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It's a form of transportation, which I happen to prefer to a bus, car or train. The best cruise we took was a river cruise along the Rhine. We stopped in a new town every morning, & had a guided tour of that city, then the afternoon we could walk the area ourselves. As we sailed in the evenings, we were treated to beautiful views along the river.
I also enjoy Ocean cruises, but I love the water.
If we had to explore the parts of Europe, we saw on the river trip, we would have been packing & unpacking every day, in different hotels. the cruise made it so much easier.
We've taken several cruises and like the fact that you can visit different places everyday. We spent very little time on the ship and went to see the stage acts at night. Never wasted time in the bars or around the pool. Most of the ships we were on had less than 1000 guests and the smaller ones were the best. In those days, people dressed up for dinner and the Captain's party. Our last ocean cruise had about 1200 guests and people were dressed casually and it just didn't seem like you were on a luxury vacation. There were lots of kids and at dinner you just sat anywhere instead of having an assigned table where you ate with the same group every night and got to know each other. That ended ocean cruises for us. A few years ago we took a river cruise on the Danube from Passau, Germany to Budapest, only 120 guests on board and it was a wonderful experience. Great food and nice people.
This part is a big deal to me, especially as I get older and my travel is to more remote areas. I know that once I get on board, any problems with scheduling are theirs to resolve, not mine. I take small ship cruises (under 100 passengers), very focused on nature.
Same here. OP, cruises can get you to places you simply can't reach any other way (such as Antarctica, or remote islands in the South Pacific, or out to the middle of the ocean to watch a total solar eclipse). And nature-focused cruises can be very active! It's not always hanging out on the boat drinking pina coladas.
I loved my small-ship cruses in Alaska and Galapagos, and am strongly considering taking one through the Amazon River Basin next year. Small ships with nature-heavy or port-heavy itineraries are my thing, not the huge floating hotels/shopping malls (but those can be the right choice for some people, especially families, as they offer activities suitable to all age groups).
This part is a big deal to me, especially as I get older and my travel is to more remote areas. I know that once I get on board, any problems with scheduling are theirs to resolve, not mine. I take small ship cruises (under 100 passengers), very focused on nature. We don't go near any ports where you can buy tanzanite! The company I take also gets to more remote areas because the ships are small. In Manuel Antonio National park in Costa Rica, you ordinarily have to wait in long lines to get in because they restrict the number of people in the park at one time. Our group was permitted to enter via "water landing"- just get out of the skiffs and start enjoying.
No interest at all in the floating shopping mall cruises.
We went on a Viking Ocean cruise in October 2019 and they didn't have the typical sales stuff on board. No photo stuff or jewelry sales. No casinos either. It was a small ship by cruise ship standards. Cleanest vessel I've ever been on. I prefer the Mediterranean cruises over the Caribbean ones.
It's a form of transportation, which I happen to prefer to a bus, car or train.
in all fairness though a bus or a train can't travel over the ocean. I get the idea of being on a boat and going out to sea as a fun thing.
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The best cruise we took was a river cruise along the Rhine. We stopped in a new town every morning, & had a guided tour of that city, then the afternoon we could walk the area ourselves. As we sailed in the evenings, we were treated to beautiful views along the river.
now that's a different story. I remember going on a riverboat in the United States. It had been running since like 1904 and it was mostly a casino but I don't Gamble. So I enjoyed the history getting to see the river from that point of view was cool too.
But it only lasted a day I didn't have to spend the night on that thing. I could probably do a day Cruise
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I also enjoy Ocean cruises, but I love the water.
If we had to explore the parts of Europe, we saw on the river trip, we would have been packing & unpacking every day, in different hotels. the cruise made it so much easier.
I don't know if I would want to stay on a riverboat.
in all fairness though a bus or a train can't travel over the ocean. I get the idea of being on a boat and going out to sea as a fun thing.
now that's a different story. I remember going on a riverboat in the United States. It had been running since like 1904 and it was mostly a casino but I don't Gamble. So I enjoyed the history getting to see the river from that point of view was cool too.
But it only lasted a day I didn't have to spend the night on that thing. I could probably do a day Cruise
I don't know if I would want to stay on a riverboat.
well, if you have no interest on being on a boat, then why even ask. The river cruise boats are very nice, & custom built. All cabins have windows. I loved seeing swans & ducks along the way too.
well, if you have no interest on being on a boat, then why even ask. The river cruise boats are very nice, & custom built. All cabins have windows. I loved seeing swans & ducks along the way too.
Because I don't know. I can't gage my interest because I've never done it before.
So what I do is I ask people who have had the experience. Then I decide whether or not I want to do it.
Nothing better than traveling to new places ! As Mark Twain said ; " “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." To me, part of the fun of travel is not knowing exactly what will happen.
Nothing better than traveling to new places ! As Mark Twain said ; " “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." To me, part of the fun of travel is not knowing exactly what will happen.
Well yeah I understand traveling to different places and meeting new cultures, that's the part of travel I really like.
I'm just not sure about the boat part.
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The company I take also gets to more remote areas because the ships are small. In Manuel Antonio National park in Costa Rica, you ordinarily have to wait in long lines to get in because they restrict the number of people in the park at one time. Our group was permitted to enter via "water landing"- just get out of the skiffs and start enjoying.
