Thinking about taking a cruise and this would be our first time. I have 7 year old. Any cruise suggestions for first timers? Our budget is tight so Mexico would be best for us I guess since we are in san fransisco....I was suggested the carnival cruise ,please share your experience.
Also is it best to go through a travel agent or try Travelocity, expedia, orbitz etc? Any recommendations ?
I would stay as far away from the low budget cruise companies as possible. Go with Princess cruise lines if you can. the carnival ones seem to always be having mechanical issues. boat on fire, toilets not working, food service bad. they can't all be like that but it seems they are more and more in the news. we did a mexico cruise with princess and it was hands down the best vacation we have ever taken.
i haven't (yet) cruised myself, but my SIL took a carnival cruise that caught on fire while they were at sea. they were sequestered in their cabins, given limited water and food, not allowed to use their cellphones to contact their families, and apparently the stench from the commodes was deadly. this went on for DAYS.
when the nightmare ended she tried to get her money back. carnival offered her a make-up cruise.
you can imagine her response.
;)
i'll take one at some point, but it DEFINITELY will not be carnival.
khairete
S.
We've done the Mexico route on Royal Caribbean, but I've heard they no longer go there because of the safety and crime issues in Mexico.
Carnival is the low end cruise line, so if you're prepared for a lower end vacation, it's probably okay. By the way, Carnival is owned by the same company as Princess. Our last Princess Cruise was okay, but we noticed that their food has declined and they've really cut corners on entertainment from when we went on their line some years ago.
A Mexican cruise can be a lot of fun. The weather is nice and you can just stay on the boat and use the pools if you want to. The ports are just OK, unless you plan to spend money to do adventurous tours.
Honestly, I wouldn't cruise on Carnival. They are cheap for a reason - much lower quality than a lot of other cruise lines. There are still other lines cruising out of LA and San Diego for 7 night trips to Mexico. Carnival is the only one still offering 3 night trips. I would go on a better line (Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, etc).
If you frequently shop at Costco, I would recommend booking through their travel department. Every cruise you book gets you a Costco cash card in return, with the amount depending on the cost of your cruise. It is often between $250-750. So it's a nice little kickback. Pricing usually doesn't vary much between sites for cruises, so the best deals are in what the travel agency gives you in return.
Finally, consider Alaska instead of Mexico if you're planning to cruise in the summer. You might be able to find something within the same budget.
We did the Mexican Riviera cruise a few years ago and it was GREAT! We went on Celebrity Cruise Lines. Since then, we have cruised on Princess and we really thought Celebrity was the best. A lot more free perks and on Celebrity YOU decide how much to tip the staff so they are REALLY working for that tip. On Princess,they automatically add the tip so the staff doesn't work so hard for it. I strongly recommend Celebrity. They are much smaller ships, but when you're aboard, you don't notice. Also, their prices are great and I have never heard of any of their ships having problems.
I went on a Carnival cruise to the Bahamas. Loved it! No it wasn't a booze cruise nor were there any disasters. I had the best customer service ever. I'd recommend using a travel agent honestly.
We went on our first cruise last year with our kids, then 5, 7, and 9. We are on the east coast, so we did an Easter Caribbean cruise, on the Carnival Liberty. It was amazing - I highly recommend it!
We have a travel agency that we use for most of our travel, so they took care of the cruise for us, but I'd think going to the cruise company directly would give you a good deal.
Just wanted to add that the people who cruise regularly (that I know) prefer Royal Caribbean to Carnival, but we LOVED our Carnival cruise and would absolutely use them again. Our kids loved Camp Carnival too!
I was on a Royal Caribbean to Mexico - it was fabulous. He'll love the camp - it's so good. You can go directly to RCL and ask lots of questions and book yourself. Or go through an agent if you feel more comfortable.
My first cruise was out of LA. We went to Ensenada Mexico. It was fun. We went on Royal Caribbean. I didn't have kids at the time but there are a lot of activites for kids. Cruise lines are a preference. I have been on Carnival and Royal Caribbean and I like Royal Caribbean the best. Have fun.
DO NOT go on carnival. As stated below they are cheap for a reason. These are know as "booze cruises." People go on them to be drunk the whole time. I would book directly through the cruise company. Unless you are arranging extras through the agent you dont need one. The booking sites are great to compare itineries and rates and dates but everytime I have looked the price has been essentially the same as direct with the company. I know may cruises stop in San Fran but are their none that go out of san fran? Do you have passports? While not full on required for cruising I would not step foot in Mexico w/o one. If something were to happen and you did not make it back to the ship you will have a hell of a time trying to get home. not worth it to me. Maybe there are some options that go up to seattle, vancouver, victoria for you?
