nearly a first time cruiser - but not quite!!

[misssunshine41]

Hello All

Hoping for some help/encouragement.

My other half not keen on flying anymore, and as much as I love Torquay and Weston, I need a change!

 

Am looking at cruises, but finding myself overwhelmed, just trying to work out the cabins is giving me a headache:confused:

 

I have seen a Fred Olsen trip on 31st August which looks quite nice, around the canary islands and Lisbon.

I can see that it is a smaller and older ship, but we don't aspire to silver service 5* luxury, as long as there are plenty of places to sit and relax, it is clean and comfortable and decent food we will be happy.

Some ships seem huge and it would take us all week to find our away around. Ships like RCL and celebrity seem to have so many facilities and decks I think we would be overwhelmed.

 

BUT.... we don't want to spend 7-10 days bored because not much going on. We enjoy live shows, listening to music, sequence and ballroom dancing, I also enjoy a bit of line dancing. We go to gym regularly (only gentle exerise, but if I miss, my arthritis really seizes my muscles) We are in the local pub quiz team.

 

So, (apologises for my long windedness), my question is.. will there be enough to keep us occupied on a smaller ship like FO or do we need to look at a bigger ship like P & O.

 

It is important I get it right, if my OH doesn't enjoy himself, it could be our first and last cruise.

 

Any advice would be very very much appreciated :):):)

[Velvetwater]

I personally think P and O would possibly a better fit regardless. They have FO style smaller ships for adult only and larger ships for all.

 

My Great Aunt and Uncle in their 70s and their friends from church are firm P and O fans and they had the 'we want lots to keep us occupied but we dont want a floating village'.

 

Not all Royal and Celebrity ships are massive so it would be worth checking out their smaller ships that sail near you and Princess and Cunard (not as expensive as one might think) may be worth checking out too. They say that the American based lines have much better food than P&O but I have not tasted it myself.

 

From my reading most main lines have Trivia throughout the day.

 

Btw I love Torquay/Paighton/Brixham too as my family are from those parts. I may be young but its still the best coast in the UK to me.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Velvetwater

[soccerref]

Hello All

Hoping for some help/encouragement.

My other half not keen on flying anymore, and as much as I love Torquay and Weston, I need a change!

 

Am looking at cruises, but finding myself overwhelmed, just trying to work out the cabins is giving me a headache:confused:

 

I have seen a Fred Olsen trip on 31st August which looks quite nice, around the canary islands and Lisbon.

I can see that it is a smaller and older ship, but we don't aspire to silver service 5* luxury, as long as there are plenty of places to sit and relax, it is clean and comfortable and decent food we will be happy.

Some ships seem huge and it would take us all week to find our away around. Ships like RCL and celebrity seem to have so many facilities and decks I think we would be overwhelmed.

 

BUT.... we don't want to spend 7-10 days bored because not much going on. We enjoy live shows, listening to music, sequence and ballroom dancing, I also enjoy a bit of line dancing. We go to gym regularly (only gentle exerise, but if I miss, my arthritis really seizes my muscles) We are in the local pub quiz team.

 

So, (apologises for my long windedness), my question is.. will there be enough to keep us occupied on a smaller ship like FO or do we need to look at a bigger ship like P & O.

 

It is important I get it right, if my OH doesn't enjoy himself, it could be our first and last cruise.

 

Any advice would be very very much appreciated :):):)

 

We have sailed on FO, P&O and many U.S. based cruise lines and enjoyed every cruise. I note your list of interests and know that FO cater for all of those. In my humble opinion, the food on all our FO cruises has been better than the food on the other lines. I see that you enjoy ballroom and sequence dancing and you will find more opportunity on FO and P&O......the American lines don't 'do sequence' in our experience.

Whatever you choose, have a great time.

[Steviemk14a]

Did you pick a cruise? Can't see any more posts.

We have found plenty to do on Fred.Olsen's smaller ships. Remember that there are only so many 'at sea days' to find things to do on board,and you will probably want to get off at each port you visit in turn.

All 4 of them have a deck where you can actually walk around the whole ship plus tiered open sterns (back ends) with lots of sitting places and favourite corners to relax in, inside and out.