Cruises for Dummies
 

Hello,

We have never been on a cruise before. We are thinking about it but we have NO IDEA of where to start! Can do well with airfare/hotels/rental cars but cruises I am totally clueless.

We are a family in our mid 30s, and a boy 7 1/2 and girl 3 yrs old. Obviously we are not looking for a party cruise:-)

We live in Michigan and getting a flight to Florida should be no problem.

Big ships sound kind of appealing...getting lost in all the activities on ship. 3 to 6/7 nights sounds perfect, no longer than a week.

Any recommendations of where to start? Is there a document online like Cruises 101? Any cruise companies and ships you recommend? Any particular destinations? Any good places to book these and hopefully get some good bargains?

Any help appreciated.

Thank you.

Since you feel comfortable doing other travel arrangements, you should pick up the cruise "thing" pretty quickly. Here are some tips off the top of my head; I'm sure others will chime in with additional advice.

- Maybe you should pick a budget. For the cruise lengths you're talking, you could spend between $1K and $20K. That will help you narrow down your destination, cruise line, length, and cabin type.

- Personally, I think that a good first cruise is the Caribbean, which it sounds like you're considering given your statement on how it's easy for you to get to Florida. Keep in mind, though, that Caribbean cruises depart from all over the east coast; Florida is not your only option. Alaska is another great "starter" cruise, and it's not all that hard to get to Seattle or Vancouver, either.

- I would advise you to get the biggest cabin you can comfortable afford, definitely with a balcony at least. After this cruise, you can stay in tiny inside cabins if you decide that's your thing, but if you go that route now and hate it, you'll have a miserable vacation.

- By the same token, I would recommend a premium cruise line like Holland America, Celebrity, or Disney. Stay away from Carnival, and probably avoid Norweigian and Princess. If your budget and tastes allow it, Radisson and Crystal are excellent upscale lines (but with less in the way of children's activities, so beware).

- Around a week is a good length of time for a first cruise. Any shorter and you're not really allowing yourself the full experience. Any longer, and you all may get cabin fever, ruining your chance to enjoy future cruises together.

Let me know what you think of this advice and then I'll write back with more opinions. I'm happy to be more pointed if you'd like, but for now I'm trying to be balanced and impartial! ;)

Don't automatically spring for a veranda/balcony - if you go on a cold weather cruise or one with lots of ocean time (wind) you will spend practically no time on the veranda/balcony - and you can see the world just fine from one of the open decks if you really have to have the wind in your hair for a while. On the other hand, in warm weather - they are great!

Disney is great for kids, I'm told - and your kids are ideal ages for a Disney thing. Also, Royal Caribbean (the less expensive owner of Celebrity) does advertise a lot of kid's things. Yes, Carnival is a "party" ship - especially Mexico.

Enjoy!

Since you're looking for lots of onboard activities - I would not recommend Radisson (even though I love it and have been on 7 times) since they don't have much on board activities and very few children on usually (might be different in Caribbean but I've only been on in Europe and Tahiti).

I probably would say that a Balcony is not an absolute necessity but make sure you get at least a full outside window cabin (might be a bad experience with small inside cabin or cabin with only portholes).

Thanks so much for the responses so far, they are very helpful.

We were thinking Carribean primarily.

Balcony sure sounds appealing and we may spring for it if the price is not way more.

As a frequent Priceline user we do really want to find a BARGAIN--this is one of the main criteria, probably the primary one. I have heard good things about Carnival but I don't know for sure. I looked at the Disney Cruise line a few years ago and we would just not pay the price they were asking.

I think the ship is more important than the rest...Need to have lots of activities, swimming pools, stuff for kids, better than decent food, quiet at night so we can sleep easy, and Internet access -->this is very important, need to at least know what's going on with work....I know I know we are on vacation, can't help it:-)

From East Coast: any good ones leaving from New York City?? We have relatives there and visit often.

Read an article about the biggest cruise ship ever some months ago....The Mary something...it sounded and looked very cool.

I'm studying up on cruises as well. If you haven't already stumbled across it, I recommend the website www.cruisemates.com. It's kind of a one-stop shop for helpful cruise information. Of course there are other cruise websites as well, but Cruisemates is pretty all-encompassing. Check out the "First time Cruisers" and "Family Cruising" sections, for example.

As for itineraries from various ports (NYC, for example), start at this page:

http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/itineraries/

Since you are traveling with young children, I would recommend Disney. They are geared more toward children than the other cruise lines - with activities even for 3 year olds that give parents a break. When your children are a bit older, you may want to think about expanding your adventures to some of the other cruise lines mentioned.

One thing I can recommend - if you can, find an itinerary where your first day is a day at sea. This will give you a day to get your bearings on ship and de-stress from the journey to your port (especially if you don't get to your embarkation port until the day you sail).

Besides, there's something magical about waking up your first day and being surrounded by all that water.

Get the best cabin you can afford, and I do think a balcony is worth the money! (A balcony cabin may also be a little larger than some of the others, and you will have 4 people in yours.)

Also, I highly recommend finding a good cruise travel agent for your first cruise, since he/she should be able to quickly advise you on what's a good choice or a bad choice. Unless you really like doing all that research and agonizing. ;)

Actually this is a good recommendation for all cruises since travel agents usually discount cruise fares (below what you can get if you booked directly with the lines) - unlike airlines.

Since I try to cruise about 3 times a year, I will chime in with my two cents.

If you are looking for a bargain cruise, forget NYC. Most of those cruises are sold well in advance and for close to full price. Galveston has had some great bargains and the air cost should be about the same as to Florida.

The "largest" cruise ship you heard about was the Queen Mary II. No real bargains there (and certainly not much for kids) unless you book one of the transatlantics. That entails one way air to or from the UK.

Try Vacationstogo.com. They have some heavily discounted cruises 90 days before cruising.

With kids, Royal Caribbean probably has the most activities-rock wall, ice skating rinks, etc. BUT Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are no longer offering much in the way of discounts through TA's. I have heard great things about Disney's kids program, but you are correct, they do not discount much, as they are sold out.

Look into NCL. Freestyle (meaning no formal and no fixed dining). And they are supposed to have a decent kids program. Carnival may be tooooo much of a "party hardy" atmosphere, unless you cruise during the summer. Don't need to expose the kids to a drunken party. My one and only Carnival cruise looked like an overgrown frat party. People were actually pouring beer from a funnel off someone's balcony to their friends on the deck below. And the "hairy chest" and "belly flop" contests were disgusting. Could be my age (55), but I was truly appalled. It would have been a hoot at 25, but NOT for families or us ADULTS. :rolleyes:

I think I remember the winner of the "hairy chest" contest - a middle-aged lady from ... :D

(Sorry - couldn't resist).

Actually - the advice given by greatam is right on target!

I found this site to be invaluable, there is also a message board where you can lurk and learn all kinds of things you may never even contemplate.

For questions regarding cruising... I go to
 

www.cruisecritic.com it is highly recommended!

Another vote for www.cruisecritic.com ^

I know you said that getting a BARGAIN is your first priority, but I really think you should look for a good VALUE. That may not be the cheapest option, but the one that offers the most overall benefit for a given price.

When you do your normal traveling (with your family), do you stay in Ritz-Carltons, Hiltons, Motel 6's, or whatever run-down no-name dive you see a billboard for with a cheap rate? Cruise lines run that gamut as well, and you would be similarly well-served to look at more than simply who has the cheapest fares.

Given all your other considerations, I now recommend Disney Cruise Line. Maybe get a smaller cabin to save a few bucks, but the overall experience sounds like exactly what you're looking for.

Cruise Critic is indeed a great website. Have gone through the first timers section already.

Forget leaving from NYC. Leave from Florida and sail for Carribean.

I should have rephrased that we are looking for VALUE and not Bargain. I indeed like to stay in Hiltons and sometimes in Marriotts and Sheratons...Have done the Hilton Waikoloa and two Sheratons in Tahiti. I will occassionally do a Hampton Inn and really like using Hilton Point Stretchers. I will bid Priceline often and never bid less than a 3*. I avoid the Days Inn properties...you know, that chain with the new Trip Rewards points program.

After reading more it comes down to two cruise lines: Royal Carribean and Disney. Since Disney tends to be on the high end we will probably save it for some other time when the budget can afford it and try to combine it with a stay at Disney World...So Royal Carribean sounds like the cruise line we will be targeting....OK, now got to zero in on the ship and the itinerary and timeline...Anyone has had good experience with travel agents that you will happily recommend? I have not used on since one booked me on an "illegal" connection that left me stranded in JFK overnight many years ago!

I would recommend using a live travel agent - as opposed to an online travel agent. I've booked cruises both ways, and find I get much better service from a faceto-face travel agent. One of the larger travel agencies may also be able to use their collective clout to get you a better deal - i.e., a cabin upgrade or flight upgrade.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise! :)

Just did a quick check. Royal Caribbean out of Galveston, Rhapsody of the Seas, runs about $200.00 less pp for 7 days than various RCCL ships out of Florida. Ports out of Galveston are generally the Caymans, Cozumel and Key West. Would be perfect for a first cruise. Lots of stuff for the kids to do, good value, and air should be about the same from DTW as Florida. Food for thought.

Just a heads-up. We LIVE for cruises and have taken dozens on a variety of cruise ships.
Far and away, our favorite is the Holland-America cruise line. HA is a part of the Carnival Cruise Line mega-corporation as are many other cruise lines. It ranks around a 3.5 - 4.0 on a 1-5 quality scale IMO.
Make sure you check out HA if you want an upscale cruise that won't break the budget as much as Silverseas, Costa, Crystal, etc.

That's great news, but has little to do with what the OP has in mind. RCCL is probably his best bet.

We do a lot of cruising since we live in Florida and it is easy to do from here.
I have gotten a lot of good info from a web site called www.cruisecritic.com.

Also for prices, I usually us my local travel agent but I double check their prices on orbitz and "vacations to go". I have gotten a couple of unbeatable
fares from vacations to go. I also go to the NCL website to check their specials but will book through my local agent on those.

Another consideration depending when you leave is to get to the port of departure a day or two early. You dont want the boat to leave without you and with weather delays to airline flights etc. that could happen. I think if you book air through the cruise line and are delayed they take care of that issue but verify that with the particular cruise line.

We have NEVER been on a bad cruise. Most cruise lines have childrens programs so that should not be an issue. Pick an itinerary that you will find interesting and go with it if the price is right.

We generally prefer NCl or Holland America. NCL because we really like the freestyle dining and Holland because they generally have larger cabins (as does carnival -believe it or not) and at least up until recently the service was somewhat more personalized. You are younger than us and might even enjoy Carnival because they do attract a younger crowd.

We have never been on Disney so we cant comment on that.

I agree with the comments about balconies.

Cabin pricing-if we do not get a balcony we book the cheapest outside cabin we can get. Generally all of the outside cabins are about the same size and that is what is important to us.

I hope this helps you.

Well since the OP's Title is Cruising for Dummies. May I suggest "Cruising for Dummies" By Fodor's. Available at your local Map or Book Store.

Commercialism aside, I would recommend a decent live Travel Agent for your first Cruise. On-Line is great if you know what you are doing, but for a first cruise you really do not know, nor can you really learn about the Ships and Cruise Lines adequately.

That said, the cheapest (7 day) cruises are usually Western Caribbean on Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Expect to pay about $500 to $800 per person (including the kids!) Although I have never cruised them, Costa used to have kids fares at $99 per week. Disney is good for kids but the prices are usually set in stone. One option that many parents may want to consider is Disney's Park/Cruise option. This consists of 3 days at Orlando at the Parks and a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas.

And one more caution. The cruise lines are now REQUIRED to check Passports for all passengers. This includes kids. You used to be able to get by with a Birth Certificate and Drivers License or other Photo ID, but TSA had to get involved.

Hope this helps.

You're on the right track
 

You have done well and it sounds like Royal caribbean will be great for your family. I am a travel agent and have thought of a couple things while reading the posts here. Be sure to factor in all the extras that come up when you're on the boat. For your family, tipping will be about $40/day. Also, soda pop, alcohol, meals in their specialty restaurants, gambling, professional photos, shore excursions and night time babysitting are not included in your cruise fare. All these items will be billed to your on board account.


Seriously consider trip insurace. As you know, kids get sick all the time. It would really be unfortunate if a little one got the chicken pox or some other illness at the last minute that required you to miss your trip and lose your money. Additionally, if a kid gets more than a minor illness on the boat or has an accident, the doctor on board will not hesistate to airlift him/her off the boat. (about 10k...ouch) Also.....a little thing some families do that has paid off more than once is ask your pediatrician for some suggestions on medicines to take should something come up for your kids. (earache or upset tummy medicine etc.)

Some cruise lines have rooms with connecting doors like in hotels. You can often book two rooms that connect for about the same cost as one room for all four of you. It also gives you a bit more privacy and sanity. To get the best cruise rate, consider going during a time that most kids are in school. There will certainly be other kids on the boat, but the demand for space is less so your cruisefare will be less.

Have a great trip.
Tracey

Wow, the FT community always comes through, your posts have been so helpful and, hopefully, this thread can be used by more FTers who are thinking about going on their first cruise.

I have been reading more on cruisecritic.com and have been subscribed to the vacationstogo.com email newsletter, along with bookmarking the Royal Caribbean website and checking their "Hot Deals" Sections.

I think we are targeting Royal Caribbean's "Voyager" (...of the Seas) line of ships because they are large and newer. This line includes: Explorer of the Seas, Adventure OFS, Mariner OFS,Navigator OFS, and Voyager OFS. I am sure the rest of the ships are nice too but, for the 1st cruise, we want to go for the biggest and newest. I am sure all of these ships are very similar correct? Keeping the "Value" in mind, is there anyone that stands out or anything else that we should know about them?

I have many other questions, these are as "dumb" as you can get from a cruise newbie:

-I see all these prices advertised. What should I be counting on paying on top of them? Do these prices reflect port fees? I did go through the RC hot deal reservation process just to see what's added and I saw they added about $250 dollars in taxes on top of the advertised prices...Is it normal to assume about $250 in taxes for a cruise between 5 to 7 nights in the Caribbean (or maybe Bermuda too)?

-A draw on cruises is that they are supposed to be all inclusive. Why do they stick you with drinks? Do they also make you pay for water and coffee? Milk for the kids? Should we bring our own bottled water bottles along? Are there water drinking fountains around the ship? Thankfully, we do not drink pop or alcohol.

-A fellow FTer posted to assume about $40 per day in tips. That sounds fine I guess. This means that we do not have to tip the waiters EVERY single time they serve us, right?

-For air flights seating there is seatguru.com. Is there anything similar for cabins in each ship...ones to avoid, ones highly desirable, etc.?

-I read of free style dining and formal dining. What does this mean exactly? Do we have to dress up formally for dinner?? I hope not, we are on vacation for pete's sake. Does this also mean we only eat at prescribed times? Are there buffets throughout the day we can munch on if we get hungry? If it's formal dress, I hope it's at most business casual because I refuse to wear suit and tie on vacations :)

-RC hot deals is now advertising a 5 night cruise on the Voyager of the Seas
to Bermuda leaving from New Jersey. This sounds good for us since we can visit relatives in New York who will likely drop us off and pick us up. Only two port stops maximizing our time on the ship which we like to do on our first cruise. $494 if we leave on Oct. 16 for inside room, total for all four of us after taxes $2,250. Would you say this is a good "deal" or pass for something better to come along? On a trip like this how much will trip insurance cost about?

-Is there free internet access on the ship or do they stick you with exhorbitant rates? If they charge, how much does it cost about?

-Actual newspapers on board at all or just computer printout summaries?

I know lots of questions, I would appreciate some help.

Thank you so much!

Again, most of your questions are answered on www.cruisecritic.com
Tipping is $10 a day per person
check www.cruisecompete.com for prices
and www.insuremytrip.com for insurance
Lots of decisions I know! :confused:

I second the recommendation for using http://www.cruisecompete.com when you've decided which ship and which week to sail. I saved a ton of money and got a nice upgrade on my upcoming late September Carnival Miracle voyage.

Yes. They always add on port fees and taxes. That's to make the advertised price is more "attractive."
Water and coffee (regular coffee only, not specialty drinks like lattes, etc.) are usually available free at the buffet stations and sometimes the bars (depends on the ship) throughout the day. Also, milk with meals is free for the kids. Carrying water bottles aboard is a big hassle. Few, if any ships, have lots of water fountains, although you might find a couple (e.g. near the theater, for example). They stick you with drinks because it is a very profitable add-on, although a couple of cruise lines at the upper end have started including wine with dinner and soft drinks throughout for no additional charge. This would not be true of a budget or mid-priced cruise (e.g. Voyager of the Seas).Yes, most tipping is done at the end of the cruise, with special envelopes that the cruise line will provide (or some lines let you charge them on your account). An exception is the bar staff - where the tip is added on the bill you sign when you get each drink. They make it clear for you, since tipping is a major part of the employee compensation.Not that I know of, but www.cruisecritic.com can tell you a lot about each ship and line.
"Free-style cruising" usually means no formal nights and no pre-assigned tables and eating time. If you are not on a "free-style" cruise, your dining time will be preselected and you will be assigned the same table each night in the main dining room. On formal nights, a jacket and tie is highly recommended because you will really stick out, although they won't refuse service. I know some people who either eat at the late afternoon buffet or have room service to avoid dressing up, but a jacket and tie isn't that much trouble IMHO. The other nights are casual (no jacket) or informal (jacket requested, tie not necessary). The main dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner at prescribed times. Other food venues (buffets, grills, etc.) vary but somewhere on board there is almost round the clock food available. You will not go hungry.Not a bad deal (although an inside room may be a little claustrophobic - especially if all four of you are in the same room). Maybe just a window? Trip insurance cost (rough gauge is 8 percent of the cost of the trip) is based on the cost of the trip. It is recommended you get trip insurance from a carrier other than the cruise line as an added precaution. This is especially recommended if you are traveling with children, since a sudden case of chicken pox or measles or something similiar means you can't take them and have to postpone the trip. A travel agent can help you here. A cruise is something I have never purchased directly because of all the details.Absolutely no free lunch here. The fees are enormous (IMHO) for not very fast access. Seems like I remember it being about a dollar a minute or more. But then, phone calls are about $8 a minute, too.Only summaries (extremely brief) in most cases. And not always to your room. Some lines just make them available in a central location. You can sometimes get satellite news on the television - depends on the cruise line and your cruise location.

A travel agent can be more specific for you on the ship you have chosen. These are based on my experiences with a number of lines.

good day,

i was recently in the same predicament; went to the library and checked out "frommers cruises 2004". the book is excellent plus!

every detail on virtually all cruise companies [atmosphere, ports of call, prices, diagrams of all cabins, tips, recommendations, etc.].

this book will impress you with its wealth of information.

Here's another cruise leaving out of NYC. And the price is $62.50 per night, inside cabin. I have no business interests with any of the cruises or agencies I posted. I just know there are better deals out there than what you found.


Call Us Today! 1-800-827-7779

$62.50 per night for Celebrity Caribbean Cruise
Celebrity Cruises aboard "Constellation"
Your Destination: Caribbean
12-Nights departing from New Jersey

Sailing on 10-17-05, 10-29-05
Brochure Rate: $1839
Your Discount: Save 59%!! -$1089
CruiseBrothers.com Price from: $750

Just reduced ~ 12 night Caribbean Cruise departing from New Jersey ~ $200 Onboard coupon booklet

It will be here before you know it and selling out fast. You will be cruising 12 nights on the beautiful Constellation departing out of the newest cruise port visiting one of America's friendliest cities in South Carolina with Southern hospitality then cruising to the Caribbean Islands. Contact us today to put your deposit down before the space is gone. Inside rates start at only $750.00 per person. Ocean view cabins starting at only $950.00 per person - includes port taxes. Other categories and rates available. Space is limited. Cruise ID: 1331
Rates are per person, double occupancy for cruise and port only, unless specified otherwise. Subject to change and government taxes are additional.
Promotional rates are for new bookings only.

Cruise Itinerary
Day 1: Cape Liberty, New Jersey
Day 2: At sea
Day 3: Charleston, South Carolina
Day 4: At sea
Day 5: Grand Bahama Island
Day 6: Nassau, Bahamas
Day 7: At sea
Day 8: Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Day 9: St. Thomas, USVI
Day 10: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Day 11: At sea
Day 12: At sea
Day 13: Cape Liberty, New Jersey

This thread I started made into the picks of FT Talk Mail newsletter! What an honor

Great feedback so far, gotto shoot for well less than $100 per night to be a bargain!

Will check out Frommers book on cruises next time I go to Borders.

Set up an account at cruisecompete and had them give me some quotes on a cruise I saw in one of their newsletters. Pretty easy to do. Got a response already but it was for outside cabin when I asked for inside (sold out)...

My dentist raved yesterday about the Disney cruises...hmmm, we will see.

Got a family trip already planned for Singapore/Malaysia/Japan for next January...but can spare a week before then...

Will meet the first FTers tomorrow in Ann Arbor.

I read somewhere that higher priced cabins get Internet access for a verty reasonalbe charge or even free. Is this true?

Thanks again for the feedback, keep it coming

Yes, on some lines, the "higher priced cabins" get free or very inexpensive internet. But that does not fall in line with your idea of VALUE. Usually $800-1000 per person more than inside (or bargain outside) cabin will get you a mini suite and $1500pp+ will get you a suite where you MAY get inexpensive or free internet. $2000-3000 for a weeks worth of free internet? I don't think so.

If you take a port intensive cruise, there will be internet cafes close to the docks in most ports. A lot of them are wi-fi, so you can take your laptop. Otherwise, you will pay a LOT for ship internet. And it is a VERY slow connection.

You're on vacation. Forget the internet. Too many things to do on the cruise, without a computer. You can check email in ports. If someone really needs to get in touch with you (emergency), you can be contacted on the ship via ship to shore phone. Enjoy your cruise!!!!

Cruising
 

Hello,

I took my first cruise a few months ago and I loved it. I do a lot of travelling by air and consider myself well versed in air / hotel / car rental etc..

Please find below a "report" that I emailed to a good friend of mine regarding my first cruise.

Let me know if you need more details....

Travel Guru
__________________________________________________ _____________

Hello Raed,

Hope all is well.

As promised, here's a report on my first cruise:

It was a roundtrip that went from Ft Lauderdale, FL, to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, to Georgetown, Cayman Islands, to Cozumel, Mexico, to Key West, FL, and back to Ft Lauderdale, FL. For a total of 7 nights.

Well.........I loved it. Heather was unsure if I was going to like cruising for various reasons including expecting a high level of service and the possibility of getting sea sick. For your information, this is the first real vacation that we went on since the Hawaii time share that you gave us back in '99. Needless to say, I was expecting a lot from this vacation.

Although there were over 2,000 people on the ship, you do not feel the crowd because there is so much to do on the ship at any given time, and the people are in small groups all over the ship .

Being on a floating hotel that served both as a means of transportation between the countries and providing plenty of food and entertainment was a welcome change. There were many options for food. From a hamburger joint, to a buffet, to sushi hour, to a formal dinner. All were inclusive.

Breakfast: Some days we chose to have our breakfast delivered to the room, and others, we ate at the breakfast buffet. One day, we went to a breakfast in the formal dining room. They were all good, yet different.

Lunch: When we were at sea, we ate at the buffet, and snacked at the hamburger / hot dog joint on deck. The variety of food was good.

Dinner: Every night we chose to eat in the formal dining room. It was a great opportunity for us to get together with our friends and exchange some of the day's excursion stories, since we were not always together during the day. You can ask for as many appetizers, soup, or main courses, until you're full. As you well know about me, I like to eat. However, due to the abundance of the food I did not overeat.

Excursions: We did not take any organized excursions. However, our friends found two snorkling excursions online in two different islands, and booked them directly with the snorkling companies. It was cheaper that way. Heather went with them on one excursion in the Cayman Islands, while I rented a scooter and drove around the island.

Entertainment: I was very impressed with the quality of the entertainment on the ship. They had a theatre that can hold about 500 people. We saw about 5 shows there, from musicals to an acrobatic show, and even a Jewish comedian. The quality of the shows was excellent.

Accomodations: Although we had an inside room and I am a little claustrophobic, I did not mind having no window and being in a small room. The room was very well ventilated.

Other Activities: These include a Volleyball tournament, Poing Pong Tournament, Battle of The Sexes Trivia Game, lectures, etc.

All in all it was probably one of the best vacations that I have ever taken. I was really disconnected from the outside world (i.e. the cell phone and email). I really felt refreshed when I got back home.

As for the Disney cruise, we were at the same ports with them throughout the voyage. However, I recently heard from a friend of mine who just got back from a Disney cruise with his wife and son. He told me that he'll never go on a Disney cruise again because there were too many children around. Keep in mind that this guy has taken many cruises before.

How's that for a comprehensive report? I'm exhausted............

Value = timing
 

To get the best value, think timing. First when you book and second when you sail.
Booking: If you book around a year in advance, many cruise lines will give you a substantial early-booking discount. By booking well in advance, you also get the best choice of cabins. I would recommend any good, cruise-only, full-service travel agent to help you if you can book early.
The real bargains are found 90 days or less before sailing. But there are fewer choices available by then. My favorite agent for last-minute cruises is www.vacationstogo.com They will be happy to help you by phone. I don't know whether they provide enough service for a first time cruiser.
Sailing: The lowest fares are usually late August through the fall. Stay away from school holidays, especially the week between Christmas and New Years.

We just completed our first cruise aboard the Island Princess. We sailed from Vancouver, B.C., to Whittier, AS, and were happily surprised with how much more we enjoyed cruising than we thought we would.

Here are some of the things that we did to make our cruise more enjoyable for us:

1. Took two pair of binoculars.
2. Took an electric teapot and tea.
3. Took our walkie talkies.
4. Took along our laptop and work-out CDs.
5. Sent ourselves a bottle of vodka as a bon voyage gift.
6. Took a case of Perrier on board because I drink tons of it.
7. Took our own wine on board.
8. Took lots of layering clothing which was the perfect way to dress for AS.

We went dancing every single night. :)

We had a mini suite on the starboard side of the ship which was, in our opinion essential, for a northbound trip to AS.

The internet access was very slow, unreliable and expensive. :( We usually hit an internet cafe as soon as we hit a port. If we stay with Princess, we get free internet access after four more voyages. We are thinking of maybe doing some one or two day repositioning cruises. That could be a kick, and would give us a chance to see lots of different ships.

So glad you enjoyed it - I remember you were nervous about doing it - what happened to the other couple substitution - I vaguely remember something about a change???

Hope you'll keep cruising! (And check out the more upscale lines where you won't need to bother about #'s 1,5,6 & 7!)

Looking for a family cruise
 

I was wondering what extra costs you incur on a cruise? Are all meals always included? What is/is not included usually?

Welcome to Flyertalk.

It pretty much depends on the cruise line, so you will want to check to be sure exactly what is and is not included, they usually have it in their FAQ's on the websites.

In general the following is included

• Your cabin
• Meals, but usually not in the specality restaurants if they have any
• Non carbonated non alcholic normal drinks like water, juice, iced tea, and milk (but not specality things like smoothies)
• Towels, chairs
• Use of the pools
• Probably some recreation areas like mini golf
• Access to the Library and board games

What is not generally included, though again some lines may include some of this stuff

• Tips to the dining staff
• Tips to the room staff
• soda, beer, alcohol
• shore tours and trips
• specality dining areas
• medical treatment
• gift shop purchases

Sorry I did not take the time to read all the previous posts. I have been on 5 different cruiselines and many cruises. For your particular cruise I would not use Holland America. They cater to an older crowd (more like my age) and would not have the activities you would want for your children.
While Disney is lovely, I don't think I would do it for a first cruise.
I took my whole family, 12 people, 7 adults and 5 children ranging in age from 7 to 20 on a Thanksgiving cruise in 2008. We went on Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas out of Puerto Rico. We did the southern caribbean going to Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten,, St. Thomas and I forget, there on more island.
I suggest this itinerary and ship for the following reasons:
2 days at sea offer an opportunity to enjoy the ship which has rock climbing, ice skating, basketball courts, and more more more. They have an excellent children's program. The 13 year old boy was not going to go to the kids things and my son told him you have to try it once and if you don't like it you don't have to go again. He went, made a bunch of friends and loved it. They have a lot of age appopriate things, like wi fi, and more.
For a first cruise, i's not as elegant as some lines, but the ships themselves are very, very pretty, and offer lots to do.
Additionally those islands are the nicest one offered in the caribbean.
The western caribbean is not as nice in my opinion, but more historical if that's what you are looking for. Mayan ruins and such.