Lets talk cruises

[philjayj]

My mum and her friend went on their very first cruise (with Royal Caribbean) recently. She really liked the ship facilities and stopping at different Mediterranean cities etc, but she did say the food was awful in the main dining room and buffet. The only decent meal she had was from a specialty dining restaurant which she obviously had to pay extra for.

Out of the cruise lines sailing from Southampton, who does the best food in the dining room or buffet?

 

[Maundie]

Check out the Edge Class ships, they are the nuts

Plan is to try and get her on one next year, since my Dad died I've suggested we take my step-mum on one as she's on her own now

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Floating all inclusive hotel that I can’t leave to get away from the other guests? I think I’ll pass, thanks.

 

[peige]

I've been on two now with my wife, first one being 3 days to Amsterdam, then a 4 day one to Hamburg and Bruges. We loved it an have two 7 day ones booked for next year. P&O Aurora for three in total and then Arcdia for one, all of which are their adult only ships.
A lovely hotel that travels to a new place every day. Really good shows to watch every night, streets ahead of anything you get in a hotel. Things to do during the day, go see a film if you want or just lounge and take in the sites. Really like the sea days, loved the bar under the bridge and watching the world go by with a glass of decent wine in your hand. Food was also excellent but you had to watch you didn't eat too much of it!

You never feel like you are on a boat full of 2000 people, there are always quiet areas. The only down side I see with the larger boards (3000+) is the sense that you arrive and smother a town in people but to be fair most tourist destinations are like that anyway.
We plan to do many more now we are holidaying without the children and want to do longer 3+ month ones when we retire. Lovely way to holiday and see the world.

 

[Maundie]

We plan to do many more now we are holidaying without the children and want to do longer 3+ month ones when we retire. Lovely way to holiday and see the world.

This is what I'd love to do, one of my colleagues retired and 1st thing he and his wife did was go on a 6 month round the world one, that's the goal I'm aiming for

 

[peige]

This is what I'd love to do, one of my colleagues retired and 1st thing he and his wife did was go on a 6 month round the world one, that's the goal I'm aiming for

Yep, we want to do a round the world one for sure. Having your hotel take you around the world you get the best of everything without hopping from plane to plane and hotel to hotel with your cases. If we find somewhere we really want to return to we will do that another day.

 

[Maundie]

Yep, we want to do a round the world one for sure. Having your hotel take you around the world you get the best of everything without hopping from plane to plane and hotel to hotel with your cases. If we find somewhere we really want to return to we will do that another day.

Definitely, people who moan about "being stuck on a boat with nothing to do" have definitely never been on a cruise, I was one of those people until I went on my 1st one, converted immediately

 

[sigma]

Is the floating petridish thing overblown?

 

[krooton]

Definitely, people who moan about "being stuck on a boat with nothing to do" have definitely never been on a cruise, I was one of those people until I went on my 1st one, converted immediately

Straight up, and so many of those same people will spend a week in some crappy all inclusive resort in the middle-of-nowhere greece/turkey.

The good cruise lines are good, there are plenty of crappy ones too, but we have loved all our cruises. Caribbean, Fjords, Baltics and numerous Med cruises.

 

[krooton]

Is the floating petridish thing overblown?

15 cruises, never had any issues with noro. The only time I have ever gotten sick was last year with covid, and that was most likely from the flight.

 

[Maundie]

Straight up, and so many of those same people will spend a week in some crappy all inclusive resort in the middle-of-nowhere greece/turkey.

You missed the “Why should we go out when it’s all free here!” bit as well

 

[peige]

I've done a good few years of all inclusive resorts with the family, good for what they are and did the job for a family holiday but going on a cruise is nothing like them. We loved the shows, seeing two top end productions each night and then chilling in the bar while pianist does his stuff is such a lovely way to spend an evening. Much better than the pot luck of the local band and sitting amongst the smokers who talk over the whole thing anyway. As a couple we wanted to do and see things.

If you are at all inclined then do a short one and see for yourself, its evidently not for everyone but its certainly something I enjoy and will be doing every year for a while.

 

[area51_for_psx]

Is the floating petridish thing overblown?

Only ever sick once and that was an very back ear infection that the doctor onboard had to treat. Thankfull travel insurance covered it

 

[img]

Check out the Edge Class ships, they are the nuts

Looks amazing.

 

[EH75]

Is the floating petridish thing overblown?

Yeah. I did read an article about this a while back I think you are at much higher odds of catching noro etc at home. The problem is when there is a big outbreak on a ship it often becomes headline news.

I've spent a total of about 6-7 years on ship when you add all my sea time together. I've hard noro once and it lasted for about 24 hours. Not particularly pleasant but your odds of getting it are pretty low.

 

[200sols]

Is the floating petridish thing overblown?

No..

 

[bainbridge]

I've had recommendations from friends and family to go on a cruise, but the concept just doesn't float my boat.

My partner and I love to explore wherever we go and we often end up well off the beaten track.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I've had recommendations from friends and family to go on a cruise, but the concept just doesn't float my boat.

My partner and I love to explore wherever we go and we often end up well off the beaten track.

I get that, however I like doing both. Cruising gives you a taster of somewhere you might want to go back to later to properly discover.

 

[cheesefest]

i dont get it. The pictures generally look like you live in shopping centre while floating and then sometimes stop with thousands of others so it will be busy.
I dont really want to spend money on it from looks to give it a go.

My parents don’t like the massive cruise ships which have 1300+ cabins on them. Currently in Madeira and seen the Britannia and Ventura cruise ships docked and can see them from hotel and pretty much of the central Funchal. Today it’s Anthem of the Seas with 2070 cabins.

Some cruise ships have more bars and restaurants than the number of meals you are having on the cruise.


Parents have enjoyed the river cruises. Due to nature of rivers, the boats are a lot smaller- 120-150 people. Though more expensive than a sea cruise, you get a better experience. Plus as most cities were built around the river, no need to get transported to the city. As not many facilities onboard, they aren’t designed for people who rely on cruise ship facilities to entertainment

 

[Sinbad2000]

My wife and I did our first cruise over 10 years ago, in South Africa - 3 night jaunt for our son's wedding on an MSC ship. We quite enjoyed it... So decided for our 10th anniversary to do a 10-nighter to western europe and see how we liked it for a longer period. We're hooked - next one booked already 14 nights in the canaries fly/cruise in Feb 2025 for my 50th

/edit oh and I think I picked up noro or something similar
Symptoms exactly as described on the last day of the cruise.