To wonder why everyone raves about cruises?

[malificent7]

It has never appealed until recently. I thought it sounded like you are trapped to an itinery, on a long , boring journey woth only a day in each place and no space from fellow passengers but everyone I know seems to love them...i am seriously tempted.
So what is so good about a cruise and has anyone actually hated them?
Is the food as good as everyone says and is it relaxing? Apparently you don't get sea sick...is this true?

Likewise!

If Bob and Mary's home was entirely powered by low grade marine fuel and so were their local shops, restaurant, cinema, heating aircon water treatment centre etc then you'd be getting close to equivalent emissions at home and on a cruise.

The anti cruise contingent on here seem to be posting on the basis that cruise ships are the only pollutants of the sea. They aren't -;most of the antis will be typing on devices that have been shipped on container ships from the far east.

@Paulettamcgee I didn't say all Americans are bad .

I SAID there are too many Americans ON many cruises. Cruising is much more of an activity for all ages than is the trend in the UK.

How do I know? I used to live in a place where every Thursday 4 large cruise ships came into port. I saw the effect of their off shore dumping on the local beaches. To be fair though locals had a very poor attitude towards dumping crap in the sea.

The minibuses, taxis etc were lined up to collect them. In general though many see cruising as a one stop spend and contribute very little to the local economy. They go back to the ship for lunch. They offer ridiculous prices to local vendors. There's always another port and another vendor - no real involvement in the community they are docking at for a few hours. Places and people are disposable.
I saw a family fighting in Santorini because father insisted on going back to the ship because he had paid for it . I have acquaintances who post endlessly about how they just stay on the ship and drink. Cruise ships are seen as " third class tourism" by many of these countries. A friend did a Greek one recently - two hours at most on a destination. What is the point?

I know many love aspects of it but as a former aid worker I'm not blind to the negative effects of them.

I've been on a few, as my parents love them and have taken me with them a few times, either as a teen or later as an adult when it was a dying wish of one of them.

They are definitely good fun and great value, a fantastic way to see lots of places, and not flying (if you go from Southampton) is an amazing way to start a holiday.

I wouldn't choose to go on one myself though, they're really appalling for the environment. The Virgin ones look incredible though, if I was going to do one again I'd do one of those.

@Parker231 @saltinesandcoffeecups @TheBers2024 @nocoolnamesleft

Sorry if I have missed anyone but thank you all for the many and varied answers. I will do some research - thanks again!

They're also forgetting all the pollution etc caused by traditional hotels, holiday resorts, etc., in terms of the infrastructure, building, utilities, power, etc.

It's about three times more carbon-intensive to go on a cruise than it is to fly to a holiday and stay in one hotel- https://www.energymonitor.ai/sectors/transport/weekly-data-is-it-better-to-take-a-cruise-than-fly/?cf-view

Devices being shipped on on container ships is a disingenuous comparison- one trip on one of those ships will supply thousands of people with the devices they need to work and live every single day, it's not quite the same as people taking a one or two week holiday that is entirely a luxury.

Fair enough if you like cruising and decide to do it anyway but the posters tying themselves in knots trying to claim that cruising isn't that bad an environmental impact need to give their heads a wobble.

@sweetpickle2 although I notice that the report cited compared a 7 day cruise travelling to 4 ports, to a weeks holiday with one flight and one hotel.

How much damage to go by air or ferry separately? What's the environmental cost comparison of a cruise just going to one port for 7 nights.

I mean that's one reason a cruise is popular. You visit more than one place in a 7 day holiday. Is the amount of places travelled worse than the way we travel to them?

@TheBers2024 You'd probably visit a variety of locations over a number of years (if at all)- which spreads the impact over time rather than doing it all in the same 1/2 week period (and then repeating every year like lots of poster on here have said they do). It would probably be like flying to France, then a day later flying to Spain, then a day later flying to Italy, then a day later flying to Germany or whatever- completely ridiculous amount of travel in a short space of time.

Like I say, fair enough if you choose to do it anyway, and as I said I've been on them- but let's not pretend the environmental impact isn't enormous.

@sweetpickle2 So over 7 days the Co2 emissions of the two holidays are greater on a cruise.
But like for like the same holiday is less if you cruise.

People that take multiple holidays would actually be worse than the person taking a cruise every few years( the two groups may not be mutually exclusive obs).

And probably less than the vast numbers of business people flying when Teams or locals could do the job.

But cruise ships don't use the local water supply and don't force the locals out with airbnbs and holiday homes. They also have sea days where they aren't impacting any villages/ cities at all. Just because cruise ships aren't currently perfect doesn't mean the concept is bad in itself.

I'm not saying the concept is bad in itself, just that it is environmentally terrible. That's just a fact.

As per the stats on the link I posted, one single cruise vs one holiday to a single destination of the same length to a hotel has a worse environmental impact. How many of each of those types of trips people take and to where and whether they stay in a holiday home instead are just whataboutery and not really relevant to that factual comparison.

Like I say I don't judge anyone for going on one, but environmentally they're terrible.

The point is that all the cruisers get to boast about how many destinations they have been to, irrespective of the fact that:
they don't stay long enough to truly absorb and appreciate all the cultural and important features of the towns
they generally don't eat at the local restaurants as they have filled up on their enormous cruise buffet breakfasts so just spend the day wondering around
the cruise ships are a total eyesore and annoyance because the passengers invade these places in abundance and ruin the ambience and appearance of the lovely ports in the historic places with their horrible size and foul characteristics.

But hey who cares as long as Barry, Sue and Rita are enjoying themselves!

How many of each of those types of trips people take and to where and whether they stay in a holiday home instead are just whataboutery and not really relevant to that factual comparison.

I don't think itis whataboutry. The question was "is it better to cruise or fly.?" And they didn't compare like with like.
It would be fairer to compare the emissions for one of the cruises that just goes to Amsterdam say, versus the flight and hotel.

I suspect these ships do help the local economy somewhat otherwise wouldn’t they be banned? Also they are not pricing local residents out of the housing market like airbnbs.

But in reality most people from the U.K. will visit Rome, Barcelona , Venice etc as weekend city break. Which in exactly the same way involves a generic hotel breakfast , seeing the most popular sites and eating dinner in whichever restaurant is top of TripAdvisor.

The only difference is that cruise guests do for 1 day not 3 and possibly only have one meal or snack instead of two. It's a flavour of the city in both cases.
And they disappear by 8pm leaving the place in peace. Unlike the stag and hen do's,

I get what you're saying. I get depressed at the fat and tats shuffling round on their excursions. But that's far from everyone.

We always have lunch and a coffee and cake or ice cream when we are off the ship. Granted some people don’t. My upcoming cruise I’ve booked the chefs market shop which I’ve not done before. Apparently they get some of their produce from the local markets. However we are on a small ship so I assume easier to cater for than the bigger ones.

I love a cruise! You get to go to lots of different places without having to travel there. You unpack once in your room and each day wake up in a new location.

Sea days are very relaxing. There is often entertainment put on, which you are free to participate in or not as you choose, from pub quizzes to exercise classes to lectures to wine tasting. I love just grabbing a cup of coffee and finding a nice quiet spot by a window to read. I'm not sure what you mean by space from fellow passengers. Even when a ship is full there are always quiet spots to sit, and plenty of seating in the different venues.

When you're in a port you choose what you want to do. You can take part in an organized excursion, which is often a great way to see the place or have a new experience, or you can just get off the ship at your leisure and wander around. Or you can stay on the ship if you choose.

I've had some amazing food on cruise ships and some more mediocre, but that's no different to being on holiday in one fixed location. I like how you can choose what you're in the mood for - lots of different choices in the buffet area or a sit down restaurant meal in the dining room.

One of the things I like the most is the evenings. There are usually several bars with different types of entertainment. I can't think of anything much better than hanging out with my husband in a bar having a few glasses of wine and watching a band, and then only having to go down an elevator to get back to our room! Some people like the theatre shows in the evening, but that's not our cup of tea.

Occasionally a ship will be pretty rocky in bad weather, and people do sometimes get seasick. Personally I've never been sick but there have been times when I've felt a little nauseous. But apart from that, I can't think of any reasons not to enjoy a cruise.

This monstrosity came to Fowey in Cornwall. It's a bloody eye sore. How can a small place like Fowey cope with this shit?

Even on this thread we have heard the " cruise talk " of I would only stay in a suite, I would only eat in that place blah blah. All the different levels and " incentives" people get. It's just so dreary to listen to.

This is utterly shameful. All the cruise proponents on this thread should comment here about how much their enjoyment overrides the wishes and views of local people who are being forced to put up with this obscene spectacle. When people talk about the benefit to the local communities cruises bring, this is totally laughable. Any port or docking fees can NEVER compensate for this shocker. What will these passengers spend or contribute to the local community? A big fat nada.

I am so angry about this and I live nowhere near Cornwall.

It really is the dullest most inane and insipid talk ever. They don't 'get' it though.

How about trying an overnight cruise? 1 night taster?

Oh that's revolting. Totally out of proportion.

But then I felt the same seeing huge monstrosities churning their way down the fjords. They were so absolutely counter to everything that is lovely about the fjords

They've got to dump their shit somewhere. Nice to see all the marine diesel fumes adding to the local area.