cruise surprises

[RooFlyer]

Probably a 100% markup on retail cost…

This one was something like 500% over what I would consider paying!

 

[Stargazer]

No, you're not

EVERYONE will get seasick at some stage

So sorry to hear of your experience Auriga. No, you are not pathetic. It’s just that you have a predisposition to seasickness. Is it possible that you were on a small boat and it might not have had the stabilisers and other equipment large boats have to ameliorate the effect of waves?

 

[Pushka]

This one was something like 500% over what I would consider paying!

There is one excursion on our Egypt cruise that is $1000 pp. it starts at Safaga port so a good three hour drive away, but goes to the Valley of the Kings, then across the Nile on a luxury yacht for lunch, then into the Nefetari tomb area, just for 10 minutes. Plus the other sites in that area. Then return to port. However all excursions include an armed gunman onboard (ak rifle) and a police escort front and back because you don't want to draw attention to yourself. Plus an Egyptologist on the bus. The others, that don't explore Nefetari tomb are around $400 pp. There is also an included free one which hits the Valley of the Kings. Actually I should post descriptions so you can let me know which would be best. Sadly Nefetari is out of the question unless we win the lotto.

 

[drron]

This one was something like 500% over what I would consider paying!

I would have offered to give them a private tour with a special add on of a geologist guided tour say of Doctors rocks and Fossil Bluff at 20% of the ship's tour. Even throw in a visit to Ferny Glen for a chance to see a platypus.
Missed opportunity there.

 

[Pushka]

I would have offered to give them a private tour with a special add on of a geologist guided tour say of Doctors rocks and Fossil Bluff at 20% of the ship's tour. Even throw in a visit to Ferny Glen for a chance to see a platypus.
Missed opportunity there.

"Tours by locals" are popular.

 

[p--and--t]

I just returned from my first ever cruise, a very very short 2N cruise from SIN to Port Klang (KL) and return.
Sadly I don't think I will be going on another cruise.

I am highly prone to motion sickness (even watching movies can make me sick sometimes.)
As soon as the ship left port, there were times when I could sense movement. Started to feel a little odd.
So I took a Stugeron tablet. Gradually the sense of unease improved. I took another tablet the next morning, and evening.

I did end up rather lethargic on the tablets, but was able to eat and not feel sick. But I really hate to think what would happen if we were out in the open seas, in choppy conditions! I am too scared to really contemplate that!

I am so pathetic....

No need to put your self down. The one of two times time I have felt really seasick was actually in that same sea, coming out of BKK on the way to Port Klang on my very first cruise. the other was on a wooden sailing ship in a force 11 gale off Tasmania

Since then I have sailed perhaps a dozen times. I got queasy a couple of times following a cyclone in the South China sea but the following usually helps me
- make sure you book a cabin approx midships - least movement there
- get plenty of fresh air, put your head into the wind and if its cold, just rug up more
- stare out to the horizon as much as possible, no reading or staring at your phone/laptop
- if queasy - lie down on your bunk until you feel better
- make sure you have food in your stomach if not already vomiting

 

[p--and--t]

and a police escort front and back because you don't want to draw attention to yourself.

 

[love_the_life]

.......

What really peeves me is some ports where you have to pay to just get a bus off the port (some can either be very big commercial ports with no pedestrian access or just ugly dumps miles from the actual place you’re supposed to be visiting). La Rochelle in France comes to mind…

The issue is that port facilities need to be able to handle the size of the ship - and for most of the mainstream ones, this is an industrial area as they are too large to get any closer. The smaller Silversea, Seabourn and even Azamara ships can often get into the smaller ports. For example SS visits Klong Toey in Bangkok as opposed to Laem Chabang for the larger ships which is nearly 2 hours out. Also in many cases, places you want to visit are nowhere near the coast anyway.

 

[love_the_life]

There is one excursion on our Egypt cruise that is $1000 pp. it starts at Safaga port so a good three hour drive away, but goes to the Valley of the Kings, then across the Nile on a luxury yacht for lunch, then into the Nefetari tomb area, just for 10 minutes. Plus the other sites in that area. Then return to port. However all excursions include an armed gunman onboard (ak rifle) and a police escort front and back because you don't want to draw attention to yourself. Plus an Egyptologist on the bus. The others, that don't explore Nefetari tomb are around $400 pp. There is also an included free one which hits the Valley of the Kings. Actually I should post descriptions so you can let me know which would be best. Sadly Nefetari is out of the question unless we win the lotto.

I remember once saying to my father that a particular side trip was probably too expensive. His answer was, you will not get another chance like this and if you are in the area it will be the cheapest way to see the site. He also said I would probably regret not doing it. As it turned out the tour we we looking at was no longer offered. In the scheme of things, the additional $ will soon be forgotten IMO.

 

[Pushka]

- make sure you have food in your stomach if not already vomiting

agree with everything you've written. Someone near and dear was very green on a ferry from Koh Samu to Koh Tau. As was everyone else which doesn't help anyone.

I remember as a kid that my parents thought every time I was ill after eating or drinking in a bout of gastro flu, that meant I shouldn't eat/drink for a while. And even as recently as a month ago I followed that when I had a bad migraine while on a trip to Melbourne. Was very ill. The worst being on an empty stomach. Was talking to SIL who is a nurse who said I'd done exactly the wrong thing. Should have ensured there was always something in my stomach.

Post automatically merged: Dec 31, 2022

Yep. Couldn't find an irony button as I posted that post. Maybe this one . Apparently it's a deal that US has with Egypt in that Americans must have an armed escort when in Egypt.

 

[RooFlyer]

Apparently it's a deal that US has with Egypt in that Americans must have an armed escort when in Egypt.

on our Nile cruise boat, there was an armed escort for an American tour group when they visited the valley. We all thought that was rather amusing, but I’m not sure whether they were other American groups who didn’t, or whether it was a stock standard thing for them. I imagine somewhere along the line it will be “recommended“ so no one will book one( or offer one) if there’s no armed guard.

 

[Pushka]

on our Nile cruise boat, there was an armed escort for an American tour group when they visited the valley. We all thought that was rather amusing, but I’m not sure whether they were other American groups who didn’t, or whether it was a stock standard thing for them. I imagine somewhere along the line it will be “recommended“ so no one will book one( or offer one) if there’s no armed guard.

I reckon if it's an Egyptian registered TA group then there will be one. On the world cruise blog they had multiple armed guards and lots of sneaky photos of heavy duty stuff. Just hope the safety is on.

 

[Rich]

Found out recently when enquiring into a particular cruise that the drinks package is not truly inclusive

We are cruising with NCL in April for the first time (out of US). Note with NCL if you want a drink priced higher than your limit (e.g USD15 for base package) you only pay the difference.
Our cruise came with a drinks package included
although you are actually charged the 20% gratuity for the value of the free package. That's about USD22 a day for my free drinks which is still only 1.5 drinks to get your money's worth.

 

[SYD]

The issue is that port facilities need to be able to handle the size of the ship - and for most of the mainstream ones, this is an industrial area as they are too large to get any closer. The smaller Silversea, Seabourn and even Azamara ships can often get into the smaller ports. For example SS visits Klong Toey in Bangkok as opposed to Laem Chabang for the larger ships which is nearly 2 hours out.

Some are better than others in their choice of ports. The smaller ships also can go to different locations without the big cruise ships!

We’re quite lucky here that you can arrive at Circular Quay and bang, you’re in SYD!

Also in many cases, places you want to visit are nowhere near the coast anyway.

I have seen cruise itineraries with “Berlin” as a port of call! Yeah, right 3 hrs by train each way…. No, thanks.

 

[Stargazer]

The experience of AFF is quite amazing. The information provided in this thread is invaluable and I have taken all the comments on board. But there must be singular go to moves that you engage in, to make your cruise successful. What might they be.

 

[VPS]

Digressing slightly, one pleasant cruise surprise emerging through Covid was Celebrity’s “Power Up” points. Basically ways to earn tier points without direct sail by doing a quiz, watching a webinar or bonus points for booking a cruise.

I‘m currently “Select” Tier (which has reciprocal RCCL “Platinum” tier). Since Covid I’ve accrued a further 70 odd tier points via Power Up. So after another batch land in January, I’m probably one decent cruise in Aqua class away from “Elite” tier - which is not to be sniffed at:

View attachment 313334

RCCL Tier benefits here:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/crown-and-anchor-society-benefit-grid.pdf

Do they still give you the opportunity to earn tier points without sailing

 

[SYD]

Do they still give you the opportunity to earn tier points without sailing

Yes, just watched a webinar earlier in the week for 50 PuPs (=5 Tier pts). I’ve been expecting them to taper off but then another quiz or webinar invite pops up.

 

[RooFlyer]

The experience of AFF is quite amazing. The information provided in this thread is invaluable and I have taken all the comments on board. But there must be singular go to moves that you engage in, to make your cruise successful. What might they be.

As a new 'cruiser', I've been seeking that!! But now realise that the experiences between cruise lines, individual vessels and then the itineraries means that useful generalities are few and far between. Its a hard slog to get up to speed. My current strategy is to ask about my specific intended cruise/vessel/itinerary and go from there.

 

[SYD]

As a new 'cruiser', I've been seeking that!! But now realise that the experiences between cruise lines, individual vessels and then the itineraries means that useful generalities are few and far between. Its a hard slog to get up to speed. My current strategy is to ask about my specific intended cruise/vessel/itinerary and go from there.

Absolutely! No one size fits all.

One starting point might be where are there cruise options that would otherwise be a pain in neck to try and do by land/air. eg Caribbean - all manner of ships, sizes, demographics and ports of call. Or seeing the highlights of the Mediterranean without having to checkout of a hotel room every other day (and only unpack once). Hawaiian islands? Mexico etc

I probably wouldn’t recommended a megaship (eg Oasis Class as a first cruise). The ship itself is the destination with only two or three ho hum ports of call.

 

[Pushka]

Absolutely! No one size fits all.
Or seeing the highlights of the Mediterranean without having to checkout of a hotel room every other day (and only unpack once).

This sums it up for us.
The Caribbean. A cruise I don't want to do. And the DIL and son in UK aren't interested in a med cruise because they can go for the weekend. . Alaska and Iceland might see us cruising together. Although they are 'popping over to Iceland' in early January for a long weekend.

There are cruises I do with hubby and cruises I know he wouldnt like so much. Cunard springs to mind.