Is it a good time to book a cruise?

[f7ben]

We’d like to take a cruise next January. Are there deals out there right now and what’s the best way to go about this? 
 

I know a lot of you cruise and I have no experience. I owe the family a vacation and this seems like it would be ok. 
 

I briefly looked around Expedia and it’s confusing. Maybe a travel agent would be best

[washedupmxer]

And I thought travel agents were for people over 80 

Guess I'm dumb again

[Ez ryder]

1 minute ago, f7ben said:

We’d like to take a cruise next January. Are there deals out there right now and what’s the best way to go about this? 
 

I know a lot of you cruise and I have no experience. I owe the family a vacation and this seems like it would be ok. 
 

I briefly looked around Expedia and it’s confusing. Maybe a travel agent would be best

good God just smash your cock with a hammer . a fucking cruise if you don't end up holding a bucket to vomit in as you shit liquids for 2 days from the food  you may get lucky and only get the raw sewage running down the walls for a day or so . could not pay me to go on a fucking aarp nightmare .

so many places to see in this world and you want to go in the fucking love boat 

[Zambroski]

I think it’s a good time to book any travel.  My daughter just flew to Florida today.  Said plane was like 1/4 full.  

[Ez ryder]

Just now, Zambroski said:

I think it’s a good time to book any travel.  My daughter just flew to Florida today.  Said plane was like 1/4 full.  

wow 1/4 full things are picking up for the airlines 

[Zambroski]

[Zambroski]

3 minutes ago, Ez ryder said:

wow 1/4 full things are picking up for the airlines 

She said it was mostly the younger crowd.  They are all going to God’s waiting room, AND THEY ARE BRINGING DEATH WITH THEM!!!!!!  

 

[f7ben]

Wow

[spin_dry]

Woolie or Tom are the guys to talk with. The COVID twins. 

[Ez ryder]

2 minutes ago, Zambroski said:

She said it was mostly the younger crowd.  They are all going to God’s waiting room, AND THEY ARE BRINGING DEATH WITH THEM!!!!!!  

 

I have a large ring of keys from my Jurassic customer base.  check on there homes every week or so seeing as they still can't master a phone ap lol .

but almost all are staying put most come home about now but most called me to say they are staying till at least the end of May unless they decide to drive home but won't fly 

[Angry ginger]

try a place like cruise.com that only does cruises.  my mom worked there for almost 20 years but retired.  I like Royal Carribean. Going out of FL has a bit more sea time than out of Puerto Rico but flights are better.  I've done them out of Port Canaveral Lauderdale and Miami.  Even though it seems like a lot of people the biggest ships aren't crazy bad.  I would look for a southern Route in January as it's a bit cool.  March early april would be best weather

[SSFB]

10 minutes ago, f7ben said:

Wow

Book yourself a one way ticket to the Bermuda Triangle you hooknosed fuck!

 

[dirtybeacher]

I wouldn’t book any travel. I’m currently fighting to get my money back from a trip the provider canceled due to covid.  If the provider goes bankrupt before I get a refund, I’m shit out of luck.  This has happened before in the travel industry. 

[F3600]

We just had two cruises canceled due to covid.  One carnival and one NCL.  I do not like cruises unless you are going to an Area that you are unfamiliar with. It gives you an opportunity to see multiple places that she wouldn’t otherwise get to see. But it comes at a cost of being nickeled and dime for every service on the ship, drink packages etc.   there are good deals right now, book your flight with the cruises purchase so if it gets canceled they work to refund the flight as well.  If you do it separate you probably eat the flight or get a voucher at best.  Use a travel agent or Costco.

[AKIQPilot]

We have always booked our own cruises without a travel agent but there is no question sitting down with a travel agent is a great way to book a cruise.  Most agents have been on many cruises so they know all the details on which is the best kind of room to get and which side of the ship you want to be on to see the port upon arrival.  They can give you great advice on the types of excursions you might want to take in each port.  Traditionally, travel agents can get the very best deals on cruise packages.  That may not be true right now because of CV but under normal circumstances a travel agent can get you a great deal.  

We have sailed out of Longbeach, Galveston, Ft Lauderdale many times and a few European cruises. 

Ft Lauderdale is bad ass because of Miami.  The Eastern Caribbean is cool but a bit hammered from recent hurricanes.  Most cruise lines will avoid a torn up place for a few years until the area is rebuilt some.  

Galveston is cool because it's a cool old seaside city that was wiped completely off the map from a Hurricane around 1900.  The western Caribbean is very cool with classic Mayan ruins and incredible weather.  

Longbeach is cool because it's SoCal and SoCal is bad ass but your destinations are the Mexican Riviera, Ensenada and Catalina Island.  

Carnival Cruise is a budget cruise line but their ships are fun and they go to many cool destinations.  

Royal Caribbean is a good cruise line and they have incredible ships with fantastic destinations.  Food is great.  You pay a little more but you get what you pay for.  RC also has CocoCay on their list of destinations.  

 

[Anler]

Do what all of the other Minnesota Pollacks do and take a cruise to the apostle islands. 

[frenchy]

1 hour ago, Zambroski said:

I think it’s a good time to book any travel.  My daughter just flew to Florida today.  Said plane was like 1/4 full.  

I was looking over the weekend for late Dec time-frame prices were the same as they ever were. Maybe a touch too early to be looking, who knows. 

[Woodtick]

5 minutes ago, Anler said:

Do what all of the other Minnesota Pollacks do and take a cruise to the apostle islands. 

We should invite him down to Blue Island. 

[Snake]

4 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said:

We have always booked our own cruises without a travel agent but there is no question sitting down with a travel agent is a great way to book a cruise.  Most agents have been on many cruises so they know all the details on which is the best kind of room to get and which side of the ship you want to be on to see the port upon arrival.  They can give you great advice on the types of excursions you might want to take in each port.  Traditionally, travel agents can get the very best deals on cruise packages.  That may not be true right now because of CV but under normal circumstances a travel agent can get you a great deal.  

We have sailed out of Longbeach, Galveston, Ft Lauderdale many times and a few European cruises. 

Ft Lauderdale is bad ass because of Miami.  The Eastern Caribbean is cool but a bit hammered from recent hurricanes.  Most cruise lines will avoid a torn up place for a few years until the area is rebuilt some.  

Galveston is cool because it's a cool old seaside city that was wiped completely off the map from a Hurricane around 1900.  The western Caribbean is very cool with classic Mayan ruins and incredible weather.  

Longbeach is cool because it's SoCal and SoCal is bad ass but your destinations are the Mexican Riviera, Ensenada and Catalina Island.  

Carnival Cruise is a budget cruise line but their ships are fun and they go to many cool destinations.  

Royal Caribbean is a good cruise line and they have incredible ships with fantastic destinations.  Food is great.  You pay a little more but you get what you pay for.  RC also has CocoCay on their list of destinations.  

 

Have on done RC. Heard stories about all the others.

Also left out of Miami and Ft Lauderdale. Piece of cake when you think about what is going on.

Suites (or mini-suites) gets you line jumping privileges on check in, which was worth the price of admission in and of it's self.

I always arrive the day before. Stay the day of debarkment as well when I can swing it. Last year we rented a car outta Miami and drove to Key West and back.

Try to swing Monday off. Coming back on Sunday with all the flying and bullshit... you ain't worth a fuck the next day.

Oh, online prices don't look like bargains that I have seen yet....

[AKIQPilot]

PS.  A drink package makes sense if you are going to have 6 adult beverages or more.  Most drink packages run about $50/day+/-.  Both adults in the cabin are required to  purchase a drink package even if the other adult doesnt want alcohol.  There are exceptions to this but generally both adults in the cabin need to buy an alcohol package.  A soda/juice/bottled water  package can be bought for about $10/person.  You are allowed to bring on 2 bottle of wine or a 12 pack of beer per cabin.  Hard Alcohol can not be brought on the ship unless you declare it and have the ship hold it for you until your get off the ship on the final day.  

A typical beer on the ship is $6-8 plus 18% gratuity.  A typical mixed drink is $10-14 plus 18% gratuity. So as you see if you plan on more than 5 beers per day you need a drink package.  

Typically they expect you to wait 15 minutes between alcoholic beverages........

[f7ben]

Just now, Snake said:

Have on done RC. Heard stories about all the others.

Also left out of Miami and Ft Lauderdale. Piece of cake when you think about what is going on.

Suites (or mini-suites) gets you line jumping privileges on check in, which was worth the price of admission in and of it's self.

I always arrive the day before. Stay the day of debarkment as well when I can swing it. Last year we rented a car outta Miami and drove to Key West and back.

Try to swing Monday off. Coming back on Sunday with all the flying and bullshit... you ain't worth a fuck the next day.

Oh, online prices don't look like bargains that I have seen yet....

I didn’t think the pricing looked all that great and none of the advertised deals show up when you click on cruise offerings past the next 2 months

[Anler]

2 minutes ago, Woodtick said:

We should invite him down to Blue Island. 

One step at a time

[Snake]

Just now, f7ben said:

I didn’t think the pricing looked all that great and none of the advertised deals show up when you click on cruise offerings past the next 2 months

I honestly don't think they know what the fuck to do right now.

[f7ben]

1 minute ago, AKIQPilot said:

PS.  A drink package makes sense if you are going to have 6 adult beverages or more.  Most drink packages run about $50/day+/-.  Both adults in the cabin are required to  purchase a drink package even if the other adult doesnt want alcohol.  There are exceptions to this but generally both adults in the cabin need to buy an alcohol package.  A soda/juice/bottled water  package can be bought for about $10/person.  You are allowed to bring on 2 bottle of wine or a 12 pack of beer per cabin.  Hard Alcohol can not be brought on the ship unless you declare it and have the ship hold it for you until your get off the ship on the final day.  

A typical beer on the ship is $6-8 plus 18% gratuity.  A typical mixed drink is $10-14 plus 18% gratuity. So as you see if you plan on more than 5 beers per day you need a drink package.  

Typically they expect you to wait 15 minutes between alcoholic beverages........

I could bankrupt a ship in 6 days if all I had to pay was $300 for beer

[1jkw]

Whatever line you choose plan on being in the port city you are leaving from a day ahead, you can get a good nights sleep and not have to rush to board the ship.