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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would we like a cruise???

216 replies

Givenup2026 · 17/01/2026 15:57

I’m currently in bed with a never ending flu/cold while my husband is skiing in Switzerland… Anyway! We’ve been thinking of going on a cruise but we’re unsure for different reasons (my husband thinks it might make him feel a bit claustrophobic) whereas I don’t like tributes bands nor musicals…. So we think we might end up getting bored or with cabin fever.

We also have a 6yo, so it has to be kid friendly.

So given that’s the case, do you think we’d enjoy it? And any you would recommend?
Ty!

I guess the AIBU is pondering going when we’re both hesitating.

OP posts:
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ConnieHeart · 17/01/2026 16:01

I've never been on one but from the people I've spoken to, the big cruise liners are like little villages so if you get a room with a balcony you're unlikely to experience cabin fever. Plus you're not tied to any kind of evening entertainment, there's different things going on in the evenings. Plus there's usually opportunities to get off the boat & explore if you want. I'd love to do it but my OH doesn't like heights so he won't go. I'll definitely do it one day

ExtraOnions · 17/01/2026 16:03

We took our first cruise when DD was 6, it was amazing.

The kids club facilities were fantastic .. great staff, and sessions.. they even had evening ones (movies and munchies), so we went out for dinner. One day they called round at the cabins and they all went for breakfast. DD is an only child, but soon made friends.

No Cabin Fever, loads of outdoor spaces, and a different country every day.

Children can go to all the bars and restaurants, so you don’t have to worry about where you can and can’t go.

Feels nice and safe (no worries about walking down dark streets at night)

We’ve done about 8 cruises since the first one.

(hark the people arriving taking about Norovirus, and “Butlin’s on sea”)

InterestedDad37 · 17/01/2026 16:07

God no, I'd have to jump overboard!

Nomedshere · 17/01/2026 16:10

Something I would never do.

Ohpleeeease · 17/01/2026 16:10

I’ve only been on smaller ships, I’m
not keen on the razzmatazz sort. But I think there’s a good chance you would enjoy a cruise just because almost everyone who tries one does.

Ships sail at night and dock during the day so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get off the ship and explore independently. Most people don’t spend a lot of time in their cabin, there is plenty to do and also plenty of space so you can usually find a quiet area around the ship. It’s not a holiday camp, nobody makes you join in anything, but the entertainment is there if you want it.

CrystalSingerFan · 17/01/2026 16:14

@ExtraOnions

Love the “Butlin’s on sea” comment!

I was on an MSc cruise once and the man ahead of me in the queue was ranting about how he'd been on 5 cruises and this was the worst, and it was just like bloody Butlins on sea!

It was certainly lively and kid-friendly and I'd foolishly booked in the week of the Scottish half term (I'm childfree) but I've also been to Butlins and it was way better than that.

FilipeFlop · 17/01/2026 16:16

ExtraOnions · 17/01/2026 16:03

We took our first cruise when DD was 6, it was amazing.

The kids club facilities were fantastic .. great staff, and sessions.. they even had evening ones (movies and munchies), so we went out for dinner. One day they called round at the cabins and they all went for breakfast. DD is an only child, but soon made friends.

No Cabin Fever, loads of outdoor spaces, and a different country every day.

Children can go to all the bars and restaurants, so you don’t have to worry about where you can and can’t go.

Feels nice and safe (no worries about walking down dark streets at night)

We’ve done about 8 cruises since the first one.

(hark the people arriving taking about Norovirus, and “Butlin’s on sea”)

Can I ask which cruises you have done with your child? Is 6 a good age to start? Do you think it matters without a window / balcony? Thank you!

juliajanuary · 17/01/2026 16:16

Pointless comments upthread from people with no knowledge…

If you like staying in hotel, chances are you will like a cruise. Like hotels, there are cruise lines that cater for all tastes, from 5* to holiday camp, and everything in between. Choose your cruise line carefully depending on what you prefer.

Secondly, look for one where you have a dock every day, and the boat moves at night, and you’ll absolutely not get cabin fever.

juliajanuary · 17/01/2026 16:19

FilipeFlop · 17/01/2026 16:16

Can I ask which cruises you have done with your child? Is 6 a good age to start? Do you think it matters without a window / balcony? Thank you!

Six is a great age as hopefully they will be old enough to enjoy the kids clubs. Re the balcony - I’d say it depends on your child, they are very safe but if you’ve got a climber I wouldn’t risk it and would go for a window.

sequin2000 · 17/01/2026 16:19

I thought I'd hate a cruise and it would be like the love boat with forced fun and crowds everywhere. I was persuaded to try it and absolutely loved it. We went Norwegian and it felt like a floating 5 star hotel. Amazing food and drink with themed restaurants and bars (mojito bar was our favourite). It was great to dock in a new place every day and with a choice of entertainment each evening. I'm not sure I'd like a cheaper cruise as much but Norwegian surpassed expectations.

Givenup2026 · 17/01/2026 16:20

Ohpleeeease · 17/01/2026 16:10

I’ve only been on smaller ships, I’m
not keen on the razzmatazz sort. But I think there’s a good chance you would enjoy a cruise just because almost everyone who tries one does.

Ships sail at night and dock during the day so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get off the ship and explore independently. Most people don’t spend a lot of time in their cabin, there is plenty to do and also plenty of space so you can usually find a quiet area around the ship. It’s not a holiday camp, nobody makes you join in anything, but the entertainment is there if you want it.

Edited

So the port visits to us are one of the bigger red flags, particularly the European ones as there ports seem to be pretty far away from the actual cities, and getting to the touristy places was either expensive or not straightforward.

So we definitely wouldn’t do one in Italy, but a Greek Isles one could be better.

I LOVE all inclusives, but we do go to the more “high end” ones, so not Rui /Iberostar nor most of the Melias.

OP posts:
Dabralor · 17/01/2026 16:22

not in a million years!!!

norovirus
everyone in the places you visit will hate you
non-stop eating
100000s of the general public everywhere
oh and the fact they are catastrophic for the environment

It honestly beggars belief how people can countenance going on a cruise, I actually wish the whole industry could just be banned.

MTOandMe · 17/01/2026 16:23

I’ve been going on cruises since I was 9! I have been on 53 altogether with all differing cruise lines! I can only deduce that the ones who consider them ‘butlins on sea’ have never been with a good cruise line.

I’m 42, my husband is 49 and we have a son aged 14 who has been on at least 2 cruises a year since he was born!

I hate musicals (in-fact I hate ‘shows’ altogether), I dislike crowds and I don’t like feeling hemmed in. None of those ‘dislikes’ have ever presented themselves to me on a ship! You will only get bored on a cruise if you allow yourself to or you are in fact, boring yourself!

I love all different types of holidays, next week I’m going snowboarding, in May I’m going to Nashville, in August we’ll be hiking in Slovenia but then in December I’ll be back on a cruise!

They are fantastic holidays but there are certain cruise lines that having been with, sometimes been with a lot, I would never cruise with again!

ExtraOnions · 17/01/2026 16:23

FilipeFlop · 17/01/2026 16:16

Can I ask which cruises you have done with your child? Is 6 a good age to start? Do you think it matters without a window / balcony? Thank you!

That first one was with Marella, we did a few with them. Now DD is an older teen we have moved to Princess.

We had a window when she was little, but now have a balcony.

InveterateWineDrinker · 17/01/2026 16:27

I went on a P&O cruise about 15 years ago and hated it (very much Butlins at sea; half the passengers were Southampton's finest chavs on extremely cheap last minute deals and the other half were the Home Counties blue rinse brigade who thought/wished/pretended they were sailing first class on a 1920's ocean liner and would have moaned about the passage of time if anyone would have entertained them), but we did a Disney cruise more recently with our then 7 and 5 year olds and loved it.

It really depends on the cruise company, the individual ship, and the itinerary.

Givenup2026 · 17/01/2026 16:30

InveterateWineDrinker · 17/01/2026 16:27

I went on a P&O cruise about 15 years ago and hated it (very much Butlins at sea; half the passengers were Southampton's finest chavs on extremely cheap last minute deals and the other half were the Home Counties blue rinse brigade who thought/wished/pretended they were sailing first class on a 1920's ocean liner and would have moaned about the passage of time if anyone would have entertained them), but we did a Disney cruise more recently with our then 7 and 5 year olds and loved it.

It really depends on the cruise company, the individual ship, and the itinerary.

We’ve watched a couple of reviews of P&O and we concluded the same.

So far, Disney is our top choice BUT we’ve been to Disneyland in a row, and we think we might get Disney fatigue as we’re not big Disney fans ourselves.

OP posts:
Imlyingandthatsthetruth · 17/01/2026 16:37

Don't you just love the people who have no experience of going on a cruise but are total experts on them!

OP there's so many different cruise experiences that with some research you will almost certainly find one that suits. As others have said, make the most of the port calls and the excursions and you won't need to get stuck in your cabin - actually you never would, at worse there's always places to sit and things to do. The food is a major draw and if you wanted to stuff yourselves of course you could, but many of the cruise lines offer high end restaurants so it's about quality rather than quantity.

Of course a cruise may not be what you like, but you'll never know unless you try it.

Whichhousetochoose · 17/01/2026 16:43

We went on an MSC cruise when DD was 5, thought it would be pants but we actually loved it! (Admittedly it was in term time) She turns 7 this year and we are going on a Disney cruise this August and slightly anxious about how rammed it’s going to be 😄

InveterateWineDrinker · 17/01/2026 16:45

Givenup2026 · 17/01/2026 16:30

We’ve watched a couple of reviews of P&O and we concluded the same.

So far, Disney is our top choice BUT we’ve been to Disneyland in a row, and we think we might get Disney fatigue as we’re not big Disney fans ourselves.

I could do without Mickey, Pluto and Cinderella, and there was no way we were ever going to go to a theme park, so we settled on a Disney cruise as a way of giving the DCs the Disney experience and - believe it or not - keep the costs under control. It worked for us.

What I would say is that the ships themselves are designed from the keel up as family experiences, rather than the P&O approach of tacking on a kids' club as an afterthought and the entertainment on board was peerless - in particular, Broadway quality Disney stage shows in the theatre. The food is actually nothing to write home about though (although there is a lot of it!)

We're giving serious consideration to doing another Disney one when the DCs are old enough to roam the ship by themselves, although if it were me I'd prefer a tall-masted ship where passengers are invited to help hoist the sails etc. - as I understand it these types of ship attract a very different clientele which I suspect I'd fit into better.

budgiegirl · 17/01/2026 16:46

You might like a cruise - I certainly wouldn't be put off by the fact that you don't like musicals or tribute acts! It's true that there is usually some entertainment of this sort, but it's easily avoided. Although most music acts round the ship often tend to be playing 'hits' with some sort of theme (country, latin, pop etc), but it's good enough background music while having a pre or post dinner drink. There's often other entertainment - on our last cruise there was a magician (better than its sounds!), a hypnotist, a duelling piano show, comedians, acrobats, trivia, language lessons, a talk about the Panama Canal (as that is where we were sailing) as well as the musicals and tribute acts.

I'd say go for one of the larger ships, with plenty of ports of call, you honestly won't have time to get cabin fever - and your six year old will have a blast, the kids clubs tend to be really great - a step above those in most hotels, in my experience. Royal Caribbean are great for kids, but other lines such as NCL (our favourite) and Princess will have loads to do as well.

If you are used to high-end all inclusives, then I'm not sure how a cruise will compare - I've done all inclusives, but more at the Rui level - and the drinks (branded rather than local) choices and food on a cruise beats those hands down - there is generally a good buffet, but you don't have to eat there if you don't want to - most cruise lines have their main dining rooms open at breakfast and evening, and many offer a choice of other places to eat at other times as well. Plus there will be speciality restaurants as well, although these often come at a supplement.

I do think with a cruise, it's usually a case of you get what you pay for - more expensive will generally be more luxurious, with better food and entertainment than the cheaper end of the market. But on the other hand, there may not be as much to do for the six year old on a very expensive line.

hahagogomomo · 17/01/2026 16:52

Love a cruise but a love a band, not the kind that pretend to be another band (a tribute band) but one playing classic hits after classic hit. I’m not keen on the shortened musicals, and circus type shows so I stick to music. I also like the talks, demonstrations etc you get on sea days. Book a cabin with a balcony and you have a good amount of personal space and some (check carefully for up to date info because lines are cutting back) have free room service, I don’t use it for main meals but it was lovely having coffee, pastries and fruit come at 8.30 each morning to enjoy on the balcony, we then dressed and headed to the buffet for a second course! Afternoon tea is served on some lines complete with music too

BarbaraKirksKaftan · 17/01/2026 16:53

If you like an “all inclusive “ holiday you will like a cruise. You may still like a cruise if you don’t but I would research cruise lines and itineraries to see what you would like. I think Norwegian are good for families and bigger ships tend to have a younger demographic.

Givenup2026 · 17/01/2026 16:54

budgiegirl · 17/01/2026 16:46

You might like a cruise - I certainly wouldn't be put off by the fact that you don't like musicals or tribute acts! It's true that there is usually some entertainment of this sort, but it's easily avoided. Although most music acts round the ship often tend to be playing 'hits' with some sort of theme (country, latin, pop etc), but it's good enough background music while having a pre or post dinner drink. There's often other entertainment - on our last cruise there was a magician (better than its sounds!), a hypnotist, a duelling piano show, comedians, acrobats, trivia, language lessons, a talk about the Panama Canal (as that is where we were sailing) as well as the musicals and tribute acts.

I'd say go for one of the larger ships, with plenty of ports of call, you honestly won't have time to get cabin fever - and your six year old will have a blast, the kids clubs tend to be really great - a step above those in most hotels, in my experience. Royal Caribbean are great for kids, but other lines such as NCL (our favourite) and Princess will have loads to do as well.

If you are used to high-end all inclusives, then I'm not sure how a cruise will compare - I've done all inclusives, but more at the Rui level - and the drinks (branded rather than local) choices and food on a cruise beats those hands down - there is generally a good buffet, but you don't have to eat there if you don't want to - most cruise lines have their main dining rooms open at breakfast and evening, and many offer a choice of other places to eat at other times as well. Plus there will be speciality restaurants as well, although these often come at a supplement.

I do think with a cruise, it's usually a case of you get what you pay for - more expensive will generally be more luxurious, with better food and entertainment than the cheaper end of the market. But on the other hand, there may not be as much to do for the six year old on a very expensive line.

So the ones we’ve been to, we’ve never had to pay supplement. The alcohol is very good quality (think Grey Goose vs Absolut), lobster, bottled San Pellegrino, and house champagne (as opposed to random bubbly). One of these hotels even won a Michelin Star fairly recently.

From what I’ve read Celebrity is the closest to something similar but seemed very uninviting for kids.

OP posts:
InveterateWineDrinker · 17/01/2026 16:58

Whichhousetochoose · 17/01/2026 16:43

We went on an MSC cruise when DD was 5, thought it would be pants but we actually loved it! (Admittedly it was in term time) She turns 7 this year and we are going on a Disney cruise this August and slightly anxious about how rammed it’s going to be 😄

If you're going in August from Southampton then you're on the Disney Dream which is the sister ship to the Disney Fantasy we went on in August last year.

It was at full capacity - rammed, but not unmanageable. Getting everyone seated at the same time for dinner was challenging, but you have your own reserved table so you just need to exercise a bit of patience. We sometimes struggled to find a table at the breakfast buffet, but then we could have gone to one of the restaurants instead, or ordered room service, or sat outside in the freezing cold and pissing rain.

There were people turned away from the theatre, and you have to be imaginative and adventurous if you want three or four sun loungers next to each other in a particular area of the ship at certain times so sometimes you need to plan ahead and get there first, but I don't think that's particularly unusual in a peak season resort holiday.

NewAgeNewMe · 17/01/2026 17:05

We used to go on Disney when dcs were little. Fantastic for kids.

Now do celebrity but have been on regent and Cunard. Celebrity more ‘us’ and good with the DCs when they were teens. With a little one I’d go Disney.

Also we usually get premium drinks package. If I don’t like what’s on offer then I pay a supplement.

On regent it’s all premium but we found it a bit too sedate for us but proper luxury.