Christmas Cruise

Culchie

Hi,

Just looking for advice for a good cruise over the christmas/new year period for a married couple (40 year olds) ... not looking for a rave boat, but also dont want a graveyard ship either.

Can only go around that time of year, as our business is open all other times.

The Caribbean sounds perfect but open to ideas/advice/suggestions.

Not looking for the cheapest option, but value for money important.

Thanks

chocolate_cat

Apparently Princess can be a party ship line, i have heard various stories. Carnival is a party ship line. Costa, Royal Caribbean would be in the middle. Holland American caters to older customers, Although i was on one of their ships during christmas once and it was a decent party. Check www.cruisecritic.com for hardcore advice.

xraylady

We go most years over Christmas and have found Celebrity and Royal Caribbean the best for us. We usually put together package ourselves by booking flights as early as poss in the year and then booking hotels through discount sites ( hotwire, priceline)and Cruises usually through "Vacations to Go" which have an Irish freephone number and a good website. We have often done well by booking in Dollars. Having said all that its worth checking the Irish agents for same package and see how they compare. Unfortunately when you go OVER Christmas or New Year, the prices can be double those in early Jan, but these Holiday weeks are best for us but its a killer to see the diff a week or two either way can make. We usually pay about max $2000 (€1430) pp for 7 night Balcony cabin. Also, unlike normally, Cruise prices never come down close to saildate ( for Christmas ) so if price reasonable don't wait. Already now theyre creeping up for this year. Also, usually no cruise credits or deals available unless youre v lucky and you book a year or so out.. youd be surprised but some seasoned cruisers have cruises booked for 2012 1nd 2013 already. Enjoy!

Miss Boudoir

Well I have never been on a cruise yet, but myself and the family are going on one this Christmas coming and I have spent a huge amount of time planning it.

Best Tips:

I chose Southern Caribbean, ie Puerto Rico as it will be warmer. A nice 28 to 30 Degrees.

Use ebookers.ie to save a fortune on flights and accom

I decided on the Serenade of the Seas with Royal Caribbean, as its not a massive. I don't like the idea of getting lost in a maze of corridors trying to find your room. Plus read great reviews online about it.

Also went for a room in the middle of the ship (interior) to avoid the rocking of the ship at night. Only costs a little extra to change what floor you are on.

I think on most ships you are going to have a mix of the young and old, but they cater for everyone with different bars, activities etc. Your not going to escape either having loads of kids or old folks on board.

Hope you book something nice! I know I'm extremely excited about our holiday!!

Culchie

Miss Boudoir wrote: »

Well I have never been on a cruise yet, but myself and the family are going on one this Christmas coming and I have spent a huge amount of time planning it.

Best Tips:

I chose Southern Caribbean, ie Puerto Rico as it will be warmer. A nice 28 to 30 Degrees.

Use ebookers.ie to save a fortune on flights and accom

I decided on the Serenade of the Seas with Royal Caribbean, as its not a massive. I don't like the idea of getting lost in a maze of corridors trying to find your room. Plus read great reviews online about it.

Also went for a room in the middle of the ship (interior) to avoid the rocking of the ship at night. Only costs a little extra to change what floor you are on.

I think on most ships you are going to have a mix of the young and old, but they cater for everyone with different bars, activities etc. Your not going to escape either having loads of kids or old folks on board.

Hope you book something nice! I know I'm extremely excited about our holiday!!

Sounds Fab ! ...Can I be nosey and ask how much you paid for this?

budget1984

Hi

really interested in this too.

we are looking to go on Caribbean cruise in November and also stay 3 or 4 nights in Orlando.

where can I book the complete package??

Bens

budget1984 wrote: »

Hi

really interested in this too.

we are looking to go on Caribbean cruise in November and also stay 3 or 4 nights in Orlando.

where can I book the complete package??

Dont book the complete package with anyone. You'll pay at least 4 times the price.

Book your flights to and from Orlando.
Arrive the 3 or 4 days before your cruise and book your hotel yourself (stay on international drive).
There are transfer companies that will take you to port canaveral for your cruise for about $20 a head each way. Cruise companies charge about $50 a head each way. All the hotels will arrange these for you.

There will be loads of cruises to the Caribbean for you to choose from, from Port Canaveral.

For example a 1 week Caribbean cruise in November should be about $400 or less even per person for an inside cabin and maybe another $100 for an outside cabin. Dont get an inside cabin if you are in any way claustrophobic.
http://www.cruise.com/

Book your flight home for the same day the ship gets in, for about 2pm. The ships are never late and that will give you plenty of time to get to the airport off the ship.

The advantage of doing your Orlando stay before the cruise is that if your flights are late you have days to get there and wont miss the ship. On the day you get off the ship you save yourself the night in a hotel and fly straight home.

missmoo

Book your flight home for the same day the ship gets in, for about 2pm. The ships are never late and that will give you plenty of time to get to the airport off the ship..[/QUOTE]

be a little wary of that, ships do occasionally dock late, one cruise i was on, there was a bomb scare in port of miami, nothing coming in or going out, dense for also means ships can't dock, so do be aware that it doesn't ALWAYS dock on time

Cruisebuff

Bens,

First off, I'm with missmoo, ships do dock late. Currently it's Hurricane season - last week passengers were left behind because the ship went early. So, schedules can be effected for many reasons. Generally they don't! BUT, always good to have a back up plan.

Saving 4 times the amount - I'm afraid I'd differ on this also. Price of the flights are pretty much the same wherever you book them, maybe 10.00 or 20.00 Euro diffs but agents and online work out of the same reservation systems and it's only if they have special deals with an airline do the prices really differ and usually it's not a huge gap. Hotels, again, you have travel agent and internet prices. Sometimes one is cheaper or dearer than the other but again you are not showing big differences.

I've just done a costing on a cruise for myself for christmas and there was all of €30.00 for a family of 4 from Miami with Royal Caribbean. Flights varied by airline but not really by website, and the hotel, the travel agent had the best price. So, when it was all put together, I went with the travel agent.

Job done
Cheerio
Cruisebuff

Bens

Cruisebuff wrote: »

Bens,

First off, I'm with missmoo, ships do dock late. Currently it's Hurricane season - last week passengers were left behind because the ship went early. So, schedules can be effected for many reasons. Generally they don't! BUT, always good to have a back up plan.

Saving 4 times the amount - I'm afraid I'd differ on this also. Price of the flights are pretty much the same wherever you book them, maybe 10.00 or 20.00 Euro diffs but agents and online work out of the same reservation systems and it's only if they have special deals with an airline do the prices really differ and usually it's not a huge gap. Hotels, again, you have travel agent and internet prices. Sometimes one is cheaper or dearer than the other but again you are not showing big differences.

I've just done a costing on a cruise for myself for christmas and there was all of €30.00 for a family of 4 from Miami with Royal Caribbean. Flights varied by airline but not really by website, and the hotel, the travel agent had the best price. So, when it was all put together, I went with the travel agent.

Job done
Cheerio
Cruisebuff

You sound like a travel agent
If the OP goes to cruise.com or similar. Get a price on the cruise.
They can then go to the travel agent armed with the price.
Then they can decide.

Cruisebuff

Hi Bens,

Really I'm just someone who really enjoys cruising. And when you go for a pint on a Friday night, holidays come up for discussion. Now, I've cruised alot. And you hear the story of the lad who saved a fortune coz his Mrs heard it from Mary across the road, that on the 3rd Thursday of a month with an M in it, that such a website will sell off all the cruises etc etc. And so you meet Mary but you find, that actually it was a boat with oars which was being sold off.
So, now I just get on with it. However, I have yet to find any travel which was 1/4 the price by making it up myself. The price is the price by and large. And yes Bens you are dead right, figure out what you think is the costing and then get a professional to have a look, all that glitters may not be gold (as I found out on an early "cruise" which would have have made B&I look great in their darkest days). But I learned my lesson.

Aren't the nights drawin in quare quick.

Rgds
CB