Any cruise experts who could advise?

[Iamwaiting]

Hello,
Growing up with my parents we cruised all the time and I LOVED them. However I haven't been on one for 25 years, so I could do with some advice as my knowledge is seriously out of date!

Next year it's my 40th and I REALLY want to go on a cruise. My husband has never cruised before and hates the idea, but has agreed to try. My daughter will be almost 7.

It would be end July / early august. Ideally a one week cruise with a one week stay after somewhere. Definitely warm, and lots of stops (I never liked the days at sea.) I'm thinking not too big a ship due to grumpy husband 😂

Budget of £10,000 to include everything.

Where would you go and what cruise liners please?

If you are only ever going to do one cruise in your life it has to be the Caribbean surely?

Europe can be a great place to cruise - a Med cruise in the summer is lovely - so many interesting ports, calm seas, great weather.

That wasn't anyone's business. Sorry you felt you had to justify your budget xx
Enjoy your cruise they'd be so pleased you're travelling and doing something you've always wanted to do I'm sure

I agree. I felt the Caribbean was going from one beach to another. I wouldn’t go back.

To be fair, I love a Caribbean cruise, but think that European ones can be just as good, if not better. I guess it all just depends what you like to do. They all have their advantages/disadvantages.

@Chanxex that is just Marella TUI. I've done 10 other fabulous cruises!

Personally I wouldn't recommend MSC, sorry. Unless you can stay in Yacht Club that is. The ships are massive, very, very noisy and a lot of queues. (You skip the queues in YC (which is embarrassing) and the dedicated area is quiet and calm).

Just to pop back and say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share advice. An EU island hopping tour was definitely the logical choice, but I did SO many growing up that it didn't appeal as a "special" holiday. Alaska I LOVED, but DH is very much a sun lover.
So....
I've booked! Plan Orlando and visit Cape Canaveral (I've been before but DD will love it!) then 8 day RCI cruise round the Caribbean is booked (pray for no fully hurricanes) then a week in Siesta key in a gorgeous little airbnb at the end.
I'm very excited so please no one tell me I've made a bad choice as it's too late now 😂

Fabulous, well done, have a super time

We are doing this, with princess cruises in July. There’s 4 of us and we’ll be coming in just under 10k for everything (includes universal etc)

Sounds fab! Have you been to siesta key before? We’re trying to decide where to stay when in Florida! We’ve hired a car and plan a couple of days in Orlando then heading down to fort lauderdale just before the cruise!

That sounds perfect 👌🏼 RCI are great ships and Florida sounds delightful

We did a very cheap 18 day transatlantic and got upgraded to yacht club- a lifetime of upgrades in one. It was beautiful and highly recommended . We booked another!

Would not do regular MSC due to queues!

I'm very excited so please no one tell me I've made a bad choice as it's too late now

Ooh, no, that sounds fab.

The OP has said she is doing this specially for her 40th.

@HeddaGarbled

I’ve got skin in the game here. We’ve booked a 7 day Iceland circumnavigation for July 2025, starting and ending in Reykjavik.

Could you tell me what company this is booked with please ? Sounds interesting .

@sashh

Oh and don't put an upside down pineapple on your door.

Not that I would - but what's the deal with this ?

How does P&O compare to RCI/ celebrity? @Yazzado asking as have a PO cruise booked ?

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea

Celebrity

@cherrypickles

Although Celebrity and Royal Caribbean are parts of the same company, they’re actually quite different. RCI have the mega ships, flumes, climbing walls, flow riders and spectacular shows etc. Celebrity are more sedate, older clientele, emphasis on luxury service.

P&O are very British. Half way between Marella/Tui and Cunard. I haven’t sailed with them, mostly because I can’t be doing with the dressing up for formal nights, which the American cruise lines don’t bother with.

Sounds like an amazing trip OP. Have a wonderful time.

Enjoy your trip. RCI are great for kids. Also get yourself onto cruise critic and the RCI boards and possibly your roll call.

We’ve cruised around 12 times. 4 with Disney - absolutely superb. The rest Celebrity. Also very good. Our october cruise is with Regent.

For those recommending Celebrity just be aware that on Edge class ships unless you are in a suite or have managed to get a sunset veranda the ‘infinite veranda’ are not proper balconies.

They are basically a huge window that opens and that the captain can close at any time.

On other classes of Celebrity ships we go for a standard room or Aqua class. Edge class if we can’t get a sunset veranda then we always go for a suite and hope we can get a guarantee.

I forgot to add Gary Bembridge mentioned above is brilliant. I love his videos.

https://www.cruisehive.com/upside-down-pineapple-meaning/70087#:~:text=Final%20Words-,So%2C%20What%20Does%20An%20Upside%20Down%20Pineapple%20Mean%3F,in%20swinging%20and%20partner%20swapping.

Thanks @sashh - will be very careful about any tropical print clothing in future!
Am finding the info from everyone on here about the different cruise lines to be really helpful .

Having done 14
Celebrity
Holland America
Royal Caribbean
In that order
P&O has sadly fell off the bottom of the page well unless you want grubby Butlins type holiday