We could just could not get into cruising

[Antonintassie]

Hi

 

We are currently looking at a couple of options

 

Travelling with a small ship European Line ( Europa 2 is on the shortlist) or teaming up with some friends in Dubai ( one has a 53 foot cruiser) to travel between Dubai / Abu Dhabi/Oman this is really just a fuel and food and berthing deal cost deal split between 6 of us .

The reviews for our cruise weere varied overall we were satisfied with the ship and the service ,it is really the lack of flexabilty to get of these bigger ships in a timely manner and the lame onboard atmosphere on sea days.

[Karysa]

Hi

 

We are currently looking at a couple of options

 

Travelling with a small ship European Line ( Europa 2 is on the shortlist) or teaming up with some friends in Dubai ( one has a 53 foot cruiser) to travel between Dubai / Abu Dhabi/Oman this is really just a fuel and food and berthing deal cost deal split between 6 of us .

The reviews for our cruise weere varied overall we were satisfied with the ship and the service ,it is really the lack of flexabilty to get of these bigger ships in a timely manner and the lame onboard atmosphere on sea days.

 

I see. What did you find different in actuality than you had read about. I find that by reading reviews and around the boards that there are few surprises to cruising.

 

Regarding sea days inparticular what activities did you think we're going to be offered that weren't offered.

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Since this is on the new cruiser board it will definitely be good info to have posted and available for new cruisers to read.

[OCruisers]

We have some dear friend who really don't like Ocean cruises but love River cruises. Everyone is different.

 

LuLu

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[Antonintassie]

I see. What did you find different in actuality than you had read about. I find that by reading reviews and around the boards that there are few surprises to cruising.

 

Regarding sea days inparticular what activities did you think we're going to be offered that weren't offered.

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Since this is on the new cruiser board it will definitely be good info to have posted and available for new cruisers to read.

 

i think the logistics and the time associated with berthing an unloading passengers was an eye opener for us ,the congestion this created both at disembarkation and re emabarkation was significant and cut into our time ashore which was annoying.

In relation to onboard activities I guess we are used to doing things together as a family unit which is the norm for us .The lack of activities for families to do together with there kids was glaring on our Princess cruise .

The entertainment and activities offered was very sedate and even the some older passengers onboard we spoke to where dissatisfied with the CD and onboard program as it was fairly uninspired.

 

Overall we found big ship cruising way to mass market for us ( for the record we generally do not do large land based resorts either).

[Karysa]

i think the logistics and the time associated with berthing an unloading passengers was an eye opener for us ,the congestion this created both at disembarkation and re emabarkation was significant and cut into our time ashore which was annoying.

In relation to onboard activities I guess we are used to doing things together as a family unit which is the norm for us .The lack of activities for families to do together with there kids was glaring on our Princess cruise .

The entertainment and activities offered was very sedate and even the some older passengers onboard we spoke to where dissatisfied with the CD and onboard program as it was fairly uninspired.

 

Overall we found big ship cruising way to mass market for us ( for the record we generally do not do large land based resorts either).

 

Perhaps one of the larger RCCL ships with the rock climbing wall, ice rink and inline skating would have been a better choice. We did the VOS with our teens and I did all the activities with them all 2 or 3 times at least. DH and I love dancing and on our NY's cruice on NCL on the 11 day cruise we had about 6 Argentine Tango lessons. We had just started taking lessons 3 mths before and this dance was new to us and we loved it and asked our instructor to continue teaching it to us. A couple of weeks ago we presented a tango to our dance studio. On longer cruises they can find time to really work on one dance instead of just learning a step or two of several diffent dances.

 

Did you tender at any of your ports? I really dislike tendering. That really gives me that herding the cattle feeling.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Karysa

[Antonintassie]

Hi

 

I do not RCCL is for us smaller rather than larger with some exotic port stops is more likely if we ever cruise again

[Fredr]

Tasmania,

 

Frankly, I am absolutely appalled that you spent that much money, and I better understand that you have concluded that cruising is not for you.

 

Sadly, you and others who try a cruise and find it not to their liking, seem to miss at least one of the major points of travel by sea. The beauty of the voyage itself, and this is why I go on cruises. I live in a part of the world where there is a huge number of outstanding restaurants and within a 4 hours' drive are some of the best hotels in the world. But what these places do not have, is the majesty of the sea, that is, to wake up and see a perfect meld of sea and sky. Or as the sun sets beyond the horizon. And moonbeams across the water.

[Antonintassie]

Alas we are spoilt we live on an island I wake up to a sea view everyday

[Karysa]

Hi

 

I do not RCCL is for us smaller rather than larger with some exotic port stops is more likely if we ever cruise again

 

You do realize that you will not have any more activities than on Princess, right? I don't think that this is a good option. You just don't strike me as the "masses" type. I agree with your small private yacht idea. No man is an island but you come as close as it gets I think.:D

 

Enjoy whatever you choose.:)

[Fredr]

Tasmania,

 

You live on an island and so the sea any time you want to. That is great. But have you ever sailed up the Firth of Forth on a beautiful May morning, under the bridges with glorious Scotland all around you? And surely you have not sailed up the Hudson River with the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline within your sights? And leaving Hong Kong in the early evening with the light show going on? And closer to your home, have you ever tendered to Airlie Beach?

 

Saw my first and probably last Tasmainian Devil at the Sydney Zoo. Interesting to look at.

[Antonintassie]

Hi We love the sea and have spent alot time on it just dont want to have to wait for 3600 other people to get on and off hence the failed test into cruising

[Karysa]

Hi We love the sea and have spent alot time on it just dont want to have to wait for 3600 other people to get on and off hence the failed test into cruising

 

You are not alone. Most of us don't like that part but for many of us it is a reasonably priced vacation. For the price you paid I wouldnd have liked it either to be quite honest. I do hope that you enjoy your next vacation far better.

[Karysa]

We have some dear friend who really don't like Ocean cruises but love River cruises. Everyone is different.

 

LuLu

~~~~

 

I would love to do a Danube cruise. My DH does not find the color of the water nice in any way and has no interest in a river cruise. Next up for us is the Greek Islands. :)

[just4steven]

I am glad this thread got started as I have my first cruise coming up in less than 60 days. It has been helpful to me and I am hoping for others as well.

 

I like planning my own time and doing my own things on my own terms, not to mention a little bit of an introvert, so as much as I have looked at cruises the last several years I have stuck with just land based trips.

 

About a month ago we could not make up our mind on where to go on a land based vacation. Then a cruise deal came up that I could not pass up so I jumped on it.

 

I think a lot of problems people have with "bad" vacations whether it be a cruise or flying to a destination or 2 is perceptions and what they think it is going to be like. A couple things said in the original post are things I have always had a fear of as to why I would not like a cruise, plus I have quite a few of my own in addition.

 

When I get to sit back and digest and think about all of these things it makes me more aware and gives me a better idea of what to expect come January. Basically, it helps any of my worries just knowing it might not be 100% perfect and everything will go my way, but most of the time on land based trips everything does not go 100% my way (although pretty close). I guess my point is since this thread was started it gave me more fears, but I am also so much more at ease knowing what to expect and I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BLAST even if it is not 100% perfect :D

[Talisker92]

Steven,

You have the right attitude. With life, nothing is 100 % perfect. The are people who are constant complainers and look for the bad things and ignore the good.

If your mindset is to enjoy yourself regardless, you will be happy.

[Antonintassie]

Hi Steven

 

That was the original intent of the post ,we took our cruise ,it was not really us ,but if you "never go you never know" Will we go again unlikely unless we find someting really interesting and a ship with less than a 1000 people on board but thats travel you try new things and places and if it does not workout there are lots of other choices

 

All The Best

 

Tony

[Antonintassie]

Hi All

 

 

After a major family roundtable we thought we would give cruising another chance and hae booked a Celebrity Carribeann jaunt

[wwcruisers]

Hi All

 

 

After a major family roundtable we thought we would give cruising another chance and hae booked a Celebrity Carribeann jaunt

 

Well, now you at least have an idea of the things that you did and did not like about your first cruise experience. With a little research and advance planning, you and your family will hopefully enjoy this cruise more. And, don't forget what a great resource this forum is. You can read specific ship reviews, check out ports of call, and join your roll-call thread -- so, you can get to know the folks you'll be sailing with. Good luck, giving it another try! :)

[lady_cruiser]

Hi

 

As a recently returned first time cruiser ,older forties couple with an older teen son I thought I would give some feedback............The main reason of this blurb is to make people aware that cruising is not for everyone and before you jump in have a list of what you can and can not tolerate when travelling.

You are right that cruising isn't for everyone. I give your credit though "for trying". I only wish that I would give flying try but I'm not.

 

And please no lectures from others on how flying is safer than driving. How I can get some where in hours (flying) compare to days of driving. I've heard it all before and it will just fall on deaf ears.

[Lerin]

Hi All

 

 

After a major family roundtable we thought we would give cruising another chance and hae booked a Celebrity Carribeann jaunt

 

Glad you're giving it a second try, though curious as to your choice. Not sure Celebrity will be any different from Princess. It seems a much smaller ship or one with more activities such as RC are what you were looking for.

 

It is however a different location and hopefully a different time of year. Are you doing a 7 day? That will have more activities for your son.

Good luck.

[Antonintassie]

Hi The cruise is 14 day as 7 days was to short for the distance we have to travel. It only has couple of sea days and as we will be getting into Florida after a 23 hour flight I suspect we will not surface fom our suite for the first sea day.

 

Also it is straight after New Year 2015 so we are hoping for a mixed bunch of fellow passengers .

 

RCI seemed abit unrefined for us very resort style ,my son dislikes onboard teen activities as he is in an older age group .

 

We are all compentent divers so this part of the world should be good for us

 

We have sometime in Miami and the end of the cruise which will be interesting as we have only been to the USA in winter ( skiing) and in the Northern states.

 

 

 

We did look at smaller ships including AZAMARA but the feedback we got from previous passengers was that it was not that "family friendly" what ever that means .

[Antonintassie]

Dont worry I find flying very very boring if I could drive I would but when you lie on an Island you are stuck with it

[donaldsc]

Simple solution - do not cruise. Also ignore the many people on CC who will tell you to try it a few more times and eventually you will like it as much as they do or you will find a line that you like or that you picked the wrong cruise and should try another one.

 

Different strokes for different folks.

 

DON

Edited January 24, 2014 by donaldsc

[Amyracecar]

I don't think 'not cruising' is necessarily the answer, but it could be. You'll never know unless you try. We hated NCL and had that been our first one we'd have thought twice about booking again, but thankfully we had been on Ocean Village and knew fun ships existed out there! Caribbean Itinaries are really busy so will make up for any likes/dislikes regarding the ship. Should you ever book another I'd think about Carnival as they have nightclub type events for younger travellers, less embarrassing. Plus loads of daytime activities for families. I really hope you enjoy this one, but if not at least you can say you gave cruising a chance! :)

 

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[Antonintassie]

I do not think Carnival is our style at all ,we like high end travel product and book suites and loath "resort activities"