Cruise recomendations

[Bob]

Eye mate I has me eye on this one!

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by glking

If you are going on a cruise, check out Windjammer.

Way better than bieng on a floating hotel.

Better check out Windjammer before paying any deposits. I read last week they are just about bankrupt and passengers are stranded.

There is a website called cruisecritic, where you can click on any ship and read unbiased reviews. be sure to take some with a grain of salt because some people can't be made happy.
It normally even breaks down the dining rooms, activities, and excursions.

Me, I book the last minute deals and drive an hour to port Canaveral and usually pay no more than $250 for an inside cabin on a 3 0r 4 night cruise.

Last minute is considered anything under 90 days.

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by moosebrew

Thanks for all the fast replies! Is the balcony worth getting if the ship has cigar bars? I have heard there really isn't any wind and people who smoke on the balcany only tend to blow the smoke into the next room. Is that true and if there are good cigar bars would you bother paying for the balcany?

Mark

The Royal Carribbean one I go on has a cigar bar and a nightly cigar afficianado event that I haven't attended as I am normally parked at a Texas Holdem tourney or Caribbean Stud table.

[Cigary]

My wife and I cruise quite a bit and have used just about every line out there,,,from Carnivale to Cunards QM2. If you don't mind teenagers running around the ship and making noise then Carnival is your best bet as they have relatively inexpensive cruises. If you go to Jamaica DO NOT tour the island by yourself,,,esp. at night as you might not make it home. Holland America is a good choice as they have great food and it caters more to 40 plus while Princess is just a notch below that. Celebrity is great while NCL is a hit or miss depending on what boat you take. As far as pricing goes, do not go through the cruise lines as they usually charge more. Check out Best Price Cruises as they tend to give the best pricing for every cruise I have ever taken. We end up saving as much as 40% on our cruises.

Hope this helps as everyone has a different angle as far as what to expect on a cruise. Remember one thing when cruising,,bring your own 'packed" booze as what they charge on the boats is ridiculous and also bring some antiseptic spray or wipes to clean your room with,,handles, knobs, anything that anyone has touched in your cabin because the help doesn't disinfect the room,,,they just clean it. I have cruised for 15 years and have never even come close to getting the Norovirus because I disinfect our room and never touch anything like the bannisters on the ship etc. I'm not a germaphobe as much as I like to take precaution and anyone who has seen someone suffering from the Virus will attest,,,it ain't pretty.

[Cigary]

You can't beat a balcony for every reason imagineable,,privacy,,you can actually go outside and enjoy the view and not have to go up to the top. They tend to cost more but if you have some extra dollars, go with a balcony.

[Spagg]

Originally Posted by moosebrew

Thanks for all the fast replies! Is the balcony worth getting if the ship has cigar bars? I have heard there really isn't any wind and people who smoke on the balcany only tend to blow the smoke into the next room. Is that true and if there are good cigar bars would you bother paying for the balcany?

Mark

Its all personal preference. The cigar bar is great to get in your cigar fix. The wife and I usually get the cheapest room we can because we are never in the room. We got a balcony room for our honeymoon, and we were never there!! So for us it is a waste of money for the more expensive room.

[JohnnyFlake]

Originally Posted by moosebrew

Thanks for all the fast replies! Is the balcony worth getting if the ship has cigar bars? I have heard there really isn't any wind and people who smoke on the balcany only tend to blow the smoke into the next room. Is that true and if there are good cigar bars would you bother paying for the balcany?

Mark

Absolutely!!! The cigar bars are nice and the outside areas on the stern are also nice, but I do most of my smoking on my private balcony. There is nothing quite like sitting out on a ship balcony at 1am, with a libation of your choice and a good cigar!!!

[4WheelVFR]

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlake

There is nothing quite like sitting out on a ship balcony at 1am, with a libation of your choice and a good cigar!!!

How about sitting on a quiet beach at 1 am with the lights of St. Thomas in the distance, waves lapping on the beach, and no itinerary but your own to worry about. Skip the Cruises and go straight to the islands. Here's your spot:
http://www.sandcastle-bvi.com/

[butterbeezy]

I went on a week long Carnival Cruise to Jaimaica with stops at Cozumel & Grand Cayman. I had a great time. Yes there were alot of kids, but it didn't bother me cause they're not allowed on certain decks & of course in the gambling & drinking areas. Jamaica is a great place especially if you like Reggae (i especially do) but stay in the tourist areas! If you stay in those areas you'll be safe. Most of Jamiaca are shanti's & slums. Nothing really special to see. If you must experience the real Jamaica you better be with a local that you know or like Cigary says, you might not make it back. You might... but your belongings definitely won't. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE JAMAICA. It's a beautiful island with great food & great rum. Some people say i might have been Jamaican in a past life (i make a mean jerk chicken & play reggae music alot).

[Ashcan Bill]

Originally Posted by moosebrew

Thanks for all the fast replies! Is the balcony worth getting if the ship has cigar bars? I have heard there really isn't any wind and people who smoke on the balcany only tend to blow the smoke into the next room. Is that true and if there are good cigar bars would you bother paying for the balcany?

Mark

I always book a balcony stateroom because I like the idea of having a private area to sit, sun, read, whatever. There's nothing quite like, weather permitting, keeping the door to the balcony open at night and listening to the water as you sail along.

I always make sure any ship I book on has a cigar lounge, and I tend to smoke there. I enjoy the "club" atmosphere, as well as meeting other BOTL.

As far as cruise lines, they all offer different things, cater to different demographics. Talk to ten people, you'll get ten answers. Any cruise is what you make of it. If you go intending to enjoy yourself, you probably will. I've seen many people start a mental list of things they're unhappy about the second they board the ship. Strangely enough, this seems to make them happy as well, and they spend an enjoyable week bitching about everything to everyone. Different strokes.

I just got off my seventh cruise with NCL. The reason we usually book NCL is we like their "Freestyle" concept, where there's no fixed dress code for dinner and rather than formal seating times and tables, you eat whenever you want. If you want to wear a tux, you can. If you prefer a Hawaiian shirt, that's cool as well. I do both, though the tux is getting a bit tight and I don't plan on replacing it.

[moosebrew]

Well we booked with Carnival on the Liberty ship and head out Sep 27th! We decided against the balcony due to the added costs and the fact we don't plan on being in the cabin that offten other than to sleep and uh... sleep

Thanks for the advice.
Mark

[tenbaseg]

Originally Posted by moosebrew

Thanks for all the fast replies! Is the balcony worth getting if the ship has cigar bars? I have heard there really isn't any wind and people who smoke on the balcany only tend to blow the smoke into the next room. Is that true and if there are good cigar bars would you bother paying for the balcany?

Mark

IIRC some cruise lines won't let you smoke off a balcony. I'm not exactly sure how they'd stop you, but it may be against policy.

If you don't spend the extra on the balcony, I would at least get an outside room. Having a window saves you from getting that cabin fever. On my last cruise we had a problem with our room and stayed in an inside room for a night. I was going nuts without being able to see outside. It felt like a padded room.

I agree with the comments about Jamaica. Don't stray too far from the tourist traps. IMO, I wouldn't go back unless I was staying on a resort. Our cruise was there overnight and we did a waterfall climb/shopping trip. The locals are very aggressive with selling products and it can be uncomfortable.

[moosebrew]

Originally Posted by tenbaseg

IIRC some cruise lines won't let you smoke off a balcony. I'm not exactly sure how they'd stop you, but it may be against policy.

If you don't spend the extra on the balcony, I would at least get an outside room. Having a window saves you from getting that cabin fever. On my last cruise we had a problem with our room and stayed in an inside room for a night. I was going nuts without being able to see outside. It felt like a padded room.

I agree with the comments about Jamaica. Don't stray too far from the tourist traps. IMO, I wouldn't go back unless I was staying on a resort. Our cruise was there overnight and we did a waterfall climb/shopping trip. The locals are very aggressive with selling products and it can be uncomfortable.

We got a free "upgrade" when we booked to a full size window instead of the little port hole. Maybe we will get lucky and get bumped to a balcany for free by the time we sail. I'm not much on smoking by my self, enjoy the social aspect so I plan on smoking in the lounge anyway. A balcany would be nice but for us its not a necesity.

Mark