14 day cruises

[David&Heather]

many US companies may give only one week vacations to newer employees. At some point' date=' many will give two weeks (10 days) of vacation to employees, but either prefer or actually require an employee to take only five days at a time. My hubby's workplace is an exception in that you can take any or all of your earned vacation days all at once as long as it doesn't affect things operationally. Since I'm not working at this time, and as long as school is out (the school district here makes it difficult for kids to take off for non-illness related days), we can take a longer trip.

 

Our last cruise was 15 days and now hubby says he can't see going on 7-day cruises anymore. I think 15 days seemed to be the right length for me. We had plenty of sea days, which we prefer.

 

Now if someone who has never been on a cruise was to ask me what length cruise to take, I would recommend a much shorter one just to see if they like it.[/quote']

 

Thanks for the reply, being on this CC board has made me realise just how diffrent the UK and US cultures are in many ways, looking forwards to our Princess cruise and getting to know some of you from the US.

[Stevesan]

For me, A 14 dayer is like Mama Bear's "Just Right".

At the end of a 7 day cruise I feel as if I just got on board.

BY the 14th day I'm ready to get off.

 

Took a 12 day British Isles cruise recently. That length was okay, too.

[Mindy43]

Its great to see all the comments here regarding a 14 day cruise. We have taken 7 days cruises, and several 10 day cruises. We are now awaiting our 14 day cruise on 1/29/10 and I was hoping that this would not be too long! We prefer port days of which there will be many!

Thanks again. Everyone seems to like the 14 'day' trips!

D and D

[Guest Spo]

I think it all depends on what you've got at home. I thought the longer the better until we did a 15 day cruise. Even though our children were older (one in college and one a senior in high school) and we had an extremely reliable "house" sitter, we started getting antsy about day 11. I'm hoping when the children are grown, married and have homes of their own that we will be able to enjoy longer cruises.

 

I think seven is too short though, and that's why our next cruise is a 10 day. I think it's going to be perfect for us!

[DougH]

7 days just seems too short, can't imagine doing a 3-4 day one. 10-14 is about perfect for me and I've done quite a few in that range. My current record is a couple fo 16 day trips but due to break that in early 2010 with a 32 day one! Not sure if I will want to get off and go home or stay on forever :)

 

I've done a couple of 30 day trips, one was a 16 day cruise with a week ashore at both ends (Australia/New Zealand) Others were a few 4 week camping trips. In all cases I was ready for my own bed at home, but two weeks later would have been happy to take off again for somewhere!

[Mindy43]

I think it all depends on what you've got at home. I thought the longer the better until we did a 15 day cruise. Even though our children were older (one in college and one a senior in high school) and we had an extremely reliable "house" sitter, we started getting antsy about day 11. I'm hoping when the children are grown, married and have homes of their own that we will be able to enjoy longer cruises.

 

I think seven is too short though, and that's why our next cruise is a 10 day. I think it's going to be perfect for us!

 

You are SOOOO right -- depends on what you've got at home!!!!!!

Thanks heavens for the internet connections.

D and D

[Kinkacruiser]

Our last and next cruise are 18 days. I know I was keen to get home about day 14. Perhaps that has a lot to do with one's preference to sea or port days....for me it's the latter.

It baffles me why people go on a 2 or 3 day cruise (usually relocation).

[berry22192]

I love to cruise and I've been on 7 and 10 days cruises but never any longer than that. Is 14 days too long ????

 

 

Just so you know something that I've only learned recently: if you take a 14-day cruise on the Caribbean Princess out of San Juan you will get a repeat of the entertainment and menus for the second 7 days and a repeat of two ports.

[David&Heather]

Took a 12 day British Isles cruise recently. That length was okay, too.

 

Was that on the Crown in August? We saw the ship in Liverpool on the 16th.

[DeepWaterMariner]

We've done up to 16 days and for me the longer the better. I count our two 16 day cruises among our best.

[rdsqrl]

Would not consider anything less than 14 days unless it was an itinery we especially wanted to do, 7 days is not enough time, get relaxed then it's time to go home.

We prefer fly cruises and as the air fare is the same irrespective of cruise duration 14+ day cruises are more attractive financially with the extra price for the 2nd week being low compared to the first.

Although slightly off topic in the UK it is commonplace to take 14 days holiday I get the feeling it is not common in the US given that most cruises with US cruise lines appear to be 7, 10 or sometimes 12 days?

Y'all are very lucky to live where you do; U.S. employers for the most part are very, very stingy with vacation time, as Patty relates above. I'm really not getting my Ph.D. and switching careers to teach college just so I can have summers off . . . but let's just say it's one of the top 10 reasons (okay, okay, top 3 reasons; but don't tell my dissertation advisor -- he thinks I'm in it for the pure love of history).

My longest cruise up til next week is a 12-day cruise, which was utterly fabulous in every way -- a Med itinerary with a perfect mix of port days and sea days. I could have happily stayed onboard longer. However, one week from tomorrow (YAY!!) I leave for a 15-dayer; I'm sure I'll still have to be dragged kicking and screaming off the ship in L.A.!

[kymbakitty]

We went on our first cruise for our 1 year anniversary, which was in 1992. We didn't know better and neither of us had been on a cruise. Suffice it to say, it was our first and last.

 

We followed up that cruise by 10 more....a couple of Transatlantic cruises (14-17 days), a couple of Panama Canal cruises (15 days), there was one 12 day Hawaiian cruise, but never did we do another 7 day cruise. It was simply too short. Someone else said it best--by the time you get on board, relax and get in vacation mode, it's time to start thinking about getting off the ship.

 

I think if you are retired, it would be different--every day is "Saturday" if you are retired. But IMHO, if you are still working, you just need two weeks to really take it all in and feel like you had an actual vacation.

 

For the last handful of years, we've been taking land vacations. We'd always go one week to once place, and then take a plane, train or automobile to another location and stay another week. So this will be our 12th cruise, but we haven't cruised in awhile.

 

We are scheduled for the 14 night Caribbean Collection on 3/26/10, which is rather port-intensive (prefer sea days), but we figure that a couple of the ports we won't even bother getting off the ship because we have visited a couple of those ports more than once before. But there are some ports that we haven't been to which are enticing and we are looking forward to. We are thrilled about Barbados because we spent two weeks there in Feb 2009 and fell in love with that darn hot pepper sauce and we can't wait to get us some more to take home!

 

Also, another hazard, is the balcony. Not only will my husband not go on a 7 day cruise, he would never go unless he has a balcony--and, it has to be big enough to hold a chase lounge! Even if someone offered him a free cruise, if it didn't have a balcony, he would say no thanks (seriously).

 

We like the idea of flying RT into FLL from Sacramento. We just returned from two weeks in Australia last month and the thought of a long flight this soon was just more than we could chew--so FLL it is!

 

Dawn

[galateaparty]

We recently returned from a 19 day panama canal cruise (this time on HAL's Oosterdam)

 

We had so much fun; no such thing as too long. We've been on 9 and 7 day cruises too, and a 4-day this past May.

 

The longer the better!

[David&Heather]

Y'all are very lucky to live where you do; U.S. employers for the most part are very, very stingy with vacation time,.

 

That was the impression I got, feel lucky to have 25 days + bank hols = about 30 days per year, also work very hard and some of the long hours get converted to more days off work.

Good luck with your Ph.D and hope you get that teaching job so you can spend your time off cruising:)

[Minoushka]

I agree 2 weeks on a ship is great .You really have time to unwind and get the feel of the ship,new friends etc,I loved our seadays on our Hawaii cruise.It felt like a real vacation On the Grand visiting all the ports was wonderful

I never got bored

I highly recommend longer cruises.I too find 7 days too short right now

[Toto2Kansas]

Also, another hazard, is the balcony. Not only will my husband not go on a 7 day cruise, he would never go unless he has a balcony--and, it has to be big enough to hold a chase lounge! Even if someone offered him a free cruise, if it didn't have a balcony, he would say no thanks (seriously).

 

 

Dawn

 

I do hope your DH is just looking for a large balcony 'big enough' to 'hold' a chase lounge. As anymore, unless you have booked a full suite, they will not bring a chase to you for your use. They do have reclining chairs he can use that are supplied, and put his feet up on either a small table or one of the other chairs. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one for ya.

[kymbakitty]

I do hope your DH is just looking for a large balcony 'big enough' to 'hold' a chase lounge. As anymore, unless you have booked a full suite, they will not bring a chase to you for your use. They do have reclining chairs he can use that are supplied, and put his feet up on either a small table or one of the other chairs. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one for ya.

 

As long as their is room, Lee will "borrow" a chaise lounge. We've had the room fellow (or someone) do this for us. Fortunately, with a little research, I found out that E729 has a bigger balcony that the other minis....so apparently, there is plenty of room for a chaise. Getting one up there will be something he'll have to figure out, which I am sure he will.

 

Thanks!!!!

 

Dawn

[Toto2Kansas]

The problem is, they don't allow that anymore because the regular pool lounge chairs are not fire retardent. If the room steward sees the chaise and does not report it to be removed, he can be in very serious trouble. So, whether your DH borrows it himself, or asks to have one brought in, there is a chance it's not going to stay there long. We used to be able to do this all of the time, but they put a stop to it recently. :( Sorry! But I do wish you luck on this one if it is a must. ;)

[kymbakitty]

The problem is, they don't allow that anymore because the regular pool lounge chairs are not fire retardent. If the room steward sees the chaise and does not report it to be removed, he can be in very serious trouble. So, whether your DH borrows it himself, or asks to have one brought in, there is a chance it's not going to stay there long. We used to be able to do this all of the time, but they put a stop to it recently. :( Sorry! But I do wish you luck on this one if it is a must. ;)

 

I am so glad you posted this. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but to tell you the truth, IT IS to my husband!!!!

 

I need to dig a little bit before we make our final payment in January!!!!!!!

 

Thanks!

 

Dawn

[kymbakitty]

The problem is, they don't allow that anymore because the regular pool lounge chairs are not fire retardent. If the room steward sees the chaise and does not report it to be removed, he can be in very serious trouble. So, whether your DH borrows it himself, or asks to have one brought in, there is a chance it's not going to stay there long. We used to be able to do this all of the time, but they put a stop to it recently. :( Sorry! But I do wish you luck on this one if it is a must. ;)

 

On my way home, I called Princess to check on this chaise lounge issue. She asked for my booking number, verified our reservation, said we were in a mini-suite (which I knew) and said it was a nonissue that there was a lounge already on our deck.

 

Before I selected our cabin, I did a little research. We really wanted an aft cabin, but other than full suites, they were all taken so we settled on E729. Not aft, but a larger than typical mini suite balcony due to its location. I saw a few pictures so I went to find them again tonight and the balcony is pictured with two lounges.

 

Are you saying the rules about having these lounges changed in the last couple of years--so that even though they are pictured on that balcony, they are likely no longer there because of the fire hazard issue? Or are you referring to a situation where there is no chaise lounger to begin with...? I hope we don't think they are there only to find out they no longer have them available. I know some people probably think this is the most pettiest thing in the world, but what can I say--hubby likes two things--a balcony and a chaise lounge on the balcony!

 

Here are the pictures--

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/70801815ucMAaH

 

Dawn

[rdsqrl]

Unfortunately, those photos are from 2003, which is three years before the fire on the Star Princess that was the catalyst for the rule change. The plastic furniture pictured in that photo is no longer the type of furniture you'll find on the balconies, even the regular chairs are now different.

[rdsqrl]

Here, check this photo out -- it's from the Grand, E730, posted January 2008:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2552342530102912743cqIgWg

[kymbakitty]

Here, check this photo out -- it's from the Grand, E730, posted January 2008:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2552342530102912743cqIgWg

 

I appreciate your link, but that is a category BB and not a mini suite. I was told that the mini suites do have a chaise lounge on them and not all of the balcony cabins do...and, if it has a chaise lounge already on it, then it is supposed to be there.

 

I think I need to do a little more research on this topic. I have had questions in the past where they literally contacted someone on a ship to ask them something...can't remember what it was now (probably balcony related!)....and it is very easy for them to do (contact the ship).

 

If my husband cannot have a chaise lounge on his balcony for a 14 night cruise, believe it or not, it could be a deal breaker. While I don't share his "passion" for his desire, I realize everybody has something that is near and dear to them--especially when they vacation (perhaps someone else could not even consider going 14 nights without drinking or smoking or gambling)....but this just so happens to be his.

 

I will find out before we pay our final payment in January.

 

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

Dawn

[kymbakitty]

Unfortunately, those photos are from 2003, which is three years before the fire on the Star Princess that was the catalyst for the rule change. The plastic furniture pictured in that photo is no longer the type of furniture you'll find on the balconies, even the regular chairs are now different.

 

My TA has been in this biz for 30+ years. I emailed him and this is what he sent me today:

--------------------------------------

I talked to the ship manager for the Grand Princess. It's really not a problem. I have requested a chaise lounge for your room. You can have any combination you would like of chairs and lounges.

I relayed your issues you had heard about the fire on the Star. He said that what you heard was absolutely false. Princess has no policy restricting chairs/lounges on the balcony. The cabin stewards are responsible for setting up the balcony and/or room the way the passengers request.

Princess's policy is to give the passenger what ever set up you want. He said they always have extra lounges and chairs because frequently clients ask them to be removed to have extra room on the balcony for entertaining.

I find a lot of what is on the internet is "conjecture" and then becomes "fact". I get calls from MSNBC, Budget Travel and others to fact check many of these stories. While some are true.....a lot of them are false.

 

When I talked to the ship manager for the Grand he said they had not changed any deck/balcony furniture on any of the ships. All of the furniture and materials used on the ships have to pass fire standards before the ships are built. The US Coast Guard has very specific fire standards for all ships and materials used on ships.

 

There was one change made to the cruise line policy after the Star Princess fire......they banned smoking in all staterooms. The fire on the Star was started in the passenger bedding. He fell asleep smoking. Most cruise lines have also adopted the same policy.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

If you have any questions about your cruise in the future....please call me first. I will be happy to answer any of your questions.

--------------------------------------------------------------

I feel better because at least I have it in writing.

Dawn

[senior lady]

I was just on the Star in E 727 and the larger wrap around balcony beside us did not have lounge chairs on it. Just 4 reg chairs and a round table. Why don't you ask if someone has been in that cabin and what kind of deck furniture they had?????