To cruise or not to cruise?

Thanks for all the advice, I`ll try to look forward to the holiday, but will probably still be fretting right up to going on board!

Yes ginny we went to talks and other stuff we fancied, but felt so confined somehow. Next cruise will be one with maximum 2 days at sea only, that will be sufficient for us.

whitewave I agree it's good to be able to get off ship and explore. however we are only in our early sixties and we found plenty to do on 'sea days'. Demos, talks, classes, dance lessons, films, several sports and even a choir on some cruises.

Just a word of warning about credit cards and registering on cruises. Shortly after I took my mum on a cruise (disaster to say the least) she was the target of card fraud. She very rarely uses her card and the only time we could think of that it was out of her hands was on the cruise. She got all the money back and the police were investigating but although we can't be 100% certain the chances are that the card was cloned when it was with cruise staff. So I would advise everyone to be careful.

Our last cruise was in the Autumn to the Med. We hadn't cruised for some years. Well what we learned was the following.

Next time we will - ensure that we have as few sea days as possible. We are both still active and found the enforced idleness on sea days frustrating.

Cruising is not something we will necessarily go for in future until we are older and/or less able.

Would definitely go for the eat any time option, as whilst not unsociable not happy about sharing a table night after night with people with which we have little in common. If you do get a good table with people you can chat too then it definitely adds to your holiday but this can't be guaranteed.

With the indigestion thread in mind it is sensible to eat sparingly!!! So easy to overindulge, which we did on our first day, by going to the main restaurant at lunch time and eating a three course lunch, then booking a specialist restaurant in the evening. We staggered back to the cabin absolutely stuffed, and most uncomfortable.

Saying all that there is no doubt that cruises are excellent value for money, and great fun with all the dressing up etc, the evening entertainment is usually of a reasonable standard and sometimes excellent.

numberplease if you don't want to 'dress up' on formal nights you can go to the self service restaurant instead.

In most cases cash does not change hands on board. Everything is put on your bill and paid using your debit credit card number which you will be asked to supply at the beginning of your cruise. You will then be given a card which you show whenever you buy anything on board. You can ask at reception for an update of you bill or sometimes it is available on screen in your cabin.

Some cruise lines add gratuities onto your bill automatically although you can ask for these to be removed.

If you are worried , give the cruise line a call and check all these things with them.

As for liking others / them liking you , well that's life but we have always found most people are very friendly. If you are on a set table for meals and you really can't stand the other people, just ask to be moved.

Just relax and enjoy all that a cruise has to offer and do it your way, there are no rules.

We`re going n our first cruise in a few weeks time, mainly because my husband has wanted to go on a cruise for years, but I`m still not sure about it, I`m worried that we won`t like the people or they won`t like us, also I`m worried about dining arrangements and hoping there aren`t any formal nights, as hubby won`t dress up, we actually don`t possess "dress up " outfits. I`m also bothered about having to make sure we hang onto enough money to pay our ship`s bill at the end of the cruise, i.e. gratuities and excursions. Do we pay for drinks when we have them in the bar, or do they get put on our bill as well?

l love cruising on smaller ships, but now l,m on my own single supplements are a problem, even though my husbands not with me l am still paying for him, now its coach trips.

They all sound so varied, LyndaW it sounds as if you can do whatever you most like the sound of. I have never been either, and have always shied away. I'm a bit frightened tbh. My DH has yearned for ages to go to Antarctica, which means a cruise of sorts, and I have finally given in for his special birthday this year. I think this will be different from most of these discussed (I apologise if I have missed it otherwise). Only 100 or so pax. If anyone has been, I would love any specific advice - sorry If this is high jacking your thread.

We went on a Caribbean cruise a few years ago. The ship was amazing, and the facilities brilliant. We got off every day, and did lots of touristy things. I know some people absolutely love it. But we didn't quite like it. It took me a couple of weeks back home to work out what it was... it was being 'new' every day. You know how when you first arrive at your holiday destination, everything feels a bit strange, but after a couple of days, you settle in, and start being able to find your way around? Well that never happens with a cruise. Every day, you're new again! You have to wonder about finding your way, looking puzzled, and with 'we're fresh off the ship' tattooed on your forehead! And you never get the chance to walk along the beach in the moonlight! If you're happy to just enjoy the ship (nothing wrong with that of course), you'll be fine!

The subject of cruises always seems to bring out strong opinions, particularly from people who haven't done it and are certain they never will! Cruising is the most lazy, laid back way to enjoy different places without any inconvenience. Once on board you can just lay back and let the world come to you. Enjoy your own sea view on your balcony and use room service if you want to. DH who is not a fan of holidays, loves cruises as there is (in no particular order) : unlimited delicious food, top class entertainment, casino, quizzes, fascinating destinations and toilets close at hand wherever you are. Compared to a hotel holiday in one destination, cruises offer so much more.

Hi LyndaW. There has been much good information, obviously conflicting as we are not all the same and don't have the same likes/wants/needs etc.

I wanted to add that I am a rotten sailor and it took thirty odd years before I took my first cruise. Thereafter I was hooked.

The main point is that you need to choose a cruise-line and ship that suits you. For instance, we regard ourselves as 'young' so ruled out some lines. We ended up (although we have cruised with four different lines but always return to our favourite) with Celebrity, an American company. They have a 'can do' feel about them.

If you prefer afternoon tea served by staff with white gloves with Rule Britannia playing gently (can it be played gently?!), Celebrity is not for you. If you prefer six-star hushed service, it is not for you. If you prefer much noise and high-jinx by the swimming pools, Celebrity is not for you. That is not to say that any of the above are not fine, just not for us.

Celebrity is a 'premium' company at a level just before one reaches the six-star level. The cabins on their ships are the best we have encountered with some on the later ships absolutely brilliant (this is in terms of space and clever layout etc.).

Food on Celebrity has deteriorated slightly - as have they all - in recent years and we noticed that they are combining two courses at supper but we can live with that!

Safety is paramount (on several levels) and from what we can see, they are vigilant which is reassuring.

We love the evening entertainment, just like seeing a west-end show but hate the rush from (usually) one end of the ship to the other (where the theatre is situated) as our table is often the last to leave the dining room! Gassing too much.

In terms of table size, again personal preference is key but we always ask for a large table - eight or ten. This gives adequate opportunity to move around the table and converse with others - being stuck with one set of people could be tricky! We also always ask to sit with some non-Brits, too. We love the different dimension this gives and are still 'email friends with some of them, years later.

It may be helpful for you to attend a Cruise Show - there are a couple around the country and then you could pick up brochures - but do try to read between the lines! They all want your money!

Although we enjoy mid to large ships, there is always somewhere quiet to sit and read - either on the day-beds at the very top of the ship or sitting at the back, feet up on a rail, watching the wake as she trundles along in the sunshine. Big is not always bad. Although, we have not yet tried 'enormous'.

Finally, if you have doubts about sea-sickness - I am your girl! In ten plus cruises I had one occasion to go and ask for an injection (no, not to put me down, although I was considering that option at the time...) which put me to sleep for about 12-15 hours. When I awoke, the bad storm had passed and I was fine. Generally, by taking a piece of ginger and a meclizine pill (easily obtainable) I am fine and I am a very poor sailor (once was nearly sick on a pedalo!).

My family cannot understand our love for cruising and our trying to explain the joy of popping up at yet another destination (after sailing overnight) is a mystery to them! We can have a taster-day somewhere without being stuck for a fortnight in a resort/town we hate - and can always return for a longer holiday if we know we like the place.

I hope you choose the right line/ship for you and have a wonderful time (NO packing and unpacking as on a touring holiday. It's just wonderful!).

westieyaya I would definitely opt for freedom dining if I were you.Most of the cruise ships are going that way anyway. On our last cruise we nearly always had a " solo" diner on the table and it was fine. Most readily joined in with the conversation and others made sure they were included if they seemed a little reticent.It is a real chance to meet up with others knowing that if you weren't too keen it was unlikely you would be with them again the next evening.

If we ever did a cruise, we would do a river cruise or a short cruise around the Scilly Isles which we really fancied (advertised in the Nat.Trust magazine last year). Or a Fjords cruise.

have never been on a cruise although we are considering doing one to see the northern lights. On a different note when we stayed in St Lucia we noticed the prices in town all went up when a cruise ship was docked

I'm off to the Mediterranean in May on my own for 18 nights and am getting cold feet. Went on a sea cruise to Baltic with late husband 10 years ago, we were sat with another couple who we had nothing in common with. I've been on a couple of river cruises on my own, but they're small numbers. Should I opt for timed dining, same table or freedom dining, wherever? Any advice welcome

I have been on Cunard and Hurtigruten, both are accessible for wheelchairs. They all have specific disabled cabins, but they get booked up early. Depending on the amount of mobility your Mum has, an ordinary cabin may suffice. P & O also have facilities for disabled passengers, but we did not think Adonia is suitable. If you can afford it, the larger cabins obviously offer more space. My parents would have come with us on the Arcadia last year, but unfortunately my Father became ill and we had to cancel. I would suggest a smaller ship rather than the likes of Brittannia. Some excursions are not suitable for disabled. As with everything, read the small print, ask questions and visit the ship beforehand. P&O and Cunard both do visit days which include lunch and are very useful.

My husband would really like to go on a cruise (we are in our late fifties). My mum lives with us so would of course accompany us, but she is dependent and in a wheelchair. Has anyone noticed what sort of facilities there are on board ship for disabled people?

Thanks very much.

Cruises have never interested me, but after reading Diana Melly's Strictly Ballroom courtesy of Gransnet I do feel that if we ever win the lottery I could be tempted to cross the Atlantic on the QE II

You do not have to pay the inclusive tips. Read the small print and you can opt out as Galen says.
Not all cruises include alcohol in the price pamhill again check the small print. A lot even give you on board spending money as an incentive to travel with them.
I agree price is a big factor, but I think cruises are value for money when you compare with a fortnight's all inclusive holiday in a 5 star hotel, which is essentially what they are except in a different place every day.

I have only skimmed some of the replies, but that has given me plenty to comment on. I don't know what rate of pay the crew on my Saga or Cunard ships get, but I always found them to be happy, cheerful and willing to help. On Cunard we were in Britannia Club and the Restaurant staff there could not be faulted and it was not just out in for our benefit. Our waiter has been with the company over 10 years, is married with 3 kids and regularly sees his family during the cruise, they come out to see him. The staff in the Britannia restaurant were surly and not very helpful, however.
If you don't want to have tips automatically added to your bill, don't,cruise with that company, not all add the tips automatically.
We found that we rarely saw the same people, other than in the Restaurant, but then, only if they were dining at the same time. We had a table for 2 so did not,have to share and we could dine when we liked on Cunard. On Saga, it is all Freedom Dining, again we were on a table for 2. There are so many people around and so much to do and so many different places to go, you are not with the same people all the time.
We have enjoyed the cruises we have been on, including round Norway, with Hurtigruten. My best advice is to read the information very carefully and make sure you go with a,company you trust and who provides the level of service you want and is going to somewhere you want to go.

Ive never cruised because:
1. the cost- its a definite high-end, all-inclusive price, however much value you say it might be, I probably look to self-catering hols as cost is in my control and truthfully I doubt I could afford it
2.Alcohol costs are included and so paid for in the price, but neither DH or I drink! Seems a waste of money for us.
3. DH gets travelsick/seasick on a ferry crossing (or public transport) and has to lie down in a cabin, even on a day trip to France! lol. Although he does acknowledge that the engine and slight sway of the boat makes him sleep very well!
4. As I use a mobility scooter Id worry about getting that on and off the boat to use for sight-seeing. But I love the idea of a new city a day, organised tours or by ourselves, and new scenery so is a big temptation. Would love to go to the Fiords, see the Northern Lights or St Petersburg, or somewhere warmer like canaries or even Caribbean!
But if I won the Lottery I might join the Cruise Community, you never know

The only thing I don`t agree with about our upcoming cruise is not being given a choice regarding tipping. They add £5 per person per night to be paid at the end of the holiday. What if we don`t want to tip for any reason?

You dont have to dress up for dinner every night, some cruise lines have formal nights, but there are plenty of other places to eat if you dont wish to join in. Dressing for dinner is smart casual, what I would call polite to be honest; I dont wish to eat dinner next to someone sweating in a pair of shorts and flip flops. DH wears chinos and a short sleeved shirt/polo shirt and on a warm cruise I wear linen trousers and a top, really no different from what I would wear going out to dinner here. Tips are generally added to your account each day, but as Galen says, you always have the option to make your own arrangements.

NotToo Maybe not Cockney then but they spoke with a "London"accent and supported West 'Am.