Would we like a cruise???

[Givenup2026]

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.

You’re probably right! But it’s exhausting to explain to my husband (and convince) of experiencing a cruise vs our usual AI.

I would hate it. Imagine being cooped up with one set of like-minded people! I prefer to be able to get away and do my own thing.

But then I won’t go on arranged (by travel agent) holidays either - I book flights/ferry myself and choose hotels/campsites. Then I mix with people from the country I’m staying in. IME there are very few other Brits, and growing up, especially camping, my DC made friends with French, German and Dutch kids equally happily as if they had been English.

I would hate it. Imagine being cooped up with one set of like-minded people! I prefer to be able to get away and do my own thing

Surely you tend to meet like-minded people wherever you go on holiday? If you go camping, you meet people who like to camp, if you go to an all-inclusive, you meet people who like an all-inclusive hotel, if you go on a city break, you meet people at the hotel who like city breaks. It's the same as on a cruise. You meet people who like to cruise. They come from all walks of life, and all nationalities. And I know that people who haven't been on a cruise tend to imagine they'd be cooped up, but it's really not like that at all.

IME there are very few other Brits, and growing up, especially camping, my DC made friends with French, German and Dutch kids equally happily as if they had been English

You do know, don't you, that it's not only Brits that cruise? We've talked to some lovely people on cruises, from all over the world - Spanish, French, Polish, Italian, American, Canadian, Japanese - so many different nationalities. My kids have made friend with many nationalities. It does help if you sail out of a port other than Southampton though.

Of course, if you don't like the idea of a cruise, that's fine, but there are some very wrong assumptions of how it would be, by people who have never been on one.

I think, by the sounds of it, your husband won’t enjoy it.

I knew I wouldn’t like it but brought someone else as a gift and I hated every single second.

They really aren’t for everyone and I disagree that there is something for everyone to enjoy.
They are either your thing or they are not

Two things to bear in mind:

There is a lot of snobbery around cruising

AND

If you don't try a cruise, you'll never know if you like it or not

Hmm. I’m not sure @Millymolly99 .

If you think you will be claustrophobic then you probably will be.

If it’s just that you think you won’t like it then maybe you might be open to enjoying it.

I think if you like all inclusives , entertainment , classes, meals etc, then you have a better chance of liking a cruise.

Being on a cruise ship is very similar to being in a hotel - except the pool is at the top, rather than the bottom. Cabin size is similar to hotel rooms, and there's plenty of open space on the decks.

I'm not a fan of all-inclusives or entertainment, if you don't want to the entertainment then don't go (it only takes place in certain parts of the ship, and is very easy to escape). But I cruise because I love being in a new place every day.

I held off for years because I feared a floating Butlins. Its nothing like that at all.

We watched a video review of the ultimate drinks package on a Royal Caribbean, and it kind of changed our mind. Yes, it then would
mostly be a “booze cruise” but the quality of the drinks was decent, and the kids club looks ok.

The quality of the drinks are pretty good I think. The food is never amazing, unless you go premium.

I’d imagine entertainment is similar to a large family friendly all inclusive resort.

Yea, I think would go with a “booze cruise” philosophy. I’m happy eating “mid” food as long as the drinks are good.

I've cruised with 3 companies now and I'm not sure what you mean about 'going premium' with food? You either eat the food or you don't? The quality of the drinks is fine, its all branded products.

The entertainment is nothing like all-inclusive resorts.

Not sure why you're offering advice when you've never been on a cruise?

We have just returned from a cruise, it was our 3rd (but 1st not in a group) and I’m not convinced I’m a cruiser.

however I would say the food was excellent, both the buffet and main dining restaurants were so good that we only did one speciality.

ports are disappointing unless you book excursions as they tend to be nasty tourist traps

we upgraded to premium drinks so grey goose, Bombay etc all included, as were cocktails up to $20

some of the shows were fantastic

you could join in as much or as little as you choose

this was a Celebrity cruise which is definitely more adult friendly. We had previously done MSC which seemed to be more family friendly but also very busy

I have @Millymolly99 with MSC and Royal Caribbean.

My experience was that the premium restaurants - ie not the buffet or standard restaurants - were far superior to the standard restaurants where I thought the food was quite poor to average. In MSC yacht club it was much better than the rest of the ship.

On Royal Caribbean I thought the specialty restaurant was far better than the standard ones.

I do really like my food on holidays and I like to eat great local food in local restaurants - i felt the cruise experience was just too far removed from what I normally enjoy.

I thought the entertainment was quite similar to a large resort - music from the musicals, magicians etc etc. This was my experience in a large italian campsite and a resort in spain. Sure it’s bigger but the shows felt the same.

The OP asked for an opinion, I gave mine as someone who didn’t like a cruise.
Not everyone would like my holiday, it’s probably boring for some but horses for courses

ports are disappointing unless you book excursions as they tend to be nasty tourist traps

Ports are often more interesting on smaller ships which can access more put of the way places where you can get off and explore without having to book an excursion.

It's a bit of a sweeping statement to say that all ports are nasty tourist traps so you need to book excursions.

If you do a Med cruise, many of the ports are walk off, straight into town. We only every book an 'excursion' if we want transport, such as visiting Rome or Florence. We then do our own thing there.

Some people like the tourist traps right off the boat - have a drink, buy some tat, watch the world go by. Some people like to stay on board, while the ship is nice and quiet.

The only manufactured ports we have been to were in Central America.

I agree @CraftyGin

Sicily (and a lot of Greek islands) are 'straight into town' ports. But it always seems strange that people complain about the ports - arriving in port is no different to arriving at Heathrow, its just where you arrive and people generally disperse and go to more interesting places.