My wife and I are considering taking a cruise, can you help?

Question

We have never taken one and don't know anything about it.
We would prefer to go to the carribean.
What are some things we should know before booking a cruise?
Is airfare a seperate expense or is it included in the price of a cruise?
Help us!!

Freddy, pack your bags. I'm taking you.


Holly, yes you can be both.

Answer 1

Since you have never been on a cruise before I will give you a brief summary of the world of cruising that you would or could get from a travel agent. Travel agents are paid by the cruise line on commission and so you can go to one and ask all of the questions you want and the agent will help you with no charge. Even after I explain things you may still want to use a travel agent to double check what I tell you and to book your cruise. If not you can book everything right on line. I have been on about 20 cruises and have booked several of them right on line.

If you have the money to spend for the very top and best cruise lines try Crystal, Oceania, Windstar, and Silver Sea. These cruise lines are a cut above the others because they run smaller ships (about 500 to 700 passengers) and have a higher staff to passenger ratio so you get top of the line service. They also have more amenities included in the much higher price, like all veranda/balcony cabins, tubs and shower bathroom, larger cabins, daily wine and/or champaign with meals, etc. . Prices for a 7 day cruise on these top of the line ships may start at $4000 to $5000 (vs about $1200 on the next tier of ships.). These ships tend to have a more sophisticated and older crowd and more formal dining.

Most cruises are done by the next tier of cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, and Disney. Most of the ships for these lines are now 1500 to 2500 passenger ships. The ships are big but things are so well managed that you really don't feel crowded on them. Prices on these ship can be as low as $800 for a 7 day inside cabin and about $1200 for a balcony cabin. Sometimes people get confused by the categories on ship that agents or the web sites refer to. Categories are simply a listing of the different types of cabins on the ship by size, location and amenities. Categories are the price structure.

If/when you go to a cruise line web site you will see the various cabins listed by type, i.e., SUITE, VERANDA or BALCONY, OUTSIDE, and INSIDE, the category, and generally the square footage of each cabin type. The category will generally be listed next to the cabin type. The most expensive cabins are the penthouses and owners' suites. . Next are the jr and full suites. The next are the VERANDA or BALCONY cabins (you have your own private patio). The next lowest priced are OUTSIDE cabins (they have either a window or porthole). The cheapest cabins offered are always the inside cabins; those without a window or porthole. The inside, outside and balcony cabins are generally about the same size on each ship, but may vary by ship and cruise line.

The terms "cabin" and "stateroom" mean the same thing; the cruise industry prefers stateroom. The standard cabin that most people get (inside/outside/balcony) are generally between 175 and 200 Square feet, about the size of a 9 by 12 ft home bedroom (balconies are about 45 to 55 sq ft). Each cabin has a two beds which can be made into a queen, a bathroom with a shower stall, a closet and some drawer space, a TV and telephone, a safe for valuables, a mini-refrigerator, and a life jacket for each passenger.

Carnival is the fun ship, they are low priced, but their accommodations are not the best. Carnival is the party cruise line that most young folks and first time cruisers take (ages 20 to 35) who want to party, party, party. If that’s what you are looking for then Carnival is the one for you.

Disney has good ships (but just 2 ships right now) but is primarily for kids, and families with kids. It does have adults only areas on ship, but the kids are still there on ship. I would not recommend going on their ships unless you do not mind being around a lot of kids. Also, since Disney has only two ships your options with them are limited.

Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity, and Norwegian tend to have people who have cruised many times and are in the 40 and over age group; a more reserved crowd. Although the crowd is more served the ships are still just as much fun. Holland America tends to have the oldest cruiser; primarily people in the 60 and up age group. Celebrity and Princess also tend to be more upscale and Royal Caribbean tends to be more family oriented. Norwegian is also family oriented but is more casual with its "freestyle cruising" Freestyle simply means that you do not have to select a time to go to dinner each day; you just go whenever you want after about 6:00 PM. It also means that the traditional "formal night" which are really requested attire on ships, is more like "dress up if you want to night". All of these cruise lines may also have some kids but not as many as Disney. However, on all of these lines there are activities just for kids of different ages and staff persons assigned to supervise them most of the day.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

The price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals (except the specialty restaurants), all shows and entertainment, and use of all facilities on ship. If you want you can have airfare included in the price of your cruise; or you can book your airfare separately on your own. The additional cost are:

GRATUITIES: They will amount to about $10 per person in your cabin per day; about $70 each for a 7 day cruise. When you check in at the pier they will set up an on-board charge account for you to cover any and everything you may buy on ship. They will issue you a "cruise card" which will also serve as your room key and pass to get on and off the ship. At the end of the cruise they will add the gratuity to your tab and you can pay with a credit card or cash, your choice.

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND SOFT DRINKS: Coffee, tea, milk, juice, and lemonade and punch will be provided free but you must pay for drinks (alcoholic beverages) and they will add a 15% gratuity to each drink of soft drink order.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Cruise lines will take plenty of photographs of you all over the ship, in the dining room, and as you exit the ship in ports. These will cost a lot, like $15 to $20 for most. Skip them and save yourself a lot of money. Take your own camera and have the other passengers photograph you on and off the ship.

TOURS/EXCURSIONS: These are listed on your cruise line web site and you can reserve them well before the cruise and pay for them also. If you wait until you are on ship to book tours they will be charged to your on board account (then you can pay cash to settle your account on the last day). Once you book your cruise the cruise line will send you a booklet listing all of the tours.

SOUVENIRS: Anything you buy on ship from a gift shop or duty free shop goes on your on board account. Things that you buy on shore you pay cash or credit card for.

CASINO: If you plan to gamble on ship you will need cash for that.

OTHER: most cruise lines have what they call "specialty" restaurants where there is a gratuity/service charge. All other food on board is free and its not really necessary to budget for food; you cannot eat all that will be available.

If you want/need to have your hair done, get a massage or wrap, or any services from the spa, you will have to pay for them. You can use the gym free but the spa stuff cost big bucks.

Ships now have internet cafe and some have WiFi but the there is a fee for internet access and it is very expensive (like about $50 to $60 an hour).

You cabin will likely have a minibar with soft drinks and munchies; you have to pay for them (but there is free room service 24/7).

BEST DEALS

I have found that the best deals can be had by going directly to the cruise line web sites and looking for their specials. Most will have their specials prominently displayed on their home page but I have found that Royal Caribbean and Carnival have the best web sites for this.

You will always get the best price if you book very early and early means 9 to 12 months or more in advance. You can book on most any cruise line web site by paying a deposit of $250 to $350 per person, depending upon the length of the cruise, and then pay the balance no later than 60 to 75 days before the cruise (depending upon the cruise line).

Another factor to consider is to be flexible on your date of travel. For example, the best price may not be the day after a wedding or birthday but a few weeks or even months later. So consider going a few weeks or months after if the price is better.

Also consider going when there is a special. Many times identical cruise itineraries can very in price by hundreds depending upon the date.

Another important factor to consider is, cruises going to the Caribbean tend to have more young folks than those going to Alaska, Panama, the Mediterranean, the Baltic, or South America. People who go to the Caribbean are looking for fun things like beaches, jet skiing, snorkeling and scuba diving, parasailing, and a lot of other activities related to water and beaches. On the other hand, people who go to Alaska, Panama, the Mediterranean, etc., are looking for cultural and historic activities. These cruisers tend to be the older people (40+). That does not mean these cruises are dull, it just means that the passengers are more mature and reserved. You will find the 40+ crowd in the bars and disco and having as good a time as the youngsters, but you may not hear them across the room or deck.

I suggest that you go to the web site for the cruise lines and look at the cabin prices, port stops, the features for the ships and select a cruise that will do what you want to do. Then you may want to talk to an agent and see if they can find what you want. Finally, decide whether you want to book your self or have an agent do it for you. I would look for a cruise on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean or Princess and I would select a balcony cabin, preferably as high up as possible and mid-ship. That's my recommendation.

Answer 2

Cruise vacations are a great way to relax and get to see several exciting ports with out the hassle of packing and unpacking multiple times.

First thing is to choose the right cruise line and ship for you - talk to a cruise specialist - not just any travel agent. he or she will ask several questions about what you like, how you've vacationed before , what your expecting, your budget, etc. and will guide you through the process of selecting the right ship and itinerary.

Airfare is normally a separate expense. Cruise lines offer packages that include the Airfare. they may not be the BEST price but they do have advantages - talk to the cruise specialist.

Answer 3

Stop in your local AAA office. Even if you are not a member they will give free brouchures & answer any questions.
The best advice I can give after 22 cruises is DO NOT LEAVE YOUR COMMON SENSE at home.
Everyone can tell you what they did,saw etc. however you need to consider the two main factors; weather & people. Take your wife and experience the time of your life. They wait on you all the time, you will see new places & things you will have to talk about for years. Once you have decide when you are going they will give you the price for the cruise & airfare.
Enjoy.

Answer 4

We've taken four cruises over the last 22 years and were talking about booking another one just 30 minutes ago. All of the things you mentioned do happen. Life's a risk no matter where you might be. Wouldn't you rather face life with a little adventure, pampering, good food and lots of fun thrown in?

Answer 5

You can either book your airfare through the cruise line, or get it yourself - which is always much cheaper. I would never book air through the cruise line.
The Caribbean is a great place to start - we love it there and are going again in April 08.
Royal Caribbean is our favorite cruise line, then Princess. You need to decide which islands you want to see, then plan your cruise from there. All cruise lines have free brochures you can order on - line, or pick them up at a travel agent office.
Cruises are great - enjoy!!

Answer 6

For a first time cruise I would suggest a three to five night cruise. This gives you a good feel for cruising, yet is short enough so that if you don't like it, it is over quickly.

That said, one of the best features of a cruise is how relaxing it is. Since it takes a little while to unwind, you will find there is a big difference in atmosphere between a three night weekend cruise and a one week cruise. The shorter cruises tend to be party cruises. The people on the one week cruises still want to have fun, but are a little more relaxed about it.

Booking through an agent will not cost you anything. The agents get a commission from the cruise line that they book with. The advantage of a GOOD agent is the personal service they offer. However, a bad agent can cause problems.

I recommend that you interview at least three agents and pick the one you are most comfortable with. Don't pick the one that tries to steer you toward only one cruise line. Don't pick the one that always tells you what you want to hear. Find out what certification the agent has, what professional organizations the agent belongs to and what personal experience the agent has being a passenger on a cruise ship.

I am more than happy to recommend my agent. Here is his contact information ...

Bob DeAgazio
Worldview Travel
Regional Manager, San Diego
7777 Girard Ave, Suite 106
LaJolla, CA 92037
Direct: 858-459-0681 ext. 1421
Toll Free: 800-869-0674
Fax: [phone]
www.worldviewtravel.com
Virtuoso Member-- "Specialists in the Art of Travel"

Typically the price you pay for the cruise includes your cabin, all food, most drinks, on board activities and entertainment. Not included are optional extra cost restaurants, tips, photographs, spa treatments, special classes, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks. Tips are typically $10 per person per day. Everything else that costs extra is optional.

Also not included are shore excursions and souvenirs (both on the ship and off the ship). Again, these are optional. You do not have to take a shore excursion to get off the ship in port.

The cruise lines do offer packages that include air. I recommend that you not take the cruise line air. Usually you can get a better price yourself. However, even if the cruise air is less, I would not recommend it. Cruise lines tend to find the cheapest and strangest flights. There is no guarantee that family members will be seated next to each other, and in fact may not even be on the same flights. These flights tend be be less convenient then any flight you would book yourself.

Days at sea are very relaxing. Days at sea are days when the ship is traveling and you will not stop in any ports. It is helpful if your first and last day are at sea. The first day at sea gives you time to unpack, get organized and explore the ship. The last day at sea gives you time to pack. Days at sea are great because they are so relaxing. You can do as much or as little as you want. You can sun yourself by the pool, play in the pool, read a book, attend one of the many on board activities, stay in the cabin and watch a movie, get up early or just sleep in.

Of course entire books have been written on this subject, and this is not the place for me to try and recreate one. So I'll give you a few basics. Then you can either ask more questions, or ask your agent.

There are basically four kinds of cabins. Inside cabins have no windows. When you turn out the lights, it gets really dark (no moon light coming in the window). If you wake up at 9:00, you will not know if it is morning or night, unless you leave your cabin (or you have a clock that indicates am or pm). There is one variation on this, and it is only available on the Voyager and Freedom class ships (Royal Caribbean). These are promenade view cabins. They are inside cabins with a window overlooking the central promenade.

Next there are ocean view cabins. These cabins have windows, but they do not open. However, you can see the sea, and when you wake up you can tell if it is day or night.

Next is the balcony cabin. Balcony cabins have a door to a private balcony that you can go out on and watch the world go by, eat breakfast (or any other meal) or just sun yourself.

The most expensive are suites. These usually have balconies (but not all). Suites are bigger and many have a separate bedroom and sitting room.

Some people use their cabins just to sleep, shower and change clothing. They don't spend much time in the cabin, and thus go with the least expensive cabin they can get (usually an inside cabin). Some people enjoy the balcony so much that they will not cruise without one. Others enjoy the room a suite has to offer. You will have to decide what you want, based on your needs and budget.

The size of the ship is another issue. Smaller ships might carry 1000 or less passengers. The biggest ships can hold more than 4000 passengers. The bigger the ship, the more it has to offer, including lines of people waiting to do the same thing you want to do. The smaller ships have less to offer, but also have less to no lines and you have a better chance to get to know your fellow passengers. It is possible on the biggest ships to see someone on day one, and then never see them again.

Another factor when choosing a ship is the space ratio. This is found by dividing the gross tonnage of a ship (which is actually a space rating, not a weight rating) by twice the number of cabins. So a 80,000 GRT ship with 1000 cabins would have a space rating of 40. The bigger the number, the more room there is per person. Understand that a ship that has 1000 cabins will be considered full if there are 2000 passengers on board. However, since some cabins hold more than two people, a ship with a 1000 cabins can hold more than 2000 passengers.

Next we come to the cruise lines. The cruise lines can be divided into three groups, mass market, premium and luxury. Consider mass market to be three stars, premium four stars and luxury five stars (and very expensive).

The mass market lines are very family friendly. These are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Disney (Disney is also very expensive, typically more than a premium line, but less than a luxury line). These ships are equipped to handle a large number of children. When there is no school these ships can have 20 to 35% of the passengers be under 18. Even when there is school these ships could have 5 to 10% of the passengers be under 18. These ships also offer nonstop activities. So even the adult passengers tend to be younger and active.

Next are the premium lines. These are Princess, Holland America Line (HAL) and Celebrity. Where there is no school, these ships can handle children, but not to the same extent that the mass market lines can. When there is school it is possible that 100% of the passengers will be over 18, and in fact, likely much older. The passengers on these ships tend to be less active. So you will see less of the nonstop physical activities and more mental activities (classes, lectures ...). These lines offer an upscale quality of service and food, and as a result are a little (not a lot) more expensive than the mass market lines.

Finally there are the luxury lines, such as Crystal, Silversea, Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas. These lines pride themselves on the quality of their service and food, and charge for it (these lines are a lot more expensive than the mass market lines). Passengers under the age of 18 are rare, and these lines are not equipped to handle large numbers of children. Passengers on these ships are usually well to do, older and more interested in entertaining themselves than in being entertained.

Well, there you have the basics. Hope this help.

Answer 7

Call the travel agent or the cruise line. Sometimes they put together package deals so that the air fair and cruise are all in one.
Be prepared to pay a gratuity for your steward and waiters. usually one set price. Meals are included, but you have to pay for any drinks.

Answer 8

walk in to a local travel agency, they'll be sure to help!

Answer 9

The only question I have is... Is there room for me????

Answer 10

can I be your nannie/lover!?

Answer 11

wherever you go ...take me with you