I love to cruise do you?

We love cruises! It’s great to wake up in a different place each day (and unpack once). I’d rather be at sea than on a plane any day. The only niggle for us is the lack of ships departing from Northern ports.🙄 Its 250 miles for us to Southampton. The ones which do sail from the North tend to visit Iceland, Norway and the Baltic. We prefer warmer climes, although we have been to the fjords twice, once with lovely weather, once in the rain (June!!)😎
I certainly don’t like crowds or confined spaces (which is why I don’t like planes). There’s so much to do and plenty of quiet corners on a ship. My favourite memories so far are of sailing in and out of Venice, Naples and Malta - spectacular!!😎

Germanshepherdsmum

Some of us just don’t like being among a lot of people and want to do our own thing!

Precisely why cruises are not enjoyable for many.

Others, may well enjoy small boats, beautiful verandas, eating alone - served at a table for 2 - lovely food cooked by others, floating along seeing beauty at every turn, peaceful and pleasant.

Everyone could feel happy cruising exists, on various big and small boats for those who wish to holiday on water. Similarly, I'm happy some people like city living though I can't imagine such for myself.

We were dubious about going on a cruise, after a bit of a discussion, we went to the Fjiords, beautiful, we enjoyed it so much. To be fair, the ship wasn't at full capacity, so this made a difference
The next one, I'd like to do the Med.
Previous posters have recommended river cruises and that sounds very interesting too.

Aveline

I'm never aware of 'crowds' onboard Viking ships. I hate crowds too and would definitely avoid them. Luckily it's just not an issue on smaller ships.
River cruise ships are very civilised. Calm, pleasant decor, good food and lovely to sail slowly along on looking at the changing scenery on each side. No fear of mal de mer on river ships.

My inlaws did a few river cruises and thoroughly enjoyed them. They also did a trip on the Norwegian fjords in a working fishing boat. Still not for me though.

I'm never aware of 'crowds' onboard Viking ships. I hate crowds too and would definitely avoid them. Luckily it's just not an issue on smaller ships.
River cruise ships are very civilised. Calm, pleasant decor, good food and lovely to sail slowly along on looking at the changing scenery on each side. No fear of mal de mer on river ships.

As I said in my first sentence it’s unfair to speak about what you don’t know…….another expression perhaps is don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. Naturally if you’re afraid of being on the water….that’s another story.

dogsmother

I think it’s very unfair to comment on something you’ve not experienced.
We’ve been on several, we have after the first arranged our own excursions and chosen cruises with least sea days. This is the way we enjoy them. Others enjoy to remain on board for a lot of the time.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all we’ve done and have seen many places including an amazing 3 days stopover in St. Petersburg a second to none experience.

I've never experienced ebola or waterboarding, but I'm pretty certain I wouldn't enjoy either. I know I would hate cruising. I can just about enjoy a day trip on a boat in relatively shallow waters, but the idea of being out there in deep water terrifies me. Plus, I don't do crowds. So no, I don't need to sample the experience to know it's not for me.

Some of us just don’t like being among a lot of people and want to do our own thing!

I think it’s very unfair to comment on something you’ve not experienced.
We’ve been on several, we have after the first arranged our own excursions and chosen cruises with least sea days. This is the way we enjoy them. Others enjoy to remain on board for a lot of the time.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all we’ve done and have seen many places including an amazing 3 days stopover in St. Petersburg a second to none experience.

I went on my first and last cruise when I was in my early 20's and never again. It was for 14 days and I was seasick for 13 of them.

I was used to travelling in all sorts of weather from Stranraer to Larne from a young child and was rarely seasick.

The larger the ship, the better, as far as I am concerned. Been on 4, always balcony. Love the fact that you can see so many places in one go. Love the fact that you can have your breakfast at 11a.m. if you wish. Love the fact that you can see West End quality shows for free. Go to the cinema, if you wish. Have a gamble at the Casino if that’s your thing. Not to mention shopping. I’d go again in a heartbeat, if I had friends to go with. Sadly, my travelling companions are all unwell. I love cruising !

I'm quite tempted now, Aveline

It always amuses me to see the comments made by people who have never been on a cruise. I agree re those massive ships though. We've been on many ocean cruises as well as river cruises and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. We're happy to do our own thing in ports or take included trips and have had wonderful memorable experiences. We're big Viking fans and find their uncrowded, understated ships suit us well. You can socialise as much or as little as you like. Breakfast on your own balcony as you sail into some scenic port is a personal favourite.
I'd say, avoid huge ships and don't knock it till you've tried it.

Adore them. For me, the best way to travel = get on at home port = have holiday and then journey home. I am happy to wander around cities I am familiar with but take a guided tour if I am far overseas.

I have peace and quiet when I want it and people when I feel sociable. Always find people to chat to and plenty to do.

I have not sailed on one of the huge ships but would hate a lot of noise when I wish to see and hear the ocean.

I'd love to cruise in principle but can't get my mind past the amount of pollution they cause.

When one of my sons was young he always said he would take me on a cruise when he grew up. I'm still waiting

Seriously though, I think I am too anti social and too shy to enjoy one. All that mingling would drive me mad.
But I do fancy seeing the Norwegian fiords.

I can'timagine anything worse especially whenI see these enormous ships in Venice and other more remote small islands. terrible polluters

Only been on one - a week long Nile cruise with Tui (still Thompsons back then). I booked 2 weeks in Egypt as soon as holidays re-opened after the Luxor massacre in 1997. The Nile cruises were very cheap and no single supplement - as were all the Egyptian holidays that year. I enjoyed the leasurely trip and the wonderful scenary but my fellow passengers not so much.

There were these organized shore trips which I never went on. Instead I put on my hijab and went off on my own. I can remember walking through the souk in Aswan where a group of my fellow passengers were being hassled by guides and hawkers. I walked right past them and not one recognised me.

Later I returned to Egypt but travelled independently.

As for those huge cruise ships I would rather cut my throat with a rusty saw than be herded onto one of those.

You’d never. Get my OH on a cruise . The huge tower block ones are dreadful , all the emissions and waste pumped into the oceans. They overwhelm the small ports they congregate in. Everyone getting off and on at the same time. I’m sure the food and the underpaid staff are lovely but it’s a no from me.

We’ve done river cruises and ocean ones. It took me years to agree to go on an ocean cruise, I just didn’t like the idea of being stuck on a ship possibly being seasick the whole time. What I didn’t realise was how huge they are and how comfortable. Lots to do on sea days and if you want you can easily avoid crowds on port days by booking your own tours. Cheaper too. The food is divine but too much of it , you have to have a bit of self control . We didn’t take the lifts, thought it healthier to walk up the levels. We have been with Viking and Princess , APT and Scenic. All good but Viking was the poshest and had the advantage of no kids allowed!

We have been on several cruises, Uk, Caribbean, Mediterranean, the Nile, Atlantic crossing, the last one was South America and Antarctica. Imagine sitting on your balcony watching the fantastically shaped icebergs floating past, and whales playing round the ship! Savings now gone so we will have to live on memories. We never got to do the river cruise would still like to if we had the money.

If you have never cruised, you won't know what it is like, there is such variety. I think I would hate the really large floating towns where you are just a cabin number, but then I have always avoided them, so I could well be wrong!

We've done several small ship cruises and mostly enjoyed them but we are not hooked on cruising. The port visits are often too brief and we have sometimes preferred days at sea. Food is usually good and we appreciate lectures but most entertainment we can pass on. We also enjoyed cruising across Lake Nasser and down the Nile.

As a solo traveler cruising is such a safe way to travel. Choose your cruise to places that you would like to visit and enjoy.

I've seen this type of post before and I'm back again to say I am a cruise fan.

Don't knock it till you've tried it is all I can say. It is what you make it. I've been once on a very small river cruise and also 4 times on the big ships and never felt 'crowded.'

Yes, there are large groups of people waiting to embark/disembark at times but I can't think of any other situation with hordes of passengers that you can't avoid.

No one forces you to do anything, join excursions, dress up or any of the other 'horrors' mentioned.

There are so many places to relax and many different on board activities, some free, others understandably at a cost. My BIL took classes in digital photography when he cruised the first time.

I usually take some hand sewing/embroidery and relax in a quiet corner of a deck/library/games room some of the time. Coffee/tea/cool drinks are always on tap. I chatted to an 80 year old American lady once on the plane and she always booked a balcony cabin and painted in watercolours while she cruised.

I have to admit I did feel sea sick once on an Atlantic crossing to Iceland but was provided with free sea sickness pills which did the trick.
I've always been treated courteously, crew are super helpful, food choices are amazing.
I'd cruise again tomorrow if I could.

Cheesy. Norway is incredibly beautiful, you’ll love it!

We have been on 2 cruises, one to the Baltic ports many years ago when the USSR still existed, loved it. The second was the Fjords cruise with Fred Olsen. Had a great time. I’m not too interested in the cabaret, etc. but you can do whatever you want. The plus side of cruises - waving goodbye to your baggage at the cruise terminal and finding it waiting in your cabin when you board. The staff/crew are very helpful, the catering is usually excellent. It’s a relaxing way to travel. I can no longer get travel insurance so probably won’t get to do it again.