Had anyone been in a cruise and hated it?

[Pumpkinstace]

My 40th is coning up and I want to go norway to see the fjords.

A cruise seems to be the best way to do this and sounds amazing... However, I only seem to find reviews that completely cruise arse licking.... people that go 3-4 times a year, have tried all the ships etc.

I still haven't found anyone who has been on a cruise and found it isn't for them.

If you have been on a cruise and hated it please tell me about it.

@Knittingnanny

We like a variety of kinds of holiday and have been on several fabulous cruises. Big ships medium sized all were lovely, so as much or as little as you like. We did our own sightseeing usually and enjoyed watching the shows, eating what and when we liked. If we didn’t fancy dressing up we just ate somewhere casual on the ship. I joined the choir, read, chatted to people and dh walked and went to the gym. I loved waking up in a different place every day and rather than thinking it was rushed, it gave us a taster of a place that we would maybe like to return to for a longer stay. In real life, the only people who have said to me I don’t like/ want to cruise are those who have never been on one! It’s a bit like real books v Kindle. I’ve use both and enjoy them both at different times and places. One of my friends is loudly against Kindles. She doesn’t have one If you see what I mean!

@knittingnanny Your post sums up my feeling perfectly.

@Knittingnanny

We like a variety of kinds of holiday and have been on several fabulous cruises. Big ships medium sized all were lovely, so as much or as little as you like. We did our own sightseeing usually and enjoyed watching the shows, eating what and when we liked. If we didn’t fancy dressing up we just ate somewhere casual on the ship. I joined the choir, read, chatted to people and dh walked and went to the gym. I loved waking up in a different place every day and rather than thinking it was rushed, it gave us a taster of a place that we would maybe like to return to for a longer stay. In real life, the only people who have said to me I don’t like/ want to cruise are those who have never been on one! It’s a bit like real books v Kindle. I’ve use both and enjoy them both at different times and places. One of my friends is loudly against Kindles. She doesn’t have one If you see what I mean!

We use the cruises as a taster for places to come back to for longer too! It’s opened my eyes to some fabulous places I would never have considered booking for a long holiday before.

1/4 of the ship got norovirus, including me, I was confined to my room for 2 days.
DH went a bit stir crazy on at sea days, he got really moody. We did go on Subsequent cruises but I made sure there were very few and far between at see days on the itinerary.

I'm no cruise lover but Ive been on two. One was Norway and booked as an amazing deal on a relatively small boat. It was fabulous.

Norway was so expensive and this way all your food is paid for. We did all ports in foot, avoiding the expensive trips.

We went on a smallish boat which hugged the coast and made some sea days, sightseeing days. And it had a fabulous top deck to view the fjords from.

Do it! If only for Norway

A friend took her teenage boy on a cruise from.New York and loathed it. Her first experience. The boy quite enjoyed himself, she found a bar with friendly staff and went there as much as possible.

My mother did the Hurtigruten coastal cruise and loved it.

I have naviphobia (i think it's called) so it's not for me.

a week long cruise to norway will be fine

Day 2 and day 7 you will be on board all day, though North sea often makes people feel sea sick.

But days 3/4/5/6 will be off the boat and doing trips. (mostly). So then its like a floating hotel.

i think a transatlantic cruise would bore me as i like seeing all the different cities. But i did just do 4 nights sailing around Portsmouth which was okay on a new ship, after 18 months going NOWHERE.

We id d a3 night cruise to Amsterdam onteh Queen Elizabeth one December whcih was ok but I absolutely I hated our cruise to Norway (P&O), though Norway otself was lovely. Imagine being on an all-inclusive holiday in a slightly overcrowded hotel that you can't easily leave. If that sounds ok to you then a cruise is probably your thing.

Oh god, I can actually spell properly, I promise.

We sailed the Bay of Biscay in May, it was pretty rough but we weren't seasick. Being in a restaurant with windows on 3 sides with the sea up at one side & then up at the other was an experience, the waiters were carrying massive trays piled high & never dropped a thing.

My parents went on a cruise and loved it and then went on another around the Fjords that put them off forever.
For them, choppy seas and a ship full of norovirus kinda killed the vibe.

Yes, the noise of the engines was horrendous. We got no sleep. I felt trapped onboard.

Oh yes norovirus! My in-laws went in a round Britain cruise and my FIL got norovirus, there was such a bad outbreak that the whole cruise was stopped and they were transported home. Apparently once the virus is established on a ship it's very difficult to stop it as it would be too expensive to stop cruising for long enough.

For example I cant drink an entire bottle of wine myself. When I asked one couple if they would be willing to share a bottle of wine, adding that I would be happy to contribute they said "well a bottle of wine doesnt go far between three and we wouldn't want to have to order a second!" I told them I was sorry they could not afford to buy a second bottle to share! You should have seen their faces.

Eventually the wine waiter was happy to close a half full bottle I had left and bring it back the following evening.

Wtf 😂confused

If a random person came up and suggested they share a bottle of wine with me and DP I’d think they were batshit decline. I can assure you we can afford multiple bottles! You sound unhinged.

If someone travelling solo is assigned to a table when you are travelling with others then surely its simple courtesy to to make them feel welcome! Its not a "random person" if they are sitting on your table. Americans would have offered me a drink without my having to ask.

This simply reinforces what I said about British people having no social skills.

@PheasantsNest

Yes, the noise of the engines was horrendous. We got no sleep. I felt trapped onboard.

Where were you on the ship? I've always gone for a higher cabin to be near the open decks, and haven't experienced engine noise at all. Never slept better than on a cruise ship, being rocked to sleep like a baby .

@simitra Someone in your story is definitely lacking in social skills, but I'm not sure it's who you think it is.

DH and I have been on quite a number of cruises. We now get perks like free laundry and a mini bar set up in our cabin.

We have only cruised with Princess. I feel very at home and relaxed on Princess ships. The crew are great, the food is mostly good, there are activities like trivia that we like, and we see places we would never see otherwise.

The cabins are comfortable but small of course. We like a balcony but have gone with inside a couple of times to save money.

Our favourite cruise ever was the Baltic, and the around the British Isles and Transatlantic to Boston, then New York. It was fabulous and we saw so much, including the Fjords in Norway, plus two nights in Russia. So so much. The excursions were excellent. We made friends with two other Canadian couples and successfully played trivia together, and booked excursions with providers other than the ship a few times that turned out great, even kissed the Blarney Stone with no wait as our tour got us there early.

We also loved the Med and Alaska.

Of course, things can go wrong. I got norovirus once and missed two ports in Central America. But DH was fine and got off the ship. We have visited the medical center a few times with things like an eye infection etc and had excellent care. Sometimes I get annoyed with crowds but honestly after the first day people spread out and you don't feel cramped.

It is like everything really. Not all things will be to your liking but there is something very lovely about sipping a nightcap on your balcony to the swish of the sea and the light of the moon.

@simitra

* I told them I was sorry they could not afford to buy a second bottle to share! You should have seen their faces.*

Appallingly rude of you

Love love cruising.

Been on 7. Disney (when dcs were younger) & celebrity. We always try to do our own excursions if we can & go on cruise critic for recommendations. I’d always get at least a balcony as I’m disabled & sometimes can only just manage to sit on the balcony while the rest of family go off & do their thing.

Re the wine issue that a pp mentioned, the staff cork it for you. Dh drinks red & I drink white. We order a bottle of each the first night & then have on the following nights.

Yes I think if I struggled with mobility then a cruise would be perfect

But anyone on here enjoyed cruises if super active? I run a lot and my children are super active and enjoy walking and exploring.

Love cruises! Get up and for once in my life everything is done for you!
No meal planning shopping clearing up housework to me it’s heaven! New places to explore every day and no packing unpacking!

Your post is a bit like saying has anyone had a holiday and hated it?

There’s self catering caravan holidays hotels etc with cruises there is river cruises smaller, quieter at night , or mega cruises brilliant Vegas style shows loads on during the day and hard to walk round the whole ship! So many different styles

We do fly cruises but love all kinds of cruises our favourite was Caribbean we saw so many islands in two weeks, was amazing!

Love it, have been on many and in my 30s. I don’t like resort holidays, I prefer to visit real places, eat local food and travel by public transport. Cruise allows all of this.

Hated P&O due to type of people it attracts, food was shite. Shows not great. Beautiful ship though (Britannia). Norwegian fjords was fantastic.

Love NCL, Celebrity, Costa.

@Reallyimeanreally2022 yes we’re very active. My other preferred holiday is independent backpacking. We never take ships tour, DIY all our port visits. Use public transport and walk a lot. Get a full day in each port, plenty of time to explore. You don’t get the evening in port, but actually I like the pace on the ship. Shower- cocktail hour-leisurely dinner-show/bar-bed. Up early next day to be first off ship. Breakfast in room.

@Reallyimeanreally2022 also most ships have a running track on top

@Laughsaminute

Love it, have been on many and in my 30s. I don’t like resort holidays, I prefer to visit real places, eat local food and travel by public transport. Cruise allows all of this.

Hated P&O due to type of people it attracts, food was shite. Shows not great. Beautiful ship though (Britannia). Norwegian fjords was fantastic.

Love NCL, Celebrity, Costa.

The thing is you are visiting the tourist spots , in groups if you do the tours. I wouldn’t call that seeing ‘real places’. You’re just another sheep in a herd wrecking places for the locals. I went to Venice pre Covid. We were off season when we arrived but towards the end the cruise ships started to come in en masse. It was horrendous. Thousands of people just obsessed with selfie sticks and taking photos. Not even looking at things properly, just recording the fact that they were there. We couldn’t wait to get away.

@Reallyimeanreally2022

Yes I think if I struggled with mobility then a cruise would be perfect

But anyone on here enjoyed cruises if super active? I run a lot and my children are super active and enjoy walking and exploring.

Yes as laughs said there are running tracks and bigger ships have basketball courts, table tennis, swimming areas with huge slides, running up and down those stairs would keep you active! Also get off the ship early and explore new places on your own every day you’ll come back to ship for a rest!