Is this it for cruise holidays?

[slowmotion]

Cruises should be filed under “You know you are old when…”

....like golf?

 

[Dave7]

OK, you are thinking of different cruises to the ones I was.

I thought you meant the yacht sized coastal Croatian cruises, which only tend to go between Split or Trogir and Dubrovnik. They don't cross the Adriatic.

Ahhh no, i wasnt very clear in my comment.

 

[T4tomo]

I personally don't like the whole concept of cruise holidays. Port destinations get overrun with a mass influx of tourists for a short time, who spend negligible amounts in the local economy compared to a proper tourist as the passenger spend goes to the multi national cruise company, who generally employ cheap "foreign" labour and dodge taxes in most of the jurisdictions that they visit or source passengers from.

It interesting no one has really commented on this point, particularly the cruise fans. EDIT: Except the lovely @wakemalcolm

I think the river cruise companies are somewhat exempt from this point, as will employ and source food and supplies more locally too. We may consider a river cruise at some point, although a tow path cycle tour with baggage transfer would probably deliver the same itinerary with more freedom.

Also do you really see the best of a destination when you get disgorged with hundreds if not thousands of other passengers for the same 6 hour period. Often multiple cruise ships dock at same ports at same time.

I've seen this in a couple of places from "the other side".

In Kefalonia, the hotel noted cruise ships pop into Argostolion 2-3 days a week. They said keep an eye out a breakfast ans if you see a cruise ship(s) coming up the channel, choose another day to visit. Instead of seeing the charming quiet town we visited they would see a busy place overrun with tourists.
I also visit Mallorca a lot, on one occasion we stayed a few days in Port Soller for a change. That was fine as the number of non resident visitors is controlled somewhat by the limited capacity of the tram from down Soller Town. We visited Soller Town one day, which is tiny and by 11am had become horrendous, as the historic train from Palma disgorged carriage after carriage of mainly cruise ship passengers taking the trip up. We physically couldn't get the tram back to Port Soller, but were smart enough to walk 5 mins to get a mercifully deserted local bus back.
Palma itself is having well documented issues & protests with over tourism - there are usually 3 or 4 mega cruise ships moored up in Palma harbour.
Venice is literally being destroyed by cruise ships.

 

[wakemalcolm]

It interesting no one has really commented on this point,

Errr, post#9, or maybe you've blocked me 😉.

Post in thread 'Is this it for cruise holidays?' https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/is-this-it-for-cruise-holidays.312958/post-7719697

 

[MrGrumpy]

Done plenty cruises , not been on one for over year, next one is January next year to the Caribbean ! However not for everyone, probably a few on here go on some holidays which I would despise ! Holidays for me now are about doing SFA or certainly as little as possible. Wine and dined etc just relaxation . We have friends whom we have holidayed with but their idea of a good time is to visit museums and art galleries a it of history and then dinner drinks at night. Each to their own !

 

[vickster]

Done plenty cruises , not been on one for over year, next one is January next year to the Caribbean ! However not for everyone, probably a few on here go on some holidays which I would despise ! Holidays for me now are about doing SFA or certainly as little as possible. Wine and dined etc just relaxation . We have friends whom we have holidayed with but their idea of a good time is to visit museums and art galleries a it of history and then dinner drinks at night. Each to their own !

Where you off to?

 

[MrGrumpy]

Miami for a couple of nights then round the Caribbean. I honestly couldnt even tell you where we are going my social convener decides Its two weeks , thats all I know !

 

[mrushton]

Miami for a couple of nights then round the Caribbean. I honestly couldnt even tell you where we are going my social convener decides Its two weeks , thats all I know !

And that's all you need to. It will be a surprise each day

 

[Ming the Merciless]

....like golf?

Should be filed under “You know your life is over when…”

 

[MrGrumpy]

Miami for a couple of nights then round the Caribbean. I honestly couldnt even tell you where we are going my social convener decides Its two weeks , thats all I know !

Right folks we appear to be in a bit of pickle applying for an ESTA ? The App doesn’t load it keeps crashing and doing it through the website is failing as well ? They want a selfie picture and when we do that it’s not excepting it and kicking us out to the beginning to start all over again ? Anyone tried recently ? We have been at this off and on for the last week , same issues ? Btw this is on iOS .

 

[Gunk]

Right folks we appear to be in a bit of pickle applying for an ESTA ? The App doesn’t load it keeps crashing and doing it through the website is failing as well ? They want a selfie picture and when we do that it’s not excepting it and kicking us out to the beginning to start all over again ? Anyone tried recently ? We have been at this off and on for the last week , same issues ? Btw this is on iOS .

Just done 4 for our family, used the website rather than the app.

 

[postman]

I only went on one just to please Mrs P.I was bored out of my mind,mind you trips off ship were good,Alaska it was,spent most of my time reading and on coffee and whisky in the Crowsnest bar,or laying out on my bed because of a hernia.

 

[mrushton]

Didn't you mention the hernia on another post? You are going to get the issue attended to?

 

[MrGrumpy]

Just done 4 for our family, used the website rather than the app.

We switched to a laptop and eventually managed to get through it without errors . Now approved which is just as well as the holiday is paid :-/