We Love to Travel. But Cruises Look Miserable.

[OldLady]

Hubby and I love to travel: near, far, by car or air. But we never, ever want to cruise. We see all kinds of pitfalls and almost no positives. For one thing, when you cruise you are constantly surrounded by people. Everywhere. A press of people everywhere--a floating city of people all stacked up together.

Cruise ships have morgues.

Cruise ships have norovirus.

Cruise ships are beholden to the waves and the weather.

How unpopular is this opinion?

Norovirus is highly unlikely on a Cruise ship. In reality you have a far better chance of picking it up at a hospital, a nursing home, a daycare, a school, or anywhere else. Norovirus is an extremely common illness, comparative to the common cold, or yearly flu.

The only reason this is referred to as a 'cruise ship' illness, is because it makes the news, when a large cruise liner returns to port because of an outbreak. When dozens of kids get sick, and their parents equally get sick... it doesn't usually make the news. It's just "oh there's a bug going around".

Yes, cruise ships have morgues. People die. People who are older, are more likely to die. The demographic of people who take cruises, is typically retirees.

Cruise ships are typically not beholden to waves and weather.

Go back 100 years, and maybe you have a point. But today, with GPS, and satellites, cruise ships almost never get even near bad weather really bad weather. Unless the Cruise company is garbage. Obviously you get what you pay for. But most of the notable brands are as much interested in avoiding weather to keep customers happy, as wanting to protected their obviously massive investment in a cruise ship. Severe weather can damage any ship, and cruise liners are not cheap.

You are more likely to get hit by bad weather at a beach resort that can't move, than a ship can will steer clear.

All that said, I typically just don't like crowds of people, and thus I don't think I would enjoy a cruise so much. But then I likely would not enjoy going to any tourist destination where tons of people go.

Years ago I found a castle like inn, that sat on top of a large hill in Kentucky, and had hectares of land around it. That was more appealing to me than a cruise, because it specifically was not a tourist destination, and you had miles of bike paths over the hills, and no one anywhere nearby.

A few of you have mentioned thinking the ship would seem crowded with people. It doesn't! I don't know how they manage it, but I had worried about the same thing and somehow or other it never seemed like a bunch of people were all jammed together on a ship, which we were--about 3,000 of us, including the staff.
Guess because it's so big and has so many levels and they arrange activities in different parts of the ship, probably, but I never felt crowded.

 

[gallantwarrior]

A trailer park with bronze propellers.

Though I wouldn't sneeze at a trans-Atlantic trip aboard the QM II.

The QMII was not a cruise ship and the trip would greatly depend on whether you were First Class or Steerage.

There's no more steerage....The QMII and QEII basically have 4 classes of rooms: luxury, luxury with a porthole, above-deck balcony room, and deluxe suite....None of the rooms have appointments any lower than what you'd find at a Marriott hotel.

Cunard Queen Mary 2 14 Night Transatlantic Cruise departs New York, New York | The Cruise Web

Very true nowadays. Cruise ships are not a primary means of transportation and seek to provide a luxury experience. Modern day steerage equates to coach class on aircraft.

Except the food is better

The food is better? In coach? On an aircraft?
You must fly a lot overseas, on overseas carriers, then.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Hubby and I love to travel: near, far, by car or air. But we never, ever want to cruise. We see all kinds of pitfalls and almost no positives. For one thing, when you cruise you are constantly surrounded by people. Everywhere. A press of people everywhere--a floating city of people all stacked up together.

Cruise ships have morgues.

Cruise ships have norovirus.

Cruise ships are beholden to the waves and the weather.

How unpopular is this opinion?

Norovirus is highly unlikely on a Cruise ship. In reality you have a far better chance of picking it up at a hospital, a nursing home, a daycare, a school, or anywhere else. Norovirus is an extremely common illness, comparative to the common cold, or yearly flu.

The only reason this is referred to as a 'cruise ship' illness, is because it makes the news, when a large cruise liner returns to port because of an outbreak. When dozens of kids get sick, and their parents equally get sick... it doesn't usually make the news. It's just "oh there's a bug going around".

Yes, cruise ships have morgues. People die. People who are older, are more likely to die. The demographic of people who take cruises, is typically retirees.

Cruise ships are typically not beholden to waves and weather.

Go back 100 years, and maybe you have a point. But today, with GPS, and satellites, cruise ships almost never get even near bad weather really bad weather. Unless the Cruise company is garbage. Obviously you get what you pay for. But most of the notable brands are as much interested in avoiding weather to keep customers happy, as wanting to protected their obviously massive investment in a cruise ship. Severe weather can damage any ship, and cruise liners are not cheap.

You are more likely to get hit by bad weather at a beach resort that can't move, than a ship can will steer clear.

All that said, I typically just don't like crowds of people, and thus I don't think I would enjoy a cruise so much. But then I likely would not enjoy going to any tourist destination where tons of people go.

Years ago I found a castle like inn, that sat on top of a large hill in Kentucky, and had hectares of land around it. That was more appealing to me than a cruise, because it specifically was not a tourist destination, and you had miles of bike paths over the hills, and no one anywhere nearby.

A few of you have mentioned thinking the ship would seem crowded with people. It doesn't! I don't know how they manage it, but I had worried about the same thing and somehow or other it never seemed like a bunch of people were all jammed together on a ship, which we were--about 3,000 of us, including the staff.
Guess because it's so big and has so many levels and they arrange activities in different parts of the ship, probably, but I never felt crowded.

Cattle rarely feel crowded.
If you want a vacation devoid of personal planning and responsibility, cruises are great. They have lots of activities available gratis and even more for an extra premium. Cruises really are suitable for a lot of people.

 

[Tehon]

Hubby and I love to travel: near, far, by car or air. But we never, ever want to cruise. We see all kinds of pitfalls and almost no positives. For one thing, when you cruise you are constantly surrounded by people. Everywhere. A press of people everywhere--a floating city of people all stacked up together.

Cruise ships have morgues.

Cruise ships have norovirus.

Cruise ships are beholden to the waves and the weather.

How unpopular is this opinion?

You won't know unless you try it.

 

[Votto]

 

[Beyond]

Hubby and I love to travel: near, far, by car or air. But we never, ever want to cruise. We see all kinds of pitfalls and almost no positives. For one thing, when you cruise you are constantly surrounded by people. Everywhere. A press of people everywhere--a floating city of people all stacked up together.

Cruise ships have morgues.

Cruise ships have norovirus.

Cruise ships are beholden to the waves and the weather.

How unpopular is this opinion?

Cruises are good if your holiday is about getting a rest. I went on a Nile cruise once, they had at least one excursion every day. I booked every other day and rested in between. It was a great holiday.

 

[rightwinger]

A trailer park with bronze propellers.

Though I wouldn't sneeze at a trans-Atlantic trip aboard the QM II.

The QMII was not a cruise ship and the trip would greatly depend on whether you were First Class or Steerage.

There's no more steerage....The QMII and QEII basically have 4 classes of rooms: luxury, luxury with a porthole, above-deck balcony room, and deluxe suite....None of the rooms have appointments any lower than what you'd find at a Marriott hotel.

Cunard Queen Mary 2 14 Night Transatlantic Cruise departs New York, New York | The Cruise Web

Very true nowadays. Cruise ships are not a primary means of transportation and seek to provide a luxury experience. Modern day steerage equates to coach class on aircraft.

Except the food is better

The food is better? In coach? On an aircraft?
You must fly a lot overseas, on overseas carriers, then.

Learn to read

 

[Correll]

Hubby and I love to travel: near, far, by car or air. But we never, ever want to cruise. We see all kinds of pitfalls and almost no positives. For one thing, when you cruise you are constantly surrounded by people. Everywhere. A press of people everywhere--a floating city of people all stacked up together.

Cruise ships have morgues.

Cruise ships have norovirus.

Cruise ships are beholden to the waves and the weather.

How unpopular is this opinion?

I've done a few cruises. I've enjoyed them.

THe ones with the over night layovers are better. It is hard to enjoy a short layover, with the risk of being left behind.


The SHOWS were the surprise fun for me. COmedy shows, magic shows, acrobat shows.

 

[DGS49]

Cruises are an interesting phenomenon in one respect: The people who criticize them most vigorously HAVE NEVER BEEN ON ONE!!!

I am an experienced traveler and an experienced "cruiser", and a well chosen cruise (ocean OR river) can be the vacation of a lifetime.

There is NO COMPARISON with a driving vacation, on which you are packing and unpacking constantly, driving, eating as greasy spoon restaurants, and are spending lots of money constantly. On a cruise you unpack ONCE, then do nothing but enjoy the destinations and the hundreds of things to do on the ship.

If you are a misanthrope and don't want to be surrounded by people all the time, you can eat at "different" times in the smaller venues on the ship, or call ROOM SERVICE, and eat in your cabin. Either way, the food and service are both generally excellent. Unlike in a typical American restaurant, the servers on a cruise ship WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY, and it shows all the time.

I personally have no interest in the classic Caribbean Cruise (although that was the first that we did, just to get the experience), but consider the very popular Baltic Sea cruises that start in either Copenhagen or Amsterdam, and hit Helsinki, Oslo, Denmark, Estonia, and a few other places, topping off at St Petersburg, which is one of the most wonderful destinations on the planet. You literally can't go wrong.

As for river cruises, they are fantastic. You dock right in the heart of the historic, beautiful town, take a guided tour in the morning, come back to the boat for lunch, then have the whole afternoon and evening to explore on your own. It is so much better than driving.

I have this conversation with friends regularly: they say they don't want to go on a cruise...until the first time, then they plan their whole (retirement) lives around their next cruises. There are also great deals to be had at websites like "Vacations to Go". You can find cruises for almost any budget and interest, particularly if you are flexible in your timing.

I've only met two or three people in my life who didn't enjoy cruising, and that was because they had problems with sea-sickness (not an issue on river cruises). There are drugs to help with that, but the drugs make you super-sleepy all the time, so maybe if you are a person who simply can't stand the gentle movement of a giant ship, don't go on a cruise. But for everyone else, it is an option that you are almost guaranteed to enjoy.

 

[Lulllaboo]

I also dream of a cruise, but so far it is too expensive for us.

 

[fncceo]

Absolutely the worst place to be during a Zombie outbreak.

 

[Deplorable Yankee]

me to NEVER I will get on one

Cruise ships like long train rides are best left to the first half of the 20th

 

[Natural Citizen]

Hubby and I love to travel: near, far, by car or air. But we never, ever want to cruise. We see all kinds of pitfalls and almost no positives. For one thing, when you cruise you are constantly surrounded by people. Everywhere. A press of people everywhere--a floating city of people all stacked up together.

Cruise ships have morgues.

Cruise ships have norovirus.

Cruise ships are beholden to the waves and the weather.

How unpopular is this opinion?

Sometimes I ike the idea of a cruise to Hawaii. Then have vacation in Hawaii. Then another cruise back. It's basically three vacations all in one.

Other times I change my mind on it. Basically for the same reasons you mention here.

I'm a germaphobic, too. I guess that's a word. Ha.

 

[Pilot1]

I've never been on a cruise. I like going to a place, and settling in, so island hopping would probably drive me nuts. Some people love them, and some people hate them. It seems like a floating bar with a propeller on the end.

 

[rightwinger]

I've never been on a cruise. I like going to a place, and settling in, so island hopping would probably drive me nuts. Some people love them, and some people hate them. It seems like a floating bar with a propeller on the end.

You do settle in

You just wake up at a new destination every morning

 

[OldLady]

Cruises are an interesting phenomenon in one respect: The people who criticize them most vigorously HAVE NEVER BEEN ON ONE!!!

I am an experienced traveler and an experienced "cruiser", and a well chosen cruise (ocean OR river) can be the vacation of a lifetime.

There is NO COMPARISON with a driving vacation, on which you are packing and unpacking constantly, driving, eating as greasy spoon restaurants, and are spending lots of money constantly. On a cruise you unpack ONCE, then do nothing but enjoy the destinations and the hundreds of things to do on the ship.

If you are a misanthrope and don't want to be surrounded by people all the time, you can eat at "different" times in the smaller venues on the ship, or call ROOM SERVICE, and eat in your cabin. Either way, the food and service are both generally excellent. Unlike in a typical American restaurant, the servers on a cruise ship WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY, and it shows all the time.

I personally have no interest in the classic Caribbean Cruise (although that was the first that we did, just to get the experience), but consider the very popular Baltic Sea cruises that start in either Copenhagen or Amsterdam, and hit Helsinki, Oslo, Denmark, Estonia, and a few other places, topping off at St Petersburg, which is one of the most wonderful destinations on the planet. You literally can't go wrong.

As for river cruises, they are fantastic. You dock right in the heart of the historic, beautiful town, take a guided tour in the morning, come back to the boat for lunch, then have the whole afternoon and evening to explore on your own. It is so much better than driving.

I have this conversation with friends regularly: they say they don't want to go on a cruise...until the first time, then they plan their whole (retirement) lives around their next cruises. There are also great deals to be had at websites like "Vacations to Go". You can find cruises for almost any budget and interest, particularly if you are flexible in your timing.

I've only met two or three people in my life who didn't enjoy cruising, and that was because they had problems with sea-sickness (not an issue on river cruises). There are drugs to help with that, but the drugs make you super-sleepy all the time, so maybe if you are a person who simply can't stand the gentle movement of a giant ship, don't go on a cruise. But for everyone else, it is an option that you are almost guaranteed to enjoy.

I wore a patch for seasickness the whole time I was on my cruise (just in case--I'm pretty sure I didn't need it) and it didn't make me sleepy in the least.

 

[OldLady]

I wouldn't do another Caribbean cruise, because I really didn't like the hard sell I got to buy stuff every time I took a breath. But a river cruise might be different? I'd rather pay the extra bucks up front than be hit up by the staff constantly for the ship's "profit."

 

[rightwinger]

I wouldn't do another Caribbean cruise, because I really didn't like the hard sell I got to buy stuff every time I took a breath. But a river cruise might be different? I'd rather pay the extra bucks up front than be hit up by the staff constantly for the ship's "profit."

Nice watching the landscape flow by
On an ocean cruise, all you see is water

 

[OldLady]

Hubby and I love to travel: near, far, by car or air. But we never, ever want to cruise. We see all kinds of pitfalls and almost no positives. For one thing, when you cruise you are constantly surrounded by people. Everywhere. A press of people everywhere--a floating city of people all stacked up together.

Cruise ships have morgues.

Cruise ships have norovirus.

Cruise ships are beholden to the waves and the weather.

How unpopular is this opinion?

So where did you go on vacation, Sue?
My stepmother travels frequently and she takes guided tours around Europe, Italy, etc. No ship involved. She's pretty blase about it at this point, so I'm guessing they do get repetitive after awhile. I would never without one, not the first time, anyway. I can't speak foreign languages and I get lost going out my front door. I would NOT want to drive on the opposite side of the road, either. So I definitely would need a tour.

 

[DGS49]

There is an enjoyable cruise for every travel style.

If seasickness is a concern, try a river cruise first. No matter what anyone tells you, there is motion on an ocean cruise, no matter how big the boat is. For most people, they don't notice it after the first day, but if you are sensitive it's there, and there is always a chance of "weather," which will make it more pronounced.

Take river cruises for the destinations, ocean cruises for the cruise line and destinations both.

You can take a short cruise to try it out. An easy and excellent cruise for the cautious is the Canada-New England cruise, starting in either Boston or Montreal. The only caution is to avoid the high seasons, which swamp some of the smaller destinations with tourists.

Few people who have actually been on a cruise don't like them.