Age of fellow cruisers has a huge impact on how people enjoy a cruise

[zap99]

41 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Love this post.

Our generation grew up in  the 60s, 70s etc. Alice Cooper, Status Quo, heavy rock, Punk Rock etc etc. We may have grey hair but we've had the best music and still do !!!

On the RC board a few years ago a Lady from the US commented that her mom was singing along to a Queen tribute. I reminded her that when her Mon was younger The beegees were singing about Massachusettes and Led Zeppelin were selling out Maddison Square gardens.

[enjoysailing]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I've been in an Arvia inside cabin ... no way can I see 4 young working people making that work!  Maybe a suite but absolutely not on any P&O, or for that matter any mainstream line unless at suite level.

10 minutes ago, zap99 said:

A 4 berth touring caravan ,or tent is smaller than a standard cabin. Lots of folk have brilliant holidays and even make do without the services of Geeves.

 

I know I would never enjoy, or even manage with more than 2 adults in a cabin. I understand when adding a child or two is different to extra adults. How can it be any way comfortable? Storage space would be a problem, time in the bathroom would be a struggle. I would feel really sorry for the steward trying to do their job in a cluttered cabin. It shouldn't be like camping or caravanning. I have done both of those, and holidays were good, but I wouldn't want to camp on a cruise. 

[enjoysailing]

Should say, maybe a balcony cabin would give a bit of space to spread out.

Edited December 14, 2023 by enjoysailing

[Joe_Cruises]

As a millenial, I much prefer the vibe of cruises with older passengers. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

[Winifred 22]

7 hours ago, enjoysailing said:

 

I expect the age of fellow passengers would make quite a difference to the overall ambience of a cruise, but also believe the nationality is a big thing too. I have sailed various cruise lines out of USA and European ports as well as Southampton for 25+ years. On all of them there has been a good mix of nationalities. Sailing from the States probably 60-70% are passengers from North America. I love the chat and uncovering cultural differences. 

 

I have booked my first P&O cruise. Until I started exploring the itineraries and reading social media posts I hadn't expected them to be totally Brits on board. Or possibly a few people from elsewhere. I am really intrigued to see how it will differ from my previous cruises. I wonder if there are many cruisers who have only ever sailed with P&O and know no different. 

I have only ever sailed with P&O and Cunard and have no intention of sailing on other lines. Just does not interest me. 

[Ardennais]

4 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

But where do you propose they would do this remote working?

I would imagine anywhere on the ship - in the same way that people work in Costa/Starbucks or on the train/bus. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

10 hours ago, enjoysailing said:

 

I know I would never enjoy, or even manage with more than 2 adults in a cabin. I understand when adding a child or two is different to extra adults. How can it be any way comfortable? Storage space would be a problem, time in the bathroom would be a struggle. I would feel really sorry for the steward trying to do their job in a cluttered cabin. It shouldn't be like camping or caravanning. I have done both of those, and holidays were good, but I wouldn't want to camp on a cruise. 

It's all relative. Young people travelling are used to staying in hostels and having lots of people sharing a dorm with bunkbeds and the toilets and showers down the end of a corridor

 

And at the same time 4 people sharing a standard inside cabin on iona would actually have MORE space per person than 2 people sharing a standard cabin on the Orient Express

 

And again on Orient Express the shower is a shared one down the end of a corridor

 

Orient express considered the height of luxury of course but take a look at the size of a standard cabin on board. Which doesn't have an ensuite either!!

 

The key as always is you don't intend to spend much time at all in the cabin when you book an inside cabin on a cruise

 

Just somehwere to sleep and get ready in

 

In both cases above inside cabins have the advantage of ensuite shower rooms and toilets as well

 

A long cruise on iona with 4 young adults sharing and inside saver just with the meals included would work out way better value than travelling and staying in hostels and cheap rooms now when you have to pay for food on top

 

Due to the cost of travel and the cost of land based hostels and cheap rooms now

 

Don't spread the word though!!!

 

Travelling and staying in your own tent and cooking your own food on a fire  probably remains the only thing cheaper than above when you factor all the costs in

 

4 young adults on Iona inside cabin for 35 night Caribbean January 2025 would work out to 29.54 per person per night

 

Staying in youth hostels and adding the costs of travel and food would be more expensive for sure

 

No travel costs to add

No food costs to add

 

They wouldn't even need to be remote working - just travelling the world and enjoying life on a gap year

 

Would be the cheapest 35 nights of the gap year for them 

 

And actually the most comfortable for sure I would imagine

 

Do the maths guys

 

What does 29.54 per night actually get you anywhere else right now?

 

They wouldnt need to spend an extra penny if they didn't want to either

 

That's the incredible value of cruising right now

Edited December 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[terrierjohn]

7 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I would imagine anywhere on the ship - in the same way that people work in Costa/Starbucks or on the train/bus. 

So they would sit in one of the lounges having conference calls with colleagues, or phone calls with their customers. Sounds far worse than having groups of oldies playing cards, and taking up table space in the coffee shop or the buffet.

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

So they would sit in one of the lounges having conference calls with colleagues, or phone calls with their customers. Sounds far worse than having groups of oldies playing cards, and taking up table space in the coffee shop or the buffet.

A lot  of remote working now needs zero conversations at all though John

 

98 per cent of any remote work I do doesn't need any conversation at all

 

When it does I get my wife to do the chatting as well as she's great at it!!

 

Lol

 

And when she does need a chat it's very quick

 

The world has changed in that respect

 

It's all emails and Whatsapp messages and social media posts with images for most remote workers

 

Maybe a few making videos as well but that's more specialist 

 

If I was remote working on Iona or Arvia. Nobody around me would ever know or realise

 

Mostly just typing on my phone from a sunbed or reclining chair

 

Some on my laptop but not much. I avoid using the laptop if I can. It's so little I'm happy to do that in the cabin when needed

Edited December 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Interestedcruisefan]

Don't forget as well part or remote working is setting your business up so it needs as little of your time as possible

 

9am to 5pm workdays are a thing of the past for remote workers

 

It's a different lifestyle altogether

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzmBG2jsRUc/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

[Megabear2]

8 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

A lot  of remote working now needs zero conversations at all though John

 

98 per cent of any remote work I do doesn't need any conversation at all

 

When it does I get my wife to do the chatting as well as she's great at it!!

 

Lol

 

And when she does need a chat it's very quick

 

The world has changed in that respect

 

It's all emails and Whatsapp messages and social media posts with images for most remote workers

 

Maybe a few making videos as well but that's more specialist 

 

If I was remote working on Iona or Arvia. Nobody around me would ever know or realise

 

Mostly just typing on my phone from a sunbed or reclining chair

 

Some on my laptop but not much. I avoid using the laptop if I can. It's so little I'm happy to do that in the cabin when needed

That's fine for your line of business, not so everyone's.  We have to have live zoom and teams meetings with up to 20 people including the FCA, bad enough on a laptop, but would be horrendous on a tablet and impossible on a phone.

[zap99]

14 hours ago, enjoysailing said:

 

I know I would never enjoy, or even manage with more than 2 adults in a cabin. I understand when adding a child or two is different to extra adults. How can it be any way comfortable? Storage space would be a problem, time in the bathroom would be a struggle. I would feel really sorry for the steward trying to do their job in a cluttered cabin. It shouldn't be like camping or caravanning. I have done both of those, and holidays were good, but I wouldn't want to camp on a cruise. 

On some offers 3/4th passengers travel free. So tremendous value for a group of friends on a budget.  As for feeling sorry for the steward...not..you can see those sharing already. Something to do with Pineapples .🤔

[Interestedcruisefan]

16 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

That's fine for your line of business, not so everyone's.  We have to have live zoom and teams meetings with up to 20 people including the FCA, bad enough on a laptop, but would be horrendous on a tablet and impossible on a phone.

Of course

 

And remote working is a dream many people won't be able to enjoy. 

 

But for those that  can it's a great lifestyle of course. Provides so many options to travel the world.

 

Weve worked hard in our own way to make our work semi remote and allow us to feel semi retired. Ours is by no means perfect but it's working so far.

 

January we will have 4 weeks in Cape Town

 

February 2 weeks arvia

 

March planning 10 days ish in Scottish highlands

 

May I'm looking at a 2 week meditterranean cruise (forgotten which one) but was Arvia or iona

 

Jun 10 nights in France

 

July 3 weeks somewhere UK to enjoy nice weather here

 

August 3 weeks ish Canada

 

All of which if we get it right will need me to do no more than 3 hours per day work (mainly on phone and a bit on laptop) which I will do early (5.30am to 8.30am most days) my wife less than that

 

Before covid I was 60 hrs per week with horrible lifestyle in comparison. Maybe 6 weeks hols a year (still running my own business but very hands on). Lots more stress

 

Covid gave me the chance to rethink and re-organise our lives way for the better

 

Think many people have changed what they do as a result of the pandemic TBH

 

Work and travel combined. When I'm doing 3 hrs a day in a nice place I feel very lucky and feel like I'm on holiday but still earning good income at the same time. Often more than when I worked 60 hr weeks tbh.

 

I was a busy fool before

 

But it's also why I look for value if I can due to the number of days we want to travel

 

2025 I am pretty sure we will start with the 35 night January Caribbean cruise on Iona. Will like book that soon

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Selbourne]

15 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Of course

 

And remote working is a dream many people won't be able to enjoy. 

 

But for those that  can it's a great lifestyle of course. Provides so many options to travel the world.

 

Weve worked hard in our own way to make our work semi remote and allow us to feel semi retired. Ours is by no means perfect but it's working so far.

 

January we will have 4 weeks in Cape Town

 

February 2 weeks arvia

 

March planning 10 days ish in Scottish highlands

 

May I'm looking at a 2 week meditterranean cruise (forgotten which one) but was Arvia or iona

 

Jun 10 nights in France

 

July 3 weeks somewhere UK to enjoy nice weather here

 

August 3 weeks ish Canada

 

All of which if we get it right will need me to do no more than 3 hours per day work (mainly on phone and a bit on laptop) which I will do early (5.30am to 8.30am most days) my wife less than that

 

Before covid I was 60 hrs per week with horrible lifestyle in comparison. Maybe 6 weeks hols a year (still running my own business but very hands on). Lots more stress

 

Covid gave me the chance to rethink and re-organise our lives way for the better

 

Think many people have changed what they do as a result of the pandemic TBH

 

Work and travel combined. When I'm doing 3 hrs a day in a nice place I feel very lucky and feel like I'm on holiday but still earning good income at the same time. Often more than when I worked 60 hr weeks tbh.

 

I was a busy fool before

 

But it's also why I look for value if I can due to the number of days we want to travel

 

2025 I am pretty sure we will start with the 35 night January Caribbean cruise on Iona. Will like book that soon

 

There is one major problem with all this worldwide remote working that you do though. We never get a break from you 😉 😂 

[cruising.mark.uk]

28 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

And remote working is a dream many people won't be able to enjoy. 

 

But for those that  can it's a great lifestyle of course. Provides so many options to travel the world.

 

I agree, and if you read the article in the first post of this thread

it certainly seems to be a viable option for some.

 

If you have the sort of job that allows you to do it and if Starlink is good enough for your communications needs, it sems to me like an excellent way to strike an optimal work / life balance.  And, compared with the cost of maintaining a property in London, New York or any other big city, it might well work out cheaper.

 

Perhaps working-age people living and working remotely basically full time from cruise ships will become the 2020s evolution of the well-known phenomena whereby some elderly people chose to cruise full time in their later years?

[zap99]

51 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

That's fine for your line of business, not so everyone's.  We have to have live zoom and teams meetings with up to 20 people including the FCA, bad enough on a laptop, but would be horrendous on a tablet and impossible on a phone.

If this trend continues, live performances will be a thing of the past. Folk could sit at home watching performances on a VDU. They could order the merch on line and if Eric and Ern go for a commercial break, you could pop to the kitchen and make a cuppa. If that's the future...no thanks..🤣. Off now to enjoy my next holiday on YouTube. Antarctica this afternoon.

[Interestedcruisefan]

48 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

There is one major problem with all this worldwide remote working that you do though. We never get a break from you 😉 😂 

Lol

 

I'm sorry !!!!

[Interestedcruisefan]

20 minutes ago, zap99 said:

If this trend continues, live performances will be a thing of the past. Folk could sit at home watching performances on a VDU. They could order the merch on line and if Eric and Ern go for a commercial break, you could pop to the kitchen and make a cuppa. If that's the future...no thanks..🤣. Off now to enjoy my next holiday on YouTube. Antarctica this afternoon.

Lol

 

True story

 

When we were confined to homes in the pandemic

 

I used to watch wildearth on youtube. Check them out its brilliant 

 

They do 2 live south African safaris from jeeps every day 6am and 2pm ish UK time. Really educational as well. 

 

I used to do essential shop and buy myself a picnic. Sausage rolls, Cocktail sausages, chicken nuggets etc. 

 

Make my self a gin and tonic. And move a chair to just in front of the TV

 

And sit there pretending I was there with them sat in the jeep on the Safari with a picnic for 2.5 hrs

 

It was brilliant 

 

 

[Megabear2]

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Lol

 

I'm sorry !!!!

So are we ....😉

[Megabear2]

37 minutes ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

I agree, and if you read the article in the first post of this thread

it certainly seems to be a viable option for some.

 

If you have the sort of job that allows you to do it and if Starlink is good enough for your communications needs, it sems to me like an excellent way to strike an optimal work / life balance.  And, compared with the cost of maintaining a property in London, New York or any other big city, it might well work out cheaper.

 

Perhaps working-age people living and working remotely basically full time from cruise ships will become the 2020s evolution of the well-known phenomena whereby some elderly people chose to cruise full time in their later years?

We know a few people who've taken the option of these working abroad on remote "nomad" visas, two of them chose Barbados, one Antigua, one Germany and the other Spain. The visa varies between 1 year and 3 years depending on which country.  

 

Apart from having to meet minimum income requirements to prove self sufficiency and medical cover it was relatively easy although the German one was quite lengthy.  

 

I'd guess this might be more popular with a lot of the types we are discussing.

[Red Ray]

17 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

A true fan, stick with their team through thick and thin

I must be a mega true fan then. I've stuck with my lot through thin & thinner.

[terrierjohn]

5 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Don't forget as well part or remote working is setting your business up so it needs as little of your time as possible

 

9am to 5pm workdays are a thing of the past for remote workers

 

It's a different lifestyle altogether

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzmBG2jsRUc/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

I doubt that many remote workers are self employed, so they are tied to a system provided by their employer.

Both my sons and one DIL work from home so I know how they work, which includes lots of phone calls for the two involved in sales, and daily video conference calls for the one involved in IT.

And of course many companies are now reducing the remote days to only 2 or 3 per week, which might prove difficult on a 5 week cruise.

[Ardennais]

8 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

So they would sit in one of the lounges having conference calls with colleagues, or phone calls with their customers. Sounds far worse than having groups of oldies playing cards, and taking up table space in the coffee shop or the buffet.

Not necessarily. They could be working quietly on their laptop. Anyway, if they were on the phone, they would probably be quieter than a loud group having a chat. There are plenty of ‘dead’ spaces where you could work during the day, without impacting anyone else. 

[Ardennais]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I doubt that many remote workers are self employed, so they are tied to a system provided by their employer.

Both my sons and one DIL work from home so I know how they work, which includes lots of phone calls for the two involved in sales, and daily video conference calls for the one involved in IT.

And of course many companies are now reducing the remote days to only 2 or 3 per week, which might prove difficult on a 5 week cruise.

I work from home and will have a short team meeting once a week. No phone calls. I could work on a cruise but I like to have two screens on the go, sometimes 3 so probably wouldn’t do it. 
 

My youngest works remotely 3 days a week and goes into the office twice a week, but they’re quite relaxed about it. She sometimes goes into the office every day for a fortnight so that she can then visit her other half for the next 10 days or so. 

[Megabear2]

Lightbulb moment - perhaps P&O could employ some of these new style WFH cruisers to alleviate the staff shortages in Southampton. Cheap accommodation, food ... it sounds quite appealing, I might even apply.