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I Don’t Cruise ...


Toryhere
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There are going to be mega ships in the future that are the destination, they will be anchored outside of the 3 mile limit and hold 25,000 passengers or more.

They are going to be the resorts of the future, Las Vegas at sea, Sandals at Sea.

 

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Not sure what this has to do with the subject but it is extremely interesting as well as disturbing. This is something we will definitely avoid. Having said that, we have less than 0% interest in sailing on a mega-ship but will be on the new NCL Bliss for 3 nights at the end of May. It will hold 4,000 passengers which, to us, is like a million. It should be interesting!

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People will also be able to buy condos on them on them for retirement, instead of nursing homes. They will have advanced medical available.

 

 

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Think we may as well bang our heads against a wall. I was hoping that an understanding could be reached acknowledging that usage of words, slang, etc. are, in some cases, completely different in the U.S. than in the U.K.

 

One example I like to give is "homey" and homely"

 

If you are in a residence in the U.K. and find their home comfortable and warm, you would use the term "homely". In the U.S. homely means unattractive in appearance. In the U.S. our cars do not have "boots" but do have "trunks".

 

You are concentrating on different interpretations of words. I am mostly concerned here with attitudes.

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You are concentrating on different interpretations of words. I am mostly concerned here with attitudes.

 

Good point! OTOH, some attitudes can be caused by not being understood (especially when we supposedly speak the same language). IMO, there is no right or wrong here - just different cultures. It is a bit frustrating when we learn that we (meaning those of us in the U.S.) may not understand something because of cultural and language differences (and it works both ways).

 

We are going on an Asian cruise on Monday (Regent) and the word "cruise" can be taken any way the reader chooses to take it and I will not be offended:halo:

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I hear you. Every time we say we are going on a cruise, I get a judgemental response. Oh well. I can’t be in charge of how the world thinks, the Antartica cruises start at $40 k or so with airfare. And people ask if you have to go by ship. Like there is a choice. Same with Galapagos, the Black Sea, many arctic cruises, etc etc. can’t do it any other way.

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I hear you. Every time we say we are going on a cruise, I get a judgemental response. Oh well. I can’t be in charge of how the world thinks, the Antartica cruises start at $40 k or so with airfare. And people ask if you have to go by ship. Like there is a choice. Same with Galapagos, the Black Sea, many arctic cruises, etc etc. can’t do it any other way.

 

 

Just to give you a heads up, you can fly to Antartica if you really wanted to. The same is true of Galapagos and the Black Sea.

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I agree with Jacqueline. I don't cruise to please the rest of the world; I please to cruise myself; whatever some random person thinks my "cruise" entails (if they even care), does not signify. Similarly, whatever anyone else's definition may be of "dining out", enjoying a glass of "wine" or "whiskey", etc. Unless I expect them to provide it for me, I feel no need to elaborate!

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Tory, you evidently haven’t traveled to any of the destinations that I have listed, or you would have made a informed response .

 

I am not even going to try to explain to you why you can’t see Antartica by fplane as there are no hotels there. So you can fly there and sit at the airport. Or apply to work at a research center and spend six months there. In one place.

 

Same with Galapagos. Well if you want to see three places in the archipelago you miss the while point of going there which is to see the many unique species, that call this archipelago home.

 

And the Black Sea ? I guess if you want to drive around the entire perimeter through Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and Georgia and and have three times as much time, enjoy applying for visas. Brush up on your Cyrillic for that one. When I did my Transiberian train journey, didn’t do that by boat, but by train as that is the best mode of transportation to experience the vast lands.

 

I am planning on taking a cruise ship through the Amazon. Once past the last main city, in order to get into the heart of the jungle and the experience that is the point, it is only available by boat.

 

A preference where one could go either way is going up the Nile. So that’s a toss up, but given the instability of the region, being in the safe hands of one of the good brands is preferable to me than being an independent traveler. So out Egypt a a preference but not a must.

 

Use the right tool for the right job.

 

How about you get in your car and drive through the Northwest passage?

 

I could go on. Many places you can travel boat don’t have hotels or any infrastructure at all.

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Same with Galapagos. Well if you want to see three places in the archipelago you miss the while point of going there which is to see the many unique species, that call this archipelago home.

 

Well, actually, can easily fly to the Galapagos and then get a boat there to see more than a few places. Not a cruise ship, but a 10 or 20 person vessel, a smaller boat that will get to the places cruise ships can't even get to. That's how I visited the Galapagos Islands - we flew there, then spent a week on a 100' motor/sailboat.

 

And the Black Sea ? I guess if you want to drive around the entire perimeter through Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and Georgia and and have three times as much time, enjoy applying for visas. Brush up on your Cyrillic for that one. When I did my Transiberian train journey, didn’t do that by boat, but by train as that is the best mode of transportation to experience the vast lands.

Road trips are great ways to see countries, and they're really not that difficult even in a non-English speaking place. Visas usually aren't hard to get either. Yes, I'd agree trains are another good way to go, but I still like driving (I'm facing this question for an upcoming trip to Italy). Yes, it takes a lot more time, but you get a lot more for that time.

 

I am planning on taking a cruise ship through the Amazon. Once past the last main city, in order to get into the heart of the jungle and the experience that is the point, it is only available by boat.

 

Yes, but "boat" doesn't mean "cruise ship". I think cruise ships should stay the hell out of Antarctica, the Northwest Passage, and the Amazon, FWIW -- too much ecological damage.

 

A preference where one could go either way is going up the Nile. So that’s a toss up, but given the instability of the region, being in the safe hands of one of the good brands is preferable to me than being an independent traveler. So out Egypt a a preference but not a must.

 

Use the right tool for the right job.

 

How about you get in your car and drive through the Northwest passage?

 

Just because it exists, doesn't mean we should take a huge ecological nightmare of a ship there. And there's nothing wrong with saying "I don't want to go there".

 

I could go on. Many places you can travel boat don’t have hotels or any infrastructure at all.

 

See my responses in green, above. Remember "boat" and "cruise ship" are not synonyms. There are great places that can be seen only by boat, but it doesn't mean one has to see them by cruise ship.

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calliopecruiser - while I agree with much of what you posted, I disagree about not cruising in the Amazon. We returned from there 3 months ago and without visitors (cruise ships as well as those that go on boats) are critical to the economy. The ships take special measures to avoid ecological damage. Unlike Alaska, there are not multiple cruise ships with thousands of passengers in the Amazon (at least none that we saw during the week we were there...... we were on Regent - 700 passengers - and saw a Silversea ship that holds even less passengers).

 

While cruise ships definitely have negative effects in some ports, the people in many port cities depend upon the tourists (again for their economy).

Jacqueline - also agree with some of your points but wish that it didn't sound as if you are bashing the TS (thread starter).

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Tory, you evidently haven’t traveled to any of the destinations that I have listed, or you would have made a informed response .

 

I am not even going to try to explain to you why you can’t see Antartica by fplane as there are no hotels there. So you can fly there and sit at the airport. Or apply to work at a research center and spend six months there. In one place.

 

 

I believe you were replying to me and not Tory.

http://www.victory-************/antarctica/overnight-antartica/.

 

You fly into Punta Arenas. The next day they fly you into King George Island where they have a camp set up for you to spend the night.

 

There are other expeditions, but I get the feeling that camping really isn't your cup of tea.

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Tory, you evidently haven’t traveled to any of the destinations that I have listed, or you would have made a informed response .

 

Same with Galapagos. Well if you want to see three places in the archipelago you miss the while point of going there which is to see the many unique species, that call this archipelago home.

 

 

https://www.nathab.com/galapagos/galapagos-hiking-kayaking-adventure/accommodations/

 

This site lists three land based accommodations if you would prefer to spend your time in Galapagos that way.

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Toryhere, In preparation for my Viking cruise, I ran across this definition in a book by Alastair Miller

I am "go-a viking".

The word viking is really a verb. It means:" to go on waterborne journey whether by river or sea."

The farmer would say "go- a viking" during the period after the spring sowing (while crops are growing)

returning before the harvest.

Well it is Spring, and I am "go- a viking " this weekend, by plane and sea. :)

Following Columbus, with a Erickson state fo mind.

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Toryhere, In preparation for my Viking cruise, I ran across this definition in a book by Alastair Miller

I am "go-a viking".

The word viking is really a verb. It means:" to go on waterborne journey whether by river or sea."

The farmer would say "go- a viking" during the period after the spring sowing (while crops are growing)

returning before the harvest.

Well it is Spring, and I am "go- a viking " this weekend, by plane and sea. :)

Following Columbus, with a Erickson state fo mind.

 

That’s a very good term.

 

I hope you enjoin going a viking. :):)

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I agree with Jacqueline. I don't cruise to please the rest of the world; I please to cruise myself; whatever some random person thinks my "cruise" entails (if they even care), does not signify. Similarly, whatever anyone else's definition may be of "dining out", enjoying a glass of "wine" or "whiskey", etc. Unless I expect them to provide it for me, I feel no need to elaborate!

I like the idea that you please to cruise yourself. It has a poetic ring to it.

Not caring what other people say is a good strategy in life, as long as it doesn’t have an adverse impact on communication.

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  • 3 months later...

I cruise to unplug, to wake up early to catch a sunrise, to travel, to have lots of Saturdays in a row, to dress fancy,.... I think it’s the whole gestalt. If one has never actually been on a cruise, all the speculation on Earth won’t come close to the actual experience.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
I like the idea that you please to cruise yourself. It has a poetic ring to it.

Not caring what other people say is a good strategy in life, as long as it doesn’t have an adverse impact on communication.

 

 

This question is only for Toryhere who I understand is from Australia (unfortunately CC does not have a private messaging option).

Toryhere, on one of the other non-cruise websites I sometimes browse and lurk, where serious topics are discussed, I ran across some interesting well-written postings by someone from Australia with an extremely similar username. The website has three words in its title and the first letters in the first word start with BL. What that by any chance be you? If so, note the small world of internet posters, and keep in mind that it is sometimes useful to have different unique usernames for different kinds of websites, to both avoid confusion and preserve privacy, Some people do not care, perhaps that is also you.

If it is you, note I enjoy your writings there.

 

If it is not you, then as Gilda said, “never mind!” :)

 

I once had a very simple username on a website that unfortunately turned out to previously belong to an inner city criminal, which created some awkwardness, so now I try to pick usernames that are less likely to be picked by someone else.

 

Happy cruising, or voyaging, to all!

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This question is only for Toryhere who I understand is from Australia (unfortunately CC does not have a private messaging option).

Toryhere, on one of the other non-cruise websites I sometimes browse and lurk, where serious topics are discussed, I ran across some interesting well-written postings by someone from Australia with an extremely similar username. The website has three words in its title and the first letters in the first word start with BL. What that by any chance be you? If so, note the small world of internet posters, and keep in mind that it is sometimes useful to have different unique usernames for different kinds of websites, to both avoid confusion and preserve privacy, Some people do not care, perhaps that is also you.

If it is you, note I enjoy your writings there.

 

If it is not you, then as Gilda said, “never mind!” :)

 

I once had a very simple username on a website that unfortunately turned out to previously belong to an inner city criminal, which created some awkwardness, so now I try to pick usernames that are less likely to be picked by someone else.

 

Happy cruising, or voyaging, to all!

Interesting to see that other cruisers are on the BL site

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  • 2 weeks later...

Toryhere - we still "cruise" (on luxury cruise lines and trying out some non-luxury cruise lines - just for fun). Not sure why what you call your onboard experience really matters. Our friends know that when we cruise, we are doing so in a luxury manner (even when we sail on an upcoming "premium" line).

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  • 2 weeks later...

A ship, which is defined as a water borne vessel on which a boat can be put, can have all kinds of different descriptions. Ships used to 'travel' the seas. Ships used to be called 'liners', not 'cruise ships'. Ships would 'set sail' for a destination, not 'cruise' to one. Ships didn't have zip lines, skating rinks or water slides - they do now.

That said, I have little interest in most of the mainstream 'cruise' ships. Some of these floating playgrounds can carry up to 6,000 passengers. I think they miss the point of being at sea. Amusement parks with propellers is not my idea of being at sea. Those ships are truly engineering marvels and offer a valuable service (constant entertainment) to a very large number of guests. Something must be right with that formula because their passengers seem pleased and keep coming back for more.

I instead choose the smaller ships. There is an economy of scale with mega ships that keeps costs down and makes ocean travel affordable to people that couldn't even dream about spending a week on a ship not that long ago. Today they can turn their fantasy into a reality. I think is neat.

Economy of scale falls apart when you sail on what the industry likes to call luxury ships. How easy it is to refer to someone as a snob because they might enjoy and be able to afford a more expensive and more inclusive intimate ship. Passengers on these ships are paying a premium for short lines, more spacious accommodations, elevated food quality and service that is a more personalized experience.

When someone starts to flaunt the differences between a luxury ship and the more mainstream ships to someone that has worked hard and saved for their mainstream 'cruise', that's snobbery.

Surprise, there are probably more snobs on the mega ships these days than you might find on one of the luxury ships. I was reading about one 'mainstream ship' the other day that offers a 3,000 sq ft suite!! That's larger than most peoples home! I'd bet who ever books such a suite would love to tell anyone who'll listen how great it was, especially when compared to that 145 sq ft hole in the hull that they booked.

I find the writer of the first post in this thread - not guilty of snobbery.

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A ship, which is defined as a water borne vessel on which a boat can be put, can have all kinds of different descriptions. Ships used to 'travel' the seas. Ships used to be called 'liners', not 'cruise ships'. Ships would 'set sail' for a destination, not 'cruise' to one. Ships didn't have zip lines, skating rinks or water slides - they do now.

That said, I have little interest in most of the mainstream 'cruise' ships. Some of these floating playgrounds can carry up to 6,000 passengers. I think they miss the point of being at sea. Amusement parks with propellers is not my idea of being at sea. Those ships are truly engineering marvels and offer a valuable service (constant entertainment) to a very large number of guests. Something must be right with that formula because their passengers seem pleased and keep coming back for more.

I instead choose the smaller ships. There is an economy of scale with mega ships that keeps costs down and makes ocean travel affordable to people that couldn't even dream about spending a week on a ship not that long ago. Today they can turn their fantasy into a reality. I think is neat.

Economy of scale falls apart when you sail on what the industry likes to call luxury ships. How easy it is to refer to someone as a snob because they might enjoy and be able to afford a more expensive and more inclusive intimate ship. Passengers on these ships are paying a premium for short lines, more spacious accommodations, elevated food quality and service that is a more personalized experience.

When someone starts to flaunt the differences between a luxury ship and the more mainstream ships to someone that has worked hard and saved for their mainstream 'cruise', that's snobbery.

Surprise, there are probably more snobs on the mega ships these days than you might find on one of the luxury ships. I was reading about one 'mainstream ship' the other day that offers a 3,000 sq ft suite!! That's larger than most peoples home! I'd bet who ever books such a suite would love to tell anyone who'll listen how great it was, especially when compared to that 145 sq ft hole in the hull that they booked.

I find the writer of the first post in this thread - not guilty of snobbery.

That is very kind of you.

I do not disdain the people who like to travel on mainstream cruise ships. I disdain having to do it myself. I will try to persuade people to try a luxury ship, but I won’t condemn them for not doing so.

My point was that the English language is one designed to make fine distinctions. “Cruising” now has a definite meaning that doesn’t define the sort of voyages that I take.

Today I described my upcoming voyage on SeaDream to a friend who has never been on a cruise ship, but had a notion of what cruising entails.

“That isn’t cruising” he said. “It sounds like mega-yachting”

I think that a good way of putting it.

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Your friends opinion of what your cruise will be like aboard the 355 foot,110 passenger Sea Dream is correct. You're in for a treat. Years ago I sailed aboard Sea Goddess (same ship - different flag). Want to offer your friend some scale? A single life boat on an Oasis class cruise ship carries more passengers than Sea Dream!

Today there are several private yachts that are [considerably] larger than Sea Dream (the water jet powered 593 foot $400 million dollar mega yacht Azzam comes to mind). How things have changed.

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  • 6 months later...
On 3/9/2018 at 8:21 PM, Toryhere said:

snip

This whole issue is not really about class so much as differences in tastes.

It’s about one activity that involves travelling on a ship with 3000 or more others between ports whilst enjoying water slides, rock climbing 47 eating venues and big shows, and another activity that involves travelling on a smaller ship between ports but enjoying the company of others whilst enjoying impeccable service.

The more I think about it, I suspect that the small premium plus ships would also be included with the luxury ships in offering something different to what “cruising” has become associated with in the minds of many people.

 

I realize this is an older thread, but I am considering premium and luxury lines in the future and was looking at some of the Luxury forum threads for some perspective and understanding.  I do appreciate how you all remained civil to each other while having differences of opinion 🙂 

 

If someone tells me they are going on a cruise I let them know I am excited for them since my husband and I love cruising.  I might ask where they are going (maybe cruise line), but generally don't get specifics about the type of cruise or assume mainstream versus smaller, more upscale ships.

 

We don't really fit in either of the tastes that are mentioned.  While we to date have only cruised on 2K-3K pax ships (not counting local river dinner cruises 😉), we sail for the water and time away together (with ports being a bonus)- not the slides and rock climbing or big shows.  While we want to branch out after our children are grown and will appreciate impeccable service, the traveling on a smaller ship will still be more about the water between the ports and time with each other.  We will talk with others, but their company will not be our primary focus.

 

 

On 3/10/2018 at 2:09 AM, Toryhere said:

It is a cultural thing. As I said above, where I come from “cruising” means travelling on a large ship. It means going to foreign ports but doing the same sort of things you’d do at home.

What I like to hear about when people go on a sea voyage is about the people they met on board, the atmosphere of the ship and the foreign cultures and sights they enjoyed.

Here people who go on “cruises” don’t do that. They tell you about how much they ate and drank and how they visited some chain restaurant or sat on the beach or drove buggies through the mud on an excursion. It’s all about dragging their own culture along with them and avoiding anything foreign.

 

We have admittedly not visited exotic ports on our large ship cruises - we've been to Canada, Bahamas, and Caribbean.  Sometimes we do the same things at ports that we would at home: enjoying a local eatery (not a chain), exploring a public garden, taking a nature walk, visiting a museum.  But we've also done kayaking excursions and snorkeling that explores the beauty in nature at a port even if we don't see much of the culture.  We don't discuss what we eat and drink (unless asked) and we try new foods whenever given the chance.

 

Mainstream cruising doesn't necessarily mean avoiding anything foreign.  Although after a long, cold winter we have been known to just enjoy a few hours on a warm beach too (but we don't have beaches with water that pretty close to home).

 

On 3/10/2018 at 6:50 AM, English Voyager said:

 

A few days ago I watched on TV a programme about the design, and launch, of Emirates First Class 'Suites'.

 

It appeared to me to be a pod which isolated the occupant(s) from other passengers, and for me would be somewhat depressing.

 

If I was on an overnight flight and wanting some quality sleep that might be appealing.  My husband who is fairly introverted would probably like it too.

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