# The Downside of Cruises



## DGS49

My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.

Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.

You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.

At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.

Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.


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## WinterBorn

DGS49 said:


> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.



I had a friend do it by train.  He would book a sleeper car.  He didn't go to places close.  He used the travel time as sleep time.
But then, he was single.


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## Skull Pilot

Being trapped on a boat with a bunch of people yeah what's not to like?


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## rightwinger

DGS49 said:


> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.


I've been on ten cruises and basically agree

It is nice that you can see multiple ports without having to unpack your bags. You just wake up in a new port everyday

But, like you said, you only get to sample the destination. Maybe a bus trip, few hours on the beach, 45 minutes looking at crappy souvenirs


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## OldLady

DGS49 said:


> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.


I felt exactly the same way after my once in a lifetime cruise to the Caribbean.  Like a wine tasting?   I did actually stop one place I would gladly return to for a week's vacation.   This type of cruising was no doubt begun by the travel industry for exactly that purpose.
I hope you had fun anyway.


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## norwegen

If you die, they'd have to stick you in a freezer, and that's just way too much ice cream for everyone else to eat before it melts.


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## HereWeGoAgain

Never been on a cruise for the same reasons.
Now if I could get on a cruise ship and head to say Jamaica,get off the ship and stay for a week and then either fly home or get on another cruise ship i'd be interested.
  That way you get the best of both worlds.


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## norwegen

I've been on two cruises, and have always been satisfied with ports of call that lasted only a few hours.  It's what I anticipated when I booked the cruises.

It's enough time to shop or enjoy a beach or an excursion.


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## Windparadox

`
`
I went on a 7 day trip, via ship, to Hawaii once. Private ship though. Three stops. We never really docked, other smaller boats came out to get us. Spent more time on the islands than on the ship. Very enjoyable.


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## Raff

DGS49 said:


> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.


Which cruise company?


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## malnila

That's what I love about a cruise. Get a touch of what a place is like before you commit longer time and money to just one or two places. The longest cruise I've been on was for 12 days and a few of the places we stopped, I didn't get off because I had already spent a week at each place prior. This allowed me to enjoy the ship amenities without the crowds since most we "on shore."


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## rightwinger

malnila said:


> That's what I love about a cruise. Get a touch of what a place is like before you commit longer time and money to just one or two places. The longest cruise I've been on was for 12 days and a few of the places we stopped, I didn't get off because I had already spent a week at each place prior. This allowed me to enjoy the ship amenities without the crowds since most we "on shore."



Agree

Many islands I would not want to visit again, others I would gladly return for a week or two
Some ports I just skip because I have been there before and don't want to take another bus trip to look at run down shacks or visit a skanky beach

I did a 12 day Med cruise where you visited a new country every day. Exhausting, but a great way to sample southern Europe


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## malnila

rightwinger said:


> malnila said:
> 
> 
> 
> That's what I love about a cruise. Get a touch of what a place is like before you commit longer time and money to just one or two places. The longest cruise I've been on was for 12 days and a few of the places we stopped, I didn't get off because I had already spent a week at each place prior. This allowed me to enjoy the ship amenities without the crowds since most we "on shore."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Agree
> 
> Many islands I would not want to visit again, others I would gladly return for a week or two
> Some ports I just skip because I have been there before and don't want to take another bus trip to look at run down shacks or visit a skanky beach
> 
> I did a 12 day Med cruise where you visited a new country every day. Exhausting, but a great way to sample southern Europe
Click to expand...

LOL We must have taken the same Med cruise. I did get to experience some ports in countries I had previously been to but not these ports so I thoroughly enjoyed those.


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## Mindful

DGS49 said:


> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.



Traffic jams can be as bad as in the US. 

I was stuck at the St Gotthard tunnel for four hours once, due to closure on account of too many vehicles jamming up the place.


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## DGS49

My cruise was with Viking.  For those who "know cruises," it was a mid-sized ship with about 900 passengers.  For comparison, river cruises take 180 or so, and the big cruise liners carry 2,000+, and include Las Vegas performance stages, casinos, and shopping malls.  MANY of the cruisers we met had started with a Viking River cruise, then decided to try this one.  Virtually all of them preferred the river cruise, in spite of the more Spartan accommodations,

I took a Viking river cruise last year from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, and it gave us more of a full-day at each stop, which was more satisfying.  You took a tour during the day, and you could actually walk off the ship after dinner and walk around the town.  Also - and maybe this is a minor point - Viking had a guest lecturer from each country who came on and talked about what it is like to actually live in those countries: schools, taxes, wages, housing prices, and so on.  For me, that was one of the highlights.

Since I'm now retired, we are thinking about "a month in Italy" or something like that next year.  We'll do it after bowling season ends, but before the kids are out for the Summer.  May/June.

Thank God for Air BnB.


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## Mindful

DGS49 said:


> My cruise was with Viking.  For those who "know cruises," it was a mid-sized ship with about 900 passengers.  For comparison, river cruises take 180 or so, and the big cruise liners carry 2,000+, and include Las Vegas performance stages, casinos, and shopping malls.  MANY of the cruisers we met had started with a Viking River cruise, then decided to try this one.  Virtually all of them preferred the river cruise, in spite of the more Spartan accommodations,
> 
> I took a Viking river cruise last year from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, and it gave us more of a full-day at each stop, which was more satisfying.  You took a tour during the day, and you could actually walk off the ship after dinner and walk around the town.  Also - and maybe this is a minor point - Viking had a guest lecturer from each country who came on and talked about what it is like to actually live in those countries: schools, taxes, wages, housing prices, and so on.  For me, that was one of the highlights.
> 
> Since I'm now retired, we are thinking about "a month in Italy" or something like that next year.  We'll do it after bowling season ends, but before the kids are out for the Summer.  May/June.
> 
> Thank God for Air BnB.



A "mid sized ship"? With 900 passengers?!


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## rightwinger

DGS49 said:


> My cruise was with Viking.  For those who "know cruises," it was a mid-sized ship with about 900 passengers.  For comparison, river cruises take 180 or so, and the big cruise liners carry 2,000+, and include Las Vegas performance stages, casinos, and shopping malls.  MANY of the cruisers we met had started with a Viking River cruise, then decided to try this one.  Virtually all of them preferred the river cruise, in spite of the more Spartan accommodations,
> 
> I took a Viking river cruise last year from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, and it gave us more of a full-day at each stop, which was more satisfying.  You took a tour during the day, and you could actually walk off the ship after dinner and walk around the town.  Also - and maybe this is a minor point - Viking had a guest lecturer from each country who came on and talked about what it is like to actually live in those countries: schools, taxes, wages, housing prices, and so on.  For me, that was one of the highlights.
> 
> Since I'm now retired, we are thinking about "a month in Italy" or something like that next year.  We'll do it after bowling season ends, but before the kids are out for the Summer.  May/June.
> 
> Thank God for Air BnB.



I have heard nothing but praise for the Viking River Cruises

Great way to tour. On a cruise ship out in the ocean, all you can see is water

On the river cruise, the scenery slowly moves past you


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## rightwinger

Mindful said:


> DGS49 said:
> 
> 
> 
> My cruise was with Viking.  For those who "know cruises," it was a mid-sized ship with about 900 passengers.  For comparison, river cruises take 180 or so, and the big cruise liners carry 2,000+, and include Las Vegas performance stages, casinos, and shopping malls.  MANY of the cruisers we met had started with a Viking River cruise, then decided to try this one.  Virtually all of them preferred the river cruise, in spite of the more Spartan accommodations,
> 
> I took a Viking river cruise last year from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, and it gave us more of a full-day at each stop, which was more satisfying.  You took a tour during the day, and you could actually walk off the ship after dinner and walk around the town.  Also - and maybe this is a minor point - Viking had a guest lecturer from each country who came on and talked about what it is like to actually live in those countries: schools, taxes, wages, housing prices, and so on.  For me, that was one of the highlights.
> 
> Since I'm now retired, we are thinking about "a month in Italy" or something like that next year.  We'll do it after bowling season ends, but before the kids are out for the Summer.  May/June.
> 
> Thank God for Air BnB.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A "mid sized ship"? With 900 passengers?!
Click to expand...


That is small by todays standards


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## Mindful

rightwinger said:


> Mindful said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DGS49 said:
> 
> 
> 
> My cruise was with Viking.  For those who "know cruises," it was a mid-sized ship with about 900 passengers.  For comparison, river cruises take 180 or so, and the big cruise liners carry 2,000+, and include Las Vegas performance stages, casinos, and shopping malls.  MANY of the cruisers we met had started with a Viking River cruise, then decided to try this one.  Virtually all of them preferred the river cruise, in spite of the more Spartan accommodations,
> 
> I took a Viking river cruise last year from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, and it gave us more of a full-day at each stop, which was more satisfying.  You took a tour during the day, and you could actually walk off the ship after dinner and walk around the town.  Also - and maybe this is a minor point - Viking had a guest lecturer from each country who came on and talked about what it is like to actually live in those countries: schools, taxes, wages, housing prices, and so on.  For me, that was one of the highlights.
> 
> Since I'm now retired, we are thinking about "a month in Italy" or something like that next year.  We'll do it after bowling season ends, but before the kids are out for the Summer.  May/June.
> 
> Thank God for Air BnB.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A "mid sized ship"? With 900 passengers?!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That is small by todays standards
Click to expand...


Have never done a cruise. Though have seen the AIDA docked in Gran Canaria.


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## strollingbones

norovirus


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## Marion Morrison

DGS49 said:


> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.



I don't like how they just jettison all their garbage.


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## frigidweirdo

DGS49 said:


> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.



I can imagine. I'm not a cruise person, my wallet doesn't allow for it and my sense of adventure doesn't allow for it either.

I'm going to India for two weeks in a month, and I'll turn up, get a cheap room (like $5 a night) and then figure things out from there. I have two train tickets because you have to buy them in advance.....


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## OldLady

HereWeGoAgain said:


> Never been on a cruise for the same reasons.
> Now if I could get on a cruise ship and head to say Jamaica,get off the ship and stay for a week and then either fly home or get on another cruise ship i'd be interested.
> That way you get the best of both worlds.


Some of the people who joined our cruise did exactly that.  You should call a travel agent about it.


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## OldLady

frigidweirdo said:


> DGS49 said:
> 
> 
> 
> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can imagine. I'm not a cruise person, my wallet doesn't allow for it and my sense of adventure doesn't allow for it either.
> 
> I'm going to India for two weeks in a month, and I'll turn up, get a cheap room (like $5 a night) and then figure things out from there. I have two train tickets because you have to buy them in advance.....
Click to expand...

You ARE adventurous.  I would definitely want to have things all in order before going to a foreign country.  Unless,of course, I'd been there before and was familiar with it.


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## frigidweirdo

OldLady said:


> frigidweirdo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DGS49 said:
> 
> 
> 
> My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.
> 
> Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.
> 
> You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop.  In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk?  Very little.  You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing.  It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.
> 
> At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.
> 
> Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying.  Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can imagine. I'm not a cruise person, my wallet doesn't allow for it and my sense of adventure doesn't allow for it either.
> 
> I'm going to India for two weeks in a month, and I'll turn up, get a cheap room (like $5 a night) and then figure things out from there. I have two train tickets because you have to buy them in advance.....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You ARE adventurous.  I would definitely want to have things all in order before going to a foreign country.  Unless,of course, I'd been there before and was familiar with it.
Click to expand...


For me that lacks all the excitement. Adventure is what makes you feel alive.

My longest trip was going to be a year, then it was going to be six months and ended up as three. I went to southern Africa. The problem there is the stress from fear. Getting to a new place and having to be there before dark, or taking overly priced taxis, and not knowing if you're going to be robbed or not. I became apathetic also, you travel and see stuff, but then after a while you want to do something different.


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## Mindful

Three unorthodox cruises for me.

One was in the Red Sea, Israel.  We went snorkelling on that trip. A fabulous coral reef.

A North Sea overnight crossing  from The Netherlands to UK. I was expecting a tramp steamer, but it turned out to be like a cruise liner.

And thirdly, a delightful cruise down the River Thames to Windsor.

I've  never been on one of those huge cruise ships. Saw AIDA moored  in Las Palmas. I'm sure I'd get lost on one.


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## fncceo

Skull Pilot said:


> Being trapped on a boat with a bunch of people yeah what's not to like?



It's not always bad ...


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