I don't want to hear about cruise ship holidays.

[CruisingBob]

My parents worked very hard, retired and like to go away on cruise ships.

For the last 15 years they have probably gone every nine months for at least a fortnight, often six weeks even did the epic round the world.

Some have been a bit miserable with norovirus and other flu type bugs. The round the world one lost it's novelty. On the whole they have really enjoyed them, the social side, the whistle stop tours, the food.

We are happy for them, their money, they worked hard, their choices.

But AIBU I don't want to hear any more about them, it's just making me angry.
I have two teens sharing a bedroom, we are working hard, our modest holiday plans were torn apart last year. I just want my kids back in school and free to see their friends.

Everytime I speak to my parents, cruises get mentioned. They've missed two during covid. First it was "wasn't it awful Australia refusing entry to the cruise ship" then worried about deposits, terms and conditions and refunds, then new dates being released, it just goes on and on.

I've said " look for a new type of holiday, you've had a good run, something different"

Their vaccination has just given them fresh fuel along with the relentless marketing from the cruise companies.

AIBU to just not want to hear anymore about bloody cruises?

@CruisingBob. There is a half way humorous side to this and a sad side, it is clear that there is just a chasm in values and worldview between you and your parents. And they are clearly fairly oblivious to or don't care to know the reality of your lives, without that knowledge our relationships can only ever be surface level. What a shame for them and you, but hey, there's 2 for 1 cocktails on Deck 5

We got to stay in Iceland thanks to the ash cloud, win win all round for us

Jammy sod

I admit I've never really fancied Iceland (wasn't it a bit - errr - ashy at the time?) but a rat infested sewer wiould have been preferable to Bangkok which actually was a rat infested sewer

Cruise bores are the worst bores.

Many because they are well aware their little hobby desecrates the environment and the staff are treated like slaves Labour but they don’t give a shit.

Says everything really.

Our young people's education thrown to the dogs and the economy shot ... for what? So vaccinated Boomers can push off on holiday

No, so that people don't DIE or get horribly ill and so that the hospitals still have reserves to treat people.

I find people who are obsessed with their holidays a bit of a bore myself, especially when it's not even about what they've actually done or seen on their travels but about all the minutiae of bookings and arrangements. But I am sick of the resentment that every now and then crops up about older and vulnerable people: that they've somehow practically caused the pandemic, or that lockdown and restrictions are purely to pander to a bunch of spoilt coffin-dodgers. It makes me wonder if they have the same view of ill or disabled younger people.

We will all be vaccinated within the next few months. I would actually advise anyone, whatever their age, to avoid booking cruises and the like until then, or at least accept that they might be cancelled and not moan if they are. But that doesn't justify the hatred for Covid-vulnerable people.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

We got to stay in Iceland thanks to the ash cloud, win win all round for us

Jammy sod

I admit I've never really fancied Iceland (wasn't it a bit - errr - ashy at the time?) but a rat infested sewer wiould have been preferable to Bangkok which actually was a rat infested sewer

We were in the far north west and the ash went east

We were in the far north west and the ash went east

Even jammier

... the staff are treated like slaves Labour

Amazing isn't it? So badly treated that they queue round the block at the recruiting centres and applicants vastly outweight the number of jobs available

*Hell or Dubai? Not much in it.

But we took sons and DGCs to the Maldives several times so they wouldn't have to listen to us going on about how nice it is.*

You do realise the Maldives aren't exemplary human rights wise?

I've just read your op. But I think there is a huge generational devide in wealth an prosperity for some. I really think as the long term social and financial effects of covid are felt this will be increasingly felt.

My parents at in their early 60s so not quite retired and crusing. But honestly they have no idea how hard life is for many people of my generation and that the world they grew up in with steady jobs, good pensions, accessible house prices is gone for many.

I really hope that this is a "spoof" thread, otherwise it is really sad that the Op is so upset that
a) Their parents talk a lot about their holidays
b) The fact it is a cruise holiday

Where we are at the moment we are all incredibly lucky to be healthy, and are all clinging to the day when things get back to normal.....................................................

@callmeadoctor it's not a spoof thread.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_on_cruise_ships

That's the wikipedia link for the dedicated page on cruise ship role in spreading covid.
On the fourth of Feb 2020 half the world's covid cases outside China were on a cruise ship. Over 40 cruise ships have had cases.
I've had a whole year with my parents researching cruises, not any type of alternative holiday, just cruises. Deposits, refunds, apparantly it's the fault of Australia so many died. How they'd isolate after going away, just stop off at Marks for a few bits before getting a supermarket delivery. They had it all worked out,multiple times over the last year, how they would reorganize the world to suit.

I just don't want to hear any more, I'm not freezing their bank account or locking the Southampton docks. Other holidays are available, walks, TV, hobbies, etc imagine a conversation that didn't involve 'well we should be in the Caribbean' or 'good news, p&o have extended their tier point limit' or 'once we've got both injections, there will be no stopping us'

It has to be the absolute worst way to travel in a global pandemic situation. Can't they give it a rest or aibu'?

I would never have guessed CounsellorTroi. Thank you so much for kindly pointing that out.

@Puzzledandpissedoff earlier linked to a cruise forum, interesting post....
"You should see the responses on the notoriously left wing forum I posted it on; they were having a go about rich b*stard cruisers so naughtily, I thought I'd provide a nice example

To be fair I was careful to point out it was satire, but guess the whistling sound was that going over everyone's heads "

I think we all managed to make out it was satire... particularly because you so very kindly flagged it 'as satire' and gave it a blood pressure trigger on it.

I've never thought of Mumsnet as being notoriously left-wing. Mumsnet has been notoriously supportive over the years, notoriously kind to the sleep deprived seeking help, notoriously useful when trying to get a grip of my parenting.....perhaps you are lonely or sad, why not start your own thread and try being notoriously nice.

link edited by MNHQ as outing

@TrickyD

I would never have guessed CounsellorTroi. Thank you so much for kindly pointing that out.

Here's your express ticket to hell, Tricky.

Walks are boring AF now. This ruined walking for so many, there are loads of threads on it even here.

I don't think a two-week holiday every nine months is excessive if they can afford it, OP, but I am struggling to see how they can stretch the conversation to spend the intervening nine month period in talking about it.

I always think that other people's holidays are like other people's children - boring - whereas one's own holidays and children are, of course, delightful

@BelleSausage

Cruise bores are the worst bores.

Many because they are well aware their little hobby desecrates the environment and the staff are treated like slaves Labour but they don’t give a shit.

Says everything really.

Yeah you live in the west your everyday life is built on slave labour so people in glass houses

I went on a cruise with my parents 20 years ago, at the time I was single & they asked if I wanted to go with them, they had a suite & for £350 I could go & sleep on a sofa bed. It was the best holiday I have ever had, the food was amazing, I didn't miss a meal for the whole 10 days, breakfast in the restaurant, then up to the self service buffet breakfast, morning coffee & cake, lunch in the restaurant, I had some if the most amazing curries I have ever had, afternoon tea or self service pizza if I was round the pool, 5 course evening meal, midnight buffet, often barbecue around the pool. The entertainment was as good as West end shows, the cruise was a 1960's theme & there were groups like the searchers, Gerry & the Pacemakers & motown groups, for someone who loves that type of music it was very good & the groups often had their meals in the restaurant at the same time as us, Harry Redknapp was on the cruise with his wife. It was nothing like Butlin's on a ship, I would have been happy to not go on any of the excursions there was so much to do on the ship, I even went to the cinema one night & had the place to myself. I have never been on such a relaxing holiday in such luxurious surroundings, waking up every morning in a different place & been looked after so well, normally after a couple of days I can't wait to get home, but I could happily have stayed for a month, we didn't go on one of the new superliners, we went P & O on the Oriana, she has now been sold & is no owned by a Chinese state cruise company.

Just tell them that you aren't interested, that it's boring. Change the subject or say you're busy and end the call.

However for those saying "they worked hard" - that has nothing to do with it. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't- it doesn't affect how boring it is to hear them talk about their only interest. Also FWIW, many of the baby boomer generation - now entering their 70s - benefited from free univversity and cheap house prices and have had a leg up that people in their 20s and 30s now could only dream of.

If you can't be with tolerant with your parents what sort of person are you? So what if you don't like what they like, if they were decent to you growing up can't you just feign a little interest, they listened to your crap all your life. My dm tells me the same stuff every time i see her, usually about her bowel movements or similar, and i manage to remain polite and appear interested.

A lot of people would love to hear their parents go on & on about the fun times etc they've had.
Sadly this year robbed them of it by taking them away.
Be grateful they're here and still breathing.

I do understand OP - there is a sort of cruising sub-culture where the world is (figuratively and literally) seen through the porthole of a cruise liner. Given that Covid-19 and lockdown has hit cruising particularly hard, I do hear a lot from this crowd too. But, as many have said, there is not much you can do about it and if it gives them pleasure to plan and then discuss endlessly their next 15 day trip in “Captain’s Table Class” or whatever, there is no harm done really is there? :)

I've only ever gone on one cruise and it was fabulous. I'm so jealous of them! Would they be prepared to take the kids one time?

Hello OP. my parents are so obsessed with cruise holidays that each phone call cruise gets mentioned too. I’m of Asian origin so I can totally understand their obsession of cruises. Me NOT SO.

Since the Covid incident in which people got stuck in a cruise, I kept telling my parents to never go on a cruise again. But you know my parents are the kind who would go to a restaurant when COVID is at its peak because YOLO (they live in Malaysia).

So yeah. I stopped caring. I’ve got too much on my plate anyway.

@mimichou - may I ask why your parents particularly enjoy cruises because they are Malaysian? Just genuinely curious, nothing smart-arse intended!

I don't read this that the OP is after the money her parents are looking to spend or begrudge them any fun.

I look at it that she would rather her children went back to school than people start going on holiday and potentially carrying back new variants which may or may not be effective against the vaccine.

If this happens our children will be once again be stuck in their bedrooms rather than enjoying childhood and school life. Protecting people of a certain age group who undeniably be the core cruise market.

My older neighbours (vaccinated) complained only the other day that they were concerned my children were going back to school as they were hoping to go on a cruise next month and that won't happen if the schools go back.

It is an inter generational battle. We all have our priorities.

But OP I sympathise. I did nod and smile. Inside I was not sympathetic that a magical evening with Jim Davidson was a priority over my children getting an education and seeing their friends.

I am also selfish