Cruises

It's my 30th Wedding anniversary next year and thinking of a Caribbean cruise to celebrate. Anyone done a Caribbean cruise or any cruise specialists out there?

 

Did a Caribbean cruise a few years ago, it’s fun waking up somewhere new virtually every day and getting out and about.

The food is always exceptional, as are the service levels. I’d pay the extra for a balcony personally worth the money.

The different operators cater for different levels of ‘tradition’, from the very formal black tie dinner expectation, to the more laid back American operators, who give that tradition little more than a cursory nod.

Overall it’s great fun, I’m sure you’ll love it mate.

 

My best mate is f&b manager for royal Caribbean.

Depending which class of ship you on he could well be on board. He’s on navigator class atm.

My folks love cruising. Though they said the one they enjoyed the least was round the Caribbean. They said once you’ve been to two islands they’re all the same.

They prefer doing European ones.

My aunt an uncle have done two round the world cruises. They loved it. Their favourite sections were Asia and Australia.

 

Was actually meant to be going on one myself in May, but my mate went for a different job which meant it wouldn’t have been free. So got offered a villa in the south of Spain for free so doing that instead.

 

Can't say it's ever appealed to me. Stuck on a boat with a thousand other tourists who you can't get away from and force fed the operators version of entertainment. Maybe I'm missing the point of it all, but I can't say it's something I'd fork out £5k for.

 

Think I would prefer the less formal, but I still think that dressing appropriately for dinner should be the case. Were current looking at what "Royal Caribbean" are offering. Definitely an outside balcony cabin, otherwise I think I would feel slightly cheated!

 

...like being on here

 

Personally I'd love to do a Caribben cruise ... never been to the Caribbean or on a cruise ... perhaps when I get as old as pieguts

 

I'm not keen on all-inclusive type holidays and most of the Caribbean is just that. Not sure I want to go all that way and sit within a gated community. The cruise appeals because I would like to visit a number of Caribbean islands (did Barbados for our honeymoon), and this gives me that option.

 

Yeah I guess it's a good way to get around and see quite a lot of the area. I've always travelled independently and in my Yoot, just used to buy a plane ticket, turn up and see what I could find by way of accommodation. I've stayed in some fairly wacky places over the years. The best one was a treetop cabin in Venezuela, with suntiger Tarantulas up in the branches

 

I get sea sick just looking at the sea

 

^^^^^^^^^this. Someone farts and the whole world smells it.

 

Me too. Dry land and mountains have far more appeal. Having said that, I do like the idea of a Norwegian fjord Cruise.
And, in keeping with the thread title, a few of my friends have been on these cruises and most used Royal Caribbean and couldn't fault them.

 

Been on a trip from Miami to Bahamas and that's about it. Couldn't think of a more worse thing to do, stuck on a boat, it would just send me totally schizo and everyone would be dead by the time we reached port. What date yer going?

 

You can barely feel them moving most of the time tbf. Unless there’s a storm and then you’d need a bucket lol.

 

Not sure, wedding anniversary is August, but reading up seems like March / April is the best time of the year to go?

 

Agree with those saying once you’ve done a couple of Caribbean islands you’ve done them all. Had a great time staying on the boat a couple of times with the pool to myself away from the rest of NW London and the restaurants empty away from the hilariously obese Americans.

For the same money you could do a better holiday elsewhere IMO. Depends what you’re into and who you’re with (friends, family, kids?).

 

Try it and enjoy mate. I think you will always find a clear divide with people who do and do not like cruises. I hate them but i know lots of people that love them. Generally from what i've heard it depends on the size of the boat and the cabin you get, i would certainly be wanting to have a decent cabin but i guess you're going to have to pay premium for that. Also ensure everything is included as much as possible, including tipping!

 

February - March would be better.

 

Nice one.

Went on one last year with the whole family around meditaranean. Went with MSC i think as the person who booked it prefers that they have some fruit and veg on their cruise as they are italian (heard on the american ones no proper salad or fruit).

My wife and her family are the type who want to get off at every stop which was quite tiring for me personally (fat lazy **** i just want to sit get some sun and swim).

Entertainment was okay but gets a bit samey samey as its the same people pretty much everyday.

Food was also pretty good but gets a bit samey samey (there was a buffet and fine dining choice but the fine dining was pretty similar to buffet).

Plusses, the family stays together, you don't have to organise the travel, great view from a balcony, loads of destinations, no need to move hotels everyday which does my nut in packing and unpacking and lugging my misses suitcases.

Downside, you're pretty much stuck with the cruise food, you're pretty rushed on the excursions with set times and theres the whole checking in everytime you leave/board the ship and its more expensive than your usual holidays i think (although not for all those places).