Best and Worst Cruise lines?

[GotGauge]

Let's hear all the stories and best recommendations
of what cruise lines to take and what ones NOT to take.

Here are a few by name I am looking at
Carnival
Princess
Royal Caribbean
Holland America
Disney Cruise Line

Also, what all is normally included in cruises, or does that depend on the Package you buy?

Best place to book a cruise?

[beemk]

carnival = shit

[fatal attraction]

Holland America is the Best!!!!! Their Windstar line rocks!!!!!

[LoriAnderson]

I just got back from A cruise not too long ago.... it was my 2nd one and one of the best.. they say its the 2nd largest in the world beside the Queen Mary...

Royal Carribean ship Navigator of the seas any local travel agent can get you great deals or you can go directly to http://res.rccreservations.com/ Ive also been on Grandeur of the seas.. but Loved the Navigator much better...its Huge.... 15 decks!!! check out there site for more info...

[Jedimaster]

http://www.rssc.com/ships/home.jsp

[David!]

If you're going with kids, go with Disney, their private Island rocks and so does their kid's activites
They're pretty much all good, except maybe Carnival, cuz you may book on one of those $300 a week cruise, and if you do you may find yourself amongst people who are not let's say, "very well manered"

[Axeman]

I acutally quite enjoyed Carnival. Went on the Western Caribbean trip on the Glory and had a great time.

[yuvalus]

Carnival Cruise very good, and also some lines from Israel

had a lot of fun

[SquirtingCarly]

We took a week on Royal carribean leaving florida and went to the bahamas for a wedding and it was nothing short of awesome. Boat was steady and food was great. Call room service anytime of the day or night and have the food which is free always delivered to your door.

[GotGauge]

Originally posted by PussyMan
If you're going with kids, go with Disney, their private Island rocks and so does their kid's activites
They're pretty much all good, except maybe Carnival, cuz you may book on one of those $300 a week cruise, and if you do you may find yourself amongst people who are not let's say, "very well manered"

Nope not taking the Kids!

I understand you get what you pay for!

[Meta Ridley]

I think the best Cruise line ever is:

"Respect the cock! And tame the c.un.t! "

[ThePornPusher]

Norwegian dawn. Greatest cruise I ever went on.

[EviLGuY]

I took a carnival cruise.. I wanted to leave before the end..

[Bex]

Originally posted by Meta Ridley
I think the best Cruise line ever is:

"Respect the cock! And tame the c.un.t! "

LMAO!! Nice.

[scoreman]

LOL I thought this was going to be a movie thread too.

Living in Miami I have gone cruising a fair amount. My input

Norweigan- Fair food, decent entertainment, diverse crowd. Ok for kids.

Carnival-Poor food, good entertainment, younger crowd. Ok for kids

RCCL: Fair food, good entertainment, diverse crowd. Ok for kids

Celebrity: Best food of the midlevel cruise lines, fair entertainment, older crowd. fair to mediocre for kids

Holland America: Very good food, mediocre entertainment, the old timer crowd, poor for kids.

Costa: never tried them

It depends alot on what you want to do. If your in your 20s and want to party 24/7 then i suggest Carnival. If you are there to relax and want good food mostly I suggest Celebrity. Alot depends on the boat, the ports of call, the length of the cruise. In general, 3 days or less and your talking about a younger crowd but crappy ports of call. Longer than 7 days and the crowd gets noticeable older with mostly retirees able to take that much time off to cruise. The shorter ports of call generally get the older boats. Watch out for heavy upselling 24/7.

One thing we always do is bring a roll of tape to cover the speaker in the room with a magazine so we dont have to listen to them announcing Bingo and art auctions all the time. If its an emergency, believe me you will hear their announcements through the speakers in the hallways. Also if you live in the town where the port of call is, get on the boat early so you can enjoy lunch and settle in. We also pack a few 12 packs of soda and flasks of booze in our luggage. Its an easy way to shave a hundred or two off your bill at the end and still always have a cold drink in your hand 24/7.

[scoreman]

Here are some more suggestions:

Booze is super cheap on St Martin with St Thomas a close second. Cheap as in A liter of Absolute for $3. A liter of Crown Royal cost $13.

Your dinner table guests that the cruiseline will place you with can be a crap shoot. If you are into meeting people you might get a good family or some real crab apples. If you prefer to keep the dining table to just your family, hit the maitre d immediately upon boarding and seek out a four top or even a two top table.

If you are somewhat physically active, and are doing a caribbean cruise, I recommend the mountain bike trip on St Thomas. They start at the top of the island, its mostly downhill and it ends at one of the better beaches on the island where you have time to hit the beach prior to being shuttled back to the boat. This excusion always seems to sell out.

Internet access is really expensive on the boat. I spent $100 in seven days the and the speeds were like dialup. They might tell you its high speed but that BS. Its more like an ISDN line shared by the entire ship with bandwidth being consumed by resources outside of the internet cafe (like for example the ship webcam). I recommend skipping the boat and hitting the internet cafes on shore. Most are usually located right near the wharfs.

Cruising with infants is a chore as most ships will not allow kids under 3 to even enter the kids facilities. They basically will be with you the whole time. I have cruised every year and have a 3 and 1 yr old so it hasnt deterred me but be forewarned, it alot more convenient to bring along grandmas to watch the infants late night so you can have time with you and your spouse alone.

[aimeesweet]

carnival sucks

[Sergio1234]

Originally posted by GotGauge
Let's hear all the stories and best recommendations
of what cruise lines to take and what ones NOT to take.

Here are a few by name I am looking at
Carnival
Princess
Royal Caribbean
Holland America
Disney Cruise Line

Also, what all is normally included in cruises, or does that depend on the Package you buy?

Best place to book a cruise?

Best question here is where do you plan on going? are you bring me along to umm watch over the girls?


lol...Enjoy whatever you choose Aron

[Greg B]

"Jonas Grumby Charter Line".


Heard it was the worst. One time the skipper, Jonas Grumby got shipwrecked on an island with 6 other people. Took em' years to get off.

If I recall the some of the passengers were celebrities. Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III and a former movie star Ginger Grant.

[GotGauge]

Sergio,

Something like 7 days from Flroida

Ports of call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico; Key West, Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

or

Ports of call: Miami, Florida; Belize City, Belize; Riviera Maya; Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Cayman Islands; Miami, Florida

or

Ports of call: Miami, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; La Romana, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Miami, Florida


You get the Idea, all adults 20-30's
No Children..

[thatjen]

I've been on Carnival three times and it was great every time! I've never been on any other lines, but Carnival was just fine for me and way cheaper than all the other lines.

Everything is included in the cruise except alcohol, soda, land excursions, and tips.

[Online Future]

Originally posted by ThePornPusher
Norwegian dawn. Greatest cruise I ever went on.

Agreed

[J-Reel]

I went on a royal carribean cruise lat year and they drained the hot tubs at 9pm every night

However the food was awesome

[Marcus Aurelius]

Originally posted by GotGauge
Let's hear all the stories and best recommendations
of what cruise lines to take and what ones NOT to take.

Here are a few by name I am looking at
Carnival
Princess
Royal Caribbean
Holland America
Disney Cruise Line

Also, what all is normally included in cruises, or does that depend on the Package you buy?

Best place to book a cruise?

Hit me up on ICQ I'll fill ya in on disney, just got back from one with my family about 3 weeks ago.

[dig420]

Does the boat rock much, do they ever go thru storms or do they go around them?

just wondering how stressful it can get on the open seas like that ;)

[Just_Dave]

Royal Caribbean is good to take

[Nanda]

My family just got back from a princess cruise, their second...and they are already planning their next. They love it, the ship, staff, food, and everything seems to be great!

[silent moan]

my friend's working aboard and she told me that royal caribbean, princess and carnival are the best cruise that she had ever saw

[Centurion]

Originally posted by fatal attraction
Holland America is the Best!!!!! Their Windstar line rocks!!!!!

Agreed! They are excellent. Their summer cruises through the "Inside Passage" off of Alaska are spectacular!

Give Celebrity a close 2nd.

[MonsterMike]

Originally posted by aimeesweet
carnival sucks

Their older, smaller boats aren't that great, but you'll get a good deal on them. Their newer, larger boats are great. Better service, better food...etc.

[Sergio1234]

Originally posted by GotGauge
Sergio,

Something like 7 days from Flroida

Ports of call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico; Key West, Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

or

Ports of call: Miami, Florida; Belize City, Belize; Riviera Maya; Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Cayman Islands; Miami, Florida

or

Ports of call: Miami, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; La Romana, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Miami, Florida


You get the Idea, all adults 20-30's
No Children..

DAMN!!...some good places

[Allison]

I'm a big fan of cruises. Here's my review from my experiences:

Carnival the best. They have a very diverse group of passengers, great ports of call, lots of good entertainment and nice ships.

Disney: Great if you have kids that are old enough to enjoy the little kids entertainment. Some decent ports of call.

Norwegian: Did this cruise in Hawaii and is pretty much the only Hawaiin cruise option. It's a lot of older passengers and the entertainment is pretty bad. Food is great.

Celebrity: I went on this a long time ago. Diverse group of passengers and good entertainment and good food. Decent ports of call.

Most cruises include: food, room, entertainment. Extra- beverages, excursions, gratuities.

Best thing to do is go directly to the cruise line to book it and book your own seperate flight. The next one I'm trying to plan is Carnival from Miami- to Jamaica- to Cozumel - to Grand Cayman- to Miami.

~Alli

[erehwon]

The World!

[GotGauge]

Originally posted by Allison
I'm a big fan of cruises. Here's my review from my experiences:

Carnival the best. They have a very diverse group of passengers, great ports of call, lots of good entertainment and nice ships.

Disney: Great if you have kids that are old enough to enjoy the little kids entertainment. Some decent ports of call.

Norwegian: Did this cruise in Hawaii and is pretty much the only Hawaiin cruise option. It's a lot of older passengers and the entertainment is pretty bad. Food is great.

Celebrity: I went on this a long time ago. Diverse group of passengers and good entertainment and good food. Decent ports of call.

Most cruises include: food, room, entertainment. Extra- beverages, excursions, gratuities.

Best thing to do is go directly to the cruise line to book it and book your own seperate flight. The next one I'm trying to plan is Carnival from Miami- to Jamaica- to Cozumel - to Grand Cayman- to Miami.

~Alli

Thanks for all the info....

[Muffin]

Excellent advice offered here! The only things I would add would be:

1) Take a look at when you are at port for each island. For me that is a big factor. For example, you want to be in St. Thomas during the day for shopping and excursions and Jamaica would be fun to experience the night life. So, make sure you are in ports during times where you get to truly enjoy the island and where the time isn't so short you feel pressured to run around.

2) You don't have to book the nicest cabin on the ship. When you get there, they most likely will upgrade you with a little charm.

3) I love Radisson Diamond Cruises because they usually keep you in port for 2 days in each stop.

4) WindJammer can be a blast if you want something totally original and laid back. (I have never been but have heard good things from my friends)

5) Booze is expensive on board. Personally, I don't mind paying a premium for something but the costs can get big. Its fun to buy booze on the islands and bring it on board and mix drinks in your room and walk around the ship. Makes me feel like a kid again.


6) Yes there can be rough seas, coming back from the Bahamas or Cape Hatteras can make the boat rock, but......it reminds you that you are on a ship and not terra firma any more.

&) Most commonly asked questions for a cruise line......does the crew live on board and what time is the midnight buffett!


Happy Sailing!

[Muffin]

and.....I don't think this was addressed. Cruises all include the same thing, the only difference is in your cabin category. All cruises include all meals and some drinks. All your shipboard activities are included except for a trip to the spa, the casino and your excursions off the ship.

A cruise is really a great value.......Just be mindful of the itinerary. let me know if I can help at all! I love helping to plan happy events!

[GotGauge]

Originally posted by Muffin
and.....I don't think this was addressed. Cruises all include the same thing, the only difference is in your cabin category. All cruises include all meals and some drinks. All your shipboard activities are included except for a trip to the spa, the casino and your excursions off the ship.

A cruise is really a great value.......Just be mindful of the itinerary. let me know if I can help at all! I love helping to plan happy events!

Muffin my ICQ is 22264474

[webmaster x]

The one that Jedimaster posted!

[GotGauge]

Originally posted by LoriAnderson
I just got back from A cruise not too long ago.... it was my 2nd one and one of the best.. they say its the 2nd largest in the world beside the Queen Mary...

Royal Carribean ship Navigator of the seas any local travel agent can get you great deals or you can go directly to http://res.rccreservations.com/ Ive also been on Grandeur of the seas.. but Loved the Navigator much better...its Huge.... 15 decks!!! check out there site for more info...

In addition, any liquor purchases that are made by a guest in a land based location, will be stored onboard when they enter the vessel, and will be delivered to their stateroom on the last night of their voyage.

[scoreman]

You use to be able to just drop a bottle into a backpack while onshore and then get it back to the room no problem. Since 9/11 they have been putting all bags through screening and its no longer so easy. A coke or a Aquafina bottle loaded up with Absolute/Crown/Rum/etc usually can do the trick :-) Just ask the sales guy at the store onshore to allow you to empty some out of the bottle before they pack it up in those carton containers.

[GotGauge]

Originally posted by scoreman
You use to be able to just drop a bottle into a backpack while onshore and then get it back to the room no problem. Since 9/11 they have been putting all bags through screening and its no longer so easy. A coke or a Aquafina bottle loaded up with Absolute/Crown/Rum/etc usually can do the trick :-) Just ask the sales guy at the store onshore to allow you to empty some out of the bottle before they pack it up in those carton containers.

To much trouble, I will just pay...

[GotGauge]

Originally posted by Sergio
DAMN!!...some good places

I think I decided on this one

01 Miami, Florida --- 5:00 PM
02 Nassau, Bahamas 7:00 AM 2:00 PM
03 At sea --- ---
04 Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands 8:00 AM 6:00 PM
05 San Juan, Puerto Rico 7:00 AM 2:00 PM
06 At sea --- ---
07 Coco Cay, Bahamas 7:00 AM 5:00 PM
08 Miami, Florida 8:30 AM ---

[Axeman]

Originally posted by scoreman
Here are some more suggestions:

Booze is super cheap on St Martin with St Thomas a close second. Cheap as in A liter of Absolute for $3. A liter of Crown Royal cost $13.

Your dinner table guests that the cruiseline will place you with can be a crap shoot. If you are into meeting people you might get a good family or some real crab apples. If you prefer to keep the dining table to just your family, hit the maitre d immediately upon boarding and seek out a four top or even a two top table.

If you are somewhat physically active, and are doing a caribbean cruise, I recommend the mountain bike trip on St Thomas. They start at the top of the island, its mostly downhill and it ends at one of the better beaches on the island where you have time to hit the beach prior to being shuttled back to the boat. This excusion always seems to sell out.

Internet access is really expensive on the boat. I spent $100 in seven days the and the speeds were like dialup. They might tell you its high speed but that BS. Its more like an ISDN line shared by the entire ship with bandwidth being consumed by resources outside of the internet cafe (like for example the ship webcam). I recommend skipping the boat and hitting the internet cafes on shore. Most are usually located right near the wharfs.

Cruising with infants is a chore as most ships will not allow kids under 3 to even enter the kids facilities. They basically will be with you the whole time. I have cruised every year and have a 3 and 1 yr old so it hasnt deterred me but be forewarned, it alot more convenient to bring along grandmas to watch the infants late night so you can have time with you and your spouse alone.

Great tips David. I really want to do the St Martin trip for my next cruise. That mountain biking excursion seems like a fun time for sure.

- Brent Axford

[scoreman]

Originally posted by GotGauge
To much trouble, I will just pay...

lol so true. I actually dont drink myself. Maybe a heineken or two on occasion. Im just sharing tips I've seen in action from all the cruises I've taken. I have, however, paid for the liquor bill of a 10 day cruise for a group of 6. Eeeekkkk . Let me tell you that whole signing business instead of paying cash is as much of a scam as casino chips instead of cash.

Hiya Brent! The mountain bike trip I was referring to was on St Thomas. Id recommend the bike trip in the morning session followed by a good power shopping trip through downtown Charlotte Amalie in the afternoon.

Man, I love cruising.....perhaps I need to hit www.cruise.com and see what I can get to the western Caribbean in June.

[h0st]

Originally posted by GotGauge
Sergio,

Something like 7 days from Flroida

Ports of call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico; Key West, Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

I was with Royal Caribbean with that 7 days cruise (quoted). I recommend it. We got it thru RCI so it was allmost free for us. (only the flights from finland to miami was the cost)

And there weren't many people in that cruise cause the 9/11 thing had just happened couple of days ago so people from europe coudn't get to the usa cause airports were closed. so no lines or anything on that time.