Reply
Valued Contributor
Posts: 584
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Where to get best cruise deals?

We are a family of 5, my husband, myself, adult daughter and her two daughters who are 11 and 17.  We are looking to take a cruise for about 7 days that will appeal to all of us including the teens.  Preferably leaving from Jacksonville, Fl or Port Canaveral.  Any advice or suggestions?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,397
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?

@patticakes    Read the newspaper, watch the nightly news.  This is not the time to book a cruise.  They are being denied entry into foreign ports due to heavy cases of covid.  Put it on your bucket list. 

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,206
Registered: ‎09-18-2010

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?

2 Royal Caribbean Cruise ships and a Carnival ship have come down with Covid.  None of the Islands are allowing them to dock.  All three cruise ships are out of Florida.

 

Don't think right now is a good time for  cruise.

Super Contributor
Posts: 286
Registered: ‎07-14-2019

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?

If you're flexible in travel, vacationstogo dot com has a 90 day ticker, you can save some big money using them.  Along with them I also use cruisesonly dot com.  Both are good sites.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,329
Registered: ‎02-07-2011

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?

@patticakes  I certainly would not be cruising now.  In fact, DH and I cancelled a cruise we were going to do in June.  Doubt much will change in the next 6 months.

 

I use vacationstogo.com to check on cruises.  It is a very informative and useful website.

 

Bon voyage--when the world is a safer place than it is now!!

 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,460
Registered: ‎05-12-2012

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?

deal or no deal....i wouldn't go near a cruise ship.......jmo......

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?


@patticakes wrote:

We are a family of 5, my husband, myself, adult daughter and her two daughters who are 11 and 17.  We are looking to take a cruise for about 7 days that will appeal to all of us including the teens.  Preferably leaving from Jacksonville, Fl or Port Canaveral.  Any advice or suggestions?


@patticakes Rent a house on a beach.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 28,716
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?

Book a cruise now, are you kidding me????

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,321
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?

Just wondering if you follow the news...

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,107
Registered: ‎03-28-2010

Re: Where to get best cruise deals?


@patticakes wrote:

We are a family of 5, my husband, myself, adult daughter and her two daughters who are 11 and 17.  We are looking to take a cruise for about 7 days that will appeal to all of us including the teens.  Preferably leaving from Jacksonville, Fl or Port Canaveral.  Any advice or suggestions?


We have a 7 day cruise booked for December 2022.  We booked it before the Omicron variant.  It's a year away, but you never know.  If need to, we will cancel and rebook.  When people had cruises booked and Covid hit, people canceled (of course) and cruising was canceled.  When "they" started up again, many of those onboard these first sailings are people who canceled, sometimes twice or more.  Sailings capacity limits have been cut in half so when you factor in all those who have rescheduled and a ship at less capacity....there are less cabins to be had.  I know that on the Disney Fantasy which is a ship usually for 7 days cruises, their capacity is 4000 and have been sailing at 1400.  DCL (Disney Cruise Line) requires all passengers to be vaccinated and when showing up at port, have to take a Covid test which takes about 45 minutes before you can get on the ship.  Many excursions are being canceled due to the rise of Omicron.  That being said, Disney cruise line, Celebrity and Royal Carribean are the most popular cruise lines for families.  The newest ship to Celebrity, The Edge, is getting a lot of chatter.  Disney Cruise line is the most expensive.  There is a forum called the Dis Boards.  It's mostly Disney (including the DCL) but if you scroll down there is a thread for Royal Carribean.  I've gone a YouTube a lot and googled cruise lines and their ships.  The people who run the Dis Boards have even done some videos about comparing Disney cruises to Celebrity and RC.  When/if you book a cruise, usually the higher up the better.  Same cabins have verandahs, some just a port hole and some are inside cabins with the view at all.  The more you want, the more expensive it is.  Generally, it's best to be in the middle of the ship, not forward of the aft.  And best don't to be on the floor where the pool is located.  That's usually the busiest floor and people are running around all day and night.  Most ships leave from Port Canaveral or Port of Miami.  Different ships run different routes.  Like I said, the Disney Fantasy runs 7 day cruises, the Wonder and Dream are less days.  Disney is coming out with a new ship in summer 2022 but to the best of my knowledge is just about booked up.  If there is anything left, it will be the less desirable rooms.  Cruises are generally cheapest when booking first opens for that ship.  Be aware that those who a "preferred" cruisers, ones that have sailed on a particular line many times, get first dibs on reservations.  I can go on and on, but I suggest to do a a lot of research.  There's so much information out there, and remember about YouTube.  There are some travel companies that specialize in just cruises, it wouldn't hurt to go and pick their brains.  Good Luck in whatever you decide to do.