Unusual/unpopular opinions

[9tee2Sea]

On 12/4/2022 at 12:39 PM, navybankerteacher said:

As long as you are primarily interested in low cost - and like to stay on the ship anyway - why wouldn’t you do a Mexican riviera cruise out of Los Angeles?   What difference would it make where it went?
 

 

I have been to Mexico many times.  It's has just been the last two cruises I no longer get off the ship.  doing the Mexican ports is just boring now.  The last time I went on a cruise with a stop in Acapulco, there was an area on the beach close to the pier roped off.  There was a body on the beach.  after that, i said never going to step foot in Mexico again.  

[CruiseGal999]

On 10/20/2022 at 7:51 AM, momofmeg said:

We had a very bad experience with anytime dining seated with a group of one person eating very slowly which made us have to wat a long time for each course of food. Our diner took over 3 hours. His wife apologized and said he had new dentures. I would not have minded so much but we missed the show when we should have had ample time to get there.  ever since, we always request to be seated with our family or traveling companions only. Even when we have assigned dinner times, we request a small table for only us. 

 

Anyway, I think I could have dealt with your son fine. I have Aspergers myself, so I have empathy. I am guessing his seizures is another medical condition as that is not necessary someone with autism to have. I get why your tablemates though may have been afraid. We have a fiend with epilepsy, and it is very scary to witness a seizure. So anyway, I would have been okay with your son.

When you are seated with people who are NOT your family or in your group ... it is perfectly acceptable to tell your waiter to please bring your food as quickly as possible as you have reservations OR you just want to get on with your evening and have fun!  

 

[jabberwk]

My husband and I couldn't care any less about formal nights, photo ops with the captain, or any of the myriad "spectacular" activities offered on the mega-ships. We enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of cruising, of being pampered, of not being rushed, of being able to sit and watch the water, and the partaking of an overpriced drink or two each day. We treat our room steward kindly, we don't make unreasonable requests, we tip over and above the automatic tipping, and we make sure to say please and thank you to all staff members we encounter. We do our best to pick the best cabin we can, but don't make a big deal if our view is "obstructed" or if we can't get the exact location we want. We prefer junior suites but are just as happy if we get a standard balcony. We don't care if it connects to another cabin. Destination is more important to us than the ship, and will always be more important to us than cabin location. Every cabin on the ship gets to the same place at the same time. We are just happy to cruise. Period.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, jabberwk said:

My husband and I couldn't care any less about formal nights, photo ops with the captain, or any of the myriad "spectacular" activities offered on the mega-ships. We enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of cruising, of being pampered, of not being rushed, of being able to sit and watch the water, and the partaking of an overpriced drink or two each day. We treat our room steward kindly, we don't make unreasonable requests, we tip over and above the automatic tipping, and we make sure to say please and thank you to all staff members we encounter. We do our best to pick the best cabin we can, but don't make a big deal if our view is "obstructed" or if we can't get the exact location we want. We prefer junior suites but are just as happy if we get a standard balcony. We don't care if it connects to another cabin. Destination is more important to us than the ship, and will always be more important to us than cabin location. Every cabin on the ship gets to the same place at the same time. We are just happy to cruise. Period.

 

I think maybe it is normal in general for pic's to become less of a thing for folks who have been on a lot of cruises, IDK.   On our recent Caribbean cruise, I was surprised at the crowds of people doing business at the photo store area (named Focus).  We were there to pick up our two freebies.  I guess pics are still in demand by a fair number of folk.   

Edited December 10, 2022 by ldubs

[Crashe]

1 hour ago, jabberwk said:

My husband and I couldn't care any less about formal nights, photo ops with the captain, or any of the myriad "spectacular" activities offered on the mega-ships. We enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of cruising, of being pampered, of not being rushed, of being able to sit and watch the water, and the partaking of an overpriced drink or two each day. We treat our room steward kindly, we don't make unreasonable requests, we tip over and above the automatic tipping, and we make sure to say please and thank you to all staff members we encounter. We do our best to pick the best cabin we can, but don't make a big deal if our view is "obstructed" or if we can't get the exact location we want. We prefer junior suites but are just as happy if we get a standard balcony. We don't care if it connects to another cabin. Destination is more important to us than the ship, and will always be more important to us than cabin location. Every cabin on the ship gets to the same place at the same time. We are just happy to cruise. Period.

Great response!  Not about the finish but the journey!

[pookel]

On 12/10/2022 at 1:15 PM, jabberwk said:

My husband and I couldn't care any less about formal nights, photo ops with the captain, or any of the myriad "spectacular" activities offered on the mega-ships. We enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of cruising, of being pampered, of not being rushed, of being able to sit and watch the water, and the partaking of an overpriced drink or two each day. We treat our room steward kindly, we don't make unreasonable requests, we tip over and above the automatic tipping, and we make sure to say please and thank you to all staff members we encounter. We do our best to pick the best cabin we can, but don't make a big deal if our view is "obstructed" or if we can't get the exact location we want. We prefer junior suites but are just as happy if we get a standard balcony. We don't care if it connects to another cabin. Destination is more important to us than the ship, and will always be more important to us than cabin location. Every cabin on the ship gets to the same place at the same time. We are just happy to cruise. Period.

 

You sound like lovely people to travel with! 

[jabberwk]

1 hour ago, pookel said:

 

You sound like lovely people to travel with! 

I've been around the block too many times to get bent out of shape over things that just aren't that important. Lol.

[Theosprey247]

I like, no LOVE Nassau!!!!!!!! 

[donaldsc]

I don't like sea days and after 2 or at most 3 of them I am bored stiff.  My number 1 factor is picking a line and ship is the itinerary so basically I regard the ship as a big bus that will get me to the places that I want to visit.  Also we almost never just cruise but we almost always tack on 3 or 4 days pre and/or post cruise as a land visit.  Ideally I prefer long (20 - 40 day) land trips staying 2 - 4 or more days at every stop to cruising anyway as you never get to see anything in one of the single 8 AM to 5 PM port stops you get from a cruise ship.  However my wife doesn't want to do as many land trips as I want to so I end up doing more cruising and fewer land trips than I would prefer.  

 

I can't imagine going back to the same places over and over and over again as many people do in the Caribbean.  How many times can you go back to the same Caribbean island which basically has a  minimal number of interesting places to visit in the first place.  Another problem w the Caribbean is that basically the only thing to do there is beaches and beaches get totally boring after 1/2 hour.  After all what can be interesting in lying on the sand doing nothing.

 

That said our next cruise will be a Viking Ocean cruise in the Caribbean.  Viking does some interesting itineraries and the closest place to pick up a Viking Ocean is out of Puerto Rico so we are doing the cruise.  I did find it almost impossible to find any interesting either free or paid for tours to take.

 

One last way that I am strange.  I regard any ship that is larger than 1000 passengers as ridiculously large.  The floating amusement park cruise ships are absurd to me.  Out last 2 cruises were to AK on a ship w ~ 150 passengers and 2 weeks on a full rigged sailboat.  You wouldn't get me on one of those Genormous of the Seas type ships if you paid me to take the cruise.

 

DON

[mnocket]

5 hours ago, Theosprey247 said:

I like, no LOVE Nassau!!!!!!!! 

Congratulations!  I believe you win the Unpopular Opinion contest🏆

[Crashe]

58 minutes ago, mnocket said:

Congratulations!  I believe you win the Unpopular Opinion contest🏆

2nd that!

[90scruzer]

On 11/2/2022 at 10:48 AM, KBs mum said:

There were a couple of small surges after that, it's still around but newer varients are less dangerous/transmissible. It's one of the flu strains the annual vaccine protects against. 

 

On 11/2/2022 at 1:26 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Turkey seems to be one of the worst in this regard. We were also locked into a carpet showroom, but in Istanbul. Have also been "invited" (a.k.a. dragged) into the carpet factory, the leather factory and the ceramic factory in various tours from Kusadasi.

 

you missed the perfumeria.   😄

 

@ontheweb - why not to visit virgin mary's house?   It's one of the places i wanted to go, but missed.

[ldubs]

On 12/13/2022 at 9:57 AM, donaldsc said:

I don't like sea days and after 2 or at most 3 of them I am bored stiff.  My number 1 factor is picking a line and ship is the itinerary so basically I regard the ship as a big bus that will get me to the places that I want to visit.  Also we almost never just cruise but we almost always tack on 3 or 4 days pre and/or post cruise as a land visit.  Ideally I prefer long (20 - 40 day) land trips staying 2 - 4 or more days at every stop to cruising anyway as you never get to see anything in one of the single 8 AM to 5 PM port stops you get from a cruise ship.  However my wife doesn't want to do as many land trips as I want to so I end up doing more cruising and fewer land trips than I would prefer.  

 

Not so long ago a perfect cruise for me would have been zero sea days.  On our last few cruises, I find I was look forward to a sea day here and there just to kind of relax.  I wouldn't want a lot of them in a row, but now think I would like a sea day every once in a while.   My preferences have definitely changed.

 

 

On 12/13/2022 at 9:57 AM, donaldsc said:

 

One last way that I am strange.  I regard any ship that is larger than 1000 passengers as ridiculously large.  The floating amusement park cruise ships are absurd to me.  Out last 2 cruises were to AK on a ship w ~ 150 passengers and 2 weeks on a full rigged sailboat.  You wouldn't get me on one of those Genormous of the Seas type ships if you paid me to take the cruise.

 

I think you have some company in this preference.   Certainly not the majority but a lot of folks seem to prefer smaller ships.  I'm not a huge fan of the mega ships primarily because I am not a huge fan of the central boulevard layouts that seem so common to them.   And of course, the crowding is an issue.   In general, I do enjoy those mid sized ones (is 3,000 passengers midsized?  IDK).  

 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, 90scruzer said:

 

you missed the perfumeria.   😄

 

@ontheweb - why not to visit virgin mary's house?   It's one of the places i wanted to go, but missed.

We did see the virgin Mary's house. The ship's tour went there. Those on the roll call setting up a tour did not want to go there, while my DW definitely did. That is why we were on a ship's tour, not a private tour.  

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, 90scruzer said:

 

 

 

@ontheweb - why not to visit virgin mary's house?   It's one of the places i wanted to go, but missed.

 

 

In all honesty you didn't miss anything. 😟

Except perhaps the pleasant wooded drive

 

JB 🙂

[bluetardis]

My opinions on cruising:

I like to dress up for dinner. I think a balcony is a waste of money. I love going to the shows and to the arts and crafts. I enjoy teatime and trivia. I will only go on ship excursion for fear of missing the ship. I am happy to sit with strangers at meals. I talk to everyone and anyone while on a cruise. I leave elevators for those that need them, and opt for the stairs. Chair hogs annoy the heck out of me. You should be able to build your own drink package, I could go in to a long winded speech about this. I don’t eat at the buffet, to many hands and germs. Cleaning my room once a day is plenty, just bring me extra towels as needed. I like towel animals. Chocolates on my pillow really are not necessary. No need for mini bar ever. Wi-Fi should be free on all cruises no matter your cruise level. Every cruise line should have fill a bag of laundry for a flat rate, on cruises over a certain amount of days. I will stop here, but I could go on. I love cruising and cruise as much as I can as often as possible. Norwegian and Carnival know me intimately. Princess will shortly.

I almost forgot…I went to Alaska and it was great, no need to return. I read that people go many times on multiple cruises and I don’t understand that. I don’t see the reason. I don’t need to be that cold again ever. Give me the sun and the sand any day of the week.

Edited December 24, 2022 by bluetardis

[ontheweb]

We really liked Jamaica. We were there once at an all inclusive for our 20th anniversary. We were there once on a cruise, and took a Bob Marley bus excursion which we loved. Both times were in Ochos Rios.

[Markanddonna]

13 hours ago, 90scruzer said:

@ontheweb - why not to visit virgin mary's house?   It's one of the places i wanted to go, but missed.

I'm not ontheweb, but I have been to the Virgin Mary's House in Ephesus/Kusadasi. I'm glad I went just so that I could give a first hand, experienced answer. 

 

If you are a Roman Catholic who tends to believe in traditional stories involving visions rather than solid history and archaeological proof, you might enjoy the site. The background on the site: a nun in 1800s Germany had a vision of where the Virgin Mary's house was in Ephesus. Note that this nun had never been to Turkey. Decades later, a team of researchers dug in the area and found a small house they claimed was the House of the Virgin Mary. There was no indication it was Mary's house. So, now it is venerated, where you can buy holy water and souvenirs.

 

Those who understand archaeology know the concept of a tel where layers of civilizations are buried on top of one another. Many areas in the Middle East are like that; build, grow successful, get conquered or wiped out by natural causes, and then another group comes along and builds on top of the rubble.

 

The only facts we know for sure is that the Apostles John and Paul converted many people in Ephesus (according to the book of Acts.) Since Mary was entrusted to the care of the Apostle John, many guess she followed him to Ephesus. The problem is that John didn't go to Ephesus until about 70 AD (probably after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.)  By that time, Mary would have been 80-90 years old. Also, the earliest sources claim that Mary died in Jerusalem. It comes down what you choose to believe. Personally, I believe she died shortly after Jesus' death somewhere in Jerusalem because she isn't mentioned in the book of Acts after the scene in the Upper Room in Acts 1:14. 

[ontheweb]

56 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I'm not ontheweb, but I have been to the Virgin Mary's House in Ephesus/Kusadasi. I'm glad I went just so that I could give a first hand, experienced answer. 

 

If you are a Roman Catholic who tends to believe in traditional stories involving visions rather than solid history and archaeological proof, you might enjoy the site. The background on the site: a nun in 1800s Germany had a vision of where the Virgin Mary's house was in Ephesus. Note that this nun had never been to Turkey. Decades later, a team of researchers dug in the area and found a small house they claimed was the House of the Virgin Mary. There was no indication it was Mary's house. So, now it is venerated, where you can buy holy water and souvenirs.

 

Those who understand archaeology know the concept of a tel where layers of civilizations are buried on top of one another. Many areas in the Middle East are like that; build, grow successful, get conquered or wiped out by natural causes, and then another group comes along and builds on top of the rubble.

 

The only facts we know for sure is that the Apostles John and Paul converted many people in Ephesus (according to the book of Acts.) Since Mary was entrusted to the care of the Apostle John, many guess she followed him to Ephesus. The problem is that John didn't go to Ephesus until about 70 AD (probably after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.)  By that time, Mary would have been 80-90 years old. Also, the earliest sources claim that Mary died in Jerusalem. It comes down what you choose to believe. Personally, I believe she died shortly after Jesus' death somewhere in Jerusalem because she isn't mentioned in the book of Acts after the scene in the Upper Room in Acts 1:14. 

I am ontheweb, and thank you for that history.

 

Just to clear up the confusion from someone misinterpreting my earlier post, the passengers who did not want to go to the Virgin Mary's House were the others on the roll call who were setting up a private tour. They specifically said not to include it. My DW definitely wanted to see it, so we took a ship's excursion instead. I did say to her that the Virgin Mary might not have lived there, but she said she did not care, she wanted to see it.

Edited December 24, 2022 by ontheweb
fixed spelling car to care

[lynncarol]

Is this an unpopular opinion? As a fully vaccinated and boosted person. I am unsettled that my favorite cruise lines boast that they no longer require vaccinations prior to cruising. This may be the first year in probably 30 years that I will not be taking at least one cruise.

[TwinMamainMN]

We have done Western Caribbean twice and have no desire to do it again. In September, our Harmony cruise changed from eastern to western to avoid Hurricane Fiona and I was just glad to go, but Cozumel and Costa Maya are just "meh." We vastly prefer eastern and southern Caribbean.

 

 

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, lynncarol said:

Is this an unpopular opinion? As a fully vaccinated and boosted person. I am unsettled that my favorite cruise lines boast that they no longer require vaccinations prior to cruising. This may be the first year in probably 30 years that I will not be taking at least one cruise.

Yes, unfortunately, that is on the whole an unpopular opinion. 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, unfortunately, that is on the whole an unpopular opinion. 

Personally, it has no impact on me if a person is vaccinated or not. 

But, if someone is unvaccinated,  going on a cruise would seem to be unwise, given the level of close proximity to so many oeople.

[Davechipp74]

In the highly unlikely situation of a catastrophic emergency that whole women and children first is a dated concept.   

[ilikeanswers]

12 hours ago, Davechipp74 said:

In the highly unlikely situation of a catastrophic emergency that whole women and children first is a dated concept.   

 

I think you will be pleased to know that emergency protocols have been updated since the Titanic😂