Would you cruise if only ports were private islands?

[MarARose]

YES! I'd even consider a Disney cruise but, please don't hold me to that! We've cruised all over the Caribbean, South America, Mexico, Hawaii, and a few other ports but, a "private island" allows for unplanned/unexpected activities! It would, at the very least, be much more entertaining than some of the 'other' alleged "private islands". When do we leave?

[bmoreau66]

Not a chance.  Like someone said - the Carib. is one thing - but other ports I would for sure need to visit.  Private islands are for the birds !!  We're going to the Baltic in JUly 2021 & will not go is just for the ship.

[jeb137]

My wife and I would not cruise if cruises only went to private islands.  What we're looking for is seeing and experiencing the port visits the cruise ship is sailing to.  It's how we decide what cruise and when.  We're older cruisers, so we've done all the water parks and drunken days on the beach before.  Now, we look at the cruise ship as a fancy hotel between experiencing sights in different countries.    

We have a NCL UK cruise scheduled in 98 days, and we're hoping that there's no snafu's.  It's still a bit stressful since here we're still on a stay at home lock-down.    

On our last two cruises, NCL and RCI you could buy alcohol in Duty Free and we took it directly to our room.  We didn't have to wait until the last day, so I don't know if what other posters have said was ship specific or not.  

[pbudervic]

Yes. I would cruise if the only ports were private islands provided that the price was commensurate to the itinerary and port charges were not jacked up. However, I would love to book 4 cruises for December 202, January 2021 and February 202. However, I will not book them if they do not guarantee my money back if they, the cruise line or the government, cancel the cruise. I will not allow them to hold my $12,000+ in a "Future Cruise Credit". Hell, at my age, I do not even buy green bananas let alone want a FCC.

[lennysails]

I would absolutely go to a private island. 
I’d cruise to nowhere and be happy! I am all about the ship, so much to do if you want and nothing if you don’t. To me it’s a perfect vacation, I’d go tomorrow if I could and have plenty of friends that would do the same.

 

private island got my vote, let’s go

[bxlady]

It's really not the port, it's the ship. Right now I have no confidence in the cruise lines' ability to prevent a recurrence of widespread viral or bacterial infection aboard the ship. And if the ports were limited to only private islands, I would go to a beach closer to home with a boardwalk and/or amusement area.  At this point the cruise lines are holding our money hostage, unwilling to do the right thing and refund money for cancelled cruises. 

[lennysails]

Who cares, we are on vacation!?

[lennysails]

On 5/9/2020 at 11:04 PM, Charles4515 said:

 

Yes, niche cruise lines like for example Oceania include bottled water in the fare but Oceania is not a mainstream cruise line. They also charge substantially higher fares than mainstream cruise lines.


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[lennysails]

Celebrity includes water in either drink package. Upgrade NCL drink package and drink anything and as much as you want.

[lennysails]

The Haven is amazing.

[trzoo]

Absolutely NOT.  I get on a ship to go see new places. Not a patch of sand owned by the cruise line. After 34 cruises I won't sail again until there is a vaccine. 2,787 infected on 57 ships and 47 deaths in 2 months from C-19 is just to much for me. And I am sad to loose something I enjoy. I hope the vaccine comes soon.  

 

[Charles4515]

Celebrity includes water in either drink package. Upgrade NCL drink package and drink anything and as much as you want.

I don’t buy the drink packages. I don’t drink very much.


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[hpytrvlr1]

No.  I have no interest in the cruise line owned islands! I want to see different ports and try different cuisines. I can go to the beach from home.

[Charles4515]

Absolutely NOT.  I get on a ship to go see new places. Not a patch of sand owned by the cruise line. After 34 cruises I won't sail again until there is a vaccine. 2,787 infected on 57 ships and 47 deaths in 2 months from C-19 is just to much for me. And I am sad to loose something I enjoy. I hope the vaccine comes soon.  

 

 

I am with you on not cruising if only to a private island and I won’t cruise until there is a vaccine or the virus has disappeared.

 

 

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[Crustybucket]

Private Islands are fine, for a short time.  I would IF there were some activities for ALL age groups, as well as opening a food court that is included, and maybe a specialty dining spot.

[complawyer]

no, im sure i would not. as far as i'm concerned the private islands of cruise lines are a complete waste of time. whenever i'm on a cruise and one of the ports is a private island, i dont even bother to get off the ship.

 

ncl grand stirrup caye ho hum!  beentere done that

[rkacruiser]

 

Interesting the posts with the various opinions; truly it is.  Maybe the worst possible executive position in a cruise company going forward will be the individual responsible for itinerary planning.  

[SNJCruisers]

In a heartbeat.  I primarily cruise for the ship these days and most times never get off the ship unless it's a port I have never been to or a private island that has a giant pool I wish to swim in. 

[clo]

7 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

In a heartbeat.  I primarily cruise for the ship these days and most times never get off the ship unless it's a port I have never been to or a private island that has a giant pool I wish to swim in. 

Do you mostly cruise to warm areas, i.e., Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico?

[truwoman]

Actually I prefer to stay on the ship at ports, so private island cruising would be fine.  Perhaps no port charges?  No being accosted and bothered by local "merchants" selling trinkets made in China.  I never eat or drink off the ship anyway.  Probably my personal biggest concern would be not having the ship to myself!

 

Of course, the cruise line would probably run its own "shore excursions" and make more money doing it.

 

I cruise because, when I first began, the service was outstanding.  The crews made you feel really special.  It was a luxury for me.  I enjoy interacting with the crew and learning about them.  Now they are barely allowed to stop long enough to chat.

 

One thing is for sure, if it is done it will be because the lines can make more money doing it.  I would be sorry for the locals who depend on tourism to make a meager living!

[jlshouston]

On 5/5/2020 at 1:13 PM, George C said:

Would you cruise if only ports were private islands or just a cruise to nowhere? This would not bother me at all I like being on a ship but do want to visit at least one beach. We stay on board for many Caribbean ports and all of them that tender.

Yes but maybe only twice a year rather than 4-5 times a year. Because I enjoy the shows and reading and gambling and the spa I would be fine with extra sea days and a day at Labadee and one at Coco Cay or maybe 2 at Coco Cay, one on the way out and another on the way in. I just wouldn't cruise as frequently.

[clo]

12 minutes ago, truwoman said:

I would be sorry for the locals who depend on tourism to make a meager living!

That's really funny 🙂 You don't eat or drink or shop in the ports but....  When we travel we get as far away from the tourists as we possibly can. Go up side streets, wherever. Mingle with the locals, eat all their great food and drinks (the rat in Thailand was overcooked! And hopefully contribute financially and socially.

[clo]

6 minutes ago, jlshouston said:

Yes but maybe only twice a year rather than 4-5 times a year. Because I enjoy the shows and reading and gambling and the spa I would be fine with extra sea days and a day at Labadee and one at Coco Cay or maybe 2 at Coco Cay, one on the way out and another on the way in. I just wouldn't cruise as frequently.

So those other two or three trips a year, maybe Europe, S. American, Asia?

[clo]

3 hours ago, MarARose said:

a "private island" allows for unplanned/unexpected activities!

How about an all-inclusive resort where you can visit lots of places as well as have your own beach, room, etc.

[getting older slowly]

I know this might be some peoples thing.....

 

But we are not beach people.....

 

Beach = is winter and walking along it

 

Private island    is us and a couple thousand strangers

 

Basicully is you want a beach holiday go to a resort on the beach... skip the cruise part...

 

So my answer is No,  would not like green eggs and ham

 

Cheers Don