cruise or resort

[nrenew]

please help! my husband and I are planning to renew our vows (10yr 2/14/07 in Hawaii, but are not sure if we want to cruise over or just go to one of the resorts there? I''ve been looking at the prices and we are not looking to spend a huge amount of money... If you have been any suggestions on the best Island that would help as well.
what would be the best route? also it''s just the two of us.
thanks for any assistance you can offer us.

N

 

[AmberWaves]

Well, I know we were thinking of honeymooning on a cruise to Hawaii, because I wanted to go on a cruise, and I also wanted to go to Hawaii. I would do the cruise, because it''s all inclusive (most of them are), and that''s one less thing to worry about. As for which island, I can''t tell you because I have no idea, but I do know my BF loves Oahu.

 

[E B]

A cruise is the way to go! They're so much fun! The food is good, and there's always something to do on the boat when you're between ports. FI and I have all but decided on our honeymoon, a Mediterranean (sp?) cruise.

If you book early (several months in advance), the prices are good.

Here's a link you might want to check out:

http://www.pricelinecruiseoutlet.com/

 

[msb700]

a cruise!!!!!!!! for sureeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!!!


i went on a caribbean cruise for my honeymoon and till this day we talk about how much fun we had on it and re-call all the amazing food, shows, service, etc....honestly, i can''t speak enuf about how amazing it was..

check this site out coz they have some good deals and like Ebree said, if u book in advance u usually get a discount and a pick of which cabin u want.

www.vacationstogo.com

excellent prices and services on that! u can also sign up for their newsletter which gives u updates on the cruising scene and wat to expect and the best deals and prices..very informative..

 

[nrenew]

thanks so much then a cruise it is my husband is thrilled because that was his pick all along. but you can''t strike out 3x and i''m going to go with it. thanks for the link as well.

 

[nrenew]

I have another questions gang. What about picking the ship. Has anyone heard which is best? we''d really like something with a little of everything.. romance, fun, theater and a spa is a must ! any suggestions?

 

[nrenew]

msb 700 is that your actual ring? it is beautiful!!!!!

 

[flopkins]

I would vote cruise too - we wanted to do cruise also for our HM but I get very seasick (and the meds give me bad side effects) so that was out. so sad.

I''ve never done a Hawaii cruise but I went on an Alaska cruise on Princess and really liked it! FI also likes Royal Caribbean...

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Date: 3/15/2006 6:47:58 PM
Author: AmberWaves
Well, I know we were thinking of honeymooning on a cruise to Hawaii, because I wanted to go on a cruise, and I also wanted to go to Hawaii. I would do the cruise, because it''s all inclusive (most of them are), and that''s one less thing to worry about. As for which island, I can''t tell you because I have no idea, but I do know my BF loves Oahu.

Cruises are wonderful, but to make it clear, most are NOT all-inclusive...many will charge separately for any alcoholic drinks and sodas (there are a couple of cruise lines that will include these items, but they''re at the higher end pricewise), and for many extras.....but they do include all the food you can eat 24-hours a day!!!!

 

[Kaleigh]

www.cruisecritic.com I believe this is the site that was recommended to diamondlil a while back. Her thread was in the shopping forum I believe. They are taking a cruise for their 20th anniversary. Maybe you can look it up. Good luck!! HTH

 

[AChiOAlumna]

I''m a member of cruisecritic.com....while I like the board and it''s been around a while, people get very petty there....I''ve recently joined another site, cruiselineforums.com....they''re much more friendly and still just as knowledgable!!

 

[diamondlil]

Date: 3/16/2006 5:49:34 PM
Author: kaleigh
www.cruisecritic.com I believe this is the site that was recommended to diamondlil a while back. Her thread was in the shopping forum I believe. They are taking a cruise for their 20th anniversary. Maybe you can look it up. Good luck!! HTH

Yes it was, Kaleigh. I joined and have only posted a few times. I''ve been lurking a lot though and have gotten a ton of good information. You should see my cruise file with notes written all over the outside. I''m getting more excited about cruising with every passing day!!!!!

Nrenew,
We are not cruising to Hawaii, but with my cost comparison, I found that cruising, as compared to flying and staying at a resort, is a bargain. Even though our cruise is not all-inclusive, it will definitely be a savings. We were in Hawaii years ago for a month. We loved Oahu.

 

[diamondlil]

Date: 3/16/2006 6:39:28 PM
Author: AChiOAlumna
I''m a member of cruisecritic.com....while I like the board and it''s been around a while, people get very petty there....I''ve recently joined another site, cruiselineforums.com....they''re much more friendly and still just as knowledgable!!

I''ll have to check out cruiselineforums.com.

Have you ever been to one of the "Meet-and-Greet" parties that creuisecritic members have on board? We signed up, but so far we don''t have the required number of people to get the party.

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 3/15/2006 5:57:39 PM
Author:nrenew
please help! my husband and I are planning to renew our vows (10yr 2/14/07 in Hawaii, but are not sure if we want to cruise over or just go to one of the resorts there? I''ve been looking at the prices and we are not looking to spend a huge amount of money... If you have been any suggestions on the best Island that would help as well.
what would be the best route? also it''s just the two of us.
thanks for any assistance you can offer us.

N

I am going to go against the crowd and say go for the resort.

Just got back on the 2nd of March from St. Lucia in the Caribbean and hubby surprised me with us renewing our vows on the beach in a gazebo...it was so amazing, I am still on a high!

The island is not as commercialized as St. Thomas or other islands, but---omg---I will definitely be going back someday in the near future. We stayed at a Sandals resort and it was, of course, an all inclusive. You stay at one and play at the others...We saved $ by enjoying ourselves between the three Sandals resort, but we did indulge in a couple of the excursions and it was truly worth it and enjoyable.

The St. Lucian people made it absolutely so warm and wonderful. There are other resorts there, but I do not know anything about them. As for recommending any other island...I cannot say because I haven''t been to any other.

Hope I helped a little!

 

[InLuvWithMrH]

I'm with Deanna as far as a resort in Hawaii...a cruise to the Hawaiian islands does not give you near enough time to explore the islands. Kauai is my favorite, and there are so many awesome, romantic, beautiful beaches there. It is where I saw a circular rainbow from a helicopter!! Kauai is the "true" Hawaii in my opinion...still unspoiled and romantic....no hotel can be built higher than a palm tree! But you need at least a week to explore all the wonderful nooks and crannies of the island. If you are still intent on a cruise....allow me to recommend the Tahitian Princess.....10 days touring the Tahitian islands....the most romantic place on earth I have ever been! I was there, but with the wrong guy, and vowed I would return one day with the right guy. Guess where we're going next year...

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Date: 3/16/2006 8:19:11 PM
Author: DiamondLil

Date: 3/16/2006 6:39:28 PM

Author: AChiOAlumna
I''m a member of cruisecritic.com....while I like the board and it''s been around a while, people get very petty there....I''ve recently joined another site, cruiselineforums.com....they''re much more friendly and still just as knowledgable!!

I''ll have to check out cruiselineforums.com.
Have you ever been to one of the ''Meet-and-Greet'' parties that creuisecritic members have on board? We signed up, but so far we don''t have the required number of people to get the party.

Yes....on our cruise to the Baltics this past summer we attended our Meet & Greet (aka Meet and Mingle depending on the cruise line). They had hors d''oevers, tea/lemonade-type drinks, raffles for RCCL prizes and we took lots of pictures...it was just a great way to meet with people we had been chatting with for months on the boards....

If you register at cruiselineforums.com, tell them that JodiBB referred you....that''s me!!!

 

[DonaBella]

Just thought I''d mention that I dear friend of mine said that when he and his wife went on their two cruises, they had fun and plenty of food and activity on board, but there was gratuities for housekeeping, the bar, etc., and each time the ship came into a port, most everyone got off and then you are spending $ you thought you were saving by shopping or whatever while on land. Again, this is what my friend experienced. I have never been on a cruise personally, but since they shared this with my hubby and me a little earlier this evening, I felt it was relevant and worth mentioning...

 

[DonaBella]

Just one more thing...usually if you are going to a destination like Hawaii or other islands, you can swing a fantastic deal with weddings, renewal of vows, or anniversary from what I found out. The different resorts have contact personnel that present to you different packages for you to choose from and it can be magical. My hubby arranged our renewal that way in St. Lucia through Sandals and I am still in the clouds about it!

Maybe you and your hubby can talk about your options and check things out to see what appeals to the two of you...a couple''s massage, breakfast in bed by your appointed butler, wedding cake(which is usually provided with the renewal I found out!), flowers, etc....just some of the amenities.

I look forward to what you decide...

Ok...I will shut up now!!!

 

[E B]

The best thing about a cruise is that you're not committed to one island...you get to visit several different places without worrying about this flight to _____ and this flight to ______. Sure, my fiance and I could go to Rome for our honeymoon, but on a cruise, we get to experience Rome, several cities in Greece, Barcelona, and a couple cities in Italy. Even if you were to spend a week in Rome, you'd never see it all, so would you rather absorb as much as possible in Rome, or have the ability to visit several beautiful places and spend a day in each? I'd choose the latter. I've done both...the resort and the cruise, and I'd choose the cruise hands down. When are any of us going to have the time/resources to see all of any country?
https://www.pricescope.com/idealbb
Then again, I'm a see it all, do it all type of person. I wouldn't be happy with just lounging on a beach for a week. I want to see amazing landmarks and gorgeous cities built into cliffs. I guess it just depends on what you want...a week at a spa, or days in 7 or 8 amazing cities.

 

[E B]

How did this website''s http get into my earlier post?

 

[nrenew]

omg! the thrill of this site.

i was already to take the cruise deal.. now i''m back at square one.. i''m the resort girl, he''s the cruise guy. we''re looking at a couple of packages on all the sites you guys have provided, and i''ll be sure to keep you informed re: the final say

. keep sending your suggestions and thoughts they are helping i promise i did look at some things on st. lucia what an amazing place... still deciding,hmmmm?

 

[InLuvWithMrH]

I too love to cruise (10 and counting...) for the mere fact that pretty much the only decision I have to make is what to pick off the menu! I love seeing many places and a cruise offers that. The Hawaiian islands have so much to offer, that I am not in favor of cruising there, because of the amount of time at each port. I think Hawaii''s (especially Kauai) best feature are the magnificent beaches, and a cruise does not give you enough time to explore the islands. I guess it all depends on what type of vacation you want. A condo rental in Hawaii is a cheaper option, and there are some great deals if you throw a car rental in too. Cruising is my favorite, and I recommend Celebrity or Royal Caribbean. There are great deals out there for cruises...check out cruisedeals.com and sign up for their emails...they will send you notice of some great deals! The Caribbean is another great cruise...have you ever touched a sting ray? (Grand Cayman) Swam with a dolphin? (Cozumel) I could go on and on....

 

[E B]

Date: 3/17/2006 9:55:53 AM
Author: InLuvWithMrH
I too love to cruise (10 and counting...) for the mere fact that pretty much the only decision I have to make is what to pick off the menu! I love seeing many places and a cruise offers that. The Hawaiian islands have so much to offer, that I am not in favor of cruising there, because of the amount of time at each port. I think Hawaii''s (especially Kauai) best feature are the magnificent beaches, and a cruise does not give you enough time to explore the islands. I guess it all depends on what type of vacation you want. A condo rental in Hawaii is a cheaper option, and there are some great deals if you throw a car rental in too. Cruising is my favorite, and I recommend Celebrity or Royal Caribbean. There are great deals out there for cruises...check out cruisedeals.com and sign up for their emails...they will send you notice of some great deals! The Caribbean is another great cruise...have you ever touched a sting ray? (Grand Cayman) Swam with a dolphin? (Cozumel) I could go on and on....

I''ve been on the exact cruise you''re talking about (Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Jamaica) and it was an amazing experience.

 

[AmberWaves]

Date: 3/17/2006 3:45:10 AM
Author: EBree
How did this website''s http get into my earlier post?

They''re advertising..

 

[TravelingGal]

I will go with the minority and say Resort. I have only been on short cruises (as part of my work''s bonus program - and as they are short, they are probably not a good representation of the really good cruises out there) and I am not a fan. Reasons are:

- I always feel like they are out to get additional money from you. When you board, there are all kinds or pre-cruise festivities going on, with overpriced fruffy drinks, etc. Which is fine, but it adds to the cost of the cruise. There are some tacky (and some not so tacky) shops trying to get your dollars...which I wouldn''t mind, but the couple of cruises I have been on, they seemed to have put days at sea to force you spend money on the boat.

- I''m sure there are nicer rooms than the berths I have been in, but I would imagine they would command quite a premium. So for your honeymoon, do you want to be a little cube with two twin beds pushed together? I love roughing it as much as the next person (I''m a big fan of hostels) but the honeymoon is one of the times where the room really counts!

- You really will not get the best opportunity to explore the destination/port. You have to determine what your preference of traveling is, but I remember while in Greece (Santorini), the cruise ships docked for the day, and it literally looked like the boat was vomiting out people (no offense to you cruise lovers, but that''s just what it looked like to me). The main island of Fira was absolutely overtaken for a few hours while they shopped and ate. But Santorini has other beautiful (and some would arguably more beautiful spots) like Oia and some of the cool beaches that they would have not had time to see.

There is nothing wrong with docking somewhere, seeing a great part of town, enjoying each other''s company and going back to a comfy little room at night where you don''t have to repack to see different parts of the world. Obviously many people prefer it, and with good reason. But I would much prefer going to a resort, having my honeymoon on my own time, ambling around aimlessly to whatever parts of the island I am on, etc. I am also a huge food lover, and while ship food is good, it is nothing extraordinary. I would much rather go searching for that fantastic restaurant! I think that when people pay for a cruise they (rightly) want to get their money''s worth and tend to eat as much as they can on the boat. So if dining out is important to you, that is another factor to consider.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 3/17/2006 11:55:46 AM
Author: EBree

Date: 3/17/2006 9:55:53 AM
Author: InLuvWithMrH
I too love to cruise (10 and counting...) for the mere fact that pretty much the only decision I have to make is what to pick off the menu! I love seeing many places and a cruise offers that. The Hawaiian islands have so much to offer, that I am not in favor of cruising there, because of the amount of time at each port. I think Hawaii''s (especially Kauai) best feature are the magnificent beaches, and a cruise does not give you enough time to explore the islands. I guess it all depends on what type of vacation you want. A condo rental in Hawaii is a cheaper option, and there are some great deals if you throw a car rental in too. Cruising is my favorite, and I recommend Celebrity or Royal Caribbean. There are great deals out there for cruises...check out cruisedeals.com and sign up for their emails...they will send you notice of some great deals! The Caribbean is another great cruise...have you ever touched a sting ray? (Grand Cayman) Swam with a dolphin? (Cozumel) I could go on and on....

I''ve been on the exact cruise you''re talking about (Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Jamaica) and it was an amazing experience.

That''s where we went for our honeymoon. Touching the sting ray in Grand Cayman was awesome. They just swim right by your legs and you just feel how smooth they are. We liked being able to visit the different islands and being very active in each islands. I know that if we stayed at one resorts, we might end up doing less and lounging more on the beaches. But cruise did get expensive with the shore excursions. We did something on each island, and we ended up spending around 5-6k on the whole honeymoon. So it may not necessarily be the cheaper option. We also got tired of eating the same all the time toward the end of the cruise. The stateroom are small, but I think it''s fine for a honeymoon because you just want to be close to each other, right? Overall it was a great experience.

But if you like lounging and relaxing on the beaches, then I would do the resort over the cruise because we didn''t really get to do that. We only lounging the beach for 30 mins total the whole cruise. We lounged on the top deck a lot though.

So what is it that you like about resorts? and what is it that your FI like about cruises? Maybe that can help you figure out what would suit you better for the honeymoon.

 

[InLuvWithMrH]

If you're a resort girl and he's a cruiser...you could consider staying at Hawaii and taking one of those fun Napali Coast boat rides! (Kauai, of course

) If you want to save money, do a quick timeshare tour and get to go for free!

There are some really awesome cruise deals out there too....I recently found a week cruise for $429! to the Caribbean! I am always looking for great cruise deals.

Forgot to mention too...if you are trying to go economically on a cruise, bring your own wine and champagne..I usually bring a rolling carryon full and have never had a problem. But I guess that can be another topic....