Choosing a cruise line for a first cruise

[diverjen]

Greetings all. I have never been on a cruise and I feel a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information on this site. Been lurking and reading threads for a little while, but I am having trouble narrowing my choice down for a cruise line. We are two single women in our late 30's looking to book our first cruise, probably for sometime in Feb or March 2013 We would like to go for probably 4-6 days to the Caribbean. We enjoy nightlife, bt are well past the party till dawn times of college. I would enjoy being on a cruise with a wide demographic, one where we won't significantly change the average age either up or down. Any suggestions?

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

I those doing the shorter cruises, I suggest Celebrity. It is a little upscale from Carnival, NCL and RCI.

[cb at sea]

Really, any of the lines will suit you....shorter cruises will have more "partiers" than the longer cruises, on ANY line! Most ships already have a wide range of ages....you won't skew it one way or the other!

If you don't have brochures for the different lines, get them...cruiselines will send them to you or travel agents have them. You can get a pretty good "feel" for each line by their brochures.

 

I would advise March over Feb.....if you want to start off in warmer weather (assuming you'll go out of Fl.!) I'd hate to waste a day or two of my vacation sailing to warm weather!!!

[diverjen]

After reading through some of the threads on these forum it sounds like on Celebrity they roll up the sidewalks at 10 and on Royal Caribbean there is an atmosphere of spring break Cancun. Neither option appeals to me.

[wallie5446]

Our 1st Cruise was in 1987, 7 diff lines since, we are in our late 50'teees, but not over the hill.

 

Celebrity is our line of choice if everything falls into place, but we have cruised RCCL the most.

 

IMHO, which wont get ya a cup of joe anywhere :D

 

Look into RCCL, NCL, or Carnival. Celebrity & Princess ( our next up ) do tend to be a bit older crowd. Figure out if you want to do the East, West, or Southern, our favorite. Narrow down the week you want to go and find which Ships are out there then. There is so very much to do and see that it can not be done in 2 or 3 visits. This will be our 7th time doing the East.

[chipq]

As a PP stated, the shorter cruises tend to attract more of a party crowd than the longer cruises. On the mass market lines, RCI, CCL, and NCL even on 7 or more days there will be some of a party element but you don't have be a party to it if you choose not to. On sea days I like to sit on a lounge above the pool area. This way I am not directly in any pool party happening but can be very entertained by those who are. The shios are so large you have many other options for fun that you may not be aware of a party crowd. Have fun.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

[geekybiker]

Cruise length, itinerary, and time of year play more role in demographics than line for mass market lines. That said different lines have different personalities. I'd probably go with Celebrity from what you've said. They tend to be a bit more low key, but the short length and location will boost the younger contingent.

[Eris0303]

Have you ever tried a group cruise? My first cruise was with a group and it was really nice to be able see "friends" all over the ship. I know of two off the top of my head that might suit you but don't want to get in trouble for advertising lol

[diverjen]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I did a bit more research last night and if we want to cruise out of FL, for a 5 day itinerary I think it's gotta be Carnival, Royal Caribbean or Celebrity. I took the ships and info down so I think my. Ext step is to look at the amenities on board to see which one to choose. I have to admit the Celebrity prepaid drink packages appeals to me. I'm not a big drinker but a drink or two by the pool in the afternoon, a couple of glasses of wine at dinner, and a nightcap, I'm afraid would add up quickly. I like the idea of knowing exactly how much I am going to spend going in.

 

So what is a group cruise?

[avazah]

I haven't been on it yet, but I booked my first cruise a few months ago for this coming January! I looked at one of the major online cruise booking websites based on the month and area we wanted to sale and picked a few itineraries on a few cruise lines that were within the budget and looked interesting. Honestly, I decided between them after posting on cruise critic asking for opinions! Once you narrow it down to several options, I feel like the members here are a wealth of knowledge and eager to help out!

 

What helped me was to pick 2 things that were the biggest priority and searching based on that. For us, it was budget and time. I am limited in my time off, basically only between semesters(end of december - mid january), and we are mid-20s newlyweds so we aren't rolling in the dough ;) From there, I was able to veto quite a few cruises that were too expensive within that time frame. I then vetoed certain lines based on what I read here. I am very careful to do my research before I purchase anything, so it was a process. It took about a month from floating the idea of a cruise around to actually booking(which was 6 months in advance to the cruise date).

 

Good luck!

[Eris0303]

So what is a group cruise?

 

A group cruise is made up of people with similar interests or jobs who are all cruising together. There are ALL sorts - music, sports, Broadway, books, etc. For example - in January I am going on the "Phil Coulter Tranquility Cruise". Phil Coulter is an Irish muscian and our group (of about 200 people) are all fans of his music. I went this past January which was my first cruise. Honestly, I was glad that my first experience was with a group. I got to meet other people with similar interests and if I was lost or confused about something there was always someone to help. For 11 days we were "family". And, the hard work of what cruise line to choose is already done for you. The agency running the group even booked my airfare. All I had to do was pay and show up :)

 

The two I thought might be good for you were www.girlsonacruise.com or www.singlesinternational.com. The thing I like about Singles International is that they have cruises geared toward certain age groups.

[murdock11]

hi diver jen,

 

my two friends and i are a little older than you guys (mid to late 40s) and we've been on RC, NCL and Celebrity and have liked NCL the best so far, mainly for activities - meaning, poolside nonsense and nightlife. and for the best mix of ages, nationalities, body sizes. we're not crazy partiers/drinkers but we like to have fun.

 

celebrity was elegant and more upscale but it's a MUCH older, much more low key crowd. one small example, at the one of the shows, people were barely clapping at the acts and granted it's not broadway but it was good.

 

i would suggest Celebrity for my sisters in their 50s but for my neices in their 30s, i'd suggest NCL. good luck!

[Algebralovr]

Having done a 4 night on Carnival, I would say it was mostly college age people and your adults wanting to booze it up. Those short ones are often even called a "booze cruise" by some.

 

I'm in my early 40's and found there was plenty to do on a 7- night Celebrity, and a lot of people my age. There were a lot of older adults, but they didn't feel OLD for the most part. On a 4-5 night, I would expect more younger people for just the reasons stated here. On a 10+, however, I would expect the crowd to be quite a bit older.

 

One thing to be aware of, Celebrity has the most restrictive non-smoking rules in the mass market, with no smoking anywhere indoors and very limited smoking outdoors. If you and your friend are smokers, you may wish to look elsewhere.

[GORDONCHICK]

Celebrity can be a little sedate, especially when you're cruising with school in. We really like NCL, but I think your key will be cruising at least 7 nights instead of shorter. Mid-Feb would be good, but after that, you start running into spring break season here in the US. It runs from mid-Fed through the 1st week in April.

[diverjen]

Unfortunately NCL is out there aren't any cruises less than seven nights in our window for travel. Actually the non smoking policy on Celebrity is a selling point, it doesn't bother me too much, but my friend is especially sensitive to it.

[tea4ular]

For a first time, and for a 5 nighter (the minimum I would recommend), I would steer you towards Celebrity as well. It is a lovely first time experience, and you'll get a taste for what cruising is like. There will certainly be at least one dancing spot open after 10, as well as a piano bar (if your ship offers one) to enjoy after a majority of folks head to bed. We did a 12 day to Alaska on Celebrity and found the dance spot...it was a live band, and there were a lot of folks in there (along with us) having a blast.

 

What really appeals to us with Celebrity (and we've cruised all the major lines except Princess) is their attention to detail and the little touches of a cruising era gone by. Pretty, more refined decor, crew that acknowledges you (sometimes by name), the 'welcome' glass of champagne or oj as you board, the exceptional brunch, fresh waffles being made at breakfast, and such. Just little things that all add up to a wonderful feeling of being pampered.

 

I wish I could afford Celebrity more, honestly.

 

I've only done the Western Caribbean itinerary, so cannot help much there.

[RoofingPrincess]

After reading through some of the threads on these forum it sounds like on Celebrity they roll up the sidewalks at 10 and on Royal Caribbean there is an atmosphere of spring break Cancun. Neither option appeals to me.

To be honest, Royal is currently my "cruise line of choice" (haven't tried Celebrity yet). I'm a little ;) older than you are, but my cruise roomie is in her early 30s, and she cruises almost exclusively on Royal.

The "atmosphere of spring break Cancun" is more of a short-cruise phenomenon than a particular line. Carnival has a party-hearty reputation, but I've been on a 5-night in September and an 8-night in November on that line, and neither one had that feeling. It's more the 3 and 4 nighters that (a) are more affordable for the young crowd and (b) have people who want to pack as much party into their short vacay as possible.

Since you don't want a full week, I'd look for a 5-nighter. My favorite ship, Jewel of the Seas, is doing 5-nighter out of Tampa next year... take a look at that one.

[diverjen]

That five night cruise out of Tampa on Jewel of the Seas made the list as a possibility. What makes that ship so special that it is your favorite? Not being sarcastic, I'd just like to know. Like the thread's titled, I've never been on any cruise. Do the different ships within the same cruise line attract different crowds? Sorry if that is a dumb question.

[geekybiker]

That five night cruise out of Tampa on Jewel of the Seas made the list as a possibility. What makes that ship so special that it is your favorite? Not being sarcastic, I'd just like to know. Like the thread's titled, I've never been on any cruise. Do the different ships within the same cruise line attract different crowds? Sorry if that is a dumb question.

 

Every ship is a little different. Usually a line will have 2-3 of the same class which are almost identical. I'd say yes, they attract somewhat different crowds based on ship for a number of reasons. Ship size varies quite a bit between classes and the older ships tend to be cheaper. Price probably plays more a part in demographics than size.

[zahav1]

As you see I've mostly cruised Princess. My suggestion is to think about doing a 7 night cruise. Pretty much the first day is short and gone, by the time you get on board, unpack and do the muster drill the day is over. The last night you're packing and need to put our your suitcase that night. The last day you're off the ship by 9 am. So, anything less than 7 is just not worth it. Look for deals for 7 day cruises.

[RoofingPrincess]

That five night cruise out of Tampa on Jewel of the Seas made the list as a possibility. What makes that ship so special that it is your favorite? Not being sarcastic, I'd just like to know. Like the thread's titled, I've never been on any cruise. Do the different ships within the same cruise line attract different crowds? Sorry if that is a dumb question.

Royal's Radiance class ships (which include the Jewel) are "just the right size" for me. I've been on the Explorer (which is Voyager class), and on Caribbean Princess. They both seemed awfully big to me. I didn't much care for the idea of a mall down the middle of the ship, which you get with Voyager class and the even bigger/newer ships from Royal (which I haven't tried since Explorer was on the big side for me).

Different classes of ship do attract different crowds. Royal's big new ships have a lot of activities which attract people who like those kinds of things. Some people cruise for the ports, others for the ship. I cruise for the ports; I don't need a flowrider, a zipline, a carousel, Dreamworks or Disney characters, or an ice skating rink on my cruise. Although I must admit that the water slide on my Carnival Miracle cruise was a heck of a lot of fun on sea days for the group of adults from our Roll Call that met up and went sliding! :D

Jewel and her sisters have an atrium that stretches from deck 4 (if I recall correctly) all the way up to 12 or 13, with open spaces at each deck, and glass elevators. The port side of the ship is all windows at that atrium, and the elevators on that side are glass. So when you're in that area, you're getting to see the sea a lot. There are a lot of windows in the bars/lounges on deck 6 as well.

The Windjammer (buffet restaurant) is at the rear of the ship on all Royal ships. But on the Radiance class, there's a seating section at the very back which is outdoors (partially covered). More opportunity to see the sea and smell the fresh air.

In the spa, Radiance class ships have a "Thermal Suite". You do have to pay extra to use it, but it's wonderful. You can buy a pass for the week, or sometimes just for a day. There is a steam room, a sauna, an aromatherapy room, and an area with heated tile loungers to relax on. Many of these areas have -- you guessed it -- floor to ceiling windows. (BTW, there are "free" saunas and steam rooms in the locker rooms for each gender. And the Thermal Suite is for both genders.)

I've sailed on the Serenade as well as the Jewel. There's something about the atmosphere on the Jewel that makes it that tiny bit better for me. The staff are just that little bit friendlier, which enhances the experience.

 

If you'd like to see pictures, click on the link in my signature; there are lots of cruise pix on my Shutterfly share account!