Question about going on a cruise

[jrichrds]

I need to book a cruise for some relatives. I noticed the price jumps significantly when you move up decks. Is it just a matter of convenience, or are the lower decks worse in some other ways (engine noise?)?

And do you have any favorite travel agent or web site to get discount prices on cruises? The places I've visited so far all charge the same rate as if I went through Carnival directly.

 

[TwinkleToes77]

Hmmm, I went on a carnival cruise last march. And I found that calling around to travel agencies makes a difference in prices. Some qouted me $200 more per person than others for the same cabin types. I settled on just using Sears Travel.

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77
Hmmm, I went on a carnival cruise last march. And I found that calling around to travel agencies makes a difference in prices. Some qouted me $200 more per person than others for the same cabin types. I settled on just using Sears Travel.

Wow, that's a big difference. I'll have to check out Sears Travel. Thanks.

 

[marquee]

rooms nearer the top of the ship are usually more luxurious.. like bigger windows and nicer beds. plus its usually closer to all the action.

 

[TwinkleToes77]

which cruise you looking to take? We took the Carnival Paradise (totally non-smoking ship)

 

[dullard]

Yes, the higher you go the better the rooms. The highest priced rooms are luxurious suites. The lowest priced rooms are right next to the engines with bunk beds (on some boats the cheapest rooms are 4 people to a room so if you travel with less than 4 people you may be sharing a room with strangers). Didn't you ever watch Titanic? I hope you don't go on a cruise just to sit in your room all day. Who cares what it looks like when you are sleeping? Get the cheaper room and spend your time having fun away from your room.

 

[blackdogdeek]

the higher levels also have balconies which are nice. the lower ones don't have windows but portholes instead usually.

EDIT: i think we used mytravelco.com

 

[Jeraden]

I'm going on the Carnival Paradise the first week of May. In doing some research, the deck really didn't seem to make much difference except for the very lowest cabin class which sometimes have different rooms (cots instead of beds). All the other rooms on the ship are exactly the same size/features except for some deluxe suites obviously. One thing people always recommended was to not pick a specific room when you book your cruise. Basically just pick the cheapest cabin class other than the "cot" class as a guarantee. You then get assigned a cabin when you go to check in, but not below the class you reserved. Most likely all the rooms in the cheapest class are already taken, so you get bumped up to a higher class for free. This might be specific for Carnival though, not sure how other cruise lines are set up.

For the most part, you spend very little time in your cabin except sleeping. You are off doing other things in the ship. All rooms are relatively tiny.

 

[TwinkleToes77]

Originally posted by: Jeraden
I'm going on the Carnival Paradise the first week of May. In doing some research, the deck really didn't seem to make much difference except for the very lowest cabin class which sometimes have different rooms (cots instead of beds). All the other rooms on the ship are exactly the same size/features except for some deluxe suites obviously. One thing people always recommended was to not pick a specific room when you book your cruise. Basically just pick the cheapest cabin class other than the "cot" class as a guarantee. You then get assigned a cabin when you go to check in, but not below the class you reserved. Most likely all the rooms in the cheapest class are already taken, so you get bumped up to a higher class for free. This might be specific for Carnival though, not sure how other cruise lines are set up.

For the most part, you spend very little time in your cabin except sleeping. You are off doing other things in the ship. All rooms are relatively tiny.

Thats what we went on. We had a lower level cabin outside cabin so we had a huge window to look out.. they arent down by the engines or anything like that. the room did fit 4 people.. but it was only us two. You dont share rooms with strangers. And the beds actually can be pulled together to make one queen size bed.

Also "guaranteed" rooms rates are higher than reserved room rates. But i really didnt see anything wrong with the lower cabin level .. except when we had to do the drill before we left the port of miami and you have to run up 5000000 flights of stairs in 100 degree heat.. but besides that.. you only sleep in your room.. and maybe relax for some downtime and watch some tv.

 

[TwinkleToes77]

Originally posted by: blackdogdeek
the higher levels also have balconies which are nice. the lower ones don't have windows but portholes instead usually.

EDIT: i think we used mytravelco.com

not true on the carnival paradise.. lowest level cabins all have main windows. not portholes.

 

[blackdogdeek]

it's true, you really don't spend much time in the cabin except to sleep and get ready for stuff. lower levels maybe closer to the engine noises but i never noticed it. i've been on about 3 cruises. the first 2 were mid to lower levels, first a porthole then a window. there wasn't much difference. the 3rd one was our honeymoon. we got a higher level and a balcony. the balcony and a sitting area were the only difference from the lower levels. we did however spend much more time in the room than typical

 

[Saulbadguy]

Carnival is about the cheapest. It has the worst food out of all of them, but its still decent. Its the "young peoples" cruise line. Royal Carribean, princess, etc...are over-run with geriatrics. The cheapest way to get a cruise is to book it closer to when it takes off, and to book your own airfare.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: blackdogdeek
the higher levels also have balconies which are nice. the lower ones don't have windows but portholes instead usually.

EDIT: i think we used mytravelco.com

not true on the carnival paradise.. lowest level cabins all have main windows. not portholes.

i said usually back in my day, my first cruise was on the carnival imagination. we had a porthole.

 

[TwinkleToes77]

Originally posted by: blackdogdeek
the higher levels also have balconies which are nice. the lower ones don't have windows but portholes instead usually.

EDIT: i think we used mytravelco.com

not true on the carnival paradise.. lowest level cabins(riviera level) all have main windows. not portholes.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Carnival is about the cheapest. It has the worst food out of all of them, but its still decent. Its the "young peoples" cruise line. Royal Carribean, princess, etc...are over-run with geriatrics. The cheapest way to get a cruise is to book it closer to when it takes off, and to book your own airfare.

actually we did royal caribbean for our honeymoon and found it was a pretty young cruise, albeit more couples than carnival.

 

[ragazzo]

Originally posted by: marquee
rooms nearer the top of the ship are usually more luxurious.. like bigger windows and nicer beds. plus its usually closer to all the action.

true dat

 

[rh71]

from my experience, get a cabin with at least a window or you'll have "cabin fever" big time. You wouldn't even be able to tell if it's night or day out and you'll be spending many hours in your staterooms throughout 7 days.

We just booked through Expedia and did a Princess cruise - highly recommended along with Royal Caribbean.

 

[Saulbadguy]

Originally posted by: rh71
from my experience, get a cabin with at least a window or you'll have "cabin fever" big time. You wouldn't even be able to tell if it's night or day out and you'll be spending many hours in your staterooms throughout 7 days..

You do tend to sleep longer when its pitch black in your room.

 

[Kelemvor]

Most cruises have different types of rooms. Inside, Outside, Outside with balcony, and Mini-Suite (w/balcony). THen of course like you mentioned are the different decks. What deck you are on doesn't matter much unless you have a balcony type room and want to be higher to see further.

Only other difference than that is you have to walk less to get up to the top to eat and such, and it might be an extra 10 square feet in size at the very top.

Personally I always get the cheapest room I can get which is usually an Interior room on a lower deck). When you go on a cruise, the only time you are in your room is to sleep. I don't know why you'd want a hugehly expensive room so you can sleep in it. Most crusies (depending on where you are going) you will either be on deck most of the time or off the ship. But some people don't like smaller quarters in which case you need to shell out for the bigger room.

I did the Caribbean twice (inside rooms both times) and Alaska this July (inside room again). All of them because you won't be in your room much except to change clothes, go to bed, or to just catch a quick nap or something.


EDIT: As for pricing, travel agents can't usually get you discounts on things, but they can get you bonus like free upgrades, shipboard credits to use on the cruise, group discounts, etc...

 

[dirtboy]

Unless you want to spend a bunch of money on a balcany room or whatever it is you want, here's my advice on rooms...

Get a room on the same floor or within one floor of the main dining room. You will spend alot of time going to eat there, so you'll want to be nearby. Especially when you get back from an excursion and you need to run in, change and head off to dinner.

The other big advantage, is that you are closer to the main deck. If you're on the bottom of the ship, you'll have to climb up the stairs with everyone else and go around everyone headed down.

Elevators you say? hahaha Right. Unless you are a cripple or are old, plan on using the stairs. The wait for an elevator is long and they are always full during peak people moving times.

Look at the ship layout, figure out where you'll be spending most of your time and get a room in between it and the dining room. This is advice that you can't go wrong with.

 

[prvteye2003]

I've been on one cruise and was way down at the bottom on level 2. Never, ever did I hear any engine noise. I didn't have a window either. I was only there to sleep and get dressed anyway. I didn't have long waits at the elevator so having to take the stairs all the time was no problem. Save your money and get the cheap room. There's no reason to get any other room unless you plan on spending your time looking out the window or sitting on your balcony, which probably isn't likely. Personally, the only real reason I see to getting a room on the upper floors is you get to embark and/or disembark sooner than the rest. Other than that, save your money. BTW, I went with Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas. As I said, this was my first cruise but I had the best time ever. At was hesitant at first in taking a cruise because I was more of a travel to a place and stay there.(Trip to Jamaica was awesome too!) After taking a cruise, I probably wouldn't do anything else from now on.

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: prvteye2003
I've been on one cruise and was way down at the bottom on level 2. Never, ever did I hear any engine noise. I didn't have a window either. I was only there to sleep and get dressed anyway. I didn't have long waits at the elevator so having to take the stairs all the time was no problem. Save your money and get the cheap room. There's no reason to get any other room unless you plan on spending your time looking out the window or sitting on your balcony, which probably isn't likely. Personally, the only real reason I see to getting a room on the upper floors is you get to embark and/or disembark sooner than the rest. Other than that, save your money. BTW, I went with Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas. As I said, this was my first cruise but I had the best time ever. At was hesitant at first in taking a cruise because I was more of a travel to a place and stay there.(Trip to Jamaica was awesome too!) After taking a cruise, I probably wouldn't do anything else from now on.

I totally agree as we had the same experience.