cruise,first timers.?

Question

hi,the wife and i fancy a cruise or cruise and stay next year but we have no idea about cruising at all. we are 50/48 so not sure what type would suit us.i dont think we want to be on a 18-30 type cruise,but not on a tuxedo formal one either.any tips please.we like a good drink and a good show.as any one done the short one to bilboa?would that suit for a taster?.bye

Answer 1

I have been on many cruises with 4 different cruise lines and here's my advice.

First, you will probably not want to go on a Carnival or Disney cruise. Carnival is the line for young folks (like 20 to 35 age group) mostly and first time cruisers who want to party. Disney has adult things but also lot of kids on board.

At the other end of the spectrum is Holland America cruise line which caters mostly to older (like 50 to 70 and older) people. Holland has great ships and service and some younger passengers but it is a more conservative and quieter cruise.

In between are Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian cruise lines. Norwegian is the least formal of these as it has "freestyle" cruising where the dress in the evening hours is casual. Other cruise lines have a couple recommended formal nights. That means you can dress formal (tux or suit) if you want but its not required. And its not every evening. Most people do dress up on the formal night and have photos taken around ship. But again, its not required dress.

The format on cruise line is pretty pretty much the same. They have a gym, pools, hot tubs, internet cafe, library, game room, sports activities, casual dining places, a casino, shows in the evenings, a disco, a variety of lounges and bars, and maybe a sports bar. So you can have as much fun as you want, or just relax.

My suggestion is to go on a Celebrity, Princess or Royal Caribbean ship. The activities available off the ship will depend upon on what itinerary you pick, i.e., Caribbean vs Mediterranean. The majority of the passengers on these there cruise line swill be in your age range.

Also, if you have not cruised before, consider a 4 or 5 day cruise rather than the normal 7 day. Most cruise lines offer these shorter cruises.

Answer 2

Well if it helps my husband and I went on Ocean Village the first time as it was affordable, went to places we actually wanted to visit, and you can dress up or be completely informal. There's plenty of entertainment if you fancy it but likewise if you want to do absolutely nothing they leave you alone. We are 38 and 41 and Ocean village is marketed towards 35-55's who don't want to put a dinner jacket on each evening (but it's *nothing* like an 18-30 holiday). We thought it was fantastic and went back this year to do all again on Ocean Village 2. I would do a week to start with and then if you like it do a 2 week cruise or cruise and stay.

The cruise we went on was the mediterranean 1 week cruise starting from Palma Majorca and we went in May both times.

Answer 3

.If you want a top class cruise ,where your wife has her every whim catered for,then you cannot beat P&O Cruises.The evening dress is now optional,a normal lounge suit is advised though,dont want to let the wife down do you.I,ve been on five cruises with P&O,starting with the biblical and archeological cruises,which were two weeks each back to back,so we were on board for a month,it was never to be forgotten,they could,nt be faulted and did us proud.Your choice,but remember,if you only go for it without making an effort for your wife you will regret it.ENJOY.If you do decide to get the full tuxedo,pick a lightweight suit,it can get warm tucking into the eight course meals,but you always have the informal restaurants at night and also in the morning for breakfast.Or you can have it in your cabin.The last cruise we went on was in the Oriana and we had a wonderful time,especially in the high seas,this ship cuts through 60 foot waves with virtually no change in motion.

Answer 4

Princess cruises are fabulous. You don't need toxedos if you don't want. They are only worn for two captain's nights but the captain's nights are just him doing a bit of a speech then everyone goes to bars/theatres etc. Some listened to him in their casual gear. The whole holiday can be done in casual clothes as you'd wear for any holiday. I took four cocktail dresses and did wear them in the evenings and spread them out over 12 days. (wear one on the first night and then again the next week and nobody notices. there are three thousand passengers and I never saw the same passenger twice so you could even wear the same dress/suit!!! I took a couple of nice skirts/tops and nice linen trousers so I mixed/matched. they are the best hols one can ever have.

Answer 5

Hello I have worked onboard ships for 4 years, there is a cruise line called Oceania, relatively new, caters for your age group and is an informal country club style line but has excellent service comparable to Crystal and Silver Seas but about 1/3 the cost, amazing itineraries, great bars, all in all my favourite, my parents cruised last year for the first time and enjyed ever minute, check out there websit for an idea

Daniel

Answer 6

Hello, I'm sure whoever you go with, that you will enjoy it. Be a little careful, when people say I always go with- P & O/carnival/princess it means they have a limited experience. My wife and I have been with P & O, Princess and Celebrity. Before I go into the pros and cons, it might be as well if I point out to you, that generally, a suit and tie are acceptable for formal nights (you might need a shirt and trousers to go with it!) In our experience, Celebrity are way ahead of the other two, particularly in cuisine, entertainment and general staff performance. However, it's not cheap to buy drink, although it's also fair to say that if you were staying in a first class hotel, that's the kind of price you would pay and essentially that is what you are doing except it is on the sea. P & O's drink prices were a fair bit less than Celebrity but as I have said were less good in other areas.
As far as the trip to Bibao/Santander (Santander is a great place!) it's not really comparable in terms of stateroom comfort or-dare I say it-passengers! but a nice enough trip, we did it last year and enjoyed it except for the embarkation procedures at portsmouth, which were a disgrace.
Couple of things you might want to consider.Whilst you can certainly get some late booking offers, I would recommend booking early so that you can get a good stateroom-preferably midships, as the movement is felt less there if the sea is rough. You need to consider also, what you want to see. For example, whilst the Med is good, places like the Baltic or Alaska have more interesting places to visit, depends on what you like.Can I also suggest, that you ask for a big table, 8-10 places, as you don't want to spoil your trip by being landed with people with whom you have nothing in common, the larger table makes that less likely and despite what people say on this section about Americans, we have met some really nice people with whom we are still in touch.
Hope you enjoy it. Oh, one last thing, shop around a few cruise clubs/specialists to get the best deal.

Answer 7

I would recommend you pick from one of the following five lines:

1) Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). NCL attracts a younger active group of passengers, but has a very informal dress code.

2) Royal Caribbean (RCI). RCI also attracts a younger active group of passengers. However, Royal Caribbean does have two formal nights per week and is a little less of party ship than Carnival.

3) Holland America Line (HAL). HAL passengers are older, less active and a little more traditional. The nightlife on HAL will not be nearly as active as NCL or RCI.

4) Celebrity. Celebrity is a lot like HAL, but not as traditional.

5) Princess. Princess is between NCL/RCI and HAL/Celebrity. Princess will attract a younger more active group of passengers than HAL/Celebrity, but not as young and active as NCL/RCI. Also, Princess has a more active nightlife than HAL/Celebrity, but not as active as NCL/RCI. Princess also has a stricter dress code than RCI, but not as strict as HAL/Celebrity.

The shorter the cruise, the younger the passengers and the more of a party atmosphere you will find. As you get to nine nights and longer, the age of the passengers goes up, and most younger families and/or couples cannot afford the longer cruises nor do they have the necessary vacation time. For example, a typical eleven night cruise leaves on Monday and returns on Friday, thus taking ten working days. Many three night cruises leave on Friday and return on Monday, thus taking only two working days.

Answer 8

done a few cruises now and were 38 and love it,weve always gone with p&o,and just come back from the med,it was brilliant.dont get worried about the tux,let me put you at ease,i too was first concerned but when you step out and everyones in them it feels brilliant. although they do ,do these themed nights,you can opt out of wearing it if you wish,but you will have to dine elsewhere as youre nominated evening resteraunt expect you to dress accordingly. the shows at night are faultless,and provide excellent entertainment.one word of advice,keep an eye on your bar tab,the drinks bill soon accumalates,so for a fortnights cruise i would allocate about £350.00-£400.00.this is the link for p&0 where you can find out nearly every question you might be puzzled with,but honestly you will be in for the holiday of a lifetime,just relax,and take it in your stride...bon voyage........
http://www.pocruises.com/pocruising/Home.aspx
id also like to add,that if you book your cruise try to book your cabin as close to mid-ship as possible,this is the most stable part of the ship,and if youre not good sailors,trust me you dont want to be near the front or back if it gets rough.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Carnival cruises tend to have a wide range of ages. There are plenty of things to do for everyone. For night life they usually have a dance club, a piano bar and a casino running. I have been on about 4 or 5 Carnival cruises. Norwegian cruises are a touch classier. I have only been on 1 of those. For location I would choose eastern Caribbean. Most younger cruisers will take the Western which stops in Mexico. Of course you can forgo the warmer weather and take a Princess cruise to Alaska. I've never been on one of those, but I've heard they are amazing.