Help me choose a cruise with my sister

[worktocruise610]

I know you've done the Escape twice, but I voted for that cruise for a few reasons:

 

1. No flying so even with paying for airfare you are not using you will save money on hotels in NO. Also, I personally love getting home only a few hours after leaving the cruise when sailing from NYC. 

2. For a first cruise, I think 7 days would be better 

3. The latitudes points is definitely a plus

I know it can be a bit cold leaving / returning to NY but in April shouldn't (hopefully) be that bad. Guess I'm just partial to leaving from NYC for the convenience. Either way, I know you guys will have a great time & your sister will become as hooked as you on cruises from that one on 😉 

 

[JamieLogical]

4 minutes ago, worktocruise610 said:

Either way, I know you guys will have a great time & your sister will become as hooked as you on cruises from that one on 😉 

 

 

Ha! I hope not! She has four kids to support and I can't afford to be paying her way all the time! 😋

[worktocruise610]

49 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Ha! I hope not! She has four kids to support and I can't afford to be paying her way all the time! 😋

lol well okay, maybe not as hooked as you, but something for her to enjoy once in a while though 😉 

[BalconyGal]

I voted for the longer cruise.  I'm at the point where 7 days even feel short to me and try to book the longest cruise possible every time.  

Sure the itinerary is not that great but neither is Costa Maya. And sailing the same ship 3 times is not that unusual.  It's like coming home to a familiar place.  But I've sailed the Gem 8 times so YMMV. 

 

Have fun either way. 

[JamieLogical]

Wanted to give everyone an update. I spoke with my PCC today and she said that there is no flexibility with flight dates for the New Orleans cruise whatsoever. I would have to fly in and out the day of with no option to pay extra to extend my stay. She also said that both cruises offer a $100 per person "discount" if you opt out of the airfare. So, taking that into consideration, pricing out flights, hotel, ground transportation, and additional food/drinks for the NOLA trip versus just tolls, gas, and parking for NYC, the Escape cruise comes out quite a cheaper. Made the decision pretty easy. I'll be calling my PCC back tonight to book the Escape. Will be interesting to see if prices drop some after this free airfare promo ends. I will have until December 8 for final payment, so if the prices do go down, I can always re-book at the lower rate.

[Euby]

I voted for the 5-day for one reason that I have not seen mentioned.  Do you know if your sister is prone to motion sickness of any kind?  If she is, those 2 additional days may not be very fun.  Also, she may discover she really doesn't enjoy cruising (heaven forbid!).  Doing a 5-day is a good introduction and you can tack on some days in NOLA.

 

This is based on past experience.  My sister and I were on a 7-day cruise together (her first) to Alaska.  She has a history of motion sickness and even has trouble with some forms of anesthesia.  So we booked an Inside Passage cruise.  I had done a much longer cruise to Alaska before and knew that the IP was like being on a lake.  Well...  even though she came prepared with one of those behind the ear patches, she still wasn't feeling very well throughout the cruise.  She has since sworn off ocean cruises.

 

I, on the other hand, have only experienced one day of feeling bad.  That was in the middle of the Pacific ocean and the seas were so bad, they closed the promenade deck.  Otherwise, I just roll along with the ship.  So I definitely inherited the "sea-legs" between us.

[cliffd64]

First cruise....  take her on the bahamas cruise....  hands down the better trip.  For her it will be more exciting than it may be for you, but its here first cruise so start off with a full length.

Edited November 2, 2018 by cliffd64

[jpcdds6]

Go out of Nola. A 5 day cruise with a few days in New Orleans is plenty. Sailing out of NYC in early April isn't fun. Sailing back is worse.

[dcipjr]

It sounds as if the decision has already been made, but I vote Escape, mainly because 5 days is just not long enough (for me, anyway!), especially if you're flying. 

 

I think you made a good call. Some may say that the itinerary is a bit meh, sure, but you'll get some sunshine and beach and it'll be a welcome change coming out of wintertime.

 

It'll be a cold sail out of NYC, but we did late April and a sweater and light jacket were fine. Plus  it made it all the better when it started warming up.

Edited November 2, 2018 by dcipjr

[fridaythe13th]

Royal Caribbean Allure or Oasis of the Seas! 😉

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

Wanted to give everyone an update. I spoke with my PCC today and she said that there is no flexibility with flight dates for the New Orleans cruise whatsoever. I would have to fly in and out the day of with no option to pay extra to extend my stay. She also said that both cruises offer a $100 per person "discount" if you opt out of the airfare. So, taking that into consideration, pricing out flights, hotel, ground transportation, and additional food/drinks for the NOLA trip versus just tolls, gas, and parking for NYC, the Escape cruise comes out quite a cheaper. Made the decision pretty easy. I'll be calling my PCC back tonight to book the Escape. Will be interesting to see if prices drop some after this free airfare promo ends. I will have until December 8 for final payment, so if the prices do go down, I can always re-book at the lower rate.

Good info on the free flights...I sort of figured there would be no wiggle room.  I'd rather book my own flights in that case.  The discount is a bonus though.  Enjoy your cruise.  Here's to good weather out of and into NY.  

Edited November 2, 2018 by PTC DAWG

[Peachypooh]

I have done the Florida itinerary and it was fine. We took a shuttle to Cocoa Beach and it was

beautiful. Then we made it to Great Stirrup Caye for another great day. We have done Atlantis

in Nassau  and it was overpriced so the next time we are going to the Colonial Hilton for a resort day.

Costa Maya is fine...we went to the water park. I am just saying that the Escape itinerary can be a

good one.

[firstimecruiseronncl]

2 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

Wanted to give everyone an update. I spoke with my PCC today and she said that there is no flexibility with flight dates for the New Orleans cruise whatsoever. I would have to fly in and out the day of with no option to pay extra to extend my stay. She also said that both cruises offer a $100 per person "discount" if you opt out of the airfare. So, taking that into consideration, pricing out flights, hotel, ground transportation, and additional food/drinks for the NOLA trip versus just tolls, gas, and parking for NYC, the Escape cruise comes out quite a cheaper. Made the decision pretty easy. I'll be calling my PCC back tonight to book the Escape. Will be interesting to see if prices drop some after this free airfare promo ends. I will have until December 8 for final payment, so if the prices do go down, I can always re-book at the lower rate.

 

 

I was going to vote for the Escape. I absolutely loved the Breakaway and sailed it 5 times, but we just did the Escape in July and it is the Breakaway but better! 

[Nola26]

Free airfare to NOLA is a significant perk. I find MSY to be relatively expensive place for travel. Extending the visit by a day or two may make the airfare cheaper so NCL may allow that (not flying in out with all the other cruisers).

 

Driving to port, double points and 7 nights sounds like a winner. Your sister will be away for a week. You get credit for two cruises. Price must be manageable for either or you would have already ruled one out.

 

Cruising on the Dawn, Gem or Pearl could offer cheaper fares and the Gem may sail from NYC.

[Sauer-kraut]

On 11/1/2018 at 3:27 PM, JamieLogical said:

 

Epic isn't even on my radar, because even though my sister and I are very close, we are NOT close enough for me to feel comfortable with the VERY non-private bathroom situation in Epic staterooms.

 

On the EPIC why not book connecting STUDIO CABINS?   Each would have their own bathroom, and the toilet is enclosed without being see-through, although the shower is. 

Each would have their own 'room' but you can open the connecting door and have a great way to hang together PLUS you get all the goodies that the Stuido Lounge has to offer....fancy coffee machine and stuff included!