Should I go on a cruise?

I sailed for 4 years but it wasn't cruises. Ex was in the Merchant Navy and wives can go too. I loved being on board ships. It was tankers so very small crew; 20-30 people on board, crew and officers. There were different canteens and bars for crew and officers. It wasn't luxurious and wives were expected to clean their own cabin, but food was prepared and served. How good that was varied, depending on the cook and then nationality of the crew. Also they tended not to be near the places you want to see, so we had to travel when ashore.

Tankers don't have stabilisers so it could be rough. Bands on your wrists or seasick pills can help, but you can't drink alcohol if you take them. Ex missed Christmas dinner one year because he had pills and then a drink. . I got more seasick when we hired a small boat one summer, a catamaran, and sailed it to France and round the Channel Islands

Friends have gone on cruises and they do sound very nice. One of the cruise company sites has details of the various kinds of ship, sizes, kinds of place they go to. Some have lecturers on board so you can learn painting or about the countries you are visiting.

Actually being at sea, away from land, is one of the things I love, as well as seeing new places.It's very peaceful.

Never been on an ocean cruise. DH likes to be able to have scenery to look at. But we have done couple of river cruises. One to China and one on Danube. Both wonderful. But they are more expensive than ocean cruises.

We love cruising the most relaxing holiday ever. Although we prefer smaller ships bigger ships have lots of facilities but can feel at bit impersonal.
Sea sickness can happen but sea bands are brilliant and if needed there is always an injection available from the on board hospital . I would recommend a short weekend taster cruise first just to get the feel of life at sea.

We love cruising and have done 6 now. As one poster said, mostly, you only have a day in port. However, Azamara and some others are now spending 2 days in some ports, which of course gives you 2 days and an evening to explore. Also, to the poster who said they wouldn’t want to visit a city for a day. Cruising invariably takes you to places you wouldn’t otherwise visit (there are always some ports you wouldn’t have visited otherwise). 1 such port for us was in Costa Rica. We loved it and vowed to return and visit other parts of the country on a land trip. We have just returned from that trip. We also visited the port of Mumbai for a day. We did not expect to love it, but we did and intend to go back.

The most crowded area on a ship during a day at sea is around the pool. As we don’t sunbathe, that’s fine by us. There are always other quiet places to relax, both inside and out. I do like my own space at times, so a balcony cabin is a must for me.

I would avoid mini cruises. They have a different clientele, the hen party brigade! 1 week cruises have more children. 2 week cruises are the best I think.

I've worked on the other side of the 'luxury' trade too much to enjoy being a punter. Spend the money on a few nice meals and having your house professionally cleaned (or whatever would please you) instead.

I’ve never been one one but everyone I know who has, enjoyed them enough to rebook. With the exception of one lady. She didn’t fancy it at all. Her husband did. So she agreed to try one. Never again she said on her return! She described it as ‘Pontins at Sea’ which made me laugh!

I don't like being on a ship on the open sea. I also think you get to see very little of each destination, the entertainment sounds naff to me and I think the travel could become claustrophobic over the days but I have done a river cruise and loved that ( Nile) so maybe try one of those first. I would like to go up the fiords to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights as I missed them in Iceland but I would fly there first. I know some people love them but sea cruises are not for me.

I met my husband on a cruise - he was working as the ship's lecturer giving talks about the ports of call and shore trips. Obviously they wanted to sell lots of trips ashore! I loved it and really enjoyed the food, the dancing and of course the trips ashore with a knowledgable guide! His contract didn't last long as the company went bust but we later revisited a lot of the ports of call in our campervan. He wasn't keen to go on a cruise again alas.

We went on a cruise for the first time last year - a river cruise. The ship was lovely, food good, staff helpful and friendly. However, I would never go on a cruise again as we found it quite limiting - the times ashore were relatively brief, and we had to be back promptly in order to set sail to the next berth, consequently there was no opportunity to get off the boat in an evening for a stroll around and maybe a drink.
I suppose on the plus side, cruises give you a taster of places that you might like to return to under your own steam on another occasion, but to be honest, I found the whole experience too organised for me. At least we gave it a try, but they are not for us, we prefer to linger in places that interest us and move on when we are ready, so it’s back to a DIY holiday this year in France.
We have friends who love cruising though, and book every year. They find it very relaxing. I suppose it’s each to their own, really, and I would hate to put the poster off. My advice would be to do your homework and to ask yourself how much you like your holiday to be structured and organised by others. If you like to potter and explore at your own pace, it might not be for you.

There are cruises and cruises! Some ocean ships are indeed Pontins on sea. You get what you pay for. Smaller ships with fewer passengers tend to be more luxurious and aimed at a different market from the huge vessels that often feature in TV commercials. We don't like casinos, shows, art sales and all the sorts of things the big ships have. Our next cruise includes all excursions, gratuities and drinks as well as no extra charge for the speciality restaurants. I expect the other passengers will be older and its a child free ship so quieter. Others might find this boring but its just right for us.

I saw a cruise ad yesterday which set me wondering about something I hadn't thought of before - can you get wi-fi? and if so, what's the quality like and do you pay extra?

Also, we always seem to be hearing about norovirus on cruise ships! have any GNers got experience/knowledge on that?

Don't whatever you do, go on a taster cruise or those short 2-3 day ones; they are generally full of huge groups intent on eating, drinking and partying to excess and will not give you an accurate experience of cruising. You can do what you wish on a cruise, and just because entertainment is available, you don't have to participate ( we don't). Would seriously recommend Norwegian Fffords as first cruise as (1) absolutely stunning, and you will see areas that you can only see from the water and (2) the party crowd don't go for it so you will have fellow passengers that you may feel more comfortable with. You certainly do not have to troop off the ship en masse, or pay for the organised tours, we don't, and generally get off at our own pace and quite often take a red bus ( available in most cities and largish towns) and potter about by ourselves.

What a variety of responses, good and bad!
My husband won a 'mini' cruise on Cal Mac . Oban to S Uist, not your posh Med or Caribbean.

The ship was used to transport cattle from the isles to mainland. Sadly himself suffers from seasickness.

Food was eggs and chips with an odour of diesel, on the stormy waves. He soon disappeared to his berth.

Once in the Minch it got stormier, and we staggered off the boat at S Uist.

Our passengers on the return journey were lots of cattle who mooed and stamped throughout the return to Oban in the hold.

It was a freebie, I enjoyed, but again? never

hildajennyij
You will love your Norwegian cruise
I was fortunate to experience one of those in 1981. I was working, not on holiday My company products were bought by Cunard and I had to make sure ample stock was on the QE11,sad she is no longer with us
Make sure you witness daylight at 2am.The silence as your ship cruises between the peaks that rise up from the waters.If available,take a trip to the North Cape and a flight in a seaplane over the fiords.

We have done some and only one was poor (agree with the but.ins on sea)
The others have always been fantastic, although we have carefully chosen busy ones rather than lots of ‘sea days’ so that we could make the most of getting ashore.
We also where possible arranged our own excursions.
Last year we did the Baltic including St Petersburg it was stunning. A group of six of us only on a private tour much less expensive than the ships tour with so much more included. I could go on!
I would recommend....as ever do some homework.

hhildajennyij we have been on two fiords cruises and have booked already to see the Northern Lights in early 2019. We have absolutely loved both cruises. The scenery is magnificent. The people friendly and the town clean and very interesting. You will love it

I would be wary of the hygiene, food made in vast quantities and kept 'hot' for several thousand people. The fact that you never have your own space without other people and the trips ashore which are included so you feel you have to get your money's worth even though you may have wanted to lie on a sun lounger.
The tips to all and sundry which bump up the cost dramatically and gifts on board which are astronomical prices.
I always say that M&S is the place where the cruise crew buy their clothes.
I'm not a fan.
Been once on a 28 day Carnival cruise decades ago and I was going stir crazy.

Would never go on a cruise. DH designed and built ships all his working life and he told me early on that wild horses would not drag him on to a cruise liner.
My sister cruised around New Zealand and to St Helena and enjoyed the experience but the ships did not carry 3 to 4,000 people like the Carnival cruise ships.

Oh do go. We love river cruising. The wifi, wine, beer, coffees, and snacks are good and free, (people seem to care most about that) . The tours off vessel are mostly free, the food is nice, and you never have to dress up beyond jeans.

If it was several decades ago maybe you were too young and fit Gabriella! DH and I would love to go on a cruise to be pampered for a while but we are concerned that we just wouldn't manage because neither of us are very fit. We probably wouldn't cope with excursions either.

Synonymous, Thus river cruising is perfect for you. You float slowly past lovely sights, get off if you can to see wonderous antiquities, and eat well. A cruise out of Paris takes one right by Richard Lionhearts Ruins, we cabbed up though we are hikers, OH had sprained his ankle. Brilliant! Onward to the beaches of Normandy, where we cabbed from the bus (from the boat). We made work arounds.

GabrielaG. Nonsense! The food is freshly prepared, always of good quality in the self service restaurants and excellent in the main dining rooms, you do not have to get off the ship and go on tours as they are not included and as for your M & S comment? Have a lie down dear.

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Synonymous
I agree with what you say and hope you find that future cruises are all you hope for. I was paid to go on the cruise I mentioned (which was a Celebrity Infinity cruise - got the name wrong but it WAS years ago)
I would have been 60 at that time. I was gifted a watch (bought on board) which I never wore as I don't wear 'jewellery' and recently sold it for £260. That's why I had the purchase card in old photos.

GillT57
? We're all entitled to our opinion.
Illness is not unknown on cruise ships and I have seen behind the scenes footage of food prep on cruise ships....not ALL but SOME.
If you think that chefs on large cruise ships, prep and cook each individual dish as it's ordered, I beg to differ.
Each to his/her own view.