Need Help Choosing Line/Ship Please!!!

I've FINALLY talked my husband into trying a cruise for our annual vacation next Feb./March. We have about $6,000 total to spend on flights, cruise, hotel previous night, etc. Neither of has cruised before. Hubby is afraid of getting sea sick. He likes to sun bathe and dance a little. He does not want to dress up for dinners at all! I like to have things to do (that I won't feel awkward doing solo). A good variety is preferred. I can spend time reading or working out, but I would like to have other options too. What are some typical activities offered on various lines? I'm fairly active, early 30's. Neither of us like to be around a ton of noisy kids. I expect to be around some kids by taking a cruise, but would prefer not a ton of them. We try to eat at least somewhat healthy and we both enjoy having drinks in the evening. He likes specialty beers and I prefer martinis.

As far as cabin selection, we aren't really that picky I don't think. Depending on the pricing of the cruise overall, we are looking at all different options, and would probably opt for the largest cabin within our budget whether that be balcony, suite, or inside doesn't matter.

We were planning on cruising out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale. One option I looked at was San Juan for the nice southern caribbean itinerary (7 nights) but I read a lot of negatives about San Juan as far as embarkation/disembarkation so I'm not too sure about that. As far as I can tell, Eastern or Western Caribbean won't matter too much as it looks like all excursions are pretty much the same general idea - i.e. beaches, snorkeling, shopping, etc. Husband doesn't think he wants to even visit the ports, just stay on the ship (this from a guy who is afraid he will be seasick!). :p

The options we are leaning towards at this point, and I hope that someone can help us choose or provide an alternative we can look at.

1) Norwegian Epic - Eastern Carribbean 7 nights (from my figuring, we can probably go with mini-suite and still have a good amount of spending money)

2) RCCL Allure of the Seas - Pricey. Seems to have a good mix of activity which is an attraction to me. Hubby likes the idea of starbucks. We were looking at an inside cabin with view of central park. I think this was a 7 night western caribbean, but I cant remember now. I'm thinking there are probably a lot of kids on this ship? Hubby not thrilled about 2 formal nights. Are there options where we could go casual one of the nights and only do one formal night?

Those are the two I have concentrated on since he is afriad of getting sea sick and I read something about sticking with large ships.

Sorry if my questions are repeated that others have posted. I have spent hours combing through these boards and I feel more confused than ever! LOL. :o

Thanks for your help! It is much appreciated.

I suggest you talk to someone who has been on plenty of cruises with all of the lines. We've done 30+ on 5 different lines and 25 different ships. If you are budgeting such a large amount for a vacation - I'd want to be sure you are on the right ship and itinerary. I'd be glad to chat. My contact info is below.

The Caribbean is is usually pretty smooth, unless a hurricane is in the area. Since you are looking outside hurricane season, that should not be a problem.

Both the Epic and the Alure will have lots of kids.

If hubby doesn't want to "dress up", the NCL is the cruiseline for him...VERY casual.

:) If your husband wants a laid back cruise do NCL. My husband and I went on the Ncl Sky last year and loved it. You can dress up or not for dining as they do Do as YOU PLease dining and it is great..:cool:

:) If your husband wants a laid back cruise do NCL. My husband and I went on the Ncl Sky last year and loved it. You can dress up or not for dining as they do Do as YOU PLease dining and it is great..:cool:

Thanks! Taking my mom on Sky for her bday in January but definetly considering Epic for the cruise with my husband.

ncl is definately your choice. very casual and laid back. i would pick a smaller ship if you want personal service and get to know the crew.you will want a balcony for the best experience. if you can find a ship that stops in tortolla then go to jost van dyke and sit in water with a painkiller drink and enjoy. my husband would only let me book next cruise if it stopped in tortolla to go to jvd. that is how much he enjoyed it. if you go on longer cruise it is less $$ per day and very few kids.

If you want to reduce the number of children, try the end of February rather than March (avaoid spring break). Also, a 10 or 11 night cruise, will have fewer children than a 7-night.

Your budget of $6000 is more than adequate. For example, a balcony cabin on the Celebrity Equinox 2/24 (10 nights visiting eastern and southern Carib) starts at $3000 for two. (2 formal nights)

All ships with formal nights have dining options where you don't have to go formal.

If you want to reduce the number of children, try the end of February rather than March (avaoid spring break). Also, a 10 or 11 night cruise, will have fewer children than a 7-night.

 

Your budget of $6000 is more than adequate. For example, a balcony cabin on the Celebrity Equinox 2/24 (10 nights visiting eastern and southern Carib) starts at $3000 for two. (2 formal nights)

 

All ships with formal nights have dining options where you don't have to go formal.

Thanks! Will definetly focus on February! I don't know if I could talk my husband into 10 or 11 nights, or if I can get the time off for that matter, but I may look into that. Our budget is also for spending, air and hotel the night before. We figured 1800-2000 spending including drinks and an excursion or two. We drink a lot I guess! And I'm probably rounding on the high end not really knowing the cost of such things yet I would rather go under budget than over. :) Great ideas - thanks for the help!!

ncl is definately your choice. very casual and laid back. i would pick a smaller ship if you want personal service and get to know the crew.you will want a balcony for the best experience. if you can find a ship that stops in tortolla then go to jost van dyke and sit in water with a painkiller drink and enjoy. my husband would only let me book next cruise if it stopped in tortolla to go to jvd. that is how much he enjoyed it. if you go on longer cruise it is less $$ per day and very few kids.

That sounds wonderful!!:)

Based on your criteria I would try a Celebriy new ship, with Aqua class, they have Blu and healthier food, Try to stay away too deep in March college spring breaks start...air will be more$$ from San Juan... Celebrity will have WAY less kids than Allure... Most ships will be okay for your husband as far as him being seasick... seas should be good at that time of year. As far as totally casual NCL people are right, its the most casual, (not my favorite) Happy planning!!!

Look to go on the newst and biggest ship..

If you really want an adventure, go on the Feb. 11 Voyager of the Seas from New Orleans, then stay overnight in New Orleans after the cruise for Mardi Gras weekend -- If there are any hotels left. Note that the cruise leaves and returns on Saturday. Southwest has flights from Midway to New Orleans. Ash Wednesday is Feb. 22, 2012, so the actual Mardi Gras is Tuesday, Feb. 21. You won't be around noisy kids -- just tons and tons of noisy adults that weekend!

OK, if you don't want Mardi Gras, consider the Feb. 25 or March 3 Voyager of the Seas from New Orleans. It is a great ship. I think suite passengers get free drinks at least at a special happy hour daily. Maybe someone knows for sure on this.

If you want to reduce the number of children, try the end of February rather than March (avaoid spring break). Also, a 10 or 11 night cruise, will have fewer children than a 7-night.

 

Your budget of $6000 is more than adequate. For example, a balcony cabin on the Celebrity Equinox 2/24 (10 nights visiting eastern and southern Carib) starts at $3000 for two. (2 formal nights)

 

All ships with formal nights have dining options where you don't have to go formal.

This is great advice from AlanAllyn. We love children, but we never cruise in the summer or spring break. (too many kids and prices are higher).

This being both your first cruise...I can simply say that we've never had a bad cruise. Our first cruise was 30 years ago, I didn't bring any formal wear...I didn't know better. (Yes, I have worn my tux on most of our cruises thereafter.) Your husband will be ok, there are plenty of places to eat that doesn't require formal wear. Cruises are relatively inexpensive...it's the stuff onboard that will destroy your budget. Costly items include, but not limited to: spas, alcohol, shore excursions, specialty dining, and of course...the casino. If you plan cruising more, then you'll know and learn what to budget for. If you intend on just cruising once...perhaps you should expect to break your budget. Seasickness...not a problem. You won't even know the ship is moving...and if you choose to sail on the Allure, you won't even feel like your on a ship! IMHO, I would choose the Allure. Don't laugh, we've sailed on it twice...and still haven't seen the entire ship. It was great both times. Yes, the Allure is a bit more expensive but if you factor in all the "things" onboard, it is worth it. We would suggest reading some of the reviews on the Allure. Here's our condense version of why we would choose the Allure:

* It's the biggest and newest ship. * The distance from Ft. Lauderdale airport and Port Everglades is just a few miles...a quick and cheap taxi ride. * With several thousand passengers, it only felt crowded the first day. The ship felt empty until disembarkation. * It has 2 Flowriders, 2 rock climbing walls, a putting green, a zipline, a regulation size basketball court, ice skating rink, and a huge fitness center. Not to mention, a 2-lane track that circles the entire ship on deck 5! I'd better stop....hope that helps...happy cruising. :)

I've FINALLY talked my husband into trying a cruise for our annual vacation next Feb./March. We have about $6,000 total to spend on flights, cruise, hotel previous night, etc. Neither of has cruised before. Hubby is afraid of getting sea sick. He likes to sun bathe and dance a little. He does not want to dress up for dinners at all! I like to have things to do (that I won't feel awkward doing solo). A good variety is preferred. I can spend time reading or working out, but I would like to have other options too. What are some typical activities offered on various lines? I'm fairly active, early 30's. Neither of us like to be around a ton of noisy kids. I expect to be around some kids by taking a cruise, but would prefer not a ton of them. We try to eat at least somewhat healthy and we both enjoy having drinks in the evening. He likes specialty beers and I prefer martinis.

 

As far as cabin selection, we aren't really that picky I don't think. Depending on the pricing of the cruise overall, we are looking at all different options, and would probably opt for the largest cabin within our budget whether that be balcony, suite, or inside doesn't matter.

 

We were planning on cruising out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale. One option I looked at was San Juan for the nice southern caribbean itinerary (7 nights) but I read a lot of negatives about San Juan as far as embarkation/disembarkation so I'm not too sure about that. As far as I can tell, Eastern or Western Caribbean won't matter too much as it looks like all excursions are pretty much the same general idea - i.e. beaches, snorkeling, shopping, etc. Husband doesn't think he wants to even visit the ports, just stay on the ship (this from a guy who is afraid he will be seasick!). :p

 

The options we are leaning towards at this point, and I hope that someone can help us choose or provide an alternative we can look at.

1) Norwegian Epic - Eastern Carribbean 7 nights (from my figuring, we can probably go with mini-suite and still have a good amount of spending money)

2) RCCL Allure of the Seas - Pricey. Seems to have a good mix of activity which is an attraction to me. Hubby likes the idea of starbucks. We were looking at an inside cabin with view of central park. I think this was a 7 night western caribbean, but I cant remember now. I'm thinking there are probably a lot of kids on this ship? Hubby not thrilled about 2 formal nights. Are there options where we could go casual one of the nights and only do one formal night?

 

Those are the two I have concentrated on since he is afriad of getting sea sick and I read something about sticking with large ships.

 

Sorry if my questions are repeated that others have posted. I have spent hours combing through these boards and I feel more confused than ever! LOL. :o

 

Thanks for your help! It is much appreciated.

Dinner - Formal night has become much less formal over time. My husband wears a turtleneck/sweater under a sport coat and has been just fine. If you go to the buffet or other venue to eat, you may miss out on prime rib or lobster or both. I don't think he has worn a tie since our second or third cruise [Lines: RC, Princess, Carnival]

Kids - avoid March- or any other time when the kids are out of school! We did a Carnival cruise at Christmas and it was overflowing with kids; did the same itinerary in May and there were virtually none.

Activities - Most of them have similar activities. The one thing Princess has that I like is ceramics, where you are painting bisque ware. There is a charge.

Cabin - If it's in the budget [and it looks like it is] get a balcony! It's worth every penny, IMHO. We've done mini-suites or larger [one anniversary splurge!] but find that the balcony cabin works fine for just the 2 of us. Suites will give you a bigger bathroom!

Airport - I've gone out of San Juan and never had a problem; hate Miami; Ft. Lauderdale is OK. Vacation is great, getting there is not, so we just suck it up and go with the flow. My husband is better than I am at that, alas. Whatever port you use, get there at least a day before the cruise. It saves on so much last minute hysteria if flights are delayed.

Extra costs - Any of the lines will nickle and dime and dollar you to death. A lot of things are not included, so budget for them as well. I drink a lot of diet coke, so I get a soda card for the week- for a set price a day, the sodas are unlimited. If you drink more than 3 a day, it is worth the investment. Sea days will get you, because some of the things to do [casino, spa] cost extra.

Seasickness - I am prone to it and have only been afflicted once in 13 cruises. Since 80% of the people on the ship, including crew,were down, I don't think it was me! My daughter takes a Dramamine every morning as a precaution.

Hope this helps!

SueB

A lot of good advice has been given here .. we have been on a few cruises /with and with out our kids ...

just my opinion NCL is a nice cruise line ,,, just follow the advice and avoid spring break and things like that ... and yes the longer the cruise . the less chance of children ! !

Formal Night is optional ... so there is no need for your husband to even worry about that ! ! !

Dramamine Tablets seem to work for most .. and with todays technology on the cruise ships you really don't feel the ship moving that much ... not that it doesn't ... I have heard the large ship theory as well as get a lower level room !

And there are no dumb questions ... accept if you don't ask .. lol

We are all still learning and always will , so please ask if you have a question !

hope this helps a little .

Have A Great Cruise ! ! ! :D

All I can say is research, research, research. I would go outside these boards because there are a lot of cheerleaders for some lines that fail to see the shortcomings of those lines. Reach out to family and friends and get their real life experiences. Ask both what they liked and what they didn't like about their cruise. Think long and hard about the responses you get, because negatives are amplified once you get on board and realize that unlike a land based vacation, you can't just check out and go to a different hotel if you aren't happy.

Look for the negatives as well as the positives. Consider things like wanting a quiet afternoon by the pool only to have it interrupted by the cruise director hosting a loud and wet belly flop contest. Or having unsupervised kids running around the halls or playing in the elevators.

When people say the food was great, ask them what they liked about it--sometimes the answer is "I didn't have to do the dishes." Uh... Find out where they typically eat out and see if it's compatible with where you eat out. Because if they typically eat at Olive Garden and you typically eat at a Michelin starred restaurant, you'll know you have very different tastes and you might want to talk to some more people about the food. If you are "foodies" you're most likely going to be very disappointed with most if not all mass-market lines.

Consider the type of dancing you want to do--because it's going to vary from line to line and even ship to ship.

The mega-ships offer a ton to do, but stop and think about it. On an average seven night cruise, you're really only on the ship six days, and often four or even five of them are port days. That really doesn't leave a ton of time for all of the recreation amenities, and there are often very long lines waiting to climb the rock wall, ride the water slide, or even get lunch. Also, because many amenities are limited in their capacity, they take reservations. Those go first to the expensive cabins and people who have taken a lot of cruises with those lines. Newcomers can literally either be shut out entirely or only get terrible times--like when you're supposed to be eating dinner.

It seems that you are leaning towards mass market lines, have you investigated any of the smaller ship lines? They are just as stable and most have no kids and most of the amenities of the larger ships--pools, sundecks, libraries, gyms, casinos, spas, more upscale (ie generally healthier) food, and for many of them, no formal nights--cruise casual every night at dinner. They are also generally much more "inclusive." Many include alcohol, specialty dining without surcharge, stocked fridges in cabins with soda, water, wine, and beer. They generally allow you to bring on your own alcohol and treat you like adults rather than spring breakers in that respect. I'd suggest you look at Windstar, Star Clippers, and Silversea (although the latter does have formal nights.).

Another advantage to smaller ships is that they often go to ports of call that the mega-ships can't get into.

Just some food for thought.

Based on your criteria I would try a Celebriy new ship, with Aqua class, they have Blu and healthier food, Try to stay away too deep in March college spring breaks start...air will be more$$ from San Juan... Celebrity will have WAY less kids than Allure... Most ships will be okay for your husband as far as him being seasick... seas should be good at that time of year. As far as totally casual NCL people are right, its the most casual, (not my favorite) Happy planning!!!

I agee with Caripoo....sounds like you'd love Celebrity. Do an AQ cabin where your dining will be in Blu, their more intimate dining room reserved just for guests in AQ cabins. The food is healthier as well.

I would definitely avoid Epic and Allure...these are monster ships!

I understand DH doesn't like to dress up, but he'd be fine with Dockers and a polo shirt for dinner on most nights. For formal nights, you can either skip them (which I wouldn't recommend) or do one of the alternative restaurants. But he could get away with a sports jacket and tie for formal night...it doesn't have to be a tuxedo.

I would suggest Easter Caribbean on Eclipse out of Miami. For a precruise stay, I'd go with Intercontinental Hotel Miami. While in Miami, I would suggest a one block walk over to Puntino's Restaurant for some of the best Italian food ever and very well priced (not Olive Garden variety!).

You should be able to do your entire vacation for well under 6K.

Jo-Ann

with a 6000 budget we could take 3 cruises for 7 days.

We cruise in February each year since 2000.

Last year we cruised on the Pride and out balcony for 3 people was 1477 total.

Look into something before Presidents day- that is when lots more kids- and prices go higher-

But if your husband is a superbowl fan you want to avoid the first sunday in February.

I love Celebrity and all, but personally I think the OP & her DH may be a little younger than the average age demo on Celebrity during the off season - which is the timeframe she's talking about.

I agree with the other posters that NCL might be a good fit. We found it to be a nice line with lots of options (both in attire and food). And if you get involved in the roll call and go to the meet & greet, you will meet several officers.

If you really want an adventure, go on the Feb. 11 Voyager of the Seas from New Orleans, then stay overnight in New Orleans after the cruise for Mardi Gras weekend -- If there are any hotels left. Note that the cruise leaves and returns on Saturday. Southwest has flights from Midway to New Orleans. Ash Wednesday is Feb. 22, 2012, so the actual Mardi Gras is Tuesday, Feb. 21. You won't be around noisy kids -- just tons and tons of noisy adults that weekend!

 

OK, if you don't want Mardi Gras, consider the Feb. 25 or March 3 Voyager of the Seas from New Orleans. It is a great ship. I think suite passengers get free drinks at least at a special happy hour daily. Maybe someone knows for sure on this.

DO NOT GO ON A CRUISE OUT OF NEW ORLEANS DURING MARDI GRAS!!! IT'S NOTHING BUT KIDS!!

Most of the people that live local, leave and go on cruises. Schools are out during Mardi Gras. That would be the worst time to go. We went on Carnival this year for Mardi Gras. All that was on there was families with tons of children, kids running around crazy!! Also 98% of the people on the ship will be from the New Orleans area. We love Mardi Gras, but hate the crowds that come into town and we all try to escape it!! What better way spending Mardi Gras than in the Caribbean. I would just really advise NOT to go during this time. We did have a blast don't get me wrong and I am doing it again next year!! My advice would be don't book a cruise during a holiday or summer break. To many kids will be on any ship and on all cruiselines!!

I would recommend the last week of February or first week in March. The prices right around then are very good. Becareful of the valentine's day / president's day weekend cruise, sometimes, those cruises are higher priced.

I have also done a superbowl cruise - by accident because I looked at the calendar wrong - and had a good time. They play the superbowl in the main theater and there is hot dog, nachos, and pop corn.

I am very partial to RCCL. I plan on going on Oasis or Allure in one of my next cruises. But instead of allure, you can't go wrong with Liberty of the Seas or Freedom of the Seas. Those should be slightly less and you will have a great time!

Thanks everyone for all the advice! After much consideration and research, we decided to place a depost on NCL Epic for the first week of march (*UNLESS dh can't get the week of vacation then we will have to change it). I love all the suggestions and advice and I hope we made the right choice!

DO NOT GO ON A CRUISE OUT OF NEW ORLEANS DURING MARDI GRAS!!! IT'S NOTHING BUT KIDS!!

I never thought of that. Thanks for the tip. That explains the higher prices then.

Thanks everyone for all the advice! After much consideration and research, we decided to place a depost on NCL Epic for the first week of march (*UNLESS dh can't get the week of vacation then we will have to change it). I love all the suggestions and advice and I hope we made the right choice!

I think you made a great choice! I have a friend who has sailed the Epic 3 times, and has two more cruises booked on it. Be sure to read all of the Epic threads here on Cruise Critic so that you can make sure you know what to do to see all of the shows on board. Don't wait until you board to find out all of that critical information. Have a wonderful vacation!