Some thoughts from an old-timer: Now I see why first-timers are saying they're "terrified", "overwhelmed", "panic-stricken"

[jlawrence01]

On 6/7/2024 at 10:50 AM, Hlitner said:

Your last sentence struck a cord.  New cruisers, and many others, rely on the cruise lines for port info and/or excursions.  Years ago, some cruise lines would provide a knowledgeable expert to lecture on ports and also provide one to one info/advice.  Now, that is gone and the cruise lines only want to sell overpriced/overcrowded excursions.  Some even have port lecturers ( who are selling excursions) do their best to frighten cruises into booking the excursions (which generate profits to the cruise lines).

 

Now, more then ever; folks should do pre cruise homework on their ports so they have the tools to make “informed” decisions rather then relying solely on cruise line info/propoganda.

 

Hank

 

 

We were on the Regal Princess last year and they had a woman who was very informed about each of the destinations in the Western Caribbean.  She prepared a 45 minute lecture talking about what there was to see and what excursions to take - both cruise sponsored AND third party.  It was a nice change from the massive sales pitches that we have received from other lines.

 

RC was the worst.  Their presentations were veiled sales pitches and a great deal of the information was inaccurate even for those vendors they were pitching.

 

We generally prefer to do our own thing in MOST ports.  That has occasionally gotten us on public vans where we end up in some remote location.  However, we are seeing a lot more than most people.  In some ports, we have been able to find local drivers to take us all around town in a private vehicle where we can stop at the things that we are really interested.  The discussions alone are very interesting.

 

I agree that you have to do some research.  The only time that I would take a cruise ship excursion is if I was in a locale that I did not feel safe like Jamaica and Belize City.

[kochleffel]

13 hours ago, Hlitner said:

But when I think of stress, it is sitting on a bus, wasting part of the day, waiting on a late passenger, a few folks who are still waiting in line for a rest room etc.  And for us, stress is rushing to finish a group lunch when we would prefer to be taking our time and enjoying the atmosphere of a well placed cafe or decent restaurant.

 

 

Also true. What I think can be stressful is figuring out the logistics and coping when they don't work. I had a very close call in Spain last fall.

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, kochleffel said:

 

 

Also true. What I think can be stressful is figuring out the logistics and coping when they don't work. I had a very close call in Spain last fall.

When we help folks who want to do more DIY travel we often talk about one's "risk tolerance" and "travel common sense."  This is not meant as a cricitcm or slight, but it is simply a fact of life that we all have our own comfort levels.  When plans go awry (and this does happen) some of us do quite well in quickly adapting to the circumstances and implementing what we call "Plan B."   Independent travel is not for everyone, but it does suit many of us who have some spirit of adventure and enjoy the challenges and flexibility of being on one's own.

 

We recently finished a long Oceania cruise in Trieste.  After the cruise we rented a car (for 12 days) and drove through parts of Slovenia, Austria, and Italy where we had a terrific time.  When we were chatting with some other cruisers on our O cruise, they were surprised that fellow American would simply rent a car and drive to places they had not previously visited.  They asked us "how do you cope with the language barrier" to which our response was that we do not even think about that issue, because we have found it a non-issue.  When they wanted to know "how hard is it to drive in Europe" I explained that it was easier than driving in many parts of the USA :).   These are examples of issues that cause anxiety for some folks, but for the more adventurous they are not worth much thought.  What do we worry about?  The weather, where we want to dine, which route is more interesting, etc.

 

As to the weather, we have been known to completely change our driving plans because of bad weather.  If we are planning to go an area that has a very bad forecast, we have been known to cancel some hotel/dining reservations, and simply drive a different direction to a different country where the weather is better suited to our plans.  

 

Even on a port day, we will sometimes change our plans on a moment's notice because of the weather, labor strike, or even our mood.  To us, this is all good fun....but to others I can understand their anxiety about this kind of travel.

 

Hank

[broadwaybaby123]

It's actually not that complicated if you start in the right place. ALWAYS start by looking at the cruise line website to see anything specific to that line. If you're interested in booking, call a TA or call the number on the website.

 

By looking at places like Cruise Critic first, you'll get a million responses from millions of people with different experiences. Depending on what you're looking for, that can be great: if it's something line-specific, just go straight to the source on the company's website. If it's something not specific to the cruise line, then go ahead and post here.

 

If you want to get a feel for the ship, YouTube is a great source.

[MacMadame]

2 hours ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

If you want to get a feel for the ship, YouTube is a great source.

I agree with this. I always see threads about "the reviews scared me" but online reviews tend to skew negative. But watching ship tours and videos about particular vacations can give you a much better feel for whether that ship or that line is a good fit *for you*.

[john watson]

When it comes to assessing a particular cruise line. The cruise line websites give the factual information. When it comes to opinion of the actual day to day experience the cruise line will always give a very positive experience whereas individual travellers will give a much broader view often negative.  These need a fair bit of sorting as often you find the negative opinion was mainly centred around a single issue that would not affect you.

Regards John