Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[mantahatch]

Following on from the costa concordia thread. Has anyone actually had an enjoyable cruise ? I was considering doing one next year around the Norwegian fjords. Don't want to do a med cruise or accross to the states or anything like that. Just would like to see the fjords.

I have never been on anything bigger than a cross channel ferry, so wondering what cruising is like.

[Varche]

Yes.

We went the once (I wouldn't go again) on a week around the med and a week in a hotel .
 It was a fairly small ship by cruising standards. Cabins were small but you only use them for sleeping. Bathroom was serviceable enough. I dare say you can get bigger cabins for bigger dosh.

You didn't need to leave the ship as there are always events and stuff to do and ways to be parted with your money. Each night next days events were slipped under the door along with an in house newspaper.

We took the opportunity to go ashore at most stops (different port each morning). The organised trips to Florence, Leaning tower of Pisa, Rome, towns on the south Coast of France were great. When we arrived at Corsica we just did our own thing as we know the place so well.

We were apprehensive about "dress codes" . Needn't have been . You can dress up or just casual. What you do need is an expanding waistline as there is always somewhere open serving food which as it is included in the price just has to be eaten . Breakfast, morning coffee and cakes, lunch, afternoon tea and sticky puddings and custard, evening meal, supper and a midnight buffet. There was also a BBQ on deck that always seemed to be on the go. I actually went to the midnight buffet once - just to see if it was real. The evening meal was collosal. But sure enough there were diners that had been tucking in just a few hours earlier chomping away.

I wouldn't want to go again but it was an experience. I would say go Fjording! 

[Rog]

Following on from the costa concordia thread. Has anyone actually had an enjoyable cruise ? I was considering doing one next year around the Norwegian fjords. Don't want to do a med cruise or accross to the states or anything like that. Just would like to see the fjords.

I have never been on anything bigger than a cross channel ferry, so wondering what cruising is like.

I know people who have done Norwegian and Alaskan fjords, and loved it. I suppose there isn't really any other way of doing them    I hasten to add, NOT done it myself.

[05omegav6]

There are different cruises for different tastes, all going to the same sorts of places

My brother and sister-in-law try and do a cruise a year, usually with P&O. Not too formal, but not exactly family oriented Cunard are more formal, but not as stuffy as you might think

Best bet would be to book yourselves on a mini cruise from Southampton, two or three days, usually to Bruges, Cherbourg and St Peter Port and back (or similar). Service isn't quite 100%, probably 95%, but gives a good way to experience the ships, their routines and have a bit of a getaway without breaking the bank

If you don't enjoy one ship/company, but like some aspects of the type of holiday, try a different company on a similar mini cruise. Once you find a ship/company that suits, then book a proper holiday with them somewhere you've always wanted to visit, whether it's the Caribbean, Far East, Fjords etc

[Andy B]

I've done a few Grey Funnel Line cruises around some of the Norwegian Fjords while waiting for the Green Lean Fighting Machines on exercise in the snow!     

Trodheim Fjord looks spectacular in the snow  ...... but it was bloody freeeeeeezing! 

[taitinson]

I did the Alaskan cruise with Norwegian cruise lines albeit 10yrs ago and dress code was as you wanted, food was great, sooooo much,almost 24hrs a day, as said rooms can be basic but depends on your budget

[TheBoy]

When I was an impressionable teenager, I did Harwich to Oslo (stayed in a hotel 100+ miles away for a few days) to Copenhagen and back.

I loved it. The North Sea is grim and cold, but my tongue spent too much time down someone's neck to care.  The boat (Braemar) didn't have much going for it, but did have a swimming pool on the lowest level, that was great in the big swells - one minute you were, errr, "Petting" in the pool, next minute you were washed out on the side, with your hands grabbing in inappropriate places .  I really enjoyed Norway (but not Oslo) as well, again being an impressionable teenager


Also done a Nile cruise, but thats not a proper boat. TB's top tip, don't brush your teeth in tap water.  Although a missed 3 days of sighseeing - seeing no more than my bathroom - I really did enjoy Egypt. We did the usual Luxor to Aswan and back, including the west bank (Valley of Kings, Valley of Queens, the temple I can't spell, but called HotChickSoup by our guide) and a balloon trip over the west bank as dawn broke.

[omegod]

My Dad did the Queen Mary for 3 weeks this year as his wife got the all clear from cancer, paid a fortune but got upgraded to super duper duper spec when they arrived. Said it had to be seen to be believed.