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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you’ve been on a cruise and hated it- why?

235 replies

BoomTish · 17/03/2019 16:57

It feels like everyone I know who has cruised has loved it and they’re always telling me how great it is.

I’ve always thought it’s not for me. DH and I are mid 30s/early 40s, no kids, decent holiday budget and annual leave allowances. However, I hate flying. We’ve travelled a lot but haven’t done as much over the past few years and have stuck closer to home or opted for destinations that are short flights or accessible by ferry.

A local travel agency is advertising a cruise to somewhere that interests me so I’ve been thinking about it but I just don’t know if we’re cruise people. I don’t like regiment and prefer a holiday where we can set our own itinerary. Also, I’m quite shy so would hate to have to sit with strangers for meals.

On the flip side, I’m wondering if I’m ruling out a way of holidaying that would be perfect for us, but letting my own preconceptions get in the way. I’ve had so many people tell me they love it, but they tend to be people who like resort/all inclusive holidays anyway, whereas I like having more variety.

So, if you’ve been cruising and didn’t love it, why?

OP posts:
ToothlessReg · 17/03/2019 20:39

I don’t get cruises, but then I’ve never even been to an all inclusive resort, as I like to plan my own holidays, usually backpacking.

However, I’m currently in Jordan and there’s a big cruise ship in the port of Aqaba today. Went out for dinner and got chatting to a few of the waiters, who were saying how the cruises do nothing for Aqaba as a town - the tourists get off, get on buses, go to Petra or the Wadi Rum, and come back to the ship. People don’t spend money in the area the cruise is docking y

AcrossthePond55 · 17/03/2019 21:16

@Doilooklikeatourist Nice!

Do you mind if I ask what cruise line this was?

formerbabe · 17/03/2019 21:18

I feel sea sick just reading this thread Envy

mrbob · 17/03/2019 21:22

If you hate flying can you get a train? Railbookers are excellent. Go to the south of France and get a villa or something

(Never been on a cruise as feel I would hate it unless it was to Antarctica or something so cannot add anything else useful)

MillyMollyMandie · 17/03/2019 21:39

I used to laugh at the idea of a cruise till I went on a 2 week back to back in the Caribbean and loved it. I’ve since been on many more but I only sail with MSC and I book the Yacht Club.

My best cruise with MSC was a spur of the moment one just a few weeks ago on the Meraviglia. It was loads of fun.

I did once sail with NCL to Alaska and that was also really good.

I also love train travel and I quite often go across a country by train to board the ship.

I’m planning a river cruise next as I think I’ll really enjoy it.

Cruising is great.

MillyMollyMandie · 17/03/2019 21:43

Sorry, just to add that once ashore I’m an independent tourist and I never book a ships tour. So for eg, in Florence I did a whole day alone with a private guide who was a retired university lecturer.

Doilooklikeatourist · 17/03/2019 21:54

@AcrossthePond55
We were on Celebrity

IHateUncleJamie · 17/03/2019 21:54

@BoomTish you can book online, choose your room and so on via Celebrity’s own website. Personally I would always go balcony, midship, mid-deck (decks 7-10).

We went to the Norwegian Fjords with Celebrity. Loved every minute. No seasickness as you (obviously) avoid the Bay of Biscay.

There is a website called Cruise Critic which is very helpful for new or prospective cruisers.

nonamehere · 17/03/2019 22:16

acrossthepond, I have coeliac disease & have cruised twice with P & O. I rang the company beforehand to request GF food, and had faultless service - I felt very confident. In the main dining room, every evening the waiter brought the menu for the following evening so I could choose what to eat; some meals were GF anyway, or they could adapt others. They also said that if there was nothing I liked, they would make something specially. And they were discreet so I didn't feel like the one making a fuss, (I'm sure you've experienced this too).
In the buffet, although sometimes the options were limited, all the staff were very clued up. In fact the food was excellent, and it's easier for us than trying to find GF food abroad when travelling independently. They are very allergy aware. I loved not having to worry, and am going again!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 17/03/2019 22:17

@BoomTish the one on 26 May looks lovely, though I admit 8 days would be a little short for me - shame to get off so soon when you've fallen in love Smile

Mind you, isn't that in the kids' half term holidays? Granted it would bring down the average age onboard, but you'd have to balance that with lots more kids, which is a plus to some and a minus to others

You can book online, but personally I'd give Cruise Kings a call. It's sometimes surprising what they can do around the right cabin ... and I definitely agree with UncleJamie that mid-ship mid-deck is best. The really crucial bit IME is to make sure you're "sandwiched" by other cabins and don't have public rooms next to, under or above you, so if you book make sure you have a separate tab open with a deck plan

Original poster
BoomTish · 17/03/2019 22:36

Thanks everyone for your views, information, and suggestions.

I think I’m probably leaning towards giving a cruise a chance. Figure 8 days in May heading towards Norway should probably give us the “safest” option in terms of sailing conditions.

OP posts:
lavenderbluedilly · 17/03/2019 22:41

We love cruises and try to go one a year. The only 2 things I dislike are the breakfast buffets (tend to be really busy, and difficult to get a table, on several different cruise lines), and also the excursions. The excursions are hugely overpriced and you get herded around wearing stickers, often with a too-short time at the actual destination. We much prefer organising our own shore trips.

lavenderbluedilly · 17/03/2019 22:48

The other thing I would recommend is to book a cruise where you will have a table for two at the restaurant, rather than sharing with another family. We once got stuck the whole week with a dreadful couple, they were rude to the waiters and were intrusive and loud to us.

snop · 17/03/2019 22:52

I've been on 3 and loved it!
Parents paid for the first one as a present and I was dreading going as I didn't Think it was my cup of tea, we had a fab time and the kids also loved it as there was so much to do, if I could afford it we would go on one every year . I was mid twenty's when we done the fist one and expected it to be full of older people but it's wasn't. We went with carnival and royal Caribbean.

FoxInABox · 17/03/2019 23:00

Sorry to hijack the post- Has anybody done a Disney cruise? Debating it for next year but we are also not sure we are ‘cruise people’.

burnoutbabe · 17/03/2019 23:09

I did do Thompson cruises once and it was sort of butins in the sea.
But the itinerary was great (Croatia and Albania) so we coped. The fact they only charged us £10 per person per day for the drinks package meant the evening entertainment was much more fun than it may otherwise have been.
Next tine will be on a bigger boat with more food options (though that had main dining room, buffet and a few extra charge restaurants anyway)
We have gone for small rooms, least a porthole for some light and spend most of tine out of room in some quiet book just reading for example.
3 day cruises tend to be more stag and hen groups so not really representative.
And North Sea to Norway, just expect sea sickness one day up and one day back, it passes quickly as you get used to being at sea.

AcrossthePond55 · 17/03/2019 23:12

@Doilooklikeatourist

Thank you! We'll check them out.

blue25 · 17/03/2019 23:20

We've been on a few cruises and believe me they are nothing like Butlins on sea! Very classy restaurants and bars. We had amazing food-15 different restaurants on the last ship we were on and just a really relaxing, chilled out way to travel. We don't like sitting with strangers at dinner and have always had a table for two.

anniehm · 17/03/2019 23:46

We did it years ago with kids then recently without. I loved the fact that it was valet parking at Southampton, you get to visit lots of places and only unpack once and (apart from drinks) we could spend nothing. Excellent entertainment very varied too

anniehm · 17/03/2019 23:48

PS average age was circa 50, there was babies on board and a lady celebrating her 100th birthday with 27 members of her family!

Mother87 · 17/03/2019 23:57

The things you say you hate... sharing tables and eating with strangers/regimented schedule are the things that put me off cruising for years... However - I was talked into it - and it was AMAZING... i also don't like 'entertainment'/don't drink alcohol/dislike casinos/organised tours/dislike 'formal' dressing... Did NONE of those things... I like reading/walking/watching films/eating beautiful food in a choice of places/watching the world go by/having a massage/going to local markets... did ALL of these things on the cruise and did visit some gorgeous places and LOVED it... Didn't particularly mix/talk to lots of people but the atmosphere was completely chilled/informal and TOTALLY with out a restrictive schedule... i think it possibly depends on the ship/the itinerary/the cabin

DetMcnulty · 18/03/2019 02:39

Wouldn't consider it, they're an environmental nightmare and the impact on our oceans is awful. Flying is bad enough, but even the so called green cruises have a shocking impact.

Monty27 · 18/03/2019 02:44

I know seasoned cruisers. From what I can gather you have to do a lot of research and put it down to experience and knowledge.
They can still get it wrong.
It's not my cup of tea. At all.

habibihabibi · 18/03/2019 03:30

Once and it was worse than I could ever have imagined.
Fortunately it was a paid for short trip on what is considered a smaller ship but I'd never go again.

MonsterKidz · 18/03/2019 04:00

We recently went on a cruise with family.

Never, ever, ever again!

Not even if it was FREE would I willingly go on another cruise!

It was SO restrictive! Cabin was tiny (although nicely furnished), balcony was minute! Felt like we had absolutely no privacy or space at all. People everywhere, service was terrible. So hard to get a drink!
Being in port was very restrictive. Took ages to get on and off every time and you couldn’t relax and enjoy seeing the places as you were always clock watching to make sure you got back in time!

As I said, never ever again for me!