Most people would agree that vacations are a necessary part of life. You want to enjoy the time that you are taking and you want to feel it was worth the money you spent. That being said, when booking a cruise, consider the following:
- Good weather cannot be guaranteed! We know this sounds silly, but some people believe if you take a cruise during a certain season that the weather should be good if not great. We have cruised all different times of the year. We have been on several cruises during April, for example. Some of the cruises the weather was great, others not so great. Hurricane season is June 1 – Nov. 30. The peak, of this season, is Aug. and Sept. Cruise lines will do their best to avoid a storm. This may mean changing an itinerary. Cruises can also be canceled or extended if a hurricane is threatening. We had a cruise scheduled for Sat., Sept. 9, 2017, when Irma was in the Caribbean. The cruise line canceled the cruise, refunded our money and gave us a discount on a future cruise. They cut the Sept. 2 cruise short, returning to Miami to let the passengers off the ship that wanted off. The other passengers stayed on and waited out the storm in Cozumel. A one week cruise turned into a two week cruise. If you want to go to a specific region, can’t be away any longer than you originally scheduled or don’t like the possibility of your cruise be altered or cancelled do not book during hurricane season.
- Summer is more expensive than other times of the year, even though it is hurricane season. This is also true of holidays and spring break. Not only is it more expensive, but since most schools are closed, there will be more families traveling therefore more kids onboard.
- Smaller ships and older ships rock more than the larger ships. If you get motion sickness, check out the ship size before booking. One ship that we were on didn’t fill the pool for two days because the Seas were rough. Smaller, older ships may have fewer amenities. For example, there may be only one pool.
- The larger the ship, the more passengers. Although the only time you really notice the crowds is at the buffets, on sea days at the pool and when getting off the ship in port, if you don’t like crowds don’t book a large ships.
- Research the cruise line before booking. The cruise lines not only vary in price, but also in other ways. Carnival is known as being the party ship, although the last few times we’ve been on Carnival we would say the average age was around 55. Holland America tends to have an older crowd. Cunard, Seabourn and the other luxury cruise lines enforce a dress code for dinner.
In order not to be surprised, do a little research before setting sail so you have an idea of what to expect and to make your vacation more enjoyable.