Would you consider......

[prescottbob]

Ahoy!

 

For us the sea and the ship is the destination. I agree getting off now and then is fine but if I had my perfect itinerary it would read (regardless of portion of the world we're cruisinig): 3-4 sea days, 1-2 ports, 2-3 sea days, 1-2 ports, 3-4 sea days, 1-2 ports, etc. ending with at least 4 sea days prior to disembarking to prepare ourselves to re-enter the 'reality zone'.

 

Bon Voyage and Good Health!

Bob (currently in 'leisure casual' sipping my first libation of the day):)

[Marmarjudy]

My sister and I did a 7 night Caribbean cruise and were off the ship a total of 1 hour. It was wonderful. We had been to the ports before, many times, and she was recovering from unexpected surgery a week before the cruise.

 

My husband and I will cruise to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica in November. We have already talked about not leaving the ship...been there, done that, over and over.

 

The perfect cruise (for me) is upcoming for us: a 6 night transatlantic crossing on the QM2 next June..no option to leave the ship! Heaven, and a dream come true (for me.) My husband is coming along for the ride :-)

 

Judy

[RuthC]

For me, the ship is the destination, so never leaving the ship would be fine with me. :) I've taken two cruises to nowhere, and have gone as long as eight days between ports.

However, I do take those exotic itineraries off the beaten path, so I usually do leave the ship. I don't feel the need to leave, though, if I've been to the port before. For example, I've been to Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands, so many times I think I could lead the tours! :D I didn't get off when I was there in July, and might not when I'm there (again :rolleyes: ) next July.

[bepsf]

With my knee injury just prior to the Noordam inaugural, I had a fairly difficult time getting around - disembarked the ship only twice in 10 days.

 

Staying aboard in Tortola, St Thomas and San Juan didn't bother me in the slightest.

[alonzo14]

:cool: For me I like a combination of sea days and port days. If I don't like a port or have been to one several times I like to stay on the ship. I can go with as many as three days in a row. The ideal 7 day cruise is three sea days. However most 7 day cruises are now only two sea days. I like to pick new ports whenever possible. I like to have at least one sea day between each port so I can relax and get ready for another port day. I like to have time on the ship also.We've only been able to take one 11 day cruise.

[Boytjie]

I would love to go on a cruise where there is no stops.

 

It's called a Trans Atlantic. :D

 

Do a B2B and you have 12 days at sea and one port call.

[Boytjie]

Without the sea days you don't get to enjoy the ship so much. But I also love visiting places so I will most likely get off the ship at every port, unless it is place I really, really don't want to visit.

[Palms2Pines2Sea]

Great thread, with so many interesting and diverse replies.

For me, it is the rhythm of the ship, and the rhythm of shipboard life, that I long for when I think about my next adventure at sea. We work long, hard hours at home, and relish the escapism provided by days at sea. Somehow, most ports of call seem to jolt us back to a sort of "reality" that we went on vacation to get away from: Crowds, traffic, cash, shopping, etc.

Come to think of it, the water has always represented "vacation" to me. I'm always happy just staring at the sea!

[jhannah]

I love seeing new places. So I like to get off the ship. But if it's someplace like Nassau, I'll just stay onboard.

[Sundagger]

I go primarily for the ship - I love the Caribbean, but I hate how some of the ports are far too crowded - I also hate hot, humid weather and beaches, so I spend a couple of hours in some favorite ports and the rest of the time enjoying the ship. A little pampering is important to an old single guy and HAL does it SO well.:D

 

I've only been to Alaska once, so I'd probably go onshore a little more there - it's usually cool. I'd rather have a land vacation in the New England/Eastern Canada area, but I yearn for the Baltic. Some day.:o

[sapper1]

I like to stay on board during the Half Moon Cay stop as we are not beach people and the pool area on the ship is not crowded on those days.

There is no problem getting a chair and the pool is not too busy.

 

In other ports if there is something we really want to see we take a shore excursion. Otherwise, we may go ashore and walk around a bit but are usually turned off by the overly aggressive merchants. I am a person who, if left to browse, will often buy something, but if I am hounded to death I will just walk away. I feel there must be others who react the same way to the constant "in your face" selling tactics.

[lkmamom]

Very interesting thread KK! We have discussed this many times in our family. I LOVE sea days. The others in our family feel that the ports are very important, and are not really fond of sea days. I take the word relaxation to it's fullest meaning when I cruise:) so yes, I could definately stay onboard if it were a ship that I loved.

Linda

[GmaPajama]

On our very first cruise we booked a shore excursion at every port. One hectic cruise like that was enough - it took us two years to recover and try cruising again! We often stay behind now - and love the serenity of a nearly empty ship. We'll still do a tour every now and then, but mostly like to either wander around on our own or just enjoy the ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our first cruises were back-to-back and there were 12 ports in 14 days. We had been to only 2 of the ports - rest were new to us. At every port we took a tour. We were working then. And when we got home we were ready to go on another vacation - just to relax!! But alas we couldn't do that as all our vacation time was up.

[Susie51]

In Nov. DH will be in the Carib. for the first time. I am getting off the ship with him at each port. I know he will hate ST. Thomas because RCCL Freedom of the Seas and Queen Mary 2 will be in port while we are there. It should be very crowded that day!!!

 

When I am in new ports, I get off of the ship even if I have to stand in a long tender line.

 

In Jan., I'll only get off at Key West, because I have not been there. Sea days are great. I would love to do a round trip cruise to Hawaii. When I cruised there, I sailed going and flew home.

[NYCBeach]

Would you consider spending all your cruise time on the ship?

 

OR are you one of those people that HAVE to go ashore?

 

The funny thing is I am sailing on Zuiderdam 10/27/07 and the more I read/research/hear, the more I think there are terrific advantages to skipping going ashore. Grand Turk is a stop in point--little to see and the recommendation is for a Margaritaville with pool and beach practically next to the ship which has about zero appeal. Next up Tortola where I do plan to get on a sailboat. Then St. Thomas where I am having high anxiety about getting to and from my day sail and concerns about getting back to the ship on a non-HAL day trip. And finally Half Moon Cay which is basically a beach. Meanwhile back on the ship the Lido's deserted, the sand doesn't get in your food, the menu's more diverse and the spa's half price. I'm beginning to wonder whether I have to get off the ship at two out of four ports! LOL>

[Orcrone]

Intersting question for me KK.

 

For my next cruise I'm joining my family. I've been to each of the ports (Nassau, St. Thomas & St. Maarten) before. Already pretty sure I won't get off in Nassau. We're one of 5 or 6 ships in St. Thomas, so good chance it will be a ship day for me there. So on a 7 night cruise I'll probably only get off the ship one or two days at most.

[ANSalberg]

Would you consider spending all your cruise time on the ship?

OR are you one of those people that HAVE to go ashore?

 

 

If curiosity killed the cat- I'd have been dead long ago; I LOVE many of the ports -and a few were unexpected delights [ Mumbai, India -Phu Mai, Vietnam - Semareng, Indonesia] My DH has to be DRAGGED bodily off the ship; BUT that's what cruising is all about; the choice to do as you please- WHERE you please! I've decided I want the job [ at HAL] of going to visit all the "new" possibilities......

Anne

[Jade13]

The intinerary is usually the destination for me but DH prefers the ship. Our next cruise is a short Carribean and the ship is the destination. In fact, there is only one port outside the US which is Grand Cayman. I am looking forward to that port (since I have not been there), but other than that the ship will def be the destination on our next trip.

[Dena]

For me the ocean is the destination. Before I discovered cruising, I thought I was a beach person - even though I had to wear 50 SPF, stay under an umbrella, and spend no more than 40 min in the water (longer than that, and I'd burn).

 

So, one day while sitting on the promenade deck looking at the ocean, I realized how much better this was than going to a beach. And I could still take a midnight swim in the pool later if I really wanted to get wet (this was on Princess, I don't think HAL pools are open that late).

 

I would be happy to go on a cruise with all sea days. We often stay onboard while in port, but this is not as nice as being moving while at sea, especially in hot an muggy climates.

 

Sometimes I've heard people say that they won't book a balcony on certain itineraries because there is nothing to look at but the open ocean. For me, this the ideal view.

[MrsMuir]

Dena, you must be my alter ego. I agree, there's nothing like lolling on the verandah, looking out at the sea. The best days are at sea. Having said that, DH and I booked the Black Sea/Egypt cruise next year mainly because of the Port of Alexandria, gateway to the Pyramids. Seeing them, if only for a couple of hours, will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

 

So I guess that we choose for itinerary first, and then for the number of sea days; avoiding port-intensive cruises whenever there's a choice.

 

Prescottbob, if you happen to read this, I want to say that your posts are always so upbeat, and I look forward to your "Ahoy's!" DH and I are considering moving to Prescott AZ in the next few years. Would you mind exchanging email addresses? Mine's lismore@comcast.net.

 

Mrs Muir

[prescottbob]

Ahoy!

 

Anything for a lady. However I do keep my 'incoming filter' up and running to cast the typical internet detritus (e.g., off-shore solicitations, ***** promoters and, oddly enough, HAL promotions) into the cyber trash can. I have noted your email address. My email : juboltd@msn.com

 

Speaking of which I believe "Mrs Muir" was an 'olddie but goodie' late '40 cinema vechicle for Gene Tierney and Rex 'the rain falls in Spain' Harrison. He played some sort of ghostly captain if I recall involved in some sort of love triangle. Correct me if I'm wrong. Any association to your CC name?

 

In any event, may your next nautical sojorn be a GREAT ONE!

 

Bon Voyage and Good Health!

 

Bob (another 50 minutes here at work until 1600 and then home, change to 'sloppy casual' and a TGIF libation!).:)

[earl_m]

When I am looking to book a cruise, I look at the ship first. the size, what it has to offer and how many sea days there are. if there are too many port stops, I might look at another cruise.

[agabbymama]

earl_m

That's funny, your view of the ship vs the port is the exact total opposite of what I do. I look at the ports first, could care less about the ship.

The ship is just to get me to the destination as easily as possible.

 

For Greece and Italy next year, I had a difficult time finding a ship that did Rome, Venice, Athens, and the Greek Isles. So when I found the Princess Grand with the itinerary I wanted I booked the cruise. Then I found out the Grand is 110,000 tons. I haven't been on a ship that large before. Hope it isn't a mistake.

 

I loved the "old" HAL Noordam at 55,000 tons and the Empress of the Seas was a smaller ship too. Constellation and Zuiderdam are the largest at 90,000 tons that I have been on.

 

But really liked the Rome, Monte Carlo, Livorno, Naples, Santorini, Kusadasi, Mykonos, Athens, Olympia, Corfu and Venice itinerary. So to get to those ports, I will suffer with the huge cruise ship. We only have 1 day at sea.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I have often said that if they put a ship in the middle of the ocean for 2 weeks, I'd be on it:) .... at least if we're talking about the Caribbean. There are many other places we might cruise in the world that I definitely want to go ashore.

 

But like several others who have posted, I cruise to be at sea. If we dock, we go ashore. If we tender, unless it's a very special place, I stay on the ship.

 

I choose itineraries by the number of sea days.