Your Turn
Have you ever taken a cruise? I always thought to myself that with its endless food that a cruise might be the thing for me, but it also seems like once a year there is some horror story like the one occurring off the coast of Mexico this week and I could never handle that.
Was invited on a cruise for my parents' 50th anniversary, and thought I would hate it. Ended up liking it, though. It was great to be far away from everything and have absolutely no distractions. I spent most of the week on the most isolated top deck with various fruit drinks and a good book.
ReplyDeleteNope. I'm too nervous to, because I get motion sickness sooooooo easily. I know there's non-drowsy dramamine, seabands, ginger, etc. It would just really suck to spend all that money and be miserable the entire time if those things don't work!
ReplyDeleteNah. I can go sit on a boat in the ocean anytime I want. I'd rather just get to my destination and enjoy my time there.
ReplyDeleteLove love love cruises go at least twice a year. I took my 3 year old son last year for the first time and he loved it.
ReplyDeleteI once took a tom cruise...man that stinker was hard to flush.
ReplyDeleteSo much cheesy good fun on a cruise. Great way to travel on the cheap. And the food, drink and entertainment are always delightful. Plus there's Bingo and discotheques.
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny! Mr. Gossip and I booked a cruise yesterday!
ReplyDeleteI would never take a cruise! When I travel - I want to get to the place I am going and let the vacation begin! I like Terra Firma:)
ReplyDeletePazazz - My husband and I are thinking of taking our 2-year-old son next year. Was it easy to do with a toddler? Which line did you take? We are partial to Princess.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly yes it was easy. We always go Carnival and they have camp carnival for the kids which is great. They take good care of the kids and do awesome activities. My 2 year old niece was also with us and she had fun. We try and find a boat that's geared more to families. My son always ask when are we going back on the fun boat when he says a cruise ship.
DeleteBtw do you live in Jersey????
Delete@Amber- I get motion sickness from riding in a car so I was freaked out before the cruise I took. I didn't take Dramamine and I never felt the boat. I think you'd be ok.
ReplyDeleteWent for the first time a year and a half ago - loved it! Cruised on Royal Caribbean and had excellent service.
ReplyDeleteI know what happens on those bruises. I saw the Poseidon Adventure.
ReplyDelete@FSP, nailed it!
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ReplyDeleteYes, twice. Went to Alaska in 2011 and, minus the rain, it was great!
ReplyDeleteYes, on my Honeymoon with my ex. It was Carnival and it went to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo. It was fucking amazing! Minus the doofus I accidentally married. :)
ReplyDeleteHighly recommend a cruise! They treat you like Kings and Queens.
Damn those accidental marriages!! I've had a few myself
DeleteLove accidental marriages:)
DeleteI've gone on 8 cruises and wouldn't hesitate to go on one again. When I was working full time it was my idea of heaven - nothing to do but have someone wait on me hand and foot. I also won $5600.00 playing bingo. I've traveled Europe a lot, but for just a relaxing vacation, I prefer cruising.
ReplyDeleteI went on one. For the most part it was nice, much more relaxing than other vacations because there's none of the scrambling to get from place to place or worrying about where you're going to eat, etc.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, OJ totally ruined one day of it for me (and everyone who had to listen to me rant) by being declared not guilty that particular day.
Oh, also I didn't really appreciate the live worm in my salad, so probably not Carnival next time.
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ReplyDeleteI'd like to do an Alaskan cruise, but most other places I think would be more fun to stay locally. I'm also not a fan of the generic "all inclusive" vacations.
ReplyDeleteno, really don't have the desire. Also, I don't want to end up as shark food if something happens to the boat.
ReplyDeleteThe only cruise I've ever gone on are the 24-hour booze cruises between Sweden and Finland, and even that is too long for me *L*.
ReplyDeleteYeah- I took a three-year cruise courtesy of our Uncle Sam onboad the USS HOLLAND. My experience was probably unlike any of the other cruise stories here. But I did get to go to Canada, Colombia, the Panama Canal, Hawaii, Guam, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea.
ReplyDeleteOh- and typhoon evasions!
ReplyDeleteNOPE...never! I prefer knowing that if I need to escape for whatever reason....I CAN on land. On a ship, where the hell would I go?! And I'm deathly afraid of sharks so that's a given HELL NO! Last but not least...there are large numbers of sex offenders working on cruise ships not to mention the passengers. No thanks!
ReplyDeleteSidenote: There was a study done in Britain about people that go missing on cruise ships - very disturbing numbers! :(
I was on a aircraft carrier for four years...does that count?
ReplyDeleteI went on a day cruise out of Athens two years ago and we went around to the closet islands. Later that week I went on a week cruise out of Athens that docked in Turkey and visisted the outer lying Greek islands. I would do it again every single day if I could, I am absolutely in love with Greece.
ReplyDeleteI went on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Bermuda a few years back and loved every sec of it!!
ReplyDeleteNopey nope never. The thought of being surrounded by all of that deep, deep water is enough to induce panic attacks. Plus, yes, I saw The Poseidon Adventure as a kid and O_O.
ReplyDeleteMy botched cruise to Cozumel, Feb. 2002...
ReplyDeleteI'd been invited by coworkers Vicky and Dave and thought it'd be a blast.
We partied the night before our flight to Miami from Detroit. We were hungover and V and D spent the waiting time in the airport bar. I don't do "hair of the dog" so I slept by our gate. Unbeknownst to me and D, V took a bunch of pills: Vicodin and Soma. On the flight, V became unruly and obnoxious. She started flashing guys on the planes and telling the protesting women to go phuque themselves. She ignored the flight attendants warnings and she certainly wasn't listening to me.
We arrive at Miami to be held back and escorted off the plane and taken to a room. While in there, V's purse fell open and about 10 Rx bottles fall out. She then goes unconscious! 911 is called and she's taken to ER. I'm told I can't go on the cruise! D and I go to ER with all our luggage; I sit outside ER with luggage, smoking furiously and pissed off, as you can imagine. I'm sitting there wondering what the hell is going on across the driveway: yellow gurney, then red, then blue, back to yellow and when second red appears, it dawns on me: dead bodies!! o_O
Meanwhile, V rips out the IV and walks out of the ER. We've missed the boat and told we can get on in Key West the next morning. We need a hotel; guess who is the only one with a valid credit card?
V and D proceed to go to some dive bar and I stay in the hotel room, talking to my then b/f and make plans to come back home the next day. V and D aren't happy about it, but I was fed up!
Get to airport and I have no cash! They ripped me off while I was showering!
I was never so happy to see Metro Detroit in February!
End of Reese's aborted cruise story. ;)
@Meanie, Did you tear a new asshole for your coworkers? I probably would let it slip while speaking to the office gossip, so word would be spread of what asshats they are.
DeleteNo, and I don't think I want to--besides the motion sickness issues, I also don't like the idea of being too far from dry land to escape easily should it be necessary, and the accounts of assaults and disappearances freak me out. Yes, I know, all of this can happen on terra firma, but I'm not taking any chances.
ReplyDeleteNo desire.
ReplyDeleteI'll be going on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Bermuda in July, my first ever cruise, with my three angels in tow. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at this as an adventure, but this GoM mess is making me a bit nervous. (Though this isn't the first time that ship's engine blew up, I read on CNN.)
I have been on several cruises and have never had any mishaps of any sort. Once there was a small fire in a potted plant in the dining room(some loser threw a cigarette in there) but it was quickly extinguished with no further problem.
ReplyDeleteI've been on six cruises -- three on big boats (1000s of people) and three on small boats (dozens of people). Prefer the atmosphere of the small boat but the accommodations on the big boat. I am not prone to sea sickness but 2011's trip from SF to Alaska proved it (it was May and there were huge swells). The bonus for me and the wife is the unpack-the-luggage once and forget it. In December, we hit Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Arubia in two weeks and had a great time. We have our points on Princess and like airlines and credit cards, once you have some points with one company, it's hard to change.
ReplyDeleteBooze is really expensive in my country, so a lot of people go on booze fetching/party cruises every couple of months. When I was a student, we would go almost every month. It never cost more than 10 € (about 30 € these days) , you got tax free alcohol, no queue to clubs or no need to spend money on taxis (cruise boat ticket is cheaper than a taxi home!)or admissions and everything is under the same roof! Going again in 2 weeks with my girls, also spent the New Years on a ship for the same obvious reasons with big group of friends.
ReplyDeleteMany times... The trick is to find the line and the style that suits you.
ReplyDeleteBy and far, Disney is the most amazing experience for "non-luxury" cruises (Luxury cruises are a whole other breed, even though all cruises are supposed to be...) It costs more - but no nickel-and-diming you on things like soda like on most other lines.
There's something nice about having your "hotel" go with you instead of the other way around.
Cruise Critic is a good way to check out specific lines and boats.
No desire here, but my parents love them. I also hear cruises are really bad for the environment.
ReplyDeleteNo. I don't plan to, either. A few years back, my son-in-law was still in the Navy and they had a "friends and family" cruise where the sailors can invite people to go on a one-day trip on whatever ship the sailor is stationed on. I spent the entire day trying to keep from vomiting, even though the sea was nearly flat.
ReplyDeleteThen the office where I worked, two years running, made our office summer event a gambling cruise. Nice idea, a day on a small cruise ship fitted out like a casino, and $100 of the firm's money to start you off. I spent both those cruises with a green face, sitting miserably in a corner trying not to disgrace myself.
It finally dawned on me that I am prone to being seasick. So I don't want to go on a cruise.
I always loved the tiger cruises when families came on board because then we ate good. They couldn't show the parents the shit we got on a regular basis.
Delete@IMakeNoSense - I'm under no illusions about the cuisine in the Navy. :) For a period of time I dated a chief on a guided missile cruiser, and when he had duty on weekends I could go on board and spend time with him, including eating in the chiefs' mess, which supposedly is the best food on board. Never forget that July 4 when they celebrated with "surf & turf" and we were served a slab of gristle and little rubbery nodules shaped like shrimp. The "friends and family cruise" I went on offered cheeseburgers and frozen fries, but I was too sick to eat anyway, since the ship was moving. I used to love to go on base and see the big ships, but after that day, I can't look at one without shuddering. I don't know how the guys stand six months on there at a time on deployments. The horrible room where they sleep, the bathrooms without enough toilets or showers, everything metal and smelling of diesel fuel - I do admire our Navy after spending that day on the ship.
DeleteWent on a 5 day cruise a few years ago. It was fun but certain parts of the boat like the casino gave me really bad motion sickness. I found a cure towards the end of the cruise when I smoked a cigar and I felt great that whole day
ReplyDeleteI am 38 and I love cruises. The 1st one I went on with an ex when I was 22 was a scam to look at vacation properties in Florida. Our room was on the 2nd or 3rd floor from the bottom of boat. (I was young). Despite the location of room and hearing water splashing all around you, it was alot on fun.
ReplyDelete2nd time I was on Carnival with another ex about 5-6 years. It was awesome except for who I went with.
I took Mr. Borg last year on a mini-cruise to Canada and booked a balcony suite. Mr. Borg LOVED IT and will not travel any other way now.
Why would I want to be trapped in the equivalent of a 50 story office building, on its side, floating?
ReplyDeleteNO NO NO NO
Never! Murders, rapes, disappearances, viruses, disabled ships ... I'll stay on land.
ReplyDeleteMe & the partner went a few years ago before the news was flooded with the sickness and accident reports. It was great and we got a great deal on the fare, but by the end of the cruise, our alcohol bill was as much as the ticket. If you are not a big drinker, obviously, that's not a factor. I would love an Alaskan cruise for sure.
ReplyDeleteI've heard great things about Disney cruises, but taking tge little one wouldn't be relaxing for us. I heard a security person say that you should assume there is at least one predator on any cruise, so that would wreck it for us.
i am too young to take a cruise
ReplyDeleteI went on a cheapie 4-day cruise with a friend when I was in my early twenties. I had motion sickness before we even left the dock so I had a drink to settle my stomach. That seemed to work so I kept on going! Drunkest four days of my life!
ReplyDeleteEveryone I know says they are wonderful. I hear the word cruise, and I think floating petri dish. Remember everyone getting some virus on them? Just that alone makes me cringe. The ship out on the water with 5 working toilets and a few thousand people is a nightmare though.
ReplyDeleteWe love cruising. I love waking up in a different country every day. It's great to go with the kids and it's great for us to go alone. We always take Norwegian, and have always had the best vacations.
ReplyDeleteA cruise is my dream vacation. One day. I get BAD motion sickness on a plane, but I don't get it in the car (even though I did all the time when I was a kid). I wonder whether my relief bands will help me on a cruise. They seem to work about 50% of the time on planes.
ReplyDeleteThere was some story on 60 minutes about women getting raped on cruises (even old ladies!). No thanks.
ReplyDeleteIve gone on two, and really enjoyed it, but have no desire to go again. And since so many cruises become floating crap boats when everyone gets stomach bug, No. Thank. You!!!!
ReplyDeleteI never have been on one, but would love to!
ReplyDeleteGo on Crystal Cruises. The difference between Crystal and Carnival is that Crystal would have helicoptered everyone off the boat and given them a free make-up vacation.
ReplyDelete@Amber-- I am easily nauseated too, so I got my doctor to prescribe Scopolamine patches. I remained extremely calm through the whole trip, including a night of rough seas. My mouth was so dry it reminded me of my college daze, so keep a beverage or gum handy!
ReplyDeleteI went on one with my then best bff when I was 22. Oh boy, did we have a lot of fun! She was really seasick the first day or so but after that she was fine.
ReplyDeleteI have been on a few cruises & get seasick really badly. Here are my tips. If you get motion sickness try both the bands & the drugs. I would wear the bands at night but my hands would swell. So in the morning I would take the drugs. They do make you drowsy so the trick is to stay up, if you lay back down you will sleep even if you have had a full night. Go with at least one other person you know in case there are problems. If you are a couple do NOT share a cabin with a single person whether friend or family member. If you don't want to waste holiday time look for a cruise where you stop at a port everyday. Look for a cruise where there is free-style dining. This allows you to pick when, where & with whom you eat. Be careful with what you buy on board. Some passengers spent more on booze etc than their cruise. You can ask for your bill to be printed out regularly so you don't get caught. Book your tours independently. Compare prices & you will see what a mark-up the ships make on shore activities. Use their tours to give you ideas & then go for it. We love NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line). Finally, go to vacationstogo.com for discounted cruises.
ReplyDeleteNo way. Though I can understand why people would like cruises--i have agoraphobia, and just the thought of all that open water and endless sky and no civilization in sight makes me want.to scream. I also have to be careful with motion sickness but in my case Dramamine has never let me down. If i ever take a vacay, i will be flying. I love flying. I dont even like watching movies and tv shows that are filmed on ships and instantly change the channel.
ReplyDeleteNo, I hate the idea of being stranded somewhere. What happened to that cruise being towed to Alabama is my worst nightmare.
ReplyDeleteMy husband just now informed me of the cruise drama. I would have shit my pants. I really dislike being places where I don't have an easy escape (anxiety rocks!). I'm cool with being on a plane for a few hours, but on a boat, in the middle of the ocean for a few days, is too much for me.
ReplyDeleteSo surprised at how many people are anti-cruise and all the various reasons. Truly interesting...not something I ever really thought about. As for myself, I've been on 13 and counting. 14th is booked. I LOVE cruising. We go with friends from all over the country and it's a perfect way for everyone to have a personalized vacation while still being together. I live for the open ocean, the wind, the beaches, the sightseeing, meeting people from all over. I keep in touch with many friends I've met cruising. There is a camaraderie amongst cruisers that can't be beat. I look at the recent events as an adventure. The recent events don't dissuade me from cruising at all. In fact, I'm using the stock drop as an opportunity to pick up some more shares. You get onboard credit for owning shares every time you cruise!
ReplyDeleteNo, I get seasick and although everyone says you don't get it on a cruise I'm not chancing it. I won't even go on the New Kids on the Block cruise, I'm *that* serious about it.
ReplyDeleteYes. First one was my HS senior trip. Carnival. No problems at all til the last day (quarantined). I never got seasick, but that might be b/c I stayed drunk the entire time. I went on a mini one from France to England, got sick as a dog. We got invited to the Norwegian Epic's inaugural launch a few years back and were pretty impressed by the ship. I'd definitely go on another one but probably not Carnival. I've read the statistics, murders, disappearances, etc. ( I am catastrophobic amd love true crime), but you can die anywhere. ;)
ReplyDeleteAlaska on Norwegian. Freaking amazing. You must go through the Interior Passage. There are no words to describe its magnificence. Also did the Caribbean on Royal Caribbean. Also fabulous. There is always plenty to do on your days at sea on these cruises.
ReplyDeleteCarnival is a party ship. Lots of drunks. And that was per my teenager who cruised with my best friend.
Holland America has older ships and a lot of seniors on board.
Pugster, that is the only cruise I can talk my husband into. You are the 3rd to recommend Norwegian and the interior passage. It might be this year or next. Barring those pesky emergencies that crop up:)
DeleteI haven't, but would love to. My dad has been on 7 or 8. Several to Mexico, Panama, Alaska, Carribean. Last year he was on one moving a ship from Spain to Florida. It was something like 60% off and they got to spend a week in Spain before the boarded. He said on the crossing they hit 20 foot waves. I would have been a sobbing mess.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who goes at least once a year. He loves them. I don't care for travel myself, unless I have to.
ReplyDeleteGoing on a cruise is like being stuck in a bad Las Vegas hotel/casino for days on end. Well, at least that's what it felt like to me. The people were appalling, the food was mediocre, even though there was a lot of it everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it would be different on one of those Crystal Cruises which cost thousands upon thousands of dollars, or on the Queen Mary, crossing the Atlantic from Britain to NYC. But those other cruise lines - yecch. I was always forced to go (didn't pay for them) and they were pretty terrible and unbelievably boring.
Hearing about the Titanic disaster as a child put me off cruises for life. I'm not thrilled about speed boats or paddle boats either.
ReplyDeleteSo surprised to see how popular cruises are.
ReplyDeleteI d feel like Sandy, locked in a bad Vegas hotel in a giant floating caravan. And that s gross to me.
Also, seeing cruise passengers flocking in some place for the day like an ants colony, it s difficult to believe they ll experience anything more than just a postcard whiff of the place where they ll spend a few hours.