Cruises

[pozbaird]

27 minutes ago, EH75 said:

Nah just certain areas of outside decks. Topless waitresses are only in crew areas. 

You ever been given bananas?

[EH75]

Regularly. 

[pozbaird]

1 hour ago, EH75 said:

Regularly. 

Tsk, tsk. Naughty boy!

[Malky3]

What's the best company to book and sail with? 

I've never been keen on the idea of a cruise but after a number of her friends told her about their experiences my missus really want to go on one next year.  

[welshbairn]

The Costa Concordia is a fine ship if it's still going.

[pozbaird]

1 hour ago, Malky3 said:

What's the best company to book and sail with? 

I've never been keen on the idea of a cruise but after a number of her friends told her about their experiences my missus really want to go on one next year.  

There is no ‘best’ company. First step, decide where you want to cruise from and to. Second, check out the possible cruises that fit where you want to go from and to. Unless you are completely cash rich, and can go with Silversea or suchlike, then it will likely be a choice from Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Disney, P&O. Then you check out the dates, prices, deals, ports of call, standard of cabin.... on all the websites of possible cruise companies that go to where you want to go.

Our first cruise was a shortish hop out of Miami to the Caribbean on Carnivial. In broad brush stroke terms, Carnival are like Las Vegas... bright, bold, not what you would call ‘classy’, but the stmosphere was relaxed, the standard was perfectly acceptable, and we have never had an issue with Carnival and enjoyed it, so have been with them a few times since, and have always had a good experience. We have done two Celebrity cruises, they are a more ‘upmarket’ vibe than Carnival, but their prices were more upmarket than Carnival. We loved the Celebrity experience too. Haven’t tried the other ‘major’ ones yet, but are booked on a Princess cruise next year. Remember that most of the mainstream cruise lines are all owned by either the Carnival or Royal Caribbean groups, although each brand has its own identity.

The best cruise for you will, as I say, be the one that ticks all, or most, of your boxes. Destination, ports, blah blah.

Where are you thinking of cruising from and to?

Edited September 15, 2019 by pozbaird

[Malky3]

3 minutes ago, pozbaird said:

There is no best company. First step, decide where you want to cruise from and to. Second, check out the possible cruises that fit where you want to go from and to. Unless you are completely cash rich, and can go with Silversea or suchlike, then it will likely be a choice from Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Disney, P&O. Then you check out the dates, prices, deals, ports of call, standard of cabin.... 

Our first cruise was a shortish hop out of Miami to the Caribbean on Carnivial. In broad brush stroke terms, Carnival are like Las Vegas... bright, bold, not what you would call ‘classy’, but we enjoyed it, have been with them a few times since, and have always had a good experience. We have done two Celebrity cruises, they are a more ‘upmarket’ vibe than Carnival, but their prices were more upmarket than Carnival. We loved the Celebrity experience too. Haven’t tried 

The best cruise for you will, as I say, be the one that ticks all, or most, of your boxes. Destination, ports, blah blah.

Where are you thinking of cruising from and to?

Honestly, I haven't given it much thought. The missus only really started talking about it on Wednesday. She thinks it would be ideal for us particularly this year because I'm due to get both knees replaced and she's a bit worried about how mobile I'll be.

I guess the med would be a decent place to try it out. It's only a couple of hours in a plane and I presume it wouldn't be that rough. 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

6 hours ago, Malky3 said:

 I'm due to get both knees replaced and she's a bit worried about how mobile I'll be.

Still, at least you’ll get a chance to spend more time on here.

[Stu]

20 hours ago, pozbaird said:

There is no ‘best’ company. First step, decide where you want to cruise from and to. Second, check out the possible cruises that fit where you want to go from and to. Unless you are completely cash rich, and can go with Silversea or suchlike, then it will likely be a choice from Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Disney, P&O. Then you check out the dates, prices, deals, ports of call, standard of cabin.... on all the websites of possible cruise companies that go to where you want to go.

Our first cruise was a shortish hop out of Miami to the Caribbean on Carnivial. In broad brush stroke terms, Carnival are like Las Vegas... bright, bold, not what you would call ‘classy’, but the stmosphere was relaxed, the standard was perfectly acceptable, and we have never had an issue with Carnival and enjoyed it, so have been with them a few times since, and have always had a good experience. We have done two Celebrity cruises, they are a more ‘upmarket’ vibe than Carnival, but their prices were more upmarket than Carnival. We loved the Celebrity experience too. Haven’t tried the other ‘major’ ones yet, but are booked on a Princess cruise next year. Remember that most of the mainstream cruise lines are all owned by either the Carnival or Royal Caribbean groups, although each brand has its own identity.

The best cruise for you will, as I say, be the one that ticks all, or most, of your boxes. Destination, ports, blah blah.

Where are you thinking of cruising from and to?

There's also Fred Olsen, which is who my parents use. Hopefully I haven't unintentionally outed them as "completely cash rich, although if I have maybe I'll be asking for some money.

[pozbaird]

1 minute ago, Stu said:

There's also Fred Olsen, which is who my parents use. Hopefully I haven't unintentionally outed them as "completely cash rich, although if I have maybe I'll be asking for some money.

There’s Virgin Voyages coming into play too Stu. My list wasn’t all-encompassing. There’s Cal Mac too.

[quickoverayard]

Any good no fly cruises?

[quickoverayard]

Whats with having a curtain in bedrooms that have no window??

I work on cruise ships so probably have a slightly different perspective to most people on here! Any questions fire away.

[welshbairn]

On 18/09/2019 at 16:42, quickoverayard said:

Any good no fly cruises?

Small Isles cruise out of Mallaig, 5-6 hours, about £20.

[EH75]

16 hours ago, quickoverayard said:

Whats with having a curtain in bedrooms that have no window??

No idea not something I've seen before. 

[Muzza81]

20 hours ago, quickoverayard said:

Whats with having a curtain in bedrooms that have no window??

I would assume to combat any claustrophobia.

[welshbairn]

21 hours ago, quickoverayard said:

Whats with having a curtain in bedrooms that have no window??

You still need something to wipe your todger with.

[Mitch]

Was away a fortnight ago on a cruise in the Western Med. this is the second cruise I’ve been on in the last few years and I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t for me.
Arriving in different places each day is a plus, but you don’t have enough time to do it justice. It’s also not particularly relaxing as you’re off each day and always on the go.
The ships are pretty good quality and the food is decent, without being exceptional.
Doubt I’ll be planning another one anytime soon!

[quickoverayard]

I was on the red sea magic... boat was the celebrity i think amd it had a curtain with no window which i found baffling

[pozbaird]

Did Hawaii on the Carnival Miracle last month. Brilliant trip. Doing a Pacific coast cruise on the Royal Princess from Los Angeles in May, and in November, a transtatlantic from Southampton on the Anthem of the Seas. In March next year, a Barrier Reef cruise out of Sydney on the Sun Princess, and in August next year, a complete circumnavigation cruise of the British Isles on the Carnival Legend. If there was a deal going on the Diamond Princess, I’d book it without even blinking. Coronavirus can go fcuk itself. 

[Thane of Cawdor]

My wife did a Norwegian fjords cruise with Fred Olsen a year or so back. Since her return she has been bombarded with brochures advertising all of their different cruises. As tenacious as Readers' Digest in bothering and stalking folk. We sailed out of North Shields on a cruise to St Petersburg taking in short stops in Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland then with three days in St Petersburg. The main attraction of the cruise was the opportunity to spend some time in St Petersburg which was spent seeing the Winter Palace, the Hermitage museum, the Aurora and attending a performance of Swan Lake.

Our cruising experience seems to have been a bit different from the opulence enjoyed by many of you (albeit the food, drink and entertainment were excellent). We sailed on a converted Russian ice-breaker which was comparatively tiny but still managed to accommodate a very strange demographic, some of whom were appalling. Astonishing the number of people who possess formal clothing for the evening meals. Fortunately there are multiple alternatives to dining at the table originally allocated. This was the ship used by an elderly couple to smuggle a substantial amount of drugs (featured in the media a year or so ago). They were apprehended so, if the purpose of your cruise is really drug smuggling, be extremely vigilant.