First time cruiser doubts ....

My husband and I are celebrating a special anniversary next year and we were considering a Caribbean cruise for part of our holiday November 17. My husband is starting to have doubts after reading about some of the cruises being booze cruises and also worried about the ship being overcrowded.

I have read that a longer cruise is better to escape the drinking crowd but how to allay husband's fears? At the moment we are considering a 5 day cruise on Crown Princess, 7 day on Carnival Conquest and a 6 day on Freedom of the Seas .... all eastern Caribbean in November. We intend to get our own flights into Florida so can leave from any port there.

So is cruising for us , any help/suggestions appreciated.

Thanks!

If you read some of the posts here, you will find that you are your own person -- you do not have to participate in anything, any event in the ship or shore excursions if you do not feel like to. A vacation is a vacation. Make it yours not someone else's. We are going to go on Carnival Conquest next month for our wedding anniversary. My husband told his best friend in Florida that we are going on that ship. He and his wife are experienced ship travelers. His friend said the Carnival is known as party ships. But I have been reading that the personnel do not allow anyone to get drunk...and have a limitation on how many one can drink. So we will see...and we do not always have to party with those that want to party...It is only me and my husband who are going on this cruise, not our whole family.

Being retired adults has its advantages -- we do not have to be politically correct NOR do we have to join the youngsters make fools of themselves. I am sure you and husband will be OK and have time to practice being young before your cruise.

Cheers,

Aussie Trekker

My husband and I recently did a 9 day B2B on the Conquest. We loved, absolute loved, the ship. Mainly due to the crew, the service, and the food (which was excellent). We don't drink alcohol, and we sailed 4th of July week, but we never felt like we were on a "booze cruise" or stuck on a ship with lots of drinks. In fact, I don't think we ever came in contact with a drunk person. Maybe because clubs and bars are not someplace we hang out while on a cruise. In any case, if we didn't experience this on 4-day and 5-day cruises, I would think a 7-day would be find.

Oh, and it never really felt crowded. Yes, there were people, but you can't expect to feel alone on a ship. Because you are not.

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Welcome to Cruise Critic!!! Have you looked at Celebrity Cruise Line out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida? I think this cruise line sounds like it would fit your situation and it is wonderful. My personal choice would not be Carnival. Even though not every Carnival cruise is a "party" cruise, some can be. Celebrity is more for adults and laid back. Good luck in whatever you decide. :)

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Definitely a 7 day or longer cruise.

I agree about looking at Celebrity's ships and itineraries.

My husband and I are celebrating a special anniversary next year and we were considering a Caribbean cruise for part of our holiday November 17. My husband is starting to have doubts after reading about some of the cruises being booze cruises and also worried about the ship being overcrowded.

 

I have read that a longer cruise is better to escape the drinking crowd but how to allay husband's fears? At the moment we are considering a 5 day cruise on Crown Princess, 7 day on Carnival Conquest and a 6 day on Freedom of the Seas .... all eastern Caribbean in November. We intend to get our own flights into Florida so can leave from any port there.

 

So is cruising for us , any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks!

My / our opinion is.....try Princess Cruises. What we found from experience and talking to others is that, Carnival are a bit to 'party' time for us, RCL are 'too big' and 'too busy' for us, however we found Princess to suit our dynamic.

We wanted a cruise were we could enjoy meeting people at dinner (traditional dining means we get to know them and they get to know us.....we have gained many cruising friends this way), we also didn't want to become embroiled in noisey, shouty, silliness throughout the day. Not against people letting their hair down but be grown up about it.....please.

We found Princess to be ideal for us. Same as other lines in there are plenty of places to eat.....but we like the 2 dining dress codes of either 'smart casual' or the well spaced 'formal' nights. Formal is a nice way for people to put on their finery once in a while and look glam. Great ambience.

Let me say one thing.....once you have tried cruising you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

Good luck with your choice.

Pete

You will get 1,000 different opinions from 1,000 different people. So, FWIW, here is mine ...

Pick a cruise that you think you will like, go, and have fun. You are cruising for you and not the other people on the ship. There is enough to do on every ship that you can make it YOUR vacation. Your cruise is what you make of it.

DH was very apprehensive about our first cruise, so we took a 4 day on Carnival. Even though the short Carnival cruises are typically considered to be booze cruises, we never had any issues with drunkenness from our fellow passengers. We have taken two 5 day cruises since then with the same results. Does that mean that if you take a 3 or 4 day cruise that it won't turn out to be a booze cruise? No, this is just my experience.

Certainly longer cruises tend to be more "tame" as the demographic changes a little bit (they tend to be older).

I will say that for all of his concerns on the first cruise, DH hasn't considered any other type of vacation since!

My husband and I are celebrating a special anniversary next year and we were considering a Caribbean cruise for part of our holiday November 17. My husband is starting to have doubts after reading about some of the cruises being booze cruises and also worried about the ship being overcrowded.

 

I have read that a longer cruise is better to escape the drinking crowd but how to allay husband's fears? At the moment we are considering a 5 day cruise on Crown Princess, 7 day on Carnival Conquest and a 6 day on Freedom of the Seas .... all eastern Caribbean in November. We intend to get our own flights into Florida so can leave from any port there.

 

So is cruising for us , any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks!

My favorite ship is the Millennium by Celebrity, but have been on other cruises. When you go, don't let any other rude cruisers ruin your vacation. Just point and laugh. Best service was on Silversea and Azamara, but it depends on the cabin you get on any ship. Higher cost cabins do get slightly better service. Last cruise on Millennium was about 3 yrs ago. Haven't been on a Princess, but did have my picture taken with Gavin MacLeod in Vancouver before sailing the Infinity.

My husband and I are celebrating a special anniversary next year and we were considering a Caribbean cruise for part of our holiday November 17. My husband is starting to have doubts after reading about some of the cruises being booze cruises and also worried about the ship being overcrowded.

 

I have read that a longer cruise is better to escape the drinking crowd but how to allay husband's fears? At the moment we are considering a 5 day cruise on Crown Princess, 7 day on Carnival Conquest and a 6 day on Freedom of the Seas .... all eastern Caribbean in November. We intend to get our own flights into Florida so can leave from any port there.

 

So is cruising for us , any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Find a "real" cruise specialist TA (lots of CC threads on that topic) who will query you about your travel preferences, experiences and means. There are vast differences in quality, service and emphases from line to line, particularly between the mass market and premium/luxury industry segments. It's not unlike land trips: some folks would "kill" to go to Las Vegas while others would rather "be killed" than ever visit that phony wannabe glitz.

It took us awhile (and several mass market experiences) to figure out the better value/quality/etc. of the premium segment. The only mass market line we'd ever consider is Disney and that would only be with young grandchild in tow.

So, it's not so much "is cruising for you?" as it is "which cruise line is for you."

BTW, IMO, anything less than 7-10 days minimum is a "boat ride" - not a cruise.

I saw the following for the three Nov. '17 Eastern Caribbean cruises you referenced:

Carnival Conquest: Didn't see a 7-day listed. Saw a 6-day (Nassau, Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Amber Cove) or an 8-day (St Maarten, St Kitts, San Juan, Grand Turk). This 8-day is the one I'd suggest.

Crown Princess: 5-day (Grand Turk, Amber Cove). Not for me, too short.

Freedom of the Seas: Didn't see a 6-day eastern, just a western. Much larger ship than the other two.

Welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

Sadly, Crown Princess is only 5 days ... but it would provide the type of atmosphere your husband desires more than Carnival or Royal Caribbean would.

You might also want to consider a cruise on Holland America or Celebrity.

Carnival is a good choice for some but would be a very bad choice for you.

LuLu

To avoid "booze cruises", take the longest cruise you can afford. That is not to say there will be no unruly behavior, or that ALL 3 night cruises are rambunctious... just stating what I have observed over the years, and what I know to be true from reading these forums.

Personally, I think the 5 night is too short - you are just starting to unpack and relax and they start with the disembarkation notices. ;) We love a longer cruise but realize not everyone does. 7 nights is just fine for many people, and probably a perfect length for first-timers.

Have fun and Happy Anniversary. :)

.

Hello and thanks all for the welcome ... and all your helpful replies too , much to think over !

Zookiebird thanks for the corrections , I was posting from work and didn't have my list in front of me.

Holland America and Celebrity are costing a bit more than we want to pay, hence the short list above ( although most of it wrong, lol ) We have also seen an NCL Escape 7 night eastern and the new Carnival Vista doing a six day western ...... :eek:

We are both late 50's ( how did that happen ! ) not into the party scene although fond of the odd cocktail or two and would like a balcony for our first adult cruise, so that is driving the cost of the cruise. I do like the look of the 5 day Crown Princess but not sure if that is maybe just a wee bit too short.

Off to do more CC reading ...... thanks again !:)

To avoid "booze cruises", take the longest cruise you can afford. That is not to say there will be no unruly behavior, or that ALL 3 night cruises are rambunctious... just stating what I have observed over the years, and what I know to be true from reading these forums.

 

Personally, I think the 5 night is too short - you are just starting to unpack and relax and they start with the disembarkation notices. ;) We love a longer cruise but realize not everyone does. 7 nights is just fine for many people, and probably a perfect length for first-timers.

 

Have fun and Happy Anniversary. :)

.

Yes that is my worry about the 5 day cruise so might have to reconsider that one. Thanks for Anniversary wishes ! :)

I think a lot of people here on CC will insist that anything less than a 7-day is more of a party cruise. Especially the 3-days. But we took a 5-day aboard the Carnival Conquest this past June and it was nothing of the sort. I'm the type of person who likes to have a few drinks with family or friends, but I hate bars and I hate being around drunk people. I never got that feeling on our cruise. We never saw anyone stumbling drunk or acting up thanks to "liquid courage." Those who loved to drink and party mostly hung out at the bars and in the clubs at night, but even as we walked around those areas doing our own thing, we never got the feeling like it was a crazy party atmosphere. As many others have said, there's a lot to do and you're hard pressed not to find something you enjoy. Going on a cruise was never something I wanted to do, it was never a vacation I considered, but my wife's aunt/uncle go regularly and wanted us to go with them, so I did it for my wife & son's sake. When it was all said and done, I'm so glad we went because we had a blast and can't wait for our next one.

One piece of advice. Be prepared to do a lot of walking. Walking to your meals, to on-board activities, at your ports of call if you leave the ship, just exploring the ship, etc. My dogs were barking at night, but we slept great. It was all worth it.

The key question is what do you and your DH want from the cruise? Some folks like cruises to relax. If that's you I suggest you look for cruises with several sea days. You'll spend all day on the ship and have a nice selection of activities. Or you can swim in the pool. Or simply relax with a book. My wife and I aren't particularly fond of sea days but lots of cruisers love them. If your goal is to sightsee, book a cruise with a lot of ports. We're going on a cruise with 5 ports in 7 days which leaves from San Juan, and only one sea day.

OP

All of those cruises you listed are great!! First, you're cruising in November and if it isn't around Nov 24th you won't have a lot of kids on board due to school.

Also it isn't time for spring break and all the rowdy college kids, no worries about booze cruises. Those are usually the 3 day or 4 day weekend cruises.

So figure out how much you want to spend, where you want to go and then just pick the ship that fits those criteria. You really don't need to worry at all!

I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy your anniversary.

A cruise is no different than going to a resort someplace...same people in each destination!

Find a "real" cruise specialist TA (lots of CC threads on that topic) who will query you about your travel preferences, experiences and means. There are vast differences in quality, service and emphases from line to line, particularly between the mass market and premium/luxury industry segments. It's not unlike land trips: some folks would "kill" to go to Las Vegas while others would rather "be killed" than ever visit that phony wannabe glitz.

 

It took us awhile (and several mass market experiences) to figure out the better value/quality/etc. of the premium segment. The only mass market line we'd ever consider is Disney and that would only be with young grandchild in tow.

 

So, it's not so much "is cruising for you?" as it is "which cruise line is for you."

 

BTW, IMO, anything less than 7-10 days minimum is a "boat ride" - not a cruise.

I agree with Flatbush. I don't know how long the flight is from Scotland to Florida, but I definitely wouldn't fly that far just to go on a short cruise. I'd want it to be at least a 7 day (or longer). Talk to a knowledgeable cruise agent in your area. She/he will try to match you up with a cruise that will best fit your preferences and budget. As you can see from the responses on here, everyone has different preferences. One of the best things about a cruise is that you can do as much or as little as you feel like doing. Since your husband is concerned about the ship being over crowded, don't choose one of the large mega ships. Before deciding, look at the passenger capacity of the ship(s) you're considering. Fair warning, cruising can be addictive. Don't be too surprised if you find yourselves talking about when and where you'd like to go on your next cruise before your current cruise has even ended.:)

OP

All of those cruises you listed are great!! First, you're cruising in November and if it isn't around Nov 24th you won't have a lot of kids on board due to school.

 

Also it isn't time for spring break and all the rowdy college kids, no worries about booze cruises. Those are usually the 3 day or 4 day weekend cruises.

 

So figure out how much you want to spend, where you want to go and then just pick the ship that fits those criteria. You really don't need to worry at all! Such simple advice but exactly what we need to do, lol !

I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy your anniversary.

Ah what good information especially re kids , had meant to google that ! I'm sure whatever we pick we'll have a lovely anniversary , thank you :)

I would like to relax on the cruise and enjoy the sea days but will make sure to take comfy shoes as I'm sure we will do some walking.

The flight from Scotland takes about 9 hours and we have done that for about the last 20 years. We are hoping to take the cruise near the beginning of November then have about 10 days in a condo/hotel somewhere.

Still searching ........... thanks again !

My husband and I are celebrating a special anniversary next year and we were considering a Caribbean cruise for part of our holiday November 17. My husband is starting to have doubts after reading about some of the cruises being booze cruises and also worried about the ship being overcrowded.

 

I have read that a longer cruise is better to escape the drinking crowd but how to allay husband's fears? At the moment we are considering a 5 day cruise on Crown Princess, 7 day on Carnival Conquest and a 6 day on Freedom of the Seas .... all eastern Caribbean in November. We intend to get our own flights into Florida so can leave from any port there.

 

So is cruising for us , any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Choice of cruise line depends on a number of factors. Even if you do not drink alcohol if you enjoyed night life and don't want to go to bed at 10 o'clock then you definitely want to choose a cruise line with lots of evening entertainment. Both Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines also have a comedy club. Carnival Cruise on average is less expensive than the other Cruise Lines but not always so you should shop around. There are usually more children on the Carnival Cruises. If you have mobility issues a very large cruise ship can be difficult to navigate. I am 56 years old and have sailed on several cruise lines. We sailed on the Navigator of the Seas in Europe and while it is not even the largest of Royal Caribbean ships the Promenade was so large it was difficult for us to traverse it easily and always seemed to be very crowded. Also many of the venues were so crowded that we could not find a place to sit and listen to the music and I am unable to stand for long periods of time . The shows in the Main Theatre and the ice show at the ice skating rink were very entertaining. Princess had very nice shows but not too much else going on. So after the show it was pretty much time for bed unless you are young and able to disco. My disco going days are over so that left me with nothing to do after the main show ended at 10 o'clock. Carnival as previously mentioned is likely less expensive but their shows are lower in quality with no live instrumental music. They do have a nice Comedy Club. The service on Carnival Cruise Line has deteriorated in various areas over the past year. Norwegian, for me lately, has the best mix because it's still very nice with excellent shows, Comedy Club, live music venues with plenty of seating, and lots of specialty dining options. If you choose the dining promo the specialty dining is complimentary for several nights. It's probably also nicer for a romantic Cruise because there's plenty of tables for two people in all of the dining rooms where is on some of the other Cruise Lines you have extended waiting times in order to get a table for two. Drawbacks are that the drinks are astronomically expensive so if you do enjoy an occasional glass of wine or cocktail you probably should choose the dining and drinks package as your promos. If you have no desire for the drinks package and live in an area where you are at liberty to book close to the cruise date then Norwegian can be a great Buy. They typically drop prices a month before the cruise for Guarantee category rooms so this can be a great way to purchase a balcony at very low prices. Cruise Lines seem to change things all the time and in many ways are very similar to each other so it's always good to comparison shop because what might be your favorite cruise line today may not be tomorrow.

My husband and I are celebrating a special anniversary next year and we were considering a Caribbean cruise for part of our holiday November 17. My husband is starting to have doubts after reading about some of the cruises being booze cruises and also worried about the ship being overcrowded.

 

I have read that a longer cruise is better to escape the drinking crowd but how to allay husband's fears? At the moment we are considering a 5 day cruise on Crown Princess, 7 day on Carnival Conquest and a 6 day on Freedom of the Seas .... all eastern Caribbean in November. We intend to get our own flights into Florida so can leave from any port there.

 

So is cruising for us , any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks!

I have read all the answers and all seem to be correct. See my cruise experience below. I have never seen any excessive drinking on any of the cruises including the Carnival ones.

Choice of cruise line depends on a number of factors. Even if you do not drink alcohol if you enjoyed night life and don't want to go to bed at 10 o'clock then you definitely want to choose a cruise line with lots of evening entertainment. Both Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines also have a comedy club. Carnival Cruise on average is less expensive than the other Cruise Lines but not always so you should shop around. There are usually more children on the Carnival Cruises. If you have mobility issues a very large cruise ship can be difficult to navigate. I am 56 years old and have sailed on several cruise lines. We sailed on the Navigator of the Seas in Europe and while it is not even the largest of Royal Caribbean ships the Promenade was so large it was difficult for us to traverse it easily and always seemed to be very crowded. Also many of the venues were so crowded that we could not find a place to sit and listen to the music and I am unable to stand for long periods of time . The shows in the Main Theatre and the ice show at the ice skating rink were very entertaining. Princess had very nice shows but not too much else going on. So after the show it was pretty much time for bed unless you are young and able to disco. My disco going days are over so that left me with nothing to do after the main show ended at 10 o'clock. Carnival as previously mentioned is likely less expensive but their shows are lower in quality with no live instrumental music. They do have a nice Comedy Club. The service on Carnival Cruise Line has deteriorated in various areas over the past year. Norwegian, for me lately, has the best mix because it's still very nice with excellent shows, Comedy Club, live music venues with plenty of seating, and lots of specialty dining options. If you choose the dining promo the specialty dining is complimentary for several nights. It's probably also nicer for a romantic Cruise because there's plenty of tables for two people in all of the dining rooms where is on some of the other Cruise Lines you have extended waiting times in order to get a table for two. Drawbacks are that the drinks are astronomically expensive so if you do enjoy an occasional glass of wine or cocktail you probably should choose the dining and drinks package as your promos. If you have no desire for the drinks package and live in an area where you are at liberty to book close to the cruise date then Norwegian can be a great Buy. They typically drop prices a month before the cruise for Guarantee category rooms so this can be a great way to purchase a balcony at very low prices. Cruise Lines seem to change things all the time and in many ways are very similar to each other so it's always good to comparison shop because what might be your favorite cruise line today may not be tomorrow.

My disco days are over too but still like a bit of entertainment. Also like the fact NCL have tables for two which would be preferable for us .... thanks for taking the time to post ! :)

I have read all the answers and all seem to be correct. See my cruise experience below. I have never seen any excessive drinking on any of the cruises including the Carnival ones.

Thanks that's nice to know .... you sure have been a lot of cruises :)

My husband and I are celebrating a special anniversary next year and we were considering a Caribbean cruise for part of our holiday November 17. My husband is starting to have doubts after reading about some of the cruises being booze cruises and also worried about the ship being overcrowded.

 

I have read that a longer cruise is better to escape the drinking crowd but how to allay husband's fears? At the moment we are considering a 5 day cruise on Crown Princess, 7 day on Carnival Conquest and a 6 day on Freedom of the Seas .... all eastern Caribbean in November. We intend to get our own flights into Florida so can leave from any port there.

 

So is cruising for us , any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks!

We were staunch Royal Caribbean cruisers and got tired of them being so boozie. Don't get me wrong, RCCL is a great product, we just outgrew them. I was referred to Celebrity. They are a little pricier than other lines, but I have been told not as boozie. We will find out next year when we go on them.