Who wouldn’t enjoy a cruise? I’ve never been on one. What didn’t you like?

[Anonymous]

So bad for the environment, terrible for the air and water. So much waste and trash generated.

My sister and family did indeed get norovirus. She could go every year for free with her inlaws but they will never do it again.

[Anonymous]

My inlaws treated us all to Cunard Queen Mary transatlantic cruise when DS was 2. I would not recommend this for little kids, or even multigen families. Our cell phones didn't work in the middle of the ocean and since our rooms weren't close together, we spent a lot of time walking up and down the halls looking for each other. Transatlantic means windy/ cold, so most of the time was spent indoors. And it was a very bumpy journey. We tried to make the best of it, as it was my ILs golden anniversary, so we had dinner together every night, quite a few were formal. The food was pretty good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, they're crowded and diseased. I would never.

+1
I wouldn't go on one even if it was fully paid for by someone else. In addition to the crowding and very high possibility of sickness, I hate the idea of being out on the open ocean for days on end, cheesy entertainment/shows, annoying fellow passengers, and tiny, cramped cabins. Never.

[Anonymous]

Honestly the food is disgustingly available and looks pretty but it’s only meh (Royal Caribbean). You have to jockey for the best spots. Book spa treatments ahead of time. Dodge drunk people (fully fledged adults). And even though there are people scuttling around with spray bottles and cleaning, you’re still confined with a group of people and bc they are on vacation they don’t care and are just kinda gross leaving their trash around etc.

I wouldn’t do it again. The rooms are cramped and balconies small, etc

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised that no one had mentioned, unless I miss it, the very real possibility that if an illness runs through the ship, you may be quarantined in another country or out at sea. That happened to my parents and it was a nightmare. People on the ship who tested positive for whatever were quarantined in tiny below deck cabins and missed the whole cruise. I went on one and hated it because it was hundreds of people sitting around a hot tub with no room and a sense of rampant germiness. I brought my toddler who then refused to use the kid center, one of the reasons we went in the first place. That was Disney, so high end. My older kids could never get a turn on the water slide. Every day was a mad rush for reservations at the better restaurants, where the food was in fact good. Never again. When we docked to go to Disneys beach/island, I dreaded getting back on the boat. And oh, if you like to take walks, there is nowhere to go. I am not a fan of a cruise gym.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I enjoyed the two that I've been on with my family. Very easy for multigeneration travel.

Dining was actually a good part of it. We've had our own table on one and had to share a table on another. Both were fine. If you pick an earlier dining time it'll be less crowded.

The only drawback is the risk of noravirus.

I’ve been on 14 different cruises and I’ve never caught Norovirus. Oops, I think I just jinxed myself!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I enjoyed the two that I've been on with my family. Very easy for multigeneration travel.

Dining was actually a good part of it. We've had our own table on one and had to share a table on another. Both were fine. If you pick an earlier dining time it'll be less crowded.

The only drawback is the risk of noravirus.

I’ve been on 14 different cruises and I’ve never caught Norovirus. Oops, I think I just jinxed myself!

You probably washed your hands before eating and/or avoided the buffets.

[Anonymous]

We took a Disney cruise (and we like WDW so we are “those” people) and liked everything about it except the crowds. We went a random week (last week of January) but because it’s a cruise the boat was still basically full. Lines to do everything, pool so crowded, etc.

Food exceeded our expectations and we didn’t pay for any up charge dining. Absolutely loved the private island. And it’s really nice for everything to be mostly included. But I think the crowds are the result of that.

So we’ve mostly transitioned to resort stays where you pay a la carte for everything, which honestly I don’t love but I think keeps crowds down and improves food and drink quality.

[Anonymous]

Being a fan of live music, I am probably the only one but I would love to go on the many music cruises offered.

The line up on some of bands/musicians is impressive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, why not try a short cruise to see if you like it? There are quite a few which are only 3-4 days and go to the Bahamas.

They are also not as expensive (once you get to Florida) as many others. You could combine a short cruise with time spent elsewhere in Florida.

The fact that the Bahamas are less than 100 miles from the U.S. should be of some comfort. Of course, you should always buy medical evacuation insurance no matter where you travel. Again, if it is a short cruise going to the Bahamas the insurance won't be ridiculous.

There are things I hate about cruising: constant money-grabbing initiatives by cruise lines, other passengers who act like jerks, miniscule pool areas, and of course risk of illness with so many people on board.

We mitigate it by not getting a drink package and just pay-as-we-go, getting a cabin with a balcony so we can have a private space to enjoy watching the sea, go to the pool/hot tubs at off-peak times, and eat in the dining room where you have less chance of being exposed to the nasty things people do at the buffet. Most cruise lines will seat you at a small table if you request it, if you go to early dining option.

Going on a short cruise to try it out is a good idea in theory, but those are the cruises that attract the crowd that just wants to party for a long weekend on a boat - you will be much more likely to encounter rampant public drunkenness and bad behavior on those short 3-4 day cruises.

[Anonymous]

I have never been on a cruise and have always been disgusted by the idea of cruising for all of the reasons pointed out by everyone else already. HOWEVER, lately I have been seeing these ads for Viking river cruises in Europe and have become very intrigued. My husband and I are empty-nesters and the right age (maybe even on the young side), at 55 and 61 years old. I’ve done sort of a deep dive on their website to look at costs, accommodations, etc. The experience is a little pricey but looks kind of great, and I don’t think the previously described gross behaviors are likely to be seen here. (No kids, no pool, no water slides, no performers, etc.) Basically it looks like it caters to like a small-ish group of older, educated, well-behaved, rich-ish people, which I guess we are now.

Would love to hear if anyone has had any experience with one of these cruises.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the reasons they are great for multi generational family trips but I would never go on one on my own because I hate crowds.

Same. Great for multigenerational trips. Never as a family vacation (except a Disney cruise). Too much drinking all day long.

I also hated the exhaust smell, the seat saving, the impossibly crowded pool and the 24 hours of rough seas that cause ship wide throw up everywhere. I had to stay on the only deck they let us stay in to avoid going inside and being assaulted across my senses by throw up. With all that being said, I would consider a Disney cruise, and European Riverboat cruises as they pull from a different clientele.

[Anonymous]

"Cruises" encompass a tremendously wide range of potential experiences, from very uncrowded, ultra-luxury vessels offering extremely high-end fine dining and other amenities, to relatively inexpensive options with completely different atmospheres (and price tags). Destinations and durations matter, too, as different itineraries tend to attract different demographics. Shorter cruises to the Caribbean tend to be more family-oriented, and can also attract younger crowds interested in partying, while cruises to Norway and the Far East will attract older, wealthier generally well-travelled passengers looking for an entirely different experience. Expedition cruises to Antarctica will appeal to yet another type of passenger. Cruising really does encompass plenty of apples and oranges, e.g. - Regent Seven Seas compared Carnival - different in every respect.

As is so often the case on this forum, you'll read plenty of conclusory, unsupported opinions with no factual basis or personal experience behind them, so do your own research. Here are sites which can help:

cruisecritic.com
cruisetruth.com
https://www.tullyluxurytravel.com/cruise/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never been on a cruise and have always been disgusted by the idea of cruising for all of the reasons pointed out by everyone else already. HOWEVER, lately I have been seeing these ads for Viking river cruises in Europe and have become very intrigued. My husband and I are empty-nesters and the right age (maybe even on the young side), at 55 and 61 years old. I’ve done sort of a deep dive on their website to look at costs, accommodations, etc. The experience is a little pricey but looks kind of great, and I don’t think the previously described gross behaviors are likely to be seen here. (No kids, no pool, no water slides, no performers, etc.) Basically it looks like it caters to like a small-ish group of older, educated, well-behaved, rich-ish people, which I guess we are now.

Would love to hear if anyone has had any experience with one of these cruises.

There are videos on YouTube by people who have been on various cruises, including the river cruises by Viking and others. You might find those helpful. Ditto Fodors Travel Talk - Cruises subsection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of types of cruises, just like there are lots of types of hotels and resorts. Just like them, it depends on the destination and the quality/luxury level.

Yes, a small cabin on a Carnival cruise to Jamaica is just a drunken crowd. Might as well go to any Caribbean resort.

A nice suite cabin on a higher end cruise or cruise section (Celebrity, NCL Haven, Holland America, etc.) that takes you to a bunch of ports in the Mediterranean or Alaska, I love it!

+1

My dad has MS and his mobility is limited. Cruises work well for traveling with him and takes the pressure off my mom in terms of stress, work, etc.