kenhem Posted August 23, 2018 #26 Share Posted August 23, 2018 We are on a 28 night cruise next year and are considering using a hotel park and cruise package. Which Southampton hotels offer the package for a long cruise like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daiB Posted August 23, 2018 #27 Share Posted August 23, 2018 We are on a 28 night cruise next year and are considering using a hotel park and cruise package. Which Southampton hotels offer the package for a long cruise like this? Most but you have to pay for the extra nights. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted August 23, 2018 #28 Share Posted August 23, 2018 So far Shortest was 2 nights Longest 35 They were all too short So I guess my answer is “NO” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenhem Posted August 23, 2018 #29 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Most but you have to pay for the extra nights. Sent from my iPad using Forums Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanlyon Posted August 23, 2018 #30 Share Posted August 23, 2018 I was very interested to read your comments about the WiFi package and using your iPad. To date, I have never bothered with it as I have read poor reports about speed and reliability, but mostly because we have only cruised in Europe and we can use our U.K. data plan free of charge whenever in port. However, with our upcoming USA cruise we have 6 sea days in a row each way and are a tiny bit anxious about being out of contact for that time. The Browse Package costs £210 if purchased pre cruise for the 24 nights, which is a heck of a lot for peace of mind, but can I ask you (or anyone else with the knowledge) a few questions please? 1) Do you find the speed and stability acceptable in your cabin? 2) If you use Apple products, does the Browse package allow you to send and receive iMessage texts free? 3) Is it worth buying the package pre cruise (works out at £8.75 a day versus the stated £12.50 per day or £10 per day for the whole cruise if purchased on board) or are the on board offers as good? 4) Any other pros and cons to consider? Many thanks in anticipation. As someone who will not pay those prices for WIFi, on a longer cruise to the States we relied on text by phone. I think it was 50p per text and that was fine. Then we used wifi in the ports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jocap Posted August 23, 2018 #31 Share Posted August 23, 2018 A head chef on our last 28 day cruise told me that the first 3 days, everyone seems to eat much too much, but then they realise there will always be food, so they start to pace themselves. By the end of a fortnight, cruisers are missing meals, or reverting to the soup/sandwich lunch they have at home, or missing lunch and having a scone for tea instead. Although there will always be some who just eat and eat... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swaddy Posted August 23, 2018 #32 Share Posted August 23, 2018 On a 25 night cruise, last year, we had the offer of 10 shirts for half price. It was wonderful to unpack beautifully ironed shirts at home. The ironing mountain was reduced to a mere hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eveglos Posted August 24, 2018 #33 Share Posted August 24, 2018 28 days on a cruise would be my idea of hell! We recently returned from a 7 night cruise to the Fjords which we really enjoyed but have no great desire to go on another cruise. Everyone said we would get the cruise bug but despite having a lovely time, we would not rush to do another one! I hope you have a lovely time but for lots of people- me included- 28 days is too long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bedruthen Posted August 24, 2018 #34 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Yes if you’re going to Zeebrugge and back, no if it’s a round the world trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsgoggins Posted August 26, 2018 #35 Share Posted August 26, 2018 28 days on a cruise would be my idea of hell! We recently returned from a 7 night cruise to the Fjords which we really enjoyed but have no great desire to go on another cruise.Everyone said we would get the cruise bug but despite having a lovely time, we would not rush to do another one! I hope you have a lovely time but for lots of people- me included- 28 days is too long! Now I understand your sentiments, despite my recent cruising history! I'm normally ready to get off after 10-12 days (Panama Canal, Baltics etc) no matter how good it's been, but enjoy shorter cruises a great deal. I generally prefer land-based touring holidays where we have a car at our disposal, although with creeping age, the ease of cruising is now a factor. What I don't understand is why you are still interested in Cruise Critic forums if you have no great desire to go on another. Honestly, this isn't any sort of 'put down', I am really interested :). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annieuk Posted August 26, 2018 #36 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Up to the beginning of this year the longest cruise we had been on was a back to back Caribbean fly cruise, sail back to Southampton - 2 x 14 nights so 28 nights in all. I'm a more enthusiastic cruiser than my husband but it was his idea to do the 65 night Aurora South American cruise back in January. On our very first cruise back in 2003 I must admit my major concern was that he would be bored - neither of us had any idea of what to expect from a cruise. My husband is one of those people who can't sit still for 5 minutes, he has to be up and doing something. Well he wasn't bored and loved the very active shore excursions - river rafting, hiking etc. We tend to do different excursions as after a broken ankle and a knee replacement I'm nowhere near as active as he is. That's one things about doing P&O excursions, I feel quite safe doing tours without my husband. Well on our 65 night cruise there were so many things to do, some of them we did together - amazing offer of Bridge lessons, either for Beginners or Intermediate. We both of us played Bridge, not very well, taught by other people but this gave us the chance to be taught by experts - a fantastic husband and wife team. On Sea days, of which there were many going from Southampton to Madeira, across the Atlantic, round Cape Horn, up through Chile and eventually through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean then back across the Atlantic to Southampton, on one day there would be a class for Beginners and then the next Sea Day the class for Intermediates and so on. We made great friends in fact the couple that we partnered have just visited us for a weekend. There was no charge for these lessons, each one 2 hours long, amazing, and our Bridge has improved. There was a very successful choir, three different sectors and the theatre was filled each time to listen to their performance. One thing to bear in mind is that a longer cruise is not just like a 14 night cruise multiplied if you see what I mean. When you are on the ship for longer the atmosphere, ambiance or whatever is very different, days seem to go at a different pace. If you've just done a 14 night cruise don't imagine that longer cruises are just the same but longer, they're not, they're different. As for laundry there were several offers - I refuse to spend time in a launderette when I'm on holiday - some came in the form of flyers, some were published in Horizon. I suppose the only longer cruise we could do would be a World but I'm not sure my husband is up for that, we'll see. A few years ago I'd never have thought he would suggest 65 nights, so who knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threeleggedtoad Posted August 26, 2018 Author #37 Share Posted August 26, 2018 I would like to thank you all for sharing your experiences and expressing your views. I look forward to experiencing the 28 day cruise and will revisit this thread with my thoughts in the new year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General dogs body Posted September 28, 2018 #38 Share Posted September 28, 2018 I have done a 30 dayer and it was too long. We normally go for a 17,18 or 19 nighter. Even then I'm ready to be home. Coudn't possibly even consider a world cruise. I'd go crazy. We did a world cruise this year, fantastic and are doing the 55 day Amazon and Caribbean in Jan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanlyon Posted September 28, 2018 #39 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Good for you. After 20 days, I would be ready to get off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiftyOnePlus Posted September 29, 2018 #40 Share Posted September 29, 2018 28 days on a cruise would be my idea of hell! We recently returned from a 7 night cruise to the Fjords which we really enjoyed but have no great desire to go on another cruise.Everyone said we would get the cruise bug but despite having a lovely time, we would not rush to do another one! I hope you have a lovely time but for lots of people- me included- 28 days is too long! Whether one likes cruising or not definitely depends on that first experience. If you dont happen to get the right ship for your personality, then it could put you off for life. If my first cruise was Royal Caribbean, Id never have gone again. However, it wasnt, and I love cruising, especially sea days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboo Posted September 29, 2018 #41 Share Posted September 29, 2018 We are on a 28 night cruise next year and are considering using a hotel park and cruise package. Which Southampton hotels offer the package for a long cruise like this? we used the Holiday Inn near the Docks for our 28 night cruise...you have to pay a little bit more for the longer parking but not extortionately so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the english lady Posted September 30, 2018 #42 Share Posted September 30, 2018 We are also on this cruise. 😀 We have done one 28 night cruise previously it was over xmas and new year on Azura two years ago but it was a fly cruise and very port intensive. 6 sea days out of the 28 So this will be a new experience for us too. Agree with the previous comment. Just take a little bit more but will use the laundrette. I’m hoping the speakers will be interesting, I’m sure they will be , the films they show seem to be quite current so might slip a few visits to the cimena those early days. We will join in some of the ships activities. Though neither of us are dancers or singers but happily happily watch other brave souls participate. We will take some card games , books, knitting for me ... I’m sure we will be fine. And really once it’s hits 5pm. Even if a port day would be back on board so evenings don’t really count. Well that’s my logic 😀 Well that's 2 knitters onboard then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainclive. Posted September 30, 2018 #43 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Got up for work at 530am this morning dreaming of the chance to be at sea for longer than the 14 days that we are limited to by the aforementioned W word. Every cruise I have ever done I didn't want to get off at the end, so for me I would love a 28 day trip. As for clothes, we always take far to much, so probably would work out right for 28 days, plus P&O have great free laundry rooms. As for food, or too much of, my dad always compared him moving to and living in Spain to when he was working and just getting 2 weeks holiday there. When you have a short break you binge because you know its all done in a week or 2, but if you have a long time, then just treat it as you would when you are at home, and maybe have a drink or 2 instead of 10, and really do seek out the salad bar for lunch, and eat your muesli for breakfast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the english lady Posted September 30, 2018 #44 Share Posted September 30, 2018 We have done one Caribbean transatlantic, another coming up. We thought the first time we may see some wildlife..saw some flying fish and that was about it..no whales or dolphins (I must have been doing other things where they usually appear). No other ships..except for a very slow yacht..there had been a race..that the winner had finished before we left Southampton..this yacht must have3 been the last one in. Always found things to do...I think its the food that will fall by the wayside..I don't think I could eat 28 days in the MDR of an evening, so will mix up with buffet, select dining, and room service. or nothing at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenandPaul Posted September 30, 2018 #45 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Glad to see some more positive comments. Reading some of these comments worried would be jumping overboard by third week :) lol. 10 weeks today we will be on the way to Southampton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenandPaul Posted September 30, 2018 #46 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Well that's 2 knitters onboard then! Haha Hope to meet you at knit and natter. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanlyon Posted September 30, 2018 #47 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I did a 30 day cruise on a much smaller ship. Caribbean and back. It was about the third day from the end when I began to feel I wanted to be home. There is very little to see crossing the Atlantic. I still managed with only one suitcase and a carry bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenandPaul Posted September 30, 2018 #48 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I did a 30 day cruise on a much smaller ship. Caribbean and back. It was about the third day from the end when I began to feel I wanted to be home. There is very little to see crossing the Atlantic. I still managed with only one suitcase and a carry bag. I can imagine I will be the same, Even land base holidays a couple of days before the end. I go into want to be home mode. Though saying that a couple of days of been home and that quickly reverts back too wish “I was still on holiday” I can’t imagine us taking much more than one suitcase and carrier each And maybe a small cool box with our alcohol allowance and few soft drinks/mixers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balernocalling Posted September 30, 2018 #49 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I like 28 nights as you can really relax. I once did a 49 night trip round South America and it was one of the best trips I have done. We finished in San Francisco and I could have walked round to embarkation and done it all again....Fabulous! I hope you thoroughly enjoy the 28 nights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiftyOnePlus Posted September 30, 2018 #50 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Glad to see some more positive comments. Reading some of these comments worried would be jumping overboard by third week :) lol. 10 weeks today we will be on the way to Southampton. 6 weeks today for us.....so i think we're on just before you lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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