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| *Travel Tips>>>General - Caribbean Travel Tips |
I am from N.H. and want to plan a cruise for my family next year. Help me plan!? |
Travel Info What i am looking for is the best way to plan a cruise for a family of 7. Any and all help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance ;0) Travel Tips Whichever cruise line you opt for, here's a tip: fly in to your port city a day early. That way if your flight is delayed you won't stress about it. Same with departure: fly out the day after your cruise ends; that way you won't have to make mad dashes through unruly crowds. Also, use a travel agent who specializes in cruises. That way if there's a snafu (and they do happen), the agent will be able to intercede on your behalf. You might even get an upgrade (but don't sweat upgrades). If you can afford it, get outside cabins. You'll love having a view. Cruise ships have unlimited food with no extra charge on seconds, so don't overdo the eating or you'll feel like a bloated whale 3 or 4 days into the cruise. Mind your ship charges: alcoholic drinks, gift shop purchases, shore excursions, etc. are all charged to your credit card and you get the bill the night before you disembark. It's very easy to run up a four-figure bill, so just keep an eye on that. Unless you're experienced with the island itself, use only the ship's own shore trips for tours. Be very careful when shopping in foreign ports--sometimes items there are more expensive than at home. Most of all: the locals are not servants. You're a guest of their country but they often get treated rudely anyway by tourists who don't know how to behave ashore. Greet them with a smile and a "Good morning!". Hang out with them and show an interest in their country. Eat at the local restaurants. Be mindful of their customs. Do this and you'll be treated a lot better than the usual Ugly American tourist. And pack lots of sunblock. Sunburn sucks! Others Depends on where you want to go. With a group that big it would be best to do a Carnival Cruise - very family oriented. You'll need to decide how many cabins you will need. Are these all adults, or are small children involved? Visit some website - www.expedia.com - and click on cruises. It will give you prices and options so you can get an idea of the costs. Royal Caribbean has my vote hands down. We did a trip in Feb this year (our 5th) with 7 people and it went off without a hitch. Ages range from 11 years old to 71 yrs old. Don't plan to travel before January, water is too rough and murky from hurricane season. Best time is Jan- April. Book your own airfare don't let the cruise line do it, they inflate the price a lot. If your coming from snow country, go out 1 day ahead. If you get hung up somewhere because of flights, the ship will leave without you. Also, make sure everyone really understands when stopping at a port of call, if they go off on their own without a tour and they are not back when the ship departs for the next island, they will leave you behind. Stick with the tours especially if it's your first trip. Book your excursions before you leave on the website for the cruise line! I can't tell you how sad the faces are of some people who wait till they board the ship only to discover all the tours they wanted are sold out. Make sure you ck with your hotel to be certain that they provide transportation to the pier (some do, some don't) and to have the cruise line book your transfers from the port to the airport when the trip is completed. Lastly, go to the bar and order a coco-loco with or without alcohol they are awesome either way ! Hope you have a good time! Previous experience with Royal Caribbean I recommend Royal Caribbean. They have nice ships are reasonably priced and have more onboard activities than carnival. I would suggest you think about where you want to go, how long, and how much you are willing to spend. Once you have an idea of what you want check the different cruise line websites to get an idea of availability, cabin sizes and prices. Also make sure the ships activities and amenities are in line with what you are looking for. Once you have narrowed the field check with different travel agents and cruise discounters to see if they can beat the cruise websites price and offer more incentives. some good sites are www.cruisesonly.com www.vacationstogo.com www.cruisecompete.com All of the suggestions above are excellent. Definately agree with flying in early. With the way the airline industry is and homeland security, better to have a day cushion to get there than "miss the boat". Carnival is the "fun ship" and along with Disney, are the best for young ones, however these days most cruise ships have very good children's programs for all ages. On her last cruise with Royal Caribbean, my sister was starting to get upset after a while when her 5 year old only wanted to hang out at the kids club and not with Mom and Dad! Here's a couple more tips: Look over the ship floor plans when booking and be picky about selecting your rooms. Outside rooms and balcony cabins are a definite plus - the inside cabins are pitch black without lights on. Cabins near the elevators are a plus - much less walking to get to the public levels of the ship. Also, if anyone has any concerns about motion sickness, don't book cabins at the very front or very back of the ship - they get the most motion. Be sure to allow plenty of time to get back to the boat when out at a port of call. They will leave without you - I've seen them do it. For kids - check out the soda cards that most ships have. They let you drink all the soda you want for a set price. If your kids drink soda, at $1.50 or so each, it can add up in a big hurry. Invest in or rent two way radios/walkie talkies - its a great way for families to keep in touch not only at ports of call but also on the ship itself. Keep in mind there is usually no cell service in the middle of the Caribbean. These days you can them with up to 20 mile ranges. Many Caribbean islands have ferry services to other islands like St Thomas to St John and St Martin to Anguilla. Don't assume you're limited to the port of call island only. Ask the cruise ship staff about things to do at the ports of call - sometimes they know a great insider tip. |
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