Why do people like cruises?

[rubyredknowsitall]

I'm sure it's partly personal for me as:

1. I can't swim well (I swim in the sea where I live a little but I'd hate to swim in a pool or lounge by it)
2. I don't drink alcohol
3. I don't like noisy music things

That's my image of cruise ships plus some excursions - like a fancy Haven holiday camp (although I loved haven as a kid!!!)

Is my image totally off?

I'd like a Norwegian cruise on a small ship, I don't have much leave and so want to get the best experience possible in a short time without spending hours organising it.

But the thought of a big cruise ship brings me out in hives, spent a long weekend in an American huge resort, posh, hotel a couple of weeks ago, and basically hated it and think it might be like that.

For us they are ideal ds is disabled so like others have said it makes it a great way to holiday.

YouTube, search for Emma Cruises or Ben and David Go Cruising. To be honest, just search 'Cruises' - there are loads of channels there full of stuff. I can't watch when I'm hungry because they always talk so much about the food, with long lingering shots of lovely grub!

Have you watched Susan Calman on a cruise to Antarctica? It’s been in the last 2 Fridays. It was stunning. Made me cry.

@Peakypolly oh that name rings a vague bell. Off for a Google, thank you!

I’m not sure why certain people are so obsessed with cruises being for “older” people.

We started cruising when the kids were young teens, in fact it was their idea. I liked the fact they could go and do their own thing and were perfectly safe. They could get their own food when they wanted it, they had a drinks package so I wasn’t forking out for endless pop, and they spent most of their time in the pool or on the sports deck playing basketball or table tennis.

I don’t like crowds or boozing or entertainment so we always book a balcony cabin and I’m happy spending the day on the balcony either reading or watching the world go by. We don’t do ship excursions, we just get off and wander around.

Pre-covid, cruising was a very good value family holiday; we didn’t spend a penny onboard as everything was prepaid. Now the same deals just aren’t available, but hopefully they will return eventually so I can afford to go again.

We did - hooked on it. Thought it was fabulous. Really looking forward to our trip. I plan on spending three weeks on the balcony just gazing!

I like swimming, loud music and booze

Though not all cruises are alike, on Cunard transatlantic crossings there's a number of lecture series (subjects vary), a planetarium, the pool areas were very quiet etc. personal preference thing (they also have live music and a nightclub for people like me)

@MaisyMary77

I'll be very interested in how that works out, we have a dd/dsd with ld's and the thing that puts me off is lack of space, hadn't thought about a suite (money isn't an issue thankfully)

I get that’s a concern, but I’ve not been on a plane since 2013 so I’m not going to beat myself up over one cruise holiday.

I was on the Magellan in March 2020 when lockdown started, I think I might have been one of the first Brits to get Covid, caught in Rotterdam. Very sad they went bust it was a great company, I’d been with them a number of times.
I love cruising, I feel so relaxed on a ship, watching the ocean. I love the different ports. I’m not one for noise but I do enjoy the main evening shows.
I never join in with any of the ‘activities’ but you can do as much or as little as you like, obviously 😃

People are different, is it really so difficult to understand?

My mum likes cruises. She's not 'elderly', she's 57. She's a glamorous woman in her daily life, groomed to the max, but doesn't have many occasions to show off her 'most-most' outfits, so a cruise is perfect for that. She's a drinker and likes a party, music, dancing, flirting with men. Chatting with a friend with endless champagnes by the pool, etc. Entertainment, various shows. That sort of thing from what I gather.

It's not my jam, but she always has a great time, folk like different things at that's perfectly ok.

I mean, I really hate HATE beach holidays, sea, sand and sun, that sort of thing. Or AI. It bores me to tears and makes me grumpy and restless. But I don't struggle at all to understand why other people like them.

To be honest, what I do struggle to understand is camping. I mean, objectively I can see the reasons for it, but it's so so far from my idea of holiday, I'd honestly rather go on cruise, or the crappiest -10 star hostel somewhere in Benidorm, or scrub public toilets for a few days than camp somewhere in a tent/caravan. But oh well. Different strokes and all that.

@mitogoshi

A planetarium?!! That's actually really interesting!

I like booze too, but I'm an alcoholic so I can't drink 🤣

@Shadowonasun

Haha I actually love camping! I prefer glamping where it's all set up for you and you sleep in a massive yurt with inside heaters and a bbq/hammock outside so you can rest by the sound of a river while gazing at the stars 😊

My first ever experience of camping ever though was.... well that was in Wales and my pot noodle breakfast was the best part of that experience haha

Ohhhh wow. I'm glad you're still here with us. Getting COVID before vaccine must have been scary. I've never had COVID and my husband got it for the first time 2 weeks ago. We were shocked!

I don’t think I’d like a villa or apartment holiday that isn’t on a resort or complex holiday. I’ve never actually done one apart from a few days in a friend’s apartment on a beach in America.
I can totally understand why others would love such a holiday.
Its good we are all different.

It’s great that you have thought about it at least. I get the impression it’s not on most people’s radar 😕

I'm usually travelling solo so find cruises are a safe way to be independent, dipping in and out of excursions and activities. I like active holidays so use the gym quite a bit and often opt for walking excursions. Ashore I sometimes take a cruise trip but other times do my own thing particularly if visiting a city/town. I enjoy getting dressed up for dinner and the theatre performances too.

Although cruises do tend to attract older travellers, there is a lot for all ages (depending on the cruise line). I took my 30 year old daughter with me on my last trip - She had a great time and we did some joint and solo activities (She took herself off on a scuba diving course on one island). Her fitness tracker showed we averaged 15000 steps a day ashore! We really crammed a lot in.

My favourite cruise so far has been to Scandinavia (cities) which had a couple of overnight stops allowing for long days and evenings ashore.

Ive been on several cruises and they work perfectly for us. If your careful about which company you go with they are great, we have found some to be much better then others and have been to fantastic places and have enjoyed staying for a few nights in the final location before a flight home. The last couple we have boarded at Southampton and I have to be honest I do prefer not flying now.

Her fitness tracker showed we averaged 15000 steps a day ashore! We really crammed a lot in

I average that on sea days too, there’s so much to do.

I was never really interested in cruises anyway, bit since the pandemic started all it makes me think about is outbreaks of covid and norovirus. No thanks. I might get on a plane (with an FFP3 mask on) to go somewhere nice but it seems higher risk for being ill on a cruise, and who wants to be ill on holiday anyway?

and way better than a shitty beach holiday

You seem quite judgemental of things other people might enjoy!

Quite mild as it happens, I’ve had it recently and it was way worse!

We've been on many cruises and just spent a week on Iona. It's a huge ship and there's something for everyone, lots of quiet corners as well as loads of activities if you want them. I always book a balcony because the sheer joy of sitting on your balcony looking at the sea is hard to beat imo and so relaxing. We live near Southampton so it's incredibly easy to turn up with as much luggage as you like and your holiday begins a couple of hours after you've left home.

I think the whole package of lovely food. entertainment, being at sea, gorgeous ship, etc etc is just brilliant. And incredible value for money too if you get a good deal.

Lots of itineraries now stay overnight in a port so that gives more flexibility and on the first day no rush to get back to the ship. Did that in Rotterdam last week.

We like all kinds of holidays though and do other stuff too.

I’ve only had it once- Dec 2020 which was pre-vaccine. I felt a bit rubbish for about three days but no worse than a cold!