any fellow cruisers out there?

[lsg59]

my family & I love cruising, finding a cruise deal and taking a cruise every year if we can.  We have had many wonderful experiences witnessing on the ships and meeting our brothers & sisters in the ports.  

[Old]

Leaving on our fourth cruise next Wednesday. 20 years back we took our first cruise. I was dermine I wouldn't like it, We had owned a cruising sized sailboat for years, that was all the cruising I needed. 

Was I surprised, I loved it. Since then we have cruised to Russia and to the Caribbean. 

Cruising in a thirty five foot sailboat you take your meals when and where you can (some were really good) Anchor where you can, often rocking waves from passing vessels as you hold on for dear life.  Then go home and rest for a day or two. I loved it, wife not so much. Once spent six hours in a full gale. Survival was the best part of that.

Cruising? Spent one whole night in hurricane Sandy. Had a good breakfast the next morning.

One word of advice if you don't know if you suffer from motion sickness get a perscription for a Transderm patch. At the worst it will make you drowsy, at best enjoy the foul weather. It will probably be the only time you will see a swimming pool empty itself in one swift rocking motion and head down the hallway.  

Cruising?  ★★★★★

[New World Explorer]

23 hours ago, lsg59 said:

my family & I love cruising, finding a cruise deal and taking a cruise every year if we can.  We have had many wonderful experiences witnessing on the ships and meeting our brothers & sisters in the ports.  

Yep, same here …similar experience with witnessing and catching up with brothers and sisters. 

Every year we cruise somewhere. 
In roughly 2 weeks, we are catching cruise from Barcelona (8th September, Oasis of the Seas) Anyone on this cruise from this forum? 
 

[Tortuga]

We used to cruise a lot, we have been to New England, Alaska, Hawaii, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Trans-Canal several times.

Our last cruise was in 2018 down the Mississippi on a steamboat from Memphis to New Orleans.

[MullumMiss]

I’ve only been on 2 cruises.  Not really my cup of tea because I suffer from motion sickness.  When I was a child we traveled regularly between the North and South Island of NZ by boat.  The trip was often rough and I never got sick.  In fact on one trip we were travelling from South to North for convention and lots of brothers on board.  It was so rough lots were sick (physically) while my sister and I merrily ate  and were fine.  My cruises were a short food/wine cruise just out from Brisbane for 3 days then 2nd to Noumea for 9 days.  There were around 50 brothers on board.  We prefer road trips and done a few here in Australia, USA and Britain.  Did train trip through Europe.  

[lsg59]

6 hours ago, JWT said:

 

I really like cruising. Do not go every year...but like to travel so try to fit in a cruise now and then. Have seen the carts in quite a few places too. What type of cruises do you typically take?

We have been to the caribbean, europe, new zealand, australia, reposition cruises are our favorite.  But we keep service to jehovah first and count the cost and I am always looking for sales and deals

 

[computerwiz]

On 8/17/2024 at 3:19 PM, lsg59 said:

my family & I love cruising, finding a cruise deal and taking a cruise every year if we can.  We have had many wonderful experiences witnessing on the ships and meeting our brothers & sisters in the ports.  

 

We try to go once a year.  We've been on 11 thus far.  

[Fallbrookian]

On 8/17/2024 at 1:19 PM, lsg59 said:

my family & I love cruising, finding a cruise deal and taking a cruise every year if we can.  We have had many wonderful experiences witnessing on the ships and meeting our brothers & sisters in the ports.  

We like cruising also and look for good deals. Living where we do there are 3 cruise ports near us, San Diego, Long Beach, and San Pedro, California, so we are able to drive and park or take the train. Even though we have done the Mexican Riviera a number of times, just being on the ship is nice so we don't always get off at ports we have seen before.  I enjoyed the Panama canal cruise and especially remember being in Cartagena, Columbia seeing 2 sisters doing cart work in front of the "Palace of the Inquisition" where people used to be tortured and killed if they did not go along with being catholic or suspected to be witches. The JW number in Columbia is now 1 to 279! 

[New World Explorer]

1 hour ago, Fallbrookian said:

Even though we have done the Mexican Riviera a number of times, just being on the ship is nice so we don't always get off at ports we have seen before

Yes 👍 I am the same .. almost all cruises to the Pacific area pass through capital of New Caledonia.. sometimes it’s just better to stay on the ship and enjoy facilities, or book tour that omits the city .. last time we have booked a tour to a private island 🏝️ which was excellent for snorkeling (I chased a turtle 🐢 under water and he was coming back to play with me… or perhaps he was playing with me? LOL 😂) 

[Tortuga]

13 minutes ago, New World Explorer said:

(I chased a turtle 🐢 under water and he was coming back to play with me… or perhaps he was playing with me? LOL 😂) 

I'll never tell...

[Jake]

I wish! I live in Hawaii so all the cruises from here are huge expenses for someone like me.

 

But if you have cheap suggestions please let me know! I've never set foot on a ship before and I'd like to one day

[New World Explorer]

Cruises are getting greedy…. On my last cruise I had to deal and monitor every charge as they were not honest about it. 
Example… ordered 2 glasses of wine .. charged for the whole bottle 

Ordered cocktail … the price was advertised… got charged $4 more than advertised. 
Promised by the crew member who manages booking for paid restaurants to receive 20% off if we book. Charged full price afterwards. 
Excursions were rushed and not good value for money … 

I think I am done with cruises for a while …. and do more independent travelling…. 
(we have done independent travel to Switzerland before cruise and loved it) 

My interest in future cruise is nearing zero. 

[computerwiz]

8 hours ago, New World Explorer said:

Cruises are getting greedy…. On my last cruise I had to deal and monitor every charge as they were not honest about it. 
Example… ordered 2 glasses of wine .. charged for the whole bottle 

Ordered cocktail … the price was advertised… got charged $4 more than advertised. 
Promised by the crew member who manages booking for paid restaurants to receive 20% off if we book. Charged full price afterwards. 
Excursions were rushed and not good value for money … 

I think I am done with cruises for a while …. and do more independent travelling…. 
(we have done independent travel to Switzerland before cruise and loved it) 

My interest in future cruise is nearing zero. 

 

Which cruise line did you go with?

[New World Explorer]

4 hours ago, computerwiz said:

 

Which cruise line did you go with?

Royal Caribbean on Oasis of the Seas 

[computerwiz]

1 minute ago, New World Explorer said:

Royal Caribbean on Oasis of the Seas 

 

Hmm, never had bad experiences like that with Royal.  Perhaps it's that specific ship or the port of sail?  🤷‍♂️

 

Dunno, but we went on 2 in the last year.  Both good.  Plan on getting on another sometime next year....

[New World Explorer]

Just now, computerwiz said:

 

Hmm, never had bad experiences like that with Royal.  Perhaps it's that specific ship or the port of sail?  🤷‍♂️

 

Dunno, but we went on 2 in the last year.  Both good.  Plan on getting on another sometime next year....

Every ship is different… this is the first time we both (my wife also) concluded that experience was not the best … and in same cases as I stated before.. simply unacceptable. Left me with the feeling of saying “good bye” for cruising. One positive aspect is that shows on board were excellent and cabins were comfortable… 

[Cool.As.Ice]

I used to work for Princess Cruises here in Alaska, as a Luggage Truck Driver. Exciting job, going from the lodges near Denali down to the ports on the south coast. Many of my coworkers were on J-1 visas from Eastern Europe and other places, you meet all kinds of people.

 

I caught a break and was allowed to have lunch on a cruise ship that was docked at port after I dropped off the luggage.

 

Never had an experience like it before, the place is like a floating city, and the food was out of this world! Moneywise, it’s waaay out of my league, but I was grateful for the experience 😊 

[Jwanon]

On 9/18/2024 at 8:38 AM, Cool.As.Ice said:

I used to work for Princess Cruises here in Alaska, as a Luggage Truck Driver. Exciting job, going from the lodges near Denali down to the ports on the south coast. Many of my coworkers were on J-1 visas from Eastern Europe and other places, you meet all kinds of people.

 

I caught a break and was allowed to have lunch on a cruise ship that was docked at port after I dropped off the luggage.

 

Never had an experience like it before, the place is like a floating city, and the food was out of this world! Moneywise, it’s waaay out of my league, but I was grateful for the experience 😊 

 

Sounds like a great job

[onBoard17]

We're going on the Royal Carribean "Icon" in a few weeks, looking forward to getting away.