To cruise or not to cruise

[paulpsz008]

As the poll say's really, Should I go it a ago?

[mybrainhurts]

This might be helpful

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[bazking69]

I couldn't think of anything worse than being stuck on a boat with just the horizon to look at and overdressed pompous old people to socialise with. Frankly it would be my idea of hell even if I won a cruise, let alone paid thousands of pounds of my own money to go on one.
And that is without the outbreak of sickness bugs and the shocking bill for the drinks as you disembark...

[paulpsz008]

So who's voted give it a go then?

[mybrainhurts]

The ones who think you go on aircraft carriers....

[Duke of Rothesay]

I have done a few cruises.
The eastern med mini cruises out of cyprus are great. Get on the boat in the evening and have a few beers then sleep. Next day all the top sights in Israel. Back on the boat, beer and sleep. Next day lots of the major sights in Egypt, back on the boat, beer and sleep. Wake up back in Cyprus.

Caribbean cruises are great if you do them right. Treat the boat as a mobile hotel. Each morning you arrive on a different island. Plan ahead and do your own thing, don't be a sheep like 99% of passengers. If you tried to see as much by flying from island to island, staying in hotels, it would cost a lot more and would be a massive hastle packing every day and waiting round at airports.

Also did an asian cruise with a (male) friend. The other passengers thought we were gay. But really we were doing a tour of the different cat houses in the different countries. Which is exactly how to do cruises, have your own agenda and get on with it.

Things to avoid:
1) Huge cruise ships. When one of these arrives at an island it engulfs the local culture. The smaller the ship the better the experience.
2) Days at sea. As close to hell as you can get. Very bad for the liver. Avoid if possible.

[Fort Jefferson]

It's like a prison, with the option of drowning.

[Wacky Racer]

Avoid like the plaque boring oafs who brag they have had dinner at the Captain's table..........

Expect to tip your Cabin steward at the end of the cruise at least £150, unless you want a stare that will freeze boiling water.....

You will come back considerably poorer than when you started......


Other than that, they are OK, I suppose.......

[srebbe64]

We do a couple a year - I wondered if the '64' comment was aimed at me! I'm currently posting from a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, having just gone: Mexico - Guatamala - Nicaragua - Costa Rica - Panama - Panama Canal (awesome by the way) - Jamaica - Fort Lauderdale (we're staying in a hotel for a few days).

We have four kids from 11 to 18 and every one of us had a great time. The secret: do everything indepently - hire a cab for a day and do whatever you fancy and don't be frog-marched into the cruise company's excursions et al. Also, we always find a place we'll go back to for a week or two - on this occasion Costa Rica gets my vote!

[Cpn Jack Spanner]

Many cruises are lots of fun, especially the wild themed ones!

And then there are the 'singles' cruises in America, where you hitch up and have a great time exploring islands and each other!

Last ship I was on was late last year, an old Cunarder. That was a chore, too much dressing up in formal wear!

[jackal]

theres nothing more relaxing that cruising
i personally love being at sea as well and love the movement of a big ship

went on the Canberra when I was 7 in 1977
and went on teh Aurora maiden season for my honeymoon
fab holiday,dont think ive ever been so relaxed in my entire life and ate like a total pig for 3 weeks.


really want to go again in a few years with the kids but not sure what cruise line as I would want a younger crowd that before

people keep saying that cruising is getting younger but i have yet to see evidence !


gotta be good value as well now with the euro...