Topic: thinking about my first cruise

like most people i have been checking prices everywhere to get a good deal.
i am on a tight budget therefor an inside cabin it will have to be, but where on the ship i have been looking at decks oc and od for my price range. do i choose one in the middle of the ship or at either end.
what is the dress code on the oceana and msc opera i really am hopeing it might be informal.
how does tipping work on board .


if anyone can help. thanks

ray.

You want amidships wherever possible. Smoother sailing.

Lower decks usually cost lower money, too. ;)
.

Neither ship is informal although Opera is less stringent on dress code.
Tipping on P&O is at your discretion.
Tipping on MSC is mandatory + 18% on drinks and services.

QUOTE:

like most people i have been checking prices everywhere to get a good deal.
i am on a tight budget therefor an inside cabin it will have to be, but where on the ship i have been looking at decks oc and od for my price range. do i choose one in the middle of the ship or at either end.
what is the dress code on the oceana and msc opera i really am hopeing it might be informal.
how does tipping work on board .
if anyone can help. thanks
ray.

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Hi Ray and welcome to the forum, If you think you may suffer sea sickness then the best place is mid ship and lower down, saying that most ships are well stabilised and do not roll about as much as older ones did.

On P&O ships, on a 14 day cruise there are usually 4 formal nights, 3 semi formal and 7 casual nights. Cannot comment on MSC ships never been on one. There are cruise lines out there that are all casual but we like the the dressing up, dont get the opportunity very often these days so it's nice to do it sometimes.

Good luck, I'm sure whichever ship you choose will be fine.
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we usually opt for mid ship low deck inside cabin. when you are in an inside cabin then it doesn't matter what deck you are on as you cannot see out. :D there is less sway on a lower deck mid ship. just think for a moment the medical centre and hospital is always on a lower deck.......why? less movement! have a great cruise.

Oh dear, thats not good news for me then. I had my first cruise last year on Oceana. The cabin was low down and about a third of the way from the front. I was really poorly for the first 2 days it was force 8 through the Bay of Biscay. Used the travel sickness pills a little too late.

This year have booked the same ship and go in 2 weeks today. Have got a cabin on A deck. It is one of 4 cabins at the front. Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear.

QUOTE:

On P&O ships, on a 14 day cruise there are usually 4 formal nights, 3 semi formal and 7 casual nights.-

P&O seem to have given up on the semi-formal nights, by & large. Best bet is to check with them what's going to be on your particular cruise. Also check out for themed nights. If you really don't fancy having formal nights, you can always go to the buffet instead, but they are fun and not at all stuffy - on our cruise, dresses varied from little minis to full-skirted ballgowns. The other option is to go for a more informal cruise line such as Thomson, if you feel it might be a bit overwhelming, and also maybe try a 7 night cruise as your first one - chances are, it'll be the beginning of a long love affair, but if you really find it's not for you, then it's only a week!

QUOTE:

Oh dear, thats not good news for me then. I had my first cruise last year on Oceana. The cabin was low down and about a third of the way from the front. I was really poorly for the first 2 days it was force 8 through the Bay of Biscay. Used the travel sickness pills a little too late..

Oh poor you! I feel your pain, I really do. Get yourself some travel wristbands (I got mine in a pound shop & they seem just as good as the really expensive ones) and wear them all the time (very fetching accessory with your cocktail dress!). Keep an eye on the forecast - if it's going to be rough, take your travel sickness pills and keep taking them at whatever intervals the pack says. Also, if you start feeling nauseous, head for the bar near the library and get some ginger beer & some of the dry crackers they keep there just for people like us!

Welcome to the forum Ray we had an inside cabin on our first cruise and it was fine. Looking forward to my next one loved it. We were on P & O Ventura, we had 2 formal nights on a 7 night trip,I enjoyed dressing up.

The other option is to go for a more informal cruise line such as Thomson, if you feel it might be a bit overwhelming, ......

Thomson have one formal night per week !!!!