So is any one else into cruising?

So what would be the recommendation if one were to take on a first cruise? I have never done it, but judging by everyones responses on this thread it sounds like something worth trying - what are the best places to go to?

I used to stay on jeans or shorts when sailing. There was one occasion though when I decided to go topless! Ds said 'mummy, someone might see you! '
We were 12miles off shore,with the only boat in sight, a tanker, only just visible on the horizon!

I love narrow boat holidays, especially on the Broads - such beautiful places you pass through and the wild life and camaraderie are second to none.

I also enjoy cruising, having been anti for most of my life until I was persuaded to go on one with family. Great fun to be having your evening meal afer a happy day wandering round places like Villefranche, and to watch the shore gradually fade away as you go back out to sea, then it's an evening of varied entertainment, a good night's sleep and you wake up in the morning with a new, beautiful view and more adventures. It's just different - the stereotypes about cruising would apply to some, I suppose, but it wasn't what I encountered. I stayed in jeans and tee shirt for most of the holiday, read a few books, recharged my batteries and ate some wonderful meals in restaurants of my choice. There's stodge and rich food if you want it - my preference is beautifully cooked fish, salads, fruits and lots of cocktails!

Rosiebee I like the idea that ships suited you down to the ground.

I can't think of anything worse , it would be like living in a nightmare. Perhaps it's not surprising as DH and I have spent our entire life( holiday- wise ) cruising the beautiful canals of our own fair land. If you don't think you could manage a narrowboat yourselves , try a hotel boat. Fabulous!

Pleasure

I must be suffering from late-onset dyslexia: I read this title as "So is anyone else into cursing?" AndI thought "I bet phoenix uttered an expletive or two

Are you a guest lecturer, jeni? Or is your trip pure pleasure?

Ooh, more stories; I shall look forward to them. Enjoy every minute.

I'm on the QM2 for 5days before that

Not against it, just don't care for it, but that's just my opinion. Off to South Africa soon (I may have mentioned it!l! Think I may have been boring for England) and when we have done the water project work there, we've hired a car and are off to Rorke's Drift, Iswandala and the surrounding game park. That's what I prefer. As long as we are all doing what we want, and what we enjoy, it really doesn't matter who's doing what. And we'll have so many different experiences to share afterwards! jeni looking forward to hearing all about your time on the QE!
This isn't a competition, just one of our ongoing debates.

We're also retired teachers and have done 4 cruises round the Med with Thomson and had a brilliant time. They're older ships, smaller but very well looked after, not glitzy. The staff were all fantastic and the entertainment was excellent. We don't like places with a holiday camp atmosphere and the ships we went on suited us down to the ground. On most ships you can eat from a buffet or have waiter service. The portions in the restaurants aren't enormous and we didn't feel that they were too rich. Everyday you wake up to a new port, most of which you can just walk off the ship and wander around. We've been to Barcelona, Naples, Rome, Florence, Corsica, Sardinia etc etc. Thomson's are great for first time cruisers. They do have one 'dress up' night but even that's not compulsory. It's all very relaxed but not downbeat at all. Also did a cruise that went around the Greek islands and up the side of Italy, taking in Dubrovnik and Venice.
My husband was very sceptical before our first cruise, but we've just come back from a fantastic NCL cruise around the Hawaiian Islands so they must be doing something right. Go for it! I haven't met anyone yet who has been on a cruise and not enjoyed it. Most people who are against cruising have never dipped their toes in the water.

maniac I am on the QE in sept, flying and then cruising to the holy land. I am in princess grill class. If you are interested let me know! If you pm me I will give you my phone no and we could meet to see if we are compatabile in person as well as on line? You would only have to pay your
Airfare as I have to pay for the cabin only. There may be a nominal fee for altering the booking.let me know

I could always take my earplugs !!

We like to chuck everything in the car and go. A cottage in West Wales again this year with a view across St Bride's Bay from the terrace, three good pubs and lots of coast path to walk. Can't wait!

I tried to the same but it was foggy at 8 so Wales had vanished!

I really don't fancy it for several reasons.

Top of the list is that neither of us are into large plates of rich food and I gather a lot of eating goes on - not our scene at all! And I would resent paying for food that I wasn't going to eat! (OH weighs about 8 stone!)

Hate dressing up at all - jeans and a T-shirt are my idea of a posh outfit!

Like to be totally free to do our own thing and explore a place in depth, rather than just dipping in and moving on.

We also like to eat breakfast at mid-day if we fancy lying in - that is why we never do hotels, only self-catering. We can eat when we like and have some privacy to slump about in a dressing gown if we want to. We always choose self-catering accommodation that has a good view, so that we can soak up some beauty from the garden or via the windows in poor weather. We are so spoiled with where we live that the views have to be special to make it worth paying out! I stood on our balcony this morning with a cup of tea, gazing across the views of the Welsh hills in the crisp sunny air - it truly is magical and we are very blessed. It makes up for lots of health problems and other burdens - it always lifts our hearts!

One of the reasons for moving to France was so I was not dependent on airlines/ferries for my travel. Theoretically, I could now drive to Vladivostok (not that I want to).
I had a lovely holiday with a friend on a cabin cruiser from Narbonne to Beaucaire, through the Camargue - very restful, maximum speed is 4 knots and you tie up each night near some town or village with a restaurant. He did all the work although I quite enjoyed helping at the locks.

For many years I have taken my sister on holiday - so far to Majorca, Minorca, Crete, Paris, Monaco, Albi and several in the UK - and whilst it saved the single supplement as we shared a twin bedded room, I paid for everything so it cost me the normal two-person price. She is now too disabled to do the kind of things she used to enjoy (bars, clubs, dancing, flirting) so I am going to Manchester to bring her back here for two weeks.
I have been a bit wary of sharing with any other woman, but I now have a very good Swiss friend and we are going to Sharm el Sheik together as she also likes snorkeling on coral. It is incredibly cheap with Easyjet and she is very good company, so I am looking forward to it.
She has begun to show me various parts of Switzerland and we intend to use the beautiful Swiss rail system this summer.

The Mekong cruise is very interesting - I will do some research as I could probably add it on to my next long visit to New Zealand. I have been watching Wild China and it is a fascinating country.

No always have to pay 100%supplement. But would be happy to share (I snore!!!!!!)

em I fancy cruising but never done one.I like not having to pack and unpack between ports,- Don't fancy dressing up and captains table malarkey.Definitely don't like single supplements-sometimes 100%!!
Friends I share with on coach tours don't want to go cruising.
I heard of someone who offered to share ,got regular price and in the end had double room to herself.Anyone tried this?

As some of you know, I adore cruises. You don't have to dress up if you don't want or meet the captain! The free drinks are the draw at these does!
Waking up in a new port every morning without having to pack and unpack inbetween is fun . I suppose for me it is an extension of when oh and I used to sailour own boat to France every year. The nice thing about this is that I don't have to cook and clean!
I also don't have to go and look for the marina showers in the pouring rain.
Another advantage for me is that I get meet lots of nice people. As I live on my own and don't meet many people socially normally. This is a bonus.

As far as River Cruising goes Greatnan I suppose it's whatever floats your boat

We have driven all over parts of mainland Europe especially when the children were small, considering it to be part of their education. We now relish the down time that being on a river cruise brings plus the fact that we are taken to the attractive places rather than having the hassle of getting there ourselves. We also love organised rail holidays. When the children were little we would never dreamt of going on a package holiday, much to their disgust, but would go camping and staying in little hotels/inns etc between campsites. I reckon I've earned my little bit of luxury.

Airports drive me insane and the thought of a big cruise fills me with horror too, Ariadne

I was against cruising, having seen my sister and husband dressed formally for most evenings on their cruises, and definitely did not want to 'meet the captain' to have a photo done. However, I went with my family on the Voyager of the Seas for a Med cruise with lots of stops in beautiful places around the coast of Italy, France and Spain, and it suited me perfectly. It was easy-going, interesting, lots of choice for entertainments and dining, plenty of quiet places for a read and a snooze, a 2-storey library with sofas (perfect for a few zzzzzz's) and various bars with themes to suit all nationalities. Lovely to sit on the side in the evening, at sea, watching dolphins playing alongside for us. Great fun, and I would go again.

Yes, Greatnan I could go for the cruise down the Mekong too! When shall we go?

A cruise down the Mekong - oh, yes!
I fancied taking a holiday on a flotilla round the Greek islands, until I found you had to share a toilet. A private lavatory is my 'sine qua non'.