Have you ever done a cruise and never left the ship?

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

But to me “size matters”.  Are they big?   At least an entry level suite with yacht club access?  Price?  

I would not call them big but more like a Deluxe balcony cabin.  If you truly want big there are some mega ships with suites well over a thousand sq feet.  MSC tapped a market by providing some amazing amenities, normally found by only booking large and expensive suites on ships like the QM2, for those who don't want to pay the big bucks for a giant cabin. 

 

DW and I once calculated that we spend an average of 2 hours a day in our cabin when we are awake.  We like being comfy, but paying hundreds of extra dollars per waking hour for unused space  never seemed like the best way to spend our money.  On MSC we can walk a few feet, within our restricted YC part of the ship to either the large expansive private lounge (with a 180 degree bow view) where the service staff falls over themselves to bring your drinks and where there is also a 21 hour a day rotating buffet of nice snacks.  We can also go up a deck to the large private sundeck/pool where there is a private buffet.  All that for about the same price or less as a balcony cabin on X.  But if you want to spend the bigger bucks on space they also have some larger suites...although the amenities are no better.  At the end of our cruise our bill usually has a nice balance because the deals we get are all inclusive.  

 

I am not knocking those who are happy paying $500 - $1000 per passenger day for space, but when we want to spend that kind of money on a cruise you will find us on luxury lines where everything is upscale, there are no lines, caviar and Champagne flow, etc.  Consider that on X, when you pay big bucks for a cabin you are using the same ship as others who are paying a fraction of that price.  Kind of like the person who buys the million dollar home in a neighborhood surrounded by $50,000 dollar homes.  Some like being the big man in the neighborhood, but others prefer to live in a more upscale neighborhood.

 

Hank

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

2 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

But to me “size matters”.  Are they big?   At least an entry level suite with yacht club access?  Price?  

 

I've stayed in all suites on Celebrity and two Yacht Club suites on MSC.  I would say that the YC cabins are larger than a sky suite on Celebrity.  The bathrooms are fabulous.  No climbing over a high tub wall to take a shower.  In room coffee maker.  All snacks in mini bar are included.  Full-size newspaper of your choice every day.  Basically, everything is included for a lot less than Celebrity charges for a basic suite which may or may not have perks attached to it.  Celebrity's suite prices are entering nosebleed territory lately.  And they don't even have a ship within a ship with a private pool deck and pool restaurant.  Try going to Celebrity's Retreat Pool area and asking them to make you eggs benedict for breakfast.  Ha!  MSC's current Caribbean itineraries are ho hum, but so are most of Celebrity's.  MSC's private island is awesome.

[MISTER 67]

For us too, the ship is the destination. We now sail only in the Caribbean as we there is nothing we need to see anymore like in Europe or other areas. We live in Florida and will not step on an airplane anymore so 3 times a year we drive to one of the ports here in the Sunshine State and sail into the Caribbean and stay on the ship.

[DENIE]

21 hours ago, babylene said:

I see you are from Arizona. We are from Cold Canada. So the main reason for these cruises is to escape the winter.

 

Yep.  And I totally get that! 🙂  We used to live in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Wisconsin.  Not cold weather people at all.  Warm weather is certainly paradise!  The Caribbean still feels good to us in winter.

[ldubs]

On 3/2/2020 at 11:51 PM, chemmo said:

Yes, I was in an orthopaedic boot at the time. After surgery and being horizontal for 12 weeks with my husband running around like an idiot we both needed a change of four walls and some pampering...We were aware that the destinations weren’t easy to access either in my wheelchair or on crutches.

 

 

 

Oh man, I feel your pain. I was in one of those boots recently but not near as long as you.  Got it off a week before our January trip/cruise out of Singapore.  Doc gave me some restrictions and I actually took the boot with me.  But of course I ignored just about everything he told me not to do.  

 

Anyway, while I think I would normally go stark raving mad if I couldn't get off the ship, I do understand your motivation.  Under the circumstances I would feel the same way.  

 

 

[NMTraveller]

We did it for a half day when most were ashore.  It was kind of quiet and deserted.  There were not many activities while in port.  But perhaps that is the point.

Edited March 5, 2020 by NMTraveller

[4774Papa]

We cruise for the ports and rarely repeat the same cruise.  Some people cruise for the ship.

To me the ship is a floating hotel with entertainment and restaurants.  Also, I do like being on the ocean, watching the wildlife.

 

 

[ONT-CA]

For long cruise like from Sydney to Vancouver one has to disembark at all the islands, for when will you ever come this way again?  But the Caribbean?  What we see from our balcony is what we get.  Even without the current virus fears, there are sanitary and health concerns.  Whoever said the ship then is the destination has it right on.

[Quo Vadis?]

On 3/3/2020 at 12:09 AM, cl.klink said:

My wife and are planning to cruise on Reflection in a few weeks, visiting ports in Caribbean, South and Central America, with many stops in places we’ve already been. For a variety of reasons for a few ports we planned to stay on ship. We like cruise ships and are happy to be on board. Got me thinking - anyone ever just stay on the ship for all of a cruise’s ports?  How did that go?  How did you strategize or approach that?

 

- Joel

That's how we've been cruising for years.  We watch the tourists get off and enjoy our near-private yacht.

[cle-guy]

Wait, you mean you are allowed to get off the ship when it stops?

[maggieq]

We do not get off the ship on the majority of Caribbean  cruises we take.  we love to have more room on the ship when others do so.  No, it is not the same as an all inclusive resort.  

[NHCRUISIN]

Yes

[mrneva]

Yes we’ve tried that on a Caribbean cruise. We got our cruises through comps so it’s our cheapest way to vacation. To us, the reason to get on a Caribbean cruise is to do nothing, sleep in, and get fed like a pig!


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[DaKa2002]

10 minutes ago, NHCRUISIN said:

Yes

Agree, but so far only in the Caribbean...

[4774Papa]

On 3/4/2020 at 4:27 PM, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I've stayed in all suites on Celebrity and two Yacht Club suites on MSC.  I would say that the YC cabins are larger than a sky suite on Celebrity.  The bathrooms are fabulous.  No climbing over a high tub wall to take a shower.  In room coffee maker.  All snacks in mini bar are included.  Full-size newspaper of your choice every day.  Basically, everything is included for a lot less than Celebrity charges for a basic suite which may or may not have perks attached to it.  Celebrity's suite prices are entering nosebleed territory lately.  And they don't even have a ship within a ship with a private pool deck and pool restaurant.  Try going to Celebrity's Retreat Pool area and asking them to make you eggs benedict for breakfast.  Ha!  MSC's current Caribbean itineraries are ho hum, but so are most of Celebrity's.  MSC's private island is awesome.

Everyone that I have met on a cruise that did a cruise on MSC has said that they would never do it again. Also, that the dining was the worst of any other cruise line they have been on.

[poeticlicensed]

4 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

Everyone that I have met on a cruise that did a cruise on MSC has said that they would never do it again. Also, that the dining was the worst of any other cruise line they have been on.

We sailed on the MSC Seaside (not YC) this past Christmas. Yes, the food is not as good as Celebrity, but it was ok, some hits and misses. But the ship was lovely, the entertainment was great and the staff was attentive, not to the level of X, but it was fine. Our cabin was small, compared to Celebrity and it was a balcony. I think a lot of Americans have issues with MSC because they have a much more European atmosphere, so you have to be much more self sufficient, kind of how you have to be if you travel independently in Europe. We are seasoned cruisers so we knew the drill and has no problems. They had the best spa on any cruise ship we have ever sailed on. I'd definitely sail on them again, especially if we want to do a European cruise. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

4 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

Everyone that I have met on a cruise that did a cruise on MSC has said that they would never do it again. Also, that the dining was the worst of any other cruise line they have been on.

 

I guess you haven't met the same people I have.  Please note that my recommendation applies to Yacht Club only on MSC.  I would never cruise in the gen pop on MSC, far too many kids and people.  My two MSC Yacht Club cruises on Seaside have been excellent and I have another one booked for this fall.

[poeticlicensed]

4 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

I would never cruise in the gen pop on MSC, far too many kids and people.

As a member of the gen pop, I resemble that remark🙂

Edited March 6, 2020 by poeticlicensed

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

9 hours ago, poeticlicensed said:

As a member of the gen pop, I resemble that remark🙂

 

Sorry, I just hate crowds and screaming, unsupervised children.  Which is what I run into when I venture out into the gen pop.  I realize that doesn't apply to everyone, but I just choose not to encounter it.

[hawk/hornfan]

We are doing an 11 day in Nov. on the Reflection to the ABC's and Cartegena. Also Grand Cayman which we have been to twice before. May get off in GC for lunch, but then back on the ship because we have done what we want to in GC.

[pixiedust777]

12 hours ago, hawk/hornfan said:

We are doing an 11 day in Nov. on the Reflection to the ABC's and Cartegena. Also Grand Cayman which we have been to twice before. May get off in GC for lunch, but then back on the ship because we have done what we want to in GC.

Doing the same cruise mid April. Have done all the ports before and have nothing planned this cruise for any of the ports. May get off,  may not. Will decide when we arrive. However we are both good with not getting off the ship for the entire cruise.

Edited March 7, 2020 by pixiedust777

[grandgeezer]

23 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I guess you haven't met the same people I have.  Please note that my recommendation applies to Yacht Club only on MSC.  I would never cruise in the gen pop on MSC, far too many kids and people.  My two MSC Yacht Club cruises on Seaside have been excellent and I have another one booked for this fall.

 

I echo these remarks. We too have done two, 14 day cruises, in the Yacht Club on the Seaside and now it's our only option. The 24 cruises we've done on Celebrity and 8 we've done on RCL Oasis class ships are just distant memories.

[talljules1]

Re the OP - yes, we have.  We have cruised with Celebrity, NCL and MSC (Yacht Club).

When we started cruising we did lots and lots of excursions.  We enjoyed most of those but found them tiring.  Over time we learnt only to book shorter excursions and only if they were things we really wanted to do/see.  (So, we loved going to Giants Causeway and Blue Lagoon on our Iceland and Ireland cruise for example.   We enjoyed Flam railway in Norway).

Last year we had an MSC Yacht Club cruise.  It was all about getting away and not at all about the destinations - so we didnt get off the ship at all.  LOVED it.

 

This year, we have 2 cruises to Norway.  We have been before and think it is all about the sail ins and sail aways.   We have booked Bergen Funicular tickets in case the weather is good, but we will be happy staying on the ship.  For us now cruising is all about relaxing and the ship is indeed a destination in itself.  We may or may not use some OBC to go to the top of the mountain in Geiranger.

 

Next year we hope to do Canada and Alaska and likely will book some excursions on the Alaska cruise.

[funship freddy]

50 cruises so far.

I have done many while staying onboard.

I cruise for the ship experience.

The best time aboard is while in port.


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[Arubalisa]

A few years back, my husband and I sailed the Western Caribbean on the Reflection. I have been cruising around the Caribbean for 30 years, been there done that, yada, yada, yada. Under a lot of stress at home, we genuinely wanted PEACE and quiet. We enjoy one another's company and can easily pass an entire afternoon reading on the balcony and that was pretty much our cruise. Wonderful meals in Blu and lunches at the buffet, shows at night, wake up and repeat. We never left the ship and lived to talk about it. Just what the doctor ordered!