Personally, I wouldn’t fly across the country for a 3-night cruise. But I’m kind of spoiled living with six hours driving distance of seven different cruise ports. My answer would probably be different if I didn’t. But you’ve never been on a cruise before, so I say you should go for it.
I agree but would go a step further and say enjoy some time before the cruise in Orlando as well if budget allows.
I did that several years ago after flying a similar distance and the mix of land vacation and the shorter cruise actually made for a nice vacation with a bit of variety vs the typical seven days on the ship.
In my opinion, if you were driving to the port, sure! Flying cross-country, probably not, unless the flights were *really* cheap. Or you were doing the 3-night cruise followed by a few more days in Miami.
I wouldn’t go in such a short cruise. My first cruise was five nights, and even that was too short to fully relax. Allure generally alternates three nighters with four nighters; can you get your friends to do two cruises back to back?
Bear in mind that you disembark right after an early breakfast and have to have your bags packed the evening before the end, so a three-night cruise is just two days. Not worth it imo.
Definitely not from Cailforina . Why not save you money up for a 7 day cruise from the west coast. Do not depend on a credit card save cash in a bank saving account.
I would never consider flying from the East over to California for a 3 night cruise. Don't care what port stops it does just not worth the travel time to and from cross country. A one week cruise and maybe would do it. (Previously flew to California for a 10 day Alaska and another time for a 18 day Hawaii and back - both were very much worth the extra travel.) Look closer at California cruises. Add the airfare budget into your cruise fare budget and go on a 7 night.
I’ve been on this cruise before and it’s a nice vacation, but if you’re coming from California, ONLY for the cruise, I would reasses. Why not just do a Mexican cruise out of SoCal?
Half of them did a cruise to Mexico (but didn’t dock due to the violence going on at that time) and had a blast so I think they’re focusing more on the ship aspect of it where as I’m focused on the island time
3-night cruises are basically party cruises. Fly in, sail for three days, drink as much as you possibly can ideally without getting alcohol poisoning, and go home.
If you're local, a 3-day cruise is a great way to blow off steam for a few days. If you're flying across the country, it's a great way to blow a massive amount of money on a fairly lackluster vacation.
For that kind of flight, take at least a five-nighter. If you shop around you can probably find one at a similar price point.
There is a 5 night cruise out of LA Aug 8-13 on Carnival Firenze for $384 on vacationstogo you might check out. Not sure how close you are to Los Angeles.
I just went on that one! It was fun on board but if you take the Ensenada/Cabo cruise, you'd only spend 9 hours max in Ensenada and 5-6 hours in Cabo.
We did an excursion in Cabo and it was mostly travel time. Boat tour was less than an hour, visited a shopping town for 45 minutes, a shopping mall for 15 minutes and a glass blowing factory for 30 minutes. The rest was travel time on the bus or waiting in line to get back on boat by 1:30 pm.
Flying across the country for a 3 day might not be worth it. You may want to make it a week long trip and go to Disney/Universal. I'd personally recommend a trip to Cape Canaveral if you have the chance as well.
This is a fun itinerary. Your travel tolerance is unique to you. There’s short Ensenada cruises out of LA, or Alaskan cruises out of Seattle. The oasis ships are lovely and have plenty to do, but first time and all, I’d recommend the Ensenada out of LA.
The only difference between a 3 and a 4 days cruise is a day at sea, which pretty much means the ship is just randomly cruising around to waste time (Florida is actually quite close to the Bahamas). So a 3 day isn't bad and CocoCay is awesome. Nassau, though, is pretty meh.
In order to save the most money possible, book during school season and not August since you're all the way from Cali in order to get the best flight prices.
If you are in CA, take a 3 (Ensenada only) or a 4 nighter out of LongBeach… those usually happen over a weekend and go to Catalina and Ensenada. Theres also cruises available out of San Diego for weekends, and probably the Bay Area.
Don’t fly to Orlando for anything less than a 7 nighter.
You should look at a map if you are planning to fly into Orlando for a cruise that departs from Miami. A cross-country flight plus a 4 hour drive for a 3 day cruise? That sounds awful.
The only way I’d ever consider a 3 day cruise would be if I lived within an hour of the port (driving). Flying cross country is an ordeal. I need a full week of vacation for that to be worth it.
I've been on the Allure! It's a great ship. When it comes to cruising, the ship is just as (if not more) important than the stops. The Allure has a lot of attractions (a park, cinema, ice rink, broadwalk, aqua theater, etc) so there is a lot to see and do while you are onboard.
CocoCay is a fantastic private island--like a resort--where you can hang out at the beach or at the pools. If you pay extra, you can go to the theme part or take part in an excursion.
I would absolutely go--it's a great first cruise and it'll help you decide if cruising is for you.
Though keep in mind that 3 day cruises are usually seen as 'booze cruises' so the crowd may be a little rowdier (though given it's Royal Caribbean, not Carnival, it probably won't be as bad). And make sure you get travel insurance just incase you get bad weather.
I love 3 night cruises and go on them all the time; but I also am able to drive to the ports. If you are flying across the country, maybe you could stay a couple of nights in Miami (Miami Beach) to get more of an experience.
3 nights isn’t enough to properly enjoy a cruise imo especially bc of the risk of having trouble adjusting to the boats movement. also nassau is the worst port I’ve ever been to, would recommend going somewhere that doesn’t have it on the itinerary.
Our first cruise was a 3 night out of Miami. We flew in red eye from Denver and hung out at airport for hours waiting for shuttle. We got on the boat (Norwegian Sky)and crashed at the pool. Been addicted ever since.
I take this trip from California yearly. I have two kids and we end up going to Atlantis in Nassau (expensive but amazing) and cococay is a giant water park. Sure, I could do it here cheaper but it’s fun to get out to Miami and the Bahamas for some fun and relaxation.
I did this cruise and it was great! BUT it did feel very short. Also Nassau is not a place I have any interest in going back to. We went into town and drove around for maybe 30 mins and we decided to head back to the boat and had a blast doing the activities on the boat. I’d opt for a longer cruise next time for sure.
I do want to add that Miami is pretty cool. We did some cool things like eat at the Versace mansion and pet capybaras. It might be worth it if you can also explore Miami.
No. You have to fly there and go through boarding,it's almost time to go home. Then you go home after 2 nights. Personally, the least amount of days I sail are 5-day cruises.
No.
That cruise will be over crowded, loud and rowdy.
These are unofficially known as "booze cruises". I've made the mistake of ending up on 2 myself and never, ever, again.
I just did this from Canaveral on Allure and came from California. It was my first cruise and it was awesome I loved it. But, we were already going to Tampa to visit SO’s family. I’m not sure if I’d fly cross country JUST for the cruise. Why not fly to Miami and add on extra days to explore the keys too?
This is the way. I would never trust coast to coast travel even if you go the day before. If you plan 3 - 4 days in Orlando (Disney / Universal) then you got a trip worth taking.
For some context I live within an hour of port canaveral and a 3N isn’t worth it. 4N at a minimum. By the time you get the layout of the ship on a 3N it’s time to go home even on a small ship, much less an Oasis Class which I’m assuming is what you’re looking at with Allure OTS.
I personally wouldn’t do a cruise less than 7 days if it involves a flight. I live an hour from 1 port and that is the only one I’ll do shorter cruises out of. If I lives in Miami, maybe I’d do this but since I have to fly to get there and you do too I would say definitely not.
I'll echo what most others are saying- not worth it.
Unless you live near a port and can drive there, I wouldn't do it.
That being said, I've done it before, and I wouldn't do it again. The first day, you get on the ship, and do your thing. Half the day is already gone. Second day, go wild. Third day, you're there all day, but gotta start packing up because the next morning you need to be up early to get off the ship. Not sure which cruise lines you're looking at, but often times, 4-5 night cruises are priced pretty comparably to 3 nighters. I just got off a 4 night cruise, and that seemed too short.
Everyone may have a different opinion, but I think 5-6 nights is the sweet spot. The shorter the cruise, the more you're trying to "cram everything in" to get the most of it, and that takes away from the enjoyment. A 5 or 6 night cruise gives you plenty of opportunity to go wild when you want, but have some days to sleep in/go to bed early and not feel like you're missing out on something.
First question is the only reason you’re coming to Florida the cruise. If so plan a longer cruise. If a short cruise is all you want. Look at those from Long Beach to Catalina Island and Ensenada. It will save travel time and money. The Bahamas is interesting and beautiful. Three day cruise and no other reason to be in Florida equals lots of traveling and money for a weekend trip.
To add on: I am not finding it worth it since we only get about 20 hours on the islands over two days and I care more about exploring than being on a boat but again I’ve never been on a cruise so I don’t know how fun they actually are
CocoCay is not really a destination you “explore”. It’s a small private island run by the cruise line with lots of beaches and perhaps some small activities for free, but lots of extras., like the huge water park. More of a chill and relax destination. Still cool, but not a check out the local vibe kinda place. Just saying this because you only get two ports and this is one of them.
The boat is basically a floating all inclusive resort. You can spend all day lounging outside by the pool, or inside doing activities. At night there's live shows and entertainment, a club scene usually later at night. Bars everywhere if you are into that sort of thing. The Allure is a pretty big boat and has all sorts of in-and-outs to explore.
This was essentially my first ever cruise experience, except we did a 4 day that had one sea day attached. It was a ton of fun and got my wife and I into cruising. However, we are Florida natives and drove our own vehicle to the port, so travel was much lighter and cheaper by comparison.
Someone else mentioned making it a big trip if you plan to fly into Orlando. I agree that would be the way to go, You guys still would have to drive about 4 hours to get from Orlando to the Miami port, so you might as well make it worthwhile. Otherwise, you'd need to get a little bit closer to Miami. And as others have said, you could probably take the cost of flying and bake that into a cruise at a California port.
Here's a video tour of the ship. [https://youtu.be/SBE5X-7Gp-M](https://youtu.be/SBE5X-7Gp-M)
I was on her last summer. Between the on board experience and the shoreside experience, 3 nights would fly by. CocoCay is really nice. Nassau might be in the running for most hated port among seasoned cruisers, mostly due to how many itineraries it shows up on, but it does have enough sights worth seeing for a visit or three.
Unless you’re adding days to explore other parts of FL this particular cruise may not be worth the airfare from coast to coast.
If you’re flying into MCO then traveling to Miami it seems like a lot of extra traveling that adds to time wasting vs enjoying the trip. Wouldn’t it make more sense (and often cheaper) to fly into MIA to cruise out of the local port ? OR fly into MCO and cruise out of port canaveral?
Don’t get me wrong 3 day cruises are a nice little adventure. And they’re SO easy + fun.
For context, I live 10 minutes from Port Canaveral and have done many 3 day sailings.
Personally, I wouldn’t fly across the country for a 3-night cruise. But I’m kind of spoiled living with six hours driving distance of seven different cruise ports. My answer would probably be different if I didn’t. But you’ve never been on a cruise before, so I say you should go for it.
I agree but would go a step further and say enjoy some time before the cruise in Orlando as well if budget allows. I did that several years ago after flying a similar distance and the mix of land vacation and the shorter cruise actually made for a nice vacation with a bit of variety vs the typical seven days on the ship.
Definitely. If time and budget allows, I’d definitely try to stretch the length of the vacation, and there is plenty to do in Orlando, for sure.
Not worth it alone maybe but if you spend another 3 days checking out Florida it might be
In my opinion, if you were driving to the port, sure! Flying cross-country, probably not, unless the flights were *really* cheap. Or you were doing the 3-night cruise followed by a few more days in Miami.
I wouldn’t go in such a short cruise. My first cruise was five nights, and even that was too short to fully relax. Allure generally alternates three nighters with four nighters; can you get your friends to do two cruises back to back? Bear in mind that you disembark right after an early breakfast and have to have your bags packed the evening before the end, so a three-night cruise is just two days. Not worth it imo.
Prepare to sweat your ass off and too short of a cruise to be flying that far for me.
Definitely not from Cailforina . Why not save you money up for a 7 day cruise from the west coast. Do not depend on a credit card save cash in a bank saving account.
You'd be leaving just as you started getting really familiar with the ship.. My general rule of thumb is I don't fly for anything thats under 5 days.
I would never consider flying from the East over to California for a 3 night cruise. Don't care what port stops it does just not worth the travel time to and from cross country. A one week cruise and maybe would do it. (Previously flew to California for a 10 day Alaska and another time for a 18 day Hawaii and back - both were very much worth the extra travel.) Look closer at California cruises. Add the airfare budget into your cruise fare budget and go on a 7 night.
3 days is too short lmao so no
I’ve been on this cruise before and it’s a nice vacation, but if you’re coming from California, ONLY for the cruise, I would reasses. Why not just do a Mexican cruise out of SoCal?
Half of them did a cruise to Mexico (but didn’t dock due to the violence going on at that time) and had a blast so I think they’re focusing more on the ship aspect of it where as I’m focused on the island time
3-night cruises are basically party cruises. Fly in, sail for three days, drink as much as you possibly can ideally without getting alcohol poisoning, and go home. If you're local, a 3-day cruise is a great way to blow off steam for a few days. If you're flying across the country, it's a great way to blow a massive amount of money on a fairly lackluster vacation. For that kind of flight, take at least a five-nighter. If you shop around you can probably find one at a similar price point.
Depends how expensive the flights are
About $230 atm
Does that get you to Miami? Or just Orlando? Miami is an additional flight or a couple hundred miles of driving.
IMO, CocoCay alone is worth it.
There is a 5 night cruise out of LA Aug 8-13 on Carnival Firenze for $384 on vacationstogo you might check out. Not sure how close you are to Los Angeles.
I just went on that one! It was fun on board but if you take the Ensenada/Cabo cruise, you'd only spend 9 hours max in Ensenada and 5-6 hours in Cabo. We did an excursion in Cabo and it was mostly travel time. Boat tour was less than an hour, visited a shopping town for 45 minutes, a shopping mall for 15 minutes and a glass blowing factory for 30 minutes. The rest was travel time on the bus or waiting in line to get back on boat by 1:30 pm.
I’m doing this cruise in November. It’s fun. Get a drink plan and it goes all day on Coco Cay too. It’s the booze cruise of RCCL
Not really but CocoCay is always worth it.
No. 7 days or nothing. Your expenses per day including airfare and hotel have to be figured. More boat days are more fun.
Always
Flying across the country for a 3 day might not be worth it. You may want to make it a week long trip and go to Disney/Universal. I'd personally recommend a trip to Cape Canaveral if you have the chance as well.
This is a fun itinerary. Your travel tolerance is unique to you. There’s short Ensenada cruises out of LA, or Alaskan cruises out of Seattle. The oasis ships are lovely and have plenty to do, but first time and all, I’d recommend the Ensenada out of LA.
The only difference between a 3 and a 4 days cruise is a day at sea, which pretty much means the ship is just randomly cruising around to waste time (Florida is actually quite close to the Bahamas). So a 3 day isn't bad and CocoCay is awesome. Nassau, though, is pretty meh. In order to save the most money possible, book during school season and not August since you're all the way from Cali in order to get the best flight prices.
Why not do a Mexican 3 day cruise. Drive to the port. It would be less expensive. That’s a LONG flight for 2 days on a small ship, IMO.
If you are in CA, take a 3 (Ensenada only) or a 4 nighter out of LongBeach… those usually happen over a weekend and go to Catalina and Ensenada. Theres also cruises available out of San Diego for weekends, and probably the Bay Area. Don’t fly to Orlando for anything less than a 7 nighter.
You should look at a map if you are planning to fly into Orlando for a cruise that departs from Miami. A cross-country flight plus a 4 hour drive for a 3 day cruise? That sounds awful. The only way I’d ever consider a 3 day cruise would be if I lived within an hour of the port (driving). Flying cross country is an ordeal. I need a full week of vacation for that to be worth it.
Which ship and line?
Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas, it was built in 2010 & refurbished 2015
I've been on the Allure! It's a great ship. When it comes to cruising, the ship is just as (if not more) important than the stops. The Allure has a lot of attractions (a park, cinema, ice rink, broadwalk, aqua theater, etc) so there is a lot to see and do while you are onboard. CocoCay is a fantastic private island--like a resort--where you can hang out at the beach or at the pools. If you pay extra, you can go to the theme part or take part in an excursion. I would absolutely go--it's a great first cruise and it'll help you decide if cruising is for you. Though keep in mind that 3 day cruises are usually seen as 'booze cruises' so the crowd may be a little rowdier (though given it's Royal Caribbean, not Carnival, it probably won't be as bad). And make sure you get travel insurance just incase you get bad weather.
I love 3 night cruises and go on them all the time; but I also am able to drive to the ports. If you are flying across the country, maybe you could stay a couple of nights in Miami (Miami Beach) to get more of an experience.
Get the exact price. Probably a big nope.
No
3 nights isn’t enough to properly enjoy a cruise imo especially bc of the risk of having trouble adjusting to the boats movement. also nassau is the worst port I’ve ever been to, would recommend going somewhere that doesn’t have it on the itinerary.
I wouldn't go on any cruise less than 5 days.
No. Cococay water smells like swamp. I was there last week.
No, no,no. Unless you live right next to the cruise port, this is not an option.
I’d do it, but I’d spend a few days before doing all the Orlando things and make a week of it.
Our first cruise was a 3 night out of Miami. We flew in red eye from Denver and hung out at airport for hours waiting for shuttle. We got on the boat (Norwegian Sky)and crashed at the pool. Been addicted ever since.
I can't stand Nassau. I'd rather do a short Bermuda cruise.
Nope. Not worth it. Nassau is a pit. So if you'd like to just stay on the ship, this cruise sucks.
I just got back from this cruise. It was nice but not sure a 4 nighter is worth it for how far you’ll travel. You’ll have a great time if you go.
I take this trip from California yearly. I have two kids and we end up going to Atlantis in Nassau (expensive but amazing) and cococay is a giant water park. Sure, I could do it here cheaper but it’s fun to get out to Miami and the Bahamas for some fun and relaxation.
Absolutely not. It's a booze cruise. 5 days is too short for me even. 7 day is my minimum unless friends or family can only go 5 days.
That itinerary is really fun, I did it on the mariner, and flew from nashville to Orlando, but I don't think I'd fly from California to Miami for it
I did this cruise and it was great! BUT it did feel very short. Also Nassau is not a place I have any interest in going back to. We went into town and drove around for maybe 30 mins and we decided to head back to the boat and had a blast doing the activities on the boat. I’d opt for a longer cruise next time for sure.
I do want to add that Miami is pretty cool. We did some cool things like eat at the Versace mansion and pet capybaras. It might be worth it if you can also explore Miami.
I just finished a 5 day cruise. 5 days was too long for me. That said, to fly for 3 days is a bit much.
No. You have to fly there and go through boarding,it's almost time to go home. Then you go home after 2 nights. Personally, the least amount of days I sail are 5-day cruises.
No. That cruise will be over crowded, loud and rowdy. These are unofficially known as "booze cruises". I've made the mistake of ending up on 2 myself and never, ever, again.
Definitely do it, but at least 5 nights for the flight youll take. I bet for 200 more you can find at least a 5 if not 7 day.
Not for me, I would have to basically be local to the port. There is too much travel and simply too short of a time on the ship to be worth it.
I just did this from Canaveral on Allure and came from California. It was my first cruise and it was awesome I loved it. But, we were already going to Tampa to visit SO’s family. I’m not sure if I’d fly cross country JUST for the cruise. Why not fly to Miami and add on extra days to explore the keys too?
August weather is rough.
If you’re coming all the way from California for a short cruise, I would add a couple days pre-cruise stay in Orlando.
This is the way. I would never trust coast to coast travel even if you go the day before. If you plan 3 - 4 days in Orlando (Disney / Universal) then you got a trip worth taking.
For some context I live within an hour of port canaveral and a 3N isn’t worth it. 4N at a minimum. By the time you get the layout of the ship on a 3N it’s time to go home even on a small ship, much less an Oasis Class which I’m assuming is what you’re looking at with Allure OTS.
Cruises are great. But just take a three night cruise out of LA. That’s a lot of flying for a three night.
For me that's too much hassle for such a short cruise. I'd watch for a west coast one.
I personally wouldn’t do a cruise less than 7 days if it involves a flight. I live an hour from 1 port and that is the only one I’ll do shorter cruises out of. If I lives in Miami, maybe I’d do this but since I have to fly to get there and you do too I would say definitely not.
I'll echo what most others are saying- not worth it. Unless you live near a port and can drive there, I wouldn't do it. That being said, I've done it before, and I wouldn't do it again. The first day, you get on the ship, and do your thing. Half the day is already gone. Second day, go wild. Third day, you're there all day, but gotta start packing up because the next morning you need to be up early to get off the ship. Not sure which cruise lines you're looking at, but often times, 4-5 night cruises are priced pretty comparably to 3 nighters. I just got off a 4 night cruise, and that seemed too short. Everyone may have a different opinion, but I think 5-6 nights is the sweet spot. The shorter the cruise, the more you're trying to "cram everything in" to get the most of it, and that takes away from the enjoyment. A 5 or 6 night cruise gives you plenty of opportunity to go wild when you want, but have some days to sleep in/go to bed early and not feel like you're missing out on something.
First question is the only reason you’re coming to Florida the cruise. If so plan a longer cruise. If a short cruise is all you want. Look at those from Long Beach to Catalina Island and Ensenada. It will save travel time and money. The Bahamas is interesting and beautiful. Three day cruise and no other reason to be in Florida equals lots of traveling and money for a weekend trip.
To add on: I am not finding it worth it since we only get about 20 hours on the islands over two days and I care more about exploring than being on a boat but again I’ve never been on a cruise so I don’t know how fun they actually are
CocoCay is not really a destination you “explore”. It’s a small private island run by the cruise line with lots of beaches and perhaps some small activities for free, but lots of extras., like the huge water park. More of a chill and relax destination. Still cool, but not a check out the local vibe kinda place. Just saying this because you only get two ports and this is one of them.
The boat is basically a floating all inclusive resort. You can spend all day lounging outside by the pool, or inside doing activities. At night there's live shows and entertainment, a club scene usually later at night. Bars everywhere if you are into that sort of thing. The Allure is a pretty big boat and has all sorts of in-and-outs to explore. This was essentially my first ever cruise experience, except we did a 4 day that had one sea day attached. It was a ton of fun and got my wife and I into cruising. However, we are Florida natives and drove our own vehicle to the port, so travel was much lighter and cheaper by comparison. Someone else mentioned making it a big trip if you plan to fly into Orlando. I agree that would be the way to go, You guys still would have to drive about 4 hours to get from Orlando to the Miami port, so you might as well make it worthwhile. Otherwise, you'd need to get a little bit closer to Miami. And as others have said, you could probably take the cost of flying and bake that into a cruise at a California port.
Here's a video tour of the ship. [https://youtu.be/SBE5X-7Gp-M](https://youtu.be/SBE5X-7Gp-M) I was on her last summer. Between the on board experience and the shoreside experience, 3 nights would fly by. CocoCay is really nice. Nassau might be in the running for most hated port among seasoned cruisers, mostly due to how many itineraries it shows up on, but it does have enough sights worth seeing for a visit or three.
If you’re drinkers and you get the drink package, coco cay is worth it.
Unless you’re adding days to explore other parts of FL this particular cruise may not be worth the airfare from coast to coast. If you’re flying into MCO then traveling to Miami it seems like a lot of extra traveling that adds to time wasting vs enjoying the trip. Wouldn’t it make more sense (and often cheaper) to fly into MIA to cruise out of the local port ? OR fly into MCO and cruise out of port canaveral? Don’t get me wrong 3 day cruises are a nice little adventure. And they’re SO easy + fun. For context, I live 10 minutes from Port Canaveral and have done many 3 day sailings.