#5282586 - 01/04/11 09:04 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Simon_the_Pieman]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
I went on my first one last year with Royal Caribbean. Flew into San Juan and did South Caribbean. Went with 8 other friends so we had a blast snorkelling, etc.
Things you need to know off the top of my head:
-Alcohol is not free.
-Soft drinks aren't free. (concentrate OJ and lemonade was)
-The ship don't wait for nobody
-The average age for people on the cruise is 110...be ready to dodge canes and walkers (may be diff for Mediterranean)
-You will be assigned a dining table for formal dinners everynight unless you can fill a table of your own (no big deal except you'll be sitting with people 5 times your age)
-They had a sale for gifts on the boat for @ the gift shop on the last day (in case you are on the fence on something, you can wait..that or buy it off the boat.)
-They give you forms to fill out for tips. You should still tip the housekeeper some $$$ early so you can get stuff later. (ie. Shampoo, Conditioner, whatever)
-You can order as many entrees, desserts as you can eat during dinner service.
Can't think of anything else at the moment......it was fun times and I liked the fact that there was cost certainty.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282662 - 01/04/11 09:29 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: civiclvr]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
^
Disney Cruise?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282665 - 01/04/11 09:29 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: A2B-Lexus]
|
Just A Troll
Curved Street Thug Life
Post Master
Registered: 09/24/09
Posts: 2221
|
- If you're booking shore excursions, it's best to get the first one in the morning.
- Book shore excursions early, the most popular ones fill up very fast
- Don't bother with the photographers taking your photo all the time. $30/photo ain't worth it.
- If you like water sports, get an underwater camera or a underwater housing for your point and shoot; it's worth it!
- If you've got an SLR, wrap it up in saran-wrap. Sand, salty air wreaks havoc on SLRs.
- Don't go shopping at the ports. They're tourist traps set up by the cruise lines. Go into town for real deals.
- If you buy booze on shore, you won't be able to drink it back on board. The ship holds onto it until you disembark.
- Try to get a room with a balcony. The ventilation on cruise ships sucks. The inside windowless rooms are awful.
- If you're prone to sea sickness, get a room near the middle of the ship (length wise).
- If you're a smoker, get a balcony at the rear. The reason for this is at cruising speed there's a lot of wind on the sides of the ship and smoking on your balcony will be unpleasant. At the rear, you don't get any wind, even at cruising speed.
- Bring a really nice suit for formal night. Everyone will be dress at their best.
- Drinks aren't free but you can buy drink packages which is a far better price than the ripoff per drink price you pay at the bar.
- Monitor the charges on your card on your in-room TV. They add up pretty quick.
Like A2B said above: Buy gifts on the last day.
_________________________
I don't need to use this space to show off my car or my camera gear.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282697 - 01/04/11 09:41 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Just A Troll]
|
blcmagic
*poof*
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 03/27/02
Posts: 17099
Loc: canadia
|
- Book shore excursions early, the most popular ones fill up very fast
If you're going to the Caribbean, don't bother booking on the ship. You'll find a local guy waiting on the dock who'll give you the same trip for a lot less.- - If you buy booze on shore, you won't be able to drink it back on board. The ship holds onto it until you disembark.
A ghetto way to get around this is to carry a water bottle with you off the ship. Purchase your alcohol and pour it into the bottle to carry back. Some people have been caught doing this and it's obviously frowned upon but as long as you don't act shady, you should be fine.
- Try to get a room with a balcony. The ventilation on cruise ships sucks. The inside windowless rooms are awful.
While the inside rooms are terrible, it really depends on which cruise you're going to. Sometimes the premium charged for a balcony is ridiculous and definitely not worth the added expense. Keep in mind that many people do not end up spending significant amounts of time in the room so this may be "wasted" money. Also, on the flip side, if the weather is poor and you want to take a nap during the afternoon, an inside stateroom is an excellent dark room. Of course, when you wake up, you'll have no idea if it's night or day but it will be one of the best naps you've ever taken.
_________________________
The G2 Racer: "Uh, almost every large company operates at a lost."
c2k: "you need a 400whp NEON! it's hella cute to most ladies, y0"
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282712 - 01/04/11 09:47 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Just A Troll]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
+1 for Balcony or at least a window room. Waking up to no sunlight is like being in a prison. Bring a plug in light if you get an inside room. Not sure about other ships but mine didn't have a night light.
I had a balcony room when I went. 1 group of friends got window and 1 group got inside. A belcony is nice but window room is cool.
As for the pricing for the cruises, the PRICES FLUCTUATE. I kept track of the prices daily for a few months and there were days where they had ONE DAY sales and you literally could save $300 but they jump right back up the next day. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282721 - 01/04/11 09:53 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: blcmagic]
|
Just A Troll
Curved Street Thug Life
Post Master
Registered: 09/24/09
Posts: 2221
|
- Book shore excursions early, the most popular ones fill up very fast If you're going to the Caribbean, don't bother booking on the ship. You'll find a local guy waiting on the dock who'll give you the same trip for a lot less.-
Not all the time. Some excursions are under contract with the cruise lines and won't allow you to join unless you've booked with the ship.
That's how Sea Trek in the Caymans works.
Same goes with the Dolphin Encounter at Roatan island.
Your statement is true if you're just grabbing a tax ito go shopping downtown or ziplining through some trees. But more specialized excursions (read: pricier!) won't allow non-ship bookings.
_________________________
I don't need to use this space to show off my car or my camera gear.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282735 - 01/04/11 09:58 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Just A Troll]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
Yup! When we hit Grand Cayman, we saw the Disney Magic off-shore next to our ship. When on shore we saw just how well organized it is for kids. The kids stuff on other cruise lines are half-assed. Go Disney for kids!
Some of my friends went on one of these. Kids enjoy it for obvious reasons.
Saw some pix of it on facebook, pretty crazy to see people in full Mickey customes on the islands when its +30 out.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282744 - 01/04/11 10:00 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Simon_the_Pieman]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
I brought 1 suit. I was in the Caribbean and it was hot so shirt and tie and dress pants were ok for normal dinner service. "Formal" dinner service happened 2x and I just brought 2 shirts & 2 ties.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282763 - 01/04/11 10:13 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Just A Troll]
|
blcmagic
*poof*
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 03/27/02
Posts: 17099
Loc: canadia
|
Not all the time. Some excursions are under contract with the cruise lines and won't allow you to join unless you've booked with the ship.
That's how Sea Trek in the Caymans works.
Same goes with the Dolphin Encounter at Roatan island.
Your statement is true if you're just grabbing a tax ito go shopping downtown or ziplining through some trees. But more specialized excursions (read: pricier!) won't allow non-ship bookings.
Is $1000 a head pricey enough? Helicopter rides in Alaska
_________________________
The G2 Racer: "Uh, almost every large company operates at a lost."
c2k: "you need a 400whp NEON! it's hella cute to most ladies, y0"
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282843 - 01/04/11 10:42 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: blcmagic]
|
Just A Troll
Curved Street Thug Life
Post Master
Registered: 09/24/09
Posts: 2221
|
Not all the time. Some excursions are under contract with the cruise lines and won't allow you to join unless you've booked with the ship.
That's how Sea Trek in the Caymans works.
Same goes with the Dolphin Encounter at Roatan island.
Your statement is true if you're just grabbing a tax ito go shopping downtown or ziplining through some trees. But more specialized excursions (read: pricier!) won't allow non-ship bookings. Is $1000 a head pricey enough? Helicopter rides in Alaska
Usually the ones you can book on the ship are under contract with the cruise line. So that helicopter ride must've been a competitor to the one offered by the cruise line. So... not an exclusive excursion!
At $1000/head it's way too pricey! You can get a heli ride in Cayman for $189/adult. Granted it's not the same place but at $1000/head is just nuts no matter where it is!
Things like the Dolphin encounter at Roatan and Sea Trek at Caymans don't have any competitors at all. They're exclusive and won't accept bookings that don't go through the ship.
_________________________
I don't need to use this space to show off my car or my camera gear.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5282856 - 01/04/11 10:47 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Simon_the_Pieman]
|
Just A Troll
Curved Street Thug Life
Post Master
Registered: 09/24/09
Posts: 2221
|
Nice! For some reason I thought those formal dinners were mandatory. It also makes sense that I'd go to one if it was during a time I couldn't sight see.
I like my freedom and with a cruise I know I'll be restricted to things.
I've heard from people who like cruises and people who hate them, but I think we're going to try it since we haven't been.
Hawaiian cruise sounds nice too!
Currently the plan is to do a 7 day cruise and then travel around Europe for another 7 then head home.
Except for the safety breifing on the first day, nothing is mandatory on a cruise ship.
You may want to do your 7 day around Europe before the cruise. When you get off the ship after 7 days you're still going to have "sea legs" for a while. After a few days on the ship you get used to the ship's motion. When you get back on land you still have this motion and you're swaying back and forth all the time. It takes a few days for it to wear off. It's very uncomfortable on land.
_________________________
I don't need to use this space to show off my car or my camera gear.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5288551 - 01/06/11 12:49 PM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Hatorade]
|
titty sprinkles
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 08/22/05
Posts: 17582
Loc: Toronto,Ontario
|
before the baby we went on a southern caribbean cruise and liked it very much. we went with royal caribbean, flew into purto rico, we did this because we only had one day at sea (the first day) then everyday after that it stopped at a port. first st.lucia,antigua,barbados,st.martin and the us virgin islands.
we smuggled booze in a big pantene shampoo bottle, but i guess we diden't wash it out good enough because when i cracked it open in the room, it tasted like i was drinking a pantene and coke.
maybe it was the cruise i was on, but shit it was a good time, and there were ppl our age. we were seated at a table with 2 other couples the same age as us, we ate dinner together everyday and became friends and still talk to this one couple from jersey.
the last night there was a pool party and let me tell you, it was like american college girls gone wild. so may blonde hawt drunk off their ass white girls it wasen't even fair. people jumping into the pools, dancing and getting buck wild pool side, it was flippin crazy.
_________________________
2019 TLX Aspec
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5288771 - 01/06/11 01:57 PM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: titty sprinkles]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
Saranade of the Sea? I did the same one! Good times indeed but it wasn't spring break or nothing so no abundance of hotties that you speak of. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5288846 - 01/06/11 02:12 PM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: A2B-Lexus]
|
titty sprinkles
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 08/22/05
Posts: 17582
Loc: Toronto,Ontario
|
no i went on Adventures of the sea. we went i think mid may? everything was bumpin, the club, casino, the pool party, i ran basketball with a group of guys everyday.
one good thing i did after my failed attempt of drinking out of a shampoo bottle was that as soon as we got on board and luggage in the room, we went straight to the bar.
the bartenders work 12hr shifts, so we got to talking with this one bartender, i tipped him $50 usd and i always went to get drinks from him. he would serve me before other ppl, lots and i mean LOTS of free drinks, every day they would have a signature drink with a cup that you get to keep, we both got one of those each free everyday. he probably gave us easily $400 worth of booze but my final booze bill still came up to $600..LOL
excursions are great, i had fun on everyone of them and we did one at all of the stops except antigua. we just hopped on a minibus (where i found a nice expensive camera) and the driver took us to a private beach that we basically had to ourselves, and it had a private bar. he also picked us up an hour before the boat left. all for $16 for the both of us.
our beach:
and the obligitory red stripe while on the beach.
_________________________
2019 TLX Aspec
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5288973 - 01/06/11 02:31 PM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: titty sprinkles]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
I was there about Mid May 2009 too.
I enjoyed Barbados the best. I went to a beach with white sand that also had fine bits of pink coral in it. St Marten was super nice and the water was super clear but it was 40+ so we were walking around the jewerly shops (the girls got diamond studs for cheap and a buddy got a 1.5 carat diamond for his engagement ring). Jewelry and watches were damn cheap. I was looking at panerai watches and was easily $2k cheaper then TO.
I'd go do another cruise in a minute as long as its with more then 2 ppl.
Went snorkeling at Cane Bay in the US Virgin islands. It was so strange as all the other islands had full of Waynes and USVI was full of Euphorics.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5289132 - 01/06/11 03:07 PM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: titty sprinkles]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
Underwater treck sounds pretty funky. Corals are super sharp. I got cut pretty good in Mexico from the waves throwing me around. That Oasis of the sea is my next one too....that thing is huge.
Cruises are good times.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5290742 - 01/07/11 09:11 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Simon_the_Pieman]
|
Alpha-Trion
Post Master Sr
Registered: 06/10/02
Posts: 6959
Loc: Milltown
|
http://www.vacationstogo.com for good cruise deals... our first cruise was through the western Carribean for our honeymoon as well... rode Royal Carribean's Navigator of the Seas... loved it!
We wanna try a hawaiian or mediterranean cruise next.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5290770 - 01/07/11 09:26 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: Just A Troll]
|
A2B-Lexus
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/19/01
Posts: 45598
Loc: Raptors Land
|
Underwater treck sounds pretty funky. Corals are super sharp. I got cut pretty good in Mexico from the waves throwing me around. That Oasis of the sea is my next one too....that thing is huge.
Cruises are good times. Sea Trek is awesome! We went to the one in Grand Cayman. Had a stingray swim right by me. Sweet! http://www.seatrekcayman.com/Our guide was Phil. He was awesome. I was using this camera:  You'll get a "depth warning" at the depth you do Sea Trek but it worked just fine. It's best to use the scene mode to take pictures and select one of the underwater modes or else your pictures will have nothing but blue. The underwater modes compensate for the lack of other colors besides blue. Some goes for the video modes. The oassis of the seas was docked next to us in Cozumel. And I though our ship was big!
Any pix of the actual under water shots.
By the way, do you know what shark's favorite foods are? STINGRAYS! Food for thought.  lol
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#5291171 - 01/07/11 11:16 AM
Re: School me on cruises?
[Re: A2B-Lexus]
|
xza8
Sr Member
Registered: 12/18/09
Posts: 1065
|
I came back from Oasis a few weeks ago. It was big, but not that many things for 18-25 year olds to do. We spent the majority of time sleeping, eating and walking around.
I have research notes re. Oasis so PM me if you want my notes.
Flew in on US Thanksgiving for $450/person
Shopped in Florida on Black Friday
Embarked the ship on the 27th for ~$800/person
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: c2k, LNXGUY, TheRealCSnapper, The Mad Paki
|
|
