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

[Kolo]

Unpack once, new city every day, eat fine food and wine, get pampered, magical sunsets, loads of activities and entertainment that you can indulge or ignore. What's not to like?

 

[RooFlyer]

Wow. All of those cruise lovers jumping up and down trying to oversell cruising and suggesting that there's something wrong with you if you don't love cruising tells me one thing for sure. Those cruise lovers are hoping to win over people to their side to further validate their own experiences. When something is being sold so heavily I run the other way.

I'm sure the cruisers will be so relieved to hear that last bit!

Just a tad OTT, maybe?

 

[turtlemichael]

Wow. All of those cruise lovers jumping up and down trying to oversell cruising and suggesting that there's something wrong with you if you don't love cruising tells me one thing for sure. Those cruise lovers are hoping to win over people to their side to further validate their own experiences. When something is being sold so heavily I run the other way.

Good grief is right! It's an interesting and light hearted discussion initiated by serfty. I have never felt the need to "validate" my experiences to anyone, let alone a largely anonymous internet forum.

 

[tgh]

I though of all these pithy responses but decided not to reward the post with a comment..
perhaps I just did…. oh well….

 

[VPS]

So Ruby comes after Emerald? They'll have to change that if they want to join OneWorld.


On a serious note the reason I can't ever see me cruising is my relationship status, i.e. single. A single room usually costs the same as a double room or you have to share with a stranger. Both reasons to avoid a cruise.

But as they say, never say never, because some destinations can only be accessed by, or a better seen from sea. Antarctica springs to mind.

Still it's not in my immediate future.

An article on single cruises

 

[Austman]

Reading tnr floaters thread was enough for me. It indicated aspects I never realised.

Although I quite enjoyed reading the floater's posts I have to admit that every one of them totally put me off the idea of ever taking a cruise!

 

[Pushka]

Although I quite enjoyed reading the floater's posts I have to admit that every one of them totally put me off the idea of ever taking a cruise!

That’s quite funny.

I should add that doing an Aussie cruise to me is a litmus test. If you enjoyed that then you are most certainly a dedicated cruiser. MrP would never do one. On the other hand a Med cruise/Baltic cruise is exceptional. Alaska as well. And other areas of the world that lend themselves to cruising. Like Croatia. Croatia is made for cruising, but small ship version I’d add. And I’d dare say most people would enjoy them.

 

[woodyren]

Each to their own. For us, despite what we originally thought, cruising is now a large part of our travel/relaxation experience.

It fits our budget to cruise on the mass market lines and they certainly provide enough in the dining and entertainment area to keep us happy. As much as we would love to experience the luxury product we are bound by cost not time and so try to squeeze the most out of our discretionary travel budget. At an average of around $100 pp per day it works for us.

Loyalty rewards such as free drinks for 3 and a half hours each night and a few days each of free internet also helps to keep down costs. Our on board spend is usually less than $100.

We like the bigger ships as despite our age we enjoy a variety of activities. A couple of hours a day on a flow rider is one of my favourite things to do. The people I have met have been mostly friendly, fun loving and interesting.

We usually spend at least 50 days per year on board a cruise ship and one of those is always a repositioning cruise followed by a few months of land travel and then (thanks to advice from this forum) a J flight home.

Heading off in March on Ovation from Sydney to Tianjin China for 31 days followed by travel though Turkey, the Greek Islands and then another 11 day cruise in Norway .

 

[TomVexille]

That would be a ferry .
View attachment 117517


I think I inherited my dads Navy genes. He was on an aircraft carrier for 10 years. I just love being on the water. In any kind of boat. Sail or motor. I like watching all the crews actions. The pilot boat. Captain on the bridge. The way the crew gets the tenders hoisted up and down. And will eventually end up living near the water. With a marina berth. And small boat. Two of those already sorted. Just the boat to go.

I'll visit once you have ticked the third box

 

[VPS]

Each to their own. For us, despite what we originally thought, cruising is now a large part of our travel/relaxation experience.

It fits our budget to cruise on the mass market lines and they certainly provide enough in the dining and entertainment area to keep us happy. As much as we would love to experience the luxury product we are bound by cost not time and so try to squeeze the most out of our discretionary travel budget. At an average of around $100 pp per day it works for us.

Loyalty rewards such as free drinks for 3 and a half hours each night and a few days each of free internet also helps to keep down costs. Our on board spend is usually less than $100.

We like the bigger ships as despite our age we enjoy a variety of activities. A couple of hours a day on a flow rider is one of my favourite things to do. The people I have met have been mostly friendly, fun loving and interesting.

We usually spend at least 50 days per year on board a cruise ship and one of those is always a repositioning cruise followed by a few months of land travel and then (thanks to advice from this forum) a J flight home.

Heading off in March on Ovation from Sydney to Tianjin China for 31 days followed by travel though Turkey, the Greek Islands and then another 11 day cruise in Norway .

Very interested in repositioning cruises - where do you normally find them? Are they different cruise companies or do you have a good travel agent

 

[Pushka]

Very interested in repositioning cruises - where do you normally find them? Are they different cruise companies or do you have a good travel agent

They are Transatlantics and are on the usual websites. They occur most frequently with change of seasons where many ships change from Med to US based cruises (they chase the summer). In Australia around November and March. They are very popular with US people as it saves them an airfare one way. Go figure.

 

[woodyren]

Very interested in repositioning cruises - where do you normally find them? Are they different cruise companies or do you have a good travel agent

Repo cruises are typically with a few variations...I am just using the mainstream mid range priced ships as an example here.

Trans Atlantic from USA to Europe or vici versa with eastbound in March April and westbound October November.
Trans Pacific from Sydney to Seattle or Vancouver with Eastbound in April and Westbound in September.
Australia to Asia with Eastbound in September October and westbound in March April.

There are also longer voyages such as the time Quantum of the Seas repositioned from the USA to China via the Med and Suez Canal which occur less regularly.

We have done one Trans Atlantic, cruised Quantum from Barcelona to China, a Trans Pacific, a Sydney to Singapore and a cruise from LA to Miami through the Panama Canal.

They tend to be a lot cheaper than normal cruises and I actually prefer them because I find it gives us time to unwind completely and get to know people on board better.

We have booked another Trans Atlantic on Oasis of the Seas in April 2019 from Pt Canaveral to Barcelona and hope to then join the newest RCL ship as it makes her maiden voyage from Europe to China.

If you go to the various cruise websites and search by repositioning cruises it will list them for the next few years. I always check Aussie prices and USA prices as there can be quite a difference at times (each way also). For a quick look at whats available try Vacations to go and just put repositioning or trans Atlantic into the cruise region menu.

 

[VPS]

So do you book your repositioning cruises through an agent or direct with the cruise line?

 

[woodyren]

So do you book your repositioning cruises through an agent or direct with the cruise line?

I usually check the prices on both USA agents and Australian agents and book with whichever has the better deal. At times I even book on board while on a cruise and then transfer to a ta.

There can be quite a difference either way with both price and conditions between Australian and USA prices.

There is little difference in price between Australian agents but there can be with USA agents as some may have large numbers of group bookings.

So yes I book through an agent.

 

[Deleted member]

Unpack once, new city every day, eat fine food and wine, get pampered, magical sunsets, loads of activities and entertainment that you can indulge or ignore. What's not to like?

I like the concept, its the execution I don't care for.
That said, as i mentioned before I have done a "Luxury" Seaborne cruise form Rome to Athens via the Greek islands and Sicily a few years back. 104 Pax, no buffet in sight and ALL cabins were on the outside bulkhead, i.e. everyone had a view. Ship was small enough to traverse the Corinth Canal, and usually (as I am prone to seasickness) I would have had an awful time. However, the standard Med smoothness, and even kinder weather conditions were enough to make the experience very enjoyable. I suppose having now enjoyed a "Rolls Royce" experience, anything else will be a let down (LOL).
So I suppose what I'm saying is that "Not all Cruises are equal"

 

[Pushka]

Repo cruises are one thing I know husband wouldn’t like as much. Although he does like it when everyone shoes off on their shore excursions and if he’s not interested in the Port then he loves having the free time to himself and the gym as well. Then I come back and spoil his solitude.

 

[RooFlyer]

Heading off in March on Ovation from Sydney to Tianjin China for 31 days followed by travel though Turkey, the Greek Islands and then another 11 day cruise in Norway .

How about a Trip Report?

 

[VPS]

I love the idea of a repo cruise so I can have lots of sea days just blobbing around

 

[woodyren]

How about a Trip Report?

I will have intermittent net access but will take lots of photos so I might try and diary our travels and then compile a report on return.

 

[Pushka]

I like the concept, its the execution I don't care for.
That said, as i mentioned before I have done a "Luxury" Seaborne cruise form Rome to Athens via the Greek islands and Sicily a few years back. 104 Pax, no buffet in sight and ALL cabins were on the outside bulkhead, i.e. everyone had a view. Ship was small enough to traverse the Corinth Canal, and usually (as I am prone to seasickness) I would have had an awful time. However, the standard Med smoothness, and even kinder weather conditions were enough to make the experience very enjoyable. I suppose having now enjoyed a "Rolls Royce" experience, anything else will be a let down (LOL).
So I suppose what I'm saying is that "Not all Cruises are equal"

Agree. And some cruise lines I will avoid. P&O Australia, Carnival anything and so on. Your first cruise was pretty much the equivalent of your first plane flight being in F.