Are you considering a Carnival Cruise for your honeymoon?
We’ve put together some tips to help with your decision.
Is this your first
cruise?
Lesson #1, beware the cruise honeymoon if you have never
been on a cruise or large boat. Your honeymoon is NOT the time you want to
discover that you are prone to extreme seasickness. If you choose to ignore
this advice, then for goodness’ sake take lots of Dramamine and seasickness
patches with you just in case.
Unlimited Food
Yes, it is true that the food aboard is unlimited. But,
please, be smart about what you eat. Cruises are notorious for food poisoning. Try
to eat from the mini-restaurants that cook the food to order rather than from
the buffet. Every morning the buffet milk was warm, so instead of cereal,
choose fruit or fresh cooked bacon.
Activities on Board
Carnival cruises are family-friendly, so you’re going to see
a lot of kids on board. Don’t even try to get in the arcade room. Most adults
are going to be in the casinos during the day and watching the shows at night.
These shows are hit or miss, so I wouldn’t count on that being your sole source
of entertainment. Other activities include various classes, an expensive,
not-included spa, and a gym. Please check with your fiance before you book a
cruise. These kinds of activities are not for everyone. Personally, I quickly
grew stir-crazy on the ship.
Activities at Stops
I took the Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas and Turks &
Caicos. Each stop consisted of tourist shopping and crowded beaches. I will
NEVER do something like this again. Each city seems especially designed for what
they think tourists want, not for seeing the true country. For that, you’ll need
to pay an independent tour guide, which can be risky. But you might find a
local gem, like this pretty little church:
As for beaches, the sandy beaches are man-made and very
crowded. The natural beaches are beautiful, but rocky. On the plus side, you’ll
be the only one around these rocky beaches, so it’s great for photos.
If I were to go on a Carnival Cruise again, I would pick one
with more activities that reflect the nature of the countries visiting, such as
ancient ruin sites. That’s just me, though.
Overall, a Carnival Cruise is one of the cheapest honeymoon
options around. Excluding costs of getting to the port, you can take a cruise
for just a few hundred dollars per person. And if you get bored on the ship, at
least there are other honeymoon-specific activities that could keep you
occupied. ;)
