I wonder why?

I received an email the other day trying to sell me a company’s ‘captivating cruises’. If ‘captivating’ means being kept in quarantine on a boat in a harbour for fourteen days, no thanks!

I’ve been on a Nile cruise, with about 100 people, but not one of those small-town-afloat cruises.

I don't think I'd be booking right now, but we wouldn't rule it out in the future.

We've been on Alaska, New Zealand, Yangtze and Baltic cruises. To us the destinations are the thing, not the ship, though the ones we've been on have all been excellent.

BlueSky, there are always good deals on cruises if you book very early or late or shop around. We had 14 nights to the Baltic cities and St Petersburg last year on a last minute deal for £800 each (less than half price). On a small, friendly ship (CMV) departing from the UK, with excellent food and entertainment. To seven great cities that you could just walk right into. The only organised tour we had to book was for the two days in St Petersburg, but we chose an SPB specialist with a small group of just 8 people per tour guide (much cheaper than the cruise company's own offers). I'd highly recommend it.

We have been on a couple of ocean cruises and a couple of river cruises.
We are receiving several offers daily, by post and email, with ‘unbeatable’ offers from cruise companies.

I have often thought about a cruise up the Yangtze River, to see the Terracotta Army ... but we won’t be doing that any time soon.

I feel concerned for people who have got holidays booked in the Far East and for all those working in the hospitality industry there.

So much depends on the cruiseline. We've been on big ships and found them too big. Now we've found a smaller, good quality, line we're planning to stick to them. You get what you pay for. If you pay Butlins prices you get a Butlins style cruise. That's lovely for some people but not for us. It's a mistake to just write off cruising as there are so many types of cruise available.

Richard Branson has 4 new cruise ships in the offing. First one ‘Scarlet Princess’ up and running. Built in Italy.
?
I’m not a fan of his. All the money he’s made on the back of the NHS. Sorry to go off at a tangent there.

Perhaps cruising is a very competitive market now with all the competitors? I don’t fancy it myself. But then I think ‘you don’t know it till you try’. Everyone bar one person I know has enjoyed the experience, some taking several holidays. Only one lady didn’t like it. She called it ‘Butlin’s by the Sea’.

BlueSky you can be as sociable as you like or not, I am quite shy. I travelled alone and always found someone to talk to in the bar after dinner. I used the organised trips when we docked as I am not adventurous enough to explore on my own. It was easy to find a quiet spot to sit alone and read a book (just avoid the pool areas!).

It was something I always wanted to do - although I have said I have no intention of going again, I suppose I could find myself tempted back in a few years time!

Oldwoman I've never been on a cruise and I could be tempted. What's your experience? As I'm not very sociable I wonder whether I would feel trapped and overwhelmed with all those people. Just like the idea of being in many different ports in matter of days. Cruises do seem to have become more affordable.

Now why didn't I think of that libra

Fancy that!
Having said that, several times in the past a sister and BiL have found a heavily discounted last-minute winter cruise to somewhere much warmer. They were never too bothered about which cabin or where to, though - as long as they were going to get some reliably warm sun.

Could it be due to the coronavirus outbreak?

Some 'cruisers' got a much longer holiday than they bargained for!