Any cruise aficionados here?

[timbha]

I've never done it so I can't claim you're wrong, but I've always imagined it......

Seriously, just fly somewhere nice and stay for a few days, and if you want to do multiple destinations in one trip just catch another flight.

why spend hours waiting in an airport/plane surrounded by the type of people who frequent airports/planes when you could be getting to your destination whilst sunbathing, relaxing in the pool, working out in the gym, seeing a show, having a drink, watching a film, sleeping etc, etc? You would have to pay £1000's to have such luxury on a plane.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Man up Badger. These ships are not car ferries, you have to have at least a one in 10 year storm before you even feel it. I've been across four times, and only once was it bad enough for them not to fill up the pools. Nowhere near as bad a the 79 Fastnet race.
The food is invariable some of the best you would have eaten, and if you prefer not to talk to anyone then that would be fine. The only herding involved takes place at the Airport if you fly back.

That's not really true,I know a fair few people who have felt very I'll crossing the bay of biscay.

 

[Mackenzie]

So that's how you spell aficionados.......fantastic.

aficionados
aficionados
aficionados

I've never written aficionados before, 38 years old and that's a first. Its exciting.

 

[pasty]

So that's how you spell aficionados.......fantastic.

aficionados
aficionados
aficionados

I've never written aficionados before, 38 years old and that's a first. Its exciting.

Had to look it up myself when I started the thread

 

[timbha]

I'm sorry, but this is a ludicrous argument. Somebody posted above that it takes three days to get to Madeira. THREE DAYS. And that's only once you've driven to Southampton, probably leaving Brighton more than three hours before the boat is due to depart.

If you leave your house in Brighton at 6am on a Monday morning, you could be in Madeira by midday if you fly. You'd be there on Thursday lunchtime if you get on a boat. You can spend those three days sunbathing, relaxing in the pool, working out in the gym, seeing a show, having a drink, watching a film, sleeping etc IN MADEIRA, in a nice hotel, where you are free to go where you want and see who you like.

about as ludicrous as using Madeira as an example. Clearly it's horses for courses but don't knock it til you've tried it.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

I've never done it so I can't claim you're wrong, but I've always imagined it to be among the lowest-class holiday you could have. I genuinely put cruisers alongside the chavs who head to Ibiza and Benidorm in July. The food cannot be that good, because a) the ingredients cannot be fresh and b) no great chef will ever choose to work on a boat. They all look too top heavy to me so no sinking ever comes as a surprise. But these are mainly side issues. By far the biggest problem I have is being penned in with so many people, all of whom I wouldn't want to speak to, and being forced to eat with them or share a pool with them. And then, when we finally arrive somewhere I want to explore, I get told I've got five hours to do it.

Seriously, just fly somewhere nice and stay for a few days, and if you want to do multiple destinations in one trip just catch another flight.

What an absolute ludicrous comment.. Of course there are some cheap cruises, just like there are cheap flights. Get off your high horse and stop being such a miserable bastard...

 

[skipper734]

That's not really true,I know a fair few people who have felt very I'll crossing the bay of biscay.

I know people who have been seasick in Brighton Marina. I used to race a yacht with a group of New Zealand blokes, five of them where Dentists, three of the five had been at different times, dentists on the QE2. I asked them if it was a busy job. " Only in rough weather when people were being sick over the side and losing their false teeth!"

 

[pasty]

Must admit seasickness is a little bit of a worry. Furthest I've ever been at sea is the Harwich -> Hook of Holland ferry across the north sea. Had a cople of rough(ish) crossings and was okay, but I think crossing The Atlantic may be a a tad different!

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Must admit seasickness is a little bit of a worry. Furthest I've ever been at sea is the Harwich -> Hook of Holland ferry across the north sea. Had a cople of rough(ish) crossings and was okay, but I think crossing The Atlantic may be a a tad different!

I went on a cruise around Hawaii last year, I felt a little bit off the first day but was fine for the rest of the trip. This year will be a real test, going from Sydney to the South Pacific Islands.

 

[Stat Brother]

You're not in luck when offered free ice cream.




It just means they have run out of space in the on-board morgue!

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Done Med cruises 3 times,Far East Aus,NZ,Japan,India,Africa..Scandinavia West Indies,accommodation was basic was awful,you had to be disciplined...but that was the Royal Navy for you...seriously though would like and have booked a cruise down the Danube....river is good.

 

[skipper734]

Anything on the water that is not bouncing up and down at 30 degrees, a bunk that is still warm from the bloke that just got out of it, is luxury. Or just dry would be nice.

 

[HovaGirl]

We've done several Thomson's cruises. Good value for money and very British. We've also been to the Caribbean on the Carnival Conquest, which, for the excursions, was much more shopping orientated and much more "American". HovaBoy usually takes his tux on Thomsons but on the Conquest, didn't bother. Found he could hire one onboard, though. We would sometimes pay a bit extra for "fine dining", but mostly went for the 8pm sitting which gives time for cleaning up after an excursion. We've been to Cairo and St Petersburg with Thomsons, where they gave us a little lunchbox full of snacks, insisting we don't buy anything to eat or drink, not even an ice-lolly, just in case of tummies. Then we went to the poshest place in town for lunch, again, to avoid tummies.

Some ships dock very close to the main town, where you can just walk off the ship and have a look around. Other main sites are quite far away, but there are usually several options for getting there:
1. Ship excursion (usually pricey but good value and includes entry to any museums, etc, plus lunch)
2. Taxi from port to city, then make your own way around (might need local currency)
3. Bus from port to city, then make your own way around (might need local currency)

Can be quite hectic getting on and off ship for excursions, so it's quite nice, sometimes, not to get off at all and just lounge around the ship.

Have fun. (Thinking about this, I think I fancy another cruise next year!)

 

[seagullsslimjim]

I think its a case of you get what you pay for.

First rule of thumb is don't do the floating shoe boxes but go for small ships that cater for max 2000.

I've done the QE2 to Spain and Holland Americas Alaskan Cruise. No chavs on those and met really interesting people who had been active in life and had great stories. Modest in their stories too.

Not too many Brits on Holland America but more upper class american - not brash and very humble. Classic was when they saw a Carnival Cruise liner in one port and said "Oh God here comes middle America". Its not about being a snob as they are normal peeps, but you sort the chaf from the wheat when you pay a bit more.

Also i guess it depends on what locations you choose. £500 for a week round the Med with all you can eat will only ever attract one type !

 

[withdeanwombat]

First cruise this year.Up at six,flight from Exeter an hour and a half later.By lunchtime sat with a San Mig on the Island Escape in Palma.Week of glorious sunshine,marvelous fresh food cooked by excellent chefs (rare ones;they didn't have t.v shows),stage shows,the casino,informal,speak - or don't speak - to other folk,no dressing up for tucker,24 hour service,reasonable enough prices for my pocket,shore excursions if wanted.Brilliant.

Downside? Well,a tad Butlinesque (shut up,I'm an expert on this);rather a lot of smokers;if you go on this boat check that you are not directly under the 24 hour galley - it's like having your local pubs beerbarrels being thrown around all the time;and the stories of the workers aboard who are lowly paid by our standards even if their wages are pretty fair in comparison to their home - they are away from family and home for long stretches of time.The cruise we took went on to Barcelona whilst we had to leave in Majorca to get back to the Peoples Republic of Somerset.

Would I go again ?

Too right ! Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum.

 

[bhafc99]

You should read 'A supposedly fun thing I'll never do again' by the late great David Foster Wallace.

Edited version here http://harpers.org/media/pdf/dfw/HarpersMagazine-1996-01-0007859.pdf

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

I've never done it so I can't claim you're wrong, but I've always imagined it to be among the lowest-class holiday you could have. I genuinely put cruisers alongside the chavs who head to Ibiza and Benidorm in July.

.

as someone who has previously enjoyed a cruise I find this comment, and I quote "not only deeply offensive but also incredibly upsetting" . Perhaps granny weatherwax was correct in the first instance.

 

[The Spanish]

I've never seen the appeal. Why would I want to spend days locked on a boat with hundreds of people, meaning as soon as one of them catches a bug I am guaranteed to get it too? Secondly, if the boat is sailing for five days at a time, the food is obviously going to be shit. Why visit a load of places but only get to see them for a few hours, meaning if any are good I'll have to go back? I can catch a flight and then do things at my own pace, rather than be herded around like scum and told where to be and when. And that's without even mentioning sea-sickness.

after five days at sea the food will be shit you should see the logistics that goes into catering on these ships, its mind blowing.

I get the feeling you just think its all a little borgeouis.