Cruises and your experience

[WillB4]

Been on a Celebrity cruise, first and last. For me to many people, average food no shore excursions, blah. Just did a Viking ocean cruise from Bergan, Norway to Scotland {5 ports} to Isle of Man, Liverpool, Wales, Dublin, Dover and finally Greenwich. Great food, excursions in every port sometimes two, AM and PM, but the best thing 900 people only. You seem to be there by yourself. Also did a Viking river cruise from Paris to Normandy and back, and we are on for another in October. Viking is the only way I will cruise.

 

[JeannoCT]

I've been on 20+ cruises. Mostly Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. I like both of them very much. To me, a cruise is the ultimate relaxation vacation. You can do what you want - participate in many activities or not. I always get a balcony. Like to sit out there and read, enjoy a cocktail or two, and be mesmerized by the water. I have done a river cruise in Europe (started in Switzerland ended in Amsterdam). It was enjoyable but not much to do on the ship. The tours were great - some were included and some were extra. I'd do it again.

 

[SubbaBub]

Not recommended as my first cruise because of rough seas?

It's not your typical cruise. Mostly it's a cruise to nowhere. First timers can be overwhelmed by the sea day crowding. Bermuda doesn't have a ton to do other than the beach and sight-seeing, it's an expensive place, they port area is meh, and everywhere else is a good cab ride away (easy, but far). November is also really cold to be that far north (like Carolina north) I would pass on the Bahamas in Nov, too. Find one that includes Aruba. Warm, no Hurricanes.

The real value in cruising (IMHO) is packing once and seeing a number of places in relative safety and convenience. There are some that enjoy just sitting by the pool drinking so sea days are just fine with them but you can do that at any lamd resort.

We did the Bermuda cruise as a last minute, no-fly option when they offerd us a suite for a balcony price. For us it was fine after hitting just about everywhere else in the N America and Europe. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as my first. The Breakaway is a top ship though.

The no-fly option is key for us in NE, not many other options.

The most important things is what you want to do. If you want to go, go. If you want a warm beach, I think you have better choices, but I wouldn't necessarily turn down a free or heavily discounted fare. As I said, I think the southern Caribbean routes from San Juan are the class of the US based itineraries.

 

[SubbaBub]

I didn't like my one cruise either. There wasn't all that much to do that didn't cost extra. Eat good food - extra. Drink booze - extra. A few shows were free. Tried to hang by the pool once; it was madness.

This is the risk. Everything stated here can be overcome with just a little prep and knowledge. It takes some experience to navigate sharing a small space with 3000+ people but it's doable.

Another reason to limit sea days on your first go.

FTR, finding the adult pool area, using the various nooks, crannies, and structures to separate yourself from the mosh, and getting to the pool by 9am are all good tips. On Breakaway, that would be the Spice H20 area opposite the bar agaisnt the railing, close to the hot tub.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

It's not your typical cruise. Mostly it's a cruise to nowhere. First timers can be overwhelmed by the sea day crowding. Bermuda doesn't have a ton to do other than the beach and sight-seeing, it's an expensive place, they port area is meh, and everywhere else is a good cab ride away (easy, but far). November is also really cold to be that far north (like Carolina north) I would pass on the Bahamas in Nov, too. Find one that includes Aruba. Warm, no Hurricanes.

The real value in cruising (IMHO) is packing once and seeing a number of places in relative safety and convenience. There are some that enjoy just sitting by the pool drinking so sea days are just fine with them but you can do that at any lamd resort.

We did the Bermuda cruise as a last minute, no-fly option when they offerd us a suite for a balcony price. For us it was fine after hitting just about everywhere else in the N America and Europe. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as my first. The Breakaway is a top ship though.

The no-fly option is key for us in NE, not many other options.

The most important things is what you want to do. If you want to go, go. If you want a warm beach, I think you have better choices, but I wouldn't necessarily turn down a free or heavily discounted fare. As I said, I think the southern Caribbean routes from San Juan are the class of the US based itineraries.

We’re in Connecticut so leaving from New York is optimal and my budget for this vacation was 4K which fits with the cruise. The beach is my favorite place also. I’ve been watching videos and the solo studio and lounge looks like I’ll probably find other singles to team up with when I’m not hanging out with my daughter and her boyfriend. I don’t like crowd’s necessarily but there seems to be enough quiet places I can find to just relax and also do my college assignments while I’m on the ship. I’ve watched a lot of videos about Norwegian and I’m thinking that this will be a fun experience while not going over budget. I appreciate your recommendations though.
Leaving from San Juan sounds awesome but I don’t think it would fit my budget for this trip. Universal is costing me almost 10K for the week prior to the cruise.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Only one Cruise, Disney Magic from Port Canaveral to Bahamas, Totola, St. Thomas, Castaway Cay and back. Beautiful classy ship. Disney ships are old school and much smaller than the floating monstrosities out there.

Had a blast. Too much drinking but there were fun options including an Irish pub with Ayinger Celebrator on tap. Food was very good, and too much of it. Did a lot of walking (on purpose). All the excursions were fun.

The young guys from Michigan running the Catamaran snorkeling excursion from St. Thomas to St. John (what a life for 20 something guys, they bought one boat and expanded to two boats) immediately knew we were Disney. Mostly because we were clean, well dressed and not drunk. He said NCL and Royal Caribbean were ok, but more economically diverse. Another line was into snob territory. Said he won't work with Carnival at all now, the people show up hammered and vomiting on the dock. Suggested not going on any booze included cruise if you want to have a good experience. Those of us who remember Nickel Night at UConn can perhaps understand why Nickel Night for 5-7 days is a problem.

 

[Excalibur]

We're not really cruise people, but we did a Med cruise in 2019 on Norwegian. That was OK, as it was a bunch of destinations that we wouldn't have otherwise visited or would be difficult to get to. Don't bother with the excursions. Use Viator, or just have a local cab driver take you somewhere (we did that in Croatia and Cephalonia, avoided the crowds, and had a great time).

Bermuda is a destination that we'd consider cruising again for, even though we've been there. The idea is basically that you just use the ship as your hotel room, so you need to do a 7-day for that to make sense. The public bus in Bermuda isn't terrible, but it's a sprawling place so it takes a while to get anywhere.

 

[Madmannsucks]

On the cruise I went on I said one night, I cannot decide between the steak or the lobster, The waiter said sire there are 5 options and you can have any one or all five. Steak AND lobster it was.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

We're not really cruise people, but we did a Med cruise in 2019 on Norwegian. That was OK, as it was a bunch of destinations that we wouldn't have otherwise visited or would be difficult to get to. Don't bother with the excursions. Use Viator, or just have a local cab driver take you somewhere (we did that in Croatia and Cephalonia, avoided the crowds, and had a great time).

Bermuda is a destination that we'd consider cruising again for, even though we've been there. The idea is basically that you just use the ship as your hotel room, so you need to do a 7-day for that to make sense. The public bus in Bermuda isn't terrible, but it's a sprawling place so it takes a while to get anywhere.

The only place in Bermuda I really want to go is horseshoe bay beach. My plan is just to be at that beach while the boat is docked. I’m counting on global warming to keep it warm enough that first week in November.

 

[HuskyHawk]

On the cruise I went on I said one night, I cannot decide between the steak or the lobster, The waiter said sire there are 5 options and you can have any one or all five. Steak AND lobster it was.

Cruising is not diet friendly. I think I gained 7 pounds in a week, and I walked a lot and went snorkeling.

 

[JeannoCT]

@HuskyHawk Curious which line was snob territory??

 

[HuskyHawk]

@HuskyHawk Curious which line was snob territory??

I think maybe Viking or Cunard? There are some cruise lines that require formal attire at dinner for example. Disney is pretty much "casual parents with money". Celebrity is fairly upscale I believe. When I did research I was a bit surprised that the boats have a particular character.

Best Cruise Ships: Cruise Ship Companies & Featured Ships - Cruise Critic

Looking for some of the top cruise ships? Cruise Critic lists cruise ship companies and some of their featured ships to help you plan your next cruise vacation.

www.cruisecritic.com

 

[Excalibur]

The only place in Bermuda I really want to go is horseshoe bay beach. My plan is just to be at that beach while the boat is docked. I’m counting on global warming to keep it warm enough that first week in November.

Horseshoe is beautiful, and it being November it probably won't be as crowded. There are other great beaches with public access if Horseshoe is mobbed.

 

[JeannoCT]

I think maybe Viking or Cunard? There are some cruise lines that require formal attire at dinner for example. Disney is pretty much "casual parents with money". Celebrity is fairly upscale I believe. When I did research I was a bit surprised that the boats have a particular character.

Best Cruise Ships: Cruise Ship Companies & Featured Ships - Cruise Critic

Looking for some of the top cruise ships? Cruise Critic lists cruise ship companies and some of their featured ships to help you plan your next cruise vacation.

www.cruisecritic.com

Celebrity is a step above Royal Caribbean. Both owned by same company. I wouldn't describe it as upscale. Celebrity/Royal still have formal nights, but fewer and fewer are participating. The last thing I want to do is get dressed up with a cocktail dress and heels! I dress for dinner but much more casual.

 

[SubbaBub]

We’re in Connecticut so leaving from New York is optimal and my budget for this vacation was 4K which fits with the cruise. The beach is my favorite place also. I’ve been watching videos and the solo studio and lounge looks like I’ll probably find other singles to team up with when I’m not hanging out with my daughter and her boyfriend. I don’t like crowd’s necessarily but there seems to be enough quiet places I can find to just relax and also do my college assignments while I’m on the ship. I’ve watched a lot of videos about Norwegian and I’m thinking that this will be a fun experience while not going over budget. I appreciate your recommendations though.
Leaving from San Juan sounds awesome but I don’t think it would fit my budget for this trip. Universal is costing me almost 10K for the week prior to the cruise.

Universal is a huge money suck. My biggest concern is the weather. NCL is a very singles friendly line. Happy hunting,

 

[WeAreUCONN]

Universal is a huge money suck. My biggest concern is the weather. NCL is a very singles friendly line. Happy hunting,

Thanks! Universal is costly but a ton of fun. I reserved a club level room at the Hard Rock for the entire week of Halloween for 4 of us.
That includes ticket admission and express passes for everyone and I paid 7K which isn’t necessarily too bad. This will be my 4th year in a row going to Universal. Halloween Horror Nights makes it more fun.

 

[dvegas]

Went on one cruise. LRBC(Blues Cruise)Headliner Tederucks. Many many others. Time of my life. You get to hang out with mingle with the performers for the week. Lil Ed of the Blues Imperials can hang with the best of them. All night jams on the main deck. Great food served 23 hours a day. I purchased the drink package. There are no discount options for this particular cruise. Best vacation ever.

I've done Jamcruise a bunch of times, its on MSC, in interesting line because its geared more towards Europeans than Americans. Same type of "festival at sea" Amazing but needed a week to recover after the 5-6 night sailing. Doubt my liver has ever recovered, very easy to sneak on liquor and other party favors. Only way I'd set foot on a cruise again (did one with extendedfamiky years ago, worst vacation ever).

 

[Viet Vet]

Long-time cruiser here, both ocean and river. Each has its pros and cons.

I sincerely hope what I am about to say does not sound arrogant, disrespectful or condescending. When cruising, like virtually anything else in a capitalist economy, you get what you pay for. When my wife and I took our first cruise (over 20 years ago), cost was paramount. We did not have many drinks, did not pay for many shore excursions hated the "suggested" tips, and had to sign up for early or late dining to join an assigned table with.........whomever. Since then, we have been fortunate to be able to afford cruising with Regent, a top-drawer cruise line that is completely all-inclusive. No tips, all drinks (yes, alcohol too) included 24/7, all shore excursions included, wi-fi included, all restaurants included with fabulous food, dine when and with whom you wish, and large cabins, all with substantial verandahs. Yes, it cost considerably more than the mainline cruise lines' base fare, but like a prepaid vacation to Disney World, once there, you don't need to spend a dime.

The ship we are sailing on this weekend accommodates only 750 passengers.

If you cruise on a mainstream ship and then added the cost of all the "extras" we have enjoyed, our total fare would not be substantially more. Higher............yes.............but worth the premium.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

Long-time cruiser here, both ocean and river. Each has its pros and cons.

I sincerely hope what I am about to say does not sound arrogant, disrespectful or condescending. When cruising, like virtually anything else in a capitalist economy, you get what you pay for. When my wife and I took our first cruise (over 20 years ago), cost was paramount. We did not have many drinks, did not pay for many shore excursions hated the "suggested" tips, and had to sign up for early or late dining to join an assigned table with.........whomever. Since then, we have been fortunate to be able to afford cruising with Regent, a top-drawer cruise line that is completely all-inclusive. No tips, all drinks (yes, alcohol too) included 24/7, all shore excursions included, wi-fi included, all restaurants included with fabulous food, dine when and with whom you wish, and large cabins, all with substantial verandahs. Yes, it cost considerably more than the mainline cruise lines' base fare, but like a prepaid vacation to Disney World, once there, you don't need to spend a dime.

The ship we are sailing on this weekend accommodates only 750 passengers.

If you cruise on a mainstream ship and then added the cost of all the "extras" we have enjoyed, our total fare would not be substantially more. Higher............yes.............but worth the premium.

Sounds nice. Norwegian Breakaway will be my first cruise but I’ll look into luxury cruises if I have a fun time on this one. I pay extra at Universal to stay at the premium hotels, club level, express passes, makes the vacation much better, so I know what you mean.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Sounds nice. Norwegian Breakaway will be my first cruise but I’ll look into luxury cruises if I have a fun time on this one. I pay extra at Universal to stay at the premium hotels, club level, express passes, makes the vacation much better, so I know what you mean.

At Universal you’d be crazy not to stay at one of the three hotels on the property that give you the included express pass at no charge. I’ve stayed at all three, did Hard Rock last time. I enjoyed the live music in the bar every night. That was fun. They give you more than the Disney properties in my opinion.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

At Universal you’d be crazy not to stay at one of the three hotels on the property that give you the included express pass at no charge. I’ve stayed at all three, did Hard Rock last time. I enjoyed the live music in the bar every night. That was fun. They give you more than the Disney properties in my opinion.

This’ll be my 4th year in a row. First was cabana bay during corona, and universal was packed. I learned my lesson and booked hard rock the next year. My daughter and I had a blast. Last year was Royal Pacific with my cousin during HHN. Another awesome time. This coming October, it’s back to the hard rock for the entire week of Halloween, and it’ll be four of us. Can’t freaking wait. Such great vibes at Universal.

 

[HuskyDevil]

At Universal you’d be crazy not to stay at one of the three hotels on the property that give you the included express pass at no charge. I’ve stayed at all three, did Hard Rock last time. I enjoyed the live music in the bar every night. That was fun. They give you more than the Disney properties in my opinion.

Best deal around...plus getting into the park an hour before the public.

 

[businesslawyer]

Long-time cruiser here, both ocean and river. Each has its pros and cons.

I sincerely hope what I am about to say does not sound arrogant, disrespectful or condescending. When cruising, like virtually anything else in a capitalist economy, you get what you pay for. When my wife and I took our first cruise (over 20 years ago), cost was paramount. We did not have many drinks, did not pay for many shore excursions hated the "suggested" tips, and had to sign up for early or late dining to join an assigned table with.........whomever. Since then, we have been fortunate to be able to afford cruising with Regent, a top-drawer cruise line that is completely all-inclusive. No tips, all drinks (yes, alcohol too) included 24/7, all shore excursions included, wi-fi included, all restaurants included with fabulous food, dine when and with whom you wish, and large cabins, all with substantial verandahs. Yes, it cost considerably more than the mainline cruise lines' base fare, but like a prepaid vacation to Disney World, once there, you don't need to spend a dime.

The ship we are sailing on this weekend accommodates only 750 passengers.

If you cruise on a mainstream ship and then added the cost of all the "extras" we have enjoyed, our total fare would not be substantially more. Higher............yes.............but worth the premium.

We have cruised twice, on Oceana, which isn't as expensive as Regent but is more expensive than NCL (of which it is an affiliate) and the other huge ships. To us, being able to eat our meals by ourselves, at whatever time we feel like, is something I don't think I can ever give up. To others, it may not matter. So yes, to each their own and despite what many say often (not always but often) you do get what you pay for.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I've been on a number of cruises and enjoy them. It's nice having someone else cook for me and I only have to do whatever I want to do. Tenders into shore aren't as common as they once were. Places are building out piers to handle the ships,
You've seen a lot of feedback on both sides and it's all irrelevant. As someone said, you'll know pretty soon if it's for you or not. Have a great time.

 

[Fishy]

Planning my first cruise for the first week in November. 7 day NCL NY to Bermuda on the Breakaway. Anyone been on this cruise before? How was your experience? I’ll be at Universal Orlando the week prior, so I’ll be just looking to relax on the cruise and in Bermuda. Horseshoe Bay beach looks like where I’ll want to be for the entire time the ship is in port, as long as it’s warm enough. I’m not a drinker but an endless supply of rum swizzles seems like a fun time on the ship and off.

Very late to this…you’ll have fun. It’s a good way to visit Bermuda. The weather is still pretty decent at that time of year and the water is still in the low 70s.

My brother actually took this very cruise last month, but the weather was bad and they were unable to get to Bermuda so it was it mostly a cruise to nowhere, but they enjoyed the shop.

I’ve taken a bunch of cruises - I enjoy them. I like not having to worry about anything…they never ask me to cook, clean, drive the ship or decide where we’re going.