Tips For A First-Time Cruiser From A First-Time Cruiser!

[bzzltyr]

Very nice info & Tips...I'm sure newbies will appreciate it..one area you are slightly off on- The Carnival Liberty is a relatively older & smaller ship by today's standards- 110,000 tons...it is not the AMOUNT of passengers that make a ship seem crowded, but rather a combination of several factors: 1) The way a ship is laid out..perfect example are the largest cruise ships in the world, the RCI Allure & Oasis Of The Seas..both carry 6300+ passengers when completely full, BUT because the ships are divided into 7 "neighborhoods" , I find the ship does NOT feel crowded except after shows in the main theater, and people file out go across the Royal Promenade..I felt much more crowded on smaller 2000-3000+ passenger ships because of the layout..2) many new ships today are 140,000-225,000 tons, and simply have more space..there is something called "passenger- space ratio", which divides the gross tonnage by the number of passengers ..the higher the number, the more spacious a ship will feel...next time try the larger ships ( over 130,000 tons) and you should feel a difference..FYI....

 

 

Big Al

 

Thanks for taking the time to explain that. I'm not a big crowd person, one of the reasons we haven't tried a cruise yet. We are booked for the Norwegian Escape next january and your post got me comparing boats (capacity against tonnage). Looks promising to me and your explanation makes a lot of sense.

[almendrada]

Thank you! We are limited to one particular week (I'm one of those nuts who holds a full time job and goes to college) so our choices are a bit restricted... and maybe I'm doing the search wrong but it seems RCI and other lines are twice the price of Carnival. Is that the case, or am I missing something?

[big al]

Thank you! We are limited to one particular week (I'm one of those nuts who holds a full time job and goes to college) so our choices are a bit restricted... and maybe I'm doing the search wrong but it seems RCI and other lines are twice the price of Carnival. Is that the case, or am I missing something?

 

Maybe not twice the price, but usually more..RCI is a higher premium cruise line than Carnival...Carnival is OK, but always is the cheapest..many will not cruise Carnival because of the party-like "vegas" style atmosphere, some even call Carnival the "Walmart " of cruising...nothing wrong with that BTW, it's just not some people's cup of tea..RCI has much nicer ships & entertainment IMO, but if $$ is important, look at Carnival, but stick to the Breeze, Magic & Dream...they are the best IMO...and I 'm a cruise agent, too...

 

Big Al

[big al]

Thanks for taking the time to explain that. I'm not a big crowd person, one of the reasons we haven't tried a cruise yet. We are booked for the Norwegian Escape next january and your post got me comparing boats (capacity against tonnage). Looks promising to me and your explanation makes a lot of sense.

 

The Escape will be FANTASTIC..you can see her on YouTube..BTW, we call them "ships", not boats..boats are what you go fishing on..also called a "vessel"..the Escape is 164,000 tons with LOTS of dining & entertainment options.. I also like she goes to Tortola- great little island..don't miss THE BATHS there..St. Thomas is a beach & shopping mecca...go on the cruise ports section under "caribbean" and research there- each port has it's own thread...anymore questions, let me know...

 

Big Al

[cruisersmom]

For the kind comments! Enjoy your cruise!

[MrChipmunkGuy]

Thank you cruisersmom for sharing your experience.