Symphony of the Seas - newest biggest cruiseship - worth the extra effort?

Hi,

I have been wanting to go on a cruise for a long time. My husband is willing to go with me, but hesitant.

Because I'm afraid of flying our options are limited.

Now I'm facing a dilemma which I hope you can help with.

The most convenient option for us to go on a cruise is travelling with HA from a port in the Netherlands.

They cruise to Norway from here, along the fjords which is also an area that interest us a lot. But HA seems a bit old-folksy to us (we are mid-30's).

The other option is for us to travel to Barcelona by train (14 hour journey) and take a cruise with the newest cruise ship from RC the Symphony of the Seas. It on the 14th of April and it's second or third trip which is why there is a great price deal available.

The prospect of travelling on the worlds largest and newest ship sounds very exciting to me. Also this might be the only time I can convince my husband to go on a cruise, so I want to make the most of it.

But, as you might image the train trip (round trip) to Barcelona is pretty far and the cruise is 7 days to Barcelona, Mallorca, Pisa and Rome which are very nice, but places we have visited before already. So they would not be first choice as a destination although of course very nice to visit again.

My question to you is: is a new and exciting ship worth the extra effort of travelling to Barcelona? Or will HA be just as nice and less of a hassle?

Thanks for your replies!

In this case, you would be going for the ship, not the cruise. Using it as a floating resort. Not really what cruising is about, although that seems to be changing. It's a bonus that you have been to all of the ports because you won't need to get off. There will be so much to see and explore on that ship that you will need those days when everyone else is off the ship to explore at your leisure.

That said, I would never advise choosing the newest and biggest for a first cruise. If you decide you like it, subsequent cruises might be a disappointment if an older, smaller ship. EM

Where exactly do you live?

If mainland Europe you could set sail from Denmark or Germany a closer train journey than Barcelona, this would give you more options in cruise lines.

I wouldn't sail on a ship that is only a couple of weeks old. There are always loads of things that go wrong. If travelling on a new ship, the best time is 3 or 4 months after launching. It gives enough time for everything to settle down.

If you are based in UK , there are loads of cruises to choose from.

On a separate note have you thought of going on one of those courses to help with your fear of flying. Airports and airport hotels will often run them. It would give you greater options in the future.

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Your interest on itineraries on HAL and the prospect of your husband’s cruise enjoyment may be your major consideration. Suggest you do HAL first so your husband may be motivated later have a long land travel in order to tale another cruise.

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Hi,

 

 

 

I have been wanting to go on a cruise for a long time. My husband is willing to go with me, but hesitant.

 

Because I'm afraid of flying our options are limited.

 

 

 

Now I'm facing a dilemma which I hope you can help with.

 

 

 

The most convenient option for us to go on a cruise is travelling with HA from a port in the Netherlands.

 

They cruise to Norway from here, along the fjords which is also an area that interest us a lot. But HA seems a bit old-folksy to us (we are mid-30's).

 

 

 

 

 

The other option is for us to travel to Barcelona by train (14 hour journey) and take a cruise with the newest cruise ship from RC the Symphony of the Seas. It on the 14th of April and it's second or third trip which is why there is a great price deal available.

 

The prospect of travelling on the worlds largest and newest ship sounds very exciting to me. Also this might be the only time I can convince my husband to go on a cruise, so I want to make the most of it.

 

But, as you might image the train trip (round trip) to Barcelona is pretty far and the cruise is 7 days to Barcelona, Mallorca, Pisa and Rome which are very nice, but places we have visited before already. So they would not be first choice as a destination although of course very nice to visit again.

 

 

 

My question to you is: is a new and exciting ship worth the extra effort of travelling to Barcelona? Or will HA be just as nice and less of a hassle?

 

 

 

Thanks for your replies!

The other option is to take a xanax and fly.

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We live in the Netherlands.

I have tried several courses to get over my fear of flying. Didn't work :(

My husband's greatest concern with a cruise is for it to be for ' old folks' . We went to a information session of HA which got me very excited but he was very put off by the purser who did the talk and was very ' over the top happy' '. Which I like, but he really didn't respond to well.

If we go I need the ship to feel young and hip not traditional and old.

We live in the Netherlands.

 

I have tried several courses to get over my fear of flying. Didn't work :(

 

My husband's greatest concern with a cruise is for it to be for ' old folks' . We went to a information session of HA which got me very excited but he was very put off by the purser who did the talk and was very ' over the top happy' '. Which I like, but he really didn't respond to well.

If we go I need the ship to feel young and hip not traditional and old.

I think you should read some of the posts on the Holland America board. You'll be able to show your husband that people of all ages cruise on that line.

I think you should choose the itinerary you prefer and skip the long train trip.

I wouldn't pick HA. If you want a young hip cruise. Try carnival, royal Caribbean, NCL. Or MSC. I am pretty sure they have cruises from Amsterdam as well as Copenhagen, Denmark. If you really want to go to the Mediterranean. They still have sleeper trains to Venice. You can also reach Genoa and Marsielle by train too. This too would give you more options

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The above is true...but are you sailing for the SHIP or the sights? You may be OFF the ship doing things in ports enough that the ship is only your "bed and board"!

The above is true...but are you sailing for the SHIP or the sights? You may be OFF the ship doing things in ports enough that the ship is only your "bed and board"!

That's the thing I'm not sure of. Since we' ve never cruised before I really don't know what to expect from the port time.

It seems to me that you go on a cruise for the cruise experience, because if I just wanted to visit these cities, I wouldn't need to go on a cruise. But maybe I've got this all wrong?

RCI Oasis Class ships are amazing. If you decide that the cruise ship itself is your #1 priority then yes, it's worth it.

But if you decide that the destination is equally or more important, I recommend against Symphony.

Yes, I do know that didn't help you at all.

There's got to be other choices. I know RCI and Celebrity sail from Amsterdam, but I don't know if it's during the time your considering.

I’d consider weather and how that might affect the cruise experience, depending on what you want that to be. My DH wasn’t too sure on cruising before we tried it, and isn’t a sit in the sun man. But our cruise experience is port adventure in a morning and relax on deck in an afternoon, and he loves that. On a bigger ship there are more entertainment alternatives to just lazing on deck tho I guess.

Might there be new places to explore for you on an eastern europe cruise out of venice- Montenegro and Croatia maybe? For exploring, sunshine, and a more cruisey ship (mid sized RCL with more windows to see the water) that would get my vote.

Also RCI do Baltic or Fjord cruises from Southampton.

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