Help a Cruise Newbie out with some basic questions.

[nielgirl]

I’ve wanted to go on a cruise for quite awhile now but my husband has always been leery because a big part of a holiday for him is lying around at the pool & beach. Then I had some health issues (breast cancer) and that put everything on hold.

I’m back up and at it now and hoping to make up for lost time and my husband is eager to see us go on our first cruise.

My husband & I are in our early 50’s and from the reviews we seem to prefer the more peaceful cruise ships like the Holland America & Princess Cruise Lines. With this being our first cruise, we’re looking at the ship as being the destination and not hugely interested in trekking far from the ship on excursions. My husband loves the idea of the ports in Princess Cay and Grand Turk as we can just hop off the ship right to a beach next to the ship. He’ll be able to satisfy his beach fix easily.

I’m going to post these same questions in the Holland America forum section because we’re still humming & hawing over which one to try first.

We live in Ontario Canada and will be booking our cruise for early April to one of the various Caribbean options. We’re flexible in going to 7, 10, or 14 days. We’d like to book a balcony room probably the Veranda series.

Forgive me if some of these questions have been answered countless times, but the forum has so much information that it’s just a bit overwhelming.

Onto the questions.

• At PrincessCay – I understand you have to tender from the ship to the beach. Is the tendering fee included in the cruise package? Also do the tender boats have schedules that they run back & forth between the shore and the ship so that we could go back to the ship for lunch or dinner?
  
• At PrincessCay – Is the beach access here included in the cruise package price?
  
• Is the Grand Turk closed to Princess during April as a port or are sailings offered just fully booked up? We didn’t see any sailings that ported there while looking at the offerings for April.
  
• Does either Princess Cay have a port terminal like Costa Maya and do you have to pay extra to use the facilities at the Port Terminal?
  
• I understand that the Costa Maya cruise terminal is one stop that some of the Princess ships make. Are the facilities/beach at Costa Maya (other than the restaurants)included in the cruise package price?
  
• Regarding the dress code – What is the excepted dress code for the main dining room. My husband is Mr. Casual. The only time he ever wears a suit is for weddings,funerals & business when required. He’s hoping he can wear dockers & a collared polo shirt to the main dining room meals. With that in mind what is the accepted dress code for women.
  
• What is the accepted dress code for the buffets?
  

Edited January 29, 2018 by nielgirl

[toeloop]

• At PrincessCay – I understand you have to tender from the ship to the beach. Is the tendering fee included in the cruise package? NO FEE Also do the tender boats have schedules that they run back & forth between the shore and the ship so that we could go back to the ship for lunch or dinner? Constantly run and there is a BBQ served on the island
  
• At PrincessCay – Is the beach access here included in the cruise package price? Yes
  

[toeloop]

Does either Princess Cay have a port terminal like Costa Maya and do you have to pay extra to use the facilities at the Port Terminal?

No. There is a very small straw market outside of the gate, a small gift shop and some carts to purchase items within the gate. You can rent various water sports equipment to snorkel, paddle board, fishing, etc. They also rent cabanas and clam shells. They have a bars and the BBQ. They don't have restaurants.

[nukesubsailor]

Forgive me if some of these questions have been answered countless times, but the forum has so much information that it’s just a bit overwhelming.

Onto the questions.

• At PrincessCay – I understand you have to tender from the ship to the beach. Is the tendering fee included in the cruise package?Yes Also do the tender boats have schedules that they run back & forth between the shore and the ship so that we could go back to the ship for lunch or dinner?The tenders run continuously. You can eat lunch ashore for free. Burgers & BBQ
  
• At PrincessCay – Is the beach access here included in the cruise package price?Yes
  
• Is the Grand Turk closed to Princess during April as a port or are sailings offered just fully booked up? We didn’t see any sailings that ported there while looking at the offerings for April.
  
• Does either Princess Cay have a port terminal like Costa Maya and do you have to pay extra to use the facilities at the Port Terminal?No terminal but there are shops.
  
• I understand that the Costa Maya cruise terminal is one stop that some of the Princess ships make. Are the facilities/beach at Costa Maya (other than the restaurants)included in the cruise package price?
  
• Regarding the dress code – What is the excepted dress code for the main dining room. My husband is Mr. Casual. The only time he ever wears a suit is for weddings,funerals & business when required. He’s hoping he can wear dockers & a collared polo shirt to the main dining room meals. That meets the smart casual dress code.With that in mind what is the accepted dress code for women. Slacks with a nice top or a dress. No jeans
  
• What is the accepted dress code for the buffets? Shoes, shorts, shirts. No bathing suits
  

[toeloop]

Regarding the dress code – What is the excepted dress code for the main dining room. My husband is Mr. Casual. The only time he ever wears a suit is for weddings,funerals & business when required. He’s hoping he can wear dockers & a collared polo shirt to the main dining room meals. With that in mind what is the accepted dress code for women.

dockers & a collared polo shirt to the main dining room meals are appropriate with exception of formal night. Women often wear dresses, skirts, capris and a nice top.

The buffet has no requirements other than no bathing suits. Must be covered up.

[idahospud]

I’ve wanted to go on a cruise for quite awhile now but my husband has always been leery because a big part of a holiday for him is lying around at the pool & beach. Then I had some health issues (breast cancer) and that put everything on hold.

I’m back up and at it now and hoping to make up for lost time and my husband is eager to see us go on our first cruise.

Glad to hear you are better! A cruise is a great way to get back into the swing of things.

My husband & I are in our early 50’s and from the reviews we seem to prefer the more peaceful cruise ships like the Holland America & Princess Cruise Lines. With this being our first cruise, we’re looking at the ship as being the destination and not hugely interested in trekking far from the ship on excursions. My husband loves the idea of the ports in Princess Cay and Grand Turk as we can just hop off the ship right to a beach next to the ship. He’ll be able to satisfy his beach fix easily.

Princess Cays and Grand Turk are super easy beach days!

I’m going to post these same questions in the Holland America forum section because we’re still humming & hawing over which one to try first.

We live in Ontario Canada and will be booking our cruise for early April to one of the various Caribbean options. We’re flexible in going to 7, 10, or 14 days. We’d like to book a balcony room probably the Veranda series.

Forgive me if some of these questions have been answered countless times, but the forum has so much information that it’s just a bit overwhelming.

Onto the questions.

• At PrincessCay – I understand you have to tender from the ship to the beach. Is the tendering fee included in the cruise package? Also do the tender boats have schedules that they run back & forth between the shore and the ship so that we could go back to the ship for lunch or dinner?
  
• Tendering is free. Sometimes the ship uses the lifeboats to get passengers to shore. (Don't worry, totally safe.) Other times local boats provide the tender service. Free both ways and you can go back and forth as much as you like. There is a free BBQ at Princess Cays that runs 11:00ish-1:30 ish. If I remember right it includes chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and some sides. There are (or were last year) food carts that have food for free, too. Last time we had some tacos from the food cart. Yum.
  
• At PrincessCay – Is the beach access here included in the cruise package price?
  
• Absolutely! No charge for the beach or chairs. You can even move the chairs anywhere you'd like. There are clamshells and cabanas that can be rented if you are interested.
  
• Is the Grand Turk closed to Princess during April as a port or are sailings offered just fully booked up? We didn’t see any sailings that ported there while looking at the offerings for April.
  
• Grand Turk isn't closed to Princess in April - it is just that Princess isn't sailing there then. April is the time of year the ships are being sent across the pond so it isn't a full month of Caribbean sailings.
  
• Does either Princess Cay have a port terminal like Costa Maya and do you have to pay extra to use the facilities at the Port Terminal?
  
• Princess Cays doesn't have a port terminal. There are a few vendors if you are looking for shopping. Costa Maya doesn't have a cruise terminal per se. There is a secure port area with quite a few shops and restaurants.
  
• I understand that the Costa Maya cruise terminal is one stop that some of the Princess ships make. Are the facilities/beach at Costa Maya (other than the restaurants)included in the cruise package price?
  
• Costa Maya has a pool and lounge chairs for no cost. If you wanted to get to a nice beach there is a tram (for a fee) that goes into Mahahual. There are plenty of places to rent a chair or grab some food right on the beach there. (Tropicante is our go-to place. Good food, service, and beach.)
  
• Regarding the dress code – What is the excepted dress code for the main dining room. My husband is Mr. Casual. The only time he ever wears a suit is for weddings,funerals & business when required. He’s hoping he can wear dockers & a collared polo shirt to the main dining room meals. With that in mind what is the accepted dress code for women.
  
• Dockers and collared polo shirt works. We've seen women wear capris and sandals most nights. You could do a pair of slacks and top for formal night. If you don't really want to dress up at on formal nights you could eat elsewhere. You aren't required to eat in the dining room every night.
  
• What is the accepted dress code for the buffets?
  
• There really isn't one. If you have a swimsuit on you need to have a coverup over it and make sure you're wearing something on your feet. It's super casual even on formal night.
  

Great questions! See my answers above.

[reedprincess]

I’ve wanted to go on a cruise for quite awhile now but my husband has always been leery because a big part of a holiday for him is lying around at the pool & beach. Then I had some health issues (breast cancer) and that put everything on hold.

 

I’m back up and at it now and hoping to make up for lost time and my husband is eager to see us go on our first cruise. Congrats on your recovery!!

My husband & I are in our early 50’s and from the reviews we seem to prefer the more peaceful cruise ships like the Holland America & Princess Cruise Lines. With this being our first cruise, we’re looking at the ship as being the destination and not hugely interested in trekking far from the ship on excursions. My husband loves the idea of the ports in Princess Cay and Grand Turk as we can just hop off the ship right to a beach next to the ship. He’ll be able to satisfy his beach fix easily.

I’m going to post these same questions in the Holland America forum section because we’re still humming & hawing over which one to try first.

We live in Ontario Canada and will be booking our cruise for early April to one of the various Caribbean options. We’re flexible in going to 7, 10, or 14 days. We’d like to book a balcony room probably the Veranda series.

 

Forgive me if some of these questions have been answered countless times, but the forum has so much information that it’s just a bit overwhelming.

 

Onto the questions.

• At PrincessCay – I understand you have to tender from the ship to the beach. Is the tendering fee included in the cruise package? Nope, no fee, get your tender ticket (will be listed in newsletter on where to get these), then just line up and go. Also do the tender boats have schedules that they run back & forth between the shore and the ship so that we could go back to the ship for lunch or dinner? They run continuously all day back and forth till final tender time, usually 3:30. Lunch is also served in PC, no extra charge, BBQ lunch with all the fixings.
  
• At PrincessCay – Is the beach access here included in the cruise package price? Included. Cabanas, clamshells, etc extra - loungers included.
  
• Is the Grand Turk closed to Princess during April as a port or are sailings offered just fully booked up? We didn’t see any sailings that ported there while looking at the offerings for April. There may or may not be port stops in April, depends on cruise itineraries.. It's not "closed" to Princess, but can only accommodate so many ships at one time.
  
• Does either Princess Cay have a port terminal like Costa Maya and do you have to pay extra to use the facilities at the Port Terminal? No port terminal like Costa Maya. A few shops available on PC.
  
• I understand that the Costa Maya cruise terminal is one stop that some of the Princess ships make. Are the facilities/beach at Costa Maya (other than the restaurants)included in the cruise package price? No beach Costa Maya port itself really. If you want beach, got to go to beach Club or Mahuahual. Restaurants and bars, shops, etc all not part of Princess, you'll need $$$...
  
• Regarding the dress code – What is the excepted dress code for the main dining room. My husband is Mr. Casual. The only time he ever wears a suit is for weddings,funerals & business when required. He’s hoping he can wear dockers & a collared polo shirt to the main dining room meals. With that in mind what is the accepted dress code for women. Dockers and Polo perfectly fine for smart casual night. Formal night, add a long sleeve dress shirt or sport coat, maybe a tie. Ladies, slacks, capris, skirt, blouse, sundress, etc all good for smart casual, formal - nicer dresses, dressy pants and top, cocktail dress, etc
  
• What is the accepted dress code for the buffets? Casual, no wet clothes, shoes...
  

Enjoy.

[moki'smommy]

Princess Cay is a private island leased by Princess. The easiest way to think of it is as an extension of the ship. What is included in your fare on the ship is also included on the island. The tender and the beach are there for Princess passengers to use at no additional fee.

 

Costa Maya is an island owned by Mexico. The only role that Princess plays is that your docking fees are included in your cruise ticket. Anything you choose to do there will come at a fee. Multiple cruise lines stop here; you can research on line how many ships are scheduled on the day you will be there.

[satxdiver]

Princess Cays is located on the southern end of Eleuthera Island and part of the Bahamas. The island is 1 mile wide and 112 miles long. This is an area belonging to Princess and used for a beach stop. The bars and rentals will charge everything to your ship account. The lunch meal (hamburgers, hot dogs etc) are prepared on the island by the ship's kitchen staff. It has been reported that Carnival ships will be stopping at Princess Cays this year.

 

Costa Maya is a port built by Carnival Corp and located on the Mexican Yucatan down near the Belize/Mexico border. Unlike Princess Cays it has buildings, restaurants, bars, shops and a very large pool. Costa Maya is used by other cruise lines such as RCI etc.

[SeymourKopath]

To clear up a common misconception, Princess Cays is not an island, although it is on an island. It is at the southern end of the island of Eleuthera, Bahamas.

 

Also, Costa Maya is not an island, nor is it on an island. It is in the municipality of Othón P. Blanco in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

 

Edit: always a minute late! :)

[caribill]

We live in Ontario Canada and will be booking our cruise for early April to one of the various Caribbean options. We’re flexible in going to 7, 10, or 14 days.

 

 

With Easter being April 1, cruises in early April may be have a large number of families with children and students on spring break. A 10 or true14 day cruise (not two 7 day segments) will be likely to have fewer children and spring breakers.

[moki'smommy]

Are you talking about 2018? You may find yourself with some strange flights or much higher air fares than you were anticipating. I just found that weekend flights during this time were 3-4 times as high as midweek fares. And hotels are unreal as well.....all supply and demand. I'd priced flights for a different cruise that was sold out when I went to book it, so was quite shocked when I went to book late March flights. And the flight that I booked on EZ Air has increased by more than $50 pp since I locked it in less than a week ago.

[nielgirl]

Thank you everyone for the insights. I really appreciate the help.

[Wishing on a star]

We sound a lot like you, in your ages and vacation style.

 

There are just SO many options!

 

For your very first cruise I would suggest a 7 day, and not longer.

 

I am a beach girl...

We have been planning a Western Caribbean, on the Regal Princess.

1. Grand Cayman has spectacular Seven Mile Beach, which is just a very simple 5-10 minute taxi ride. If you want a nice resort for a 'beach day" rent a room at the Westin, or the Sunshine Suites across the street - which can include access to amenities and beach at the Westin.

2. On Cozumel, a good beach-day might be Nachi Cocum, which is a smaller and more quiet beach club that includes lunch and all drinks. Again, a simple 15 minute taxi ride right from the dock where you walk off the ship.

On Princess, of course there is Princess Cays. So that is three easy and more low-key beach days, on the one itinerary.

 

NOTE: for Princess Cays, and for Grand Cayman, these are both 'Tender' and not dock. Unfortunately, rough conditions can, sometimes, mean that these two stops could be missed.

 

 

I am not familiar with other Island destinations, on other itineraries, that have really easy and simple beach day options on really nice beaches... But there are MANY experts here who can give you recommendations!

[Wishing on a star]

PS: If you have not looked at flights, if you are talking a cruise during this year, during this Spring Break high season, yes, you might see some sticker shock when you look at fares. We had looked at a cruise, around the first of March... Airfares on that went way up

[nielgirl]

That's great thanks for the information.

[Judie]

I would recommend a 10+ day cruise. As mentioned above, you’re less likely to find a lot of kids onboard when it’s over 7 days. The days will fly by, and you’ll have a couple extra days to relax. Enjoy! Ask away now, and let us know your impressions afterward.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[DRS/NC]

If you do decide on a 10 or 14 day cruise, look for the number of sea days. Sea days are like beach days without the sand!

 

(If you're paying to fly from Canada to FL, make it worthwhile!)

 

You can certainly do "activities" if you choose, but you can also do little or nothing -- just hang out at the pool, grab a pizza or hot dog or hit the buffet then hang out at the pool some more. And you don't have sand in your seat!

 

Enjoy your first cruise! You've earned it! ;)