Cruising

GillT57- but you still have to be back on boat at a certain time- which I would find frustrating. Each to their own, of course.

grandma60 the Queen Vic is my favourite as well. I came back a month ago from the Russian Baltic cruise. I like the QE as well but not the QM.

You dont have to go on the organised trips, in fact we dont, and we wander by ourselves. Look on the cruise channel on sky, lots of bargains.

Many of our friends 'swear' by cruises and keep asking us to join them. But I truly think it is not for us- I would find it too frustrating to have to get back to the ship after a day visiting a town- as I like to go behind the scenes, little back streets, beyond the tourist trail, and like to meander and laze around beyond sunset. Sometimes we see a cruise advertised which seems quite reasonable- but when we want a room with a balcony and add all charges- it gets very expensive. So not for us, at least not yet.

I don"t think they would be very good for smokers though!

When and Galen have said it all. Once we had tried one cruise we have never wanted to try any other holiday abroad. We loved Queen Victoria so.much we don't want to try any other although we did go.on.Queen Elizabeth once and even she wasn't the same. We are lucky that living near to.Southampton means that there is hardly.any travelling.to do at all. Definatley try it Nonnie I was talking to a friend the other day and we were wondering why cruise TV programmes always make it look.so awful when they are actually such great holidays.

Quite

No, it's not all very jolly, Nonnie. It's so vast that you just create your own way of cruising from all the choices. I used to meet up with the others on deck in my own time, sit with a book and a coffee, wander in for breakfast, out for an excursion to a vineyard or somewhere like Naples, back late afternoon for a snooze in my cabin or the library, shower and get changed for dinner, then a show, play in the casino, cocktail or a coffee and wander off to bed when I felt like it. If you want solitude there's room service. If we stayed on board all day, there was lots to do or watch, fabulous meals, quiet places to lounge and chat, or you could go for a run right round the ship - it's all marked our for exercise and sports, too. Something for everyone and you wouldn't know that there were over 2,000 on board - so much space.

Ice cream on tap on cunard. No smoking except in a couple of small areas, no audience participation unless you want to join in the quizzes, keep fit or dancing classes etc.
Cunard is mixed I'd say. The fine art is confined to the Clarendon gallery (throw your cheque book in first) (wonder what they've done with the Rolf Harris prints and originals?)
There are lectures on art if you want to attend and on other subjects.

Dont watch any of the programmes about cruises on tv, they always pick out the awful people that you wouldn't want to spend time with! Like you, we were nervous, but last year we went with Celebrity Cruises to Norway. The food was fantastic, the scenery superb. Most importantly, there were no hi de hi type events, no bingo, and ships are always no smoking zones, you are not even allowed to smoke on your own balcony, so no worries there. Go for it, but would avoid Saga, Fred Olsen, and go for P & O, Cunard, Celebrity, Royal Carribean or one of the big ones.

When that's it, ice cream on tap, I'm booking! Seriously, apart from loving ice cream is it all very 'jolly' or more mixed? I like the idea of the fine art as long as I am not expected to buy it and we could both do with some dancing lessons as we have pretty much forgotten everything.

There was no smoking on the cruise liner I was on, Nonnie, unless there was some out of the way shelter I didn't come across. No bingo, either. The only audience participation is what you enter into by consent - the odd show where members of the audience are invited up on stage. There were dancing lessons somewhere, and a great fine art exhibition and auction. Good fun in the casino, and your plastic pass is pre-loaded with some dollars if you want to try it out. It's like entering an enormous hotel complex in an all-inclusive resort, whilst you are at sea. Formal and self service, plus plenty more restaurants and diners to choose from. Ice cream and drinks on tap, kids entertained, nightclub, disco, ice show, concerts........so much to enjoy, or stay away from and watch the dolphins leaping alongside, with a cocktail in your hand.

Thanks both. Happy to do formal but not every night, happy to do self service if I have to but not every night. Not happy to play bingo or audience participation. Don't want to have to walk through smokers to get to anywhere.

I went on a great Royal Caribbean cruise round the Med a few years ago. No seasickness, amazing food, do as you want, lots of great stops around Italy, France and Spain, entertainment for everyone and quiet places like libraries and sunbathing spots on the many decks. No hint of hi-di-hi and no pressure to attend formal dinners if that's not for you. I'd always been wary like you, Nonnie but I'd go on another like a shot.

Can't recommend Cunard highly enough.
If you don't mind an inside cabin and are flexible there are some excellent last minute bargains to be had.
I have to book early as I have to have a disabled cabin and there aren't many, but if you're not fussy well worth a look.The food is excellent and if you don't want to dress up on dress nights you can always go to the buffet which is very good and open 24 hours.
The staff are friendly, polite and helpful.
If you fear seasickness go for middle of the ship and lower down. It's the least motion there.