What Would It Take?

[legaljen1969]

Congratulations. What has an effect on whether you continue cruising is the same as some people and different than some people.

 

I would think the issues you describe as not important to you because you save your vacation days to cruise while others cruise several times a year, would actually be more important to you. If you cruise several times a year

there is a good chance the next one will be better. If you vacation once a year and have issues, there goes your vacation for the year.

 

There just aren't that many things I think are vacation ruining issues. I guess I am just happy to have a break from work for a week.

 

Things that could "ruin" my vacation?

Losing a family member to death (Happened to someone on my last cruise). Falling overboard.

Having a family member fall overboard.

Seeing someone unknown to me fall overboard or die in some gruesome way. Having an auto accident or plane crash on the way to or from my vacation. Being quarantined for the entire cruise because of norovirus or some other illness. That said, I usually cruise on a balcony so unless they told me I couldn't use my balcony, I would still be okay. There is room service and medicine.

Depending on where I was sailing, maybe missing the ship could ruin the vacation.

 

Forgetting my passport or other acceptable I.D. Yep, that would spoil it but would be MY fault-not the cruise line's fault. Oh well, we usually sail from Port Canaveral, so I might be able to shoot over to my second favorite vacation destination- Disney- for a couple of days. So vacation is still not ruined.

 

Things that other people consider a big deal that might make it a little than perfect (and I could be fine with any of these).

Not having my favorite wine. Not having a favorite snack. Not getting every last drink I am entitled to for some loyalty perk. Not getting my complimentary robe to wear for the week. An excursion getting cancelled due to some safety issue out of control of the cruiseline. The list goes on and on.

 

I guess it is all in what you think will "ruin" your vacation or your life. Things that are major to some are just bumps in the road for others.

[OCruisers]

If electric curling irons were not allowed, that would keep me from cruising. :D

 

LuLu

[dadroy]

I think you need to set a definition of what a "ruined vacation" means, because different people will use different definitions. I agree that missing a port (to me) would not ruin a cruise. But there are people on these boards who would tell a passenger from the Costa Concordia sinking that their cruise was not ruined; you got 3 days in the resort town of Isola del Giglio Italy for free, a great free excursion in a lifeboat and got a full refund of their cruise fare!

 

If I were on a cruise in the Caribbean in July (think heat and humidity) and all the a/c on the ship was not functioning, my vacation would be ruined. Perhaps others would not agree, but thats my point. We all have different views of what a ruined vacation is.

 

In April I took my first cruise on NCL. DW needs a gluten free diet and they really could not provide anything other than salad, and we dealt with the Hotel manager who did all he could but failed. So the wife at only vegetables and eggs the entire week. I know some posters will say that only being able to eat vegetables for the week instead of restaurant food should not ruin the vacation, just think of all the weight she lost! We will not stop cruising, but we will never sail NCL again. A gal's gotta eat!

 

Had I been on the Concordia THAT cruise would have been ruined, but I would probably cruise again. So nothing will stop me from cruising but I could list many things that would ruin a particular cruise.

Edited May 20, 2015 by dadroy

[pfm18]

Pretty sure I would only ever stop if I had no money or companions. I have the disease.

[atb]

Actually - we did the exotic - flying somewhere required - cruises when we were younger. No longer into flying - and prefer ports within driving distance. For us on the East Coast - we are very lucky - so I guess when the east coast drops off into the ocean and there's no more east coast ports???:rolleyes:

 

Although - depending on where the east coast drops off - Gettysburg could be a port - and that would be awesome

Edited May 21, 2015 by atb
added new thought

[LMaxwell]

When the business model switches to be more like a theme park/land resort and moves away from the inclusive model (cabin, food, entertainment all included) I'll stop. I like the inclusive model of cruising but it continues to be eroded and we find ourselves mixing in more land vacations as cruising becomes less "its own thing".

[printingchick]

After dating for three years, I took my significant other on a cruise. His teenage daughter had informed me, "You'll NEVER get my dad to go on a cruise!" He was significantly less negative about the prospect, but a cruise would not have been his first choice for a vacation.

 

I phoned my adult daughter from the airport in San Juan after we disembarked. She asked if we'd had a good time and I responded that we'd liked it so much, we'd bought TWO NextCruise certificates. She replied, "Oh good...I'm glad you two will be staying together."

 

Funny, I guess, but it actually would have been a problem if he had hated it. Would we have had to take separate vacations???

 

Our next cruise in in January. :D

[legaljen1969]

I think you need to set a definition of what a "ruined vacation" means, because different people will use different definitions. I agree that missing a port (to me) would not ruin a cruise. But there are people on these boards who would tell a passenger from the Costa Concordia sinking that their cruise was not ruined; you got 3 days in the resort town of Isola del Giglio Italy for free, a great free excursion in a lifeboat and got a full refund of their cruise fare!

 

Had I been on the Concordia THAT cruise would have been ruined, but I would probably cruise again. So nothing will stop me from cruising but I could list many things that would ruin a particular cruise.

 

Well, I think most people would agree that the Costa Concordia incident was a terrible tragedy. I think most would agree that this would definitely be a "ruined" vacation.

 

I was mostly referencing the person above my post who said that if someone had issues "well, there goes your vacation for the year." I am saying it would take a lot more than a 95 cent raise in gratuities per day OR not getting extra lobster at dinner to make my yearly vacation a total bust. Those things just might be the end of the world for someone else.

 

I would certainly have been unhappy and probably quite afraid if I had been on the Concordia. I would say that the main silver lining in that situation (if any could be had) is that some folks did survive. I would be happy to walk away with my life, but it would definitely have a negative impact on my cruising enjoyment. I would say the Concordia pretty much fits in line with my examples of people dying gruesome deaths or falling overboard.

[John&LaLa]

Well, I think most people would agree that the Costa Concordia incident was a terrible tragedy. I think most would agree that this would definitely be a "ruined" vacation.

 

I was mostly referencing the person above my post who said that if someone had issues "well, there goes your vacation for the year." I am saying it would take a lot more than a 95 cent raise in gratuities per day OR not getting extra lobster at dinner to make my yearly vacation a total bust. Those things just might be the end of the world for someone else.

 

I would certainly have been unhappy and probably quite afraid if I had been on the Concordia. I would say that the main silver lining in that situation (if any could be had) is that some folks did survive. I would be happy to walk away with my life, but it would definitely have a negative impact on my cruising enjoyment. I would say the Concordia pretty much fits in line with my examples of people dying gruesome deaths or falling overboard.

 

Ruined yes, but think of the stories you could tell.

[legaljen1969]

Very true. Lots of stories.

[tidygirl]

legaljen1969- I have to agree with you!

We were on the Jewell last month and I'm not sure why I heard so much complaining and people throwing up their cruise status but I felt very sorry for the workers.

I don't care if it's your first cruise or your 100th treat the workers like you would like to be treated! If you have a reasonable complaint there is a nice way to deal with it!

I heard one older man going off on the MDR reservation guy because they wanted a specific table in the dining room, he wasn't saying it would be a DEFINITE no, but at that point it wasn't available. The guest proceeded to tell him he had been on 50 cruises and Celebrity knows who he is blah blah blah!

The reservation guy had several others not happy with him either!

A lady that had this cruise booked for a year and had double checked and cross referenced something or other and she was all upset too because it wasn't right in her opinion. Went stomping off grumbling!

But the worst thing my hubby witnessed was a man go off on a WJ worker. He said he had been waiting 15 minutes for chocolate ice cream and if he wasted all that time and $70000 on his cruise he would take the ice cream and shove it in the Captains face! Now sorry it's not the workers fault they didn't have chocolate and he really didn't deserve the man hollering at him over something so stupid! My DH is not an aggressive person at all and usually laid back but he sure was temped to deck the guy!

Granted I LOVE my chocolate ice cream and had a few days I was looking forward to it and they were out, but I know sometimes supplies run out!

I wanted to go to Tortola and they changed it to St Thomas, Yes sometimes we may have our disappointments but our cruise isn't ruined!

As you stated so well here!

There just aren't that many things I think are vacation ruining issues. I guess I am just happy to have a break from work for a week.

 

Things that could "ruin" my vacation?

Losing a family member to death - Falling overboard.

Having a family member fall overboard.

Seeing someone unknown to me fall overboard or die in some gruesome way. Having an auto accident or plane crash on the way to or from my vacation. Being quarantined for the entire cruise because of norovirus or some other illness.

Depending on where I was sailing, maybe missing the ship could ruin the vacation.

Also someone drowning in a pool!

[JulieRose]

The only thing that might be able to get me to stop cruising is the other passengers. On our Explorer sailing, there were quite a few extremely rude folks. On the last night in the MDR we were so offended by the inappropriate conversation being held very loudly at the next table that we asked to be moved. We didn't confront the party in question, just quietly had the crew take care of it by moving us, which they did without a problem.

 

We wonder if it has to do with the port that we sailed from. We shall find out since we're sailing out of that port again in December.

[cincicruisers]

I think the folks that were trapped on the ship went without power (no working toilets, no a/c, limited amount of food, having to put poo in bag would ruin my vacation)

 

I don't remember which ship this happened on, but I am sure the passengers were not happy.

[graham29a]

Great post and as a cruise virgin this really resonates with me. Any chance you could be on our cruise........you are just the person I was hoping to meet :)

[legaljen1969]

Ack cruise points missing!! I have a screen shot at home. But ack!!! I was in last stages of booking a suite to get to Next level. Glad I noticed.

[deliver42]

WOW!!! OP, you really hit the nail on the head. What a pleasure reading your post. I'll quit when I can no longer afford it. I have a few cruises left before that happens. I work part time to pay for the cruises. I'm 73, so I figure I have about 3 or 4 good years left. I have 2 cruises booked now, and figure on 2 more. in a couple of years.