short cruises vs. long (1 week or more)

[MISSSNOOPYGIRL]

I have always taken week long cruises and can't imagine taking one shorter than that because it is depressing enough getting off after 7 days, I can't even imagine how quickly only 3 or 4 days would go by.

 

So to put it bluntly, do these cheaper, shorter cruises tend to draw more of a riff raft following? No insults to anyone that takes them, but it just seems like it would be loaded with drunken college kids.

[KatSt]

I have always taken week long cruises and can't imagine taking one shorter than that because it is depressing enough getting off after 7 days, I can't even imagine how quickly only 3 or 4 days would go by.

 

So to put it bluntly, do these cheaper, shorter cruises tend to draw more of a riff raft following? No insults to anyone that takes them, but it just seems like it would be loaded with drunken college kids.

My DH and I always felt the same way about shorter cruises. We ended up taking a 4 night a few weeks ago and had a blast. There was actually an older crowd on the Elation, not a younger one. We knew getting on that we would only be there for 4 days and ended up really enjoying ourselves.

[HokiePoq]

Interesting topic! It would be hard for me to get off after only 3 or 4 days as well. I have thought that if we lived near a port in FLA or CA, I'd give them a try. The few that go out of Norfolk seem to cost more than would be worth it for such a short time.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Not riff raff so much as a younger crowd. I did an Imagination 4 day last year, and it was almost all mid 20s-early 30s. It was a blast! And, if you go in with the right mindset (a quick getaway), getting off after 4 days isn't so bad. That said, due to the airfare, the scheduling of the shorter cruises (I need to take 4 days off for a 4 day, so why not take the 5th day and do a 7 day), I plan on doing 7 days in the future.

[Tapi]

I have always taken week long cruises and can't imagine taking one shorter than that because it is depressing enough getting off after 7 days, I can't even imagine how quickly only 3 or 4 days would go by.

 

So to put it bluntly, do these cheaper, shorter cruises tend to draw more of a riff raft following? No insults to anyone that takes them, but it just seems like it would be loaded with drunken college kids.

 

More than the length of the cruise, I think that time of the year, cruise rates, and port of embarkation will determine the composition of your fellow passengers.

 

I have met some of the nicest, most courteous and polite fellow passengers on 4 night cruises, and at the same time I've met some of the rudest, trashiest, worst behaved passengers on short cruises as well.

 

One thing that I did notice is that on the shorter cruises people tend to party and stay up longer (I guess to maximize their shorter vacation). On the longer cruises people tend to relax more

[Kurbanfan]

I compare a 3 day cruise to a 3 day trip to Vegas. Fun, fast, and Partae!!!

[dec2007w3boys]

To add the cost of airfare to the cruise, we might as well go for 7 or 8 days. Now if I lived in driving distance of a port, I would try them all!:D

[cookingchick]

I have always taken week long cruises and can't imagine taking one shorter than that because it is depressing enough getting off after 7 days, I can't even imagine how quickly only 3 or 4 days would go by.

 

So to put it bluntly, do these cheaper, shorter cruises tend to draw more of a riff raft following? No insults to anyone that takes them, but it just seems like it would be loaded with drunken college kids.

 

Our first cruise on the Holiday last year was a 5 day...during Spring Break...with a bunch of Auburn students. Yes, some of them DID get drunk and a couple of times we heard them in the hall late at night. But, overall, they were the most well mannered, polite, and respectful bunch of kids we've ever encountered on a vacation and I'd be honored to cruise with them again anytime.

 

We look at it as a long weekend...not really a vacation. Since we live in the Holiday homeport, it's an easy, cheap escape.

[ROCruiser]

Our first two cruises were less than 7 days to get a taste of how cruising is like. From then on they have to be 7 days or more. The 16-day Panama sailing was a blast!

[Stircrzy]

I used to think the longer the better, but now that I've moved to the country and have animals to tend to, the 4 nighters are about all I have time to do...and I can do them about every other month or two. I've only had one 4 nighter that caused me pain. I will never do a 4 nighter over a holiday weekend again. Too many kids running around the ship all hours of the night...don't know where their parents were. I live an hour from the Port of Galveston, so I love being able to jump in the car and get there quickly! If I had to fly, I'd probably do fewer and longer cruises.

[vijoge]

I have always taken week long cruises and can't imagine taking one shorter than that because it is depressing enough getting off after 7 days, I can't even imagine how quickly only 3 or 4 days would go by.

 

So to put it bluntly, do these cheaper, shorter cruises tend to draw more of a riff raft following? No insults to anyone that takes them, but it just seems like it would be loaded with drunken college kids.

 

Not really. There's a lot of riff raff that like 7 day cruises, too.:rolleyes:

[AZaTaz]

Why would you assume riff-raff on a shorter cruise.

Anyway to answer your question we like our 4-5 day cruise. We do 3-4 of them in between our 14-20 day cruises. We have two ports in California we can drive to so airfare is not an issue. Maybe the difference is cruising the Caribbean which we have not done except as the end of our Panama Cruise. I find reading these boards that the people that only cruise the Caribbean have a very different experience than I do.

[kooljamming]

I have always taken week long cruises and can't imagine taking one shorter than that because it is depressing enough getting off after 7 days, I can't even imagine how quickly only 3 or 4 days would go by.

 

So to put it bluntly, do these cheaper, shorter cruises tend to draw more of a riff raft following? No insults to anyone that takes them, but it just seems like it would be loaded with drunken college kids.

 

Why riff raft.....because these people can't afford a longer trip. )-:

Well any kind of cruise is better than no cruise at all. We drive to the port so 3 days, fun get away only having to take one day off work. It's a great way to reconnect and relax. We will take the kids for Spring Break in April which worked out more EXPENSIVE than the longer one we took in Novemeber but the weather will be better. It's not about riff raff or even cost but time and oppertunity.

[Sirwinston]

Hello all:

I have taken a one day cruise (yeah really) 2 day (Regal Empress), 3 day (old Sun Princess, Holiday, QM2). 4 day ( Monarch of the Seas, Paradise, Elation), 5 day (QE2), 6 day (QE2 atlantic crossing) 7 day (Norway, and upcoming Carnival Pride) 8 day ( QM2 and old S.S. Rotterdam) 11 day ( QM2 Hawaii 1996) 13 day ( Rotterdam again) 15 day SS Rembrandt.... So there

But I really really like the 4 day... 3 days seems too short and too party hardy. Plus my bar bill does not give me a heart attack on a 4 day cruise. I like the longer ones too but a short cruise can be like a small really rich desert, just right.... Especially as some have noted that you do not have to fly to the ship... But I have flown long distance for a two day and a 5 day....

 

All for now, Tom in Long Beach

[Sirwinston]

Also on a "shorty" I can afford an nicer room.. Hello Cat 11 and 12.....

Also I have to admit although I am now 44 soon to be 45 I kind of enjoy a younger crowd. Once you go over the magical 7 day mark it seems like you really are traveling with the mobility chair and oxigen tank set (bless their hearts ) :D I have encountered some very nice people on short cruises. ( and some nice and also some miserable ones on longer cruises) It is also nice if my kid actually has someone to play with...

 

There I have said my peace. I have 15 cruises under my belt... That is a lot to some and just getting started to others... LOL :rolleyes:

 

Tom in Long Beach

[Frank12]

Living in central FL puts us within a 4 hour drive from 5 different cruise ports. The options are unlimited!

 

Those short 3 and 4 day cruises break up the long drought between week-long ones. Plus if you plan them over a weekend, it requires little use of your vacation time. I love them.

[beach410]

We are a middle class professional couple with 3 boys, one in college, I don't consider us riff raf and our fellow passengers were very much like us, there were some younger party people, but they certainly werent the majority and didnt bother us one bit.

 

Right now all we can budget for is the 4-5 day cruises and with the shorter cruises, we can cruise more often. We have only taken one 3 day and it was way too short, but if I lived close to a port its a valuable way to take a short break.

 

I look forward to the day, my DH agrees to spend more on a 7 day, next year is our 20th anniversary and I am going to try to hit him up for it, however, I want to sail the Inspiration because we really enjoyed the upgrades on the Imagination and we want the boys to experience the new water park area. We have enjoyed our cruises tremendously, but they do go by quickly and I do hate when they are over!

[dotshub]

We have been mostly on 7 day cruises too, but this year we went on the Fascination and the sensation, both 3 days, early January and early February. It was just a very nice restful long weekend thing, booked at last minute, inside cheap rates. You almost have to live here in Florida tho to do that, we just drive to the ports.

Loved both cruises. Partly did them to make platinum...woohoo!

[MISSSNOOPYGIRL]

Once you go over the magical 7 day mark it seems like you really are traveling with the mobility chair and oxigen tank set (bless their hearts ) :D

 

 

I never considered that! Funny!

[Kevin Hort]

My wife and I are veteran cruisers like many of you and I have never taken a cruise shorter than 7 days. In fact, they have all been 7 days except for one 10 day trip. The longer, the better for me. Ever since we did our 10 day trip a few years ago I have been itching to to do another one of that length.

 

Having said that, my wife and some of her friends just got back from a 4 night trip out of Florida. She said it was fun but it was way too short. Of course, we live in Michigan so flying to a cruise port for a short trip is hardly worth it. By the time we factor in travel time and air cost, it needs to be at least 7 days.

 

As for the cast on the 4 day trip, my wife did say that it was more like a 20's and 30's crowd, but she said there were really no trouble makers (no more than usual! ;) ) and they all had a good time. It left her wanting for more, though.

 

I would say that if we lived in Florida or someplace close to a good cruise port we would probably consider the shorter cruises more often just for a brief getaway.

[vijoge]

Don't assume that people who take a shorter cruise do it because they can't afford more. Our 5 night cruise is one of 6 vacations we're taking this year. We're also spending 2 nights pre-cruise and one night post cruise in our port city, whic is a lot more expensive than 3 additional cruise nights.

 

On another note, don't assume that people who don't have a lot of money (and therefore take shorter vacations) are riff raff. I thought that whole initial comment was terrible insulting.

[CorbinCatFan]

Our first three were 4 day cruises. Our first cruise was just myself and my DW. We were young with not too much money. My parents had gone on a cruise a few years before and the stories my Dad would tell. I had to go on a cruise. This four day was just about the max we could have afforded.

 

Our next four day cruise fit in with other plans we had. We had to take our two DD's to a gymnastics championship at the end of the week in Orlando and the first four days on a cruise fit this schedule. It was there first cruise and was just long enough to see how they would like cruising.

 

The next cruise was a follow up to the previous with our DD's. As I wanted to do everything all the time on the cruise, they took it much more laid back. I just couldn't stand seeing them in the cabin watching TV.

 

We then decided to go on our first seven day over Christmas. What we found was the longer cruise was much more relaxed. We loved the extra days.

 

We now prefer seven days but are planning some 4 to 5 days in the future as it would fit into our schedule. I wouldn't get hung up on the number of days in a cruise. I would just try to see how the cruise fits into your schedule. Someday, I how I can get enough time off from work for a Med Cruise. I figure, I will need at least a two week period to make a seven day. :cool:

 

We just love cruising.

[trock]

Why riff raft.....because these people can't afford a longer trip. )-:

Well any kind of cruise is better than no cruise at all. We drive to the port so 3 days, fun get away only having to take one day off work. It's a great way to reconnect and relax. We will take the kids for Spring Break in April which worked out more EXPENSIVE than the longer one we took in Novemeber but the weather will be better. It's not about riff raff or even cost but time and oppertunity.

 

 

People that can not afford a 7 day cruise are riff raft?: Is that what you are saying?? i really dont think you meant that the way it sounded -at least i hope not.

Remember the higher end cruisers think all Carnival people are Rift Raft..

[trock]

Why riff raft.....because these people can't afford a longer trip. )-:

Well any kind of cruise is better than no cruise at all. We drive to the port so 3 days, fun get away only having to take one day off work. It's a great way to reconnect and relax. We will take the kids for Spring Break in April which worked out more EXPENSIVE than the longer one we took in Novemeber but the weather will be better. It's not about riff raff or even cost but time and oppertunity.

 

 

People that can not afford a 7 day cruise are riff raft?: Is that what you are saying?? i really dont think you meant that the way it sounded -at least i hope not.

Remember the higher end cruisers think all Carnival people are Rift Raft..

[thistoo]

My father is the only minister in a small church in central Florida, so it's hard for him to get a Sunday morning off. Therefore, the four day cruises from Port Canaveral are perfect for his schedule. I can fly from Knoxville to Sanford, FL cheaply on Allegiant, spend a couple days visiting my folks, then after church on Sunday one of their friends drops us at the port (about 20 minutes up the road). We're on board by lunch time, we have a nice vacation, and we're back in time for Dad to write his Sunday sermon. :)

 

Plus, I get a decent visit with my parents AND a cruise without taking more than a week off of work. Can't beat that!

 

That said, my next cruise will be a seven day. I'll be leaving Dad at home for that one.