General Cruise Discussion

[drron]

You believe that? Just like 3 star Michelin restaurants in London with tips and service charges that never went to workers but were kept by management.

Absolutely. now I can't remember wheter I posted this here or on cruise critic but one morning I couldn't sleep so went up on deck. A crew member was cleaning the decks and he said hello drron and thank you for the donation to the crew fund. What I didn't say was he then said about a year ago my 2 year old son was very sick in the Phillipines. The crew fund paid for a return flight home.

There are many other crew we have talked to who also shared things they had got through the crew fund. So I do believe management doesn't pocket it.

 

[RooFlyer]

You believe that? Just like 3 star Michelin restaurants in London with tips and service charges that never went to workers but were kept by management.

Its receipted and acknowledged in a letter. Unlike restaurants, where you leave immediately, you are with many of the 'recipients' for many days, so lots of opportunities to chat and the subject to come up, although I never did, as it happens. It would be a pretty audacious scam for the crew fund not to go where it was supposed to.

 

[justinbrett]

Well I’m on the final day of my first cruise, Ovation of the Seas 8 nights to New Cal / Vanuatu.

I didn’t hate it has much as I thought I would. That said I don’t think I’ll take another cruise out of Australia. The sea days are cool for a day or two but things get old pretty quick after that. We ended up with 5 full sea days on this cruise and you can tell the vibe of the ship has gone down as it’s progressed, plenty of room in the pools and smaller queues at the bars.

I wouldn’t rule out further cruises but I’ll be very selective about the itinerary, likely viewing the ship as a mode of transport to get to a series of small islands rather than an experience in itself. Probably exclusively in the Caribbean (or Antarctica).

I maintain it’s a much better deal to fly to an all inclusive resort if you want the amenities of a cruise ship. Or even just a normal resort. Cruising isn’t exactly cheap.

 

[Pushka]

Well I’m on the final day of my first cruise, Ovation of the Seas 8 nights to New Cal / Vanuatu.

I didn’t hate it has much as I thought I would. That said I don’t think I’ll take another cruise out of Australia. The sea days are cool for a day or two but things get old pretty quick after that. We ended up with 5 full sea days on this cruise and you can tell the vibe of the ship has gone down as it’s progressed, plenty of room in the pools and smaller queues at the bars.

I wouldn’t rule out further cruises but I’ll be very selective about the itinerary, likely viewing the ship as a mode of transport to get to a series of small islands rather than an experience in itself. Probably exclusively in the Caribbean (or Antarctica).

I maintain it’s a much better deal to fly to an all inclusive resort if you want the amenities of a cruise ship. Or even just a normal resort. Cruising isn’t exactly cheap.

Number 1 rule for us in cruising is the itinerary. And excluding certain cruiselines. Try a med cruise in June, Fabulous.

 

[VPS]

5 sea days in an 8 day cruise is probably a bit much but I love sea days.

 

[p--and--t]

5 sea days in an 8 day cruise is probably a bit much but I love sea days.

My partner loves sea days. I consider them an expensive wasted day. Cant wait to dock and explore a new city.

I love small ships. My partner is constantly searching the web looking for the latest largest ship to be launched.

If I ever take the Tassie ferry, it will have to be on my own.

Everyone’s tastes are different. Thats what makes the world so interesting.

 

[RooFlyer]

I wouldn’t rule out further cruises but I’ll be very selective about the itinerary, likely viewing the ship as a mode of transport to get to a series of small islands rather than an experience in itself. Probably exclusively in the Caribbean (or Antarctica).

That’s exactly my philosophy for cruises. Also, as we’ve discussed before, expedition cruises rather than ‘classic cruises’.

As you say, one or two sea days you can fill up okay but then they become a bit tedious for me.

I’ve just done a classic cruise through some Caribbean islands exactly as a way to get around to see the islands, but I wouldn’t recommend it to my friends. Firstly it’s full of shall we say North Americans who just wanted to sit round the pool and dress up for dinner and the exposure of the islands I got was fairly superficial.

Go to Antarctica on a small ship <500 pax, better <250 (I think you can only do small ships there) and you’ll never regret it.

 

[p--and--t]

That’s exactly my philosophy for cruises. Also, as we’ve discussed before, expedition cruises rather than ‘classic cruises’.

As you say, I ones or two sea days you can fill up okay but then they become a bit tedious for me.

I’ve just done a classic cruise through some Caribbean islands exactly as a way to get around to see the islands, but I wouldn’t recommend it to my friends. Firstly it’s full of shall we say North Americans who just wanted to sit round the pool and dress up for dinner and the exposure of the islands I got was fairly superficial.

Go to Antarctica on a small ship <500 pax, better <250 (I think you can only do small ships there) and you’ll never regret it.

If you like small ships with zero sea days - there is a 90 (IIRC) pax ship that sails around the Galapagos

 

[Quickstatus]

One significant barrier for me with "small ships" is the motion sickness aspect. My theory is that there is more movement the smaller the ship. I get MS at the back of aircraft(even A380)/rear seats of car/bus

 

[VPS]

My partner loves sea days. I consider them an expensive wasted day. Cant wait to dock and explore a new city.

I love small ships. My partner is constantly searching the web looking for the latest largest ship to be launched.

If I ever take the Tassie ferry, it will have to be on my own.

Everyone’s tastes are different. Thats what makes the world so interesting.

I love the way everyone's tastes and experiences are different and the way most people on here can have a good conversation about what they enjoy or don't enjoy without being dictatorial

BUT you're wrong about sea days being wasted days - so there

PS That was a Joke Joyce

 

[p--and--t]

most people

Yep, and some clear standouts for the opposite

 

[sanne]

We’ve cruised a lot over the last 25 years. Started in large 2000+ passenger ships, then realised we were more aligned with smaller 450/600 passenger ships. And have remained cruising in that style ever since.

Up until Covid abruptly stopped us in our tracks we cruised every corner of the world several times a year and all destination focused. Included in our travels were many expedition cruises too which we loved. We’d often do some land travel pre and post cruise to immerse ourselves in the culture etc. it’s all a matter of thoughtful planning.

But age and health has now sadly got in the way with long haul travel so we now cruise close to home and make the ship our destination. We still cruise several times a year, love the change of scenery and routine, enjoying meeting lots of interesting people from all over the world while our beautiful floating hotel takes us to ports where we feel comfortable taking a walk, finding a good coffee shop and people watching.

With cruising it’s all a matter of lots of research to find what suits you. It’s very individual. Thankfully both of us have always been on the same page. I do all the planning and my husband is happy with whatever we do.

So basically we’ve been able to see and experience many places in the world that would have been very challenging any other way than by ship. And most importantly do it while you can.

 

[VPS]

Yep, and some clear standouts for the opposite

I need a double agree button

 

[RooFlyer]

If you like small ships with zero sea days - there is a 90 (IIRC) pax ship that sails around the Galapagos

Did it on a 50 pax vessel some years ago

Post in thread 'Hola! Around South America on LAN'

May 3, 2015

Righto. Back in Quito (and blessed strong internet ) after a tremendous week in the Galapagos, on board MV Eclipse. Still compiling pics (and off to Peru tomorrow), but in the meantime, this was the vessel (48 pax, ~30 crew, including 4 guides)




I lived dangerously a couple of times, snorkelling with sharks:




But other times, I just hung out and relaxed; but was also wide eyed to some wonders ...




Like terrific red-orange sunsets and ever redder Sally Lightfoots:



But all in all we behaved like a couple of coughies...

• RooFlyer

• 

There are even smaller luxury vessels going around, but stupendously expensive.

One significant barrier for me with "small ships" is the motion sickness aspect. My theory is that there is more movement the smaller the ship. I get MS at the back of aircraft(even A380)/rear seats of car/bus

That was a concern of mine, too on my Antarctica cruise, as I previously got vomitus going from Geraldton to the Abrolhos Islands, WA. There were 2 sea nights to the Falklands and then 2 from Antarctica to Chile across the infamous Drake Strait. ('Drake shake'). My TA arranged a midships cabin on a lower placed deck and I got some meclizine courtesy of some kind AFFers (not available in Australia) and didn't have a worry at all.

 

[Quickstatus]

meclizine

The close relative is cyclizine, available in OZ as a tablet OTC. Brand is Nausicalm
Makes me very drowsy which is the problem

My involvement in AFF began because I needed a way to sit up the front of an airplane to mitigate the nausea without costing a kidney.

 

[Pushka]

We had 6 sea days with three days in a row on the cruise of 21 days from India to Israel then Greece. Even though several of those days were really entertaining - Red Sea and on the watch out for pirates, the through the Suez Canal for over a day (fascinating), our preference would have been fewer on those days where there wasn't much to see.

On the other hand MrP loves port days but not always get off the ship and he thinks of the ship as his own private resort. I always get off and explore.