kwren

It's funny this post popped up today... I just spoke to a travel agent (shiver - I always plan travel myself) about pricing a cruise. We have gone on 4 now (after MANY years of me resisting) and we have a very enjoyable time. Yes, we will be going on a Caribbean cruise this time! We've gone on a cruise with the extended family, on a Disney cruise with our kids, and 2 cruises just the 2 of us. Each was very different and each had its wonderful points.

So I did what any good Fodorite does - I went to the cruise forum today and the first post I read, there was a huge (stupid) argument going on, back and forth, back and forth. It was awful. I started wondering what I was doing there instead of on the Europe forum and was rather depressed that I was there. I really missed you guys! The other difference is that there does not seem to be as much activity there as there is here.

There is a place for cruises though. My husband works very hard and I have to admit this past European vacation wore him out. I always want to be on the go - he always wants to take it easy (but doesn't want to miss anything that I might be doing). He wants to go on a cruise to relax, those days with nothing planeed does appeal to him, and I find I can always find something to do (not the casino though - I'm not too interested in that.) I'm not sure he realizes yet that what I started looking for on the cruise forum was how to do our own excursions instead of the packaged deals. I still want to explore my way, and intend to do so!

Hagan

kwren,
Try cruisecritic.com. They have specific boards for each cruiseline, and also for each port of call. Tons of activity on each. I think you'll like it.

kwren

Thanks Hagan, I took a quick peek and that will be very helpful!

Dukey

I would also consider looking at at least THREE different cruise agencies to price your cruise PROVIDED you know the exact date and ship that you want.

Although things have changed somewhat over the past several years I think you can still rely on the idea that "nobody pays the brochure price" and here's why:

the industry has been "overbuilt" for some time and newbuilding continues.

there are few cruises, even so-called "luxury" cruises (think Silversea, Crystal, etc.), that can't be bought at a discount.

GSteed

Different strokes for different people. Mass entertainment or a private party?
Europe is the region between Ireland and the Urals yet most posters (we love Europe)imply that they visit only London and Paris! Why has no one mentioned the Elder Hostel tours?

kwren

Hi Dukey - thanks for bringing that up...I have always checked multiple sites for pricing and have found the differences you talk about. I will do so again. As a matter of fact I normally don't use TA's at all as I hate waiting to hear back from them when I have a question or going back and forth to arrange schedules when it's just as easy - and faster - to do it myself - or with Fodors! The reason I decided to call this TA is that when we got our Driver's Permits for Austria (yes GSteed there is more than London and Paris out there ), the AAA lady said they get good bulk rates on cruises. This is yet to be seen as I have not gotten her quotes! How I wish it will be true! (Then she said she uses the computer to see which site is the best - can't hurt to have someone surfing for something I might miss, but so much for those bulk AAA rates. )

LLindaC

Well, actually there are ways to get discount luxury cruises at luxurylink.com I wouldn't spend that kind of money, but's that's just me. Still like my winter break Carib cruise just to relax, but we don't spend top dollar!

tudorterrace222

I've never done a cruise before and will not do one until I'm so old that I have mobility problems in which case they should be great.

athom73

Perhaps you should consider some of the smaller, more intimate cruise ships. We have been extremely pleased with our European and Baltic cruises on the Seven Seas cruise line. The advantage to cruising is you can get to multiple destinations and take numerous excursions without having to constantly be packing, repacking and worrying about how to get from one country, city, etc. to another. Accommodations, meals are already taken care of which allows more time to see and enjoy Europe. You can choose the excursions that the cruise line offers or go independently once you arrive at the port. Going through the locks in the Baltic and the Panama Canal can't be done any other way. Our trip on Windstar took us to Malta, Croatia, Corfu, Taormina, Rome, Venice in 10 days. It was a phenomenal cruise. So, do some research. Carnival Cruises these are NOT.

fitznj

Last year we took our four children to France and Italy. We did a lot of touring, went on two overnight trains, and ran them around. It was great. It took a huge amount of planning. We did geet to Easter Mass at the Vatican which was awesome.

Several months later we were lucky enough to get away on a cruise to Bermuda out of NY. This was my fourth trip to Bermuda, which I love, but first by ship. I have to say, after all the planning of trip #1, it was kind of nice to just relax on the ship and then on the beaches in Bermuda.

I would give the edge - for me - to European travel but I do have to say that if you are exhausted, just want to flop, a cruise is nice for that. It is also a nice way to spend time with the older members of the family.

samting

Why not try both??? Life is short, and there is much to see and do in this world. And saying "no to cruises" is like saying no to 'lunch". It all depends! We don't like the crammed, huge ships, but will do a small sailing cruise any day.

crazychick

Cruises like the med or the caribbean do not apeal to me , but I like the look of doing a Norwegian fjords one. This looks completly differnet and the scenery looks spectacular. I would love to do that, but still working on the hubby.

Nina66

I had never even considered taking a cruise. I knew that I would plant myself in front of the numerous buffets and eat, and eat, and eat, for the entire trip. Can you tell that I have no interest in shuffle board, ping pong or just sitting in a chair relaxing. (Look what happened on the ad below to that poor woman's red knee - not this traveler!)

About 6 years ago a very good and a very well traveled friend, took a Russian Volga River cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg and loved it. We had traveled with he and his wife to Tanzania and Central America and I knew that their travel styles and likes were similiar to ours'. We had wanted to go to Russia for years, but the high hotel rates had put us off. So we booked the same trip they took.

WHAT A HORRIBLE MISTAKE ... we loved Moscow and St. Pete's, but the ship was a disaster. Rusty water, lousey grey food - possibly chicken and mushrooms, and some really bad tour guides - lazy and not too knowledgeable. we were never sure what we were eating or in most cases, not eating. Almost everyone abroad had stomach problems at one time or another.

The first night, my single bed which was attached to the wall of the ajoining cabin, bounced up and down several times in the middle of the night and again very early in the morning. This went on for a few nights and because I thought that the people next door were 'having at it', I was too embarassed to knock on the wall or on their door to say anything. On the third day, a couple in their 70's, came out of their cabin at the same time that we did. We looked at each other and both of us hemmed and hawed and it came spilling out and we all laughed hysterically. Of course they thought that we had a very lively nocturnal life.

We figured out that the beds were attached through the walls by a metal pipe sort of thing and every time the husand or I got up, ie: pottie runs in the middle of the night, the other person's bed bounced. Sort of a teeter totter affect.

For the remained of the cruise, we would knock on the wall at night, admonishing each other to do it NOW and stay in bed for the rest of the night

We loved Moscow and St. Pete's and hope to go back again. The weather was cold in Moscow, but lovely in St. Pete's so we jumped ship every night and ate in some wonderful restaurants. Never leave home with out your trusted guidebook(s). We did some activities with the ships tours, especially the out of town trips, but we left as soon as they were done and saw and did a lot on our own, including a wonderful canal trip. We liked some of the towns in between Moscow and St. Pete's, but some were not that interesting.

There was a one day period, that we just sailed without making any stops .... oh boy, were we bored.

Never again - plane, train, bus, ferry, donkey, but never a cruise ship.

After all, who wants to go on a trip and relax?

Nina

Nina66

P.S. We were suppose to go on a newly refurbished ship, at least that's what they told us when we booked the trip. When we boarded in Moscow, the company owner happened to be there, apparently he went on the first cruise of the season every year.

We had booked at their office about 45 minutes from our house and he is the one that went on and on about the fabulous 5 million, not sure of the amount, renovation and promised that it would be ready in time for our cruise, about four months later.

RIGHT ....of course it wasn't, so they stuck us on and old crummy one that was scheduled for the next complete renovation after the season ended.

Our friends had been on a 'new' boat the year before and it made a world of difference. They said that the food was great. We didn't want to hurt their feelings because they had recommended the company and the cruise so highly, so we never mentioned it.

Nina

miasmadude

Usage patrol here:
"Disinterested" does not mean "Uninterested."
Yrs, Robert

gammy

Getting into this foray late but wish to speak positively about cruises. Have cruised the Panama Canal via Caribbean and Alaska -- both were interesting and only way to see canal and the glaciers. Did the Nile cruise in the late spring -- how else to be Cleopatra for awhile! Recently returned from a cruise from Bangkok to Bombay which was a fantastic way to see lots of country and know where you would like to spend more time later. Will leave in two weeks for a Danube River cruise from Bucharest to Vienna and four days in Prague before returning home. Have high expectations for this trip too! Sorry you don't like cruises. Also doesn't mean I don't like land trips -- did China and well, that included a Yantgze cruise!
Water is so therapeutic!!!

escape9

We have done both cruising and land trips to Europe and there are advantages to both. Cruising allows you to get an overall view of many places and know if you want to go back for a longer stay. We recently took an Oceania cruise from Istanbul to Athens with many Greek island stops and it was wonderful. Not your usual mega ship but more adult. It was quiet, comfortable and relaxing while still allowing us time each day to explore. Cruising is also a geat way to travel with family/friends because you can have as much independence as you want and it's nice to pay almost everything up front. It's also nice to unpack only once. But you have to do your homework and pick the right cruise line to fit your style.

chemgirl

I agree-cruises hold little interest for me. I'm a history buff and there's not much for me on a boat. But if they ever did a historical cruise like rebuilding the Titanic I'd probably like to do that. The friends/family I have that have done cruises really like them but they're also the people that gave me raised eyebrows and seemed shocked when I announced I was going to Ireland for 2 weeks--alone! (Can you imagine? Traveling alone all that time?). I'd go on a cruise but there are so many other places I'd like to see first...

lizcakes

Wow, I finally saw this post and HUGE thread and found some people that think as I do! HATE the idea of cruises and LOVE travel. We're going to the Caribbean for the first time this May (06) and using FF miles. If ever I am on a boat for more than 10 minutes I usually think "let me off this thing and go DO something". Sitting in the sun and staring at water doesn't thrill my soul and gambling and eating non-stop and watching "Vegas-style (gag) shows" doesn't either. Now I'll go back and actually read some of the posts and see who, if anyone, agrees with moi.

Hagan

Well, I have to admit I love both forms of travel! Right now, I'm knee-deep in the midst of planning a trip to Italy next March for Hubby and I and our 2 eldest teen grandsons. We plan to gift the love of travel to each of our 9 grandchildren, God willing, and to show them the unique values of different cultures.

That said, we're also VERY excited about a cruise we're taking this Sunday, a 7-night to the Eastern Caribbean, just the two of us, and plan to just relax and enjoy. I don't understand why anyone would want to argue that any form of travel is better than another. Isn't travel supposed to make one more tolerant of others? Who cares if you think your land-based trip is more valuable than someone else's cruise to Mexico? Each certainly has it's own merits and rewards. Just thank God you have the health and money to travel, period!