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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU about a 6 grand cruise?

80 replies

Dandelionsmakeyouwee · 14/06/2016 17:52

Spent all yesterday and today looking for holidays and have found one with P&O cruises. 8 nights around the Caribbean, in a suite which apparently has butler service! Plus all the other cool things such as kids club and night time nursery for my 3 year old.
Also get £550 to spend on board.

We haven't been on holiday for nearly 4 years, am I being unreasonable to want a 6k holiday? even if it's just 8 nights? I probably am aren't I :/

OP posts:
ScreenshottingIsNotJournalism · 14/06/2016 21:01

Well that's a bit of a drip feed!

If you're OH isn't comfortable spending that kinda money then I retract my "go for it" I thought from your OP that a 6k hol wouldn't cause any problems for your family

if you want to go out for an evening, how about hiring a temporary nanny?

pearlylum · 14/06/2016 21:02

But they try to sell coach tours, often with the implication that the destinations are not safe/full of muggers and pickpockets.
Often ports big enough to house cruise liners are at the industrial side of the city anyway, and sometimes you only have a few hours to explore, so not enough time to orientate yourself/ make your way to local places of interest/ find somewhere decent to eat.

It's the herding aspect of cruises that I don't like- which does make them popular with the elderly who often like to have their days planned for them.

ScreenshottingIsNotJournalism · 14/06/2016 21:02

You are not trapped on board, most days you get off and explore, that is the point

It it just me who wouldn't be able to relax on shore and would spend the whole day thinking "what if we're late back and miss the boat"? Grin

Sirzy · 14/06/2016 21:04

It it just me who wouldn't be able to relax on shore and would spend the whole day thinking "what if we're late back and miss the boat"?

I tend to get off in the morning and aim to be back on around 1pm so plenty of time before they leave! I wouldn't risk getting on near to departure time if I was getting off not on a trip.

Philoslothy · 14/06/2016 21:15

I think when choosing a cruise you need to look at the destinations and the times you are in port. Some cheaper cruises have very little time in port which would be stressful. We do a mixture of excursions with the cruise company ( which tend to be expensive ) and days out on our own or excursions we book independently. When you get off the ship the local taxi drivers know you are arriving and are ready to take you where you want to go.

You will of course only get a taste of places rather than the full experience. I would not want cruises to be my only holiday experience but I think they are a great type of holiday. We have six children with huge age gaps, a cruise allows our older children to have some independence whilst having things for the younger children to do as well. As a family we like dressing up in the evening too.

CakeThat · 14/06/2016 21:17

I get the impression that p & o cater very much for older, mainly British customers, although I'm sure they are very good. Disney cruises are supposed to be amazing (I know because I've got their brochure at home Grin) they have their own private island in the Bahamas, movie screen on deck, pirate deck parties, breakfast with the characters etc etc etc. I'd choose them over any other line when traveling with small kids.

BusStopBetty · 14/06/2016 21:23

Am I the only one who would fully expect to turn round and find DC doing a bloody titanic on the front of the boat? I don't think I'd have been able to relax taking DC on a cruise at three. Hopefully yours is rather less adventurous.

rookiemere · 14/06/2016 21:26

If the childcare is a key part of your decision making then take a look at this site:
www.twopointmorechildren.co.uk/hotels-with-creche-facilities-and-childcare-for-the-under-4s/
Most 5 star hotels offer suites and you are usually able to hire someone from the kid's club to babysit in the evening.

Should come in cheaper than a cruise if your priority is relaxation in luxurious surroundings.

EveryoneElsesMumSaidYes · 14/06/2016 21:30

We've been on a P&O cruise, didn't enjoy it as much as Royal Caribbean which is very family friendly with loads going on. Their European cruises are pretty expensive now don't know about cruises around the Carribean though.

GabsAlot · 14/06/2016 21:31

if you go on an organised excursion they wait for all of u to get back

im sure if an emergency occured they would wait for anyone

FlouncyMcFlounceFace · 14/06/2016 21:32

Many p and o cruises i believe offer cruise and stay options. Have you checked out the stay and cruise or cruise and stay availability to extend beyond the 8 days?

ScreenshottingIsNotJournalism · 14/06/2016 21:35

The last thing I want on holiday is to be under time pressure though, it's lovely to be able to find something unexpected down an interesting street and decide to stay and listen to the music/have something to eat, because for me that's the point of being on holiday - not having to be places on time like during a normal week

Philoslothy · 14/06/2016 22:04

The last thing I want on holiday is to be under time pressure though, it's lovely to be able to find something unexpected down an interesting street and decide to stay and listen to the music/have something to eat, because for me that's the point of being on holiday - not having to be places on time like during a normal week

That is why I said I would not want them to be my only type of holiday. We are lucky in that we have quite a few holidays a year. A cruise offers us a taste of a place, we often go back for a longer stay

Strokethefurrywall · 14/06/2016 22:18

Sorry if I've missed how old your little one is, but my idea of hell pre-kids was a Disney cruise.
Now, with a 4 year old and 2 year old I'd be all over it! They're entertained 24/7 if needs be, adult only entertainment, the staff that look after the kids are amazing apparently and each child wears a wrist band thing and you get a pager so they can tell you when your child naps, eats etc.
For me, the hell that might be a Disney cruise is very much made better by the fact that there is so much to keep the young ones entertained, with or without you. Which means everyone gets a holiday - win win!

Unknownname · 14/06/2016 22:56

P&O are amazing. Can't beat their kids clubs, especially the night nursery! The suites are fabulous and love the Butler service!

Unknownname · 14/06/2016 22:59

Certain P&O ships are very young family friendly. We have done them with our DCs from 8 months, they are now 10 and 8 and still love it.

Unknownname · 14/06/2016 23:00

Also night nursery and all childcare is free at all times.

lastnightiwenttomanderley · 14/06/2016 23:04

OP, if you're not wedded to it being a cruise then have a look at Beaches too. 'Resort' type holidays are very much not my thing (a cruise even less so!) but my mum asked me to go with her on a Sandals holiday for work so I did and I can totally see why people do it. It was a week of pure relaxation, different places to eat but all in a very lazy fashion. I'll be honest, I would normally probably turn my nose up at such things but, in the caribbean it works a treat. The resorts are a little large for my liking, but probably still much smaller than one of the big cruise ships.

Beaches is their 'family' arm, which i'll be trialing with my mum and 9month DS in the near future (much to DHs annoyance!). They also do various options for accommodation, including butler service. They have kids clubs and also nannies, who you can also use as babysitters if you fancy an adults only evening.

MoggieMaeEverso · 14/06/2016 23:11

I wouldn't pay that for eight days.

He's three - even a few days of a cold or him feeling unwell will eat into your leisure time. And if he is unwell enough that you need to stay with him most of the time, that's 6k down the drain.

I would go on a longer holiday, or hire a butler and night nanny and entertainers to come to my house for a few weeks :)

Dixiechickonhols · 14/06/2016 23:11

If you book an excursion through the cruise they guarantee to get you back or get you to the next stop.

Disney cruise line isn't cheap but we loved it and booked again on board for 2017. The 3 year old can go in the themed oceaneers club. The kids club security was excellent - all scanning in and out and pulling up your photo on a screen to check it was you. They even had the kids club to the beach on disney's private island in case you wanted some time at the adult only beach.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 14/06/2016 23:24

It's very true that, for obvious reasons, lines try to dissuade you from taking independent tours - but in the Caribbean above all there's little reason to "go with the herd". At absolutely every port there's a crowd of local companies, all vying for your custom; in fact the only problem is avoiding them Wink

Naturally they all know exactly when the ships leave and get you back in good time; after all they'd soon be out of business if they didn't. Small groups, a more personal experience and less money - what's not to like?

Original poster
Dandelionsmakeyouwee · 15/06/2016 00:30

ScreenshottingIsNotJournalism I should probably state that he was quite happy to spend near enough that amount on a different cruise - a 14 night cruise. He didn't like that it was only 8. It's not the money that's the issue here.

Anyway, we've decided not to bother with the 6 grand trip. I'd rather have first class flights and a nice 2 week stay somewhere for that kind of money.

Thanks for the recommendations, I did look at the Disney line cruise but they're a bit awkward for flying to the ports and they don't seem to do fly-cruises. Maybe I missed something?

OP posts:
RockNRollNerd · 15/06/2016 12:27

We've done two Disney Cruises - both times we booked through Virgin. There is a long running thread in the Cruises section about them. They aren't cheap but for us both have been worth every single penny. I'm not a huge Disney fan per se but what I value is their customer service, attention to detail, great food and drink etc. For us at the moment they've been the perfect family holiday - there is loads for the kids but also a lot of grown up stuff you can do without kids and no forced jollity aspect (I am the world's worst joiner in and run a mile from enforced fun!).

For European Cruises you can fly to the port (eg Barcelona) and Virgin/Disney will arrange hotel and transport. For the US if you sail from Port Canaveral you have various options - hire a car one way (we did that) or get transport from the airport/where you're staying. DCL do transport as well that you can book from hotels and airport I believe.

ruby1234 · 15/06/2016 12:45

I did a P&O Caribbean cruise last December, we were on the Azura and it was fantastic. We had a great aft balcony cabin at the back of the ship and went for 14 nights, cost was around £4500 including £500 or so onboard credit. We had fab time, sailed from Barbados and flew in on the Dreamliner direct from Manchester. We used independent taxis on the ports fro trips out - cost around $20 each at most, really reliable and friendly. I really don't see the need for a butler...... any questions do PM me.

A11TheSmallTh1ngs · 15/06/2016 12:52

P&O: no.

Seaborn and Cunard: yes