Hi all, I’m 29 (F) and trying to figure out how to celebrate my 30th birthday. I was thinking about an all-inclusive trip to Cancun with my boyfriend (28M), but now I’m leaning toward a cruise because it might be more budget-friendly.
Since this is my first cruise (and my boyfriend’s second), I want it to be memorable. I’m looking for a ship that has good parties, though we’re not planning to party nonstop—more for evening fun. I’ve also heard cruises have amazing shows, and I’d love a ship with great activities and entertainment. We’re both super stressed from work, so relaxing spaces are a must. Plus, I’d love to find somewhere romantic to spend time together.
We’re not big drinkers, so we probably won’t get a drink package unless it’s included, but we’re major foodies, so good food is really important.
Here’s what I’m looking for:
U.S.-based ports (we can fly to any of them)
Traveling last week of February 2025
5–7-day cruise
Budget: Ideally under $1000 per person, excluding airfare (we’ll use cashback for flights)
Balcony or oceanview room if possible, but an interior cabin is okay if it helps save money
Casino is optional, but if there is one, I might budget a few hundred for it
I’m hoping to book soon to take advantage of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. I know excursions like snorkeling cost extra, so we’d do them only if the budget allows.
Am I being too optimistic? What cruise lines or ships should I look into based on these details? Thanks so much for your help!
Here’s a copy of the original post so it’s easier to keep track:
Hi all, I’m 29 (F) and trying to figure out how to celebrate my 30th birthday. I was thinking about an all-inclusive trip to Cancun with my boyfriend (28M), but now I’m leaning toward a cruise because it might be more budget-friendly.
Since this is my first cruise (and my boyfriend’s second), I want it to be memorable. I’m looking for a ship that has good parties, though we’re not planning to party nonstop—more for evening fun. I’ve also heard cruises have amazing shows, and I’d love a ship with great activities and entertainment. We’re both super stressed from work, so relaxing spaces are a must. Plus, I’d love to find somewhere romantic to spend time together.
We’re not big drinkers, so we probably won’t get a drink package unless it’s included, but we’re major foodies, so good food is really important.
Here’s what I’m looking for:
U.S.-based ports (we can fly to any of them)
Traveling last week of February 2025
5–7-day cruise
Budget: Ideally under $1000 per person, excluding airfare (we’ll use cashback for flights)
Balcony or oceanview room if possible, but an interior cabin is okay if it helps save money
Casino is optional, but if there is one, I might budget a few hundred for it
I’m hoping to book soon to take advantage of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. I know excursions like snorkeling cost extra, so we’d do them only if the budget allows.
Am I being too optimistic? What cruise lines or ships should I look into based on these details? Thanks so much for your help!
Quill said:
You might want to check out Virgin Voyages. They could fit what you’re looking for, but I’m not sure they’ll stay within your budget.
Thanks for the tip! I looked into Virgin and found a 5-day cruise within our budget, but sadly it ends on my birthday, so I had to cross it off the list.
Check out this site. If your $1000 budget doesn’t include airfare, you might be able to make it work.
You’ll have to think about what extras you want. Many ships have specialty dining options for an extra cost, which you might enjoy as foodies. Excursions aren’t included, but you can book them through the cruise line or on your own to save money.
@Ash
Thanks for pointing that out! Yes, $1000 is just for the cruise. I’ll use cashback for flights, so airfare isn’t part of the budget. I’ll update my post to make that clear.
Don’t overlook Carnival or MSC. They’re usually more affordable, which could leave you with extra room in your budget for things like specialty dining. Carnival tends to have a more fun vibe, but you don’t have to join in all the time. Some of their newer, larger ships might be a good fit for you.
@Rowan
Great advice! I did some filtering on cruise.com for our dates, trip length, and budget. Based on that, I found 1 option on Celebrity, 2 on NCL, 3 on Royal Caribbean, 8 on Carnival, 1 on Princess, and 2 on MSC. I’ve heard Carnival is a lot of fun but wasn’t sure if it would feel like nonstop partying. I’ll check out some YouTube videos to narrow things down!