cruising virgin...

sailingrose · June 25, 2006

Welcome aboard! Glad you joined us. Ask as many questions as you want, we love to talk about cruising!

A good travel agent is important but as it's been said it's hard to tell who the good ones are. May I suggest going to your local agent and getting the cruiselines books. For a family I'd recommend Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean. If your not into formal nights then I'd also include NCL.

Don't lock yourself into one cabin, we usually book 2 now. Sometimes it can be only a few hundred dollars more and IMHO worth it for the alone time we get. Ask to have trips priced both ways. As far as a large cabin, you really spend little time in it except to sleep and shower, if your budgeting you won't need a huge suite.

We'll all be glad to help anyway we can.

DaCruzNut · June 25, 2006

Hi, and welcome to our family. Hope you'll stick around and play with us.

Discount stores are fine for savin money if you know exactly what you want. I'd wait 'til my 3rd or 4th cruise for that. Right now, I'd o with a cuise-only travel aent. If you're near one, drop in. If not, use one that works by phone, not online. For your first few cruises you want help and you want to be able to talk to a real person. Once you 'get to know the ropes,' you can use Sam's or B.J.'s

I always try to sail a week, or two, before Christmas. The rates are fantastic, The ships aren't crowded and the ships all decorated for the Holiday Season. There's a festive air without the cost, and crowding, of a Holiday Cruise.

As far as which line, for a first cruise, with children, I always recommend Carnival. I've been on most of the major lines, several times, including a dozen no longer around, and that's my opinion. It's not my favorite line, and that;s not why I'm recommending it. I just feel it's a good choice for a first cruise.

frostyboy64 · June 26, 2006

first way to go cruiseing is so much fun. i got the bug 6 years a go and have not stoped. i have went with my family and by myself.

for a starting cruise try a 3 or 4 day cruise. and get the fell of cruiseing

and 7 day cruises later when you know whats going on.

have fun and cruise away

schatje · June 26, 2006

Welcome aboard ! Remember no question is a dumb question on this board :smiley: There always seems to be people here that know first hand or several people who will help you do some research. :smiley:

willisonboard · June 26, 2006

Wow, thanks everyone for all the responses! Lots of great tips. I will definitely look into pre-xmas timing. As far as getting that precious alone time with the 2 rooms -- unfortunately, doesn't usually work out that way for us on trips! I just know my 10-yr old will want to sleep with one of us in the room. So even if we had 2 rooms, it more than likely would be one parent/one child in each for the actual sleeping.

Also, I'll read the reviews on this site -- I didn't realize they were there. I remember hearing that most people don't like Carnival, so I was actually thinking Royal Caribbean was the way to go. Why is it that Carnival is unpopular? Is it because there are too many young children, or is the service poor, amenities sparce? Anyway, I will go thru the reviews.

Thanks again for all the help!

Mo

rogue · June 26, 2006

Hi willisonboard and welcome to CruiseCrazies.

I think that you have probably talked to the wrong people about Carnival. I'll be willing to bet that most people who have sailed on Carnival probably like it. We have dailed on Carnival, RCCL, and Princess and have found that they really have much more in common than not. I have found things that I liked and didn't like on all 3. I can't believe that on a 1st cruise, you can go wrong with any of the cruise lines. Even our worst cruise was great.

BTW, ask our fearless leader, Cheryl, what she thinks of Carnival. Enjoy! :grin:

KeithnRita · June 26, 2006

Hi Mo and welcome to CruiseCrazies. Of the 13 cruise we've been on, 3 have been on Carnival and they all have been very good cruises. There is no bad cruises. Carnival is not unpopular to the masses, and is especially popular with the family cruisers.

The food, service, and amenities are all good. You can get some great prices on Carnival, as well, so I would not rule them out.