Grahamburn
Footballguy
Buy a yacht. Peons.
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Couple lives on cruise ships (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tom Servo
- Start date
Zegras11
Footballguy
We did the Viking river cruise four years ago. It was like 22 days. It was incredible. There were only like 190 on the ship. Excellent in every way
ghostguy123
Footballguy
Can someone point me in the direction of a cruise (no more than a week) where there aren't a million people on board? No kids either
PhillipPhoto
Footballguy
Adult only cruises are called swinger cruises. It's one of those weird terms in the cruise industry. Try googling that, have fun!
Tom Servo
Nittany Beavers
“I don’t like to brag about my expensive trips, but I just got back from the gas station.”
Tom Servo
Nittany Beavers
ghostguy123
Footballguy
Scoresman
Footballguy
This is just not true. Cruise ships are packed with people in incredible close proximity which are ideal circumstances for things like norovirus to spread. I'm not packed into a restaurant or bar like that for days on end like on a cruise. As for land resorts, they are much more spread out than cruises.
https://www.livescience.com/32852-are-cruise-ships-a-health-risk.html
Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
Have you been on a cruise before? If so, I'm not sure what the size of the ship you chose, but the ones that I am familiar with, they're not "packed with people in incredible close proximity" any more than a line for a ride at Disneyworld or a resort in Las Vegas.
I'm not trying to win anyone over here, I'm just trying to bring a counterpoint to the "petri dish" comments. That's the most overused media term and is quite frankly, lazy reporting. Do people on cruise ships transmit COVID any more than anywhere else? Nope. Do most cruise lines require vaccination and testing prior to getting on a ship? Yes. Can you say that about any other vacation destination? Certainly not.
The Z Machine
Footballguy
My father and his wife have done one and will do another in the fall. He really liked it. The ships are small but nicely appointed. Really only use the boat for sleeping and spend your waking time in land. Plus since there's like 10% of the population on those ships compared to the ocean cruise ships, it's easy faster to board and disembark.
Personally, I'd rather do this sort of thing on train...
brun
Footballguy
I've limited cruise experience but I perceive the risk on a cruise ship to be pretty much the same as big resorts like MGM Grand, Ceasars, etc. The main difference for me is when you go outside you're traveling even while sitting in a lounge chair at the pool.
I believe you're more at risk on the plane flying to/from the port, Vegas, Disney, etc.
I believe you're more at risk on the plane flying to/from the port, Vegas, Disney, etc.
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Joe Mammy
Footballguy
These days you must do the "cruise within the cruise". We like Celebrity now so we get a Retreat cabin. We used to sail on NCL and made it to platinum, there you must sail in the Haven. We had a suite on the Getaway that was a rear aft corner and was 980sf- our first house in Hollywood, FL was a little smaller!
Each of these come with larger cabins, balconies and access to private lounges and restaurants. You are also first on and first off and get private sections to watch the shows.
We used to sail about twice a year as we can easily drive to FL ports in Port Canaveral, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. We booked 3 cruises in the last 3 years and cancelled all of the them. We have another booked for this Dec on the new Celebrity Apex. We still have a month or two to cancel if we chicken out (again).
Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
Sailed in the Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line with my family a couple of weeks ago (two-bedroom Family Villa) and it was fantastic. Going to be difficult to “downgrade” to a balcony the next time. And miraculously, we came away without Covid or Norovirus! Amazing!
Joe Mammy
Footballguy
It's the only way to roll at sea. My first cruise was an interior 4 nighter out of Miami and I absolutely hated it. Then a few years later my wife talked me into trying a balcony. What a diff! Then once we tried a suite I knew I had found my way.
I could live on a cruise ship easily. Gym. Pickleball on board. Restaurants. Bars. No driving. Exotic destinations. Room cleaned daily. Tranquility if desired. I actually prefer sea days. We both read alot. Nightly shows and music choices. Trivia. Our last butler was named "Godfrey", what a gem.
NutterButter
Footballguy
I think the balcony is a must have. I really put a lot of thought into all phases of my future life and I was a little unsure how things would play out come 70's when the grandkids are older now and I'm slowing down physically but still would like to lead an interesting life. This sounds like it has so much potential.
Random
Footballguy
No but we were on a RC boat that had the Flowrider (surfing). We got up most mornings early to beat the crowds and rode it nonstop for about an hour.
Joe Mammy
Footballguy
Thankfully some ships are finally getting to smoke free casinos. The odds are atrocious on ships. I'll only play BJ and hold'em, I budget only so much to "use" in the casino. Every hand goes back in a constantly shuffling 6 deck shoe.
Gianni Verscotchie
Footballguy
I'd rather spend my retirement in a coffin
ghostguy123
Footballguy
I saw adds for cruise ships selling permanent residences on the boats. I bet NOTHING goes wrong with any bylaws there.
Orange&Blue
Footballguy
Zegras11
Footballguy
I was 58 at the time.
https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/european-sojourn/2022-amsterdam-bucharest/index.html
We did this one... but the reverse of it. Started out in Prague for 3 days.
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massraider
Footballguy
Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
The Z Machine
Footballguy
My pops just did a Viking cruise in Antarctica. Flew down to ARG and spent like 8 straight days going to the frozen continent via dinghy. Also got to go on a submarine that they deploy from the shop. He said it was great. This was his 3rd Viking cruise.
Capella
Footballguy
We did a cruise last week. First two nights were unbelievably bumpy - you couldn’t walk. Crew said it was as bad as it has ever been so that was pretty bad.
That said, after that we had a great time. Food was fine (not great), it was relaxing and enjoyable. I took the stairs everywhere and avoided elevators - haven’t got sick. I think that’s a big key to the crowding issue because an elevator is the only place I can think of where I would feel packed in. Most of these ships are huge now. I spent 90% of time outside and in the decks somewhere.
Osaurus
Footballguy
Cool if the cruise happens. It’s either flooding or extremely low water levels making the river unnavigable in some places. We really want to do this cruise, but aren’t interested in possibly going from port to port on a bus. Read the fine print on the company’s policies.Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.www.vikingrivercruises.com
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
River cruises are pretty awesome. I was able to bring my wife on two of them when I had to go on work trips/conferences.Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
One was on Viking Cruises out of Bourdeaux: Châteaux, Rivers & Wine. Great wine, great food. The highlight of this trip was taking a boat out of Arcachon to Cap Ferret with only 4-5 other people. Once we got to Cap Ferret, we visited a local oyster fisherman and had Chardonnay and oysters for breakfast. I don't even like oysters that much and thought this was one of the highlights of the trip.
Another highlight of that trip was visiting a truffle farmer(?) who showed us how the black truffles are cultivated via the English Oak tree. His wife then proceeded to make us a 5-course meal, all truffle related.
The other river cruise was on Avalon along the Rhine and Moselle. What a scenic trip. Seeing vineyards, castles, bluffs and small cities while slowly cruising down the river during the day. At night, you're tied up in the middle of these river towns. You can come and go as you please to find a cool restaurant or bar in town. Super experience.
I also took another river cruise for work that my wife wasn't able to go on with me. It was on AmaWaterways from Budapest to Bucharest. Also pretty awesome however I wouldn't take that one as your first river cruise. That's more of a River Cruising 301 course. LOL.
Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
Every year is different on the rivers but this website is a decent resource to understand the calculated risks:Cool if the cruise happens. It’s either flooding or extremely low water levels making the river unnavigable in some places. We really want to do this cruise, but aren’t interested in possibly going from port to port on a bus. Read the fine print on the company’s policies.Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/water-levels/
One nice thing about the Bordeaux trip is that you aren't technically on a river, it's on the Gironne estuary pretty much the whole time.
Scoresman
Footballguy
Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
I've also said if I ever did go on a cruise (I won't) it would be one of these.
Then I remembered one of the things I would not be able to stand about a cruise is being tied to their schedule. Have to be back on the boat by a certain time or see ya later. And considering that this is Europe, train travel is so easy, you don't need the boat to go from place to place. It just slows you down and keeps you from seeing/experiencing things. You have more freedom, better food options, and more travel options doing a traditional land trip.
The ships look pretty small, which is good, but I bet they still cram people into every possible inch they can.
CGRdrJoe
Footballguy
well since it's obvious you don't like cruises and won't ever go on one, this might not be the thread for you.Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
I've also said if I ever did go on a cruise (I won't) it would be one of these.
Then I remembered one of the things I would not be able to stand about a cruise is being tied to their schedule. Have to be back on the boat by a certain time or see ya later. And considering that this is Europe, train travel is so easy, you don't need the boat to go from place to place. It just slows you down and keeps you from seeing/experiencing things. You have more freedom, better food options, and more travel options doing a traditional land trip.
The ships look pretty small, which is good, but I bet they still cram people into every possible inch they can.
Scoresman
Footballguy
well since it's obvious you don't like cruises and won't ever go on one, this might not be the thread for you.Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
I've also said if I ever did go on a cruise (I won't) it would be one of these.
Then I remembered one of the things I would not be able to stand about a cruise is being tied to their schedule. Have to be back on the boat by a certain time or see ya later. And considering that this is Europe, train travel is so easy, you don't need the boat to go from place to place. It just slows you down and keeps you from seeing/experiencing things. You have more freedom, better food options, and more travel options doing a traditional land trip.
The ships look pretty small, which is good, but I bet they still cram people into every possible inch they can.
Well some of these smaller ship cruises have piqued my interest. Just wondering what the advantages people see in these or have experienced over traditional trips, because I don't see it.
Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
They don't frequent pirate waters. That's usually bad for business.
However, I am aware of one smaller cruise line that would carry considerable armaments because they were going into sketchy areas at times (the Middle East and coast of Africa). That doesn't happen any more for a variety of reasons.
JAA
Footballguy
Are we that far off from Central/South American countries having the same issues Africa is facing?
Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
One of the real values of cruising versus any other transportation (car/train/bus) while vacationing is that you unpack once and your hotel moves with you. It may not seem like a massive consideration for someone that hasn't experienced it but to be able to fly into Budapest, spend a few days there exploring, hop on a river cruise, unpack once, and be able to see 5 countries in 7 days (Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania)? That's an appealing way to travel for some. Granted your time in each location is limited, as you suggest, however for those that like to get a small sample of a lot of places in a relatively short amount of time, this is the way to do it. You can always go back and spend more time in those places that appeal to you.well since it's obvious you don't like cruises and won't ever go on one, this might not be the thread for you.Danube River Cruises | Viking®
Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.
i still would never, but if I was, it would be this. I never heard of a Danube River cruise. Pretty cool
I've also said if I ever did go on a cruise (I won't) it would be one of these.
Then I remembered one of the things I would not be able to stand about a cruise is being tied to their schedule. Have to be back on the boat by a certain time or see ya later. And considering that this is Europe, train travel is so easy, you don't need the boat to go from place to place. It just slows you down and keeps you from seeing/experiencing things. You have more freedom, better food options, and more travel options doing a traditional land trip.
The ships look pretty small, which is good, but I bet they still cram people into every possible inch they can.
Well some of these smaller ship cruises have piqued my interest. Just wondering what the advantages people see in these or have experienced over traditional trips, because I don't see it.
I get it, it's not for everyone and it's not something I would do for EVERY vacation, however, we certainly did enjoy the river cruises we took and are looking for the opportunity to do another one.
Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
It's always a concern to some extent however the cruise industry does a pretty good job of monitoring threats in all locations they visit. One nice thing about ships is that they move. If somewhere becomes a hotspot for any reason (terrorism, geo-political unrest, meteorological events, etc.), they just take the ship somewhere else and stop at a different port.
One recent example is a result of the Ukraine/Russia conflict. Baltic cruises have become more and more popular over the last 10 years or so however once Russia attacked Ukraine, most (all?) major cruise lines removed St. Petersburg from their itineraries. Since it was usually an overnight visit, that was a huge advantage to those itineraries and very lucrative to the cruise lines so it was a big loss for them. You still get Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and Finland however not having Russia doesn't make it quite the same trip.
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Senor Schmutzig
Footballguy
LOL, yeah Somalia isn't a big hit for cruise lines however South Africa, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, the Seychelles and even Namibia are frequented by cruises.
massraider
Footballguy
massraider
Footballguy
I’m sorry, i didn’t realize Scoresman made the joke. Faux pas on my part
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