topic Re: CRUISE VACATIONS! in Among Friends

CRUISE VACATIONS!

Newgate — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 21:09:12 GMT

Getting ready to leave on a cruise vacation to celebrate a big anniversary!!

In my planning and talking with other people I know about cruise vacations I find I get so many opinions of why they do love or really dislike cruises! We have had good luck with ours and are looking forward to this one!!

Would love to hear some of your likes and dislikes of them!!

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

McGraw Fan — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 21:20:47 GMT

Hi Newgate -

Where are you going on your cruise? I love cruising - used to be in the travel industry in my past life and specialized in crusises. I think it is one of the best ways to travel. Depends on the line your choose to go with as far as if you will enjoy the experience. Just like cars, there are many different levels of cruise lines - someone that loves a BMW might not be as happy in a Ford Fiesta and vice/versa.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Mz iMac — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 21:34:31 GMT

Since I retired, I now do the 10+ days type cruises. In 2 weeks will be going on a 15 day cruise - Panama Canal. Plus a few islands along the way & back.

I take 2 cruises a year. My all time favorite cruise line is Norweigen. The service is superior.

On my bucket list:

When I hit the lottery, I am going on the QE2 round the world cruise which focuses heavily on Asia.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

wonderfulworld — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 22:50:58 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
Since I retired, I now do the 10+ days type cruises. In 2 weeks will be going on a 15 day cruise - Panama Canal. Plus a few islands along the way & back.

I take 2 cruises a year. My all time favorite cruise line is Norweigen. The service is superior.

On my bucket list:
When I hit the lottery, I am going on the QE2 round the world cruise which focuses heavily on Asia.

So glad you like NCL the best. We are taking them to Alaska next summer. I have also been on Disney (wonderful if you have little ones...maybe not so great with out), Carnival and Princess This will be our second time to Alaska, the first time we went Princess and loved it.

I think 10 days is ideal. The 7 days are fine but I think you could really relax on 10.

I did a 4 night Carribean...too short!

Any one done any river cruises?

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

wonderfulworld — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 22:57:02 GMT

One thing I loved on Princess..it was our first cruise and our travel agent recommended just asking for a balcony room but instead of picking a specific one just reserve the "class' and be open to upgrade. Since it was just the two of us we said sure.

We were upgraded to a suite...jacuzzi tub, free laundry service, appetizers in our room. This was our very first cruise and were we ever spoiled!

What I don't like is how early you have to vacate your cabin in the morning...On the upgrade we went to a special room to wait and had a breakfast buffet.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Kachina624 — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 23:51:03 GMT

My sister and I have been on several cruises together. On the last one on the Golden Princess to Alaska, we both got sick and didn't eat for two days. The crew was very very unhelpful and unaccommodating. The food was not good. I'll never take a Princess cruise again.

We also have done the Caribbean and I wouldn't care if we never saw it again. It was in February and it was HOT and HUMID. The first thing I did when we got outside in Philadelphia was drink in the cool, sweet Philly air. I'm a mountain person, not a tropics and sea person.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Newgate — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 03:03:51 GMT

@Mgraw Fan wrote:
Hi Newgate -

Where are you going on your cruise? I love cruising - used to be in the travel industry in my past life and specialized in crusises. I think it is one of the best ways to travel. Depends on the line your choose to go with as far as if you will enjoy the experience. Just like cars, there are many different levels of cruise lines - someone that loves a BMW might not be as happy in a Ford Fiesta and vice/versa.

Hi Mgraw Fan: Thank you for asking! We are going Venice to Barcelona on Holland America..which we have used before and been happy with them! It is a 12 day cruise!!

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Newgate — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 03:07:16 GMT

@wonderfulworld wrote:
@Mz iMac wrote:
Since I retired, I now do the 10+ days type cruises. In 2 weeks will be going on a 15 day cruise - Panama Canal. Plus a few islands along the way & back.

I take 2 cruises a year. My all time favorite cruise line is Norweigen. The service is superior.

On my bucket list:
When I hit the lottery, I am going on the QE2 round the world cruise which focuses heavily on Asia.
So glad you like NCL the best. We are taking them to Alaska next summer. I have also been on Disney (wonderful if you have little ones...maybe not so great with out), Carnival and Princess This will be our second time to Alaska, the first time we went Princess and loved it.
I think 10 days is ideal. The 7 days are fine but I think you could really relax on 10.
I did a 4 night Carribean...too short!
Any one done any river cruises?

No..but we have thought about it and may just do it one day!!

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

stazgirl — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 03:09:50 GMT

The river cruises look so relaxing, I would love to go on one of those

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

proudlyfromNJ — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:52:04 GMT

We took a river cruise last year on the Danube from Vienna to Munich. The sights and landscape are beautiful. The ship was great. So different than the big cruise ships. Loved slowly sailing down the river with beautiful scenery almost right next to you.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Nataliesgramma — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:55:29 GMT

We have only done the Disney Cruise because hubby has serious motion sickness. Had no complaints .....

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Newgate — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 16:08:23 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
My sister and I have been on several cruises together. On the last one on the Golden Princess to Alaska, we both got sick and didn't eat for two days. The crew was very very unhelpful and unaccommodating. The food was not good. I'll never take a Princess cruise again.

We also have done the Caribbean and I wouldn't care if we never saw it again. It was in February and it was HOT and HUMID. The first thing I did when we got outside in Philadelphia was drink in the cool, sweet Philly air. I'm a mountain person, not a tropics and sea person.

We lean toward cooler climates for vacations..we also like to take driving vacations! Hot and humid is hard to cope with!! Thanks for your input!!

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

stazgirl — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 16:17:05 GMT

@proudlyfromNJ wrote:
We took a river cruise last year on the Danube from Vienna to Munich. The sights and landscape are beautiful. The ship was great. So different than the big cruise ships. Loved slowly sailing down the river with beautiful scenery almost right next to you.

sounds so serene..That would be my choice, hopefully when I retire.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

patbz — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 16:29:49 GMT

DH and I have taken 30+ cruises from 3 days to 31 days (that one was from Rio to NYC with a 1000 mile trip up the Amazon). We have done Cunard, Carnival,Holland,Princess, Celebrity and RCI. We have been almost everywhere and enjoyed them all. Usually get inside cabin midship and usually do our own excursions, sometimes with up to 6 other passengers.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Kachina624 — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 20:56:27 GMT

@patbz wrote:
DH and I have taken 30+ cruises from 3 days to 31 days (that one was from Rio to NYC with a 1000 mile trip up the Amazon). We have done Cunard, Carnival,Holland,Princess, Celebrity and RCI. We have been almost everywhere and enjoyed them all. Usually get inside cabin midship and usually do our own excursions, sometimes with up to 6 other passengers.

You can save yourself a bundle by doing your own excursions. There is usually someone on the docks selling the same excursions as the ships offer for half price or less. We did that whale-watching in Juneau and had a much nicer boat than the excursion people did and theirs was overloaded.

When we visited the Islands with another couple, we hired a taxi driver for the day and had him show us the high points of the island. They were all excellent guides and it only cost us about $20/day each (negotiate the price).

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Mz iMac — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 22:11:00 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@patbz wrote:
DH and I have taken 30+ cruises from 3 days to 31 days (that one was from Rio to NYC with a 1000 mile trip up the Amazon). We have done Cunard, Carnival,Holland,Princess, Celebrity and RCI. We have been almost everywhere and enjoyed them all. Usually get inside cabin midship and usually do our own excursions, sometimes with up to 6 other passengers.

You can save yourself a bundle by doing your own excursions. There is usually someone on the docks selling the same excursions as the ships offer for half price or less. We did that whale-watching in Juneau and had a much nicer boat than the excursion people did and theirs was overloaded.

When we visited the Islands with another couple, we hired a taxi driver for the day and had him show us the high points of the island. They were all excellent guides and it only cost us about $20/day each (negotiate the price).

Excellent advice especially for 1st timers. It is the way to go!!!! Especially hiring your own taxi.

Another one is to hire your own horse & buggy tour. They will take you where the "tourist" do not visit. You really get to see the "flavor" of the town. You also get to eat at restaurants where the town folks eat & if you're lucky a home cooked meal of local food at a "cousin's" home of the driver.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Mz iMac — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 22:15:31 GMT

I've seen the commercials on tv for the Viking River cruises. I am serioulsy thinking about looking into this cruise for next year. I would like to take my grandchild who is teenager w/me. I think this will be a learning experience for him.

I would love to do the Amazon river cruise too!

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

missy1 — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:10:30 GMT

Went on a Alaskan one.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

bonnielu — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 13:41:00 GMT

After our first cruise, we were hooked. We go with a group and the planning is done by the coordinator which is one of the many square dance callers we know. So I don't have to think, plan, I just pay. I do pack however.

I think what I like most about cruising is that it is a package and someone else plans it. On board we meet new people who have come for the same purpose... to tour, and dance. On board we get plently of exercise. My fitbit has tracked over 10,000 steps a day (I think this is just trying to find our room) And I lose weight every time I cruise (no foolin')

We are about to go on our 6th cruise in December, and our 7th cruise in April. And we haven't run out of square dance callers yet who want to do this. They get a free cabin for all their planning and work.

Re: CRUISE VACATIONS!

Stray — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 19:55:24 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
I've seen the commercials on tv for the Viking River cruises. I am serioulsy thinking about looking into this cruise for next year. I would like to take my grandchild who is teenager w/me. I think this will be a learning experience for him.

I would love to do the Amazon river cruise too!

I did the Viking River cruise but found the Tauck River cruises to be better.