Cruising misconceptions?

I am looking into booking a 5 night Carnival Paradise cruise in October of 2017 and I was just wondering what is the one thing you never realized or expected about cruising until you traveled on one?

Or what the one misconception people have about cruises/cruisers that drives you crazy?

 

Or what the one misconception people have about cruises/cruisers that drives you crazy?

Two things

1. That it's easy to fall overboard.

No it's not. One has to climb up and work hard to get over the rails.

2. Carnival has a reputation of being a party hard cruise line with ships full of drunks falling all over themselves.

If it was ever that way, I've never seen it and my first cruise was with Carnival back in 2000. Carnival is known as the "Fun Ships" and even at 60, I still have "fun".

Two things

 

1. That it's easy to fall overboard.

No it's not. One has to climb up and work hard to get over the rails.

 

2. Carnival has a reputation of being a party hard cruise line with ships full of drunks falling all over themselves.

If it was ever that way, I've never seen it and my first cruise was with Carnival back in 2000. Carnival is known as the "Fun Ships" and even at 60, I still have "fun".

I honestly have not thought about the possibility of falling overboard so thats good to know. lol

Thanks!

Two things

 

1. That it's easy to fall overboard.

No it's not. One has to climb up and work hard to get over the rails.

 

2. Carnival has a reputation of being a party hard cruise line with ships full of drunks falling all over themselves.

If it was ever that way, I've never seen it and my first cruise was with Carnival back in 2000. Carnival is known as the "Fun Ships" and even at 60, I still have "fun".

The OP Is going on a 5 day cruise. Definitely still has likelihood of being a party cruise.

I am looking into booking a 5 night Carnival Paradise cruise in October of 2017 and I was just wondering what is the one thing you never realized or expected about cruising until you traveled on one?

 

Or what the one misconception people have about cruises/cruisers that drives you crazy?

We had hesitated to cruise because we thought people always dressed the way brochures pictured -- in dressy or formal clothes. We were relieved to find out that daytime attire is very casual.

What drives us crazy are people who complain about picky little things and treat the crew like servants or underlings.

That we couldn't afford cruising because it was so expensive.

That you will feel trapped while out at sea. I have many friends and family that we always try to get on a cruise with us and they all say that.

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I am looking into booking a 5 night Carnival Paradise cruise in October of 2017 and I was just wondering what is the one thing you never realized or expected about cruising until you traveled on one?

Or what the one misconception people have about cruises/cruisers that drives you crazy?

Please tell us what YOUR concerns are about when considering booking the Carnival Paradise cruise.

Before my first cruise, I thought I wouldn't get my money's worth because I couldn't do everything that was offered. I soon realized that I didn't HAVE to do everything. Anything I didn't do on this cruise, I'd do on my next 50 cruises.

Which leads me to my next revelation......Most likely, once you start cruising, you probably won't stop. AND... if your'e like us, once you get a balcony cabin, you probably will never go back.

That it will be so rough that I would be seasick the entire trip. Modern cruise ships with stabilizers just don't ride like that. Additionally, there are the patches and other stuff that help with motion sickness for those that need it. We just returned from a week on Liberty of the Seas and I saw lots of folks with the patches on but it was one of the smoothest rides we have ever had. I guess lots of folks still have that misconception.

That cruise were for Newly weds and nearly deads. :eek:

Definitely a big mix of demographics.

On a different note to most of these. That everything is included. A LOT is, and it's possible to spend no additional money on a cruise but odds are you won't and that's okay as long as you're ready.

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Most recently, it was my daughter's fiancee. He told her that he doesn't want to cruise for thier honeymoon because he wants to relax, take things at thier own pace and not have to do everything on a schedule :rolleyes: He knows she has cruised and she has tried to explain to him, to no avail.

I have also heard plenty of "feeling trapped", being bored and kids falling overboard. Here is a video that I have come to love as a PR tool for non cruisers...

That there ARE differences in cruise lines. And that I alternate depending on the mood I am in and the experience I want to have.

The misconception I had was cruising was all about gluttony. It can be, but it doesn't have to be.

That people wouldn't brag about how many cruises they have been on and the fact they are "Elite" They would look up their own cruise and could decide on a tour without you looking it up for them and telling all.

Most recently, it was my daughter's fiancee. He told her that he doesn't want to cruise for thier honeymoon because he wants to relax, take things at thier own pace and not have to do everything on a schedule :rolleyes: He knows she has cruised and she has tried to explain to him, to no avail.

 

 

I have also heard plenty of "feeling trapped", being bored and kids falling overboard. Here is a video that I have come to love as a PR tool for non cruisers...

 

Cheers:D

The misconception I had was cruising was all about gluttony. It can be, but it doesn't have to be.

I think some people didn't get that memo :eek: that is why I avoid the buffet.:p

We thought that you had to eat every meal in the MDR... we'd been aboard for over a week before we discovered that that wasn't so.

We have met several people who believed that, rather like an old fashioned boarding house, you had to leave the ship each morning in port, and return for the sailing!:eek:

I thought that having sex on a cruise ship would result in a pregnancy, turns out is was a missed conception.:p

That it will be so rough that I would be seasick the entire trip. Modern cruise ships with stabilizers just don't ride like that. Additionally, there are the patches and other stuff that help with motion sickness for those that need it. We just returned from a week on Liberty of the Seas and I saw lots of folks with the patches on but it was one of the smoothest rides we have ever had. I guess lots of folks still have that misconception.

Motion sickness is strange. I'm actually sickest on gently rolling seas the first week or so on the water. After that I only need to take medication when the seas are very rough. Others might respond to the motion the same way I do.

The Inside Passage to Alaska was the most seasick I have ever been in my life. And and that's a completely protected wateway.

I didn't realize what I had been missing out on. Don't worry though, I'm making up for lost time now!

That cruising is such a great way to see interesting places, unpack once, travel overnight (some days as well) and almost all inclusive (depending on the cruise line and the person's needs).

Before my first cruise, I thought I wouldn't get my money's worth because I couldn't do everything that was offered. I soon realized that I didn't HAVE to do everything. Anything I didn't do on this cruise, I'd do on my next 50 cruises.

 

Which leads me to my next revelation......Most likely, once you start cruising, you probably won't stop. AND... if your'e like us, once you get a balcony cabin, you probably will never go back.

We have always done balcony cabins. Last cruise we did an ocean view and were surprised that we did not miss the balcony. We never looked out the picture window either. Next cruise we have booked an inside cabin. We will see how we like it. The cost savings alone were great doing an ocean view vs balcony. We never thought we would enjoy anything but a balcony but we were wrong.

We have always done balcony cabins. Last cruise we did an ocean view and were surprised that we did not miss the balcony. We never looked out the picture window either. Next cruise we have booked an inside cabin. We will see how we like it. The cost savings alone were great doing an ocean view vs balcony. We never thought we would enjoy anything but a balcony but we were wrong.

But the inside cabin is, to us, not acceptable because on most of the newer ships the inside cabins have less square feet than the smallest ocean view, and besides we like the natural light so we know if it's night or day when we wake up.

Our preference these days is an obstructed ocean view cabin which is usually not much more expensive than an inside and, if the cruise line chooses to upgrade us, there are a large number of unobstructed ocean views available.