So I have a question about Cruises...

[NormanPride]

badger and I are thinking about taking a cruise for our honeymoon, and I was checking on the prices of some of the Disney cruises. Why are they SO much cheaper if you reserve about two days in advance? You'd think it would be the other way around, like plane flights.

Neither of us have ever been on a cruise before, so any advice or suggestions are welcome.

[RacerX]

you'll die and they'll never find your body.

[OUHOMER]

Disney ? you must like kids running all over the place. I have been on only 1 cruise, but we get alerts sent to us by both Carnival and Royal all the time. unlike a plane that has a few hundred seats, these ships can hold thousands. So if the boat aint full they start discounting. PS dont get an interior room, looking out at the ocean was cool.

[Sooner in Tampa]

I cannot give you an answer other than cruises drop prices closer to sailing dates to ensure the ships are full. You really don't gain anything by booking early.

We have been at least one cruise for the last three years...we usually book through Cruise.com and get a free excursion at one of ports. They are not top flight excursions, but hey, they are free.

Cruisin is the way to go...once you get on the ship...you ain't gotta worry about shiit. Just eatin and drinkin...and you get to see some pretty tropical locations.

Pack booze in your luggage...it will save you a ton of money.

[Hot Rod]

PS dont get an interior room, looking out at the ocean was cool.

Yeah, it's worth spending the extra cash.

Carolina said it best about the booking arrangements.

[Widescreen]

I thought this was going to be about TomKat :(

During off-peak seasons, the ship is generally not full and they're willing to give discounts for last-minute travellers. They'd rather get some money than none.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

If I was going on a cruise for a honeymoon, I wouldn't go on a Disney cruise.

[royalfan5]

Be sure to look out for pirates and/or Mike Leach.

[Petro-Sooner]

Aaaarrrrrrrrrrr

[Sooner in Tampa]

Winter time cruises are usually WAY cheap...and get ready to drop some coin on pic's. They really do turn out good...and they have them suckers set up EVERY stinkin night to hit you up on your way to dinner. Most people dress a little nice for dinner...and then there is the Formal Night/Captains dinner.

Don't miss the Captains night and free booze...it is the only thing you get for free on ships.

[NormanPride]

Okay, that's two people that have said no to a Disney cruise. That's fine because it was just a starting point. I did see where they have more adult-oriented places to go, but I'd imagine when you're on the boat there wouldn't be any place to run from the kids. I thought of it because badger is a huge fan of teh Disney.

Any other suggestions, then?

[Sooner in Tampa]

Okay, that's two people that have said no to a Disney cruise. That's fine because it was just a starting point. I did see where they have more adult-oriented places to go, but I'd imagine when you're on the boat there wouldn't be any place to run from the kids. I thought of it because badger is a huge fan of teh Disney.

Any other suggestions, then?Carnival has done right by us the last three times...with the exception of the 3 day to the Bahamas. NEVER AGAIN!!!!

[Widescreen]

Any other suggestions, then?
http://www.thedrinksgroup.co.uk/mdspread.jpg + http://i20.ebayimg.com/06/i/08/35/f0/5d_1.JPG

[NormanPride]

http://www.thedrinksgroup.co.uk/mdspread.jpg + http://i20.ebayimg.com/06/i/08/35/f0/5d_1.JPG

That would result in the best SO picture thread ever. And it would probably get me baned. :D

[Soonrboy]

We went on a Royal Carribean and had an outstanding time. We also heard that Carnival was more for singles.

[opksooner]

.......Why are they SO much cheaper if you reserve about two days in advance?......................

They are cheaper because they want to fill up the rooms at any cost.....almost.

There are companies that specialize in marketing "last minute" cruises,i.e., close to the time of departure. If you have all your ducks in a row, passports, etc, you can score some really good rates.

[HoserSooner]

I'll echo what Carolina said....they bend you over as far as the price of booze goes. The don't skimp mind you, but it ain't cheap. Grab a bottle of vodka for the room and pack it in your luggage and pre-drink before you go out.

Cruises are a good deal, but just make sure to budget for another $1000, depending on how much you drink.

[OUHOMER]

YES, make sure you have your passport

[SicEmBaylor]

Okay, that's two people that have said no to a Disney cruise. That's fine because it was just a starting point. I did see where they have more adult-oriented places to go, but I'd imagine when you're on the boat there wouldn't be any place to run from the kids. I thought of it because badger is a huge fan of teh Disney.

Any other suggestions, then?

My suggestion is pack nothing and never leave the room.

[RedStripe]

The 2 Royal Carribean cruises we went on were fun. I agree get a room either with a balcony or window it is worth the extry. Also they sell booze on the ship and it is cheaper than any liquor store, so we got it on the ship. the tips at the end of the cruise is pretty expensive expect to pay 400 - 600 in tips.

[NormanPride]

Thanks, guys. This really helps a lot! (SicEm not so much)

What about Alaskan cruises?

And how do tips work? I see that most places say $10 per person per day, but I have no idea how that works. Should I load up like I'm spending 8 days at a strip club? :D

[TopDawg]

My impression is that the big cruiselines break down like this:

Disney - family oriented with kids
Carnival - family oriented with teens, or for singles and young adults
Celebrity - couple oriented, not a lot of young'ns
Royal Caribbean - kinda between Carnival and Celebrity

We really enjoyed our Celebrity cruise. More of their boats don't have all the bells and whistles that you'll find on the others, but the food and service is great...and, really, do you need a rock-climbing wall on your honeymoon?



On second thought...don't answer that.

[SicEmBaylor]

Can I go too?

Any why would you want to cruise north? It's freezing up there.

[TopDawg]

Also, like many have said, get a room with a view. And, unless you'd rather have the peace-of-mind of having it all taken care of in advance, you can usually find cheaper rates on excursions if you don't mind doing a little leg work once you get on the island.

One more note: don't lose your wedding ring in the ocean. Wives don't like that.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

Also, like many have said, get a room with a view. And, unless you'd rather have the peace-of-mind of having it all taken care of in advance, you can usually find cheaper rates on excursions if you don't mind doing a little leg work once you get on the island.

One more note: don't lose your wedding ring in the ocean. Wives don't like that.

likely excuse

i have to assume that the last minute cruise deal has to be something for locals cause last minute airfare would be painful.

i've been on norwegian, carnival and rc - the ncl ship i've since nicknamed the fog boat because of all the cigarette smoke.

[SicEmBaylor]

So, how do these things work?

Whenever you go into a port you have to pay in order to go to shore? That seems like a ****ty *** deal to me. I would think that transportation to shore at the various destinations would be included in the price of the damned cruise.

[NormanPride]

I think the Disney cruises have specific places to go, so there isn't much to do outside of what they want you to do. Of course, I've never been on one, so I may be wrong.

And jkm, I'm assuming NCL is Norwegian Cruise Line?

[TopDawg]

With ours they pulled right up and you just walked out onto the dock (or through some sort of customs shopping mall thing) and onto the island. The excursions were just pre-planned activities that are all taken care of once you pay for them.

For instance, when we stopped in San Juan, the wife and I just walked around, grabbed some dinner and did some sight-seeing. We walked into some pretty scary areas, but it was a really neat evening, just the two of us having some time to ourselves while taking in the sites.

At another place, we mostly just did some shopping and then found a shuttle that took us to the beach at St. Magen's Bay (where I lost the ring). That was an excursion we could've paid for in advance, but we just handled it on our own.

At another location we did do one of the pre-pay excursions. It was snorkleing. The nice thing is that they met us right when we got off the boat and took us to the small boat and out to the area where we swam.

At the final stop, we just took a shuttle to the beach and hung out there. We almost didn't make it back to the boat, though, because there was an accident on the only bridge that went from the island we were on back to the main island where the boat was docked. We had to get out of the shuttle we were on and run across the bridge (at least half a mile in flip flops) and then catch a taxi on that side.

At any rate, it worked out well for us to just look through the list of excursions they offered and find our own way to make it happen once we got on the island. That way we could do it on our own schedule. But that's not an option with every excursion.

[NormanPride]

Do you pay before you go, or is it a "I think we'll do our own thing today" kind of arrangement?

And how does tipping work?

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

tipping varies by cruise line, some charge you up front others you tip at the end. if its the latter, i highly suggest you tip as you go. we learned this the hard way on the fog ship. waiter sucked. we were the first ones into the dining room and normally got kicked out of the dining room before desert by the second service (they've since went with this freestyle stuff). the guy went absolutely postal at the end of the week when no one would give him a tip.

now, you can pay for excursions up front or you can take a chance and pay for them on the boat (used to it was only on the boat). some of them are a heck of a lot more popular than others (swimming with the dolphins, etc.). we normally just go shopping or to the beach 1 out of 3. we'll then do one big excursion and 1 snorkeling excursion.

[RedStripe]

For tipping we got a bill with suggested/required tip amounts the last day of the cruise.

[NormanPride]

So how much does an excursion usually run? I realize it varies from cruise to cruise, but a ballpark would be nice. I'd hate to book a cruise and then figure out the excursions aren't in my budget.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

$40-$150 per person per excursion

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

oh, and in case you haven't figured it out yet, getting on the boat is the cheap part. unless your a pretty good gambler...

[TopDawg]

For tipping we got a bill with suggested/required tip amounts the last day of the cruise.

That's what we did. We gave our waiter a tip at the last meal for the whole week. We just left an envelope in the room for the housekeeping staff. That kinda stuff.

I like jkm's suggestion. Pick one excursion that you'd both love to do and shell out the cash for that. On the other stops, there's usually plenty to do on the island, especially if you just like hanging out on the beach or doing some site-seeing.

[OUWxGuesser]

Depends... excursions can get up there in price. My wife and I went on a float-plane trip in Alaska @ Misty Fjords Nat. Monument. Friggin incredible and worth the $200 a seat (I think that is what it was). One bit of advice: many excursions can be had for cheaper by going through the excursion company itself, and not the cruiseline. In the case of our floatplane trip we paid the same money as the cruiseline's sponsered tour, but got an extra 30min by landing during the middle of the flight in this mountain surrounded lake. The cruise sponsered trips only fly around the park and make no landings.

Once you figure out a cruise, do some investigating and look up tours and whatnot at each port of call. Once you find a few, check prices, and then look for reviews. There are plenty of wealthy types that spend their whole life cruising and writing review from things like excursions to the toilet paper they wiped their *** with in the cabin.

FYI Mention the trip is your honeymoon and you may get some free stuff out of the deal (free champaign usually).

[1stTimeCaller]

what are the bed situations on a cruise ship. For some reason I'm thinking prison mattresses and bunk beds.

[TopDawg]

Also be careful: the pool is filled with ocean water.

[SicEmBaylor]

So, I can't go with you?

[hookem31]

Also be careful: the pool is filled with ocean water.

VERY good point. Got the shock of my life on my first cruise. There is nothing like expecting chlorine and getting saltwater.

I've only taken Carnival and have had nothing but good experiences. Was actually on the Ecstasy, on it's first cruise back, after an onboard fire in '98.

Only took one excursion on my first cruise. Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios. Since then, have just gotten off the boat and gone where ever my feet lead me. Did go to Paradise Island in Nassau.

And I'll back up what others have said. Room with a view.

[Widescreen]

Be prepared to get an intestinal virus. Just sayin'.

;)

[trwxxa]

NormanPride
While the feedback received in this thread rocks, you should be able to find more information here

http://boards.cruisecritic.com

It is a great site where you can read up on particular cruise lines, including the small ones, ports etc.

I've been on six cruises and have two more booked this year. It's easy when you only have to drive an hour to a port (Galveston).

[soonerboomer93]

That is one thing, you can always book one out of Galvaston since it's about a 6-8 hour drive from Norman. That wouldn't be too bad on short notice and would save airfare.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

VERY good point. Got the shock of my life on my first cruise. There is nothing like expecting chlorine and getting saltwater.

I've only taken Carnival and have had nothing but good experiences. Was actually on the Ecstasy, on it's first cruise back, after an onboard fire in '98.

Only took one excursion on my first cruise. Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios. Since then, have just gotten off the boat and gone where ever my feet lead me. Did go to Paradise Island in Nassau.

And I'll back up what others have said. Room with a view.

we took our kids on a carnival cruise a couple of years ago - never again. "camp carnival" is such a pain in the keister. they have a ton of 30 minute breaks during the day where it isn't in session so you typically have to pick them up every hour or so. what we ended up doing was walking 15 minutes to whatever end of the ship it was at (since we were in the middle), walking 15 minutes back, wander around the ship for 20 minutes, then walking 15 minutes back because you were supposed to pick them up 10 minutes early or they hammer you with a $50 late charge. then go to the arcade to slot some quarters for 30 minutes cause i don't want to walk across the ship to turn around and take them back. that and the fact that it was to the mexican riviera made it the worst vacation EVAR!

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

That is one thing, you can always book one out of Galvaston since it's about a 6-8 hour drive from Norman. That wouldn't be too bad on short notice and would save airfare.

i would suggest this cruise especially the cancun, cozumel, roatan route. roatan is the bomb. it and the grand caymans are my two favorite western carib sites. of course, when we went to cozumel we took an all day excursion to chichen itza. great history lesson, beyond the fire of hades hot - gives you a little insight into why there are no more maya ;).

[NormanPride]

Depends... excursions can get up there in price. My wife and I went on a float-plane trip in Alaska @ Misty Fjords Nat. Monument. Friggin incredible and worth the $200 a seat (I think that is what it was). One bit of advice: many excursions can be had for cheaper by going through the excursion company itself, and not the cruiseline. In the case of our floatplane trip we paid the same money as the cruiseline's sponsered tour, but got an extra 30min by landing during the middle of the flight in this mountain surrounded lake. The cruise sponsered trips only fly around the park and make no landings.

Once you figure out a cruise, do some investigating and look up tours and whatnot at each port of call. Once you find a few, check prices, and then look for reviews. There are plenty of wealthy types that spend their whole life cruising and writing review from things like excursions to the toilet paper they wiped their *** with in the cabin.

FYI Mention the trip is your honeymoon and you may get some free stuff out of the deal (free champaign usually).

Dude, you said "whatnot". What are they feeding you up there?


Also, thanks for all the advice everyone! If you guys have any more specific suggestions, that would be great. Learning the pool is filled with seawater is one of those little things you like to know beforehand. :D

[OUHOMER]

I perfer to fly, the drive down is not bad, but the drive back is the suck.

[Sooner in Tampa]

I perfer to fly, the drive down is not bad, but the drive back is the suck.It is pretty amazing how tired you can be after coming off of that ship.

That's why it great to live in a town with a port. :D

[Penguin]

badger and I are thinking about taking a cruise for our honeymoon, and I was checking on the prices of some of the Disney cruises. Why are they SO much cheaper if you reserve about two days in advance? You'd think it would be the other way around, like plane flights.

Neither of us have ever been on a cruise before, so any advice or suggestions are welcome.
Wow. I haven't seen this thread until now. I've been on four and I'm about to book another one soon. I haven't read the entire thread, so I'm sorry if I repeat some advice.

Book at least a 4 day cruise. It takes 2 days just to get familiar with the layout of the ship. I only go on 7 day cruises and by the 7th day, I'm ready to go home. Seven days is perfect for me, but not for some.

Always, always, always shell out the bucks for an oceanview cabin. Everybody says that you'll be too busy to stay in your room. That is BS. There will be times when you want to go to your room and rest. Also, on formal nights, you will go to your room to change and get ready. That takes an hour, at least. You might as well enjoy the view. Don't worry, there aren't too many peeping toms in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.

Yes, they use seawater in the pool. However, I've never been on a Disney cruise, so maybe they use freshwater. Anyways, chlorinated seawater is pretty bad. I don't get in the pool on cruises.

The most popular excursions fill up fast. Do some research and sign up for your excursions on the first day.

Here's a tip nobody will tell you. On the last night, they usually have a really nice meal like lobster. You will want seconds. When you place your order with the waiter, tell him/her that you want two orders! Do not wait until you are done with the first lobster. They will run out. My in-laws thanked me profusely for that tip. :)

Don't bother playing the slots. They have you in the middle of the ocean and the slots are super tight!

People say that the ships are so big that you don't feel the waves. Again, that is BS. The individual waves aren't felt, but the swells are definitely felt. If there is a low within 500 miles, the ship will be a-rockin'. If you are worried about getting seasick, start taking the medicine 3 days ahead of time. It is much easier to avoid seasickness than it is to cure it.

I'll post more tips when I think of them. I hope my tips help.

[HoserSooner]

Don't bother playing the slots. They have you in the middle of the ocean and the slots are super tight!

Also steer clear of the low ($5-$10) Blackjack tables. This is where people who don't know how to "play" Blackjack sit, and after losing a few hands, will make you want to throat punch them.

[Penguin]

Also, there is one thing I learned. There are usually 2 seatings for dinner, early and late. That is usually 6 and 7:30. Every time I have been on a cruise, I get stuck on the late seating. You are starving by 5pm and you also miss entertainment going on during the late seating.


I strongly suggest that you lie, cheat, and backstab to get the early dinner time. If you simply request a change, they will deny it. Say that you have a medical condition that requires you to eat at 6pm. Late dinners suck.

I am 200% serious about that. DO NOT TAKE THE LATE SEATING.

[NormanPride]

Thanks, guys. All of this really helps. Are there any cruise lines which put less of an importance on gambling? I'm not a big fan, but badger finds it novelty enough that I don't want it completely gone...

[TopDawg]

I've only been on Celebrity. They had a casino but it was just a small part of the boat and I don't remember ever even hearing it mentioned.

I imagine, though, that most of the major cruise lines will all be about the same in that regard.

[SoonerJack]

We took the early seating so we could load up on pizza around 10:30. For some reason, we just loved the Carnival pizza.

and don't get a cabin at either end of the boat. The middle gets the least of the swell-induced heaving.

[Sooner in Tampa]

My dinner suggestion would be the exact opposite of Penguin's...we love the late seating...it gives us time to get ready (and the kids if they are there) it just seems more relaxing. We are not being rushed to get out for the next group. Plus during the summers, we usually dinner later than normal people anyway.

Gambling is only a small portion of the cruise...the casinos are not really that big. The wife and I spend a good deal of time on the craps table while cruising.

[Penguin]

Whatever. If you want the late seating, cheat and backstab to get it.

[NormanPride]

Okay, I've been looking around, and the NCL Pearl looks very nice. It's running a 5 day Caribbean cruise that seems wonderful. I believe the same run is also being served by the Jewel. Anyone with any experience on it?

[HoserSooner]

The ship we were on (Carnival Triumph) had a small casino, but it was strategically located, in that it was difficult to get from one part of the ship to the other without passing through it.

If you aren't a gambler, it shouldn't be much of a problem, but it does make it tempting when you walk through.

[C&CDean]

NormanPride and Badger,

Do NOT listen to a single one of these persons commenting on cruises. I'm gonna give you the skinny, and if you choose to go on a cruise anyhow, then it's your bad.

Cruises are the suckage of the suck. A complete and total waste of $$. People who cruise are the human equivalent of 3-toed sloths. Lazy-assed people who want to sit on their fat *** and pay way more than what something's worth. Plus, you wait in line, you are constantly harrassed for tips, you will spend way more than the cost of the cruise if you drink the booze, and the "excursions" blow, and not in the Linda Lovelace way either.

I learned the cruise lesson the hard way. After wasting $$ on a couple cruises we decided to just pick an island and spend a week there. It was cheaper, a hell of a lot more fun, and we actually got to spend some time discovering each island.

We laugh at the losers in the big port cities every time the cruise ship docks. They unload, they're met by the local shysters and hucksters. Crappy souvenir/t-shirt stands/cheap shot glass stands abound. Usually a jewelry store or two - all Iranian owned are there for you too. We've learned that the places the cruise ships dock are the place on that island you do not want to go. Cruise ship ports are exactly like Juarez/Nogales/Tijuana.

Seriously, check into a week on St. Martin, Barbados, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, or even some of the Virgin Islands. Steer clear of Jamaica, and only go to the Cayman Islands if you plan to scuba dive. You can eat the local foods, party with the locals, see the really cool parts of the island that you'll never see on a cruise ship, and do all the crap the cruise ship pimps as an "excursion" without the bull**** and crowd.

And do NOT do the "all inclusives." Yeah, they're great if you're a ****ing sloth who wants to lay by the pool all day. If you want to see the sights, you're not gonna want to come back to the hotel for lunch/dinner/etc. So, you end up buying lunch wherever you are - which ends up pretty much negating the advantage of an all inclusive. My suggestion to those people who want to lay by the pool and eat/drink all day is this: why in the hell are you spending $$ to lay by a pool in some foreign country? You can do the same damn thing down at the Marriott in OKC or Dallas.

You'll thank me later.

[Penguin]

NormanPride and Badger,

Do NOT listen to a single one of these persons commenting on cruises. I'm gonna give you the skinny, and if you choose to go on a cruise anyhow, then it's your bad.

Cruises are the suckage of the suck. A complete and total waste of $$. People who cruise are the human equivalent of 3-toed sloths. Lazy-assed people who want to sit on their fat *** and pay way more than what something's worth. Plus, you wait in line, you are constantly harrassed for tips, you will spend way more than the cost of the cruise if you drink the booze, and the "excursions" blow, and not in the Linda Lovelace way either.

I learned the cruise lesson the hard way. After wasting $$ on a couple cruises we decided to just pick an island and spend a week there. It was cheaper, a hell of a lot more fun, and we actually got to spend some time discovering each island.

We laugh at the losers in the big port cities every time the cruise ship docks. They unload, they're met by the local shysters and hucksters. Crappy souvenir/t-shirt stands/cheap shot glass stands abound. Usually a jewelry store or two - all Iranian owned are there for you too. We've learned that the places the cruise ships dock are the place on that island you do not want to go. Cruise ship ports are exactly like Juarez/Nogales/Tijuana.

Seriously, check into a week on St. Martin, Barbados, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, or even some of the Virgin Islands. Steer clear of Jamaica, and only go to the Cayman Islands if you plan to scuba dive. You can eat the local foods, party with the locals, see the really cool parts of the island that you'll never see on a cruise ship, and do all the crap the cruise ship pimps as an "excursion" without the bull**** and crowd.

And do NOT do the "all inclusives." Yeah, they're great if you're a ****ing sloth who wants to lay by the pool all day. If you want to see the sights, you're not gonna want to come back to the hotel for lunch/dinner/etc. So, you end up buying lunch wherever you are - which ends up pretty much negating the advantage of an all inclusive. My suggestion to those people who want to lay by the pool and eat/drink all day is this: why in the hell are you spending $$ to lay by a pool in some foreign country? You can do the same damn thing down at the Marriott in OKC or Dallas.

You'll thank me later.


Ummmm, this person is a mod on soonerfans, I guess. What a super-de-dupider-marvelous job he does.









He knows nothing about cruises. Ignore him.

[NormanPride]

Dean, I'd love to go on a vacation with you guys once. I bet you go for about a tenth the price and have 10x the fun, but it really takes a special type of individual to do that. However, neither badger nor I are like that yet. I've left the country a total of two times, and I don't think badger ever has. I just don't feel comfortable with my first real big vacation being like that.

I know I'm a pansy, but I kind of have a phobia about these things.

[Penguin]

Dean, I'd love to go on a vacation with you guys once. I bet you go for about a tenth the price and have 10x the fun, but it really takes a special type of individual to do that. However, neither badger nor I are like that yet. I've left the country a total of two times, and I don't think badger ever has. I just don't feel comfortable with my first real big vacation being like that.

I know I'm a pansy, but I kind of have a phobia about these things.

Don't grovel. Just because he has "moderator" next to his name doesn't make him an expert on anything.

[SicEmBaylor]

I agree with Dean. I don't understand the appeal of being cooped up on a boat. I'd rather have a decent stationary room on a beach someplace for a week.

[olevetonahill]

Once again Dean Nails it .
Ive said it befor . Do a week on an Island . You can do everything there that you can on a cruise , Plus a brazillion other things .

[Penguin]

This thread is about cruises.



Somebody else needs to start a "We love Dean and we all want him to tell us where to go on vacation" thread.

[NormanPride]

Don't grovel. Just because he has "moderator" next to his name doesn't make him an expert on anything.

Oh, I don't think his is the correct answer either, but I've been on those types of vacations before. You have to work a bit harder, but it can be so much more rewarding. However, it can be so much more disastrous as well. The one time I left the country for any length of time I got REALLY sick, and it almost ruined the trip for not only me, but my family as well.

EDIT: To make Penguin happy, I'll go back to talking about cruises in my own thread. :D I think I asked before, but has anyone been on an Alaskan cruise? How are they different from the tropical ones? (besides the obvious "it's damn cold")

[skycat]

Dean's right about the port cities vs. surrounding areas. At least for everywhere I've been (which admittedly isn't all that many tropical type places).

St. John's>>St. Thomas

Every Hawaiian island not Oahu>>Oahu

Everywhere in the world that is not Cancun>>Cancun

But I've never been on a cruise, so maybe they rawk. I don't know that they're for me though.

[SoonerInKCMO]

I've never been on a cruise. But from the descriptions of cruises and 'excursions' and such from the people who like cruises, I think a cruise would suck like nothing has ever sucked before.

[TopDawg]

A vacation is what you make it. Cruises certainly aren't for everybody, but neither is steak.

But if you do go on a cruise, be careful:


NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Royal Caribbean Cruises has agreed to pay more than $1 million to the estate of a man who vanished from his honeymoon cruise in the Mediterranean in 2005, according to settlement papers filed Thursday.

A copy of the settlement agreement, which still requires court approval, indicates the Florida-based company will pay $950,000 to the estate of George Allen Smith IV and reimburse his widow, Jennifer Hagel Smith, for legal costs up to $110,000. It says Hagel Smith will start a fund in memory of her husband with an initial donation of $25,000 that the cruise line will match, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Associated Press.

The agreement was to be filed Thursday afternoon in Greenwich Probate Court. Royal Caribbean and Hagel Smith reached the settlement last June, but terms were not disclosed until Thursday.

Smith, 26, of Greenwich, Connecticut, disappeared after a night of heavy drinking aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas as it sailed between Greece and Turkey on July 5, 2005. Hagel Smith was found passed out on a floor far from the couple's cabin, the cruise line has said. She says she has no recollection of what happened and has said she passed an FBI polygraph test.

The FBI has been investigating, but no one has been charged and no body has been recovered.

Royal Caribbean denies any wrongdoing and does not admit to any liability for Smith's disappearance in the settlement with his widow. The cruise line said when it reached the settlement with Hagel Smith that it wanted to "provide closure and move forward."

Hagel Smith said the settlement gives her access for the first time to records kept by Royal Caribbean, including vessel logs, security reports, door activity records, photographs, witness statements and correspondence with the FBI.

"My single goal continues to be to find answers regarding how George died," Hagel Smith said in a statement. "Reaching a settlement in this case in no way shuts down the investigation."

Hagel Smith said $100,000 will go to her attorney for investigative costs and another $60,000 will be paid to forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee to continue his investigation.

"I hope it will be recognized that my loyalty to George and his memory can never be measured in media appearances, allegations, lawsuits, or dollars and cents," said Hagel Smith, who appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

The settlement deal caused a rift with Smith's parents and sister, who sued Royal Caribbean, accusing the company of a cover-up that hindered the investigation.

The lawsuit, which was dismissed in November, had argued that Royal Caribbean delayed reporting the incident to the FBI and instead contacted Turkish authorities, knowing they would be unable to conduct a thorough investigation.

The family attorney has filed an amended complaint.

The case prompted congressional hearings and new legislation to tighten requirements for reporting when passengers disappear.

[TopDawg]

Dean, I'd love to go on a vacation with you guys once. I bet you go for about a tenth the price and have 10x the fun, but it really takes a special type of individual to do that. However, neither badger nor I are like that yet.

Especially when you've just finished planning a wedding. The best part about a honeymoon cruise or all-inclusive is that you write the check and it's all taken care of. No more planning. After our wedding, that's exactly what I (and, more importantly, my wife) wanted. And that's the most important lesson you can learn about this whole endeavor: A happy wife is a happy life.

[skycat]

We went to the Virgin Islands for our honeymoon. It wasn't really that hard to plan. Pick a hotel, get airline tickets, and rent a car and there you go.

We liked having the freedom to look around the islands at our own pace, and having the time to discover things that someone there for a day would never have time to do. The beaches closest to the cruise ships on St. Thomas were packed, but taking the ferry over to St. John gave us access to miles of beaches that we shared with no more than 20 or 30 people at a time.

But by all means, if a cruise sounds good to you, don't let a bunch of yahoos on the innernets talk you into not going.

[trwxxa]

EDIT: To make Penguin happy, I'll go back to talking about cruises in my own thread. :D I think I asked before, but has anyone been on an Alaskan cruise? How are they different from the tropical ones? (besides the obvious "it's damn cold")

The wife and I did Alaska a few years ago. Yes, it is different. We spent two weeks on this trip since we did not know if we were going to make it back again in our lifetime. We spent three days in Vancouver/Victoria, 7 days northbound from Vancouver to Anchorage and then 4 days in the Alaska interior. The weather is cooler. We went in June and got by in jeans and sweatshirts. Our days in the interior were in the 70s.

This trip is all about the scenery, which was spectacular. Your choices in ports revolve around fishing, wildlife, nature and the gold rush. Based on this, the passengers tend to be an older crowd with not much going on at night.

I hope to do this trip again at some point.

[C&CDean]

This thread is about cruises.



Somebody else needs to start a "We love Dean and we all want him to tell us where to go on vacation" thread.

That's right, it's about cruises, and how much they suck.

And of course everybody loves Dean. DOH. To know me is to love me. And you nailed the vacation thing right on the head. I'm a worldly mother****er man. I didn't develop my astute and outstanding opinion/s about things by hunkering down in a stateroom on a POS STD cruise ship. I learned them by living life. If you wanna be a dumbass and disagree with me that's fine. People do it all the time. Of course after they grow up and become semi-self actualized they do tend to see my point of view. Being right is tough, but I can handle it.

[C&CDean]

Oh, I don't think his is the correct answer either, but I've been on those types of vacations before. You have to work a bit harder, but it can be so much more rewarding. However, it can be so much more disastrous as well. The one time I left the country for any length of time I got REALLY sick, and it almost ruined the trip for not only me, but my family as well.

EDIT: To make Penguin happy, I'll go back to talking about cruises in my own thread. :D I think I asked before, but has anyone been on an Alaskan cruise? How are they different from the tropical ones? (besides the obvious "it's damn cold")

Dude, I'm not proposing that you go on a Survival Haiti dealio. I'm suggesting you check out a week at a nice hotel on a nice island in the Carribean. You might be surprised how cheap it is, and I can promise you that you'll have 10x the fun you'll have on a cruise. I've met you and the future Mrs. Y'all don't look like tree sloths to me.

[hookem31]

I think I asked before, but has anyone been on an Alaskan cruise? How are they different from the tropical ones? (besides the obvious "it's damn cold")

I have a friend who went on one. He had been to the Carribean also. Claimed he liked the Alaskan one more. Boat rides right up to the glaciers and the pics were amazing. As far as cruises go, that is my next one.

[Penguin]

If you wanna be a dumbass and disagree with me that's fine.

Good. I guess I'm a dumbass and I totally disagree with you.

Tell me why I would want to stay in a 3rd world country for more than 8 hours.


I say we visit the prettiest ports and get the hell out of there. Sure, I might not see the best views available, but nobody here wants to be raped or mugged.

At the end of the day, I look out the window from my cabin and thank myself for going on a cruise.

[NormanPride]

I seriously hope you guys aren't arguing in my honeymoon planning thread. Because that's gotta be bad mojo of some sort. But you guys are cool, and wouldn't do that.

[soonerboomer93]

I seriously hope you guys aren't arguing in my honeymoon planning thread. Because that's gotta be bad mojo of some sort. But you guys are cool, and wouldn't do that.

um, are you like new here or something?

hell, you should just be happy isn't hasn't been totally jacked and it's still mostly on target :D

[Penguin]

I seriously hope you guys aren't arguing in my honeymoon planning thread. Because that's gotta be bad mojo of some sort. But you guys are cool, and wouldn't do that.

Sorry about that.

If you do take a Disney cruise, go to all of the dinners. I heard that one night, the dinner starts out in black & white. The waiters, the busboys, the walls are all black and white. During the meal, everything slowly becomes in color. By the time you are done with desert, the whole place is in color, including the waiters.

The whole thing sounds really cool. I was going to sign up for a Disney cruise just because of that.

[SicEmBaylor]

I'd go on a cruise if someone invited me.

Hint..hint...hint... ^^^^^

:D

[BajaOklahoma]

I like Cunard. But, then, I like to be able to communicate with the staff in the only language in which I am fluent.
We always get a bigger room, with a view. Remember when you look at the pictures of the room, they are smaller than they look. It also gets you a seat at one of the officer's tables, which means better service. And invitations to the crew's parties.
The staff can give you great advice on where to go and what to do at each stop. They usually know about some of the "unadvertised" things you will want to see.
There are people who love to cruise and people who don't. Cruises are great in that you can see several different islands and possibly figure out which ones you'd to see more of later. There are some that one visit is enough.

[olevetonahill]

I'd go on a cruise if someone invited me.

Hint..hint...hint... ^^^^^

:D
Sicem is hereby Invited to go on a 3hr cruise , 3 hr cruise .
Whats up little buddy ?:D

[olevetonahill]

I seriously hope you guys aren't arguing in my honeymoon planning thread. Because that's gotta be bad mojo of some sort. But you guys are cool, and wouldn't do that.
Ok Im gonna be serious . :D :D :D :D :D

One or Both of Yall gonna be flat on your backs ;)
spend ur bucks wisely ! Check out the cost of an Island thing versus a cruise. then think about what your gonna be spending your time ON
nuff said .

[SicEmBaylor]

Both of Yall gonna be flat on your backs ;)

How exactly does that work?

[olevetonahill]

How exactly does that work?
Only for you will I esplain it !;)
see when ya get really excited ya keep swappin . aw hell never mind :confused:

[SicEmBaylor]

Only for you will I esplain it !;)
see when ya get really excited ya keep swappin . aw hell never mind :confused:

Well, I understand THAT. I thought you meant on the back at the same time...

Anyway, this is turning into a discussion I bet neither NP nor Badger wanted but both should have anticipated. :D

[1stTimeCaller]

What are the rooms like on a cruise ship? Are they like a standard hotel room? How big are the beds?

[olevetonahill]

What are the rooms like on a cruise ship? Are they like a standard hotel room? How big are the beds?
1st ? = NO
2nd ? big enough to do what ya want !;)

[Penguin]

What are the rooms like on a cruise ship? Are they like a standard hotel room? How big are the beds?

It's more like a dorm room size. The bed is usually queen-sized.

[NormanPride]

Sex discussions I can take. It wouldn't be a good thread without olevet giving some sort of inuendo. Thanks, buddy. :)

And Sicem, I don't think there are any cruises to Branson. ;)

[C&CDean]

Good. I guess I'm a dumbass and I totally disagree with you.

Tell me why I would want to stay in a 3rd world country for more than 8 hours.


I say we visit the prettiest ports and get the hell out of there. Sure, I might not see the best views available, but nobody here wants to be raped or mugged.

At the end of the day, I look out the window from my cabin and thank myself for going on a cruise.

The reason your opinion of the Carribean islands is "3rd world" is because the only place you've seen of them is the cruise ship ports. I am in total agreement that the "prettiest ports" are still 3rd worldly.

And if you believe your chances of getting raped or mugged down there is greater than your chance of getting raped or mugged in OKC then you really haven't got out much. I already counseled them to avoid Jamaica, which is just a trashy dump where you actually might get raped or robbed.

Your opinion is simply coming from one side of the coin. You're making statements about things you've never done. I've done both. And when I walked off that cruise ship after spending a week being told when to eat, what to wear, where to go, sleeping in a shoebox of a room, being surrounded by a thousand other losers rushing to buy cheap trinkets in filthy port cities, and signing a $3,786 Visa tab, it didn't take me long to realize what a dumb thing cruises are.

But to each his own I guess...

[Sooner in Tampa]

Your opinion is simply coming from one side of the coin. You're making statements about things you've never done. I've done both. And when I walked off that cruise ship after spending a week being told when to eat, what to wear, where to go, sleeping in a shoebox of a room, being surrounded by a thousand other losers rushing to buy cheap trinkets in filthy port cities, and signing a $3,786 Visa tab, it didn't take me long to realize what a dumb thing cruises are.

But to each his own I guess...:eek: Damn....I took 4 kids on a 5 day cruise and only spent $1,100. I would quit crusin too if my tab was that high.

[C&CDean]

:eek: Damn....I took 4 kids on a 5 day cruise and only spent $1,100. I would quit crusin too if my tab was that high.

Wait till your kids are old enough to drink. And go to the casino.

[TopDawg]

Your opinion is simply coming from one side of the coin. You're making statements about things you've never done. I've done both. And when I walked off that cruise ship after spending a week being told when to eat, what to wear, where to go, sleeping in a shoebox of a room, being surrounded by a thousand other losers rushing to buy cheap trinkets in filthy port cities, and signing a $3,786 Visa tab, it didn't take me long to realize what a dumb thing cruises are.

If you go to the wrong barber shop, you might also think that haircuts are a bad idea.

NP, The best advice I can give you about going on a cruise is: if you do decide to take one, don't let Dean make the arrangements for you.

[C&CDean]

If you go to the wrong barber shop, you might also think that haircuts are a bad idea.

NP, The best advice I can give you about going on a cruise is: if you do decide to take one, don't let Dean make the arrangements for you.

So, what you're saying is that not all cruise ships are crowded with losers, overpriced, tiny rooms, have structured eating times, make you dress up if you wanna go to the hoity toity dinners, and drop you off at ****hole ports?

OK, name one.

[NormanPride]

NCL doesn't have assigned eating times, at least. And there are a bunch of cruise lines that don't care what you wear, from what I've read.

At any rate, as someone who's never left the country on his own, this seems like a good way to just sit back and dip my feet in after planning a wedding.

[C&CDean]

NCL doesn't have assigned eating times, at least. And there are a bunch of cruise lines that don't care what you wear, from what I've read.

At any rate, as someone who's never left the country on his own, this seems like a good way to just sit back and dip my feet in after planning a wedding.

Hey, it's your money and time. It's pretty obvious you're already sold on a cruise, so you may as well make the most of it. You'll have fun, in spite of the fact you're captive on a ship that's gonna drop you off at craphole places.

And no, you can't borrow my Visa.

[NormanPride]

Hey, it's your money and time. It's pretty obvious you're already sold on a cruise, so you may as well make the most of it. You'll have fun, in spite of the fact you're captive on a ship that's gonna drop you off at craphole places.

And no, you can't borrow my Visa.

I'm not really. I just realize the benefits of not having to think sometimes. I think a lot, and it's nice to not have to every once in awhile. I'm honestly glad you stuck your bald head in this thread, because I wouldn't have even thought about anything else (since badger suggested a cruise and I'm a sucker like that around her). :D

[TopDawg]

So, what you're saying is that not all cruise ships are crowded with losers, overpriced, tiny rooms, have structured eating times, make you dress up if you wanna go to the hoity toity dinners, and drop you off at ****hole ports?

OK, name one.

Yes. Celebrity.

I'm not saying that an island vacation doesn't make for a better trip. Maybe it does. I don't know, I've never taken one but I'd love to. Are you kidding me? I think it'd be awesome.

But I also loved our cruise. I had a blast. And most of the things you mentioned (price, room size, eating time-if they have them, attire, port locations) are things you know or can research before you sign up. So if you don't like 'em, you have only yourself to blame. The crowded with losers part...well, maybe that was just luck of the draw for you.

All I'm saying is that, for a honeymoon, I think a cruise (or all-inclusive) is awesome. Especially one like Celebrity where the service is outstanding. After planning a wedding, it's nice to just kick back and relax and know that everything is already taken care of.

[C&CDean]

So I guess the final point of this thread is to not get married. I'm cool with that.

[NormanPride]

No, dude. It's the weddings that are teh debbil.

[OUWxGuesser]

The wife and I did Alaska a few years ago. Yes, it is different. We spent two weeks on this trip since we did not know if we were going to make it back again in our lifetime. We spent three days in Vancouver/Victoria, 7 days northbound from Vancouver to Anchorage and then 4 days in the Alaska interior. The weather is cooler. We went in June and got by in jeans and sweatshirts. Our days in the interior were in the 70s.

If you do Alaska, you HAVE to get an oceanview balcony to do it right. Being able to eat breakfast in your room and watch the glaciers, orca whales, and whatever else go by is amazing. Don't forget the extended daylight hours. If I recall sunset was ~11pm with sunrise around ~5am.

[frankensooner]

I have been holding off on posting in this thread, and although I really enjoyed the two cruises the wife and I took, Dean makes some valid points. The ports are crappy. Yes. But hopefully you won't be spending much time in those places. We tooks some excursions that were a lot of fun. Snorkeling, a bus tour and the like. We even toured some Mayan ruins. It was a lot of fun, but the ports do suck.

The food and service was fantastic. The last cruise I took was twelve years ago and I don't know how things have changed in that time. My guess is that they do try to maintain high quality food and service to keep you coming back.

A cruise for your Honeymoon is a great idea. You get to play dress up some and there are discos and casinos right on the ship. You really don't have to worry about anything except the visa bill. Since this will be one of your first trips out of country, don't hesitate with a cruise. Maybe you will find an Island you really like and can go back later and do a Dean type vacation.

My tips would be:

1. Get your passport NOW as they are required for re-entry to the USofA
2. Eat the dinner meal and fly by the seat of your pants the rest of the day.
3. In Mexico, don't drink the water. Any water. Even if it is in a bottle.
4. See a show or two on the boat. They are usually pretty good.
5. If you see crap you want to buy, (off ship) haggle. They will come down.
6. If you end up in Jamaica, do not accept gifts from strangers.
7. Don't get your hair braided, it looks silly.

To recap, cruises are great, especially if you are on a honeymoon and don't want to worry about a lot of planning and what not and are good for people who haven't traveled extensively.

[Penguin]

Wow. I completely disagree with Dean's opinion of cruises.

NormanPride, a cruise is what you make out of it. You will not receive Titantic-style luxury service. You will not visit the most beautiful places in the world.

On the other hand...

Somebody will clean your room 2 times a day. Waiters are everywhere, you will never go thirsty. There is always a buffet going on somewhere on the ship, you will never go hungry. Even if you do get hungry, call room service. I love being on the ship. Even if we just went out and went in circles for 7 days, I would love it.


Some people don't like the rocking of the ship, but I love it. You will get the sleep of your life on a cruise ship.


Damn. This thread really has me thinking. I think I'm going to book another cruise.

[Penguin]

I go on cruises for the ship, not for the stops.


If you want to visit Grand Cayman or wherever, just fly there and stay several nights.

[Soonrboy]

one of the best things was coming back from an excursion, calling room service for a cheese tray and hot chocolate chip cookies and just relaxing.
We would do it again in a minute.

I agree with Dean that Jamaica was a big disappointment. Grand Cayman and Cozumel were outstanding. It did give us a taste into where we would like to revisit. Jamaica is not one of those places.

[C&CDean]

Wow. I completely disagree with Dean's opinion of cruises.

NormanPride, a cruise is what you make out of it. You will not receive Titantic-style luxury service. You will not visit the most beautiful places in the world.

On the other hand...

Somebody will clean your room 2 times a day. Waiters are everywhere, you will never go thirsty. There is always a buffet going on somewhere on the ship, you will never go hungry. Even if you do get hungry, call room service. I love being on the ship. Even if we just went out and went in circles for 7 days, I would love it.


Some people don't like the rocking of the ship, but I love it. You will get the sleep of your life on a cruise ship.


Damn. This thread really has me thinking. I think I'm going to book another cruise.

Like I said, cruises are wonderful things. For sloths. And slothy penguins.

Besides, I've got a 20-foot boat if I feel like going in circles - only I can do it at 70 mph. And when momma packs that ice chest with cheese, summer sausage, grapes, baguets, and cold adult beverages and serves them to me in the raw, it blows anything a cruise ship could offer all to hell. Unless you can convince Gopher to strip while serving you.

[Howzit]

Like I said, cruises are wonderful things. For sloths. And slothy penguins.

Besides, I've got a 20-foot boat if I feel like going in circles - only I can do it at 70 mph. And when momma packs that ice chest with cheese, summer sausage, grapes, baguets, and cold adult beverages and serves them to me in the raw, it blows anything a cruise ship could offer all to hell. Unless you can convince Gopher to strip while serving you.

Just what I needed after lunch. A visual of Dean, in the raw, being fed summer sausage.

[C&CDean]

Just what I needed after lunch. A visual of Dean, in the raw, being fed summer sausage.

Stifle it, spawn of Doleo and Yermom.

[NormanPride]

Did you just call my fiancee a gopher? :eek:

[C&CDean]

Did you just call my fiancee a gopher? :eek:

Heh. Guess you ain't old enough to remember the Love Boat.

[Penguin]

Like I said, cruises are wonderful things. For sloths. And slothy penguins.

I am slothy on vacation. I have no interest in being "active" when on vacation.

Go on a cruise, folks. The only energy that you spend are climbing the stairs from your cabin to the Lido Deck.

[Penguin]

Heh. Guess you ain't old enough to remember the Love Boat.

Heh. Does anybody remember the bar that was under the water?

Sorry, guys. Everything on a cruise ship is above the waterline.

[trwxxa]

If you do Alaska, you HAVE to get an oceanview balcony to do it right. Being able to eat breakfast in your room and watch the glaciers, orca whales, and whatever else go by is amazing. Don't forget the extended daylight hours. If I recall sunset was ~11pm with sunrise around ~5am.

Right on. It is nice to watch the scenery sheltered from the elements. Mount Fairweather rising 15,000 feet right out of the sea was awesome, as was College Fjord.

Late at night, you could look off to the north at see light on the horizon. After the cruise, we spent two nights in Fairbanks and while the sun went below the horizon, it never got dark.