Do 'real' sailors go on cruises?

stevebrassett said:
We're going on our first cruise later this year to the Norwegian Fjords. Going with friends so we won't have to socialise with the masses. Looking forward to it.
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Agreed about the masses. We went with other family members (8 in all) so didn't have to share a table at dinner with total strangers.
 
Do you know the strangest thing. The key appeal for many people who cruise is the ease with which you strike up conversations on board. You all came on together, you're all getting off together. You're never going to see the people again if you dislike them or make a fool of yourself but if you do get on you can stay in touch.

The ship meanwhile forms the framework. Food, entertainment and so on. You dip in and out as you please.

Not unlike an Internet forum. You can chew the fat with people you've never met, dip in and out of topics as you please and the ability to remain anonymous should you wish allows you to make a fool of yourself from time to time.

Henry.
 
henryf said:
Do you know the strangest thing. The key appeal for many people who cruise is the ease with which you strike up conversations on board. You all came on together, you're all getting off together. You're never going to see the people again if you dislike them or make a fool of yourself but if you do get on you can stay in touch.

The ship meanwhile forms the framework. Food, entertainment and so on. You dip in and out as you please.

Not unlike an Internet forum. You can chew the fat with people you've never met, dip in and out of topics as you please and the ability to remain anonymous should you wish allows you to make a fool of yourself from time to time.

Henry.
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That sounds a bit like a flotilla to me, especially the making a fool of yourself bit. (Reverse parking).
 
We have done two cruises. The only reason I agreed is that the cruise was a Jazz cruise under the banner of Dave Koz. Caribbean cruise was great in terms of music and rubbish in terms of destination. Second one went to Alaska. Once again, music was great but now the destination was great too too.http://www.davekozcruise.com/

I think that I would only consider a non-jazz cruise if it was on a smaller ships with lots of sails - such as a Star Clipper http://www.starclippers.com/en/our-fleet/royal-clipper.html

TudorSailor

www.zebahdy.blogspot.com
 
Seajet said:
I imagine bits of the Tirpitz are still there; I've always said the only way to do a tour of the Rhine is in the front seat of a Lancaster, same applies to Tromso Fjord...
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Funnily enough, I had a long chat with a guy who salvaged a couple of 'X' craft from the Fjord. I was buying a dive bottle off him and he recognised my voice from being neighbours at Rye House stadium around 16yrs before. (?) While looking for the minisubs, he said there was an incredible amount of junk lying on the bottom from the assorted attempts at the Tirpitz.

Both of us cringe at the idea of a cruise. Except that I have happy memories of a Jazz trip down the river from Norwich in '70.. Old rust bucket, good band, copious booze. Does that count?

Ok, it was only for the evening, so no beds involved and the loos were dubious.
 
We have done 3 cruises and plan to do at least one a year till we peg out. Cruises with the passengers of different nationalities are best, as long as there are not too many Poms or Germans. Amazed by how we can run into people with only a few degrees of separation. Also a lot of yachties and live aboards do cruises!
 
The American Dad episode which featured a cruise, was funny...a banner behind the passengers, proudly proclaims "Middle-class vacations for lower-middle class families!"

Difficult to imagine anything ghastlier (or more ruinous to one's memory of trips by sea being thrilling and mind-widening) than to be herded onto a monstrously ugly floating hotel where a resourceful approach to fun is made superfluous by armies of uniformed entertainers and a sound-system audible from miles across the sea.

I haven't been on a cruise since the rather lovely old P&O Oriana in 1980:

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...but every description I've heard of them since, makes me suspect they've only got noisier and more crass and vulgar.

My dad says he fancies a cruise where there aren't any musical shows, no karaoke, no lotteries, nothing noisier than games of quoits on deck; and passengers are expected happily to follow fine dining with a good book or friendly chat in a peaceful bar; or a walk on deck and maybe a lively lecture on the next port of call...

...it's horrifically sad, if such a restrained, intelligent idea of pleasure doesn't drum up enough customers to justify running such services!

So, I reckon real sailors do go on 'cruises'...but most of us prefer to own the vessel!
 
dancrane said:
The American Dad episode which featured a cruise, was funny...a banner behind the passengers, proudly proclaims "Middle-class vacations for lower-middle class families!"

Difficult to imagine anything ghastlier (or more ruinous to one's memory of trips by sea being thrilling and mind-widening) than to be herded onto a monstrously ugly floating hotel where a resourceful approach to fun is made superfluous by armies of uniformed entertainers and a sound-system audible from miles across the sea.

I haven't been on a cruise since the rather lovely old P&O Oriana in 1980:

View attachment 31415

...but every description I've heard of them since, makes me suspect they've only got noisier and more crass and vulgar.

My dad says he fancies a cruise where there aren't any musical shows, no karaoke, no lotteries, nothing noisier than games of quoits on deck; and passengers are expected happily to follow fine dining with a good book or friendly chat in a peaceful bar; or a walk on deck and maybe a lively lecture on the next port of call...

...it's horrifically sad, if such a restrained, intelligent idea of pleasure doesn't drum up enough customers to justify running such services!

So, I reckon real sailors do go on 'cruises'...but most of us prefer to own the vessel!
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Perhaps your Dad would be interested in a frieghter cruise. I think there are still options for this kind of trip.
 
Cargo ship cruising is very expensive though. If anyone's interested in traditional passenger ship voyages, then I would suggest RMS St Helena on her Cape Town/Walvis Bay-St Helena-Ascension run. You also have the benefit of visiting St Helena, which is of course only accessible by ship.
No theatres, no casinos, just the occasional sods opera and deck sports on the worlds last ocean going Royal Mail Ship.
 
Those cargo-boat runs sound like proper trips. Slightly absurd isn't it...the less a cruise incorporates to entertain the sweaty masses, the more it tends to cost!

Interesting that most of us contributing here seem to feel intense dislike for the very attributes which cruise companies must calculate have the greatest appeal.

But surely it can't be the case that boat-owners necessarily detest naff, noisy Vegas-style stuff? Why should they? Or are we so acutely attuned to the raw pleasure of a sea-trip, that all the jazz just gets objectionably in the way?
 
Some info about cargo ships that take up to 12 passengers : http://www.freightervoyages.eu/
The Geest Line (who have a fleet of refrigerated cargo vessels) used to carry 12 passengers on their weekly voyages from Europe to the Caribbean, but sadly no more.

As is usual on this Forum, the most voiciferous complaints are registered by those who have not actually been on a cruise ship...... :D

OK, the Carnival ships is 'cruising for the masses' - I went on a 1 week cruise from here around the islands on a Carnival ship 7 years ago, and while it was a good method of transport to get around to see a variety of places conveniently, that was about it.

However the smaller cruise ships are totally different to the big cattle ships that carry 3,000 passengers - and if you take advantage of their last minute discounts the prices can be reasonable.
My parents are 80 now, and they love going on cruises from Barbados on the smaller ships - no hassles re airports and flying, just drive 10 miles to the harbour and hop on board.

The Wind Star vessels used to have (I presume still do) an open bridge policy where passengers are welcome at all times except when they are entering or leaving port.
http://www.windstarcruises.com/

I think that Seabourn have a similar policy - http://www.seabourn.com/main/Main.action - and they offer good last minute discounts as well.

My folks also went for a 1 week voyage on Royal Clipper once a few years ago, and were very impressed - http://www.starclippers.com/

On every cruise they have always had the option of having a table for two at supper time, rather than being at a table with 6 or 8 other persons.

Another 'small' ship operator is Silversea http://www.silversea.com/
 
Blueboatman said:
Do they still do eastern med educational cruises with 'expert' guides, tours , lectures..?
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We had a cruise around the Red Sea just before Christmas and there were expert presentations before the tours to Petra, Giza and Luxor; they were very informative but not as well attended as they might have been.

Cruising was the only way to see these places, but it was more like a combined motel and fast food outlet than a boat.
 
Bajansailor said:
My folks also went for a 1 week voyage on Royal Clipper ... they have always had the option of having a table for two at supper time, rather than being at a table with 6 or 8 ...
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We go with Princess, they have the same option "Any Time Dining". With this you can either opt for a table for two (about 10 minute wait at busy times) or to share with half a dozen random others. We normally take this option, and over the years have been delighted to meet over 250 very nice people, plus one arse-hole.
 
nigelmercier said:
We go with Princess, they have the same option "Any Time Dining". With this you can either opt for a table for two (about 10 minute wait at busy times) or to share with half a dozen random others. We normally take this option, and over the years have been delighted to meet over 250 very nice people, plus one arse-hole.
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First cruise was with P&O, very nice, last two with Carribean which is American run, first class and I believe Princess is as well. I too have only encountered one ******** at dinner one night which nearly resulted in a punch up. Old bank manager was a bit upperty, it was interesting to see how the waiters handled the situation [I assured them I could take him]. Another night a young woman was seated at our table. Turns out she was the daughter of a bloke I used to fly with when I was navy aircrew many years ago.
 
I think some of the people sailing appeals to are just interested in doing their own thing rather than the organised busy scheduled routine of a large cruise ship.
Some sailors obviously enjoy Cruise Ships and cruising. While I find them interesting. Cruising on a big modern cruise ship just does not appeal to me.
I’ve never been to an all inclusive resort in the sun ether.
I’d rather hike a lonely trail.
Canoe a remote lake or river.
Visit a foreign land with a back pack.
Or sail my own boat. Where I want to go
Perhaps a small one to an unusual location would be interesting out of my budget though and I have to many other things to do first.
 
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