Defending love of cruising to friends

[babs135]

We have friends who like city break type holidays. They fund these by staying in the cheapest, grottiest hotels imaginable (we've been with them and they booked the hotels, never ever again), but that's their choice. When we mentioned our love of cruising they were horrified. Their description is 'of people scuttling on and off the ship and seeing nothing'.

 

We tried explaining that if we visited somewhere we really liked on a cruise, then we would always consider going back on a land-based holiday to explore the area further, but they just didn't get it!!!

[mom says]

I don't feel any need to defend my vacation choices to someone else. I'm not some rabid proselytizer who feels the compulsion to convert non-believers to the joys of cruising. But then we've always been ecumenical vacationers- dabbling in all kinds of trips- land, sea, coastal, mountain. And even (gasp) camping in our younger days. Whatever floats your boat (or car, train, pack mule). We've found that most of our friends take a similar attitude.

[DirtyDawg]

I don't feel any need to defend my vacation choices to someone else. I'm not some rabid proselytizer who feels the compulsion to convert non-believers to the joys of cruising. But then we've always been ecumenical vacationers- dabbling in all kinds of trips- land, sea, coastal, mountain. And even (gasp) camping in our younger days. Whatever floats your boat (or car, train, pack mule). We've found that most of our friends take a similar attitude.

 

99% Agree with you. The other 1% is; "I don't feel any need to defend my vacation choices to someone else" except my wife. :D ;)

[wwcruisers]

I don't feel any need to defend my vacation choices to someone else. I'm not some rabid proselytizer who feels the compulsion to convert non-believers to the joys of cruising. But then we've always been ecumenical vacationers- dabbling in all kinds of trips- land, sea, coastal, mountain. And even (gasp) camping in our younger days. Whatever floats your boat (or car, train, pack mule). We've found that most of our friends take a similar attitude.

 

Absolutely agreed! While I would rather have a root canal than travel cross-country in a motor-home, I know people who think that is the perfect vacation / retirement trip -- and it is, for them. Isn't it great that we all have so many choices? :cool: But, cruising is definitely what "floats my boat". :D

Edited November 23, 2013 by wwcruisers

[KirkNC]

no need to defend.. some people like blondes and some like redheads, it's all good.

 

Exactly, I would not defend it, some love it, some like it and some hate it.

[SPacificbound]

I can't imagine "defending the love" of anything to friends or family. You are paying for your cruise and any activities, it's not the business of anyone else.

Just saying. :)

[SPacificbound]

Stuffy? Where did they get that impression from? Have they been reading the Formal Wear threads here at CC?:D

 

That is probably it! :D

[JimAOk1945]

It's been my experience that most people who try to put us down for cruising often have never been on a cruise.

We also have people who try to put us down for our choice of cruise line, ship, itinerary, and accommodation on the ship, etc.

I don't explain our choices. I just smile and say "different strokes for different folks" and let it go. I'm not going to explain our choices to anyone.

[SeaTeach]

Never "defended my love of cruising", but did invite others (family and friends) to cruise with us. Some loved it and others didn't. I'm at the point of just telling others about what's booked. If they want to come...fine....if not...fine. As for me and mine, game on!!

[Antonintassie]

Hi

 

We recently did our first cruise and for a number of reasons it just did not "click" with us we really coud not get into the concept of getting of and on a ship with 3600 + people and having a daily lives dictated by the ships timetable and amenities.

Will we cruise again unlikely unless it is an itinery where we want to go and it has very few sea days.

I do not try to talk people out of cruising or run it down it just was not our style of travel and as they say "if you never go you never know"

 

All The Best

 

Tony

[cruiserking]

We share our love of cruise ships with our friends. We enjoy regaling our adventures aboard ships and how much we enjoy traveling in this fashion. Our friends are often interested in cruising in the future. We never feel the need to defend our desire to cruise. If people are not interested in this mode of travel it's their loss, more Baked Alaska pour moi.

 

Jonathan

[MrsPete]

Honestly, we don't ever feel the need to defend our choice of cruising to our friends.

I agree. I don't really care whether my friends share my opinions or not.

[Hlitner]

We have been cruising at least yearly for quite a few years now.

 

Love cruising mainly due to the various ports one can easily visit without packing, unpacking at individual ports, paying airfare to different cities, etc. We can do adventuresome excursions like ziplining, heading down a river, seeing other lifestyles, etc. and also lounge/snorkel on amazing beaches. I also love the planning aspect, meeting new friends, investigating ports, on CC, roll calls, etc.

 

If you do decide to cruise with friends, you can "do your own thing" on and off the ship. No need to agree on the same thing!

 

To us, every cruise and cruiseship is an adventure...We like the larger ships' ambience and activities, the "comfortable" feel of a mid-size ship, and also had a wonderful time on a very small, old ship.

 

Yes, no cruise is perfect, but sometimes the annoying or odd happenings are something we laugh at down the road.

 

That being said, many times when I tell friends that we're going on a cruise, they tell me that they don't understand why I want to cruise, say you are "being treated like cattle", waiting, etc. They also want to spend more days at each port. (Most of our cruises permit 8 - 6pm or so per port...not a problem...can see more of a port on our next cruise!)

 

I know that's why there are different ice cream flavors....something for everyone...but still...Do you find yourself amazed by the fact that friends do not see the benefits in cruising??

 

Barbara

 

Nope,,,not at all. Why should we even try to "defend" our love of travel and cruising. DW and I are pretty adventurous travelers and love traveling on land, sea, to AIs, etc. For us it is a major part of our lifestyle (about 6 months a year traveling) and we understand that many folks are home bodies, have budget issues, or just have different likes and dislikes. It is what makes the world go round.

 

Hank

[Markanddonna]

We also love cruising and have found it is an efficient way to see many parts of the world I would have not considered. My favorites are European ports and Alaska. The Caribbean seems like all the same with sandy beaches and palm trees and lots of poverty, so that destination has to be the bargain of the century before I go on a cruise there.

 

We have tried to encourage our best friends to come but they bought a condo in Florida, next to her elderly snowbird parents' condo. I think they quickly saw their mistake (they get to tend to very elderly parents down there) and now rarely go down there but their travel funds are wrapped up in little used real estate.

 

One benefit of cruising is that you don't wrap up a huge amount of retirement money in an RV or little used condo.

[cruiseapril]

Some people just enjoy being on the sea on a ship. We like that.

Also like visiting several ports in one trip. Have done many land vacations and still do some, but much prefer being on the sea in the open air, cruising to someplace warm and interesting.

 

Friends seem to understand those feelings.:)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

For us it is a 2nd home ..

[Teeara]

I find people are more curous about why I like to travel rather than my mode of travel. My roommate's co-workers are always telling her they would go crazy on a plane flight that lasts longer than 3 or 4 hours. They can fly to DisneyWorld, but no more. Instead they will go to the Cape every weekend each and every summer (spending 3 or 4 hours in traffic) with their extended family. That would literally drive me insane. Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of places I love to go to time after time (Old Sturbridge Village here in MA comes to mind), but not every weekend and certainly not with my family! What I love about cruising is that there are so many different itineraries and that you can do as much or as little during the cruise as you want. I find that the more I cruise the less I want to do, especially onboard the ship. I want a big balcony where I can sit outside and read a book after spending time onshore either shopping or going on a shore excursion. One of my friends is so terrified that the ship will sink she would never consider going on a cruise. I tell her she's more likely to die in a car crash than drowning on a sinking ship.

[Gunner22aa]

I don't feel the slightest bit obligated to defend my choice of vacation to anyone. I have friends that cruise and friends that will never cruise. We are all free to decide how and where we vacation. Got to love living in a democracy!

[okgirl]

I've quit trying to get my friends and family to understand, but at least they have quit acting so annoyed about it.

 

My older sister and BIL have cruised twiced but they just don't care for it. My brother really doesn't like crowds and probably wouldn't enjoy it.