Help me decide what's wrong and what I can do about it?

[Naismith]

9 hours ago, acct1975 said:

Holland America is another option for you if you're looking to expand your ship options. They too have a more intellectual approach to their ships. No water slides or go carts. The do lectures about the places you visit, food demonstrations, music that's more classical, symphonic or jazz. There will be some families but on the whole, the demographic is older and might be more to your looking to experience.

Yup, Holland America is my favorite for those reasons.  And High Tea on sea days.  Although people who go on HAL a lot say that the lectures become repetitive  But many of them are multi-media and very well done.  We only go on 1-2 cruises a year so not a repeat to us.  And sometimes we go on Princess or NCL if the itinerary is right--but we like the smaller ships, around 2,000 pax, so only a few Princess ships that size still operating.  

[Naismith]

8 hours ago, zzdoug said:

I had an aunt who used to enjoy Elderhostel trips. I don't know much about them, or if it still exists, but I think she enjoyed lectures every day. Also, no homework!

They do exist but are now known as Road Scholar.  And the offerings are wide and varied, but do include some cruises as well, including a Nile River cruise and a tour of Hawaii that includes Pride of America.

[vswan]

We are not loyal to any cruise line, generally book by dates, price and itinerary. Have the highest status on NCL and HAL.

 

NCL is much busier, has more going on, and just seems to have more of a party vibe. If those are not the things you like to do it really doesn't matter if they offer it. Most of their ships are larger and are packed with things we don't care about.

 

HAL is much calmer and less busy. Ships are smaller. If you are into music, the music walk offers some great options - and food is generally better. I can't say they offer lectures and educational talks on all cruises, but think it's very common. Overall, NCL offers more things to do during the day and more varied nightly entertainment in their shows, and more restaurant options if that's important to you.

[uneamie]

I don't think I'd ever do a BTB....simply because I do not want to have everything I just did "repeated"....there is no way around that. I would skip on over to another cruise line and make your cruising flexable. Experince them all instead of sticking with one. 

[julig22]

12 hours ago, uneamie said:

I don't think I'd ever do a BTB....simply because I do not want to have everything I just did "repeated"....there is no way around that. I would skip on over to another cruise line and make your cruising flexable. Experince them all instead of sticking with one. 

B2B doesn't always mean a repeat. NCL changes itinerary often on some ships, especially when moving ships to new locations at the end of the season.

Example, Star is in So. America now, Buenos Aires RT to Antarctica/Falkland. Then it will go 7 days to Rio, 15 days to Barcelona,12 days to Trieste, 15 days to Lisbon, 11 days to Southampton.

[uneamie]

11 hours ago, julig22 said:

B2B doesn't always mean a repeat. NCL changes itinerary often on some ships, especially when moving ships to new locations at the end of the season.

Example, Star is in So. America now, Buenos Aires RT to Antarctica/Falkland. Then it will go 7 days to Rio, 15 days to Barcelona,12 days to Trieste, 15 days to Lisbon, 11 days to Southampton.

I guess....but doesn't the entertainment generally go with them and they do the same games etc?

[julig22]

19 minutes ago, uneamie said:

I guess....but doesn't the entertainment generally go with them and they do the same games etc?

Production shows would repeat. Games might repeat but obviously players are different and questions for trivia-type games probably rotate.  Contracted entertainment varies, some entertainers are on for a single cruise, some stay on longer.