Anyone do BIG SHIP cruises ?

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There was plants, flowers, trees and real grass on the cruise ship i was on…..
LOL! Like a roof garden in the City of London, or that mound-thing being likened to a hill! Or what I have growing on my windowsill. Can you walk among the trees or camp the night there? Are there moths and spiders, beetles and snails, birds, bees and butterflies, free to flit from tree to tree and across the meadow to the flowers?

as for being imprisoned, its hardly what its like, but hey, its your opinion, but you still went and paid for it.
and it must have been of interest for you to pay and get onboard, maybe it was buyers remorse.

That's a rather wide range of assumptions to make about a journey which I undertook at the behest of another person. It was an interesting experience - as new experiences are - but not one I would ever willingly repeat.

I would personally have preferred to fly; although figures are not directly comparable, those produced by Carnival Corporation and plc, which owns nine cruise lines, suggest cruising falls in similar territory to flying in terms of emissions. Many other groups, as you might imagine, consider cruising to be much more damaging, environmentally, than commercial passenger flying.

And as for being imprisoned - of course I was. I could hardly get off and walk away, could I? In the middle of the sea? It is just as much imprisonment - and for a much longer time! - as is flying, and also - to a 'milder' extent - train and coach/bus travel. However, one undertakes it more or less willingly in order to travel more or less efficiently between (a) and (b).

No-one will ever convince me that a cruise would be - or was! - a nice thing for me to go on. Just as I don't expect to convince anyone who hates heat, camels and saltbush to enjoy travelling across the Central Australian Desert astride a camel.
For me, though, it was pure delight from beginning to end. There was a gentleman and his family on the trek who chose to be 'evacuated' - we had to make a diversion to near a track and use VHF radio to call the trek organiser's back-up 4WD to pick them up - I think they felt about it, the same way I felt about being on the cruise. They were clearly most unhappy and uneasy being out in the desert - and very intimidated by the camels - the two main points of the trek.
 

jowwy

Can't spell, Can't Punctuate....Sue Me
LOL! Like a roof garden in the City of London, or that mound-thing being likened to a hill! Or what I have growing on my windowsill. Can you walk among the trees or camp the night there? Are there moths and spiders, beetles and snails, birds, bees and butterflies, free to flit from tree to tree and across the meadow to the flowers?



That's a rather wide range of assumptions to make about a journey which I undertook at the behest of another person. It was an interesting experience - as new experiences are - but not one I would ever willingly repeat.

I would personally have preferred to fly; although figures are not directly comparable, those produced by Carnival Corporation and plc, which owns nine cruise lines, suggest cruising falls in similar territory to flying in terms of emissions. Many other groups, as you might imagine, consider cruising to be much more damaging, environmentally, than commercial passenger flying.

And as for being imprisoned - of course I was. I could hardly get off and walk away, could I? In the middle of the sea? It is just as much imprisonment - and for a much longer time! - as is flying, and also - to a 'milder' extent - train and coach/bus travel. However, one undertakes it more or less willingly in order to travel more or less efficiently between (a) and (b).

No-one will ever convince me that a cruise would be - or was! - a nice thing for me to go on. Just as I don't expect to convince anyone who hates heat, camels and saltbush to enjoy travelling across the Central Australian Desert astride a camel.
For me, though, it was pure delight from beginning to end. There was a gentleman and his family on the trek who chose to be 'evacuated' - we had to make a diversion to near a track and use VHF radio to call the trek organiser's back-up 4WD to pick them up - I think they felt about it, the same way I felt about being on the cruise. They were clearly most unhappy and uneasy being out in the desert - and very intimidated by the camels - the two main points of the trek.
No you wasnt imprisoned, you wasnt locked in a room and only let out for lunch and a 1hr walk in the yard

You could rome the ship, have lunch, sunbathe, swim, go to restaurants, bars, clubs etc etc etc…..so NO you wasnt imprisoned at all…….prisoners dont choose were they go, how long for and what/were they can eat on any given day.
jesus talk about over egging the cake, you went on holiday, you paid for saud holiday…..but it wasnt for you, but hardly as bad as you say….
 
In my 70s now but hopefully I've got another ten years before I'm old and infirm enough to go on a big ship cruise.

Although a friend of mine recently went on a cruise on the Douro in Portugal and loved it. Obviously not a big boat, and to me that would come before a big ship cruise.
 
you went on holiday, you paid for saud holiday…

Again you are making assumptions. It was supposed to be a holiday - although I had my doubts from the outset - and I did not pay for it.

And please stop telling me how I felt about it.

I was unable, for a fixed period, to leave a place which I had entered. I was greatly restricted in my movements within said place, in my choice of activities and my choice of companionship. That felt like imprisonment to me.

I am perfectly well aware that many people greatly enjoy the sorts of activities you describe, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying them - I hope they have a great time! - but you seem to be unaware that different people enjoy different things and for me the activities you mention are at best boring and unpleasant, at worse loathsome.

I am as entitled to my opinion that 'luxury liner' type cruises are horrible as you are that they are full of delight; my opinion is just as valid - or as nonsensical - as yours. It's an opinion, that is all. and depends on the individual's viewpoint, tastes and preferences.
 

PK99

Legendary Member
Location
SW19
It's really horses for courses.... like hotels.

Some people go for the large multi starred, multi barred, choice of 3 restaurants, flunkies galore etc.

Others, including me, prefer the Heritage Inn, or Boutique B&B

Wrt the Butlins comparison, I'd view big ship cruising as a Floating Club Med. We loved Club Med 4 Trident resorts when we used to ski, but the idea of a Summer Club Med seemed dreadful.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Only been on one, and initially was very sceptical about going, but my then gf wanted to go so I went along. A 10 day cruise with Fred Olsen line on the Balmoral. I loved it, every minute of it. Food was amazing, the nightly entertainment was good, ports of call enjoyable, and fellow passengers who we met were all very friendly. Mostly Scots and Geordies of course, as it sailed out of Newcastle.

I love the sea, so that helps. I find it very therapeutic, and spent 3 years as a deck cadet in the merchant navy after leaving school. Got paid for going "cruising" on cargo ships and visited places I would have not normally seen. Persian Gulf, far east, Japan, South Africa, Europe, New Zealand, central America, USA, Mexico... and how many people have been to Pitcairn Island?
Can't beat the sea, and I will never live far away from it. Currently less than half a mile walk away 😄.
 

oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
Passing Duart Castle yesterday.
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Not for me.
 

BoldonLad

Not part of the Elite
Location
South Tyneside
Can't imagine anything worse. I don't much like cross channel ferries for a couple of hours :biggrin:

+1.

Not done a cruise, nearest is "long" ferry crossings (Newcastle - Gothenberg; Newcastle - Amsterdam; Portsmouth(?) - Santander. A cruise conjures up being locked in a floating shopping mall, or, Working Men's Club, to me. Have many friends who love them, but, not for me, especially after Covid!
 
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I think it depends on the 'entertainment' and facilities on board

If they are your cup of tea they I expect they are great

If not then most of the ship would be of no interest and hence the whole thing is a bit of a waste
 

dodgy

Guest
Environmentally, a terrible idea. The damage they do is on another level (this has probably been pointed out by others, I haven't read the entire thread yet).
 

MrGrumpy

Huge Member
Location
Fly Fifer
Doesn't excite me in the slightest but.....
We watched an amazing/enjoyable prog last night. It was an in depth look at a BIG cruise ship called The Seaside.
Takes 7000 passengers :eek:
Meals (which looked fantastic) were in 3 sittings.
It had to be run like the army and it was.
It showed all the desalination process which was staggering.
As I say.....not for me but many people really enjoy it.
Done a few cruises now , been on the sister ship MSC Seaview. We enjoyed it but prefer the smaller ships. I much prefer it to a hotel resort type package holiday. Each to their own, COVID has kinda ruined it for now but I hope we can go on again. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. Folk bang on about a floating Petri dish, anyone I’ve been on has been clean. Sanitizer everywhere before COVID came along !
 
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