Help me! My first Cruise!

First - thanks for a ton of information on this forum. you guys got me excited to start cruising and here I am almost ready to bite the bullet on our first cruise.

Second -well saying this is my first cruise is not entirely correct. Once as a bachelor I had done an overnight cruise on SuperStar Libra and I enjoyed it - had never experienced anything like that before. Since its been many years I would rather not count it as an experience to count on. So I have a few questions.

Facts & Data:

1. As per my work schedule I am only free in December and hence I have picked southern Caribbean as our first destination

2. I picked up 2 options from Costco and they said if I want lesser traveled beaches then southern caribbean works and I will have to sail from Puerto Rico.

3. We are family of 4. H &W and 2 kids (9 yr old girl and 23 month old boy).

4. The 1st option we have is Dep on Dec 11 - 7N - with Balcony room for $2557 and includes $120 for shipboard credit, 1 bottle of wine and 1 speciality dining experience for 2 - this is on RCI. Itin is San Juan, Saint Croix, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Roseau, Bridgetown, St. George's/Grenada, Cruising and San Juan on Jewel of Seas

5. The 2nd option we have is Dep on Dec 10 - 7 N with balcony room for $3711 and includes $235 as shipboard credit. this is on RCI too. Itin is San Juan, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Basseterre, St. John's/Antigua, St. Lucia/Castries, Bridgetown, Cruising and San Juan.

Now the questions:

1. Which option should I chose. Note I have never been to the Caribbean so recommendations are welcome

2. I was considering Celebrity Cruises but F&F say that they are not kids friendly - but their website is by far the most updated when it comes to kids info.

3. Are the rates good? How can I get more stuff from Costco? My basic question "is there anything else" came up with "no nothing" answer.

First - thanks for a ton of information on this forum. you guys got me excited to start cruising and here I am almost ready to bite the bullet on our first cruise.

 

Second -well saying this is my first cruise is not entirely correct. Once as a bachelor I had done an overnight cruise on SuperStar Libra and I enjoyed it - had never experienced anything like that before. Since its been many years I would rather not count it as an experience to count on. So I have a few questions.

 

Facts & Data:

1. As per my work schedule I am only free in December and hence I have picked southern Caribbean as our first destination

2. I picked up 2 options from Costco and they said if I want lesser traveled beaches then southern caribbean works and I will have to sail from Puerto Rico.

3. We are family of 4. H &W and 2 kids (9 yr old girl and 23 month old boy).

4. The 1st option we have is Dep on Dec 11 - 7N - with Balcony room for $2557 and includes $120 for shipboard credit, 1 bottle of wine and 1 speciality dining experience for 2 - this is on RCI. Itin is San Juan, Saint Croix, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Roseau, Bridgetown, St. George's/Grenada, Cruising and San Juan on Jewel of Seas

5. The 2nd option we have is Dep on Dec 10 - 7 N with balcony room for $3711 and includes $235 as shipboard credit. this is on RCI too. Itin is San Juan, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Basseterre, St. John's/Antigua, St. Lucia/Castries, Bridgetown, Cruising and San Juan.

 

Now the questions:

1. Which option should I chose. Note I have never been to the Caribbean so recommendations are welcome

2. I was considering Celebrity Cruises but F&F say that they are not kids friendly - but their website is by far the most updated when it comes to kids info.

3. Are the rates good? How can I get more stuff from Costco? My basic question "is there anything else" came up with "no nothing" answer.

I like the Jewel of the Seas. They will have a dry dock soon and will be refreshed for your December cruise. I'm booked on two cruises on the Jewel in Oct/Nov. Your pricing looks high for early December. I wouldn't book until

the Memorial Day Sales. Most agencies, will have excellent prices and bonuses during the Memorial Day Weekend, but the Jewel would be my choice! Bon Voyage!

3. We are family of 4. H &W and 2 kids (9 yr old girl and 23 month old boy).

4. The 1st option we have is Dep on Dec 11 - 7N - with Balcony room for $2557 and includes $120 for shipboard credit, 1 bottle of wine and 1 speciality dining experience for 2 - this is on RCI. Itin is San Juan, Saint Croix, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Roseau, Bridgetown, St. George's/Grenada, Cruising and San Juan on Jewel of Seas

Now the questions:2. I was considering Celebrity Cruises but F&F say that they are not kids friendly - but their website is by far the most updated when it comes to kids info..

I prefer my cruises on the cheap side- so I would pick the cheaper one.

Did your agent tell you there is only paid hours for babysitting the baby and only during selected times?

Our GD sailed at 18 months- she had a blast,. After dinner we took her out on the open deck and let her run her energy off.

The 9 year old will LOVE the kids club. 9-11 is one of the best groups on the waters.

If you can hold off til baby is age 2- then look at carnival - they take babies at age 2. carnival will changed diapers too Royal is age 3 potty trained.

I would not take my kids on celebrity. they are more an upscale line and very few kids

Thanks. Yes my baby will be just about 2 years. I am going towards cheaper option. After some research I'm getting quotes where agents compete for my business and I am already amazed how much they want to beat each other's quote. Thanks all and I will keep everyone posted

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Thanks. Yes my baby will be just about 2 years. I am going towards cheaper option. After some research I'm getting quotes where agents compete for my business and I am already amazed how much they want to beat each other's quote. Thanks all and I will keep everyone posted

 

 

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As you look at those quotes, read the fine print for cancellations charges, etc.

Most on that site are reputable

Thanks. Yes my baby will be just about 2 years. I am going towards cheaper option. After some research I'm getting quotes where agents compete for my business and I am already amazed how much they want to beat each other's quote. Thanks all and I will keep everyone posted

YES PLEASE pay attention to all those fine prints.

MOST cruiselines do not allow discounting.. so you should not be seeing a huge price difference. You also might be seeing a difference between an inside vs a window vs a balcony

what you might be seeing is cruise fare only.

Some agencies will charge you 50pp to make any changes. some will charge you a deposit for cancelling.

some don't charge you at all

what are you looking for?

I am sitting nervously on the fence waiting for the rates to go down. So far Ive had $2.5K as base that includes taxes, port charges and about $200 in onboard credit. The best part so far is the ship is wide open and I have a big choice on the rooms that I can pick from.

Any tips on beverage and dining package? I scrolled through this forum and there are many threads but none that i could see have been recently updated.

I may hit the trigger in next 2 weeks as I would hate to save a hundred and lose my choice of rooms

First - thanks for a ton of information on this forum. you guys got me excited to start cruising and here I am almost ready to bite the bullet on our first cruise.

 

Second -well saying this is my first cruise is not entirely correct. Once as a bachelor I had done an overnight cruise on SuperStar Libra and I enjoyed it - had never experienced anything like that before. Since its been many years I would rather not count it as an experience to count on. So I have a few questions.

 

Facts & Data:

1. As per my work schedule I am only free in December and hence I have picked southern Caribbean as our first destination

2. I picked up 2 options from Costco and they said if I want lesser traveled beaches then southern caribbean works and I will have to sail from Puerto Rico.

3. We are family of 4. H &W and 2 kids (9 yr old girl and 23 month old boy).

4. The 1st option we have is Dep on Dec 11 - 7N - with Balcony room for $2557 and includes $120 for shipboard credit, 1 bottle of wine and 1 speciality dining experience for 2 - this is on RCI. Itin is San Juan, Saint Croix, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Roseau, Bridgetown, St. George's/Grenada, Cruising and San Juan on Jewel of Seas

5. The 2nd option we have is Dep on Dec 10 - 7 N with balcony room for $3711 and includes $235 as shipboard credit. this is on RCI too. Itin is San Juan, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Basseterre, St. John's/Antigua, St. Lucia/Castries, Bridgetown, Cruising and San Juan.

 

Now the questions:

1. Which option should I chose. Note I have never been to the Caribbean so recommendations are welcome

2. I was considering Celebrity Cruises but F&F say that they are not kids friendly - but their website is by far the most updated when it comes to kids info.

3. Are the rates good? How can I get more stuff from Costco? My basic question "is there anything else" came up with "no nothing" answer.

So obviously Costco is steering you towards RCCL, but these are also some of RCCL's oldest ships. That means fewer amenities, not quite as nice, etc. However with you cruising in December, the weather is better in the Southern Caribbean in general but can also be good on Eastern and Western Itineraries. The most kid friendly lines are: Disney, Carnival, RCCL, NCL and then the other lines have stuff for kids but it is more of an afterthought. Celebrity is overall a more mature clientele, but there will be a few kids aboard but the food is substantially better. Princess is more child friendly than Celebrity to some extent. HAL is definitely for a much older crowd. Disney offers the most comprehensive baby sitting service. RCCL offers this on some ships and other lines really don't have it at all. So if that is important to you, definitely think hard about what line you choose.

The most kid friendly ships are:

Disney (any ship)

Carnival ships that have full on Waterworks (Magic, Breeze, Vista, Sunshine, Dream)

NCL: Epic, Getaway, Breakaway, Escape

RCCL: Quantum Class, Oasis Class, Freedom Class

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/home.do

Carnival and NCL have the waterslides and the kiddie splash parks along with rock climbing, mini golf and great kids clubs. Shows on Carnival and NCL are so-so. Some not for kids at all.

RCCL has zip lining, flow riders and rock wall climbing, ice skating, mini golf and great kids clubs. RCCL puts on the most spectacular family entertainment shows - particularly on Oasis class ships. They even have ice skating shows.

Celebrity Summit is one of Celebrity's newer ships. It really is more oriented towards adults and there isn't much for kids onboard other than the kids club. But the food is substantially better than on other lines.

In your position, I'd also consider the Dec 10 Carnival Magic and Carnival Sunshine from Port Canaveral - both low prices. It's a good cruise for first timers as you can do early or late seating in the dining room and the buffet is another option. These ships have tons to do for kids and a nice spa for mom and dad. They also have larger cabins.

We have friends with young daughters and they have loved their Disney cruises. Your 9 year old is almost getting too old for Disney, but not quite, so I would definitely consider a Disney cruise now instead of later. The kids dress up in their Disney costumes and there are character meet and greets and lots of activities for kids, great kid clubs and this thing called "Fish Extender" which adds to the fun.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-cruise-line/fish-extender-basics.htm

Disney is more expensive, but it is a great cruise for a family for sure.

Thanks SuiteTraveler - we have done Disney world twice and each time for over a week. So, we wanted to get out of that theme considering that it's a bit heavy on pocket too.

I read other threads that jewel is under going a massive Reno right now.

Considering this is our first cruise I am not sure of the "price sweet spot". And don't know if I should wait until Memorial Day sale ? Right now I'm getting the balcony of my choice for 2500 for all 4. Do prices go down any further than this?

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These 2 options are similar enough, that I would go with the cheaper option for sure . Southern Caribbean itinerary is wonderful. My best suggestion would be to put the $$ difference in an account for a future cruise- and when you are on your cruise don't try to cram in so many activities and excursions that everyone gets exhausted and cranky- just plan on doing it again someday

:D

After you book you can still get a price reduction any time you see a sale before final payment date. If you see a lower price on your cabin cat. a quick phone call to the TA and they can lock in the lower price. Even after final payment you can sometimes get a OBC for the difference in price. Happy cruising

Thanks SuiteTraveler - we have done Disney world twice and each time for over a week. So, we wanted to get out of that theme considering that it's a bit heavy on pocket too.

 

I read other threads that jewel is under going a massive Reno right now.

 

Considering this is our first cruise I am not sure of the "price sweet spot". And don't know if I should wait until Memorial Day sale ? Right now I'm getting the balcony of my choice for 2500 for all 4. Do prices go down any further than this?

 

 

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It's very hard to know what cruise prices will do. It is all about supply and demand and it is not unusual for cruise prices to change as often as daily. Since the ship is undergoing a dry dock right now, then by December it should be ready and working - never schedule a cruise too close to a drydock in case something goes wrong - your cruise can be cancelled or you can wind up in an unfinished ship with workers aboard finishing the ship or a lack of furniture, etc. The lowest I've seen for Jewel is $449pp for an inside, $619pp for a balcony. RCCL has held "Kids Sail Free" sales - but you never know if or when there will be one. Here's a previous one:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithGallery.do?icid=chc_gs_tctclp_thr_hm_cntntr_2334&pagename=august2014_three_ways_save#friends

Frankly RCCL doesn't discount as much as other cruise lines. What causes them to run a sale is if bookings are down. Then they do BOGO or Kids Sail Free for a very short time (maybe 1 - 2 weeks) and then their bookings go back up.

Do you play games on Facebook? RCCL is partners with myVegas and you can play slots on that game for free to get stuff like $200 OBC and an exclusive rate which may or may not be better than what you can find at an online travel agency (although it worked great for me when I wanted the OS on Allure!) You can also get discounts through mlife. (MGM casino club)

thank you guys!! we finally pulled the trigger on Jewel of the Seas Dec 11. I cannot thank you all enough for responding to my stupid questions. There are forums for everything these days but on every forum there are good and the bad set of write ups. I mostly saw "great" useful posts on cruisecritic!!

So off we go on Dec 11 on our very first cruise to Southern Caribbean. Let the time fly!

If you want to go on the cruise, book it now and watch for price drops. You always want to book the cruise you want in the cabin category you want. That way you are set.

As someone else mentioned, Disney does the best job with cruises for kids, but if you want to do less "Disney" then it would not be the way to go. I loved it, but agree with you that the price point is too high. I'd rather spend the extra money on other things.

I am not familiar with RCCL pricing as it's been years since we cruised with them. So it might be good pricing. We normally cruise with our family of 4 on Princess but have done Disney as well. I hear their kids program is very good.

As others have mentioned, you cannot leave your youngest in the kid area, but on Princess you are allowed to play with them there. Not sure if that's the case with RCCL.

I think it will be a nice getaway and hopefully you will find that it is really is a great family vacation and start cruising more!

thank you guys!! we finally pulled the trigger on Jewel of the Seas Dec 11. I cannot thank you all enough for responding to my stupid questions. There are forums for everything these days but on every forum there are good and the bad set of write ups. I mostly saw "great" useful posts on cruisecritic!!

 

So off we go on Dec 11 on our very first cruise to Southern Caribbean. Let the time fly!

Fantastic!! Hope you have a great time!

Hi 1cruise, since there are not much differences between the two options, and this will be the first total cruise experience for you and your family, I'll choose the 1st one. I'm pretty sure you are gonna have so much fun either way ;)

The rates are really good for a balcony room

Would suggest posting/checking on the RC boards for more detailed information.

thank you guys!! we finally pulled the trigger on Jewel of the Seas Dec 11. I cannot thank you all enough for responding to my stupid questions. There are forums for everything these days but on every forum there are good and the bad set of write ups. I mostly saw "great" useful posts on cruisecritic!!

 

So off we go on Dec 11 on our very first cruise to Southern Caribbean. Let the time fly!

You will have a wonderful cruise. We have sailed out of San Juan twice in December and plan to do it again. The sail away is awesome as you pass the fortress. Take lots of pictures during cruise while on board and when you go ashore.

Cruising is a great way to see the world and have quality family time.

Under the "Deals" menu item on this website, there is a Price Drop option that will automatically search for price drops on your cruise. Do make use of it since you are booking so far in advance.

The Southern Caribbean is the best part of the Caribbean, IMO. I think you will have a wonderful time.

Under the "Deals" menu item on this website, there is a Price Drop option that will automatically search for price drops on your cruise. Do make use of it since you are booking so far in advance.

 

 

 

The Southern Caribbean is the best part of the Caribbean, IMO. I think you will have a wonderful time.

Thanks - I immediately jumped to check but looks like the 11 seconds departure is still not listed for price track! May be I will check one more time in morning when my mind is a bit more fresh [emoji3][emoji3]

Thanks - I immediately jumped to check but looks like the 11 seconds departure is still not listed for price track! May be I will check one more time in morning when my mind is a bit more fresh [emoji3][emoji3]

I meant - 11 December [emoji850]