The Downside of Cruises

[Marion Morrison]

My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.

Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.

You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop. In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk? Very little. You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing. It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.

At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.

Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying. Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.

I don't like how they just jettison all their garbage.

 

[frigidweirdo]

My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.

Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.

You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop. In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk? Very little. You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing. It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.

At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.

Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying. Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.

I can imagine. I'm not a cruise person, my wallet doesn't allow for it and my sense of adventure doesn't allow for it either.

I'm going to India for two weeks in a month, and I'll turn up, get a cheap room (like $5 a night) and then figure things out from there. I have two train tickets because you have to buy them in advance.....

 

[OldLady]

Never been on a cruise for the same reasons.
Now if I could get on a cruise ship and head to say Jamaica,get off the ship and stay for a week and then either fly home or get on another cruise ship i'd be interested.
That way you get the best of both worlds.

Some of the people who joined our cruise did exactly that. You should call a travel agent about it.

 

[OldLady]

My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.

Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.

You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop. In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk? Very little. You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing. It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.

At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.

Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying. Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.

I can imagine. I'm not a cruise person, my wallet doesn't allow for it and my sense of adventure doesn't allow for it either.

I'm going to India for two weeks in a month, and I'll turn up, get a cheap room (like $5 a night) and then figure things out from there. I have two train tickets because you have to buy them in advance.....

You ARE adventurous. I would definitely want to have things all in order before going to a foreign country. Unless,of course, I'd been there before and was familiar with it.

 

[frigidweirdo]

My wife and I just returned from a lengthy cruise - 10 European stops on a 15-day cruise.

Although basically all cruises are great, from an accommodations, food, and pampering standpoint, these multi-stop vacations have a big downside that few people ever talk about.

You can't really experience a city in a one-day stop. In our case, Viking cut short most of the city stops for reasons that escape me (don't want to pay the bus driver for a couple more hours?), but regardless, what can you learn about a city from a couple hour bus tour and a casual walk? Very little. You see most of the major "attractions" and actually experience almost nothing. It is only slightly better than an hour spent watching Youtube videos of the place.

At BEST, the cruise gives you a chance to identify cities that you might want to visit more completely on ANOTHER vacation.

Our cruise was interesting, but not satisfying. Next time I want to visit Europe, I'm likely to do it by car.

I can imagine. I'm not a cruise person, my wallet doesn't allow for it and my sense of adventure doesn't allow for it either.

I'm going to India for two weeks in a month, and I'll turn up, get a cheap room (like $5 a night) and then figure things out from there. I have two train tickets because you have to buy them in advance.....

You ARE adventurous. I would definitely want to have things all in order before going to a foreign country. Unless,of course, I'd been there before and was familiar with it.

For me that lacks all the excitement. Adventure is what makes you feel alive.

My longest trip was going to be a year, then it was going to be six months and ended up as three. I went to southern Africa. The problem there is the stress from fear. Getting to a new place and having to be there before dark, or taking overly priced taxis, and not knowing if you're going to be robbed or not. I became apathetic also, you travel and see stuff, but then after a while you want to do something different.

 

[Mindful]

Three unorthodox cruises for me.

One was in the Red Sea, Israel. We went snorkelling on that trip. A fabulous coral reef.

A North Sea overnight crossing from The Netherlands to UK. I was expecting a tramp steamer, but it turned out to be like a cruise liner.

And thirdly, a delightful cruise down the River Thames to Windsor.

I've never been on one of those huge cruise ships. Saw AIDA moored in Las Palmas. I'm sure I'd get lost on one.

 

[fncceo]

Being trapped on a boat with a bunch of people yeah what's not to like?

It's not always bad ...