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

[BoomTish]

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?

Traccs, quite a few cruises start from Liverpool or Scottish ports, including some Fred Olsen ones. They might suit you better than Southampton.

Do you enjoy Butlins type holidays? If not don't go on a Cruise, IMO it's like Butlins for richer people.
Same faces day in day out etc. and no matter how you try you always end up near "that" family.

These comments are hilarious. Of course like most holidays one can stay at Butlins, however there are very luxurious options too. Like everything you get what you pay for, but saying cruising is like Butlins is like saying going on holiday to anywhere is like Butlins. I love cruising, but wouldn't dream of going on most of the lines mentioned on this thread, do your research OP. The Butlins comments are the provison of the ill informed. Avoid anything mass market.

The thought of going on a cruise makes me feel so chlosterophic! (spelling).

It's basically a giant floating prison.

Some of these comments are clearly from people who've never actually been on a cruise. The ships are bloody massive, you'll be lucky to see the same faces two days running...they are nothing like floating prisons...you are allowed to get off every day...there aren't usually massive queues to get on and off...they are not like butlins....you need to go and make your own mind up OP.

I went as a teenager, about 14/15 (over 25yrs ago!). Mid range, two week med cruise.

Hated feeling hemmed in, nowhere to escape. Lack of choice.

Hated the claustrophobic tiny cabin/sleeping quarters.

Really hated the leering looks from male crew/staff. I felt like I was trapped on the boat with hundreds of prying eyes.

The stop offs were so short in each destination that you only really got to see a tiny bit of the bits closest to the port.

I suspect if you are used to all inclusive resorts where there are limited restaurant choices and you are ‘fenced in’ a bit, then you’ll find it less oppressive. I hope the seedy staff attitudes have changed too, it was a lonnnng time ago.

I have never been on one as an adult and would never go on one (or take my children on one).

I've been on one, I wouldn't go again.

The food was amazing and for the money we paid we were truly pampered BUT the entertainment was dire and cringey and I hated how we only had a few hours to explore each of the ports we stopped in.

I just found it a bit boring but then on holiday we generally like to go to a different place to eat every night, try out all the beaches/towns in an area. Not for me.

I've been on one and I enjoyed it enough but wouldn't go again.

Pros:

• No repeated unpacking, and no travel home if cruise leaves and returns from your home city.
• Food was nice
• I did a tropical island one in the south pacific so stop off's were nice
• Some of the entertainment was good like the comedy show and circus, plus a bar had live music and nightclub was good.
• Sitting on the pool deck was nice

Cons

• Seasickness
• Long lines for tenders to go ashore
• Staff were nice but constantly telling you they work 6-7 days a week and get only $5/hour so they need tips. Now I feel sorry for them and was planning on tipping but the constant basically begging it made it really awkward.

Everyone that hates cruising is describing exactly how I felt in the Maldives. Totally stuck on the Island. Nowhere to go. Same table for breakfast, lunch & dinner. All Inclusive drinks were awful. Literally nothing to do all day & night except sun bathe, kayak or wander round Island. I was going crazy.

A cruise is nothing like this. The ship is massive, we were still finding new places after a week, you can get off every day & explore. Different restaurant every night. Never seen the same face twice. The food was to die for. Never thought I would enjoy a cruise but it was a fab holiday.

I really wouldn't do Fred Olsen and I've done a lot of cruises Think the more modern larger more luxurious ships offer better value and as someone who is very claustrophobic I've never once had that feeling on these kind of ships. My husband thought he would hate it for all the reasons stated on here and he gets sea sick badly so we only go on fly cruises to the Med (although we have now also done the Caribbean several times) However after the first one we were hooked and have done most of the cruise lines now!

I have been on one cruise and hated it! The sea was very rough, we missed one of our stops as they had to slow down in the rough sea, the stop we were most looking forward to was reduced to half a day as they again were running behind. The cruise boasted lots of things to do onboard but they were ridiculously expensive ($20 for 5 minutes on the wave rider) the swimming pool was empty until the last day and the free shows started at 1030pm, we had a 5yr old DD so never got to watch them. The 'suggested' tips were crazy money! We were left envelopes on the next to last day the entertainment manager it was suggested $20 per person per day on a 10 day cruise that was $600, head waiter who just asked if the food was ok $50 per person per day so $1500, the same amount for the person who cleaned the cabin so another $1500, $20 per person per day for each of the 2 waiters who served us another $1200, that is $4800 on top of the price of your holiday, we refused to pay that but plenty felt they had to and we really noticed the difference on the last day because we hadn't. Alcohol was stupidly expensive and when we bought some on shore to drink in our cabin, they exrayed our bags and took all the alcohol off us and was returned the morning we left. That is without all the cruise snobs on board. Never again.

I’ve never come across envelopes being left out and apart from giving my waiter and Butler something at the end of the cruise I only pay the 10 dollars per day service charge on top of the cost of the cruise.

And I have to admit to loving a rough sea. If I’m ever traveling with my brother and his wife we sit outside on the balcony in the middle of the night watching the lightening storms and enjoying the waves. I also love lying in bed and feeling myself slide towards the bottom of it at times.

I’ve never come across people I’d describe as ‘that family’ but perhaps it because we’re ‘that family’. In the words of Rabbie Burns -

O wad some Power the giftie gie us, to see oursels as ithers see us!"

It depends on which cruise liner you choose and where you go. We went on one Singapore to Hong Kong. It was amazing - beautiful ship, lovely food and Broadway level entertainment.

Alcohol was stupidly expensive and when we bought some on shore to drink in our cabin, they exrayed our bags and took all the alcohol off us and was returned the morning we left.

It’s made very clear beforehand that’s what will happen.

It's been interesting to read this thread as I'm going on a cruise next year. Never fancied one myself as when I go abroad I like to immerse myself fully in that country and I don't think you can do that in just a day. But DS has been desperate to go on a cruise so I've agreed as a one off.

The 'suggested' tips were crazy money
that is $4800 on top of the price of your holiday

@Yorkiebar71. I think you must have misunderstood the suggested tips. I find it hard to believe that any cruise line would suggest tips that are almost as much as the cruise itself. Most suggest gratuities of around $10-$15 per customer per day. So a maximum of $450 for a family of three on a ten day cruise.

Many cruise lines these days add an auto-gratuity to your account, which can be paid in advance or settled at the end of your cruise. Most will allow you to remove this if you request .

The only time I’ve personally seen envelopes in the room for tips was a few years ago on Royal Caribbean, and they suggested tips of about a tenth of the figures you have quoted.

@Yorkiebar71. I think you must have misunderstood the suggested tips.

Yes. That was my first thought also.

adeste I love DFW and that piece of his was both hilarious and despair-inducing at the same time. I loved the part where he was alongside another cruise ship and instead of feeling relaxed and pampered by the cruise experience he felt envious and dissatisfied by his perception that their experience might somehow be better.

the entertainment manager suggested $20 per person per day on a 10 day cruise that was $600, head waiter who just asked if the food was ok $50 per person per day so $1500, the same amount for the person who cleaned the cabin so another $1500, $20 per person per day for each of the 2 waiters who served us another $1200, that is $4800 on top of the price of your holiday

Hang about, what ship was this on?? The $20 per day per guest is pretty usual, and admittedly I've heard cruise directors suggest giving extra ... but $50pd for the head waiter and the cabin steward, plus $20pd for each waiter??

It's claimed that the original $20 is shared between them all, so if the above's right, someone's on a complete wind-up somewhere

I loved the cruise we went on. We did the formal sit down dining twice and didn't like it (didn't click with anyone else and it just seemed long), however you don't have to do formal dining. There are buffet options instead. We just did that for the rest of the holiday and it was amazing. Glad to say we didn't hit any rough sea though, I would have struggled with that 😁

So my experience was different to yours and the tips were more than yours so obviously I'm so stupid I misunderstood or I'm lying. OK

Yes Yorkiebar71, pretty sure you did misunderstand somewhere along the line. Been on loads of cruises with all different cruise lines and none of them have been anywhere near that amount. As PPs have said they suggest a total tip amount which is then shared between all the staff. People can obviously leave tips on top of that for anyone who goes above and beyond, which is what the envelopes are for, but that's up to them. You can also remove the automatically added tips from your account on the last day if you wish.

Which cruiseline was it yorkiebar?

We have never been pushed to tip with P and O, even when there was “compulsory” tipping in the price you could remove it easily. When we did cash tip the staff where always genuinely thankful

Jesus Christ, £480 tips are standard for 10 days ??
That’s bonkers.

I love it - it’s like staying in a 5 star hotel, unpacking once and waking up to a new destination every day or so. Also you can choose what time you eat, formal/informal, large table or table for 2. It’s not all 80 year olds in ball gowns and tuxedos .
However I would suggest you choose your ship as you would a hotel - some are like Vegas or Butlins on a ship, some are party booze cruises, some like kids playgrounds with water parks and kids clubs, some elegant and sophisticated, some have huge tour groups being led around ports of call or you can explore by yourself or hire a private guide.
Like any holiday, choose your style, choose your itinerary and do your own thing.