You couldn't pay me to get on a Carnival boat, even before this litany of failure, and more so now. But you couldn't pay me to get on any of the big cruise ships - the thought of arriving in a small port with thousands of other people, never mind being stuck in a floating town with them, makes my blood run cold.

When I get (even) older and more decrepit I may do a river cruise, I'd like to do the Hurtigruten trip along the Norwegian coast, and I have considered the Cunard Transatlantic route as an alternative to flying, but that's about it. After visiting Patagonia last year (which included four nights on the Navimag ferry) I've moved Alaska up the bucket list, but I plan to do that on ferries, not a cruise ship. Of course cruises are not cost effective for me in the first place, since I travel solo. Seems like the cruise lines don't want me as a passenger, and I'm just as happy to oblige them.

To each his own, but the floating town is actually kind of cool. On a really big ship, you may see some people all the time, and others only once or twice, rather than being stuck with a small group all the time. The small port can be more of an issue, but usually everyone isn't trying to get off at one time, and once they are off, they aren't necessarily all trying to do the same thing.

What Thursday said!

@persimmondeb - well, the last time I was in Dubrovnik (arriving and leaving by bus), they were indeed all trying to get into town at once. Or at least enough of them that you had QUEUE UP to get into the old section. And I'm not generally "stuck with a small group" as I mostly travel independently.

For all intend and purposes, cruise vacations are not meant for solo travellers; and as an extension, any type of organized tours (be it bus tour, train whatever) by nature means you are stuck with a group for the duration, not a particular pleasant thought if your desire is going solo, and if there are people within the group that may get on your nerve for whatever reason (the way they dress, the way they talk, whatever).

I love to go solo but I can't as I am married. I am sort of stuck with cruising or go with organized tour as DW likes to travel with a group rather than going just the two of us. She also understands that I like some solo time and she doesn't mind that I wander off "solo" with my camera, while she was with a group or other family members, or resting teh cabin /hotel room or wharever. It's a compromise we made.

Unfortunately, popular destination equals crowd, even at Patagonia. I would have love to be there with a very small group, say a handful of people, rather than a ship load of a hundred. I want pictures of the natural beauty and not with random people in it.

Even on a cruise ship, I would often get up real early and enjoy the sunrise, camera in hand, while everyone else is still in bed. You have the vast ocean, and just you: best solo time ever.

Regardless how small a ship, if you don't like any type of line up, a cruise ship is not the place for you. The common myth is that the smaller the baot, the shorter the line up.

We have been on ships with less than 100 passengers. There are still line ups everywhere you go. Larger ships have more facilities so although there are more people, lines are more scattered. Smaller ships have less facilities so everyone is on the same line, be it for embarkation, buffet, whatever.

You can be on a ferry or a row boat. When you land at a port and if a mega ship just docked, there will be lines everywhere. Cruise ships are not the problem for solo travellers. The destinations are.

When I want a true solo trip, I back pack and wander off into the wilderness.

My wife and I used to enjoy ocean cruising until we experienced European River cruising and now I'm hooked. We decided that our days of being a part of a huge mob of sheep and paying for something every time we breathed was no longer for us. These days we save for the convenience of having everything included and no surprise bills at cruise end.

I find it funny that on some cruise chat/forum websites the contributors list all the cruises they have been on. No idea why they feel the need to do that. It just wastes space when someone comments then has a 3 inch footer declaring they went somewhere 20 years ago.

MissGreen, good point, and we don't do it here!

Didn't bother us in the least bit in part because we avoid the economy lines and probably would not have Carnival or any mega ship on the radar. However, our first cruise was with Carnival in 1990. The last three out of four cruises have been with Holland Am which we tend to prefer these days. Currently looking at some fall European cruises with the hope of finding some deep discounts because of the recent bad publicity. Don't stop driving because of car accidents or flying because of airplane being stranded at the gate.

Hi Amy_D. I wasn't sure if I was going to post information here about our upcoming vacation because it seems like everyone has very strong anti Carnival opinions. Since you asked we are scheduled to cruise in the next month or so on the Carnival Liberty. We booked right before the whole Triumph fiasco. If I would have known what was going to happen I may not have booked, but it's done so we're going. Any vacation is a good vacation to me.

We usually take land vacations and stay in smaller boutique style resorts. Due to work issues we couldn't go on a fall vacation last year so I'm really in need of one now! For our own reasons this time we didn't want to be lying out in the sun all day, so I thought a cruise would give us a balance between the beach and inside activities.

We wanted to take an easy week long jaunt and I wanted to go somewhere that we hadn't been before. We decided to go on a cruise to Belize, Honduras, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. I like the idea of Belize, but wasn't sure of taking a week long vacation there. I can't wait to try Belize's cave tubing. It might entice us to go for a longer land vacation there later.

I've been on two Carnival cruises and enjoyed them both. It would have been very difficult for me to go through what the people on the Triumph had to, so I hope we don't have any problems. I like Carnival because they have the sing along piano bars and a fun environment. On our Grenada land vacation I didn't like the vibe at Calabash because it was too stuffy and I think some of the more expensive cruise lines might have attitudes like that.

I'll post a review when we get back. I'm hoping it will be fun and relaxing. I told my husband that he gets to choose where we go in the fall this year so I'm sure it won't be a cruise then.

My family is booked on the Carnival Breeze for June. We are all very excited and can't wait. We sailed the Carnival Dream last summer and had a wonderful time. The issues will not stop me from cruising on Carnival. It's in my price range and they provide a good vacation for everyone in the family. We will be booking with them for next summer as well.

travelenthusiast, can't wait to read your TR. Have a great trip!

Thanks Eshew. You know I'll write one!

Just received an announcement from Holland American. Several European cruises this fall for less that $100/person per day. Prices are falling. May have to book one of those trips.

Same here. I'll look for that review!

Thanks jacketwatch. I've been on a break from here, but it's nice to know I can return.

We have done two cruises and have two more planned. First one was a Mediterranean cruise with Oceania and we loved the Riviera ship. Second cruise was on Celebrity to the Caribbean and a late summer Baltic cruise will be another Celebrity. A winter cruise to Tahiti will be on the Oceania Marina. Carnival is considered a mass market line and we would not consider it. Cruising is a lazy way of travel but fun to mix it up with other travel plans.

Actually Celebrity is considered a mass market line too. So is HAL, Princess , RCI and NCL. U could add Costa and MSC in this group as well. I any case prices are competitive and no where near the prices on what are considered luxury lines like Silversea, Regent, Seabourn and Crystal. Oceania and Azamara fall somewhere in between.

Shop till you drop.

Cruise till you ?? (Crash? Ooze?) Any suggestions for word that rhymes with cruise?

Don't be silly, of course we will keep on Cruising!

Snooze