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As we all get older, do we all prefer longer cruises?

Slarty

By Slarty,
in Holland America Line

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Bamaman1

Bamaman1

Posted
Posted

My first cruise was on Carnival's Mardi Gras in 1977. Time is not the issue in my Early Retirement. The issue is where the cruises go.

 

We've been on so many Bahama, Western Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean cruises that we're bored going to the same ole ports. Now, we're going to other parts of the world doing cruises.

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Lovely other

Lovely other

Posted
Posted

My first cruise was for 30 days and whilst I didn't like the ship and many other things I did enjoy the chance to be away at sea that long. I've only done one 7 day and I wouldn't do a cruise that short again ... It goes far too fast. we are both self employed and have to grab our cruises between jobs, so like to fit as many days in as possible.

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NMLady

NMLady

Posted
Posted
Since we have to fly to most any embarkation port, we've noticed that as we've grown older, we prefer longer cruises. Anyone else?

 

It's all about the hassle of:

 

reservations/getting-a-deal that you are happy with,

packing/meds

limos/taxis,

TSA, flying,

Luggage pickup, bell-hop,

Transfer to the hotel,

pre-departure hotel; a meal,

Xfer to the ship, more tips,

 

... reverse, when you get off the ship, also blows chunks!

 

So, all these upfront costs, why do a 7-day?

 

That's our feeling exactly. We will no longer cruise for less than 14 days, preferably longer if we can afford it.

We also have hassle of airline wheelchair escort and connecting flights.

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OlsSalt

OlsSalt

Posted
Posted
Since almost all of airline trips require a connection and thus at least 5 hours of travel time, we like the longer cruises.

 

One thing we have just starting doing is looking for inexpensive first class fares (yes, they do exist). I have a roundtrip from Oklahoma to Fort Lauderdale in April for only $550 on Delta (normally pay around $400 in coach), so they can be found.

 

Yes it is more expensive, but it makes flying not such a chore.

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll start looking into this from LAX. Assumed there was no such thing as a "cheap" first class.

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GUT2407

GUT2407

Posted
Posted
Since we have to fly to most any embarkation port, we've noticed that as we've grown older, we prefer longer cruises. Anyone else?

 

It's all about the hassle of:

 

reservations/getting-a-deal that you are happy with,

packing/meds

limos/taxis,

TSA, flying,

Luggage pickup, bell-hop,

Transfer to the hotel,

pre-departure hotel; a meal,

Xfer to the ship, more tips,

 

... reverse, when you get off the ship, also blows chunks!

 

So, all these upfront costs, why do a 7-day?

 

 

Well we can't fly, but still prefer longer cruises.

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Homosassa

Homosassa

Posted
Posted
No.

For us, anything shorter then seven days is too short. However, anything longer the thirteen days and we are desperate to get off the ship.

 

We realized this a long time ago and it hasn't changed since we retire.

 

An additional thought. It only seems to be on cruises that we get antsy after thirteen days. We are fine with longer land vacations because we are not in such a routine as on board ship.

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catl331

catl331

Posted
Posted

No, we don't all prefer longer. Our ideal is 10 days, and don't like more than 14. We usually drive to FLL or Tampa now, so don't have many of your hassles.

 

Obviously what please? What do the stars mean?
Probably some vulgarity that you'd rather not hear.
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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted

Just considering what I wrote earlier I think even after we are retired it'll be questionable how much will tend towards longer cruises. As one poster alluded to earlier longer cruises tend to have more at Sea days or more at Sea days in a row, and we greatly prefer Port days than sea days. Also we're just back from a week away. Our cats are all over us. Toward the end of even a 7-Day vacation we begin to worry about how our extended absence affects our pets. Too bad we can't bring them along.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted
That's our feeling exactly. We will no longer cruise for less than 14 days, preferably longer if we can afford it.

We also have hassle of airline wheelchair escort and connecting flights.

i DON'T WANT TO FLY ANYWHERE I if I am sttaying away less than 13-`14 days. A ctrually, like som othe people, I really don' want to fly at all anymore.
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ANSalberg

ANSalberg

Posted
Posted

We retired 18 years ago and discussed THEN what we wanted in our lives -and the consensus was -We want to see the world! Looking back now -it was -for us - a good decision!

We've done a World cruise and several ALL-around the Pacifc [ with another coming up this coming Fall] and I wouldn't have changed a thing! We've spent a whole year on the Amsterdam [several cruises] and we've seen what headlines DON'T tell you -AND we have been treated wonderfully everywhere and made new friends [ one of my dearest friends of the last 18 years is a wonderful person who lives in Australia and cruises also; thank GOODNESS for Computers/And Email!] We find our world to be MORE than what we expected -more fun,more exciting and more to LEARN from.

We met family of our crew friends on several stops in Indonesia -at their request; and LOVED that! We learned SO MUCH it is totally amazing. On a stop in Greece with another HAL ship -as we strolled toward the end of the pier -a steward from the other ship ran over and gave us a hug! It FEELS like "family" to us -to cruise Holland America.

ALL everyone says about getting there is true; at this age it certainly isn't easy flying to a coastal port -TSA - and all the security we have to endure. BUT the cruises/ports -to us -are well worth it! I would NEVER regret that 18 year decision to KEEP learning about our world.

I also am NOT criticising anyone elses opinions; I'm just saying this was a learning experience in our retirement years I wouldn't trade for anything! Anne from Colorado

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sapper1

sapper1

Posted
Posted
We retired 18 years ago and discussed THEN what we wanted in our lives -and the consensus was -We want to see the world! Looking back now -it was -for us - a good decision!

We've done a World cruise and several ALL-around the Pacifc [ with another coming up this coming Fall] and I wouldn't have changed a thing! We've spent a whole year on the Amsterdam [several cruises] and we've seen what headlines DON'T tell you -AND we have been treated wonderfully everywhere and made new friends [ one of my dearest friends of the last 18 years is a wonderful person who lives in Australia and cruises also; thank GOODNESS for Computers/And Email!] We find our world to be MORE than what we expected -more fun,more exciting and more to LEARN from.

We met family of our crew friends on several stops in Indonesia -at their request; and LOVED that! We learned SO MUCH it is totally amazing. On a stop in Greece with another HAL ship -as we strolled toward the end of the pier -a steward from the other ship ran over and gave us a hug! It FEELS like "family" to us -to cruise Holland America.

ALL everyone says about getting there is true; at this age it certainly isn't easy flying to a coastal port -TSA - and all the security we have to endure. BUT the cruises/ports -to us -are well worth it! I would NEVER regret that 18 year decision to KEEP learning about our world.

I also am NOT criticising anyone elses opinions; I'm just saying this was a learning experience in our retirement years I wouldn't trade for anything! Anne from Colorado

Hi Anne. Good to see you posting and I have a pretty good idea who the wonderful friend in Australia is---and I agree. :)

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sapper1

sapper1

Posted
Posted
Just considering what I wrote earlier I think even after we are retired it'll be questionable how much will tend towards longer cruises. As one poster alluded to earlier longer cruises tend to have more at Sea days or more at Sea days in a row, and we greatly prefer Port days than sea days. Also we're just back from a week away. Our cats are all over us. Toward the end of even a 7-Day vacation we begin to worry about how our extended absence affects our pets. Too bad we can't bring them along.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

Why not try to have them registered as service cats? Is there such a thing? :D

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Roz Great Review Rare

Roz

Posted
Posted

The longest cruise I've taken was 12 days. Two wks. away from work counting travel on either end. Would love to take a 14-21 day cruise, but am afraid I would come back to a 23 yr. old sitting in my cubicle. :(

 

I would prefer longer cruises (has nothing to do with age) but work stands in the way.

 

Roz

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
So many here seem to view anything over about 10 days as long cruises.

 

To me it needs to be 25+ to rate as long. And even then I prefer long.

I might call anything over 20 days to be "long", but I agree with your conclusion.

I came to think of 7 days as a long weekend, and up to 10 days as "short". The next range is 10-20 days, at mid-length. Then we get into "the good stuff". ;p

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