Where do you even start?

Thank you for so many responses! This definitely helps me at least find a starting point, which is where I was floundering. I think part of my struggle is that we're flexible on most things you can "search" by (i.e., dates, cruise line, destination, etc.), and the things we care about tend to be more subtle.

 

 

 

In addition to what I listed before, I would say our wishlist probably goes in this order:

1. Comfortable room. I know it'll be small, so that's definitely relative. I'm not expecting a hotel room. We'll likely spend a lot of time hanging out on the balcony (we're definitely getting a balcony room) and just relaxing in the room, so it needs to be a room that is not miserable to stay in. My dream vacation is basically reading on a boat. :)
   
2. Good food where you're not being nickel-and-dimed for everything. We'd definitely prefer more of an all-inclusive setup. The food certainly doesn't have to be 5-star, but it should at least be enjoyable.
   
3. Relatively casual setup. We definitely don't want to have to dress up for dinner every night.
   
4. Decent entertainment (preferably not too vulgar - I know sometimes Carnival's entertainment is not exactly G-rated). I think we'd prefer shows as opposed to games or audience participation type events.
   
5. My husband would probably like for there to be some kind of gym or workout option.
   

We don't really have any interest in gambling. The list above is kind of my dream scenario - I know I might not get to check all of those boxes on the same cruise, and that's fine, but that's what we're looking for. :)

 

Again, I really appreciate all of the responses! I've felt like I'm stumbling around blind so far.

I can only give answers based off of my own experiences.

Best cabin: The most comfortable room I have had was the mini suite on NCL. It was basically a regular balcony room that had a large bathroom. Most of the bathrooms on cruise ships are very small, unless you book a suite. The showers are small and the area is a bit cramped. It's not a huge issue, but it was a treat to have a large bathroom with a full-sized shower and double sinks.

Most casual: The most casual cruise we have been on is NCL. They are less formal about what people wear to dinner and also have a freestyle type of dining.

Best comedy shows: Carnival. They tend to have more comedians and more shows that aren't repeats.

Best game shows: They are all equally entertaining.

Best headliner shows: Tie between NCL and RCL with the edge given to NCL

Best gym: All of the lines had nice gyms. The jogging areas are nearly the same, but the best one I have ever seen was on my Disney cruise. It was on a lower deck and went around the entire ship. That was awesome.

Best food: This is very subjective and could be different from cruise to cruise. I liked the food on RCL the best, but I am not a foodie.

My opinion is that it's best to book while kids are in school and at least a 7 day cruise. I like all of the lines I have cruised. Each line has positives and negatives. My husband and I really like comedy shows, so Carnival was nice because we could watch different shows nearly the entire cruise. We could always find quiet places to relax. There will always be places on any ship you choose where you can go to get away from the crowds. NCL required reservations for some shows. That was a negative, but not a deal breaker. I just had to plan ahead.

I enjoyed RCL the best. Their entertainment was good, the food was good, no reservations required for shows, and our overall experience was good. I just wish they had the number of comedy shows that Carnival had and the casual dress codes of NCL. NCL does have good deals that include a drink package. All you pay are the gratuities. Since my husband and I rarely drink, it's not a big deal to us. For people who do drink a lot, it's a very good incentive to book with them.

One other thought to add to the great advice you have already been given, consider whether you should fly into the embarkation city the day BEFORE the cruise departs. Even if you are not flying during the winter, many times flight delays or mechanical issues can cause you to arrive after boarding ends and the ship sails without you. On the same note, think about whether you would benefit from travel insurance. Work w a good TA. Ask around to your friends and see who they can recommend. The TA will be a great resource to help you to navigate the process.

Enjoy!

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One other thought to add to the great advice you have already been given, consider whether you should fly into the embarkation city the day BEFORE the cruise departs. Even if you are not flying during the winter, many times flight delays or mechanical issues can cause you to arrive after boarding ends and the ship sails without you. On the same note, think about whether you would benefit from travel insurance. Work w a good TA. Ask around to your friends and see who they can recommend. The TA will be a great resource to help you to navigate the process.

Enjoy!

 

 

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This is great advice. I think the best advice you will ever get is to fly or drive to the port city the day before the cruise.

Also, since it appears that a copy of a birth certificate is acceptable as proof of citizenship on many cruise lines for certain cruises, I would advise scanning your birth certificate and either emailing it to yourself or saving it to your phone. That way, if something happens to your passport/birth certificate (whichever you decide to use), you can always print out the copy of your birth certificate and present it to board the ship, along with your driver's license. This should work for cruises that start and end in the US. I scanned my birth certificate and passport and saved the scans to my phone so the information is easily available.

Also, since it appears that a copy of a birth certificate is acceptable as proof of citizenship on many cruise lines for certain cruises, I would advise scanning your birth certificate and either emailing it to yourself or saving it to your phone. That way, if something happens to your passport/birth certificate (whichever you decide to use), you can always print out the copy of your birth certificate and present it to board the ship, along with your driver's license. This should work for cruises that start and end in the US. I scanned my birth certificate and passport and saved the scans to my phone so the information is easily available.

While this may be correct (and i am no expert), you never go wrong w a US passport. Invest now; they’re good for 10 years!

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Thank you for so many responses! This definitely helps me at least find a starting point, which is where I was floundering. I think part of my struggle is that we're flexible on most things you can "search" by (i.e., dates, cruise line, destination, etc.), and the things we care about tend to be more subtle.

 

 

 

In addition to what I listed before, I would say our wishlist probably goes in this order:

1. Comfortable room. I know it'll be small, so that's definitely relative. I'm not expecting a hotel room. We'll likely spend a lot of time hanging out on the balcony (we're definitely getting a balcony room) and just relaxing in the room, so it needs to be a room that is not miserable to stay in. My dream vacation is basically reading on a boat. :)You might want to move up to Jr Suite (Royal Carib term) or even a full suite
   
2. Good food where you're not being nickel-and-dimed for everything. We'd definitely prefer more of an all-inclusive setup. The food certainly doesn't have to be 5-star, but it should at least be enjoyable. I find the food on Royal to be fine, but others have issues. But some how still gain weight. :) There are specialty restaurants that are extra, but fully optional.
   
3. Relatively casual setup. We definitely don't want to have to dress up for dinner every night. Royal has formal nights, but do not enforce dressing up. Just don't wear shorts, or you will incur the wrath of some Cruise Critic members. :)
   
4. Decent entertainment (preferably not too vulgar - I know sometimes Carnival's entertainment is not exactly G-rated). I think we'd prefer shows as opposed to games or audience participation type events. Royal, for comedy acts, typically has the early show as G rated, and the late show as R rated. Not too vulgar, but adult.
   
5. My husband would probably like for there to be some kind of gym or workout option. There is a gym. And most ships have a climbing wall or more.
   

We don't really have any interest in gambling. The list above is kind of my dream scenario - I know I might not get to check all of those boxes on the same cruise, and that's fine, but that's what we're looking for. :)

 

Again, I really appreciate all of the responses! I've felt like I'm stumbling around blind so far.

My experience is with Royal. I find it to be a nice mix of things to do, and at a comfortable level. Not too old, not too young. Not too many heavy party people.

I do not go on a cruise for a floating amusement park. But to relax and get away.

A smaller ship (I am partial to Grandeur of the Seas on Royal), will be more laid back, less need to schedule or reserve things. The big ships will require more planning and reservations for the MDR or shows.

WRT cabins, on Royal, a Jr Suite is about half again the size of a balcony room. Larger balcony, larger room, larger bathroom.

Move up to a Grand Suite, and you are double the balcony size. Our last cruise was in a Grand Suite and we had two loungers plus a table with two chairs (GREAT for breakfast on the balcony), with room to move around. You also get a large bathroom, tub/shower, plenty of closet space. Also you get other perks, such as the lounge with drinks in the evening, priority disembarkation at ports and upon return. Priority tender access. Reserved seating section for shows. Concierge service. Free room service, expanded room service menu.

While this may be correct (and i am no expert), you never go wrong w a US passport. Invest now; they’re good for 10 years!

 

 

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I completely agree. My husband and I will not travel out of the country without our passports.

The whole "party ship" thing is really overblown. I'm my experience, there aren't these ships with "passed out drunk, loud and screaming, running around, drunken idiots". It can happen, but if you are so concerned about having to see anyone having fun, you should probably head to the smaller, more expensive cruises.

First time cruiser myself! So far i've found it easier to just keep it simple. I called and booked with Norwegian, and Ralph was a tremendous help! Im sure anyone of the major cruise lines would be the same. I dont know if its easier to use a TA i've never used one. The less middle men the better imo. After booking i went to Norwegians website and created a user account using my booking number. On the website im able to further explore the ports and excursions, onboard activities, dining, and entertainment and such. Also this webiste has been a huge help with general questions! Lots of info here also when you just browse. Dont over think it, Just booke a date, and go have fun. Thats what im tryin to do lol

Thank you for so many responses! This definitely helps me at least find a starting point, which is where I was floundering. I think part of my struggle is that we're flexible on most things you can "search" by (i.e., dates, cruise line, destination, etc.), and the things we care about tend to be more subtle.

 

 

 

In addition to what I listed before, I would say our wishlist probably goes in this order:

1. Comfortable room. I know it'll be small, so that's definitely relative. I'm not expecting a hotel room. We'll likely spend a lot of time hanging out on the balcony (we're definitely getting a balcony room) and just relaxing in the room, so it needs to be a room that is not miserable to stay in. My dream vacation is basically reading on a boat. :)
   
2. Good food where you're not being nickel-and-dimed for everything. We'd definitely prefer more of an all-inclusive setup. The food certainly doesn't have to be 5-star, but it should at least be enjoyable.
   
3. Relatively casual setup. We definitely don't want to have to dress up for dinner every night.
   
4. Decent entertainment (preferably not too vulgar - I know sometimes Carnival's entertainment is not exactly G-rated). I think we'd prefer shows as opposed to games or audience participation type events.
   
5. My husband would probably like for there to be some kind of gym or workout option.
   

We don't really have any interest in gambling. The list above is kind of my dream scenario - I know I might not get to check all of those boxes on the same cruise, and that's fine, but that's what we're looking for. :)

 

Again, I really appreciate all of the responses! I've felt like I'm stumbling around blind so far.

1) Honestly, all cruise lines have pretty nice rooms. Yes, they'll be smaller, but they're all about the same. Look for a ship (not line, necessarily) that's been recently updated (dry dock, refurbished, etc).

2) Disney, Princess, Holland, with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity possible options (the last two push their extra cost dining more, which some find annoying). Norwegian is definitely out then, as their better food is in the extra cost restaurants and they are all about the upselling, and Carnival just doesn't fit you guys.

3) There's typically only one or two "formal" nights, but you really don't have to dress up that much. A collared shirt with a jacket for him, nearly anything for her outside casual wear. Think a slight step up from business casual. You can dress to the nines if you want, and people do, but most don't. I'd say the most common is a jacket with or without tie for guys. Gals do some dress or nice blouse (with skirt or pants). Or just eat outside the main dining room that night.

4) All the lines have similar stuff. For the most wow, I'd say Disney or Royal Caribbean. I wouldn't rule out any line based on this, even if some might be better overall.

5) They all have this. Even just running on the track around the ship can be really nice due to the views.

I'm fully aware this isn't a "family" cruise you're requesting. However, I still listed Disney. Because they do have adult only areas and they do all the "little" things you expect from a luxury experience. Yes, they're on the costlier end, but as long as you don't go during school breaks, they really aren't any more expensive than the other nicer lines mentioned here. The shows truly are NY Broadway quality (way fancier than some, such as Avenue Q). Plus, I think there are 3 full on productions for a 7 night cruise, vs a typical 1 or maybe 2 on the other lines. However, they are Disney related. Their rooms on their regular cabins (balcony or less) are quite spacious for the industry, including split bathrooms with tubs! Food is great and their dining rooms themselves are entertainment, with one in particular being basically a full on show on their two bigger ships.

Depending on how opposed you are to Disney (which I would say should be a top choice if you don't mind), then look at Holland, Princess, or Royal Caribbean.

OP I was like you, trying to figure out all the do's and don'ts and getting all my wishes or most of them in a cruise. I ended up going with a great TA and left everything up to her. I told her my past vacations, what I liked to do for fun, what my interests were, what I felt was important and she took it from there. She explained to me the differences in west/south/east caribbean and she's been on over 53 cruises with her husband among many lines. Her husband works with mine and I have quickly come to find her information invaluable and I think I might love her just a smidge for how much money she saved us on our cruise. If you want to try to figure everything out yourself then by all means go for it, it just gave me too much anxiety trying to keep it all straight. My advice is go with a TA, but you've gotten great advice already from people responding before me. I wish you luck on finding your perfect cruise!