Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cruise

Carribbean Cruise Negotiations

Mckoan1 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:42:39 -0800

I am planning a Caribbean cruise for my wife and myself. I am using a Cruise Travel Company with a good reputation. This agency has quoted me prices for several cruises. Besides attempting to negotiate better pricing and a room upgrade, are there any other amenities I am overlooking that would further enhance this cruise? Any suggestions for this negotiation would be appreciated. Thanks in advance...

Help me pick the better cruise

Anonymous — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:52:10 -0800

Please help me choose between two cruises in the eastern Mediterranean (Croatia and Greece). I'm planning to take my wife on a cruise through the Greek islands next October (asking anonymously because this will be a surprise for her). Although we've sailed the western Mediterranean on Costa, we've never been to the eastern part so I'm having a hard time choosing the best itinerary.

The stops are mostly the same, but first cruise goes to Ancona, Piraeus (Athens) and Corfu while the second goes to Bari, Olympia and Rhodes. The price difference is insignficant, so I'd rather choose based on the advice of people who've been there.

Here's the first cruise:

Day 1: Venice, Italy
Day 2: Ancona, Italy
Day 3: At Sea
Day 4: Santorini, Greece
Day 4: Mykonos, Greece
Day 5: Piraeus (Athens), Greece
Day 6: Corfu, Greece
Day 7: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Day 8: Venice, Italy

and here's the second:

Day 1: Venice, Italy
Day 2: Bari, Italy
Day 3: Katakolon (Olympia), Greece
Day 4: Santorini, Greece
Day 4: Mykonos, Greece
Day 5: Rhodes, Greece
Day 6: At Sea
Day 7: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Day 8: Venice, Italy

P.S. We've enjoyed Costa before, but I'm open to suggestion in case there's a much better option.

Should I take a cruise if I'm liable to become sea-sick?

crossoverman — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:00:22 -0800

I get sea-sick. Should I go on a cruise? A good friend is celebrating a milestone birthday on a cruise ship and I really want to go, but am worried that my seasickness will be a huge detriment.

Now I was violently ill on a couple of boat trips when I was young, but a few years back made sure I took sea-sickness tablets before I went on a short day cruise between islands and I felt reasonably okay - though I didn't feel like tempting fate with drinking or activities on the boat during the trip.

I was wondering if pills over a week-long trip would be effective and if, perhaps, a cruise ship is less likely to be prone to the rolling waves that made me ill on much smaller boats in the past. And maybe after a day or so, I might get used to the sensation and not need to take the drugs?

I've got plenty of time to make up my mind, since we've been given some time to save up for the trip - but should I even consider it given my past experiences?

Advice on taking a cruise from Southern California

TheClonusHorror — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:28:21 -0800

Got any advice on taking a short cruise leaving from Long Beach, California (or thereabouts)? I've never been on a cruise in my life. I was thinking of booking one for our 5 year anniversary. We live in Los Angeles, so if we left from Long Beach we wouldn't have to pay for a flight anywhere. Actually, leaving anywhere from the LA area would work, I just happen to know that some of the ships leave from Long Beach because I saw the staging area whilst visiting the Queen Mary a couple years ago.

So, if you have done this: Did you enjoy it? Where did you go? What cruise line did you take? What was the food like? What was the noise level like? Did you get motion sickness? Was there a good enough fun-to-relaxation ratio? Is it worth it to pay more for a room on the outside/with a balcony/with more space/with golden toilets/etc?

Any other specific tips or recommendations for a total noob?

Cruising solo to Alaska?

bookmammal — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:08:15 -0800

I'm considering splurging and taking an Alaskan cruise next year. I'm a single female in my 40's and will be traveling alone. Please give me some feedback so I can decide if this is the right trip for me! My main goals for this trip are to RELAX and see wonderful sights--I'm definitely not looking for a party-party-party atmosphere. I've never taken a cruise before--either alone or with others. Has anyone out there gone on a trip like this on their own? Any personal recommendations for a particular cruise line that will have activities available, but one where I won't feel "pushed" to engage with others at all times? (yes, I will be contacting travel agents for recommendations too). Please understand--I'm not anti-social, but I'm looking for some "me-time" and at the same time want to travel to a place I've never been, have always wanted to see, and probably will never experience again. Any thoughts on whether taking a cruise is the right choice for a solo traveller like me?

Hey Hon! Baltimore Cruise!

imjustsaying — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:32:00 -0800

Hey Hon, I want to cruise! We've taken Caribbean cruises out of Baltimore twice, but the last one was in 2003. It was great!...

...as was (in romantic retrospect) the super bargain cruise on a horrible small ship with The Temptations as the premier onboard entertainment.

I want to wow my wife and surprise her with a September five day cruise to Bermuda.

I'm looking for pro or con suggestions for online booking agents.

I know that this time frame is arguably in the height of hurricane season, but we have been to Bermuda before, and as five time cruisers we have enjoyed the shipboard experience so much that we'd have a great time even if the ship never leaves the dock.

San Diego-filter

answergrape — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:37:42 -0800

We're setting sail from San Diego on May 25 for a cruise, but we have two days in San Diego beforehand. How can we work the transportation to Sea World and the wild animal park before our cruise while not being stuck going all the way back to the airport for a rental car? Is there a better area to stay or a better way to arrange transportation to support this?

Drinking in International Waters/ Cruise Recommendations?

slowcat — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:36:34 -0800

My sister and I want to take a cheap cruise over the summer. I'm 22, but she's 19. Are there cruise lines that let you drink at 19 in international waters? Also, does anyone have any recommendations for cheap-ish (doesn't have to be dirt cheap, just reasonable) and fun cruises?

Alaskan Cruise Travel Tips?

cyniczny — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:50:39 -0800

Heading on an Alaskan cruise with my 2-year old son, my husband and my 64-year old mother who just finished chemo/radiation for lung cancer. Suggestions, tips, thoughts on making sure everyone enjoys the time? The back story: planned this trip last year for this May, prior to the cancer diagnosis. Mom was diagnosed at Christmas and has been getting chemo/radiation treatment since January. She just finished a little over a week ago and is pretty weak. No hair loss (longer term, lower dose treatments ordered), but she has a hard time with her stamina and eating (radiation hit the esophagus). This Alaskan cruise is her life-long dream and with the diagnoses, she considers this part of her "bucket list". However, the cruise wasn't originally intended to be this, so while I want to ensure she is happy and has a great time, I also want to ensure that everyone has their needs taken care of.

So, the actual question is related more to gathering suggestions from folks on how I can best make this a great time, not tire my mom out too much and survive traveling with my toddler. He's never been on a plane and we'll be taking a 3-hour plane ride, meeting my mom and staying over night. Next day, we have a 3-hour car drive to the port. Tips, tricks, suggestions for keeping the toddler happy?

And finally, my husband is a huge photography buff and is very excited about going to Alaska. We don't want to pre-book excursions in case something occurs with my mom or toddler, so suggestions around day trips we could take that would be "mild" or something that he can do by himself as part of a larger, more adventurous group? We're taking a round-trip from Vancouver, BC up through Glacier Bay. Ports include Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan.

Other info is that we're cruising for a week which coincides with my husband's birthday, mother's day, and my birthday!

Sorry this is so long and rambling - we're leaving next Tuesday and all of the sudden, the reality has hit me smack in the face! Thanks in advance for the guidance.

The lone scientist in the Caribbean

palindromic — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:59:16 -0800

So, it's me, mom and dad, sister and her ex-Marine husband, handsome football player cousin and his fiancee, and my southern aunt and uncle. Together. On a boat. For a week. Oh god. Ok, I'll admit it: I'm basically a hippie. While I would probably not ever go on a cruise as my first choice for a vacation, I am also not one to quibble with a free vacation - Dad wants to have one last family vacation before we all go our separate ways, and he loves going on cruises.

While I do not consider myself to be the black sheep of the family, I am probably the oddball, and besides all that, I see the married folk buddying up. I also tend not to enjoy 'tourist-y' things - mom, sister and aunt are all confirmed shoppers. Dad, uncle, brother-in-law, all confirmed party dudes. (I love all of these people, btw, and none of these comments should be read as judgments on their characters - these are simply facts, and I know how internet-folk tend to love jumping on the 'Stop being such a judgmental snobby pants!' and so on.)

So, the question: what can an overeducated 25 year old snobby pants lady do to make the most of the cruise? Our itinerary is: Ochos Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico. I like: birds, I'm an anthropologist-in-training, I do not like to shop, I am of British-Scandinavian descent, so too much sun time = consider the lobster, I am a vegetarian, I like to hike. Beyond what to do when on the islands, the real question is what to do while on the boat.

I'm sure I will have a good time no matter what, but let's make it the best time ever. Yes!

Advice on Cartagena, Columbia

pianoboy — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:50:42 -0800

Has anyone visited this Cartagena, Columbia, and can you offer any up-to-date advice regarding safety and the best places to visit on a one day cruise stop? My wife, daugter and I have been invited to join our family on a cruise that stops in Cartagena, Columbia for a day. (Cruises are not my normal mode of travel)

We're very excited about seeing the city, but keep hearing security concerns about Columbia. Has anyone visited this Cartagena, Columbia, and can you offer any advice regarding safety and the best places to visit on a one day cruise stop?

Last-minute cheap travel tips?

pseudostrabismus — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:33:12 -0800

Me and my friends would like to go somewhere warm this February. We don't care where, and we would be fine with booking at the last minute. How do we get a great deal? February is coming and we're not getting caught off-guard. We're gonna need to get the heck out of Canada and give our S.A.D. some sun.

We don't care where we go as long as it's hot, sunny, and laid-back. A rented villa in a hot country, or an all-inclusive resort, or even a cruise would be fine.... we're not picky. Overall, we're looking for relaxation more than adventure (although local activities & food would be great).

Flying standby or getting a last-minute deal would be awesome. I've heard of people going all-inclusive (flight+room+food) from Canada to a Cuban resort for under $400/person, which would be a dream come true!

There are 4 of us- no couples, so we can all sleep in one room if need be.
Our outside dates are approx. Feb 14-22, 2009, for all or part of that time.
A rough budget might be around $600 per person, give & take.
We're all Canadian citizens with valid passports & no history of travel problems.
The catch: One person would fly out of Vancouver, the other 3 from Toronto.

Any resources, websites, stories of how you did this, or other advice would be much appreciated!

NYC Limo/Van Referral Needed

Man with Lantern — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:39:33 -0800

I'd like a referral for a service in New York City that can provide transport for six people, and luggage, from Penn Station to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. There are dozens - if not hundreds - limo services to choose from so I just need help separating the wheat from the chaff. Thanks.

Cruising dilemma. Which rooms to choose?

cgg — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:43:35 -0800

For my 30th birthday present, my mom is organizing a family girls-only Caribbean cruise for the two of us and my two aunts. According to the travel agent, we have two options. Both are Carnival cruises, with the same ports of call. We're having issues deciding which one to pick. Difficulty: My mom and 1 of my aunts smoke. I do not, and neither does my other aunt. The smokers are life long chain smokers, and cannot comprehend not smoking in their room, at all. Period. Even though I grew up in a smoking household, I can no longer handle the smoke. In addition to all the usual reasons (it stinks, it gets into my hair and clothes and makes me stink, etc...) it also makes my headaches considerably worse. (I have a weird neuro vascular issue that causes, among other things, daily headaches. They're mostly under control, but that's partially because I avoid triggers... like cigarette smoke.)

So - which one should we go with? This decision is causing serious stress for all involved...

Option 1: The Penthouse Suite
All four of us in 1 suite. It's nice; it has a private balcony, jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, and it's roomy. 2 twin beds, plus a couch that folds out into a king bed. Comes with priority boarding, and a nicer suite in the hotel before the cruise. Is also costs $1200 more for the 4 of us, but lets pretend that isn't an issue. The cruise is in early September, on a brand new ship.

Option 2:
Two inner connecting staterooms. Hence, two (shower-only) bathrooms. 4 twin beds total. The rooms are on the bottom floor of the boat (of the part accessible by passengers, that is). Regular boarding times. Cruise is in late September, on a older 15 year old boat. Two smokers in one room, the two non-smokers in the other.

So - do we take the obviously better Option 1, and deal with the smoking issues? Basically, that involves me dealing with it, and leaving the room when they need to smoke. But even with the window open, the room will still smell, and get into my luggage, etc. This will cause guilt all around - me for being the one who can't deal with it (it doesn't really bother my other non-smoking aunt), and guilt for mom/aunt who can't kick the habit and *need* to smoke in the room. (There is no arguing this fact. Apparently they also can't smoke on the room's balcony according to the cruise ship's rules, due to people dropping butts over the balcony edge, etc.)

Or, do we take Option 2? To me, this seems like the way to go (you don't spend much time in your room anyway, and 2 bathrooms are better than 1). But my mom is leaning the other way, because it's "the trip of a lifetime". (We're not big travellers.) In the end however, it's my decision (it is my birthday, after all!)

Thoughts? Opinions? Cruising experiences I can learn from? Thanks in advance!

transportation from bronx to manhattan west side

iscatter — Wed, 21 May 2008 05:48:28 -0800

How can I get 6-8 adults, 2 car-seat-aged kids, and all of the associated luggage from the Bronx to our cruise ship departure site on the west side of Manhattan on a Sunday morning? We'll be gone for six days if that helps you envision the luggage situation (probably between seven and nine suitcases, three to four garment bags, and a few smaller carry-on type bags). We're not against driving multiple cars downtown but I don't particularly relish spending hundreds of dollars for parking. I don't think we'll need the car seats on the cruise, so I'd like to leave them at home if we're not taking our own cars downtown.

Oh yeah, and we'll need to get back to the Bronx at the end of the trip, too!

Not having to fly to our cruise departure seemed like such a good idea until now!

What to do in Vancouver?

Schuby — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:23:43 -0800

What do we absolutely have to see/do in Vancouver, Canada while we are there? My friends and I are going on a cruise in two days to Vancouver. We are going to be there for a day, spending the night, then leaving on a flight home the following day.

So with our limited time there, what do we absolutely have to see/do?

We like to drink, go dancing, karaoke, etc.. things young adults usually do.

PS: We come from California ;)

Finding Fun On The Freighter

vagabond — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:52:10 -0800

I have booked room on a freighter from Pusan to Long Beach. I'm now looking for some tips advice on what to pack and or things I need to prepare myself for during my ten days at sea. Anyone taken the slow boat home before?

He who controls the seas, controls the world.

eatdonuts — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:32:35 -0800

Honeymoon in August - cruise in the Mediterranean? Anyone have suggestions for a great August Honeymoon cruise in the Mediterranean? Looking for all-inclusive but to be less on the boat and more on the land seeing it. Younger crowd - mid-30s. I've been backpacking Italy before but he hasn't so I want to show him the big sights. Also hoping maybe to have Greece on the itinerary?

Looking for personal experience references, anyone?

Best Cruise for Adult and Kid Fun?

bleucube — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:35:25 -0800

Me and wife would like to take a boat cruise with our three year old in tow. Would Disney cruise be the best choice for maximum entertainment? If so, what's best site for good deals on these? If you've gone on one - what was your experience like? We are not big Disney fans but would like to have the best of both worlds (kid and adult fun). Any tips or tricks? Looking to go in October for 4 or 7 days if that matters. Thanks!

should i go on a cruise to Alaska on my honeymoon

CrazyLemonade — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:02:42 -0800

Should I go on a cruise to Alaska on my honeymoon? I just got engaged this past saturday. (yay!) And the wedding will probably at the end of May, so I have to start planning the honeymoon if I want to find some good deals.

I've always wanted to take a cruise to Alaska, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea or not. My boyfriend and I had previously though about going on a Hawaiian cruise, but since I've already been on one, I thought maybe we'd like to take the Alaska cruise, then a whole week at some beautiful hotel in one of the Hawaiian islands.

I'm thinking about one of these Princess Cruises. (but could consider another line if the dates match)

I don't really know what I'm asking, but since I've read some of the reviews on tripadvisor.com and cruises.com, mostly I want some Mefi to tell me their own experience and see if they recommend it or not. For the record, both my boyfriend and I love to look at nature and we would certainly appreciate the glaciers and sea and stuff, although we're not the adventurous/sporty type.

Do cruise prices fluctuate in the crazy fashion that airline tickets do?

Jimmie — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 10:49:31 -0800

Do cruise prices fluctuate in the crazy fashion that airline tickets do? Or do they just get more expensive as it gets closer to the departure date? I've been looking into a Royal Caribbean Cruise and the price has increased by 20% in just over a month period. One month ago the price was $400, and this past week it has been set steady at $500. The kicker is that the cruise doesn't set sail until Mid-April... at least 6 months from now so it just seems odd the price would jump so much.

This is for a 5 day cruise in Asia, which isn't as common as those for the Carribean, Bahamas, etc., so shopping around with other cruise lines is a limited option.

I've tried googling information on this but have only returned scammy looking cruise sales websites. Any industry insiders who know more about this?

Should I buy now or hold out and pray prices go down?

Accellerate/Coast method more fuel efficient than cruise control?

Quarter Pincher — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:39:28 -0800

Question about cruise control vs. a special acceleration/coasting technique in terms of fuel efficiency. If you've got say, a speed limit of 45, and while driving on flat clean road, no wind aside from your own forward movement, etc, you accellerate to 47, coast until you're down to 40, then accellerate to 47, coast back down -- could this period of brief gassing up and long coasting by momentum, use less gas than having the pedal down the entire time and keeping at 45 (which I would assume cruise control would do)?

Would there be an ideal range (instead of up to 47 and down to 40, and back up/down) that would achieve greater efficiency? Would it be better to quickly accellerate to 47, or slowly (as the transmission gear may affect gas consumption)?

In-house counsel at a cruiseline

KimikoPi — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 05:08:13 -0800

I want to eventually join the in-house counsel staff of a large cruise line company. How do I do this? I am a recent law school grad and just passed the Bar.

River cruises and the little-known in Chicago.

the christopher hundreds — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 21:56:17 -0800

I'm looking for a gift for some new Chicagoans and think they would enjoy one of the river architecture tours. Is there any appreciable difference between the competing operators? Bonus points for any inexpensive (~$10 per person) and little known/unusual Chicago experiences I can bundle in to the gift. They've both visited the city many times and have done all of the major touristy things (like zoos, ballparks, the main museums, and elevator rides, though not an architecture cruise). What they haven't done are a lot of the things that only "real" Chicagoans would know about. I'd like to help fill some of their spare afternoons with some bits of Chicago you wouldn't get on a package tour. These extra things don't need to tie in to the cruise at all. And feel free to offer alternatives if you found the river cruises lame. Ultra-bonus points for proximity to Lincoln Park.

Which of the following itineraries would be best for my summer cruise?

nimkip — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 14:39:26 -0800

Which of the following itineraries would be best for my summer cruise? They're pretty similiar, but since I know very little about any of these places I thought I'd ask for advice.

My four options are:

Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Labadee, Haiti; Miami, Florida

Miami, Florida; Labadee, Haiti; Montego Bay, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami, Florida

Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Miami, Florida

Miami, Florida; Labadee, Haiti; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami, Florida