etc.) does anyone else have their own suggestions for the cruise-curious?

For example, excursions that might be nice for a couple? Excursions that I should AVOID?

8. cruise lines make their $ on booze and excursions. normally book local tour and add 50% or more for their take. so booking on your own can be a lot cheaper. BUT in some places the local tours are limited and the ship takes all the spots. so while you planning check out the ships excursions you may want. we normally only take ships tours if there is a chance the tour could be late getting back. ship will wait for their tours.

i) This last one may be incorrigibly dorky, but it is a possibility since we'll be driving and thus we don't have to worry about carrying it on a plane. Is it possible to take your own kite on the beaches in Nassau or CocoCay? (No, I would not want to kite off the ship. That's dumb and illegal--especially as that's a good way to wreck a kite.)

Will they even let me take a kite on the ship to take to a beach? Has anyone ever done kiting from the likes of CocoCay's beaches or Junkanoo Beach or the many pay beaches in Nassau?

9. my friends are always telling me to go fly a kite but I have never actually done it.

Have fun and welcome to the addiction

You've asked a lot of questions :D that I don't have time right now to answer. I will say that a 3-4 day cruise is going to be more of party atmosphere/booze cruise. Don't know if that's what you're looking for or not. 7 days really gives you more of a feel as to what cruising is about.

Welcome to CC! I'm sure others will be along to help you out.

Roz

Welcome! I hope I can answer a few of your questions.

First of all many people will tell you to just go for a 7 day but I am going to suggest a shorter cruise instead, say 4-5 day. If you like it there will be many more opportunities to take a longer cruise. If you don't like it you won't be stuck for a whole week.

Royal Caribbean does not allow discounting of their prices so the thing some travel agents do is offer ship board credit or other incentives such as wine, free insurance, spa treatment, etc.

Be sure to use someone who does not charge a fee(most do not).

You can call the Special Needs Dept at Royal Caribbean and ask to have a sharps box and medication refrigerator put in your cabin; there is no charge.

For travel insurance they do not ask for a medical history when buying it. Many of us use this site http://www.insuremytrip.com because rates are usually less than what the cruise line sells.

Here are some cruises to consider:

1. 5 day Liberty from Ft Lauderdale

2. 5 day Brilliance from Tampa

3. 4 day Enchantment from Pt Canaveral

Ok good luck!

Ditto on the short cruises....it won't have the same "feel" as a week or longer. No worries, sounds like you both will love cruising...so just book a week, and know you made the right decision! Longer cruises will go to ports other than the Bahamas....which is NOT a favorite of most cruisers!

Wherever you go, get a guidebook and read up on your ports....no need in most cases to do excursions at all!

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

I agree with the idea of doing a seven day cruise. Shorter cruises do not give you a chance to get the real feel of cruising and have the bad reputation of too much drinking and partying.

I always use a travel agent because I feel they know how and with whom to solve any problems that might crop up. They should not charge you for their services although some do charge a fee if you cancel (I would not use one of those). I used to use local ones but they have all gone out of business so now use a large, national one. My travel agent usually gives onboard credit and a bottle of wine.

Late bookings are often after final payment is due (differs with each cruise ship and length of cruise). Sometimes you can get a really good deal but you have to take what is left, often the less desirable locations/grades.

I had my first balcony on my last cruise. Although I loved it, I probably would not pay extra for a short cruise.

From Port Canaveral you have a choice of Disney (not budget), Carnival, Royal Caribbean and starting next year, Norwegian Cruise Line. I have only been on Disney so I can't make any recommendatins on the other three (or tell you about availability of refrigerators). On my last cruise the ship provided a container for the disposal of needles at no cost.

January, February and March are great cruising months in the Caribbean and it is not hurricane season.

Good luck on your planning!

how could I forget about hurricane season....sept to nov if I remember right

..never knew about late booking..knew about last minute sales where you can get great deals to fill a ship but since we live so far away never an option.

First - Welcome to Cruise Critic and to cruising in general!!!!

As a fellow 40-something self-described geek, I will throw out my opinion on some of the things you asked.

First, I went on my first cruise at 22... I just booked my 7th cruise for next year (1 Costa, 2 Princess and 4 RCCL). I have NEVER felt like I was surrounded by a bunch of old fuddy-duddies... if anything, I find the folks older than me are usually able to party it up better than me :p So, don't worry about being a 40 something geek... you'll be fine!

I am very budgeted minded and for me, that's why cruises work so well. I am able to get a lot of bang for my buck and see great places along the way. With that in mind, I have only ever sailed in an inside cabin, so I can't offer any help with the balcony vs outside question. I can just say that, not knowing anything different, I have always been completely satisfied with booking inside (so, if you find a cruise you like, that is in your price range, but only has inside cabins left, still consider it).

That being said, I do get a bit queasy if I feel the ship moving too much (which I didn't know would be an issue until I took my first cruise). I now make sure to book a cabin as close to mid-ship and on a lower deck.... that just works better for me as I notice less rocking there. I also keep some less-drowsy Dramamine handy, but I usually find if I take it the day before boarding and the first day or two thereafter, I don't need it for the remainder of the cruise (unless we hit a storm).

I have never taken a cruise less than 7 days, so I can't offer suggestions on a 3-4 day trip. My very first cruise was a 9 night and my next one will be 15 nights.... for me, the longer I am on a ship, the better :D

I have booked cruises directly and with a travel agent. For my last cruise, I found an agent (with one of the places you mentioned) that I absolutely adore. I plan to use her from here on out. Her price was the same as the cruise line was offering, but as another poster mentioned, TAs often give you things like OBC (on board credit), free champagne on arrive, certificates for the specialty restaurants, etc. Mine also does things like take care of all of my pre-cruise documentation. For my most recent booking, she even went above and beyond IMO. I had called to set up and appt to discuss some cruise options I found. During the conversation, I mentioned one cruise in particular and how funny it was that the exact same cabin I had on a previously cruise was available. Anyway, I had an appt to meet with her in person the next day. When I arrived, I said, "Bummer, I checked again today and that cabin I mentioned yesterday was gone." To which she replied, "I know... I put a hold on it for you after we got off the phone yesterday." That's what I call service. And, to answer your one question.... you should always be able to chat with an agent for no cost.... if they charge a fee for a consultation, find someone else.

As you'll see in my signature, I'm a planner (next cruise is over 400 days away as of this posting), so I can't help you with questions about last-minute trips.... sorry.

Get trip insurance.... but you already seem to know this. I've booked it both directly through the line as well as through the TA.. it just depends on which price was better.

Finally, I rarely spend a ton on booze on a cruise.. especially if it's port-intensive. But this mainly comes from my limited-budget standing... believe me, I love my adult beverages....lol! I try to get my fix while I am ashore since it's so much cheaper and then hit the free art auctions while on board for a cheap champagne. That way, I only find myself buying 1-2 drinks on board each day instead of 5-7. If my budget was unlimited, I would probably get a drink package and not worry about it.... someday hopefully!

I know I haven't answered all of your questions, but I just wanted to toss my thoughts into the ring as a fellow budget-minded 40 something year old geek :p... hope you find something useful :)

Melissa

I get seasick in the bathtub...lower and midship better...but I use wrist bands...just an elastized band with a plastic ball that puts pressure on pressure point on the wrist. may be just in my head but works for me. new ships are all so big and with stabilizers that I have not needed in some time

I suggest at least 4 days, preferable five. Also consider Carnival from Jacksonville. My only experience with a 3 day cruise was lots of large family groups with matching tshirts, so intent on getting the most action from their three days that they push everyone else out of the way to get where they want to go. Cruises over weekends are more expensive than longer five day cruises, because they are more in demand. People do not have to take as many days off from work. Don't try to do and see everything. Concentrate on the ship and what it offrs, if you are just about sampling 'cruising'. Just do a sampler of the ports. A ship that visits the lines private island will offer a great beach day. EM

I tried to do the separate color thing but no luck. Answers are marked with ********

SO likes lazy vacations, I like seeing new things, we are considering compromise for vacation next year by going on a cruise...both of us are barely into the "age where a lot of folks like to deny their age", and would be (if anything) Geek-Americans whose past vacations have been to things like concerts and conventions and artisan craft shows (!).

 

For the first time out we're thinking of a 3-day or 4-day to the Bahamas (to see if we like the concept of a cruise vacation--if so, we have ideas for future, if not, we note this as a learning experience that is not horribly expensive compared to an all-inclusive). We're basically treating the idea of a shorter cruise as a Cruise Sampler.

 

We know what line we'll probably be going with (Royal Caribbean per the recommendation of many people who know us who've done the Cruise Thing; if we find we LIKE cruises a lot maybe we can someday try other cruise lines or just book the infamous Cow Room on Freedom of the Seas) and we even kind of have an idea of the port and/or ship (probably Enchantment of the Seas, probably Port Canaveral).

 

We would likely drive as we are in a part of the world where driving is actually reasonable to get there (especially if trading of shifts for driving happens) and airline travel is sufficiently problematic that it'd be more expensive to fly and/or we'd have to drive nearly as long to get to a hub airport with reasonable rates (Pretty much everything within 100+ miles is a regional jet provider. Unfortunately where I live you only get to fly cheaply and directly if you are a package or a lobster going to a restaurant :p)

 

I figure we can take advantage of some of the hotels where they have weekly parking if you stay a night, especially as we may be doing some exploration of Astro Stuff after the ship trip--basically drive in and sleep in PC, be bright and refreshed for the ship the next day, and stay a night in PC after we get back in port.

 

There are some things we'd like to do in the Bahamas, like the small-batch rum distillery (John Watling's), the choccy factory, try some cracked conch (and I've heard there are some very good hole-in-the-wall places for the latter)...Everything else (including the date!) is still up in the air, and I have not yet booked--if anything, I can be best described as "cruise-curious".

 

Passports are fortunately not an issue, as we do have them (and consider it a generally good idea anyways--for those few destinations I can fly to directly they do serve handy as ID for the Nice Folks With The TSA).

 

So I come to you kindly (and considerably more experienced) folks. Yes, I have a lot of questions. Hopefully these won't be too annoying, but I was always taught that the only dumb question is the unasked question...

 

a) Do you have some suggestions as to possible other cruise options out of PC that would be good for first-timers? (I.e. for a newbie at cruising, what would be some good options for 40something geeks with a bit of interest in interesting food and a not-exactly-unlimited budget?)

 

Heck, for that matter, do you have any other suggestions in general for Cruise Samplers (basically quickie cruises for the Cruise-Curious who may be exploring whether they might like being on a ship enough to do a five- or seven-day cruise in future)?

 

b) What would be probably the best time of year (that is not roughly April-June) to go?

 

*******personally I like September just after school starts.

 

 

b1) Re hotels--like I noted, we're driving. I know Comfort Inn and Suites and Radisson in PC do free/cheap parking for cruisers; what are your favorites for "stay the night, let the car vacation here and we'll be on the ship" sort of hotels in the Port Canaveral area?

 

c) On travel agents--I have found a few decent ones locally (even one with both of the "Big Cruise Travel Agent Recommendations" for accreditation), and have a AAA travel center nearby (I also know you cannot recommend a specific travel agency, I'm all good with this).

 

Basically my biggie question is "are the little guys better"?

 

c1) Do travel agents typically charge for a consultation on "Here's the sort of cruise you'd like best based on your preferences for line, general things you like to do, and budget"?

 

(I am a complete and utter newbie regarding travel agents. Never used them, my family never used them, and pretty much am utterly inexperienced with them as all vacation planning I have done in past has been via AAA Tourbooks or the Internet.)

 

****** I used an internet travel agent once, she got me a great aft balcony at a good price, however i like to troll various websites to find ideas and dates so I generally dont use them however my advice is to use an agent that you feel comfortable with. Dont worry about the size of the agency.

 

c2) In general, can one get a better deal by booking with a travel agent or with the likes of Expedia et al or direct with the cruise line?

 

******Rates change daily, and even more often. You can get good deals from all of the above. Sometimes there are special offers outside of the cruise that an agent can assist with such as your hotel pre cruise and transportation to pier included.

 

d) Neither of us get particularly carsick or anything like that, and everyone I've talked to says "If you can, spring for the balcony rather than a regular exterior room". Is it that much more worth it? :D

 

******* Ive had interiors, oceanview, and balcony. I liked them all, but if you can get a good deal on a balcony i`d do it. I can deal with any cabin but i personally prefer higher decks. My next 2 cruises are on the 2 lowest decks on the ship, but I couldnt resist the deal.

 

e) Re travel insurance--any particularly good options? Any particularly bad options? Any travel insurance companies willing to insure a well-controlled diabetic and a well-controlled asthmatic?

 

f) Speaking of the SO with diabetes--One of the drugs that keeps things so well controlled is a medication that needs to be kept cool (not insulin, but a GLP-1 agonist) that comes in little pen needles (so it doesn't take up much room).

 

Is there an additional charge for a minifridge and a sharps container, or can we bring a (very small) sharps container and a cool gel pack with us? How much of a PITA is it in practice to get aforementioned Cooling Method and Sharps Container?

 

(I know in theory you can note someone is a disabled traveler who needs some way to keep their meds cool, but would appreciate other commentary.)

 

*******there are mini fridges in the cabin where they try to sell you cool drinks. You could use that. I dont know about the sharps, but i dont see why you could not take them to the medical for disposal. --- others would know better

 

g) When the heck IS the best time (on average) to actually bite the bullet and arrange this with a travel agent or a cruise booking agency? Is it better to book early, or is it better to book closer to the time of the trip?

 

******* The cruise lines will say a year in advance for the best rate but it doesnt matter. What does matter is that you must be paid in full 60 days prior to sailing. If you book a year out you can just pay the deposit, make payments and if you see a better deal prior to final payment you can change the booking. -- There are some promo rates that will not let you make changes.-- if you book early, you can get a cabin you want instead of what`s leftover.

 

What the heck is "early" and "late" as far as cruise booking, anyways?

 

 

 

(Again, never have really booked more than two months in advance on a vacation in my life. I'm used to "early booking" being "two months from trip" for hotels and flights, and (unlike with planes) it almost seems that cruises get cheaper the closer they get to the sail date--up to a point?)

 

h) Other than the usual hints I've seen on the forums (plan for spending at least twice what you paid for tickets on things like boozahol and extras, turn the phone on airplane mode if not off (not a problem as I want to be in a Zone of Inaccessibility ;)), GET THE TRAVEL INSURANCE, pack light, etc.) does anyone else have their own suggestions for the cruise-curious?

 

For example, excursions that might be nice for a couple? Excursions that I should AVOID?

 

i) This last one may be incorrigibly dorky, but it is a possibility since we'll be driving and thus we don't have to worry about carrying it on a plane. Is it possible to take your own kite on the beaches in Nassau or CocoCay? (No, I would not want to kite off the ship. That's dumb and illegal--especially as that's a good way to wreck a kite.)

 

Will they even let me take a kite on the ship to take to a beach? Has anyone ever done kiting from the likes of CocoCay's beaches or Junkanoo Beach or the many pay beaches in Nassau?

 

Again, please forgive me for asking as many questions as the average three-year-old, mostly sorting out curiosity at this rate...the whole concept of "hey, let's go on a ship" is kind of in the very roughest of planning stages in that the whole idea SOUNDS appealing, we kind of have an idea of what to expect, but could really use helpful hints from the community who've done it more than once.

*******Dont try to get it right the first time. The fun is in the learning.:D

Most important take the cruise and have fun, you will learn what you like after 1 or 2 cruises. The best thing is that there is something for everyone. From spa treatments, to steak and lobster. Buffet to fine dining. Casino to poolside. Library to movies. And then there are the ports of call. What you dont do this cruise, you'll do on the next one. No two cruises have to be alike. No two ships are alike when you consider that the staff are just as important as the physical plant of the ship.

There is a reason that many on here have taken many cruises, on many ships, many lines and visited many ports of call

For the first time out we're thinking of a 3-day or 4-day to the Bahamas (to see if we like the concept of a cruise vacation--if so, we have ideas for future, if not, we note this as a learning experience that is not horribly expensive compared to an all-inclusive).

I agree with the others to consider at least a 5 day. I've taken a 3 day Bahamas before, and I feel like that I would have judged cruising poorly had that been my first cruise. Have you considered a 5 day out of Tampa to Cozumel? There are also 5 day itineraries that go to Key West along with the Bahamas. Please also be aware that the smallest/older boats are often the ones available for short cruises. I much prefer other ports to the Bahamas, but that is just personal preference.

b) What would be probably the best time of year (that is not roughly April-June) to go?

 

Basically my biggie question is "are the little guys better"?

c1) Do travel agents typically charge for a consultation on "Here's the sort of cruise you'd like best based on your preferences for line, general things you like to do, and budget"?

c2) In general, can one get a better deal by booking with a travel agent or with the likes of Expedia et al or direct with the cruise line?

B - I typically cruise in October/November. The weather is great. Only once has a hurricane affected me and that was many years ago. The captains are fantastic about steering the ships for beautiful weather. Worse case scenario is a port being skipped or time on shore being shortened.

C - I have always booked directly with the cruiseline website or through Orbitz. Only for my cruise this fall did I use a TA. It was a friend and I was able to save $15 pp. TA's these days know their search engine competition and should not charge you a consult fee. If they do... you're better off doing your own homework anyways to see all the details.

d) Neither of us get particularly carsick or anything like that, and everyone I've talked to says "If you can, spring for the balcony rather than a regular exterior room". Is it that much more worth it? :D

g) When the heck IS the best time (on average) to actually bite the bullet and arrange this with a travel agent or a cruise booking agency? Is it better to book early, or is it better to book closer to the time of the trip?

What the heck is "early" and "late" as far as cruise booking, anyways?

D - I almost always get an inside room. I've had a balcony and enjoyed it, but with as little as we are actually in our room on a cruise.. I'd rather allocate the money elsewhere. I did appreciate having a porthole on my first cruise. I was a bit nervous and appreciated seeing "air" outside. :) Do double check to see where your room will be located. I've heard you can hear the casino/clubs if you are above/below them.

G - I typically book 2-4 months in advance of the cruise. I watch the prices and have learned that when I see the low price, it isn't worth hoping for another $20pp drop when they can start going up just as quickly. Compare the different dates for your desired itinerary and use those prices to get an idea of the base lines.

h) Other than the usual hints I've seen on the forums (plan for spending at least twice what you paid for tickets on things like boozahol and extras, turn the phone on airplane mode if not off (not a problem as I want to be in a Zone of Inaccessibility ;)), GET THE TRAVEL INSURANCE, pack light, etc.) does anyone else have their own suggestions for the cruise-curious?

For example, excursions that might be nice for a couple? Excursions that I should AVOID?

My advice is to try new things and get involved. Carnival has "didja" items on their menu for example. These are things that many people have never tried and can vary nightly from froglegs to escargot. Don't get the alcohol packages, most don't drink enough to break even every single day.

If you do end up in Nassau, its corny, but I suggest taking the water taxi if you are going over to Atlantis instead of going by land. It takes a bit longer, but I enjoy the little stories they tell. (And if you end up at Cabbage beach by Atlantis, there are beach vendors you can get a coconut/drinks from... but I was a bit grossed out to later see my vendor guys drinking straight from their mixer bottles... ick.)

SO likes lazy vacations, I like seeing new things, we are considering compromise for vacation next year by going on a cruise...both of us are barely into the "age where a lot of folks like to deny their age", and would be (if anything) Geek-Americans whose past vacations have been to things like concerts and conventions and artisan craft shows (!).

 

For the first time out we're thinking of a 3-day or 4-day to the Bahamas (to see if we like the concept of a cruise vacation--if so, we have ideas for future, if not, we note this as a learning experience that is not horribly expensive compared to an all-inclusive). We're basically treating the idea of a shorter cruise as a Cruise Sampler.

 

As some have said, there's a major difference in demographics/on board atmosphere between 3/4 day cruises and longer ones. So just keep that in mind and maybe you'll try a week long one. When my hubby and I had first met, he had already been on a cruise (as a single/solo cruiser) and I had avoided them (even though I could have done a free cruise as my company had a major cruiseline as a client). He took me on an one-day "gambler's special" just to Ensenada and then back to San Diego before the sun went down -- many Southern Californians would take this one to basically be able to gamble w/o the drive to Vegas -- and then we booked my first real cruise, a 7-day one. And since then, most of our vacations have involved a cruise.

 

We know what line we'll probably be going with (Royal Caribbean per the recommendation of many people who know us who've done the Cruise Thing; if we find we LIKE cruises a lot maybe we can someday try other cruise lines or just book the infamous Cow Room on Freedom of the Seas) and we even kind of have an idea of the port and/or ship (probably Enchantment of the Seas, probably Port Canaveral).

 

We would likely drive as we are in a part of the world where driving is actually reasonable to get there (especially if trading of shifts for driving happens) and airline travel is sufficiently problematic that it'd be more expensive to fly and/or we'd have to drive nearly as long to get to a hub airport with reasonable rates (Pretty much everything within 100+ miles is a regional jet provider. Unfortunately where I live you only get to fly cheaply and directly if you are a package or a lobster going to a restaurant :p)

 

If you enjoy your cruise, you might consider flying to a cruise port the next time as there are many great itineraries such as Alaska.

 

I figure we can take advantage of some of the hotels where they have weekly parking if you stay a night, especially as we may be doing some exploration of Astro Stuff after the ship trip--basically drive in and sleep in PC, be bright and refreshed for the ship the next day, and stay a night in PC after we get back in port.

Many of us always recommend getting to your embarkation port a day ahead so you'll be rested for the actual cruise. The only time we don't do this is when leaving from the Port of LA as it's just an hour's drive for us. But even then, we're on the road by 10am.

 

There are some things we'd like to do in the Bahamas, like the small-batch rum distillery (John Watling's), the choccy factory, try some cracked conch (and I've heard there are some very good hole-in-the-wall places for the latter)...Everything else (including the date!) is still up in the air, and I have not yet booked--if anything, I can be best described as "cruise-curious".

 

Just don't overschedule yourself. Some people will try to schedule every second in port and either get disappointed when they discover they can't do everything or be so pooped after their day in port. Most of the time, I read a guidebook or two and google each port to find tourism sites...come up with some attractions we might like to see and then we just go out in port and go where we feel like on that day.

Passports are fortunately not an issue, as we do have them (and consider it a generally good idea anyways--for those few destinations I can fly to directly they do serve handy as ID for the Nice Folks With The TSA).

 

Great. Even our teen has a passport -- she got her first one at 3 years of age. Next time, she can get an adult one.

 

So I come to you kindly (and considerably more experienced) folks. Yes, I have a lot of questions. Hopefully these won't be too annoying, but I was always taught that the only dumb question is the unasked question...

 

a) Do you have some suggestions as to possible other cruise options out of PC that would be good for first-timers? (I.e. for a newbie at cruising, what would be some good options for 40something geeks with a bit of interest in interesting food and a not-exactly-unlimited budget?)

 

Heck, for that matter, do you have any other suggestions in general for Cruise Samplers (basically quickie cruises for the Cruise-Curious who may be exploring whether they might like being on a ship enough to do a five- or seven-day cruise in future)?

 

You might want to go on different cruise line websites --each one has a way to search their cruises based on itinerary, date, length of cruise, etc.

 

b) What would be probably the best time of year (that is not roughly April-June) to go?

 

The great thing is that ships sail all year round. But some itineraries are offered only during certain times, and other ones have good times (weatherwise) and bad times. Just remember hurricane weather starts usually in June and can to to October or later (the closest we came to being in a hurricane was in November -- our ship outraced it and we got on the plane hours before a hurricane hit Miami).

 

We could go only certain times of the year because we have a school-aged kid. For those not in the situation can find non-school break times to be less expensive.

 

 

b1) Re hotels--like I noted, we're driving. I know Comfort Inn and Suites and Radisson in PC do free/cheap parking for cruisers; what are your favorites for "stay the night, let the car vacation here and we'll be on the ship" sort of hotels in the Port Canaveral area?

 

c) On travel agents--I have found a few decent ones locally (even one with both of the "Big Cruise Travel Agent Recommendations" for accreditation), and have a AAA travel center nearby (I also know you cannot recommend a specific travel agency, I'm all good with this).

 

Basically my biggie question is "are the little guys better"?

Really don't know. Since it's your first cruise, you may want to go with a (brick and mortar) cruise specialist. That's a TA who knows cruises as opposed to some TAs that may not have the experience to help you with your questions and get you the right ship/itinerary for your needs. Brick and mortar because online ones may use booking agents who have never seen a ship, much less been on one. After you've gotten some experience, if you haven't found a TA you like, you can use your knowledge to find yourself a cruise.

 

c1) Do travel agents typically charge for a consultation on "Here's the sort of cruise you'd like best based on your preferences for line, general things you like to do, and budget"?

 

They shouldn't charge for their advice. Make sure to ask what they would charge you for (changes on made bookings, etc.). The best ones won't charge you.

 

(I am a complete and utter newbie regarding travel agents. Never used them, my family never used them, and pretty much am utterly inexperienced with them as all vacation planning I have done in past has been via AAA Tourbooks or the Internet.)

 

c2) In general, can one get a better deal by booking with a travel agent or with the likes of Expedia et al or direct with the cruise line?

See my comment above.

 

d) Neither of us get particularly carsick or anything like that, and everyone I've talked to says "If you can, spring for the balcony rather than a regular exterior room". Is it that much more worth it? :D

 

Some people (like my hubby and teen) never get seasick. I always bring ginger chews as motion bothers me (I can't even read a map in a moving car without feeling nauseous). Most OTC make me drowsy. So you can check out what doesn't give you side effects and bring something just in case. But you may not need anything.

 

e) Re travel insurance--any particularly good options? Any particularly bad options? Any travel insurance companies willing to insure a well-controlled diabetic and a well-controlled asthmatic?

 

f) Speaking of the SO with diabetes--One of the drugs that keeps things so well controlled is a medication that needs to be kept cool (not insulin, but a GLP-1 agonist) that comes in little pen needles (so it doesn't take up much room).

 

Is there an additional charge for a minifridge and a sharps container, or can we bring a (very small) sharps container and a cool gel pack with us? How much of a PITA is it in practice to get aforementioned Cooling Method and Sharps Container?

 

You can check the websites for the various cruise lines and see which ones have a minifridge in the cabin. Princess has one in EVERY cabin. Some lines just have them in higher categories. The problem is that they might not keep meds cold enough. I was on some eye drops that required refrigeration and actually planned a course of action, involving ice packs for our upcoming cruise to keep the container cool until we got in our cabin (another plus for Princess is that you can immediately go to your cabin after boarding) and then keeping a small ice bucket in the fridge. But then my doctor changed my drops a few weeks before that and the replacement type could be kept at room temp.

 

(I know in theory you can note someone is a disabled traveler who needs some way to keep their meds cool, but would appreciate other commentary.)

 

g) When the heck IS the best time (on average) to actually bite the bullet and arrange this with a travel agent or a cruise booking agency? Is it better to book early, or is it better to book closer to the time of the trip?

 

What the heck is "early" and "late" as far as cruise booking, anyways?

 

(Again, never have really booked more than two months in advance on a vacation in my life. I'm used to "early booking" being "two months from trip" for hotels and flights, and (unlike with planes) it almost seems that cruises get cheaper the closer they get to the sail date--up to a point?)

 

The latest we had booked a cruise was 8 days before sailing and it was one we had to fly to. I made all the arrangements within a few days -- the cruise, flights, pre-cruise hotel, post-cruise hotels (we had decided to check out the Florida Keys), a rental car... On the other side, we booked our first Hawaiian cruise 13 months ahead because I wanted a mid-ships cabin and knew the holiday cruise sold out every year. So if you want a popular cruise or want a specific cabin, you need to book early. If you're not picky about sailing date, etc., you'll have more flexibility.

 

h) Other than the usual hints I've seen on the forums (plan for spending at least twice what you paid for tickets on things like boozahol and extras, turn the phone on airplane mode if not off (not a problem as I want to be in a Zone of Inaccessibility ;)), GET THE TRAVEL INSURANCE, pack light, etc.) does anyone else have their own suggestions for the cruise-curious?

 

For example, excursions that might be nice for a couple? Excursions that I should AVOID?

 

You should look at the excursions offered by the ship and by local operators and see what interests you. You don't even need to do an excursion.

i) This last one may be incorrigibly dorky, but it is a possibility since we'll be driving and thus we don't have to worry about carrying it on a plane. Is it possible to take your own kite on the beaches in Nassau or CocoCay? (No, I would not want to kite off the ship. That's dumb and illegal--especially as that's a good way to wreck a kite.)

 

Will they even let me take a kite on the ship to take to a beach? Has anyone ever done kiting from the likes of CocoCay's beaches or Junkanoo Beach or the many pay beaches in Nassau?

 

Again, please forgive me for asking as many questions as the average three-year-old, mostly sorting out curiosity at this rate...the whole concept of "hey, let's go on a ship" is kind of in the very roughest of planning stages in that the whole idea SOUNDS appealing, we kind of have an idea of what to expect, but could really use helpful hints from the community who've done it more than once.

I put my comments in red.

I tried to put my comments in blue..for some reason did not work for me

and I am not a ludite

just an old grumpy guy

Thank you ALL very much for your suggestions--quite helpful!

To explain a little more on why we were proposing 3-4 day cruise at first (personally I'm leaning more towards a 4-5 day but I have another party I have to persuade in this :D):

In this case, it really is kind of a test of "even if it IS a booze cruise, is this maybe a thing? Is the food decent? Will the SO get bletcherously ill at sea?" This is really the first year I've had that rare concept of "paid vacation" in a decade (note: mamas, don't let your kids go into consultancy) and I've just got the week of paid to start; there's a bit of a "time budgeting" issue as well as the usual "money budgeting". (That said, depending on ship schedules I COULD in theory do a 4 or 5 day if I can talk the SO into it and if we left on a Friday and did a M-F cruise :D)

If a 5-day could be a better Cruise Sampler I can see what I can talk the SO into.

Also--IF I can talk the SO into a 5-day--the next question becomes "Eastern Caribbean vs. Western Caribbean". SO has mentioned they would like to see Jamaica, have heard good things about Cozumel, but have also heard good things re the East...thoughts?

(If a 5-day happens as the Introduction to Cruising, I'll have to see if it can be done on the Freedom class on RC, and I'll have to see if the Cow Room can happen. Yes, it's an interior suite, but it is technically a suite and has a Concierge Room privilege and freebie ice cream.)

The main reason I'm saying "any season not April-June" is twofold. One being obviously avoiding Spring Break crowds, the other being that this tends to be a very busy season at my workplace and chances are less that a vacation would be approved. We were leaning towards winter (late October-early Novemberish, possibly Jan-Feb) at any rate due to the Hurricane Thing.

If we decide we like this, then the 7-days start becoming an option (and then flying to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale do become valid options at that point, as the price point swings back to flying). We're attracted to cruises partly because it is a Nice Vacation At Sea that is rather cheaper than other options, hence why we even compare flying vs. driving.

As to "why drive": considering I am about 11 hours away (which is driveable) from PC and the closest options I would have for a direct flight under $900 total would be driving to Chicago (8 hrs) or Atlanta (8 hrs and I might as well drive the rest of the way at that point) or Charlotte (7 hrs)...you see where I'm coming from. Even Cincinnati (the closest major hub to me) does not offer direct flights (Delta will fly to their other hub in Atlanta), and is literally the most expensive airport in the US to fly out of. (Ah, if I only lived in the likes of Baltimore or Chicago! :D)

Considering that literally every option (to fly out) is going to cost me more than gas...it's more a decision of "Can I drive there under my personal limit of 12 hours?" (By the time I go through TSA, fly to the actual hub, wait however long for the layover, go through TSA AGAIN, fly down to Florida, and then get a shuttle to my actual hotel or rent a car to get there...it will take 8-12 hours at more expense. It's worth flying in cases where I can actually get there semi-directly or if driving there is over 12 hours, which Miami and Ft. Lauderdale are.) I'd be staying in a hotel anyways the night before because it's just smarter.

The reason we picked Port Canaveral is we figured "hey, there's a rather large space center that would be really cool to tour after we get off the ship" :D (Yes, I tend to be kind of geeky on such things.) Even the stuff we are interested in re the Bahamas does tend towards the "oh, neat, this is how they make the things" sorts of stuff; Watling's would be interesting to compare with, say, the distillery tours that are a bit more local to me that specialize in things that are Not Rum (and are more "bourbon" and "legal moonshine" aka "white dog"). We figure one or two things we definitely want to do, the rest of the time be lazy and not run around like decapitated chickens.

Thanks for the suggestions re sharps and how to keep things cool. Also, thanks for the commentary re travel agencies and such. (Also thank you ALL for noting the main purposes of a travel agent are as a concierge for cat-herding the options and that the "discounts" are better classified as "freebies and perks". This is an area I'm kind of clueless in.) Also THANK YOU for suggestions on travel insurance--I do know it's an Important Thing, especially as international travel WILL be involved.

As to the question of "what qualifies as late booking"--that wasn't for dinner (THAT is actually self explanatory), I actually meant "what would qualify as 'early' or 'late' in reserving a cabin on a ship--should I reserve a year out? Six months? 90 days?" For a flight, early booking (2 months in advance) tends to lead to cheaper seats, same goes for a hotel if you're not using a price-bid site like Priceline...early reservation of a cabin on a ship, not so much :D

Good info all up and good luck working a choice that suits you both

Three days will basically give you enough to get sort of used to being on a ship and see if sea sickness is an issue but not let you really see what cruising is about

Enjoy

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Also regarding seasickness, I found this thread with a poll with yes/no/sometimes seasickness results: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987943

There are many other threads with recommendations on what to take/do to help prevent it.

Also, without knowing more information on where you are coming from. I did Google maps distances from Cincinnati. Using that starting point, you could get to New Orleans quicker. There are a lot of fun things in that area also including historical tours and swamp tours along with all the other things New Orleans is known for. Carnival Elation is currently cruising from there. I was on her last October to Cozumel, Mexico and Progreso, Mexico and would recommend it as a good first cruise. (See my blog in signature, there is an entry for each port and the ship)

We enjoyed leaving out of that port so much, we are taking my parents this time and will be doing it again with a day included for New Orleans this November too. :)

You sound like you are really quite interested in the cruising process, good. A shorter than 7N cruise will happen on lines older,marginal, maybe smaller ships. They will spend more days coming/going to homeport. CCL has a habit of renaming its oldest ships to fool the naive cruise buyer into thinking its brand new.These shortie cruises will also cater to a younger nosier, drinking crowd. Food is of secondary concern.Try one of newer Mega ships for a complete experience. I would not drive over 20 hrs. for a 3-5 day booze cruise.Best buys from large discount cruise only agencies who give lines the most biz.

I would not drive over 20 hrs. for a 3-5 day booze cruise.Best buys from large discount cruise only agencies who give lines the most biz.

We drove over 10 hours to get from Atlanta to Miami once for a 3 day.. never again! We spend the whole short duration of the cruise dreading the drive back.