raleigh hot tubs spa image
Kevin
Hi,
My wife and I are on an extreme budget. We are looking for the cheapest cruise from Charleston SC. We live in Raleigh nc and would be happy to go anywhere...but I think Charleston's port would make the most sense. Can you give me your opinion on what would be the best price/trip for these dates:
Leave around March 30, 2013 And come back to U.S. around April 5th 2013
I would love any advice. We had a friend that was talking about a cheap cruise but can't seem to find anything really cheap. Any advice??? Thank you in advance!
Answer
I live in Raleigh also and my advice is first forget trying to get a cheap last minute cruise; there is no such thing. Most cruises sell out and the price generally goes up and not down as you get close to the sail date. It's not at all like booking an airplane or train ticket.
When we cruise we drive to Florida, always a day early so as not to miss our cruise because of some last minute mishaps. We stay about an hour north of the port so that we can find the cheapest room and so that on cruise day we have just an hour or two drive to get to the port. From Raleigh to Port Canaveral is about a 10 to 12 hour drive and once there your options will be Royal Caribbean (2 ships), Disney (very expensive), and Carnival. ( http://www.portcanaveral.com/cruising/cruising.php )
Your options for lower priced cruises go way up when you drive to Florida because there are more ports (Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Ft Lauderdale, Miami, and Tampa) AND there are more cruise lines which mean more competition and generally better prices. ( http://www.porteverglades.org/cruises.php ) ( http://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/cruise-main.asp ) The drive from Raleigh to Ft Lauderdale and Miami is about 13 hours but not so bad if you split it up doing most one day and then a couple hours or so the next. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE TO THE PORT ON YOUR CRUISE DAY. You MUST be on the ship no later than 90 minutes before the scheduled departure time and they do close the check-in booths.
I am an experienced cruiser; cruise 2 or 3, sometimes 4 times a year and found that driving to Florida is way cheaper than flying, even with gasoline prices and hotel costs. Yes you could drive about 6 hours to Baltimore, Md but then you'll get one of Royal Caribbean cruise line's older ships and the same for Carnival. The BEST and newest ships sail from Port Canaveral, Ft Lauderdale, and Miami.
Yes you could drive to the ports in New York and New Jersey but that from Raleigh is also about a 12 hour drive with LOTS of traffic and tolls. The selection of ships is much wider than Baltimore but still not like going to Florida. When you drive to the ports they all have parking right by the ship, prices range from about $15 to $25 a day depending upon the port. The prices for parking are generally listed on the port web site. Figure about $100 to $125 for parking by the ship for a 7-day cruise
You also get the best price by look for deals vs a specific date as you have indicated. Prices of cruses can vary by hundreds for the exact same cruise on different dates. So the BEST price may be a week or two, or a month, after your selected date.
Regardless of which cruise line or ship you select the things that are included are pretty much the same. The price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals (including breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks and free room service), free admissions to all shows and entertainment, and free use of all facilities on ship like the pools, hots tubs, gym, disco, etc,. The things that you will have to pay for are gratuities (tips) alcoholic drinks and soft drinks, photos that you want, any tours from the ship you want to take, spa services like massages, and internet service. Gratuities will be about $12.00 per day per person and cover the cabin steward, waiter and assistant and the Matre'd.. Other tips are added to drink orders at a rate of 15%. You can book a 7-day cruise for about $750 to $800 per person. Shorter 3 or 4 day cruises are less.
I live in Raleigh also and my advice is first forget trying to get a cheap last minute cruise; there is no such thing. Most cruises sell out and the price generally goes up and not down as you get close to the sail date. It's not at all like booking an airplane or train ticket.
When we cruise we drive to Florida, always a day early so as not to miss our cruise because of some last minute mishaps. We stay about an hour north of the port so that we can find the cheapest room and so that on cruise day we have just an hour or two drive to get to the port. From Raleigh to Port Canaveral is about a 10 to 12 hour drive and once there your options will be Royal Caribbean (2 ships), Disney (very expensive), and Carnival. ( http://www.portcanaveral.com/cruising/cruising.php )
Your options for lower priced cruises go way up when you drive to Florida because there are more ports (Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Ft Lauderdale, Miami, and Tampa) AND there are more cruise lines which mean more competition and generally better prices. ( http://www.porteverglades.org/cruises.php ) ( http://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/cruise-main.asp ) The drive from Raleigh to Ft Lauderdale and Miami is about 13 hours but not so bad if you split it up doing most one day and then a couple hours or so the next. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE TO THE PORT ON YOUR CRUISE DAY. You MUST be on the ship no later than 90 minutes before the scheduled departure time and they do close the check-in booths.
I am an experienced cruiser; cruise 2 or 3, sometimes 4 times a year and found that driving to Florida is way cheaper than flying, even with gasoline prices and hotel costs. Yes you could drive about 6 hours to Baltimore, Md but then you'll get one of Royal Caribbean cruise line's older ships and the same for Carnival. The BEST and newest ships sail from Port Canaveral, Ft Lauderdale, and Miami.
Yes you could drive to the ports in New York and New Jersey but that from Raleigh is also about a 12 hour drive with LOTS of traffic and tolls. The selection of ships is much wider than Baltimore but still not like going to Florida. When you drive to the ports they all have parking right by the ship, prices range from about $15 to $25 a day depending upon the port. The prices for parking are generally listed on the port web site. Figure about $100 to $125 for parking by the ship for a 7-day cruise
You also get the best price by look for deals vs a specific date as you have indicated. Prices of cruses can vary by hundreds for the exact same cruise on different dates. So the BEST price may be a week or two, or a month, after your selected date.
Regardless of which cruise line or ship you select the things that are included are pretty much the same. The price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals (including breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks and free room service), free admissions to all shows and entertainment, and free use of all facilities on ship like the pools, hots tubs, gym, disco, etc,. The things that you will have to pay for are gratuities (tips) alcoholic drinks and soft drinks, photos that you want, any tours from the ship you want to take, spa services like massages, and internet service. Gratuities will be about $12.00 per day per person and cover the cabin steward, waiter and assistant and the Matre'd.. Other tips are added to drink orders at a rate of 15%. You can book a 7-day cruise for about $750 to $800 per person. Shorter 3 or 4 day cruises are less.
what do i want for my upcoming birthday?
MaCayla
i have no idea... facts about me:
1. girl, age 14
2. allowed to dye hair, makeup blah blah.
3. really girly
please help
Answer
I'm all of those except I'm 13
My birthday is in march
When you reserve it early you can get a embassy suites 2 room suite with two full beds for only $10 more than a Hampton inn!
So for my bday I'm keeping it small and doing this with two friends:
On a Friday my mom is picking us all up early and driving 2 hours to Raleigh. We'll get there around dinner and go out to whatever restraunt I choose (I'm thinking cheesecake factory or five guys). We're then returning to go swimming for a few hours and go to the hot tub. They have a spa but we aren't doing that, of our friends are girly you could do that too! Then we will watch a movie or two and my mom is getting us desert (cheesecake and Krispy Kreme). My mom will sleep on the pull out couch thing. In the morning we will eat the free breakfast (it's really good) and them go swimming again. After that we will he showers and get dressed and go to south point mall (a HUGE mall place, everybody is bringing money). Then we will grab lunch on the drive back.
That's my party/bday present from my mom!
Then my grandma wanted to do something special so along with my whole family te same two friends and I are goin to carowinds ( a Seperate weekend thing)
It sounds expensive but the hotel is around $200 and is my entire present along with party. I don't know how much carowinds is but my grandma is wry generous and gets good deals, so adding two people to the scheduled family trip isn't too much.
Besides that there is always laser tag, spas, and tons of cool ideas. Hope I helped! I figured you could always modify it for your budget and location (a cheaper hotel, a different park, a closer location)
I'm all of those except I'm 13
My birthday is in march
When you reserve it early you can get a embassy suites 2 room suite with two full beds for only $10 more than a Hampton inn!
So for my bday I'm keeping it small and doing this with two friends:
On a Friday my mom is picking us all up early and driving 2 hours to Raleigh. We'll get there around dinner and go out to whatever restraunt I choose (I'm thinking cheesecake factory or five guys). We're then returning to go swimming for a few hours and go to the hot tub. They have a spa but we aren't doing that, of our friends are girly you could do that too! Then we will watch a movie or two and my mom is getting us desert (cheesecake and Krispy Kreme). My mom will sleep on the pull out couch thing. In the morning we will eat the free breakfast (it's really good) and them go swimming again. After that we will he showers and get dressed and go to south point mall (a HUGE mall place, everybody is bringing money). Then we will grab lunch on the drive back.
That's my party/bday present from my mom!
Then my grandma wanted to do something special so along with my whole family te same two friends and I are goin to carowinds ( a Seperate weekend thing)
It sounds expensive but the hotel is around $200 and is my entire present along with party. I don't know how much carowinds is but my grandma is wry generous and gets good deals, so adding two people to the scheduled family trip isn't too much.
Besides that there is always laser tag, spas, and tons of cool ideas. Hope I helped! I figured you could always modify it for your budget and location (a cheaper hotel, a different park, a closer location)
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Title Post: What is the cheapest cruise from charleston SC?
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Rating: 92% based on 9172 ratings. 4,3 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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