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?

Why are posts making you have this reaction? It's a thread on the topic so it's likely you'll find some descriptions. I take it no one is making you go on a cruise soon

The fact that elaborate descriptions of people's cruising experiences is provided but the horrendous environmental impact is glossed over tells me a lot about the kind of people who justify their choices to go on cruises and give little regard to the wider detrimental effects.

It comes across as selfish and ignorant. I do not surround myself with people in my life who are like this; I distance myself from anyone with these characteristics as I cannot stand them.

You do realise that being angry is a perfectly justifiable response to things that are unfair/unjust. I can tell that your level of inertia about it is because you simply don't care enough and hence why would you feel angry or concerned?

One one cruise I went to an acting workshop run by actors from the RSC. On another I got chatting to a violinist who played the Brahms violin concerto in the atrium. She trained at the RCM and freelances occasionally at Covent Garden. Really low key!

But @Marinade you are choosing to surround yourself with 'people like that' on this thread. Like me.

Why? Are you hoping that if you throw enough sneers and insults around, call people Sue, Tony and Rita, and use enough words from your thesaurus that mean ugly and hideous, we will all agree with you in the end?

Love a cruise. We did Royal Caribbean and NCL with the kids and we've done Seabourn as a couple. Food is great and loads of different entertainment and bars. Can it get crowded? Yes, in the buffet which we generally avoid. The advice I would give people is not to take the cruise excursions. There are loads of experienced independent guides in every town who are well used to getting you back to your ship on time. It's a much more personal experience. And there's lots of ports where you can just walk into town. Choose a smaller ship if you're destination focused and a larger one if you're activity focused. As with all things it's horses for courses. I'm not a fan of a beach holiday. I get bored. In general though I don't ridicule those who enjoy them. We all work hard for our holiday. We should be allowed to enjoy whatever we choose.

Choose a smaller ship if you're destination focused and a larger one if you're activity focused.

Good advice.

@6strings1was that one of the older ships? I've been on a few P&O and been surprised recently at the differences between the ships. For example, food much more interesting and varied on Arvia than Aurora. But also the vibe was different with a much wider age range on Arvia.

Not been yet but we’re considering it as our next ‘big’ holiday. We tend to do one big and one small holiday per year. Next year’s big holiday is sorted so maybe 2026 will be the year and we’re considering the Fjiords.

Agreed. I want to be able to look my children in the eye and say I tried really hard to do my bit to protect the planet

There's a certain irony in your statement, you do realise that?

I said the ships were ugly and hideous, said nothing about the people. I used random names to give to my virtual cruise passengers... This is done frequently on threads like this.

Someone else mentioned something upthread about a Bob and Mary but you don't seem to have an issue with that? Just Rita, Sue and Bob!

Hey don’t bring me, Bob, and Mary into your bun fight. We’re over here minding our own business 🤣

Tell Bob and Mary they have it right! 😂

A little late now if you’ve got children

There are loads of experienced independent guides in every town who are well used to getting you back to your ship on time
Totally agree with that. Locals tolerate or welcome visitors because they rely heavily on tourists.

I always book with locals and the experience is always much better. Being a tour guide is often considered a highly skilled job and most have studied tourism or local history at Uni. They know everything about local culture and indeed, they know how essential it is for them to make sure passengers are back on time for their cruise.

There was an issue with one tour where our mini bus left without us through no fault of hours. We were very worried as times were tight but one operator remained to make sure all had left and when he got to us and we explained the situation, he immediately booked a private taxi.

In terms of saving the planet, does anyone know the difference between 1 week cruise Vs 7 flights?

Oh I knew someone would come up with that. But there's precious little point preserving the planet if there aren't any future generations. I only had two. That's population stability not expansion

And I expect my whole family's carbon footprint is smaller than that of individuals who cruise and fly and conspicuously consume

British Airways : 7.52 Mt CO2 in 2023

Royal Caribbean: 4.99 million metric tons in 2022.

So unless those who claim how bad it is also never fly, they are just hypocrites

I mean, firstly a lot of people fly to reach the start of their cruise and secondly those figures on their own mean very little. Surely a per capita or per holiday figure is far more relevant

(That said, I don't fly)

I mean, firstly a lot of people fly to reach the start of their cruise and secondly those figures on their own mean very little. Surely a per capita or per holiday figure is far more relevant

(That said, I don't fly)

Having kids is the worst thing you can do environmentally. Especially if they go on to have kids and their kids have kids. Your footprint basically never stops growing.

Fuck me, who knew people could get so worked up about other peoples holidays?!

I joined this thread to gain some insight in to what I’ve signed up to for my first ever cruise, looks like I’ve signed up to be universally loathed by the high and mighty.

It did on the Hurtigruten cruise I did. First two nights was help yourself, buffet, sit where you like. But after that it was your designated table and I was with three other people for breakfast and dinner, the same ones each time.

I didn't mind, but I'm just saying it does happen.

Yes you'll have to get used to it I'm afraid. Never mind I'm sure you will enjoy the cruise!

Likewise for lots of people, spending time at a beach hotel doing nothing but swimming, sunbathing, eating and drinking is a "snore fest".

And no doubt there are even people who'd regard the Cairo pyramids as a "snore fest" too - after all, they don't do anything - they're just "there".

You have to accept that different people have different preferences.

We have been on Iona and Ventura. Iona was definitely better food, decor and facilities wise. Ventura had the vibe and decor of a floating Debenhams/BHS cafe. Iona had the impressive buffet (on the surface), but was very repetitive and roast focused. Ventura buffet was a bit more of a standard all inclusive style buffet. Ventura was pre Covid so no doubt different now.

I have heard (via the in laws) that Aurora and Arcadia are entering their "floating rust bucket" era. Aurora in slightly better nick that Arcadia.