Cruise Experience

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Neverwin88

Member
May 15, 2008
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I'm going to be going on a cruise with a few friends in April. I was originally hoping to do a milage run on my own to Thailand, but since none of my friends know about this hobbying that I do, I might have to do that trip later on in discreet.

This is going to be my first time on a cruise, and just wanted to get some info in general from people on the board that has been on one before. We're doing a 7 day on Carnival to the Caribbeans, and all of us are either dating/single in our mid-to-late 20s.

Wondering about things like on-shore excursions at each port, on-boat activities, and just for kicks, any chance for a one-night-stand available.

(I know there are travel specific forums out there, and I have been reading, but I figured I would post here as well asking)
 
hornykid said:
can u read chinese? if u can, go to sex141.com and register....
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He's going on a cruise, not a sex vacation to China. :rolleyes:

You'll have a great time. I took a Carnival Cruise about several years back, and it was the single best week of fun I've ever had. By the second day you learn who are the other people on the ship with similar interests (i.e. who else drinks like a fish and closes every bar at night). It's a bad sign when the pool staff knows you by name, doesnt bother to ask what you're drinking, and simply keep them coming until they see you've passed out.

The food is very good, the entertainment is actually decent, there's a casino onboard and you can get room service whenever you want it. The shore excursions aren't cheap, but they often have some very unique options that are worth trying (catamaran trips to a private island, snorkling in a reef, etc).

If you're single, it is like shooting fish in a barrel if you have any game at all. If you cant get laid on a cruise, you need to have your Man Card revoked. Women book trips in groups and they tend to observe the "50 mile rule" (whatever happens more than 50 miles from home doesnt count), so even if they're married, they are single for at least that week.

Warning: my bar tab was more than the cost of my cruise (and I booked a single cabin). You give your credit card number at the beginning and they give you a ship-only card to charge everything (one big tab that lasts a week). You forget that you are spending real money until you get the shock of your life on the last day!
 
MuffinMuncher said:
Warning: my bar tab was more than the cost of my cruise (and I booked a single cabin). You give your credit card number at the beginning and they give you a ship-only card to charge everything (one big tab that lasts a week). You forget that you are spending real money until you get the shock of your life on the last day!
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That's what I've been told too. I was pushing my friends for one of those all-inclusive resorts but I was out-voted.

How much are drinks typically on board?
 
Cruise

I always use HOLLAND AMERICA and the MS WESTERDAM. I cruise the Carribean . The cruise life is fantastic and have never had a bad esperience onboard weather or sea problems.

If you are deperting from Lauderdale or Tampa you WILL feel the ocean movement a bit where the Atlantic and Carribean meet but its not too bad.

Island tours are great but dont listen to the cruise people on board pushing a particular tour. You will find a MUCH better deal and a better tour by going with one of the locals. Our cruise tour was 65.00 US local 25.00 US and well worth it.

Cruising has come a long way the last few years and now the prices are FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! Our cost last year was 1,600.00 for a veranda room this year under 900.00!

If you want to get dressed up for dinner every night you can We usually just went to the Captains dinner and the Farewell dinner out of 7 nights.

Watch what you pack!!!!!!! Most of the rooms are not very big unless you have a suite.Dont bring too many suitcases. All you need is really 4-5 pairs of shorts,T or golf shirts one pr long pants and a suit and the usual sundries and a bathing suit.

Entertainment is OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Most if not all Cruise Lines have their own cast of entertainers plus bring on board OTHERS. The BEST show I ever saw was JOEL MASON the BEST Elton John impersonater in the world.
He had the crowd on its feet ALL NIGHT!!!!

There is lots to do ona cruise IF you want or just sit back and relax and enjoy the easy life.HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!
 
Watch out for the "upgrade" Carnival may offer you as a single guy, ie. a suite at the rear of the ship.
The one they gave me, was two or three decks up from the water line, and quite stylish. It was, however, just over the props, and the resultant vibration was so bad, that I couldn't hear the TV over the racket of every single non-nailed down item in the room rattling like crazy when the ship was underway. My toothbrush in the glass, the phone on it's cradle... everything.

It turned out that all the people on that line of cabins were also single... all offered the same bogus upgrade, to the least appealing cabins afloat.
Singles, mean fewer people to complain, obviously.

NO dice on a switch, once the ship is loaded and all cabins assigned.
And be advised, Carnival has a "fuckyou" policy when it comes to complaints.
I'll never trip with them again, but they are probably one of the best choices out there for the under-thirty cruiser.

Just pray you don't get a bunch of March break, or graduation-celebration teenage howlers. I'd avoid those time periods if I were you.

Also, be aware that they will X-ray your bags coming aboard, and "store" any liquor you try to bring with you.

So, if you want to have a stash in your room, keep it in discreet shampoo bottles or something, and smuggle clear liquor in water bottles when you come back from shore excursions.

One other tip, don't be shy about ordering more food than you think you need. Dinner is off a menu, not a buffet. If you can't decide between the steak or the lobster - order both.

And if you don't like your dinner companions, have the Maitre D' switch you for the next seating, and maybe, set you up with a likely bunch of single chicks. This last, might require a bribe, but that's money well wasted.
 
I've done about 10 cruises. Check out the on line break down of excursions before you go because somethings book up early. In many ports were we had a number of people wanting to do the same thing, we just walk to the port entrance and found a mini van or bus and booked the guy for the whole day.

Drinks same as in the average bar and that does include water and pop. The bar tab at the end of the cruise is a biggy but it is a vacation. watch the chicks who just want to keep their bar tab down and drink on yours then send you to bed alone. Drinking at an all-inclusive is cheaper but I do better with the ladies on a cruise. SUN + SEA + DRINKS= loose ladies.
 
Cruise 2 weeks every year

Always with princess but a fantastic web site for tons of info is
cruisecritic.com
There is a section for roll calls and your cruise date will be one of them. This will be people aboard your cruise who have been chatting for weeks and making plans together. This will give you a chance to meet prior, join excursions and also find out who may be on board with you.
If you have any problems what so ever PM me with date and I will find roll call for you.
Also what ports are you visiting and I may be of some assistance on those.

Enjoy your cruise and I bet it's the first of many.
 
I have been on about 10 or 12 cruises over the years, including before they became as popular as they are today.

I will answer your inquiry about getting lucky first. I usually travel with the wife so that lets me out of that scene, although I know from talking to a few guys that they usually did very well, as the other posters have implied.

As for the tours, when I am in a port for the first time I usually book a half day tour, to get a feel for the port, then go out on my own after a quick lunch onboard. If I have been to the port before I usually just do my own thing. Remember some ports are a long way from any activity. Caracas for example is an hour taxi or bus ride from the port. Martinique is a short walk, about a half hour same for Cozumel. US Virgin Islands you are in town at port as you are in Ocho Rios. Check out the ports before you leave. Usually the itineries have a beach port, a shopping port and a historical port. If they double up on any it is either the shopping or beach ports usually.

Personally I like the 3 or 4 port cruises in a week. It leaves you time to relax between, and I love the days at sea, very relaxing. I have done a two week cruise in the Baltic and it was fantastic, lots of cruising, lots of interesting ports. Best trip ever.

As for the tab, beware. As the others have pointed out. If you are not used to runnign a tab you can get bruised easily. Personally I was used to the idea before cruising and I have never had a bar tab bigger than a couple hundred dollars, but then I don't drink alcohol and the wife is a cheap date. The only time I had anything bigger was on the two weeker and the only way to purchase things on board was with the shipboard account, that included the jewellery and souviners in the ship. I think that bill came in at about a grand.

As for the entertainment. LOTS and something for everyone. Carnival is a great inexpensive line to get a feel for cruising. The crowd is usually split in age groups, but with 3000 passengers on board most ships these days you will find it easy to associate with like minded people. I have found that the younger and older groups tend to be the busiest. The middle aged groups tend to be in bed early and up early, making the most in their minds of the dollars invested.

If you compare the dollars spent on a cruise to a resort all inclusive or otherwise, the only real difference is the booze. On the ship though you get to see different places in the same time frame.

Personally I look at cruises as the only way to travel. All you have to do is eat sleep and breath. They do everything for you.

Have fun and try to experience as much as you can. Remember you can always sleep when you get back to work:D
 
Cruises are fantastic. I’ve been on 2 and both times I was really pampered. Food, service and entertainment were awesome. The ship has everything you need. There is so much to do on a cruise. If you’re bored, it’s your own fault. Every day is a new port of call to explore. It’s a great way to cover a lot of territory in a week. Unfortunately, you don’t get that much time to really get to know a place. Just when you start to get your bearings, you’re off to the next one.

Things to watch out for.

It’s too easy to run up an expensive bar tab. If you want to save some money, buy some cheap rum from one of your stops and mix your own.

Sea sickness. It’s the worst feeling in the world. If you’re inclined to get motion sick then better take something along with you. I would usually be sick the first day out at open sea but latter you get used to it. Funny, the first day back home you get sick again because your brain gets used to the constant gentle rocking and now suddenly it stops.

The cabins are tiny. You can save money by getting one in the interior of the ship without a porthole. There’s nothing to see in the open sea anyways and you won’t spend much time in the cabin. The bed and everything is small. It’s like being in a tent trailer.

Personally, I would recommend not going on a cruise if you’re going with your buddies to get some action. Both times I went, the ship was full of seniors, young couples and honeymooners. I was on my honeymoon the first time and the second time with a girlfriend (in another relationship). I didn’t notice many single women on the ship.

I understand that there are singles cruises and I strongly recommend that you go with one of those. Otherwise, you may end up spending a week with a ship load of newlyweds and nearly deads.

I think cruises are better for couples.
 
Carnival is certainly the party cruise line.
muffin muncher is right on the money about the on board scene and the bar tab warning.
As far as shore excursions, you pay a huge convenience premium for the stuff they offer. The only saving grace is that they guarantee you to be back in time for departure. Venturing on out on your own can be more interesting and less expensive BUT if you aren't back when the ship leaves port you are on your own to catch up at the next port of call.
They don't wait for anybody!!!:eek:
 
Back when I first started doing cruises, you could buy your favourite liquor RIGHT ON THE SHIP at the gift shops. Carnival nipped THAT in the bud in short order. Then we'd smuggle a large bottle in each suitcase, never got caught doing it, but nowadays who knows. As a previous poster said, bring some vodka or rum back onto the boat (in your ports of call), in an Evian bottle, but be smart about it. Not too many people get back on board with a FULL water bottle. We used to mix vodka with energy drinks (bought onshore) before the trend hit everywhere.

A couple of nights at the main show theatre, there'll probably be some "R" rated comedians after 11 or so. Do yourself a favour: get a nice swerve on at the disco, then check out the show, you'll be crying from laughing so hard (unless you get the occasional "dud").

This might not be the smartest thing to do, but I would always disconnect the "speaker" in the ceiling of our cabin. You can still hear almost everything from the speakers in the hallway, without having the cruise director, maitre' d, captain, spa personnel, bingo organizer, art sale staff, etc., etc. buzzing directly in your ear while your having your afternoon siesta, or sleeping till noon...

If you're a cigar lover, you'll be limited to one bar on the ship where they allow it, under the disco. It's okay to light up two dozen cigarettes and leave them smoking in an ashtray, but oh no, no cigars!! I'd smoke one in the disco anyway. Wouldn't be long before security would come over and ask me to smoke it elsewhere (it's usually the bartenders that would complain - they don't seem to mind inhaling 500 cigarettes a night though). I'd start up the argument about the cigarettes (I'm a non-smoker basically, a cigar now and again). By the time we'd finished arguing, I was done my cigar anyway, LOL.

A guy your age should have no trouble finding some drunk broad to bang on a cruise, provided you're not a wallflower. Think of it like going to any real nightclub, you have to put yourself out there. It IS a lot easier though in a "vacation" setting, loose morals being what they are. The magic words are: "wanna go for a walk, up on deck?" . And the previous poster was right on about the 50 mile rule. Then there are the chicks who are only into the "white suits", the officers of the ship. You'll see them on "crew night" at the disco, hanging out with the crew all around the bar...
 
I've been on almost 10 cruises, the responses so far have been pretty accurate, although I personally have never travelled on Carnival, I've been on Princess, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean. All 3 were pretty amazing.

If you're looking for the pros and cons of a cruise vs. another type of vacation I'll tell you what they are:

Pros:
Convenience - You have amazing food available to you 24 hours a day, you can never go hungry on a cruise, and the food is top quality, whether it's steak, lobster, or pretty much anything you want. Every meal can be a 5 course meal, or you can just go to a buffet for any meal. You don't have to worry about booking hotels, you have the same bed waiting for you for your whole vacation, with the chance of being a new country or port everyday or every other day.

Fun- Cruises are just incredibly fun, the entertainment is top notch, there's just so much to do. Live shows, comedy, mini golf, rock climbing, basketball courts, movies under the stars, wine tasting, yoga classes, art auctions, cooking classes, and so on.

Cons:
If you want to see each city or country in lots of detail, cruises are not the best choice. You stay at each port for 1 or 2 days at most, and then you're off to the next one, but it's still the best way to travel. How many people can say they've been to 7 countries in 2 weeks? Only a cruise allows you to do that.

Also, if you're young and single, cruises are probably not for you if you want to get laid, especially if you go on a European cruise. On European cruises 95% of the people are above 65. On the Caribbean ones I've been on, only about 70% of the people are above 65. I've never been on Carnival though, I've heard there are more young people on those.

The bottom line though is that cruises are absolutely amazing, it's not a coincidence that just about everyone cruises multiple times once they've experienced it, once you cruise you can't stop.
 
There are a tonne of forums that will answer your questions. Just google "cruise forums." One of the best is www.cruisecritic.com .. click on "boards" when you get there. You'll find information about your cruise line, ship, ports of call, etc.
 
Thanks for the responses so far. I've checked out sites like trip advisors, and now slowly going through cruise critic. The only reason we're doing Carnival in particular, as I mentioned, is that we are running a very strict timetable and that is literally the only ship that our entire group can go on.

As far as getting lucky, it is not a priority, its something that will be "hey, its great" but not a must. It is definitely doing a trip with a bunch of friends I've known for years that will make this trip great...and not getting lucky with X number of women.

The one we are looking at is aboard the Carnival Triumph leaving Miami on Apr 26 with stops at St. Thomas, San Juan, and St. Maarteen.

Just curious, are there ever any "group leader" discount for cruises if I bring a group of X number of people?
 
There likely is some "Group Leader" discounts, but you would have to book through the cruise line to get them and then that plays hell with your protection plans through the provincial authority if there is a problem. I would also bet that you would need a group size of probably 20 or more as well.

I am not a travel agent, and I would bet there is one or two on the board or at least have a friend or spouse who is that could answer that part a little better.

In these uncertain times economically I wouldn't bet on any companies not being around.

Even if you haven't booked yet and there is a lot of open space, don't leave it too late for a cruise this year. Cruise lines are paid in full 60 days prior to departure.

Normally I book 3 - 6 months ahead to make sure that I get the cabin choice that I want. Depending on the cruise and the time of year they sometimes require a year in advance to get choice.

If you all are planning on being situated close together then depending on the size of the group and the number of rooms needed it may be tough. Don't expect them to just rearrange other guests to accomadate your group. It is a hotel on water, but the room selection is not easily adjusted, as most people pick their cabins carefully dependant upon what they want to be close to or away from.

As for your ports

St. Thomas = duty free shopping port, also great scuba and snorkling if you don't want to shop

San Juan = history port, also decent shopping a little high priced

St. Maarteen = beach port, also some interesting but high priced shopping
 
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