Hi. I'm new here!

[coinkc]

We are planning our first cruise ever to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday this summer! SO EXCITED!!!!!

 

Couple of questions -

 

1) We will be a party of 3. However, one person may not be able to go and won't know until closer to the date as it depends on his work schedule. Is it better to book for 3 and then cancel his reservation if needed? Or is it better to just book the two of us and then add him once we know for sure?

 

2) When is the best time to book? In other words, should I go ahead and book now or do deals come out later? We have no idea which ship/itinerary we want to go on since we have nothing to compare it to so are kind of overwhelmed right now! I keep reading that picking a good cabin is important - how do we know what a "good cabin" is???

 

3) How do we find out what things are extra $$$ on the ship? Are most restaurants and activities included or are there lots of extra fees? Are some ships better than others in that regards?

 

THANKS FOR ANY HELP/ADVICE YOU CAN SEND OUR WAY!!!

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

My advice:

 

If you want to do this "on your own" without advise and knowledge of a good travel agent then you should be visiting online sites such as the cruiseline sites, and online travel sites. Decide when you want to go, how many are absolutely going, and where you want to go.

 

Sales are often generated because the "time of year" may not be ideal for cruising, ships and itineraries are not selling well, or less desirable cabins are still unsold.

 

Any change to the original booking may result in a fee, a "forced" change of cabin. And remember that your pricing may change and that someone booked after the fact have to pay the current rate not what was initially paid.

 

Your cabin, standard meals, standard evening entertainment and a small assortment of beverages are included with your fare. Alcohol, fru-fru drinks, on shore activities, ship shops, the casino, photographs, all tips are extras.

 

Your initial post is pretty broad....some definites need to confirmed before cruise critic "opinions" become of any value. Have fun planning.

[riffatsea]

Hi,

Deciding which ship to go on depends on usually depends on where you live and if you want to drive or fly to the port.

Deciding on which cabin to book probably depends on your budget. We only book balcony cabins or suites but many who want to spend less book ocean views or even inside cabins with no views. It is an individual decision.

Once you decide on a ship you can look on the web site to see the layout of the ship and its cabins. It is usually best to pick one with other cabins above and below it .

The Carnival web site will clearly show you what is available on each ship so once you decide you can ask more specific questions on here.

Generally speaking meals are included but not alcohol.

There are always a few paid meal options but you do not have to use them.

You can book now and then watch prices and get the lower price if it comes up before final payment is due by just calling and asking for the price reduction.

IF you book Early Saver pricing there are more stringent rules about adding or dropping people so I'd not do it in your situation!

[crewsweeper]

Just my opinion, others may have better or different views.

 

1) Book all three in order to get a cabin that can accommodate 3 people. Better to pay a cancelation fee than find out you have to redo a cabin or pay a higher fare for the 3rd person. There are rules regarding lost of deposits or refunds, but others here with that experience are better at answering those questions.

 

Once you've decided on a ship and itinerary and type of cabin, go to the cruise deck plans and see what's available and pay close attention to what's above and below. Ideally you want cabins above and below you. For a first time cruiser you might feel less movement amid ships (middle) and not too high up.

 

2) Best time to book , IMO, is when you decide to go and find a ship that meets your desires and an itinerary that is attractive to you. I believe early saver fares allow you to participate in price reductions if they occur. But generally the closer to sail date and the fuller the ship, the prices will go up.

 

3) Most Carnival ships are inclusive. Ships with dinner service in the Steakhouse, JiJis, Bonsai Sushi, will charge extra (not that expensive for the service) but Lido buffet, MDR and other venues are included in fare; exception being the Seafood Shack on the Vista. Drinks are extra. Excursions are extra. Spa facility use is extra (but not he fitness center).

 

4) Choose your ship based on easy of getting to port, itinerary and amenities on board. Some folks here love small ships, for others the bigger the better. Some folks like short cruises, others long.

[Drazil65]

First thing you want to figure out is what port and what ship, depending on where you live will you fly (can make trip much more expensive of course) or drive. If you drive then which ship (if more than one ship ports from that location ie: Port Canaveral several Carnival ships home port here) and which itinerary (how long and where it goes, does it matter?). Decide what your budget per person is and how does that play into what type of cabin you need to be looking for (inside, outside/ocean view, balcony, suite etc.)...

 

I too would book for 3 to make sure the cabins available to you when you do the booking online will accommodate at least 3 people in room so you do not mistakenly book something for 2 then have to change cabins later (when there may not be good cabin locations left) for adding 3rd person.

 

At the top of these threads is a designated thread for each ship, more details and more information per ship, use it to research. Also do a search for cabin reviews to search the cabins and ships you are considering (they will also have cabin pix out there that people have posted so you can get idea of setup).

 

There are sales all the time and what is the right price will depend on what you will spend per person for what ship and itinerary. Its all personal choice and what someone considers a fair deal is subjective.

 

Make your list of dates, ports, ships, itinerary and price willing to pay. Then create your matrix to help you narrow down your choices, then only do more detailed research on say your best 2 options and go from there.

 

Planning and doing the research is 50% of the fun when it comes to cruising, then it is the anticipation, packing and leaving, it is all part of the experience so dont make an impulsive decision without research upfront.

[Boozebabe]

coinkc....I would do a search on here for some trip reports and check out peoples photos. It will give you an idea of what to expect on different cruises. In my opinion you can't go wrong with either an eastern or western Caribbean cruise for your first. Your budget will determine what kind of cabin you book. A Carnival PVP (Private Vacation Planner) can help you a lot. Mostly I would tell you to just check out others Trip Reports. And read a lot here. And ask lots of questions. No question is dumb if you've never cruised before.

[easyboy]

Since you still have no idea which ship/itinerary you want to go, the uncertainty of a 3rd person, and having no idea of the different options and terms of bookings, you may well be properly guided by a reputable Travel Agent or a Carnival PVP. There are so many options available in your situation.

[sanger727]

The first question is how close to sailing will the third person know whether or not they can come? If it's before final payment date, you are better off booking the cabin for 3, just don't book the 'early saver' rate. That will get you a cabin that sleeps 3 but you can cancel the third for free. If you won't know until closer to sailing than that book the cabin for 2 (still wouldn't use early saver through, its harder to make changes).

 

A good cabin to me is a cabin that is situated between two floors of cabins. I look at what is above and below me. Ideally cabins on both sides, or the spa (but not the fitness room)... but anything where they are constantly playing music (lounge or theater) or moving furniture (pool deck), I stay away from.

 

To start narrowing your search, I'm assuming you have a date range in mind, do you have an idea of a budget/duration. You can narrow your search by those. Also, think about where you want to sail out of. I like Florida because it's close to Caribbean locations and a 2 hour flight for me.

 

IMO Nassau and Freeport are the least desirable ports. What would you like to do? If you want beaches, any port will work. If you want ruins, costa maya or Belize are good. If you want rainforest, Belize and San Juan. Just start browsing through cruises that meet your criteria and look at the shore excursions available for the ports to get an idea of what there is to do there.

 

 

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[rjl1977]

A lot of people have given great advice. I just want to add that final payment is 75 days from your sail date.

[crusinpsychRN]

If you go with only 2 make sure your cabin accomodates 3 if the person can go.

[springs741]

Are you wondering why everyone is focusing on the number of people?

 

Cruise ship staterooms are not like a hotel that you can just let the third person sleep on the couch or bring a roll-a-way bed into the room. (or tuck a little one in the King bed)

 

Each room is rated for a certain occupancy. Depending on the time of year you may not be able to book two people in a room rated for three.

 

If you book a three person and then have to cancel the third person you might be required to move to a different room. Again, time of year and popularity of sailing will be the determining factor.

 

There are many different rate code to book. This is where an experienced TA or PVP can be of assistance.

 

Also the timing of the cancelation as well as the rate will determine your penalty. Before final payment, 75 days prior to sailing on a 7 day cruise, there is no or less penalty with the greatest penalty if you cancel within two weeks.

 

There is a lot to learn about cruising but it can be a wonderful family vacation and very cost effective as well.

[maxwell'sparents]

First off, welcome to Cruising. Be prepared for your new addiction.

 

Welcome to cruise critic where you can get a ton of information. Always keep in mind, everything you read here is subjective and your opinion can be way different. (including everything I'm posting right here!)

 

As RJL1977 said, the advice already posted is good.

 

I can't offer any insight on cancelling or adding people but the sooner the 3rd person knows the better. I'd have them talk with work and try and get something worked out. This can also cause trouble if you're flying and need to buy plane tickets.

 

Speaking of traveling to the ship. We always arrive the day before (flying and driving) and spend the night in a hotel. Many things can delay your travel plans, flight delay, weather, flat tire. Many people travel morning of and get there just fine but we like the peace of mind.

 

CABINS

As others have said, its good to have cabins above and below you so keep the noise down. I'd also add that if you worried about motion sickness that middle of the ship has less movement. Other things people like to consider is how close is your cabin to places you'll like to be (pool, bar, casino ect.) We don't find that too big of a deal but we generally get a room somewhere in the middle of the ship somewhat close to the stairs.

 

PRICING

Pricing can be a crap shoot. It can go up or down. In my experience it more often goes up closer to sailing. Biggest thing to know as new cruiser is that there is always a "sale" that is ending in a few days. Then once that day passes there is a magically a new "sale" which may look quite similar to the one you just missed. Sometimes we miss out on better deals but we never feel pressured to book just because a sale is ending.

 

The price of a cruise is more dependent on when your sailing rather than when you book it. There is more demand during the summer months (school being out) and therefore the prices can often be double the price. This is the price i pay for being married to a teacher...

 

SHIP

All ships are not equal. The newer the ship pretty much means the bigger the ship. Some people like bigger and some people like smaller. Bigger ships tend to have more things to do but this isn't always true. I'd recommend to figure out when you can cruise, where you want to sail from (maybe there are multiple ports that would work for you), and compare those specific ships/itineraries. Carnivals website will show you all of the venues on there and say if it is included or free. (for us we Guys burger is a plus but not a deal breaker)

 

ITINERARY

Many people could care less about what ship their on because they want a specific itinerary. Others cruise and don't even get off the boat while in port.

 

People seem to disagree often about what ports they like and dislike. If its your first cruise then you'll probably enjoy where ever you go. We avoid Freeport but if i was forced to go i'd find a fun watersport excursion to that day. Many people hate nassau but we enjoyed it because of the excursions we did. The point I guess is, if you see an itinerary that jumps out at YOU definitely book that cruise. If you book a cruise and then read negative things about the ports, don't sweat it, just plan something fun and go with the right attitude. Your opinion can be way different.

 

 

Passports

We have passports and find this easier to travel with than birth certificates. If you're going this summer you might want to get them now (if you don't already have them)

 

Gratuities

There is a daily gratuity that they add to cover tips for the the staff. We prepay them when we book so we have smaller bill at the end of the cruise.

[Texas Moomba]

Since this is your first. I would contact carnival and talk to one of their agents. They can answer all of your questions and help you with your question about your "maybe guest". They can answer your questions about rooms, what's included and what cost extra.

Depending where you live, I would try and sail out of the closest port. Try not to fly this time unless you absolutely have to. Good luck

 

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[crusinpsychRN]

Since this is your first. I would contact carnival and talk to one of their agents. They can answer all of your questions and help you with your question about your "maybe guest". They can answer your questions about rooms, what's included and what cost extra.

Depending where you live, I would try and sail out of the closest port. Try not to fly this time unless you absolutely have to. Good luck

 

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Not the first person who answers, ask for a PVP.

[pcvtmom]

Agree with above (cruisinpsychRN). It would be helpful to get a Carnival PVP (personal vacation planner). They don't cost any extra to use, and can often save you money by making suggestions. I always go onto the Carnival site FIRST to explore my options, then I call my PVP to make suggestions and finalize.

 

If you are cruising this summer, I would get the ball rolling now! Our June cruise is filling up fast, so I know prices will not be dropping. Depending on the ship you choose, you could find the same thing. In my experience, summer cruises tend to go up in price the closer you get to sailing date.