Massive Cruise ship holidays

[Roiesin57]

Do you enjoy them, or do you refuse to take one due to their impact on the environment?
We have taken one a few years ago and we had a lovely time. Everything about it was gorgeous and I fancy another one; but when I look at photos of them they look quite grotesque when they're docked in these relatively little seaside ports abroad.
Have you given up on foreign holidays because of the impact on the environment? And they're so damn expensive too

This is such a good description of Dubai, why had I not thought of it like that before!!

I too find the cruises too much- the waste of it all, we went on a big multi generational family AI holiday and the waste there was awful and I would never go all inclusive ever again

I am sure some of you are loving arguing, but the OP would probably find suggestions for her DH’s big birthday more useful!

Alternatives to a cruise on a massive ship, that a couple who enjoyed a cruise in the past would enjoy.

I’ve suggested a combo of Eurostar / train, and half board Spa hotels across Europe. Imagine an overland trip to Istanbul, taking in some of Europe’s most interesting cities on the way.

Been on two in two years with Royal Caribbean with my teenage boys.
We had a great time. Boys said it was the best holiday they've ever had.
We did Norway one year and Canaries the second year.
Everyone to their own, I couldn't think of anything worse than a resort holiday.
My friend says she's experienced real Egypt..... she went to a resort and never left it for 2 weeks.

We stayed in Kotor but visited Perest as well. I loved Montenegro!

I haven’t been on one and have spent most of my adult life feeling disinclined to do so, although when I lived in a popular cruise port, I became quite interested to have a look around one. I have finally decided to give one a go and will start with a short four day cruise to test it out.

I am a regular cruiser and for my 60th I did a 10 day Alaskan cruise on Cunard followed by the Rocky Mountaineer. Best holiday so far.

Tui/Marella are relatively small ships these days. P & O have a range of sizes but the newer ships are big. Royal Caribbean can be huge.

In all cases you need to understand the itinerary and the actual ship size and the market it is aimed at. Civitavecchia is the Port of Rome but it’s at least an hour away.

When looking at prices factor in daily gratuities, cost of drinks (unless you seriously like to drink the packages are not good value), flights etc.

Google and YouTube are your friends in working out what is right for you. Decide where to go then search cruises and then look at itinerary and cruise line/ship. Then look at YouTube for the ship and you will find ship walkthroughs etc.

Sometimes the 3 or 4 night one's can be a bit booze cruise like. Groups go on them for stag and hen parties etc...... its not a true representative of a cruise.

You can try Havala cruise of the Norwegian fjords, much lower emissions use electric power for up to 4 hours, table service rather than buffet to cut down on food waste, great scenery and very chill.

I think with Venice, they have banned large ships from sailing up the Giudecca on the way to the cruise terminal. This is because of the bow waves damaging buildings.

These large ships can still go to Venice, but they have to dock on the mainland.

We had a lovely trip to Venice back on Thomson Majesty, where we sailed up the Giudecca and berthed in the cruise terminal. We took a vaporetta into town, and a sleek water taxi back. We had about 14 hours in Venice.

No, I wouldn't cruise, or holiday long haul now. Visiting friends and family is different, but I've made peace with the fact I'm never going to go to many places in the world just because it's nice to go to different places in the world.

That wasn’t my experience of the people of Venice at all. But I didn’t go there on a cruise.

Never been to a campsite but obviously I'm a better person than those that do. My tastes are just so much more refined and sophisticated.

Not ours either, but our ship did not go anywhere near Venice - sailed from and back to Ravenna. We spent some time in Venice at the beginning and end of the cruise.

I’ve never been on a cruise but am fairly confident that I’d hate it.

I actually love being on boats and I love travelling, but having seen other people’s accounts of their own cruise holidays (and also having witnessed port cities being swamped by cruise ship passengers on one-day stop offs and seen how little time they actually get to see anything or even get away from their fellow passengers) I do not fancy a cruise at all. It’s all much too organised and restricted for me, choices too limited. Just not for me.

To be fair those that go on them love them. My in laws are evangelical. But for us no way.

1. having to hang out with people like my in laws
2. dh has to cycle a long way every few days or is like a caged lion
3. dh hates being around other people on holiday
4. i get horribly sea sick

The sneering and snobbery on this thread is horrible. I don't cruise, but don't feel the need to look down on those who do.

OP - my parents have done the Queen Mary transatlantic crossing a few times and loved it. They found it very relaxing.

Agreed! Lots of posters criticising cruising but obviously have no idea about them.

1. dh hates being around other people on holiday

So where do you normally holiday - remote Scottish island?

You can do your own sight seeing, you don’t have to stay with the other passengers, although even if you do that, its probably better you have a guide…in which case you would be with other people. And of course, the ship maybe docked overnight in which case you’d have lots of time. We didn’t do any organised tours and just done our own thing, visited museums etc.

we have always explored places on our own. The only excursion we have done was to a fantastic WW2 museum when in the fjords because it was the easiest way to get there.

there is such a variety of cruises available that it’s impossible to try to generalise at all. I seem some ships and think “nah not for me” but that doesn’t mean they are bad just a bit too big/busy for my personal taste.

Who says people don't spend locally?

You can book official trips through the cruise company at eye watering rates , and the cruise company gets richer) but you can also book independently to go on all sorts of trips and tours at EVERY SINGLE PORT.

My DH is a coach driver and everyone a cruise ship docks in Liverpool he does day trips. City tours, Beatles tours, day trips to Chester etc . His company gets paid and so does he and dozens and dozens of other drivers. These holiday makers go to the city centre too, spend money and buy food and go on local independent walking tours. They certainly DO contribute to the local economy and they do it without taking up accommodation.

If you are worried about pollution, travel on euribia with MSC. It's the greenest ship there is apparently.

And as for absorbing the culture, not everybody can afford to go to 5/6 different places for a week at a time to "absorb the culture". Cruising seems to offer a taste of a place that could persuade you to go back and spend longer there in the future. You can also do a cruise that say, starts in Southampton and ends in Barbados, then stay there for a week to explore.

I've never been on a cruise, but I have booked some for the future. It's incredible value too, I booked a two week 2025 Barbados cruise for me and DH with p and o and it was £2200 including flights. I've paid £100 a month for it so it so pretty easy to save that by not buying coffees when out and skipping a weekly cafe lunch when out shopping etc. Then I've booked a 7 day Norwegian fjord cruise in June 2025. Two adults and 2 kids and it was £1050 and I pay £56 a month. Then my sister and I booked a 7day European Christmas market cruise in December with MSC this year to mark a birthday. Two adults, 2 kids and including all inclusive drinks, cocktails and champagne by the glass it was £1350 for all 4 of us. Kids club, loads of restaurants, swimming for the kids and all that entertainment. I'm mega looking forward to it, and I couldn't care less if judgmental people think it's Butlins at sea 😂🤷🏼‍♀️

@KreedKafer
That is also my issue, i dont see how you adequately get see a place properly having to stick to a cruise schedule.We have done the occassional coach trip on holiday but even they are rushed compared to the pace we normally go at.

The thing which might stop me trying a cruise is a concern about the speedy spread of infection. I was surprised how quickly whole ships went down with covid, for example. Is that correct?

Why does everyone have to experience a place the same way as you?

Maybe some people are different to you?

Or maybe the truth is you enjoy looking down on people?

Do you have children?