Cruise novice needing advice

[Amion68]

Hi

We are considering taking in a cruise whilst in Florida in Easter hols next year.

Loose plan is for a 7 night cruise and a 7 night drive down the keys (we did Orlando and the coasts this year).

Any recommendations on how best to do it would be appreciated. Such as..

Best way to book (direct with the cruise company or package)?
Best itinerary for Cuba and the Caribbean Islands?
What to consider for kids (aged 8/14)?

Any help appreciated

[BucksBugsy]

Sadly I can't offer any practical advice but Wow! What an adventure. On my first trip to the sunshine state I drove down from Orlando to Key West in one day (I wouldn't recommend it) but what an amazing experience. My only tip for this would be that if you can share the driving do so - there are some absolutely stunning views as part of the journey. Not sure how much the kids will appreciate the drive down but hopefully when they get to the end they will appreciate it.

Keep us posted and enjoy!

BB

[JudeB]

You can get information on the Cruise Critic forum - a bit like the Dibb but all things cruise related.

Sounds like a fantastic holiday - happy planning

[Omega1]

Your cruise is likely to leave from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) or Miami, depending on the cruise line you choose. Cuba is no longer on itineraries leaving US ports since President Trump recently re-introduced the ban.
A package is probably not the best way to book your cruise as you will already have your flights - best to book with the cruise line direct or an agent. You have the choice to book with a US agent if you book with some cruise lines (RCL, Celebrity, NCL, Disney and others) other cruise lines don’t allow UK residents to book with a US agent. Also work out if you want a deal that includes a drinks package, gratuities, etc but price up all options as there’s (usually) no such thing as a free lunch.
Do your research on itineraries, 7 days from Florida doesn’t get you too far into the Caribbean and some ports of call are definitely nicer than others.
So, pick a cruise line that suits you and your family - RCL, NCL and Carnival might be starting points with lots going on to keep kids entertained. Check a site like vacations to go to get an overview of itineraries departing on the dates you want. Then start to get an idea of prices for the kind of cabin you want.

[Amion68]

Originally Posted by JudeB

You can get information on the Cruise Critic forum - a bit like the Dibb but all things cruise related.

Sounds like a fantastic holiday - happy planning

See more...

Thanks for the tip. That site looks good for deals, but I can’t for the life of me work out how to post on the boards.

Royal Caribbean have a potential deal on dates that work for us for a 7 night cruise. Will post an update if I book anything

[Beth_Disney]

We’re going on our first cruise this summer and I’ve gained so much knowledge about the ship from Facebook. I joined a group that was for the specific ship we’re going on and there are cabin phots and tours, tips on shore excursions, food and drink menus etc.

[disney_l81]

Originally Posted by Beth_Disney

We’re going on our first cruise this summer and I’ve gained so much knowledge about the ship from Facebook. I joined a group that was for the specific ship we’re going on and there are cabin phots and tours, tips on shore excursions, food and drink menus etc.

See more...

Definitely this. I find it much better than cruise critic.

[Bartswife]

Top right there is a link to boards. I originally joined it for our first cruise but later found dedicated Facebook pages, get a lot more information from there. Trip advisor has dedicated cruise forums too. Personally I think I would go package route as obviously can be tailored around sail dates although direct booking may give you more option to choose cabin and dining options. Only sailed P&O so don’t know if other cruise lines work the same way🙃

[duchy]

We always cruised as kids (Mum wouldn't fly) and I always wanted to do it as an adult but somehow never got around to it. Finally last year we did it .
I found booking separately through a US agent was cheaper .
I have a very old friend who adores everything Disney and is very comfortable , they have always cruised and have now retired to south Florida and the location was chosen in part to make their three times a year cruises easy (lucky dogs) . They always used to use Disney cruises but her opinion now is that Disney are roughly thirty percent more than Norwegian and Celebrity and they don't really offer anything more for that (and less interesting ports too) . They still do Disney if taking their very small grandkids for the characters but not the ten year old .
I used to be a travel agent and used to issue a standard warning to first time cruisers, it's very addictive , you do one, you'll almost certainly get hooked !
We are going back to do a second cruise a year after our first , we'd have probably done it next year but all the cruise companies offer discounts to repeat passengers and we found an offer we couldn't resist !
We always DIY Florida, one thing I noticed is that if you book a U.K. package the price is fixed , book through the US and if the cruise price drops you can ask them to reduce your invoice to the new price .
There's no shortage of hotels near the cruise ports. And most offer shuttles to the ships or just grab a Lyft or Uber (our preference often the same cost or less) so it's easy to DIY.
Every cruiser tends to have their favourite cruise company so you'll get a huge range of opinions some very strong.

[danisleigh]

Next Easter we are doing a week in Orlando then a weeks Royal Caribbean cruise from Miami on the Symphony of the seas. We booked that through a US travel agent then booked our flights and hotel ourselves. We have done RCL, NCL and Disney and enjoy them all for different reasons.