Cruises from Southampton

[CharlesSilver]

Hi

Was just wondering if anyone knows at what time of year passengers are most likely to be predominantly European? (Non American)

[swim13]

I have never sailed from Southampton so I really do not know but my best guess would be in the winter because most American's travel to Europe in the summer months when it is warm and kids are out of school.

[Merion_Mom]

Hi

Was just wondering if anyone knows at what time of year passengers are most likely to be predominantly European? (Non American)

 

At all times.

 

When we sailed on Indy out of Southampton in April 2011, the three of us were among 120 Americans on board!

[CharlesSilver]

At all times.

 

When we sailed on Indy out of Southampton in April 2011, the three of us were among 120 Americans on board!

 

That's nice.

Do you find any major differences with the general feel of a European cruise?

[Realtor at Sea]

We have found it lots of fun to travel with Europeans on several cruises out of Venice, Southampton, Barcelona and Harwich. Enjoy sharing all sorts of political and cultural philosophies. The exchange of ideas is interesting and thought-provoking!

Edited August 5, 2013 by Realtor at Sea

[jjdc]

That's nice.

Do you find any major differences with the general feel of a European cruise?

 

The only European cruise out of the UK I've taken was a 2-night taster on the Adventure of the Seas this Spring so my point of reference is pretty small. I didn't meet any other Americans onboard, although I did hear North American accents (either from the U.S. or Canada) a few times. (I've taken a Transatlantic on the Independence of the Seas from Southampton, but Transatlantics do have a fairly large number of Americans onboard.) My biggest observation was that people were on the whole dressed much nicer in the evenings than I had seen on a short 3-night cruise out of the U.S. I think this creates a bit different feel around the ship, and one that I honestly prefer. I sail on the Brilliance soon so I'll have another point of reference in a few weeks. I think it will have more Americans than Med sailings from the UK have, but I suspect that it will be predominantly European.

Edited August 5, 2013 by jjdc

[Mark_K]

Small sample size, but at our table of 10, we were the only ones not from the UK.

 

 

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[DevonianCruiser]

As someone who is English I have sailed out of Southampton a few times. Twice with Royal Caribbean. Once on the Legend and once on the Independence. There weren't any Americans on the Legend that I came across, though it was only a 4 day cruise. On the independence it was 10 or 11 nights to the Canaries and I came across a few, but not many.

 

On the Norwegian Jade from Southampton there were quite a few hundred from memory, bit it was an end of August and the ship was repositioning to Barcelona so I think quite a few I met booked it as they could have time in Spain too. Southampton is brilliant for Scandinavia, Western Europe or British isles cruises. It's not so good for the med though as it takes at least two full days sailing to get anywhere. You also have in winter the Bay of Biscay to overcome!

 

Any questions, fire away :-)

[CharlesSilver]

As someone who is English I have sailed out of Southampton a few times. Twice with Royal Caribbean. Once on the Legend and once on the Independence. There weren't any Americans on the Legend that I came across, though it was only a 4 day cruise. On the independence it was 10 or 11 nights to the Canaries and I came across a few, but not many.

 

On the Norwegian Jade from Southampton there were quite a few hundred from memory, bit it was an end of August and the ship was repositioning to Barcelona so I think quite a few I met booked it as they could have time in Spain too. Southampton is brilliant for Scandinavia, Western Europe or British isles cruises. It's not so good for the med though as it takes at least two full days sailing to get anywhere. You also have in winter the Bay of Biscay to overcome!

 

Any questions, fire away :-)

 

Thanks - I just really wanted to establish what if any the difference in general ambience is when there are a lot of Americans on board.

Without wishing to offend anyone, I do my best to avoid them in large numbers.

[DevonianCruiser]

Thanks - I just really wanted to establish what if any the difference in general ambience is when there are a lot of Americans on board.

Without wishing to offend anyone, I do my best to avoid them in large numbers.

 

Sorry I didn't realise that's what you were meaning. I'm that case how about P & O which is nearly all British or Cunard (not transatlantic).

 

I have to say that I've cruised with many nationalities, a lot of Europeans too and I've always found the Americans and Canadians very friendly and good fun. I love cruising out of the US. The casino on British ships is generally quiet whereas I really enjoy the casinos in America.

[Missus Makkem]

Thanks - I just really wanted to establish what if any the difference in general ambience is when there are a lot of Americans on board.

Without wishing to offend anyone, I do my best to avoid them in large numbers.

 

Been on the Indie many times out of Southampton and the Americans on some of the cruises were charming unlike some of the other nationalities, just got to go with whatever you get.

[LittleBud'sMom]

Thanks - I just really wanted to establish what if any the difference in general ambience is when there are a lot of Americans on board.

Without wishing to offend anyone, I do my best to avoid them in large numbers.

 

Perhaps you might want to post your comments on CruiseCritic.co.u.k. :rolleyes:

 

I'm an American and proud of it, even though my ancestors did come from Cornwall.

[CharlesSilver]

Perhaps you might want to post your comments on CruiseCritic.co.u.k. :rolleyes:

 

I'm an American and proud of it' date=' even though my ancestors did come from Cornwall.[/quote']

 

Ahaha no offence:D

[setsail]

Without wishing to offend anyone, I do my best to avoid them in large numbers.

 

As long as you pay your tips they will not bother you:D:p

[CharlesSilver]

As long as you pay your tips they will not bother you:D:p

 

Very good.

:D

[nmg85]

I am from the UK and have previously only sailed X out of the UK. Mix of passengers about 50% European the rest from us or Canada. On every ship you get groups that annoy or are rude. My last cruise it was a group from Spain who didn't think they needed to queue like the rest of us mortal beings. However some of the British guests shocked me with their rudeness towards staff and other guests.

 

 

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[Addict]

Perhaps you might want to post your comments on CruiseCritic.co.u.k. :rolleyes:

 

I'm an American and proud of it' date=' even though my ancestors did come from Cornwall.[/quote']

 

You might not realise it but cruisecritic.co.uk and cruisecritic.com both lead you to these same forums. They are not separate.

 

We have yet to sail out of Southampton but will get to experience whatever it gives to us in 4 weeks time.

 

 

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[jjdc]

Hi

Was just wondering if anyone knows at what time of year passengers are most likely to be predominantly European? (Non American)

 

Just curious, but what do you estimate the percentage of Americans to have been on your last RCCL cruise and where did that sail from?

[moshek]

Just back from 14 nights on Adventure out of Southampton and the vast majority of guests were from the UK, probably as it was the start of English school holidays.

[John Bull]

Far more North Americans on trans-Atlantic & Baltic in particular, and (so I've been told) on round-Britain. Possibly fjords too. Because the bulk of those cruises sail out of the UK. But worthwhile northern Europe cruises ex-UK are non-existant in the winter.

 

Canaries aren't popular with them, and since for the Med they have to fly anyway they sensibly cruise out of Med ports like Barca, Venice, Rome, Athens or Istanbul, rather than the long steam from the UK. Virtually none on our Med Adventure of the Seas cruise out of Southampton in May. Greatly outnumbered by Antipodeans, but most passengers were British.

 

P&O and Fred aren't marketed to North Americans, so numbers are very low to nil.

Ditto mini-cruises, though some might put a mini-cruise back-to-back with a full cruise. And knowing what some mini-cruises out of the UK can be like, they'll probably regret doing that.

 

No disrespect intended, but I can understand not wanting to be on a cruise dominated by North Americans.

Though I think I'd prefer that to a ship-load of Italians or Spanish. ;)

Or Germans, who always seem to go everywhere mob-handed.

Or Brits who can't handle their booze. Or stags & hens.

 

There now, see what you've made me do.:rolleyes:

You've probably upset a few Americans.

And I've probably managed to upset half the world. :D

 

JB :)

[CharlesSilver]

Far more North Americans on trans-Atlantic & Baltic in particular, and (so I've been told) on round-Britain. Possibly fjords too. Because the bulk of those cruises sail out of the UK. But worthwhile northern Europe cruises ex-UK are non-existant in the winter.

 

Canaries aren't popular with them, and since for the Med they have to fly anyway they sensibly cruise out of Med ports like Barca, Venice, Rome, Athens or Istanbul, rather than the long steam from the UK. Virtually none on our Med Adventure of the Seas cruise out of Southampton in May. Greatly outnumbered by Antipodeans, but most passengers were British.

 

P&O and Fred aren't marketed to North Americans, so numbers are very low to nil.

Ditto mini-cruises, though some might put a mini-cruise back-to-back with a full cruise. And knowing what some mini-cruises out of the UK can be like, they'll probably regret doing that.

 

No disrespect intended, but I can understand not wanting to be on a cruise dominated by North Americans.

Though I think I'd prefer that to a ship-load of Italians or Spanish. ;)

Or Germans, who always seem to go everywhere mob-handed.

Or Brits who can't handle their booze. Or stags & hens.

 

There now, see what you've made me do.:rolleyes:

You've probably upset a few Americans.

And I've probably managed to upset half the world. :D

 

JB :)

 

Ha - excellent reply!

[HelenREMfan]

We took a really great wine immersion cruise a couple of years ago with Celebrity and really enjoyed the wide mix of nationalities on board. Our next Mediterranean cruise (out of Southampton) was disappointing as it was so British dominated and..... with too many of the British I am keen to avoid when on holiday! This June we did the Baltic , again with Celebrity and again there was a good mix. I am due to take my daughter on a repeat visit to the Western Med in September and again I am hoping for a good mix. It is so interesting to meet with people from all over the world (I live a long way from London so don't tend to see many Americans at all.)

Our set table dinner companions when we didn't do select were fabulous; a lovely German couple and a mixed range of ages for the British dinner companions. Whoever arranged that at Celebrity did a very good job!