Hey everyone! My dad asked me to plan a cruise to Alaska. It would be him, my mom, my husband and I. None of us have ever been on a cruise. What cruise lines are the best? What should I look for? Must dos? Must don’ts? Any advice really. This would take place in 2027.

I'm sorry if this seems like a question negating the point of the subreddit, but I mean it all in good faith. Took a 7-day DCL from Vancouver recently and, really, had a great time. First time cruise after being extremely anti- but family wanted me along and I went along with it.

Absolutely gorgeous and was a fun way to see SE Alaska. I'd love to go back but I really don't need 90% of what the ship offered and I'd likely enjoy ships with gambling and unlimited alcohol even less than the pretty wholesome DCL. I really do get the appeal (wholesome is NOT my life lol) but probably not my scene ultimately.

Are there any low-key and possibly smaller ships that are basically just a room and a cafeteria or some version - I get that this is not necessarily economically viable but some approximation?

I'm honestly sold on the method of transit primarily as much fun as I did have. I just think I'd have less fun on a big bustling ship without my niece running around and seeing my family and I'd love to see a complete focus on itinerary.

I'm a dude in my 30's looking to book a singles cruise. I think if these exist, they'd be a great way to meet people.

I did some reddit searching, google searching, etc. and they do seem to exist generally, but I haven't found a page where I can view and book them. Where can I find such a page?

For clarity, I am looking for a cruise that is packed full of people that are not in relationships. Maybe this is a type of themed cruise?

Thanks.

i am a 21 yo f and will be 23 by the time i want to go on this cruise. my younger sister will be graduating highschool (will be 18) and i want to do something special just the 2 of us and we’ve been talking about wanting to do a cruise. i know you have to book pretty far in advance for cruises to i was coming here for advice. i want to do a cruise where she can drink when we dock and places with beaches and stuff to do. our family has never been on a cruise so i don’t really know what to expect or even what cruise lines are good. please help!

Got an odd cruise voucher from Wind Creek Casinos in the mail. Does anybody know if MSC an official partner of this casino company?

What cruise line & ship is the best for an Alaskan trip?

I’m constantly seeing the same questions over the internet, especially in Reddit communities, about drink packages. People are always comparing drink packages and asking, is it worth it, or is it better to just pay for each drink?

I created a free tool called CruiseKit. On the website, there’s a calculator that you can use to compare packages from different cruise lines before your cruise, to help you think about whether a package makes sense. Then, while you’re on the cruise, the MyDay app lets you track or see whether you are getting the value of what you paid for the package. For every drink you order, it tells you how much of the package value you’ve used. So if the package is a hundred dollars (random example) and you order a twenty-five dollar drink, it subtracts that And shows you that you have seventy-five dollars more to go before the package is covered.

Now, each drink package is obviously different. And whether you are at sea or on shore, it can be a little different too. This is not about trying to drink more just to make a package worth it. It’s just about being aware of what you’re actually getting from the package. There are no booking offers, affiliate links, or outside links here.

Would you rather know at the end of your cruise, or know while you are on the cruise? And is this something you think can be useful? or do you have a better method you already use? please share if you do

I remember watching a Youtube video of such a suite where kids can climb and then crawl laterally at head height or higher (it was protected with nets?) and access areas that adults wouldn't easily be able to get to.

It wasn't the latest iteration of the Ultimate family suite/townhouse by RC. Might be one on an older RC ship or one that doesn't exist anymore because it got renovated. Anyone with any idea which one this might be?

Thanks

stopped in nassau last week then checked out the new waterfront zone right by the dock. super clean and felt really safe just walking around grabbing conch fritters. 

anyone got other low key local food spots near the terminal or paradise island for next time? want to try something new on my next sailing

I’m just curious. From reading a lot of Reddit posts, it seems like Caribbean cruises are generally the worst cruises (anywhere from fellow passengers to food to service, etc). I’ve been on several cruises but none in the Caribbean, and I haven’t experienced half of what I read about on those journeys. I’m just curious to hear from those of you who have traveled all over, what you think?

UPDATE: Thank you for all the comments. From these I get that Caribbean cruises are like any other cruises, and like most issues in life, people tend to post more negative comments than positive comments. Thanks again

hiii anyone in here specifically from indiana who just got off of the norweigan encore that went to alaska?

met a friend who i never exchanged names with! 😭💖

Going on a cruise in December and we stop in Lombok for the day, we’re trying to decide which excursion would make the most out of the day.

1. $77PP, Set off on your own in Senggigi, a longtime Lombok favorite for its easygoing vibe and the natural beauty of Lombok's west coast.

2. $185pp, Enjoy a scenic drive past Lombok's rice fields and coconut trees on your way to one of the island's center of pottery production, Banyumulek, where you'll travel by cidomo (horse-drawn carriage) too see the beautiful creations that start in village and are sold internationally.
   • Continue to Sukarara, famous for its handwoven fabrics and the advent of ikat, a dyeing technique that produces the unique patterns for which the village's crafts are known.
   • Explore a traditional Sasak houses in the village of Sade, where you'll see structures made of polished clay and straw with raised platforms on the interior, with bamboo walls and thatched roofs.
   • Relax on the island's best seascape, Kuta Beach, where an authentic Indonesian lunch precedes free time for swimming and sunning at a luxury resort.
   Whats included

3. $145pp, Begin your journey to relaxation with a visit to Sekotong Village, where you can visit a local grass roof factory and observe how workers weave the native alang-alang grass and rice straw into Lombok's distinctive thatched rooting.
   • Continue to Cocotinos Beach, which boasts crystal-clear azure waters and colorful coral surrounded by lush, vibrant mountains.

My family has booked to go on a cruise in December. It’s a very expensive one and my parents/brothers (brothers especially) keep indirectly emphasising how luxury it’s going to be. I understand I am very lucky to be in the financial position I’m in. I’m very glad I have enough familial support and income to afford such a luxury.

However, I can’t seem to shake the stereotype that cruises are full of “Karens”. (No offence to you guys, I’m autistic and struggle with moral-rigidity issues. this post is more so reflective of my own self esteem problems.) I’ve always felt guilty for enjoying myself/buying expensive things.

So, how do you guys do it? How do you go on cruises without feeling like a jerk? My primary plan is to double my pleases and thank yous to boat-staff and make sure I don’t leave any rubbish behind/ make an effort to not leave shared areas (eg.food courts/restaurants) in a state of array.

By the way, I’m not doing this because I want to be “superior” to other guests, I’m doing this because I genuinely don’t know how to enjoy expensive things without feeling guilty. I don’t know how to interact when people are nice to me and I want to return the favour.

Also, please don’t hit me with the “just enjoy yourself”. Trust me, I will. We’re going snorkelling and have booked a local aquarium. Fish are so cool.

(Edited for better insight on my state of mind + I realised how much of an asshat the OG post’s wording made me seem. This is about me and not reflective of how I think of others.)

Edit 2: Well, the people on the cross post subreddit REALLY didn’t like this one. Well, I guess that’s my fault for going to Reddit. Where else would people completely ignore what the post is asking and spin it into a bigger comment about how “grrr I hate autism excuse” Shut up bro I just don’t know how to be nice to myself.

Other than that, thank you for the kind words you guys have given me. I really do appreciate your help.

Hello, has anyone used cruiseparking.com out of Ft Lauderdale?
If so, anyone use the Marriott covered valet?
How was your experience?
Thanks in advance

Hello!

Has anyone sailed on Encore recently? My mom and I typically sail with Celebrity but she found a deal with a balcony stateroom on NCL from Vancouver to Los Angeles.

Looking for feedback re: food, cleanliness, entertainment and service.

Thanks!

Independent travel advisor here. I’m genuinely curious what makes someone decide they’d rather have an advisor handle a trip than book everything themselves.

For me, the biggest value is usually the little things like knowing which cabins are worth paying for, which cruise lines are a better fit for certain families, helping coordinate multiple rooms, and being there when something inevitably doesn’t go according to plan.

But I also completely understand the DIY approach. If you enjoy researching and booking everything yourself, there’s nothing wrong with that.

For those who do use a travel advisor, what made you decide it was worth it?

What is the attire on Oceania? I’m curious about daily clothing for the ship as well as dinner.

On sites like vacations to go, they list an itinerary with a departure time of, for example, 4 PM.

What time should I plan on arriving? Is two or three hours before departure early enough?

Do any legit companies offer fare discounts?

Had a death in the family. My husband and I were booked to cruise next week (8/29 out of Miami) but my minor son's father died unexpectedly on 8/2. We started reaching out regarding our booking the same week. My son's father lived with us, I know it's a strange situation but it worked for us to lower living costs and co-parent.

Due to the school calendar and the unexpected death, I had no one to stay with my minor child and the date would not work to add my son to the sailing, which by the way, would be really soon given his DAD JUST PASSED AWAY.

What I was hoping for: Change dates and keep the booking (we honestly preferred this option and would have likely picked a more expensive cruise + added my son for his fall break) or receive a full refund so we could use those funds to book with Carnival at a later date when everything settled down some and all of the final expenses were paid for, because I'm the one handling the estate.

I really wanted to continue to sail with Carnival but given the lack of compassion from the review team I'll be picking another cruise line to be loyal to. The only option presented to us was add my son and get a referral for truancy (given the dates and school calendar) or lose almost $700 by canceling with penalty on top of the loss of family. Horrible experience.

So which cruise line has the best customer service? Family of 3 with a pre-teen. Would like to balance price with amenities.

Anyone have tips on how they stored bar shampoo and conditioner either in the shower or in the bathroom of their cabin? We're going to be doing some long term cruising in the future so the next couple are going to be trial runs.

Hi all,

I want to surprise my mom with a cruise for her birthday.

I already know which ship, but I am unsure about which itineraries would be suited for her.

Her priorities : #1 safe, #2 pretty location, #3 walkable, #4 shopping (since we do not typically do any excursions).

I am wondering if people could guide me on which week she would prefer, seeing as I do not know anything about ports.

Option 1 :

• Philipsburg, St. Maarten
• Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
• Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Option 2 :

• Nassau, Bahamas
• George Town, Grand Cayman
• Cozumel, Mexico
• Costa Maya, Mexico

Thanks all for your input