Cruising Holiday

[x5x3]

my first post in this forum so be gentle with me please

My better half is determined we should go on a cruise this year, either Baltics or Med, July or August, leaving from UK, with kids (early teens).

I have agreed to at least look into this idea and find out the pros and cons, does anyone have any experiences or knowledge or even know of reliable websites?

I know the cost is going to be the price of a small new car but any other things to watch out for?

Thanks in advance!

[Xeno]

Topic sounds like something different.

[aclivity]

We went on a cruise once. I was working for a holiday company and it was the one type of holiday we hadn't done from their range, and at a 75% discount we thought we should give it a go.

Hated. Every. Minute. Of. It.

I think we were about 50 years too young to enjoy the particular brand of "entertainment" that was on offer, and had something of an imagination so didn't really enjoy being told what to do all the time. We took to walking around the ship in the evenings (8 times around = 1 mile, if you are interested).

Nothing would entice me to get back on a cruise ship, except perhaps if I could have one to myself for a few hours, and that would have to include having a drive of it and also an urban paintball type game with some mates.

Best I can explain it is this ... you know on a cross channel ferry, it's 90 minutes, so you spend the first half hour running about finding all the decks, shops, bars and video games, then the next half hour getting a coffee, then the last half hour looking at your watch and waiting by the steps until they let you go back to your car? Well, the first hour is pretty much the same on a cruise ship, then the last half hour lasts a whole week. Even the short shore breaks don't make up for the tedium that a ship brings to you. Every shore break became like the hour long exercise that prisoners live for each day, and we were usually the last to get back on board because we didn't want to be locked up again.

But I have only ever done one cruise, and some people seem to love them. If it's any comparison, I can't stand any kind of holiday where "lying in the sun" is the major activity, even if it's a fantastic hotel I would rather be doing something.

just my opinion, mind, you may have a different view.

[greygoose]

We've been on a couple of cruises in the Med and Caribbean and enjoyed both. The ships are just like giant hotels really and you end up at a different place every day to look around. There are a wide range of cruise lines appealing to different age groups and expenditure, from easycruise to the all-inclusive Seabourn.
Sites like cruisecritic.co.uk have reviews from passengers and can give you an idea of the facilities available on the ships.
We went with Royal Caribbean and the ships had lots of things to do on, good entertainment, very good food, friendly staff. The drinks bill does build up, the casino is very tempting at night and some of the shore excursions can be expensive (you can often get a local taxi driver to give you a tour for far less on small islands).

[mrmr96]

Something I've always fancied, but aren't they for old people?

[jaybirduk]

aclivity said:

Best I can explain it is this ... you know on a cross channel ferry, it's 90 minutes, so you spend the first half hour running about finding all the decks, shops, bars and video games, then the next half hour getting a coffee, then the last half hour looking at your watch and waiting by the steps until they let you go back to your car? Well, the first hour is pretty much the same on a cruise ship, then the last half hour lasts a whole week.

[cjs]

The Baltic cruises are all about sight seeing, lots of culture and history, not much fun for teenagers maybe? Med will more or less guarantee sun, not so in the Baltic, although I have been there many times when it's been lovely weather.

Choose the cruise line carefully, with teenagers I would go for a big ship with lot's of on board activities. Royal Caribbean, some of the P&O ships. Some Med cruises are run by European operators, MSC, Costa etc. These will have a lot more 'foreigners' on board, this can be fun but...

Avoid Island Cruises, Thompson etc These are the bucket and spade lines, full of cheep Brits.

Fred Olson, Saga etc are for old retired couples.

[Hugh74]

Check out Silverseas. We've been on 2 cruises with them around the Med and they've been awesome. I would prob avoid the bigger P&O/MSC type ships which I think is where cruising gets its bad rep. We were docked alongside one in Gibraltar back in Oct and as they left all the Brits were on deck waving the Union Jack as the PA system blasted out Rule Britannia. It looked utter hell.

Silverseas was nothing like that. Its more expensive but is all inclusive. The food is excellent and the service on board is 1st class. Wake up each morning with a different place to explore or just chill by the pool. Its a fantastic holiday as long as you pick the right company to go with. The 2 better ones seem to be Silverseas and Seabourn.

ps I'm in my 30's!

[fatboy b]

Depart from start port. Eat on board food. Go to sleep. Wake up in new port. Get taken to shore in boats where you're packed in like sheep. Spend a limited amount of time in port before you're herded back to ship in time to set sail to another new port.

Rinse and repeat.

[Hugh74]

Go to resort. Stay in same resort for the duration of your holiday.

[fatboy b]

Hugh74 said:

Go to resort.

EFA

[996nick]

We did a cruise (8 nights I think) around the red sea with thompson. Specifically wanted to see the pyramids, jordan etc, and it worked a treat.

No internal flights, no packing/unpacking etc. The days were admittedly long but we got everything ticked off the list.

We chose thompson because we wanted something casual, no need to dress up in the evening etc. I found it very relaxing and would do it again for sure (even if it was a bit of an upmarket butlins!). Now I know how it all works, I'd probably go a bit more up market.

I am not sure I'd want to do a 14 day cruise, and just stay on board every day. For me part of the attraction was the waking up each day in a new place...

[x5x3]

thanks for the replies all - nice to get some different views!

can I ask those who did not like their cruise or the idea of a cruise;

1) do you have kids

and

2) what your ideal holiday is?

I am curious as I know everyone has their own preferences and favourites so it would help me to understand why you did not enjoy it.

For those without kids, there is really only one rule on going on holiday with kids, if they do not enjoy it then you sure as hell will not regardless of where it is

[craigjm]

Wouldn't mind doing a cruise where you are at sea at night and somewhere different to look around during the day each day. Couldn't stand one of those where they have a couple of days "at sea" it would be like being grounded to your hotel.

[fatboy b]

x5x3 said:

thanks for the replies all - nice to get some different views!

can I ask those who did not like their cruise or the idea of a cruise;

1) do you have kids

and

2) what your ideal holiday is?

I am curious as I know everyone has their own preferences and favourites so it would help me to understand why you did not enjoy it.

For those without kids, there is really only one rule on going on holiday with kids, if they do not enjoy it then you sure as hell will not regardless of where it is

No kids.

Prefer to go to on a holiday where we can experience the local culture and food. Tend to go places then find out where the locals are and the tourists aren't. Cruise ship = all tourists = boring food = nightmare.

However we did spend a week in Cannes this year which I admit did have many tourists. We loved it but did manage to dodge the crowds. Found a cracking restaurant where we got to know the owners and had a good time.

Best recent holiday was to California. San Fran, then down the cost to Monterray, across to Sequoia park, then Yosemite. In Yosemite we got chatting to some locals in the hotel bar, and got invited round their place for a BBQ. Had a lovely evening and learnt so much more about the area.

We appreciate that with kids it's a whole different world going on holiday.

[Old Merc]

My wife and I are off on our first ever cruise next month.Fly to Abu Dhabi,4nts Yas Island (Ferrari World,F1 circuit etc)then 7nts around the Gulf of Oman with MSC Lirica, stops at Muscat,Al Fujayrrah and a few others.A mix of very old and very new.As with any holiday its down to personal choice.It will be expensive so do lots of research,think hard, make sure its for you and start with a short "taster".The first thing that hit me when researching was not to have an inside cabin,would you stay in a hotel room without windows?? also the cabins with just windows may be situated on decks where people are walking past and can look in.A cabin with a balcony overlooking the sea is a must.Naturally with two teenagers to think of, make sure the ships facilities and entertainment will keep them amused.Also budget for all the "extras",drinks packages and onshore excursions can be very expensive.

[llewop]

craigjm said:

Wouldn't mind doing a cruise where you are at sea at night and somewhere different to look around during the day each day. Couldn't stand one of those where they have a couple of days "at sea" it would be like being grounded to your hotel.

I think most of them are a mix of 'new day, new port' and sea days, they are almost unavoidable when you look at the routes. Having said that, the ones I've been on are have a bit more on offer than being 'grounded to your hotel'. The OP mentioned kids, many of them have kid-zones and entertainment. For instance the larger Royal Caribbean ships have things like ice rinks, climbing walls, flow riders as well as the usual mix of pools etc. There is a real mix of ages on board these days, it is not just for older travellers, but for sure; horses for courses, if you hate the idea of being on a ship with a load of other people and the routine of only a day (some times a short day) in each port, it's not for you.

[IhateChristmas]

jaybirduk said:

aclivity said:

Best I can explain it is this ... you know on a cross channel ferry, it's 90 minutes, so you spend the first half hour running about finding all the decks, shops, bars and video games, then the next half hour getting a coffee, then the last half hour looking at your watch and waiting by the steps until they let you go back to your car? Well, the first hour is pretty much the same on a cruise ship, then the last half hour lasts a whole week.

That is brilliant.

[taffyracer]

IhateChristmas said:

That is brilliant.

But not exact.....cruising is all about the budget and the ship, there are crap, good and then incredible ships, we picked an incredible ship and loved every minute of it, the food was incredible, service impeccable and the ship was amazing, the only downside is the number of people on board so it's not ideal if you want isolation but get the right ship and it'll be as good as any 5* exclusive resort

[fatboy b]

taffyracer said:

IhateChristmas said:

That is brilliant.

But not exact.....cruising is all about the budget and the ship, there are crap, good and then incredible ships, we picked an incredible ship and loved every minute of it, the food was incredible, service impeccable and the ship was amazing, the only downside is the number of people on board so it's not ideal if you want isolation but get the right ship and it'll be as good as any 5* exclusive resort

It is exact for people who don't aspire to cruising. I prefer to do adhoc things whilst on holiday, not be herded around like sheep. But that's my opinion.