Honeymoon September 2013

blindside88

Hey guys,

Sorry for the long message now. I was in the travel agents today looking for a honeymoon for next September. We have a budget of 4k (could stretch it slightly), we were looking at a cruise and a week in Italy (Sorrento). We got a price for this with a 7 night med cruise on Royal Caribbean and a week in Sorrento. It came in at €5780 so well over budget. The travel agent recommended a cruise company called MSC but i've since read a number of bad reviews about the service of this provider so I have a couple of questions.

1) has anyone here used MSC and how did they find it?

2) Any ideas on where else would be nice for a week this time of year, preferably shorthall that we could combine with the stay in Italy. I know thats a very open question

Thanks in advance

Blindside

Senna

MSC could be considered the Ryanair of cruising, nothing wrong with them, but for a honeymoon i wouldn't cheap out on any aspect. Their target market is Continental Europeans and that puts off a lot of Irish/UK people, food and service is acceptable, but not of the standard of more popular cruising companies. Very little entertainment as there is such a variety of languages on board, so comedy and music cant really be done to suit all tastes.

€5000+ sounds excessive. We honeymooned in September 2010, flights to Porto Rico, 4 nights in a 5 star hotel, then 7 nights on a Royal Caribbean cruise (south Caribbean to get the good weather), it came in at €3500, booked through a travel agent in my local town. I know that's long haul, but well worth it.

blindside88

Thanks senna. I thought 4000 would get us plenty and as you said I don't want to skimp out. I don't mind going long haul as such but I had assumed it would have been more expensive. I'll look into that. How did u find the caribean in September, is that the end of hurricane season

Senna

blindside88 wrote: »

caribean in September, is that the end of hurricane season

Yeah although i think Hurricanes can occur from April to December so you could never guarantee against. We went on a South Caribbean cruise as the south rarely would get hit by one. Weather was lovely but too hot on some days 35oC+. The cruise ships can alter their itinerary to stay away from any bad storms, but of course the danger is the airport you're flying into being closed.

I would have no hesitation booking again (i wish i could afford to do it again) but its really down to you whether you are willing to take a 2-3% gamble.

blindside88

I spent the day looking into it and the carribean seems like the way to go, I may very well copy your honeymoon senna I'm also looking at a week in Florida followed by the cruise. Thanks again

Senna

blindside88 wrote: »

I spent the day looking into it and the carribean seems like the way to go, I may very well copy your honeymoon senna I'm also looking at a week in Florida followed by the cruise. Thanks again

Just remember that Florida and Miami has a higher chance of getting hit than the south Caribbean, but still minimal. I'd give anything to be planning that holiday again, Lucky YOU.....;)

blindside88

Thanks. Do you minding where you stayed in puerto rico or what area you'd recommend staying in

Senna

We stayed at the Intercontinental resort in San Juan, most of the hotels (except business hotels) were all along the beach, get a balcony room with a sea view, its well worth it. There's not a lot to do in San Juan, but it lovely for just relaxing at the hotel/beach during the day and heading into the Marina area during the evening. the hotel beside the Intercontinental had a casino, entertainment and show etc, we were recommended not to stay there as its very noisy, but to stay close and visit it a few evening.

angeldelight

We got married in September this year and had a week in Florida followed by a week cruise with RC (Freedom of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean). We had amazing weather the whole time, and the stops we went to were so clean and gorgeous - it was a dream come true. Also RC are definitely the way to go, the standard of food etc on the ship was fantastic. Hope you have a ball

gafferino

I would also suggest not using travel agents you are just paying a large fee for them to organise it. Shouldnt be too hard to organise yourself online especially with recommendations from others on where to stay. I've been to Italy a lot (Florence/Sienna, Tuscany and above up to Lake Garda) so if you want any info on that region more than happy to help.

ftm2008

gafferino wrote: »

I would also suggest not using travel agents you are just paying a large fee for them to organise it. Shouldnt be too hard to organise yourself online especially with recommendations from others on where to stay. I've been to Italy a lot (Florence/Sienna, Tuscany and above up to Lake Garda) so if you want any info on that region more than happy to help.

hi gafferino,,, i would definitely be interested in hearing your knowledge on Lake Garda.
i am planning a honeymoon in Lake Garda for next August - budget similar to OP. At the moment i am looking at Desenzano for around 11 nights booking by myself.
We are looking at the south of the lake for a couple or reasons - near Verona airport - less travel - and Gardaland (our 8yr old is coming so we need to give her a day or 2 there!), proximity to Verona for maybe an opera, Venice - day trip etc

to book on our own flights will cost approx 900 leaving around 3k for a hotel.

any advice would be greatly appreciated
thx

Senna

gafferino wrote: »

I would also suggest not using travel agents you are just paying a large fee for them to organise it.

I book every holiday online but for the honeymoon i went with a travel agency, they actually got us a better rate (upgraded room) for the hotel than i could online, in the end the total (4 separate bookings) cost was less than €100 more including an upgrade. For the biggest holiday of your life, the comfort of someone else taking care of it was well worth the small amount extra (that's if there is an extra amount).

blindside88

Thanks everyone for your help. I've got a rough price now on the stay, cruise and flights. I'm going to call the travel agent today and see what they come back what they come back with. If they are around the same I'd let them organise it and save myself the hassle