First time Cruise - Watched Like Father - Harmony of the Seas?

[lazytownie]

I watched the Netflix film Like Father which is set on Royal Carribbean cruise ship Harmony of the Seas www.imdb.com/title/tt7170950/ . It is one of those MASSIVE 6000 odd passenger ships with water slides and stuff

Before I saw this I had a horror fear of cruises having seen stuff like this https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11218443/Shocking-video-shows-man-brutally-pummel-woman-mass-brawl-Carnival-Cruise-ship.html

I'd always thought cruises were sort of like Butlins on Sea - very down market, over crowded with people who like to read the Sun, get very drunk and brawl.

The film made it all look quite cool and fun - even allowing for the fact it was a film.

Has anyone who has been on cruises give me some pointers?

I am very much a preferrer of elegant and style, I'd rather stay at a classic 5 star grande dame hotel than the newest modernist opening for example. I really don't like crowds which has always put me off big cruise ships.

I imagine it's a real scrum to get on and off for day trips or at bars and stuff.

Are there any cruises of style and elegance? Are there ways to do a big ship in a quiter way - eg. off season?

Help me be in a film style cruise!

You don't even need to pay tips on P&O, included in your fare.
Definitely avoid ship's tours IMO - overpriced and crowded. But do make sure you return to ship in plenty of time, it won't wait for you.

Ooh THANK YOU @Foreversearch - this is super helpful x

@Chewbecca @SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun
Thank you x

@maddy68 thank you x

Can I ask 1 more thing - can we eat alone, or do we have to share a table? Are there come & go buffet options, rather than more rigid timed 3 course meals? Lastly do you have to do rhe formal night thing? I have 2 ASD teens who would be fascinated by a tour of the Bridge (if you can?) but are casual (thi clean!) & monosyllabic at meals.

@medianewbie glad to be of help - I love to convert people to cruises.😂

• You can have a table for 4, you may have to wait on freedom dining. Tables for 2 often have a wait, tables for 4 may be easier particularly if you use the online booking when on Board.
• There is always a buffet 06:00 to midnight) but I personally find it challenging because I am a solo traveller. Much easier with a group.
• There also burger/pizza slices available around the pool on Azura, Ventura and Britannia and probably other ships.
• You don’t have to do the really dressy nights, smart casual is fine but you may it’s easier to eat in the buffet on those nights.
• There is also room service but there is a charge so you can do pizza night or nachos etc in your cabin.

I think if you ask they may have restarted trips to the bridge but this may be part of a paid tour of the ship. I know with Covid they stopped them along with the Captain’s drinks - the latter finally happened on the 2nd week of my cruise in Jan this year.

thanks all so much especially @PrincessofWellies for answering my questions about your 3 month one.

Can I also ask what did you do with your house at home? i'd worry leaving it empty for that long. did you get house sitters? or have relatives/neighbours with a set of keys?

I'm totally fantasising about some glamour champagne Titanic staircase type affair.

I need a holiday.

I have another general question - post Covid - how nervous are you about getting stuck/quarantined/pandemicked? and how much pre-departure vaccination/testing type crap do you have to do?

do they test you every time you get off the ship or have things moved on?

House - same as for any other holiday. I am not a worrier!

Covid - most lines / destinations have dropped testing / evidencing vaccination status now but it does vary on line / itinerary so there is no single answer.

Will you be going alone? Beware the single supplements and crappy cabins given to singles.

I used to work on cruise ships so can help if you have any questions that haven't been answered

You can get off the ship at port and just entertain yourselves but you must be back on that ship in plenty of time. I don't know what would happen if people were late back as the ship has to leave on time because of tides and booking slots. There are no charges for disembarkation. In Rome you can go to the Colosseum, or walk around and admire the fountains or we went on a horse drawn carriage as it was my birthday. The cruise line tours are always about 50 percent more expensive than if you go off your own bat. On some cruises tips are built in so be careful you don't pay twice. We found a restaurant in Rome that was reasonable at lunch time. Leather goods were good value. I got a new bag.

I have been on lots of cruises with different ships but one thing I love is the evening cabernet is outstanding on all of them. I find the entertainment one of the best bits. They also have cinemas, casino, piano bars with really good singers. I like waking up in a different place most days. The worst part of a cruise is most people put on a few lbs.

the evening cabernet is outstanding

I'm sure it is and I bet it improves the carberet no end! ;)

@SliceOfCakeCupOfTea or anyone else - is it not possible to book a larger nicer cabin as a single traveller even with a single supplement - or do you have to pay for two spaces?

*caberet !!

It’s more expensive to book for one person than two (in total). I guess because one person will spend less on board and is still taking up the cabin space. Presumably that is better if you can get a cabin for a single person, but it would probably be a small inside cabin. Although apparently not much happens if the second person is a no show except that they then refund the port taxes and half the tips. (According to my cruise critic knowledge). You would have thought they might charge extra instead.

Actually that is not always true (that it is more expensive to book a cabin for one than two) but sometime it is. It’s worth checking!

If you're a luxury sort of traveller then go for Seabourn or perhaps Regent. Silversea is also fabulous, particularly on the newer ships, although in my experience their clientele is a little older. I am a regular on Seabourn and Silversea. Wouldn't touch the big lower-cost ships with a bargepole. Tried Cunard once (in Queen's Grill) but it wasn't for us.

Re leaving the house for 3 months, we've always done it. It's possible to find insurance that will pay out for everything except water damage so it's worth shopping around. We turn our water off always.

Re covid, we were required to provide the test cassette showing a negative result. Some people did catch it and were isolated for either 10 days or until negative whichever was sooner. They do the same with noravirus. But 48 hours. It's all done on trust.

Some older people struggled getting insurance, we have insurance via bank account and they changed an extra £300 for the longer duration and in case you need taking off the ship.

@lazytownie I’m a single traveller and I choose to pay for a balcony cabin. I like having the balcony and I accept there is a single supplement.

I love being able to sit on my balcony and in warmer waters watching the flying fish, and dolphins (only seen them once). I also like sitting in my PJs just before bed and watch the stars or lightening in the distance. On some cruises watching the landscape as you sail by is also wonderful.

As I mentioned the Facebook group Passion for Cruising lists cruises with low or no single supplement. Even the premium brands like Silversea and Seabourne do no/low single supplement offers.

Sitting staring at the sea is the best!
We saw hundreds of dolphins jumping the waves in massive groups whilst sailing in South America along the coast of Peru / Chile. It was absolutely awesome, the best sea day I have ever experienced. There were occasional whales too.
Indian Ocean was fantastic for flying fish and beautiful clear, turquoise seas.
I love cruising!

@Chewbecca I am so jealous, it is the memories of such a simple pleasure that keep drawing me back.

I’ve always gone for balcony except my first cruise with my 3 year old. I love my balcony and it’s a big part of the cruise with my husband.
However if was going on my own though I’m not sure I would care unless the price was negligible. I certainly wouldn’t pay the price of a second holiday (£300 or more). Some balconies on the bigger ships really feel a bit sardine like. You can see and hear hundreds of other cabins in every direction. On my own I’d want to be out a lot or drinking wine on the prom or top deck. It’s much easier to eat, drink and be merry amongst others on a cruise than it is on land. It’s not weird to be on your own for things.

You can see masses of dolphins in the Irish Sea 😀

@lightisnotwhite I understand your point about £, but having once done an outside cabin for a week I really missed not having a balcony.