2 day cruises

[blitznbobs]

I am considering a 2 day cruise in December. As much as I love my family I just want some 'alone' time.., what with a young family and a busy career... Will a 2 day cruise just be a hellish party cruise or do you think it actually might be quite restful???

[capasamari]

It's likely to be a full ship, and there were lots of hen parties last time we did a weekender. In December there will be lots of Christmas shopping parties going to the markets.

 

The captain on one ship told us he hated the weekenders and stayed out of the way for the duration.

 

You could probably find a quiet corner in a bar in the evening and spend the day in the spa, but if I wanted a peaceful break I would book a health club weekend!

 

Carol x

[LibraLass41]

I've done about 5 of the 2/3n party cruises, about one a year. The worst one I did was the last one in March this year on Ventura . Why? March is pre-wedding season, most weddings are May,June,July and August... there must of been 10 or more groups of hen, stag and birthday gangs onboard...

My daughter and I were in a balcony cabin.... in the corridor opposite the insides, were hen party girls from about 18 -40 (and the 40 yr olds were the worst!!), they wedged their cabin doors open, put on their radios to high volume, and blow the rest of us fare paying passengers...they ran from cabin to cabin, drinking shouting, laughing swearing LOUDLY all early evening when 'getting ready' and when they came back at 2am or 3am again woke us up with shouting , giggling etc... never again!

 

but, I have done a couple of christmas cruises, perhaps 3, all on Aurora I think. They were lovely... tends to be couples. groups of older people and family groups, going to the christmas markets in Bruges... I have fond memories of those, - Bruges with its chocolate shops, the horses and carts with people snug inthere wrapped in rugs, the ice -rink in the square and ofcourse the actaul christmas market is wonderful, then back to the warm ship for a formal night.... go for it!!!

 

[LibraLass41]

The ice-rink and christmas markets start around the last week of November,

 

also, if you go on a party cruise from mid Dec you'll see the ship decorated for christmas which is lovely.

 

[southwinds]

They are ' party cruises' not a quite weekend away. We have done one for Bills 60th Birthday with friends and again with crusie forum friends from Crows Nest forum... there was over 70 of us !! on that crusie all sitting in Andersons talking cruises all night !!!

They are great fun but the noice levels are high !!! with hen parties and other family parties going on.

Friends are off on one later this year for her Dads birthday hes talking all the family.

 

Belgium is lovely we did the tour to the war graves and Eypes which was facinating... Or see the Chocolate shops and Lace shops in Bruge.

[Thejuggler]

"and ofcourse the actaul christmas market is wonderful"

 

but, they are exactly like the Christmas markets I've seen in Leeds, Cardiff and Sheffield!

[Host Sharon]

I don't think restful will be the right term for a party cruise in December. For restful IMO you need hot sunny days lounging on deck unless you spend the whole time in the Spa of course.

 

I love the Xmas Market cruises, last year on Artemis we had deep snow everywhere - Bruges, Amsterdam, Oslo and Copenhagen. But they are more like city breaks - four in a row.

[timetravellers]

I am considering a 2 day cruise in December. As much as I love my family I just want some 'alone' time.., what with a young family and a busy career... Will a 2 day cruise just be a hellish party cruise or do you think it actually might be quite restful???

 

There are some real bargain prices on the QM2 14 Oct sailing at the moment!

[cruiseluvva]

There are some real bargain prices on the QM2 14 Oct sailing at the moment!

 

My husband and I are taking my elderly mother on this one, for her to see the ship - even though neither of us is keen on weekenders. The bargains are certainly there, since we have been upgraded from D8 lowest grade insides, to high grade balcony cabins.

 

Result!

[History addict]

I am considering a 2 day cruise in December. As much as I love my family I just want some 'alone' time.., what with a young family and a busy career... Will a 2 day cruise just be a hellish party cruise or do you think it actually might be quite restful???

 

Have you considered a mini cruise with Fred Olsen rather than P and O? I hesitate to mention them on the P and O forum but they have a totally different demographic being aimed more at older cruisers. I've done loads of mini cruises with Fred and never seen a hen party on board. Their ships are older and have less amenities but they can sail a long way up rivers and get close to destinations. We went on a Christmas cruise to Antwerp with them last year and the ship moored right in the centre of town with the Christmas market starting right outside the dock entrance. We are in our 40s so quite young for Fred but have always met lovely folk onboard.

[Beopthtuh]

we,ve done a couple of weekenders and find its the ship thats different on the ventura the pax were more noiseir and the demographics were different hen/stag parties ,but on the aurora the pax were quieter more cruising types .

you can have a busy weekend or lazy one its totally up to u .

[LibraLass41]

we,ve done a couple of weekenders and find its the ship thats different on the ventura the pax were more noiseir and the demographics were different hen/stag parties ,but on the aurora the pax were quieter more cruising types .

you can have a busy weekend or lazy one its totally up to u .

 

Thats a very good point.

 

We couldn't have a 'lazy' one though because of the noise volume in the corridors...all the bars were noisy too and clubs, I suppose you could avoid them all if you tried hard enough, but sleep was out of the quesion for us...the room stewards ignored them, early evening, and in the middle of the night we just put the pillows over our heads,:p:rolleyes:

[Host Sharon]

Have you considered a mini cruise with Fred Olsen rather than P and O? I hesitate to mention them on the P and O forum but they have a totally different demographic being aimed more at older cruisers. I've done loads of mini cruises with Fred and never seen a hen party on board.

 

Funny you should mention that since as I was disembarking Balmoral last May, a Hen Party was just arriving - complete with the usual hen party paraphanalia!! I thought how incongruous it looked at the time.

[blitznbobs]

I don't think restful will be the right term for a party cruise in December. For restful IMO you need hot sunny days lounging on deck unless you spend the whole time in the Spa of course.

 

I love the Xmas Market cruises, last year on Artemis we had deep snow everywhere - Bruges, Amsterdam, Oslo and Copenhagen. But they are more like city breaks - four in a row.

 

LOL I've got the hot and sunny in Jan. (but with hubby and son) as off on Ventura to the caribbean) and trust me, 2 days on my own would be more restful in a freezer than 2 weeks of sunshine with family!

 

Anyhoo... I've decided to do the spa thing... don't want to risk the hen parties etc as this is likely to be the only me time I get for the next year!

 

Thanks for the replies

 

BnBx

[History addict]

Funny you should mention that since as I was disembarking Balmoral last May, a Hen Party was just arriving - complete with the usual hen party paraphanalia!! I thought how incongruous it looked at the time.

 

I wonder what they did after 10pm? Most folk are in bed by then on Fred's ships!:D

[capasamari]

They would have had the run of the ship then!!

 

Carol x

[Host Sharon]

I wonder what they did after 10pm? Most folk are in bed by then on Fred's ships!:D

 

Uhmmm - I did wonder if they had the right ship !