Cruises

[rutgers07]

We're looking to go on a cruise this fall with few people. We know our dates and cruise line and all that stuff but I'm stuck on where I should be booking our cruise through. It is safer to just go through the cruise line or Expedia, Cruises.com, and other sites should be just as safe? As far as I can tell, rates would be the same with same promo offers. Suggestions?

Edit: May have put this in the wrong section.

[FLA]

I've booked cruises through BJs travel and from travel agents for CruiseCompete.com but honestly when I've told the cruise line what prices I was getting every time except one really good BJs deal, they matched the price. Then it was no hassle doing everything through the cruise line.

[97guns]

Check out vacations to go. can't buy online, have to call it in but their prices are very good, same as pricelines pricing. I went through check out for a cruise at Priceline, a pair of $599 cruises to alaska came out to $1700+ after the tax

[TexasHusker]

A bit off topic here, but I went on a cruise once and it was the closest thing to being in jail that I can imagine.

- A shower so small I couldn't bend over to pick up the soap that fell. In fact, I just soaped all the shower walls and spun around a few times and I was squeaky clean.

- They tell you when to eat, where to go for the next show, when to get off the boat, when to get back on. "OK everyone...we are having an activity at the pool at 2pm." So everyone heads over there like a bunch of sheep. Just like prison.

- The food was supposed to be grandiose, but give me a break. Do you really think you're going to get fresh food out on a boat in the middle of the sea? It was fairly nasty other than the chocolate pudding (which came straight out of a can). I lived on that stuff for 4 days.

- The rooms felt like jail cells. Hot, uncomfortable beds, a peep hole window looking out into the free world, dingy carpet. You could tell someone had puked in that room.

If you are going to pay hard-earned money for such fun, then truly God bless you.

[disneysteve]

A bit off topic here, but I went on a cruise once and it was the closest thing to being in jail that I can imagine.

I don't know how long ago you cruised or on which ship, but so much of what you posted just isn't true anymore.

Our last cruise (our 5th) was in December on RCL's Oasis of the Seas, one of the 3 largest ships in the world. I won't say the food was fantastic but it was perfectly good. We chose to have a fixed dining time but there are many options on board for eating whenever you'd like. You don't have to be locked into a set time. They do tell you when do be back on the ship on port days but that's kind of important if you don't want to get stranded there when the ship sails away without you. As for activities, there is an abundance of options so no need to be herded from one to the next. Our cabin was comfortable and had a great balcony and a big sliding glass door for plenty of sunshine and ocean breezes.

The only part that I'll agree with is the shower. Those do tend to be pretty tiny.

OP, we've always booked with a travel agent (the only time we use a travel agent). Unless you're booking a last minute deal, I'm not sure that it really matters where you book. I think they all access the same discounts and promotions.

[Thrif-t]

TexasHusker.

We love cruising and I always try to book with a travel agent or a site that gives me an on-board credit. On the past 2 cruises we went on, Disney '09 & '13 (which is nothing like you described TexasHusker), the on-board credit from the travel agent paid for our tips for the week.

Have a great cruise!

[Petunia 100]

We're looking to go on a cruise this fall with few people. We know our dates and cruise line and all that stuff but I'm stuck on where I should be booking our cruise through. It is safer to just go through the cruise line or Expedia, Cruises.com, and other sites should be just as safe? As far as I can tell, rates would be the same with same promo offers. Suggestions?

Edit: May have put this in the wrong section.

Before you book, check the prices on vacationstogo.com. You might be really glad you did.

[Petunia 100]

Check out vacations to go. can't buy online, have to call it in but their prices are very good, same as pricelines pricing. I went through check out for a cruise at Priceline, a pair of $599 cruises to alaska came out to $1700+ after the tax

I should have read further!

[Petunia 100]

A bit off topic here, but I went on a cruise once and it was the closest thing to being in jail that I can imagine.

- A shower so small I couldn't bend over to pick up the soap that fell. In fact, I just soaped all the shower walls and spun around a few times and I was squeaky clean.

- They tell you when to eat, where to go for the next show, when to get off the boat, when to get back on. "OK everyone...we are having an activity at the pool at 2pm." So everyone heads over there like a bunch of sheep. Just like prison.

- The food was supposed to be grandiose, but give me a break. Do you really think you're going to get fresh food out on a boat in the middle of the sea? It was fairly nasty other than the chocolate pudding (which came straight out of a can). I lived on that stuff for 4 days.

- The rooms felt like jail cells. Hot, uncomfortable beds, a peep hole window looking out into the free world, dingy carpet. You could tell someone had puked in that room.

If you are going to pay hard-earned money for such fun, then truly God bless you.

Gosh, I love cruising. I've been on 4 ocean cruises and 1 river cruise now, and I plan to do a whole bunch more cruising.

I have found the food to be excellent. They do take on fresh food at every port you know. We pick and choose from the activities, and spend time just doing as we please. We have a card game we love to play. We bring cards along and usually find other card players early in a cruise, meeting up several times for an afternoon of cards. It's a great way to meet new people and get to know them a bit.

But I do hear you on the scheduled mealtimes for the dining room meals (buffets of course are always open, but I prefer the dining room meals). Nowadays, you can opt for "anytime dining", which generally means you show up within a window of several hours, and you may have to wait to be seated as there is not a specific table reserved for you at a specific time. That's a fun way to meet new companions at every meal, so that is a second reason to prefer it to the set mealtime option.

[disneysteve]

They do take on fresh food at every port

I think this varies by cruise line and by port. There are some places where I'd rather they didn't take on fresh food.

But I do hear you on the scheduled mealtimes for the dining room meals (buffets of course are always open, but I prefer the dining room meals). Nowadays, you can opt for "anytime dining"

Most ships also have several specialty restaurants that have an upcharge and take reservations. For example, a few years ago during the week of our anniversary. We were with other family members but on our actual anniversary, my wife and I had dinner at the French restaurant onboard. We booked it when we boarded and we chose a time that worked for us.

Cruising today is way more flexible than it used to be. If you haven't cruised for a long time, the experience has changed significantly.

[97guns]

I like to cruise too but a niece of mine took her family on one to the Bahamas and didn't enjoy it, they won't be going on another. Some will find it "caged up" but I find it to be the most relaxing vacation I can take, once on board I don't worry about anything. I just got back from Los Angeles,San Diego and Las Vegas.... driving in traffic, checking into rooms, looking for restaurants, getting hit up by panhandlers, grabbing a taxi, I don't worry about any of that cruising.

I'm happy sitting on the top deck, sucking down a beer or two, taking in the scenery and clean air. I've been on 4 cruises and want more, I've been looking at vacationstogo all last week.

READ THIS: My last cruise to Alaska we paid $900 a head and found out from a guy cruising that he booked the day before cruising and paid $349, now I look often to find a good deal especially for departure port in my immediate area, I will go tomorrow if the price is right.

[disneysteve]

I like to cruise too but a niece of mine took her family on one to the Bahamas and didn't enjoy it

Most people either love it or hate it. There's very little in between.

Most people I know who didn't like it complained about the same thing - the short amount of time in each port. These are folks who like to really take time to explore a new destination, not have to be out at 8am and back at 4pm.

That's why I often recommend Bermuda for first time cruisers as it's a nice mix. A couple of days at sea and then docked at Kings Wharf for 3 days so you have plenty of time to explore the island. You just come back to sleep, and you don't even have to do that if you don't want to. You could book a room on land and stay there for a night.

[MonkeyMama]

A bit off topic here, but I went on a cruise once and it was the closest thing to being in jail that I can imagine.

Totally agreed. I have cruised recently, and is nothing I would ever want to do again. I think "jail" sums it up pretty well.

[Fishindude77]

I typically just use a local travel agent.
We booked an AK cruise for late summer, 5 days inland, then 5 days return cruise, stopping at ports every day. Looking forward to it.

[kork13]

Mostly agreed with the others -- you either love it or you hate it... My wife and I, we LOVE cruises. For our honeymoon trip we did an 8-day Alaskan cruise, and it was fantastic. Very relaxed, and a great way to see a series of different places in a short time for a reasonable cost. We plan on doing many more over the years. Another option (which we're doing for our anniversary this year) are shorter day-cruises. We're doing an 8-hour cruise into the Kenai to see glaciers & wildlife. Living just an hour or so from the port, we'll hopefully take advantage of some last-minute deals occasionally. Planning to eventually hit the Caribbean, Central America, and Australia/New Zealand...at a minimum.

I highly recommend Vacations To Go, even if just as a price check against what you're getting told elsewhere. That site is great especially for finding deals on cheap, last-minute cruises (say, for something sailing next week... or in 2 days), and it highlights offers such as on-board credit & such like that.