I love to cruise do you?

We know some people (who have never been on one and disapprove on principle) don't want to go on a cruise. So what? Many of us do and enjoy every minute of them for a whole host of reasons. I don't like knitting or cooking but don't find it necessary to go on those threads and disparage those who do.
It's simple. If you don't want to go on a cruise don't go.

As a way of seeing eg the Norwegian fjords or the Northern Lights or castles of the Rhine, cruising might appeal. But paying cruise prices to read my book on deck or have a facial or whatever , why?
And as for the “evening entertainment” so often advertised, like a cabaret (😱😱) or on board entertainment, I’d rather choose my own theatre or concert entertainment any day. Maybe lectures from Mary Beard on a cruise to Ancient Greece or Simon Montefiore on a Mediterranean cruise might tempt me as a “taster” of what we were going to visit. But never Bingo or a Casino.
Nor do I long for dressing up for formal dining or the “Captains Table” (I really would rather stick pins under my finger nails! )
Why would I want to eat with the driver?

BlueBelle

My view is I can’t think of anything I d less like to do 😂

I'm afraid I agree.

I prefer a land based holiday. We have been on a few cruises and used them to get a taste of places to spend longer (land based) holidays e.g. Costa Rica and India, where we spent several weeks each subsequently.

''Staff are often tied to contracts stretching six to eight months. They sleep in cramped, noisy cabins. And in comparison to the passengers, their food is poor - usually eaten in a crew canteen. An authoritarian management code often ensures an abrupt dismissal for breaching regulations on dress code and contact with passengers.

One Indian man who peels vegetables for 11 hours at a time on board the Festival, a ship owned by industry giant Carnival, said: 'If you speak from the heart, you are gone, fired. You just have to keep saying "yes".'

In another case, International Transport Workers' Federation investigators found two showers and one working toilet for 100 male and female crew members on a ship serving the Caribbean. Staff slept six to a cabin.

'Conditions for workers below deck haven't improved in decades,' said Tony Sasso, a Miami-based inspector with the ITWF. 'People are still underpaid, workers have few rights. Many of them are reluctant to come forward and complain. To most people, workers on cruise liners are nonentities. They have an almost invisible existence.'

Arthur Espinoza, 37, a Filipino, worked as a continental chef for the Disney Cruise Line in 1998. His ship, the Disney Magic, carried around 2,600 guests. They were served by 900 staff members. Espinoza, voted Employee of the Month in 1999, regularly worked 14- to 16-hour shifts, seven days a week. His was a twilight world, consisting of only work and sleep. He complained about staffing levels and work pressures to Disney in October 1999.

'Conditions were very bad,' he said. 'There was a lack of manpower in the kitchen. We were always working. And there was never enough time for all the preparation. I needed Disney to help us. I remember, when I was being trained by them, they had always said how important it was for us to work as a family. I thought I could be open with them.'

Espinoza was fired later that month after Disney claimed he refused to work. On leaving the Disney Magic, the ship's captain took his seaman's book - a log of employment carried by all seafarers - and added the comment, 'Dismissed for work refusal'. Espinoza has been forced to move back to Manila. He sued the Disney Cruise Line for wrongful dismissal but lost his case in May 2000 - he has since appealed. But he has been unable to find work in the cruise ships industry since. He now sells clothes for a living.

One of the worst cases highlighted in the report dates from last year, when 237 crew members from 24 different countries were stranded in Dover after their ship, Ocean Glory 1, was detained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The 51-year-old vessel had 35 safety defects. The journey from Greece to Dover had been a catalogue of disasters. The ship stalled in the Mediterranean, living conditions were filthy, the Greek officers were abusive to their staff.

'As long as these workers don't have proper representation, bad working conditions will continue,' said Tony Sasso of the ITWF. 'But this is a hidden world. If passengers were allowed access to to the staff areas, I'm sure most people would be put off the idea of a cruise completely.''

polly123

I have been to Venice a few times and love it for lots of reasons. However, we didn't enjoy seeing a massive monster of a cruise ship suddenly intrude on the beauty of Venice and literally dwarf everything. I think there are plans in place to deal with this problem. We didn't envy the long groups of cruise tourists following some person at the front waving a scarf and heading for somewhere where commission could be earned. We like to stay in one place and explore as much of it as possible and not just tick a list.

Those huge ships in Venice are a menace and a disgrace, In Split and Dubrovnik last year, the view from the Port were totally ruined for everyone by rows and rows of massive cruise ships- you could not see out to sea. And when one of several of those ships 'disgorge' the whole town becomes massively over crowded, impossible to do anything.

As you say polly - what is the point of a tick list. You haven't visited a town or area if you arrived at 10am and back on the ship late afternoon. Barely scratched the surface.

I think most people have no idea of the living conditions for staff and poor wages- especially the ones they never see.

JdotJ

Butlins at sea

Have you actually been on a cruise?

When husband was alive, my husband and I tried a Saga cruise many years ago and we met 2 other couples who company we enjoyed. All yjree of us women had been teachers and we really enjoyed the experience. From then on we became regular cruisers. We went everywhere in Europe, USA and Caribbean. Sadly now three of the six have died and I tried a cruise back to the Caribbean but disembarked in St Lucia where I now live.
I have happy memories and learnt a lot about other countries. I agree with those people who now prefer river cruises. They are quieter and you can look forward to smooth waters. The pace of life is slower and quieter.
We also did many holidays on Great Rail Journeys and. Can still read my diaries of our travels. We never stopped until there were only 3 of us left. When people said they did not understand our contant love of travelling my husband would tell them “We are investing in memories” and my diaries of all of our travels are with me here. Due to age, health and being alone on any journey no longer appeals to me, but the memories live on. When looking at news on TV my son often sighs and says “ I bet you and dad went there” and I smile and look back on happier days.

Butlins at sea

We were once sat with the son of a high ranking Chinese government person. As rich as Croesus and so very different from anyone we had met before. He ate and ate and ate- about 7 or 8 courses and told about all the different cars he owned ( Mercedes, BMW, Porche ). We would never meet anyone like that normally and I count my blessings that I met him, shone a light on a few things about China at least. 🇨🇳

But can I take my dog?

I saw a Netflix film called "The Secret Life of the Cruise Ship" about one of those monster cruise liners like a small city. 5000 passengers plus crew. My idea of hell. I also felt sorry for the crew shoehorned into tiny cabins with bunks.

In the past Ive been tempted by some of the Viking river cruises on small ships. However wherever you cruise from you have to get there and I have now completely gone off air travel. I am not a great joiner-in and I hate being physically too close to other people.

Yes, cruising must be like Marmite!

I love Marmite and cruising (sometimes combining both!). We have taken quite a number but due to health reasons cannot cruise at the moment. If I am given the go ahead, I would book like a shot.

Until you have tried cruising I don't really see how one can comment. For us, the joy of having excellent food, a theatre show every evening and waking up, possibly each day, to a new city (and not having to pack and unpack as when touring on one's own) is unbeatable.

We took our family on a cruise and they absolutely hated it, so it is... like Marmite. There's no wrong or right!

Incidentally we’ve booked a cruise with SilverSea next year, to the Galapagos. A very small, but luxury ship, only 100 passengers. All expeditions, snorkelling, equipment included. It’s to celebrate our Golden Wedding and I’m looking forward to it enormously. We fly to Equador and spend the first two days, with a city tour included, in Quito.

eazybee

I daresay I would enjoy it but never had the opportunity.

The people I know who enjoy them are not the sort of people I would want to be shut up on a ship with day after day; all they seem to talk about is the food and the duty free, no mention of any of the places they visit.

Absolutely incorrect. We’ve been on several cruises. The one to the far east, visiting Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Singapore was an eye opening and so, so interesting cruise. We visited places I never thought I’d see, in particular Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City, totally amazing. Then we cruised around Japan, visiting many places and also visited for two days Taiwan, which is absolutely beautiful. We saw so much during these two cruises, and it was all fascinating. Then we flew to Australia and cruised around New Zealand. Little knowing that our daughter would move there a couple of years later! We learnt a lot, especially about Maori culture. We saw so much including the fabulous Sounds, which are awe inspiring. We’ve also cruised to Norway, been up the incredible Flam railway, it was gorgeous. A Baltic cruise introduced us to several Baltic capital cities, including two days in St Petersburg, which was fascinating. I could go on but you get the picture. We’ve been to places we’d never have been to and seen things I never thought I would see through cruises. I also did a Nile cruise which was very interesting, although I wouldn’t do it now, the situation being as it is.

We’ve also met some lovely and interesting people. Any people we didn’t particularly like we avoided. We’ve made friends on cruises who we’re friendly with to this day. My favourite cruise line is Celebrity, but have cruised on others, including once on Cunard. Our next cruise is in September and for the first time ever I feel a bit nervous about it. We’ve booked it last minute, it’s to the Norwegian fiords, which will be gorgeous, but it’s MSC Virtuosa (we’ve never cruised MSC before) and is maybe not our kind of ship. Very big, maybe too big for us, and maybe more of a ‘party’ ship and we’re not party people but it should be big enough for us to find a more quiet corner. But anyway, for us, the ports are the important part, and we both love the scenery in Norway. So it will be what we make it.

We don’t only cruise. I’m sure that would be boring. We’ve not long returned from Greece. We get private apartments in small developments, a hire car, and we’re off. No fighting for a sunbed in a hotel for us, total freedom and independence to explore.

I couldn't think of anything worse. I think I would feel claustrophobic and somewhat trapped with a lot of people I don't even know and probably have nothing in common with and have to be in all sorts of situations with them and make small talk.

But we are all different... some people love that sort of thing.

Really looking forward to our very first cruise over Christmas and New year in the Caribbean. It’s on a small ship - just 312 passengers which I think will suit us as will the weather. Starts in Barbados and ends in Panama after cruising the Panama Canal, we have two days in hotels either end of the cruise and I’m getting excited already! Several port calls and also at anchor in several places. When at anchor they put a water sports plarform out for kyaking, snorkelling etc etc.

I have been to Venice a few times and love it for lots of reasons. However, we didn't enjoy seeing a massive monster of a cruise ship suddenly intrude on the beauty of Venice and literally dwarf everything. I think there are plans in place to deal with this problem. We didn't envy the long groups of cruise tourists following some person at the front waving a scarf and heading for somewhere where commission could be earned. We like to stay in one place and explore as much of it as possible and not just tick a list.

'Don't knock it till you try it'

is a strange thing to say. Don't need to try it to know that those huge ships are an ecological disaster, and employ very cheap, borderline slave labour (generally not those you see and serve you). Time is limited and there are so many places I want to see- to properly see- with time to go behind the scenes, explore at out own pace without the crowds. So don't need to try to know it is not for me/us.

Smaller ship, river cruise- perhaps one day, when we are too old to do what we love doing, how we love doing it.

I never get a cabin without a balcony because I like to sit outside during the day and watch the sea go by. I think they are cheap compared with other holidays. You get to go to a lot of countries with no airfares or vile airports messing you around with their rules and searches. If I feel sick I take a pill but usually those ships are so huge you don’t actually feel much movement, even in cyclones.

Good luck lindylou hope you have the best time.

I did my one and only cruise a year after my husband died, when I needed a holiday and wanted transport door to door. Saga fitted the bill. The ship was fine but the cost was astronomical. There were three days when the ship was tossed about, I had a cabin near the front, with a porthole and never left that cabin for the three days. I would rise up and meet the bed on the way down.

There was coughing from many cabins and I came home with the worse cough I ever had. I would never go on a cruise again

Me too cheesy I like cruises. Hate flying.

I am going on one in January to celebrate my 70th birthday, first one since losing my husband.
Cruises can be peaceful and relaxing, or party time whichever you choose. Don't knock it till you try it is my go to phrase.

It was always one of my worst nightmares, but many of my family go and I have been persuaded to try it! So, we embark in just under a month, will let you know what I think afterwards ( I am dreading it!)