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?

I love cruises. They are my favorite holiday by miles with the kids, as a single parent. The kids are safe - eyes on them at all time, loads to do, and it’s a massive brain break for me. They couldn’t cope with the packing and unpacking of a road trip and so a day in a new place suits us fine.

We go with MSC which is a bit “Wetherspoons on sea” and there’s a high sleeve tattoo factor. We go out for the day and are generally knackered by 10 so don’t mix much with the proles. It’s way cheaper than a package holiday and next time we are doing the “ship within a ship” called Yacht Club. Can’t wait.

If you don't enjoy it then cruising isn't for you I'd imagine. Silversea is definitely one of the nicer lines.
Hope you have a lovely holiday.

We've been on 2 expedition cruises - one to Antarctic and one to the Artic. No entertainment but lots of talks. Lots of getting up v early and putting on wet weather gear to jump in zodiac and head for land. V small number of people. Really enjoyed them but really because of the places they gave us access to. I'd like to do a longer Northern one next from Greenland to Canada.

@softmauve not been on Silversea myself but I have friends who have and they loved it.

@ZoeyBartlett that's my retirement plan! Which cruise line?

A lovely relaxing cruise full of cruise bores? No thanks.

I can't be arsed with answering all your comments but really the things to which you refer are not comparable at all with cruises. Veganism is not a sustainable life style for many whereas Sue and Tony can go without their cruise.

Banning meat is just stupid and reductive as it is a cheap and necessary source of protein for people, particulary children. You don't sound very up to speed and are throwign things into the air to justify your choice regardless of their equivalence or suitability as a comparison.

Pets - not bothered either way as I don't really like them but can see that they have emotional and societal advantages for people who might be lonely otherwise.

You crack on with your floating blocks full of naff entertainment throwing sewage into the sea, whilst congratulating yourself on only producing one offspring.

Cruise ships aren't allowed to dump sewage at sea of they are more than three miles off shore. Ost ships send it to local water treatment centers when they are in port.

@Marinade you make some valid points but you won't win anyone over by sneering and mocking.

I don't agree that cruise ships are monstrosities. I think they're beautiful! Some are a bit odd-looking I grant you.

I live somewhere with loads of them. I've seen lots of attractive boats but yet to see an attractive cruise liner of any size.

Aurora - v small Australian outfit. Really liked them.

I find the ships with the pointiest noses the most beautiful. Some bows are too short and stubby!

That's ok then? This is from a Friends of the Earth article in 2022.

https://foe.org/blog/can-cruise-ships-dump-garbage-in-the-ocean/#:~:text=U.S.%20law%20requires%20cruise%20ships,every%20year%20by%20cruise%20lines.

It’s quite legal to dump sewage and food waste into the sea. U.S. law requires cruise ships to treat waste within about 3.5 miles of shore—but beyond that, there are no restrictions on dumping polluted sewage and graywater. Researchers have estimated that over a billion gallons of sludge made from excrement and food scraps are released into the ocean every year by cruise lines.

@ZoeyBartlett thanks, never heard of that one, I'll research it

I've only ever seen cruise ships from the land and am just appalled at how big and intrusive they are. One came into Venice when I was there once and it ws like a 30 storey, modern shopping centre had been dropped into the city. Also, the ones on the German rivers are like a block of flats on their sides.

Have you the statistics for the carbon footprint/pollution of a Med holiday resort to compare?

I.e. the power station providing the power (plus the pilons, substations, etc). The water treatment plants, desalination plants, pumps, etc providing the clean water and removing the dirty water? The pollution from the airport/aircraft, all the taxis and coaches, all the local workers using cars and motorbikes to commute home to work. All the delivery lorries delivering the food, drink, souvenirs, etc. The power used by the hotel for heating, lighting, cooking, waste disposal, swimming pools, etc. The power and utilities for building the hotels, shops, restaurants, roads, hospital, etc?

You really can't just pick seemingly "big" figures from a cruise ship without comparing them against ALL the carbon footprint and pollution of alternatives!

Not all cruise ships look like that. The line I cruise with looks like this. I cannot abide the really huge ones that look like floating office blocks

I mean that looks like a floating office block too. Just a slightly smaller floating office block

You wonder why some people have different preferences to you? Really ?

And yet people post asking the question again and again.

People know what cruises are like, they know what SC is like, they know what AI resorts are like yet they still post asking why people like these things. They deserve to hear the most obvious answer.

I’d hate it. Travelling is all about exploring and experiencing a new place and culture for me and a cruise is basically just an all inclusive hotel. It’s always baffled me when people go on holiday to stay in the hotel.

No more baffling than why some people like wearing black clothes.

Or why some people prefer a cat to a dog.

Or why some people prefer a BMW rather than a Nissan Micra.

Or why some people prefer to live in the countryside rather than a city centre.

Not sure why anyone should be "baffled" that other people have different likes/dislikes in any walk of life.

Bleurgh nah - too many people, brash, loud, pit-stops at lovely places that would be better explored at a slow pace. If norovirus hits, you’re all getting it. Pools are tiny. Not for me, but others rave about them so each to their own

A 7 day cruise from Southampton to the Fjords is an Ideal first cruise.

Definitely get a balcony as you spend time cruising in the Fjords with spectacular views.

Think about the time of year as the sunrise and sunset times vary enormously. In May June you get really long days and the waterfalls tend to be fuller due to the meltwater.

Breakfast in the main dining room is much better than the buffet.

If you can, get a cruise that stops at Flaam and do the return train journey - sit on the RHS to go up as the views are better.

Take layers including waterproofs as well as sun cream!

Was it smooth sailing or was it choppy like the sea? I'd so love to be the kind of person that could do a big glamorous cruise but I get seasick and I'm sort of terrified of the ocean. I've thought about a river cruise but I wonder if Fjords are a good compromise.

But Bob & Mary x 2000 x #of cruise ships are driving, shitting, and producing waste will have an impact on the environment.

I’m not trying to argue that these ships don’t have some impact but it’s a bit disingenuous to imply that the impact of them doesn’t have an offset somewhere else.

The cruisers who denounce AI hotels and their generic beige food have failed to notice that their floating block is essentially an AI hotel on rudders...

Cognitive bias perhaps?