Booking a first timer cruise

purplecow1977 · 22-06-2025 04:25PM #1

Hi,

Myself and my husband are sharing a significant birthday next year. I'd like to try a cruise. He's not keen, but I think I'm going to go anyway - even if I have to go with my mother! (I'm probably going to include her anyway!). I've contacted 2 travel agent people who both want to phone me to discuss options. I find phone calls very overwhelming and never take in information properly and even though I explained email is better for me, I'm no further on. Can anyone advise on the following:

I wish to travel between May - July 2026. 2 adults, 2 children (5 and 3). Possibly 4 adults, depending! I like the look of the MSC line but the multitude of ships & their different features is overwhelming. My main aim is that it's family and kid friendly - this is a holiday so I want to ensure my kids can attend a kids club some of the time! 7 nights in the Mediterranean - has anyone any advice on booking a cruise? Or on the specifics of the MSC ships? I've checked various sites and they ALL sound great!

Strumms · 22-06-2025 04:39PM

get one of the newer MSC ships. They are incredible, a couple of the older ones not so much by current standards nowadays….Talk to Carmel Aylward with The Travel Broker. She’s their cruise specialist and knows cruise holidays inside out.

We’ve been booking with her through this company and her previous employer for about 18 years…. She genuinely excellent.

https://travelbroker.ie/about-the-team/

finbarrk · 23-06-2025 08:02AM

MSC will be fine for you. We had the kids on one of them before. A Mediterranean trip from Barcelona.

fitzparker · 23-06-2025 08:23AM

MSC is perfect, booking direct is fine, especially from Barcelona.

This port is probably the best for first timers, as there are multiple flights and airlines daily and the port is close to the airport.

really for a ship you only need to decide 2 things - where you want to stay (inside, outside, balcony) and if you want a drinks package and if so which one, for MSC there are I think 3 alcoholic ones and 1 non alcoholic - each one depends on what standard/type of drink you get ( each person in the room has to have the same one (kids get non alcoholic, this includes I think ice cream and hot chocolates)

Your buffets are always included, then restaurants on board are separate, you can buy a package for these pre sailing

Regards the ship, as suggested above, go with the newer ones - anything from the seaside class onwards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSC_Cruises

With MSC it allows you to filter by port and ship

Mike3549 · 24-06-2025 12:30AM

I always check vacationstogo.com first, but just to get the itineraries and the "from" prices. Website is kinda crap and you have to contact them for the actual price. Then I go to Americandiscountcruises.com, or cruise.com or MSc directly

Our 1st MSc bellisima was from Barcelona. Awesome experience. Booked through ADC. Paid deposit and the balance 100 days before the cruise.

We just came back from our new York Bahamas MSc Meraviglia cruise. Booked directly. Same class ship. Same payment option.

But with a currently weak dollar, I would book through American agents. I already checked the price, one hell of a difference in price and perks.

There's a new "world" class of MSc ships now.

Some piece of art.

World Europe sails from Barcelona I think.

All new-ish big fancy MSc ships sail in Western Mediterranean. Unfortunately if you want to visit greek islands, you'll have to stick to the smaller and older ships with no aqua parks. Something to consider if travelling with kids.

purplecow1977 · 26-06-2025 04:14PM

Thanks all. I booked the Seaview from Barcelona. Have to get potty training the little one before then! Thanks for all your help.

alanc2003 · 30-06-2025 04:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123574416#Comment_123574416

How where ADC to deal with? I have the mergivillia booked for next year but interested in the world america if the price is right

Mike3549 · 01-07-2025 06:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123593405#Comment_123593405

I don't really have much to say about this. We contacted them only once or twice. Once just before 100 day mark, there was a price drop in some cabins and we decided that we can afford an upgrade. Their office was still closed due to different time zones, so we sent an email, with the cabin number we've interested in. They replied the same day, but unfortunately in those 4-5 hours price went up just a little bit. It was still a really good price, but we decided not to go ahead with an upgrade. Another time we just called for final payment by card.

This was back in 2019, probably a lot of things changed.

I might be wrong, but I think you meant "MSc world Europe"????

Meraviglia sails from New York and later repositions to Mediterranean next year. World Europe also in Mediterranean, similar itinerary, and world America in Caribbean, sailing from Miami.

If you're looking at Caribbean/Bahamas cruise, then definitely go with world America.

Meraviglias bahamas itinerary isn't that great. 3 days at sea, arrive at Port Canaveral and Nassau quite late at 1pm and there's a chance you'll miss an ocean cay due to narrow channel, strong winds or currents, then you get a 4th day at sea. It's good if you want to combine a trip to New York and a cruise, just like we did and it was perfect for us, or you live a couple of hours away.

Hope that helps

alanc2003 · 02-07-2025 11:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123596587#Comment_123596587

Thanks, i have been on the world europa. Really enjoyed that but the World America looks even better. I have the meraviglia booked for April, combined with a trip to NYC. It was a decent price for the meraviglia and looks to be a decent ship.

Ah ok, id like to see ocean cay so hopefully its alright the time we go. I dont think id fancy 4 days at sea

spurious · 03-07-2025 03:44PM

If you are considering excursions, use something like the ports guide on cruisecritic to see the selection of non-cruiseline arranged trips. They will be SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper.

eeloe · 15-07-2025 09:01AM

You'll be surprised to find out, your husband is going to LOVE the cruise once he's on it.

I was like him when my wife booked a cruise for our honeymoon 10 years ago, and i'm hooked since, we've been on 7-8 cruises since, there's genuinely so much to do on the ship all the time, it's really a fantastic way to holiday.

The only cruise i didn't have a good time on was the MSC World Europa in the Emirates, it was a really weird crowd of people, and a lot of pushing and shoving at the bars at at the buffet, but apart from that it was a great holiday, the ship itself was outstanding(it was brand new at the time) and the staff were really good, considering the ignorance of some of the guests on the ship.

coylemj · 15-07-2025 02:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123601857#Comment_123601857

Research on each port is essential, the official excursions are expensive and you really need to check for alternatives. Even to simply wander around the local town or city will be expensive if you stick to the official transport. I was once on a cruise where the official shuttle to the town was €19. We followed some crew members off the ship, that led us to a tourist office in the port which was about a 1 km walk from the ship. We enquired about local transport and they sold us a €1 ticket for the bus to the town centre.

In Dubrovnik, the official shuttle bus from the cruise terminal to the walled city was €20 per person. We strolled off the ship and found a line of taxis across the road, the one at the head of the queue was a spotlessly clean Skoda Octavia, he took the four of us to the walled city for €10.

But, for trips that will take you more than a few kms from the ship, you need to seriously consider the official excursions because the ship will wait for those buses to return. They will not wait for your independent bus so if it has a breakdown or an accident and you fail to make the sailing deadline, the ship will depart without you.

deisemum · 15-07-2025 06:14PM

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/ is a great resource, if you see any ships/cruises/routes that may appeal to you just go to that site's forum and you'll find so much information plus people are very helpful providing tips and information.

Here's a link to an old thread about cruising and there's a lot of helpful information too.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2056848146/cruising-travel-by-waterways-megathread/p1

If you decide on a route and want information on excursions at the different ports just ask and someone may be able to help.

On my first cruise 10 years ago MSC were charging €16.80pp to bus passengers from the ship to the port gate entrance to the city in Marseille. However on that old boards thread I was advised to walk 10 mins to a bus stop and there was a free shuttle bus to take passengers to the port gate entrance.

cee_jay · 31-07-2025 08:11PM

https://www.whatsinport.com/

I find What's in Port great for a very quick guide to the port - if excursions are recommended or not, what attractions are popular etc.

Also look for the FB group for your specific sailing. There are often people posting about shared private excursions.

Booking a first timer cruise

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