Cruise ships - a captive clientele?

Bogof_Babe

We went on our first ever cruise this year and it was lovely, but the pool was tiny and crowded, and the indoor pool was part of the Spa treatment rooms and had to be paid for, so consequently was empty most of the time.

We have our eyes on a Saga round the world cruise for a few years from now when our friends retire. It takes about four and a half months and costs a LOT but would be a once in a lifetime experience. No kids allowed either .

hothothot_3

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

We went on our first ever cruise this year and it was lovely, but the pool was tiny and crowded, and the indoor pool was part of the Spa treatment rooms and had to be paid for, so consequently was empty most of the time.

We have our eyes on a Saga round the world cruise for a few years from now when our friends retire. It takes about four and a half months and costs a LOT but would be a once in a lifetime experience. No kids allowed either .

sounds interesting. In one way, id rather pay more to have a good experience (no children dumped by parents unattended in swimming pool) then to pay little and put up with a sour experience. I have children myself, but I would just be going with OH and avoid companies that say "kids go free". because I know it means we are subsidising them! and also paying for the potential annoyance they can be. Mind you, some adults can be equally annoying.

Bogof_Babe

hothothot wrote: »

Mind you, some adults can be equally annoying.

Very true! And at least kids go to bed at some stage of the evening .

shoppaholic_returns

All depends on what type of cruise ship you go on and whether or not it is port intensive!

We get VERY easily bored in one sunbathing type resort ie in the Carribean, but I love to cruise there,a different place every day and a relaxing resort if you want to veg or do activities!

I love to do Europe on a cruise as well, as you get to visit lots of places and then can actually holiday in the places you like the look of, and get the best of both worlds.

I must say my idea of holiday hell is a P&O and or Royal Carribean, as they are too big for my liking and not luxurious enough, I have been on them both, but prefer to seek solice in the smaller more lux lines, less children, fewer announcements and activities like art auctions and kareoke which cheapens the experience, and drinks and tips are included. However this is personal preferance, and if you are entertaining kids/ have a budget to keep to then the above are excellent value at the moment and you would only really be bored if you did a transatlantic crossing.

hothothot_3

shoppaholic_returns wrote: »

All depends on what type of cruise ship you go on and whether or not it is port intensive!

We get VERY easily bored in one sunbathing type resort ie in the Carribean, but I love to cruise there,a different place every day and a relaxing resort if you want to veg or do activities!

I love to do Europe on a cruise as well, as you get to visit lots of places and then can actually holiday in the places you like the look of, and get the best of both worlds.

I must say my idea of holiday hell is a P&O and or Royal Carribean, as they are too big for my liking and not luxurious enough, I have been on them both, but prefer to seek solice in the smaller more lux lines, less children, fewer announcements and activities like art auctions and kareoke which cheapens the experience, and drinks and tips are included. However this is personal preferance, and if you are entertaining kids/ have a budget to keep to then the above are excellent value at the moment and you would only really be bored if you did a transatlantic crossing.

exactly what im looking for too......any recommendations then?

lisyloo

You could take a look at this one

http://www.voyagesofdiscovery.com/

We went to the Baltics with them.
Smaller and more intimate.
Hardly any kids.

Of course there is a trade-off between facilities and intimacy.
Don't expect skating rinks and climbing walls on the smaller ships.

Caz3121

hothothot wrote: »

exactly what im looking for too......any recommendations then?

The idea of the big glitzy ships does not appeal to me either. We have cruised with Fred Olsen (even when I was in my 30's) although the casino is a blackjack table and roulette...it is 99% brits and very little in the way of announcements
We are off this time with Azamara on the Quest - another small ship but a mixture of nationalities - we arranged our own flights through my airmiles (out to Singapore and back from Hong Kong)
there is a website http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/ that has stacks of info including info for first time cruisers
You are doing the right thing focussing on what you do on don't want from a holiday...you then need to match those to what is out there

hothothot_3

lisyloo wrote: »

You could take a look at this one

http://www.voyagesofdiscovery.com/

We went to the Baltics with them.
Smaller and more intimate.
Hardly any kids.

Of course there is a trade-off between facilities and intimacy.
Don't expect skating rinks and climbing walls on the smaller ships.

Thank you! precisely the type of cruise I would like. Have already found one im thinking of - 17 days around indian ocean - mauritius, reunion and S africa. Hopefully far enough away from Somali pirates too

shoppaholic_returns

hothothot wrote: »

exactly what im looking for too......any recommendations then?

I have lots of recommendations! It really depends on what you have to spend per person for a week and where you want to go to,as certain lines do better in certain areas of the world.

Cruise critic is a good place to go, I am responsible for organising a few boards on their forums, the only small lines I would really recommend though are....

Regent/Silversea and Seabourn, but they are pricey, but the finest your money can buy!
Azamara have a very good reputation and are cheaper, but obviously you don't get as much in terms of food quality/service, but they are pretty good. Please pm me if you want further info on anything.

stoneman

We went on a Thomson cruise around the Caribbean as part of a 2 week cruise and stay. The ship was smaller than most ferries I have been on. It rained almost every day. When we were at sea and it wasn't raining there were only enough sun beds for about 1/2 of the passengers. the average age must have been 60. they would not organise any aerobics or anything for the ones who wanted to keep fit because they said it was too dangerous, even though they had a bowling alley. Our evening dinner sitting was the later of the 2, so by the time we finished all of the seats in the cabaret room were already taken by the early dinners, so we couldn't watch any of the entertainment. I got mugged in Bridgetown in broad daylight in the main street. Our ship docked in St. Kitts on the day of the week that the whole place shuts, and we nearly missed the ship leaving because our taxi never returned to pick us up from the beach, we had to get the local police to rush us back. The food was repetitive, the drinks were expensive, the "suite" that we booked measured 6'x9' including the bathroom, and all of this set me back better part of £6,000 for 2 adults and 2 children 12 years ago. Never again.