Reply to: Venice strikes a blow for good taste

[northernladuk]

When you've been on a cruise stuffed with Americans and Australians you'll think differently g

Plus, an older demographic on board means more chance of a half decent conversation in the bar and less of having to put up with Chantelle screaming at her kids to shut up as they cause havoc at dinner, or worse still, not screaming at them and leaving them to it.

Yeah but the view around the pool?

[DaveB]

I can see two reasons why I think why I might give that one a miss lol.....

When you've been on a cruise stuffed with Americans and Australians you'll think differently g

Plus, an older demographic on board means more chance of a half decent conversation in the bar and less of having to put up with Chantelle screaming at her kids to shut up as they cause havoc at dinner, or worse still, not screaming at them and leaving them to it.

[Mich the Tester]

Yes it would, but some of them do still look like that.

We've been on this one for example :



Thomson Celebration - Telegraph

That's precisely what I'm NOT protesting against; that's a liner being used for cruising.

[northernladuk]

Yes it would, but some of them do still look like that.

We've been on this one for example :

so your fellow passengers are likely to be mostly British, and typically about 90 percent of passengers will be over 55.

I can see two reasons why I think why I might give that one a miss lol.....

[DaveB]

But if you prefer the smaller ships, wouldn't it be nice to travel on a ship that actually looks beautiful? OK, if you're inside you don't see it, but as soon as you get off you see the beauty of a liner. Wouldn't this be worth paying for?



I know a chap who has a collection of memorabilia from old liners, and he and I sometimes wonder how we could persuade shipping companies that liners could actually be profitable if they market cruises on tasteful liners to, if you like, 'a different class of customer'.

Yes it would, but some of them do still look like that.

We've been on this one for example :



Thomson Celebration - Telegraph

[Mich the Tester]

Cruises
Are for

I read somewhere that you own a J-a-a-a-a-g, so welcome to the society of .

[DaveB]

Interesting. We did wonder about the smaller ships so we can go more often. The big ones are a tad expensive to say the least but still have to say worth every penny on the two we went on. Need the big ones if we are taking the kids though.

Also agree about not coming in to the lagoon but it is a balance. The west med cruise as the ports were nearly an hour coach trip to the big cities.

Again, depends on the ships. The smaller ones can berth in the city ports, rather than having to use the big commercial/industrial ports further out. Understand about the kids though, the smaller ships don't have a lot for them to do. It's another reason we prefer the small ones, no kids!

[Mich the Tester]

WNLUKS+1 , but with the caveat that we really don't like the big ships. Smaller ships have a much better atmosphere and you get better service, in our experience. Also, try and avoid the overtly American ships like Princess or Royal Caribbean. They tend to be more expensive on board and will charge you through the nose for anything they think they can get away with. Other than that cruising is great. A five star hotel where you wake up in a different city every morning. Done 4 now and planning for next year as well. Thinking we may do the Fjords this time.

As far as the OP goes, I agree. The big ones shouldn't be taking that route in and out of the lagoon.

But if you prefer the smaller ships, wouldn't it be nice to travel on a ship that actually looks beautiful? OK, if you're inside you don't see it, but as soon as you get off you see the beauty of a liner. Wouldn't this be worth paying for?



I know a chap who has a collection of memorabilia from old liners, and he and I sometimes wonder how we could persuade shipping companies that liners could actually be profitable if they market cruises on tasteful liners to, if you like, 'a different class of customer'.

[DodgyAgent]

Cruises
Are for

[northernladuk]

WNLUKS+1 , but with the caveat that we really don't like the big ships. Smaller ships have a much better atmosphere and you get better service, in our experience. Also, try and avoid the overtly American ships like Princess or Royal Caribbean. They tend to be more expensive on board and will charge you through the nose for anything they think they can get away with. Other than that cruising is great. A five star hotel where you wake up in a different city every morning. Done 4 now and planning for next year as well. Thinking we may do the Fjords this time.

As far as the OP goes, I agree. The big ones shouldn't be taking that route in and out of the lagoon.

Interesting. We did wonder about the smaller ships so we can go more often. The big ones are a tad expensive to say the least but still have to say worth every penny on the two we went on. Need the big ones if we are taking the kids though.

Also agree about not coming in to the lagoon but it is a balance. The west med cruise as the ports were nearly an hour coach trip to the big cities.

[DaveB]

I thought the same but as it happens we went on our first cruise on the exact ship shown in the first picture, Voyager of the Seas. Got engaged on the front deck you can see just above the bridge!. 7th biggest cruise ship and I have to say I am converted. Cruises are just ******* ace. Got everything I wanted, casino, entertainment, terrific food, lazy sun days, day trips to different cities, formal dinner nights and so on and so on. Been on two now and need to book the 2015 one trip sometime soon.

They have 2 self serve restaurants. They have 4 other normalish ones and they have formal dinning every night. Just need to get the right ship.

Not for everyone I can see but something that needs to be tried. Particularly good if you have 12/teen kids as you can get rid of them for most of the time as well.

+1 to cruises for me. Go big though.

WNLUKS+1 , but with the caveat that we really don't like the big ships. Smaller ships have a much better atmosphere and you get better service, in our experience. Also, try and avoid the overtly American ships like Princess or Royal Caribbean. They tend to be more expensive on board and will charge you through the nose for anything they think they can get away with. Other than that cruising is great. A five star hotel where you wake up in a different city every morning. Done 4 now and planning for next year as well. Thinking we may do the Fjords this time.

As far as the OP goes, I agree. The big ones shouldn't be taking that route in and out of the lagoon.

[Ticktock]

Being the people person wot I am, the biggest negative to me is being trapped on a ship, no matter how large, with other people for that length of time. I just know that I'd run into someone I couldn't stand, be too polite to tell them to eff off, and spend the rest of the trip failing to avoid them. I don't really like the idea of staying in my cabin just to get some time not having to deal with other people when I've spent that much.

[Mich the Tester]

What's obvious to the rest of us is you didn't fooking test anything while you were there

[oracleslave]

this was made most obvious to me when I worked at TomTom in Amsterdam,

What's obvious to the rest of us is you didn't fooking test anything while you were there

[northernladuk]

I have never seen the attraction of cruising on a ship that has self service restaurants and resembles a floating Butlin’s

I thought the same but as it happens we went on our first cruise on the exact ship shown in the first picture, Voyager of the Seas. Got engaged on the front deck you can see just above the bridge!. 7th biggest cruise ship and I have to say I am converted. Cruises are just ******* ace. Got everything I wanted, casino, entertainment, terrific food, lazy sun days, day trips to different cities, formal dinner nights and so on and so on. Been on two now and need to book the 2015 one trip sometime soon.

They have 2 self serve restaurants. They have 4 other normalish ones and they have formal dinning every night. Just need to get the right ship.

Not for everyone I can see but something that needs to be tried. Particularly good if you have 12/teen kids as you can get rid of them for most of the time as well.

+1 to cruises for me. Go big though.