is cruising for us?

[k8c]

I realize that this is like...asking a cat if mice are tasty. :) But, I need informed opinions.

 

I am a single mom to a 14-year-old. We enjoy traveling, and have traveled both in the US and across Europe. She loves to go to the beach and to swim. But, we aren't big fans of crowds. The teen club wouldn't appeal to her at all. We both need some quiet and some downtime when we're on vacation.

 

Would we enjoy a cruise? She is interested and I am hesitant. I think it will be too much scheduled time and too many people. But...I don't know. That's why I've come to ask the experts!

 

Your input is welcome. :>

[champagne123]

Welcome to CC!!!! I am not responding to your question to talk you into cruising. I am, however, going to say....give it a try! You will never know unless you try. I do not stick to any "one" cruise line. I love them all for different reasons. Do some research and a lot of reading on these boards and see what you are attracted to. (smaller ships, ships with all of the bells and whistles, quiet ships....etc...etc.)

[SuiteTraveler]

Nowadays ships have anytime dining - where you can go whenever you want and sit with whomever you want - including just you and your daughter. Food is available 24x7 although not all restaurants are open at all times. You can do as much or as little as you want onboard and ashore. The only negative for a 14 year old is, for example she is too young to go to the thermal suite at the spa - the usual age is 16. Each line has its own character. And different types of cruises have different characters as well. For example, a Med Cruise is so port intensive, the ship is little more than a floating hotel as you get up early in the morning, and are off by 8:30 doing whatever you want that day and most people don't get back onboard until 5-6pm then have dinner, maybe see a show and pass out in bed to get up and do another port the next day. Med Cruises of 7 days only have 1 day at sea. Caribbean cruises can be a lot more laid back with 2-3 days at sea. In this case, there are two types of ships that you might consider - one is a Mega Ship which has a ton of activities onboard - look at Royal Caribbean's Oasis class ships for an example of this. These ships have so much you can do onboard they are made to be the destination and the ports are more of an after thought. They also have amazing crowd control and it never really feels crowded on these ships despite the huge number of passengers. This is because everything is spread out throughout the ship and passengers are going to different events in different venues. Even so, you can do as much or little as you want while onboard and in port. Then there are normal ships that are from lines that are more quiet such as Princess, Celebrity and HAL which tend to do itineraries that are about seeing different ports. If you have ever stayed at an all-inclusive resort, then you already have a pretty good idea about what a cruise is like.

 

I would suggest you consider doing a cruise that is only 1 week to try it out and find out if you like cruising. Consider how you like to travel - if you want something relaxing (Caribbean, Bermuda, Hawaii) or something port intensive (Europe, Alaska) and choose accordingly. You'll never know if you like or not if you don't give it a try.

Edited March 4, 2018 by SuiteTraveler

[SuiteTraveler]

I just wanted to add that on most ships the teen club consists of teens meeting in one location on the first night of the cruise where friendships form and after that, they get together on their own at various locations on the ship that they choose. It's not really a club with scheduled activities per se - just a way for teens to meet other teens on the ship to hang out with. Parents generally give their teens rules such as no bringing anyone to the cabin and no going to anyone's cabin, they have to tell the parents where they plan to be that day and check in after a few hours or if they are changing location. These ships have so much onboard, a lot of teens might go to the onboard waterpark and then head to the buffet for lunch followed by going bowling in yet another area of the ship. It would be up to your daughter as to if she wanted to make friends and have a group to hang out with or just stay with you instead.

[mnocket]

My suggestion is to research the different cruise lines to find the one that best fits your needs. Shorter cruises on Carnival or RCL are more "party" cruises and have a lot more activities (rock walls, pool slides, etc.). Lines like Celebrity and Princess are more "adult" oriented and a better place to kick back and relax. I'm sure you both would enjoy a cruise vacation - you just need to find what's right for you. Cruise Critic is a great place to research the various options. Good Luck!

[Keith1010]

Well this one is a hard one since we really don't know you or your daughter.

 

My suggestion is that you speak with friends who know you both and who have cruised to see what they say.

 

Keith

[thinfool]

The only scheduled time that affects you is the time the ship sails. After that you are on your own.

 

True, there are schedules for dining venues to be open/closed. Times for various activities and entertainment, but they are voluntary.

 

In short, you can board the ship and hide in your room for the entire trip. Hunger might happen, but room service will cover that.

 

If you want to be out of your room, you can go sit in a chair on the promenade or lido deck and people watch or read a book (you will not be alone, but no one will bother you, either).

[GUT2407]

It’s not for everyone, give it a try and see.

[martincath]

I'd suggest finding a relatively short cruise with a port-heavy itinerary that goes places you are both interested in exploring. Ideally somewhere that is difficult/more expensive/impossible to visit on a land vaycay, so that the cruise part can be looked on purely as a traveling hotel - your focus being on the ports. This way even if you end up deciding that cruises are not for you in the long-term the overall package will have been valuable. As already mentioned, it's not hard to find cruises with relaxed dress codes, flexible dining etc. As very much a foodie I find tolerable to genuinely very good food onboard even mainstream lines without much difficulty. You might even enjoy some of the onboard entertainment that's included with your fare.

 

Our first cruise as a couple we went in expecting the worst - packed public spaces, beer-swilling and buffet-devouring fellow pax, no interesting enrichment activities, etc. etc. - and were pleasantly surprised. While none of the theater shows on any of the lines we've cruised were good enough we'd have considered them worth paying for if they were on land, they were virtually always worth our time to attend once; comedians and individual entertainers were better - we've actually since attended real shows on land by one singer-songwriter we first saw on a cruise, and gone to multiple sessions onboard with several others.

 

Cooking classes, wine tastings etc. have generally been distinctly 'meh' unless paid for - unless it's a hands-on, small group session it's very hard to get anything useful out of watching someone far across the room mixing a cocktail or prepping a dish - but we've also had some genuinely fantastic experiences that were extremely enjoyable from guest lecturer types (the best was three sessions with an author on NCL, during which the group wrote a communal short story).

 

An Alaskan cruise could work as well as a European one for you - not quite as many port days but likely easier to get to departure/return port(s), barring Skagway the ports in SE Alaska are impossible to drive to (and Skagway would be a very, very long drive through Canada from any other State!) and depending what interests you have there are some genuinely intriguing historical sites as well as the obviously beautiful outdoor scenery.

[SmoothFlying]

It’s not for everyone, give it a try and see.

 

I agree.. Instead, why not try a five day.That way, if either of you decide it's not your 'cup of tea', no harm, no foul'.But I do agree on research, concerning the cruiselines, what activities on board. Would you and daughter want an assigned dinning, which is one of 2 seatings, usually 5:30 or 8:30p.m. or ATD (AnytimeDinning) in which you can show up from 5:30-8:30. You never know about kids.:) She MAY meet a group, they CLICK and poor Mon's eating most of her meals solo. But I would certainly HOPE daughter would eat breakfast and dinner w/Mom so she could fill you in on what her plans are for the day. But only you know your daughter's personality. Knowing those traits do your due diligence with her likes and dislikes in mind, talk it over with her and then decide.But regardless which cruise line or type, length of sailing, always remember NO vacation (cruise or land) is perfect. Just plan to have FUN!

 

Mac

[Joebucks]

Give it a try! There is something for everyone. I would much rather have lived my life saying "I tried that and didn't care for it" vs "I never got to experience that"

[calliopecruiser]

I think you'll find very little "scheduled time" on cruises -- the only things you must attend are the muster drills. After that, you can do or not do what you like. Even port stops are up to you -- you can get off the ship or not, take an excursion or not, wander around on your own or not. I'm not an excursion type of traveler, so usually poke around on my own (one year, in Honolulu, I rented a car for the day).

 

Crowds? Yes, on some ships and some voyages, so look for smaller or mid-sized ships with a better space-to-passenger ratio.

[OCruisers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

 

No, cruising is not for everyone ... but you'll never know until you give it a try!

 

A 7 day (not less than a 7) on a Princess or Celebrity ship should be a good choice for you. :D

[Bizmark'sMom]

I'm a total introvert, and I love cruising!

 

The only thing you "have" to do is attend muster drill. Every single other thing is optional. Personally, I use the ship as a comfortable hotel. When we get to port, I am off of the ship early seeing what there is to see. Back on the ship, I grab a cocktail, have dinner, maybe have another cocktail, then I head back to my balcony room with my book where I can watch the ocean go by.

 

I enjoy some of the trivia games. Don't care about the production shows, and thoroughly enjoy the experience. Sometimes I travel with a group, sometimes I travel solo. I have a fantastic time either way.

[K32682]

I am a single mom to a 14-year-old. We enjoy traveling, and have traveled both in the US and across Europe. She loves to go to the beach and to swim. But, we aren't big fans of crowds. The teen club wouldn't appeal to her at all. We both need some quiet and some downtime when we're on vacation.

 

Would we enjoy a cruise? She is interested and I am hesitant. I think it will be too much scheduled time and too many people. But...I don't know. That's why I've come to ask the experts!

Based on your post it sounds like you would enjoy an all-inclusive beach resort more than a cruise.

[Pudgesmom]

I realize that this is like...asking a cat if mice are tasty. :) But, I need informed opinions.

 

I am a single mom to a 14-year-old. We enjoy traveling, and have traveled both in the US and across Europe. She loves to go to the beach and to swim. But, we aren't big fans of crowds. The teen club wouldn't appeal to her at all. We both need some quiet and some downtime when we're on vacation.

 

Would we enjoy a cruise? She is interested and I am hesitant. I think it will be too much scheduled time and too many people. But...I don't know. That's why I've come to ask the experts!

 

Your input is welcome. :>

 

I would say it would not be a good fit.

 

When I want a beach vacation, I do not take a cruise. Getting to the beach on a cruise involves getting onshore, traveling to the beach, securing seating, beach time, and then the entire thing in reverse. Its completely different than walking out of your room onshore and being in the water.

 

We hate crowds as well. My husband is an airline pilot and spends his time at work dealing with crowds and the traveling public. After a couple of cruises on Holland America, Princess and Carnival, we said would we never cruise again. Then we found Windstar, with smaller ships, and now we only sail on Windstar, with passengers between 150 and 300 people. We cruise when we want to spend the days sightseeing in port. If we want a beach vacation, we go to the beach.

 

On a mainstream cruise, you will wait to get on, wait to get off, wait to eat, etc. The price is great, but its not for us. Your mileage may vary.

[k8c]

Thanks, everyone.

 

It's a lot of money to invest, so I appreciate your input. A port-intensive cruise on a small ship sounds like it would make the most sense.

 

We'll save our pennies and I'll keep reading here. :)

[SRF]

We schedule almost nothing on a cruise. But that might not be possible on the mega ships. And while we don't avoid crowds, we don't seek them out. But there are a lot of things you can do that are not crowd based. And some that are (dancing to 70s pop tunes in the Centrum can be a blast).

 

I have a friend, who cruises a lot, who does little to no interaction with others. She has her quiet places on the ship, and when one place gets crowded, knows another place will be empty.

 

So you can have a quiet, downtime vacation on a cruise.

 

I would suggest avoiding very short cruises, as they tend to be more party oriented. And I suggest, a mix of port and sea days. To find out which YOU prefer. Some people prefer port days, and some people prefer sea days. Some like both, and some don't care.

 

A balcony room offers you the chance to hang out alone on your balcony, which is very nice. Suites offer you even more room, and maybe a table for a sunrise, balcony breakfast for the two of you.

 

And if you have traveled Europe by land (as I have), I think a Euro cruise with one port per day would be frustrating.

 

But try it. If you like it, great. If you don't like it, then you know. And even if you don't like it, it will not be that bad.

 

For quieter, more relaxed cruising, I REALLY like Royal Caribbean's Grandeur out of Baltimore. So much so, I have two more cruises booked, in the same cabin. :D

[cmdchiefthom]

I realize that this is like...asking a cat if mice are tasty. :) But, I need informed opinions.

I am a single mom to a 14-year-old. We enjoy traveling, and have traveled both in the US and across Europe. She loves to go to the beach and to swim. But, we aren't big fans of crowds. The teen club wouldn't appeal to her at all. We both need some quiet and some downtime when we're on vacation.

 

Would we enjoy a cruise? She is interested and I am hesitant. I think it will be too much scheduled time and too many people. But...I don't know. That's why I've come to ask the experts!

 

Your input is welcome. :>

 

My wife and I have been cruising with our our 3 sons since they were in their teens in the mid 90's. Last April was our most recent family venture, and we had two of our sons, one wife, and 5 of 8 of our grand kids. The kids grew up aboard HAL and NCL ships, and one of them loved the sea so much, he's spent 14 years in the Coast Guard.

Take a shot with your daughter. Like all of our kids, she'll meet other kids her age aboard ship and certainly won't be bored.;)

[OCruisers]

You might really enjoy a port intensive cruise on a Holland America ship. It would give you the quiet experience you're seeking. :)

[cb at sea]

You can do as much or as little on a cruise as you want. You are under NO obligation to join ANY activity! If you are partial to staying in your cabin, choose one with some size to it...ship's cabins are nowhere near the size of a hotel room, until you get into the "mini-suite" and better categories.

 

Research your ports, so you can do your own thing...most things are easy to DIY, if you know something about where you're going!

[new_cruiser]

Since she likes beaches and swimming, you might want to consider taking a Caribbean cruise that leaves from one of the islands, e.g. Puerto Rico, instead of Florida. That gives more port time versus the same length of cruise leaving from Florida because you start near the islands instead of having sea days to get to and from them. Also, you visit the most popular islands on days when they are less crowded. Cruises that start mid-week (or cruises longer than a week) are also likely to be at ports when they are less crowded.

[k8c]

Thanks again, everyone! :) You've given me lots to think about.

[TNcruising02]

You will never know until you try. I took my first cruise in 2014. Before then, I really never thought about taking a cruise. Since then, I have taken many cruises. Cruising clicked and I am hooked. No vacation compares to a cruise for me. With a cruise, I have the choice to attend shows, participate in activities, or find a quiet place on the ship to chill. I can be as busy or as relaxed as I feel like being. When I am hungry, I don't have to cook. My cabin is always made up for me each day, so no cleaning.

 

Then, to put the icing on the cake, I get to explore so many new places and have new experiences. I can learn about different cultures and see how people live in other countries. I can choose high level activities, relax at a beautiful beach, or just stroll through the local areas and shop. A cruise is everything and nothing all in one vacation. Everyone is different, so nobody can tell you if you will enjoy a cruise. It sounds like your daughter is open to the experience.

 

Life is for living and trying new things. It's boring if we do the same things, in my opinion. Sometimes it feels good to jump out of our comfort zone. I am an introvert, but I have enjoyed meeting new people on cruises. I have enjoyed talking to locals in different countries. It gives me a larger perspective on life. I say, go for it. If you don't like it, at least you gave it a shot. If you do like it, you've opened a door to a new world.

[Sailin Gal]

DH and I are introverts who like our quiet time, and prefer to go on fishing or bareboat sailing trips by ourselves. We enjoy cruises once in awhile for a chance to just show up and mentally check out, and not have to do anything for a week. We get a balcony cabin, and I enjoy sitting out there reading or watching the water go by. As others have said, research the itineraries, lines, and ships. You can do as much or little as you want. There are always quiet places on board, and you can always adjust your schedule onboard to avoid crowds.