Why I'm unlikely to ever "Cruise" (At least on a large ship)

[JohnK]

So this was suicide? Very sad.

Sooo what would be an appropriate height ?

Something a little higher than waist height.

 

[VPS]

So this was suicide? Very sad.


Something a little higher than waist height.

Are you sure it wasn't over waist height - I think I'd struggle to get over the railings on the cruise I went on.

 

[straitman]

So this was suicide? Very sad.


Something a little higher than waist height.

They are above my waist height which means they are certainly above the waist height of most people. See my post #202 of this thread.

 

[coriander]

... and leaves behind a husband (who tried to grab her but failed) and three kids aged between 12 and 16. What a terrible family tragedy.

Also interesting is the total unreliability of so-called eye witnesses.

 

[dj_james]

Also interesting is the total unreliability of so-called eye witnesses.

What do you expect from a bunch of bogans from Queensland getting their 5 minutes of fame with the Courier Fail or Channel 7 "News"?

 

[Lynda2475]

These frequent Gastro / Norovirus outbreaks on Cruise ships does nothing to entice me to ever book a cruise. Nightmarish to be stuck onboard a boat that reeks of vomit (or worse).
...

 

[love_the_life]

These frequent Gastro / Norovirus outbreaks on Cruise ships does nothing to entice me to ever book a cruise. Nightmarish to be stuck onboard a boat that reeks of vomit (or worse).

So Qantas supposedly having a pacific red-e-deal sale but of course there of no J specials to NAN at all. Not only have full priced J fares been more than double what the were in 2022, they just dont seem to even offer a small discount.

Have QF had some sort of falling out with Fiji?

Sofitel Fiji hotel prices also seem to be about $300/night more expensive than they were in 2022 too.

Not all that frequent these days - that's why this one hit the news.
Doesn't put me off at all - just a matter of taking precautions, and assuming that others may be infectious. I will be on board a ship in a few weeks - can't wait!

Airfares and accommodation are a matter of supply and demand and what the punter will pay for. Can't blame a business for trying to pick up $$ while it can.

 

[Pushka]

No that was Golden Princess IIRC.

Latest is that there aren't many actually sick at the present but who knows. A work colleague is boarding in a couple of weeks.

I think SA has more of an outbreak than this ship tbh but there's no fun in reporting that.

Post automatically merged: Nov 13, 2023

Every time I see a cruise mentioned in the news it is due to some sort of illness outbreak.



That is just it though, its not like the planes or the hotels are fully booked. I haven't seen J fares increase as much anywhere else, and even with coughpy AUD hotels in more more expensive parts of the world have not increased by the same magnitude.

And how about the hundreds if not thousands of cruises on sail every day and you don't hear a thing? Taking notice of everything the media says these days is not helpful to assessing reality.

 

[Lynda2475]

And how about the hundreds if not thousands of cruises on sail every day and you don't hear a thing? Taking notice of everything the media says these days is not helpful to assessing reality.

I do take media with a grain of salt but I've not seen a single positive article re cruising; excluding paid segments on travel shows where they seem to get a presidential suite for gratis.

Each to their own, I'm just not seeing any benefit to cruising over flying into a destination and having a decent amount of time at the destination, vs only the briefest of visits dictated by the launch/transfer timetable.

You obviously enjoy cruising, however it does not appeal to me.

 

[Pushka]

I do take media with a grain of salt but I've not seen a single positive article re cruising; excluding paid segments on travel shows where they seem to get a presidential suite for gratis.

Each to their own, I'm just not seeing any benefit to cruising over flying into a destination and having a decent amount of time at the destination, vs only the briefest of visits dictated by the launch/transfer timetable.

There have been so many cruise trip reports on this forum none of which had any association with any cruise line. Drron has a live one right now. Cruising often takes you to places you simply can't get to on land. And some amazing places.

 

[RooFlyer]

Each to their own, I'm just not seeing any benefit to cruising over flying into a destination and having a decent amount of time at the destination, vs only the briefest of visits dictated by the launch/transfer timetable.

You obviously enjoy cruising, however it does not appeal to me.

My next cruise is:



So - one benefit is you can cruise to places that you can't fly to. And I'm not sure how long you'd like to be on Elephant Island, the South Shetlands etc but a day or two will do me!

Like the middle east, ME3 etc you have strong opinions on something you've never tried. I swore I'd never be a cruiser, but I tried it and my first, around the Kimberly, sold me, and so here I go again ... Penguins ahoy!

Galapagos Islands another place you can only really experience via a cruise and zodiac landings.

 

[drron]

I also swore I would never go cruising and this year have increased to 14 weeks of cruising for the year.

And on one occasion I was on a ship with a noro outbreack. Sufferers confined to quarters and absolutely no smell for those of us who remained free mainly by washing our hands frequently.

 

[Lynda2475]

Drron has a live one right now.

Which I have glimpsed but it isn't making a cruise sound anymore attractive - especially not for such an extended period; if I had budget and time to travel for months Id choose different options.

I have done actually done a small cruise (30 passengers) for 8 days down the coast of Croatia, but there were no at sea days, we were in port every night, meaning could eat dinner at restaurant of my choosing, and could come and go as I pleased, as could walk on/off not need to take a tender transfer. Was fun enough but on a return visit Id likely just take ferries or private water taxi between the islands/towns and stay in the towns a night or two.

I've also stayed overnight on a friends yacht and a dive boat; but always to experience a night dive/snorkel or watch the turtle hatchlings.

I do not really fit into any of the core cruising demographics; on the ships with higher service standards the average passenger age is decades older than me; and the price doubles for solos except on the few ships that offer singles cabins, but then they are the coughpier cabins, well below the standard that couples get.

Ships with younger demographic are either party ships or full of families with kids.

We have family friends in 70s/80s that do Cunard every other year and love it but that because almost everyone is their age. Personally I don't see the value in it; and would not want to have to dine with people with whom I have nothing in common.

Close friends of my sister's are entertainers on cruise ships, their stories also not selling it for me. Id rather go to a Westend/Broadway show than watch the cabaret style on board shows.

Appreciate some people love it, but I am not likely to ever be converted. Antarctica is one possible exception I may make eventually but right now there are far better choices for my travel budget.

I had previously considered cruising for the Galapagos islands too, but found I was able to see everything I wanted by flying to the two islands with airports, taking inter island ferries and taking day boat trips or seaplanes to outer islands.

 

[RooFlyer]

and the price doubles for solos except on the few ships that offer singles cabins, but then they are the coughpier cabins, well below the standard that couples get.

I'm a solo traveller/cruiser and I can again say - not true. Get a good travel agent.

And let us know how you go on cruising Antarctica & islands by taking ferries etc.

 

[Pushka]

Which I have glimpsed but it isn't making a cruise sound anymore attractive - especially not for such an extended period; if I had budget and time to travel for months Id choose different options.

I have done actually done a small cruise (30 passengers) for 8 days down the coast of Croatia, but there were no at sea days, we were in port every night, meaning could eat dinner at restaurant of my choosing, and could come and go as I pleased, as could walk on/off not need to take a tender transfer. Was fun enough but on a return visit Id likely just take ferries or private water taxi between the islands/towns and stay in the towns a night or two.

I do not really fit into any of the core cruising demographics; on the ships with higher service standards the average passenger age is decades older than me; and the price doubles for solos except on the few ships that offer singles cabins, but then they are the coughpier cabins, well below the standard that couples get.

Ships with younger demographic are either party ships or full of families with kids.

We have family friends in 70s/80s that do Cunard every other year and love it but that because almost everyone is their age. Personally I don't see the value in it; and would not want to have to dine with people with whom I have nothing in common.

Close friends of my sister's are entertainers on cruise ships, their stories also not selling it for me. Id rather go to a Westend/Broadway show than watch the cabaret style on board shows.

Appreciate some people love it, but I am not likely to ever be converted. Antarctica is one possible exception I may make eventually but right now there are far better choices for my travel budget.

I had previously considered cruising for the Galapagos islands too, but found I was able to see everything I wanted by flying to the two islands with airports, taking inter island ferries and taking day boat trips or sea plans to outer islands.

Your rationale makes sense. You might find it more attractive in your fifties plus. We really didn’t start until then, in fact our only cruise in the pacific when we were in our twenties was horrible. . We’ve done a similar Croatian coast cruise with 30 adults and it was fabulous.

More cruise lines are doing single supplements now. So hopefully that trend continues.

 

[RooFlyer]

Fun reading some of my posts from years ago in this merged thread:

No doubt about it - there are cruisers and non-cruisers. And I was going to post "Where did this thread come from?!", but here we are.

I'm sorta like Denali ... I don't like crowds and being cooped up. To avoid crowds, I go overseas mostly in shoulder; I'm up early in the morning to go to the most popular sights to avoid (as much as possible) the queues and if its a cruise boat destination, I even check to see if I can avoid those days, or at least again, go early before the cruisers land.

But I don't think cruisers need to defend their position ... its an immensely popular way to go and not everyone has the outlook of an old curmudgeon like me ...

Oh, one experience I had with a large cruiser. A travel agent I got to know in the USA e-mailed me, saying she had some clients on a cruise which was arriving at Burnie, NW Tas, IIRC. She sent me the list of shore excursions, asking which ones I would recommend. Bloom'n heck! The cost of them!!! I can't remember the amount now, but thought at the time that it was 3 to 4 times what I would expect to pay. I told that to the TA who replied, in as many words 'Yup, that's what it is ...' Doesn't appear to deter them, it seems. Here in Tas we have been getting record numbers of cruise ship arrivals, year after year.

Hmmmm ... of course maybe I should try a cruise before being too definitive. Is there a LCC option?

So, yes, I eventually DID try it. Not really LCC but it was great.

Like I said before - to the anti-cruisers out there (formerly like me) TRY IT if you can. Expedition voyages preferably ( for smaller, better experience but more expensive), but even a nice one from Oz to NZ will do, like one being taken by a friend of mine next year who has never cruised before and up to now has protested like many here.

 

[UP4014]

Pretty simple, I get sea sick, that’s why you won’t see me on a boat aarrhhh ship.

 

[Pushka]

Pretty simple, I get sea sick, that’s why you won’t see me on a boat aarrhhh ship.

It's not always true on a large ship. SIL gets seasick watching waves on TV. And sometimes in the movie Theatres. She's done several cruises Including through Norway and Sweden across to UK and was fine.

 

[UP4014]

It's not always true on a large ship. SIL gets seasick watching waves on TV. And sometimes in the movie Theatres. She's done several cruises Including through Norway and Sweden across to UK and was fine.

I've been physically sick on a Manly ferry, seriously. (

 

[Pushka]

I've been physically sick on a Manly ferry, seriously. (

Sure but the big ships don't usually rock like that. Husband has been ill on a ferry in Thailand. Nothing on a rocky cruise ship. Stabilisers help immensely. The Manly Ferries act like corks in a whirlpool.