Yep - many - I like the smaller ships better - they are more informal, more fun, the people seem to be more relaxed -

Not a ship lover - I went it was great would rather be a little more flexible than the cruise and their agenda.

posted July 10, 2008

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law go on cruises regularly. My favorite story was from their Jamaican cruise. They left the boat for the day and, when lining up to get back on the boat, there were dogs and guards present at the beginning of the line. As my brother-in-law looked into the water adjacent to the line, he saw thousands of dollars worth of marijuana bags floating. It appears that some cruisers thought that they could buy "pot" and then bring it back on the boat! I wonder if a local was able to collect the plastic pot bags, dry them out and resell them.

posted July 10, 2008

Yes, I have been on several cruises and loved them, even though I am a land person.

I have never had a bad experience during the voyage, but you had to put in the word disaster. Yes, while on one particular cruise, while in port I had lunch with Hotel Manager in a particular hotel and city.

The discussion, over-all was very pleasant, until a particular topic was raised. That was the disaster.

It had absolutely nothing to do about "Cruising nor the Industry and the Experience", but I could not return fast enough to the ship.

Arthur

posted July 10, 2008

I certainly don't begrudge others their love of cruises, but I have not been on one, and after reading "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again", by David Foster Wallace, I dare say I'll never do so.

The exception will be next year, God willing, when my wife and I go on a day cruise in Alaska to see the sights of that magnificent place.

Enjoy, all.

posted July 10, 2008

Bob,
I have been on a cruise. I booked a cruise with my wife for our tenth anniversary. I was told by the booking agent that it would be fun for the whole family and that my wife and I would have plenty of free time as there are things for the kids to do all day long. The agent added, they even have babysitting in the evening so you can attend shows.
I booked a seven day cruise for my the family; my wife, two daughters ages seven and four, and myself. It was a Caribbean cruise to Cancun, Cozumel, and Roatan.
The anticipation was the best part of the trip! What I mean by that, is it was all down hill from the time we boarded until we arrived back at our origination point. It was a waste of money that I will not repeat. There was little to do on board outside of gambling. There was a class on napkin folding (I'm not joking!). The food was mediocre, the ports of call were ok, but the seas were rough and it took hours to unload which left only a couple of hours before we had to be back onboard to go to the next port. There was babysitting at night. A mimimum of four hours at the rate of 12.00/HR /Child. This meant that to go to one show would have incured a $100.00 dollar babysitting cost!
I could go on and on, but there is no sense in re-living the experience. I will NEVER go on another cruise! I would sooner rent a condo in Cozumel and sit on the beach for seven days at probably 1/2 the cost. and 10 times the fun, even if it snowed while we were there!

On a cruise you are a captive. If things are not satisfactory you have little recourse. I've sailed my one and only cruise. All in all, an experience I would wish on no one!
I would gladly share the cruiseline name with you, but I do not want to slight the Norwegian people as I've never really met any of them.

Regards,

Chas.

posted July 10, 2008

oh yes... I have been on several cruises and absolutely love them! (I also take non-cruise destination vacations as well)
Cruises are a great way to explore a variety of different places in a week (or two).
Recently I went on an Alaskan cruise which I absolutely recommend.
I also opt for the cruise that are flexible with dinner times (freestyle cruising) and do not require a formal night (I do not like to put on a suit when in the Caribbean).

posted July 10, 2008

Yes, I have been on two cruises and loved it! I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I actually did.

My story - we had to get up early on the last morning to get on our excursion. So I dialed for a wakeup call. Wake up call at 7:30 please I said. The answer I received - No, 8:00. My answer No, 7:30. And on the other end I heard No, 8:00!
So I turned to my daughters and said "they want us to get up at 8:00. My daughters said No, we need to be up by 7:30. So I returned to the phone and asked "why do you want us wake up at 8:00? The answer I heard "lady do you know you dialed another state room?"

It was pretty funny at the time.
Kathy Burzynski, CPC
Bur@BurzynskiES.com
www.BurzynskiES.com

posted July 10, 2008

I've been on several, most of them for my work as a meeting and incentive travel planner. Most experiences have been good, there's never been a disaster or a problem that couldn't be worked out relatively quickly with onboard staff. In general, I've found that cruises have broad appeal, although they are not for everyone, and compared to typical resorts they are a good value for incentive trips and affinity groups. Some of the lines now offer decent meeting facilities as well, along with an ability to customize the onboard experience for groups. Personally, I prefer the smaller ships, especially since in recent years, ships have gotten bigger and more impersonal. Service standards also vary by line, even those under the same corporate ownership, so I suggest people consider this when deciding on a cruise and I don't advice just buying a price point. Also consider the demographics of the other passengers, because this can significantly affect the quality of the experience as well.

posted July 10, 2008

Yes, I've been on many a cruise ship from the small and almost intimate specialty craft to the new RCCL and other "mega-ships" with 3-4K people or more aboard. Personally, I like the idea of cruise trips with 5-6 stops over a week or so, where you get to explore a new island or city nearly everyday. Then come back to your floating "hotel" to have a wonderful dinner, enjoy some entertainment and then kick-back with a nightcap and watch the evening stars from the outside deck.

I'd say one of the more unusual cruise experiences was meeting two travelers who never left the ship even when it docked in various cities along the Alaska coast. We did white-water rafting, plane rides over the glaciers,
an inland power boat tour, visitied an eagle preserve and took a small boat excursion within a few hundred feet of a 300' tall wall of ice meeting the sea. Each night at dinner, our "mates" drilled us on what we'd done and where we had gone that day. If was as if they were "seeing" Alaska through our eyes and the experiences we enjoyed each day.

posted July 10, 2008

Bob

I've been on one cruise and I enjoyed it but I will not repeat the experience yet awhile - despite the change in market demographics I am still too young!

I did though learn a lesson. I went on my own because it was something different to do after a rough time in my life. I soon got into a pre-dinner drinks crowd - all men waiting for the wives to get ready for dinner. At my table was a lovely lady who was over 80. She still ran her own business - had a mobile her husband did not know about (he was not with her); used her internet connection to book holidays (her husband did not know about this either!).

When she discovered what I did before dinner and why the other men were on their own she joined us and berated the other women for not getting ready sooner (and for paying too much attention to their appearance) and thus missing out on a social event. She was good company and fitted in well with an all male crowd.

The lesson - enjoy life, take advantage of opportunities and you too can be a happy fun loving 80 year old

I also discovered that an age related walking disability is no bar to speeding to the front of the queue when food or drink is on offer!

Peter

posted July 11, 2008

Bob,

To me cruises are one of the best vacations one can ever have. Well, primarily because there are so many options!

I've been riding on ships since I was a small boy but these were mostly inter-island ferry travel. Sure, they were longer than airplane trips, but generally within 24 hours so one wouldn't get as bored (nowadays that is not the case). One could eat, sleep, see the passing islands and occasional dolphin, but not much more.

Fast forward to the current century...mega-cruise ships are practically floating cities, with almost every imaginable form of entertainment and recreation. With various ports of call, one need not go down and visit every single one or join each of the offshore activities if the mood for the day was to stay onboard. With a lot of choices, one can relax, have fun or chill out.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to cruise ships. For those who value a private getaway/vacation, a cruise is not the way to go. On the other hand, if one enjoys meeting people (not always the older set and the honeymooners), there is always that opportunity at the dinner table and the other activities.

Too many people (up to 4000 or more passengers on the likes of the Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class ships, Cunard's Queen Mary 2, etc.) is also not fun for those who are claustrophobic. But there will always be a ship that will suit one's tastes in terms of size, down to smaller yachts with very personalized service.

Food is one of the cruise ship's biggest draws. There are occasions for fine dining, as well as casual barbecues. One fond memory I had was the after midnight snack buffet...the dining hall was lined with all sorts of dessert and fruit!

The activities are so numerous on the big ships, albeit limited on the smaller ones. But generally there will be an activity for every age from toddlers to seniors (kids are even segregrated by age range). I won't go into details anymore since each one has his or her own fancy when it comes to activities like these.

To sum it all, the cruise ship can be the destination itself. There are even cruises to nowhere! (just sail around the seas for a day or two and then return to port)

Links:

• http://www.cruising.org

posted July 11, 2008

I have saild many times, but my favorite was Sea Dream Yacht Club. They are based out of my hometown, Coconut Grove, FL, but they sail the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and South America. Two small fantastic ships that only carry about 100 passengers and probably just as many staff.

They were once the Cunard Countess I and II. When I took a Mediterranean cruise, my next door neighbor was the President of Carnival Cruise Lines...so I guess I picked a good ship!

posted July 11, 2008

For the right person and with the right destination, cruising can be great fun and a wonderfully informative learning experience. Four and five star cruise companies offer a myriad of on-board activities, which usually include excellent naturalists and guest speakers. While on board Celebrity this year cruising S. America and Cape Horn, we had both an expert on South American history and politics( James W. Reid) and an outstanding naturalist(Milos Radakovich). Most speakers and entertainers aboard cruise ships love talking with passengers and building friendships.

Some of my all time favorite people on board the ships are actually the employee's. They are, generally speaking, different than you and I ONLY by what it is that they do, not by who they are.

Please do your research before you cruise. A certain amount of homework can really help you to maximize your cruise experience. Questions to ask yourself are:

-What is the average age range of passengers on this cruise?
-Is the length of cruise too long/too short? Three to 21 days average.
-Am I going just to cruise or do I want a daily destination?
-What are my expectations for my vacation and cruise experience?
-Have I selected the right cruise partner for this destination?

The last question I should have considered more carefully on my last fourteen day trip. I took my 21 year old daughter ( who had cruised before.) She was coming to bed when I was getting up. Her evening activities left her little energy for daytime excursions. Needless to say I had a lot of quality alone time.

And for the record, the most popular cruise ( in my random sampling of cruisers) is Alaska. People are thrilled by it majestic, breathtaking scenery. ( born and raised in Alaska, I concur.)

Happy cruising ( or not )

posted July 11, 2008

I have personally sailed on over a dozen cruises and have another booked for November. I think cruises can be one of the best vacations IF you are on the right cruise. As a vacation & cruise specialist, my job is to make sure that the cruise that my clients book is the right one for them. There are certain cruises that will cater to an older crowd and I certainly wouldn't put my 20 something clients on that one. There are definitely enough cruise ships and itineraries that will fit them much better. The key is to make sure the itinerary, amenities and the shop itself is what you are looking for before booking a cruise and a good travel professional can certainly help with that.

My best recollection of a cruise story is when we were in Alaska and were white water rafting in a river near Valdez. They dressed us up in rubber slickers and pants because the water was ice cold. My 18 year old son was in the front of the raft and refused to button the slicker up to his neck because it wasn't "cool". Well, the first big wave hit the raft and went straight down the front of the raincoat. He got soaked with freezing cold water and, we thought we would never have grandchildren after that. Needless to say, he spent a good few hours in the hot tub back on the ship trying to dethaw "those parts".

posted July 12, 2008

Hi Bob,

My husband is not the cruising type and I'm no biker, but we somehow agreed to do both on our Greek adventure. So on day 2 we rented a motorcycle and tooled around the rocky Athens countryside. Suddenly out of nowhere a large dog darted in our path. We swerved to avoid it...but the bike tipped...and we spilled, with the bike landing on top of us. Now this was an older model and the hot pipe on the side was unshielded, so our legs got badly burned. We limped our way to a nearby hospital. They dressed the wounds but could do little for the pain. Every step was excruciating. We considered ending our trip and returning to the States, but day 4 found us on the boat heading to Santorini. What bliss! We had nothing to do for long stretches of time but sit, chat, eat, drink, and enjoy the music. So for us the disaster occurred beforehand; the cruise was a godsend.

posted July 12, 2008

I've only gone on a day long cruise on one of those "Fun Cruise" ships about 10 years ago. I wasn't really that impressed by the experience but wouldn't rule out going on a regular cruise ship over a longer period of time.

posted July 12, 2008

I've been on two (one to Alaska and one to Mexico.)

With regard to the latter, the entire ship had a good howl over the fact that across the street from the Cruise Ship Terminal in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco is a Wal-Mart, and that quite a few people popped in to get things they ran out of / forgot to pack.

And yes, I would take another one.

posted 12 months ago

Hello Bob,

Why don't you try this site www.lonelyplanet.com (URL provided as a link), as well as check out their 'Thorntree' forum where fellow travellers or entrepreneurs write in to share their experiences and give their recommendations for hotels/restaurants/sight seeing/transport, etc., with dos and donts, at destinations through out the world ?

You could even ask your question(s) and share your experiences there in the Thorntree forum, and get better and more appropriate responses, share resources or business ventures, since that is an ideal and dedicated place for international travellers, whether on a tight budget or not.

I am not a part of / connected with the Lonely Planet group in any ways and I am just offering suggestions, which could be of some benefit to you by increasing your options through the more sharing of information.

Links:

• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa
• http://www.mouthshut.com/product/categories.php?cid=925071705

posted 12 months ago

Yes, everyone on it were old but me...


james hayes

www.jameshayes.ie

Links:

• http://www.jameshayes.ie
• http://lulu.com/jameshayes

posted July 10, 2008

No, but I hear they pull some nasty scams on their guests. A staff member I know who frequently works on cruise ships told me one thing that they use to do (not him, "they") is take your photo with a mascot when you boarded. If you refused to allow the official cruise photographer to take your picture and insisted on taking it yourself with your own camera, the photo lab on the ship would print your photos underexposed so you would have to buy theirs.

posted July 10, 2008

No. Where do you go if you don't like the people?!

posted July 11, 2008