First cruise booked for one week, should we change to two?

[Cupofhappyness]

I’ve booked one week on a cruise and I’m starting to regret not going for two weeks. We rarely get away but we are first time going on a cruise so thought one week would be best! May have the option for changing to the 2 week one (which has better ports) but just wondering if anyone has any experience of if 2 weeks would be too much for our first time? We’ve also not been away for more than 5 days at a time in the last 10 years- so a week in itself is bigger than usual!

Thank you this is helpful! The 2 week one was a better deal but I think it might be helpful for us to see if we like this type of cruise- it might be we prefer smaller in the future!

Maybe the wrong line or time of year?

That's as daft as saying you are never going to Spain again because it's all like Benidorm, or never going to a museum again because you didn't enjoy a particular one.

I do a bit of work on cruise ships giving lectures on sea days. It's a small cruise line, 1000 pax, food is great, entertainment there if you want it and plenty of places to sit if you don't. I don't fancy the mahoosive 4000 pax ships but it's about finding the right fit for you.

Nope, they’re all vile. horrid, horrid things. I’ve done the med, the canaries and the Caribbean and they’re all the same

I’ve done TUI, MSC and P&O

Why have you done so many if you don’t like them 🤣 have you ever been to Benidorm? Cruises aren’t for everyone, but I find Benidorm a weird comparison, unless you went on Carnival.

Not my choice, unfortunately. Full of rough as fuck people warring over sunbeds and getting far too drunk.

I think you got pretty unlucky there. I’ve never experienced that on a cruise; I’ve only done Royal Caribbean, P&O and Disney, but our P&O cruise definitely wasn’t like that, we went in August on Iona and there was loads of sun loungers, and I didn’t see a single drunk person!

I’d go for a one week cruise as your first cruise.

1. to see if you like it
2. There is so much fun stuff to do the week feels longer in a good way.

Sounds like P&O.

P&O are very bargain basement; our first ever cruise was with TUI, we didn’t know better. MSC get the thumbs down from the likes of ‘Which?’.
For ocean cruises we like Saga, but you have to be 50 or over. Also Fred.Olsen.
Sorry to say this but you get a better class of shipmates on Saga and Olsen.

I agree with this. I don't think there's a middle ground you either love them or hate them. Sometimes it's down to which cruise line too so a shorter cruise can let you try out other brands.

Carnival cruiser here and I love it! MSC from Southampton on the other hand.......had the roughest people I've come across on holiday.

Best advice above, we were really excited about going on our first cruise, absolutely hated it, never, ever again.

ive done one cruise, hated it. Stick with a week until you know you enjoy them.

@TrickyD So you don’t do Noble Caledonia then? Or the star clipper ships? You need much deeper pockets for them! We go on Hebridean Sky snd it’s got 100 guests. It’s pretty good for over 50s.

The idea that 1000 is small is a bit of a joke!

100 seems a lot after cruising with Scenic and 54 other passengers.

Hopefully you will go and love it OP. One piece of advice, if you don’t like the cruise, keep it too yourself, don’t make the mistake we did when talking to other passengers, oh it’s our first cruise, what do you think of it, not for us. The others on your cruise will have done many many cruises will look at you like you have grown another head and say you need to do a med one, you should try a Caribbean one, you can’t decide on just one cruise! Yes I can. As a previous poster said cruises are totally marmite. Take seasickness stuff with you, everyone said you won’t need it, boy did we need it, the sea was really rough, took about two weeks to stop feeling like we were still on the ship.

I’ve been on a cruise and was really glad I only went for a week because I didn’t enjoy it at all.

If you are unsure about cruising and you don’t like your cruise, Saga will fly you home.
We saw this happen when we were on a cruise when Covid was starting. Most Spanish ports were closed to us. A couple who were keen walkers and booked to be able to explore ashore asked to go home. No fuss, all arranged.
If you are unsure, choose Saga!

Here is what Saga says:

Ocean cruise: Available to guests that have not previously cruised with Saga Cruises.
River cruise: Available to guests that have not previously cruised with Saga River Cruises.
To take advantage, you must state your intention to leave your cruise early to the Hotel General Manager/Cruise Director during the first 72 hours for cruises seven nights or over; or during the first 48 hours for cruises under seven nights.
They will endeavour to resolve any issues within 48 hours, but if a solution cannot be agreed in this time, Saga will arrange and cover the cost of your return transport home at the next available port and refund the price of your cruise.

We cruise for 1 week but only because I won’t leave my elderly dog for more than a week! I would love a 2 week cruise though. Also I thought the at sea days would be boring but we love them and I always feel so pampered. I would say definitely go for 2 weeks. There is always something to do or just chill with a coffee or glass of wine and watch the sea. We only go with Cunard though so not sure about other companies.

I agree, I think another week on that cruise would have finished me off and or possibly both left my marriage in tatters! Our cruise embarked in two different places, I felt so envious of the passengers that were going home before us, would have gladly swapped. But we have friends who absolutely love them and go on multiple cruises a year.

Why was it so bad?

I love a cruise, imo nothing like a floating Benidorm! I’ve been there too 😅 Depends on the ship though I think.

Id say stick to one week for now. If you don’t go away a lot, 2 weeks is a long time to be away from your own bed.

I’d go on a week long one then tag in a few days somewhere nice at the end

my colleague has just come back from his first ever (med) cruise. It was Royal Caribbean and a nice boat and he had a good time but is firmly in the “never again” camp.