quote:

When there isn't a huge plague burning through, they do let you off the ship at ports along the itinerary.

Of course, but usually in some resort town that has no real resemblance to the local culture. When I go to say, Costa Rica, or Jamiaca, I want to go eat at some local dump, get a drink in a local bar, interact with people. Not hang out with other tourists who look, act, and sound just like me.

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Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:

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When there isn't a huge plague burning through, they do let you off the ship at ports along the itinerary.

Of course, but usually in some resort town that has no real resemblance to the local culture. When I go to say, Costa Rica, or Jamiaca, I want to go eat at some local dump, get a drink in a local bar, interact with people. Not hang out with other tourists who look, act, and sound just like me.

I understand your viewpoint, some of which I share. I don't take a cruise for the "cruise" but for the ports. I have found that river cruises are much more to my liking. There's always something to see other than vast expanses of water, because generally both shores are close enough to be interesting. I've cruised both the Seine and the Danube/Main/Rhine rivers and enjoyed them.

flashguy

Nope.

Norovirus runs through cruise ships now and then and it hasn't slowed things down. I know they are different but in the end lots of people like their cruises.

Building those mega ships we see these days is no small financial investment. If people continue to be worried about health issues and move away from taking cruises, it won't take long before they (cruise lines) find themselves in a downward spiral. I've enjoyed a few short cruises we've gone on but there is no way in hell I'd step on a ship today. As a matter of fact, international travel of any kind will not likely be in the plan.

Floating cesspool incubators of mouth breathing, shit smearing, salad bar sneezing, low life’s.

Sink them all...

The wife just got a priority mail envelope. It was her passport renewal. It turns my stomach. The oldest son and his family are going on a cruise in early June. She wants to go along. So she says I could get my passport. No thanks doesn't even begin to state my feelings. No friggin way. We took a few Ohio River cruises on the Mississippi Queen and the American Queen.

They were fun. And I'd do it again, but always with the thought that I could swim to shore if I got bored. Those with adventuresome tastes can have it if they wanted it. Not this Dick. I'll gladly stay home. I did run away from home once, but it was back when I was a kid. I'd do it again, and I'd be better at it this cycle.

If the wife goes, its great. Just without me. Oh, it'll also cover her 50th wedding anniversary. I don't mind at all. Just leave me out. If you don't understand my views, its OK too. But they're mine and I'll defend them. Violently if necessary.

Ha, no, it’s not the death of the cruise ship industry. I just got off a celebrity cruise the other week (second this year) booked next years. My parents go on about 6 each year. Cruising ain’t going anywhere.

If you’ve never been on one in recent years, (or if you go on Carnival), you probably won’t get it. I enjoy a nice high end cruise more than a resort any day.

No, but you'll never get me on one. I did my time on the high seas.

You couldn't get me one one of those floating disease carriers for love nor money. Luckily, my wife feels the same way.

Have done several cruises in recent years. The “Big” ship had room for 1200 passengers. Other one less than 200. Great time. Will do it again. Different port every day. River cruise and localized ocean cruise.

Not all cruises are floating amusement parks. Not all carry 6,000 people.

But hey, what ever floats your boat -

I would be jumping off that ship and swimming for it.

I have done three cruise so far in my life and thoroughly enjoyed each. I am sure I will do one again sometime in the future, but I won’t do one when there is a virus such as coronavirus happening.

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Originally posted by FN in MT:
I'm with lunchbox, I've never understood the allure of long cruises, with thousands of people.

Seriously without ever doing one, you do not know what you're missing. They're very economical and can get a pretty good cruise for $75-100 per day per person which includes meals and free entertainment, plus many many different activities to do on the ship. Cruise ships in the Carribbean, Bahamas and most places etc. typically travel at night and every morning you are in port at a different island/place to explore, so you never feel trapped on the boat all day. You get to see many different islands or places for a day, so it's a great way to see many places in a short period of time and if you really like one, you can do a vacation just to that island. Versus flying to an island that really sucks, and being stuck there for a week.

The tonage of garbage, medical and human waste etc. that everyone of these things dumps every time there are out of port is utterly disgusting and criminal in my mind. No way I would ever board one for that alone.

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Originally posted by jimmy123x:

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Originally posted by FN in MT:
I'm with lunchbox, I've never understood the allure of long cruises, with thousands of people.

Seriously without ever doing one, you do not know what you're missing.

I've never done a vacation on a cruise ship, but I know exactly what I'm missing. Being a fellow sailor, you should know exactly what I'm talking about.

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Originally posted by old rugged cross:
The tonage of garbage, medical and human waste etc. that everyone of these things dumps every time there are out of port is utterly disgusting and criminal in my mind. No way I would ever board one for that alone.

What do you think the islands they visit do with all of that? The exact same thing or burn the garbage, there is no place for a cruise ship to put it. The Navy and commercial ships do the exact same thing for the exact same reasons.

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Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

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Originally posted by jimmy123x:

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Originally posted by FN in MT:
I'm with lunchbox, I've never understood the allure of long cruises, with thousands of people.

Seriously without ever doing one, you do not know what you're missing.

I've never done a vacation on a cruise ship, but I know exactly what I'm missing. Being a fellow sailor, you should know exactly what I'm talking about.

Every type of vacation has plus's and minus's. I do know what you're talking about. I haven't done a cruise in many years, but it's a stress free type of vacation and you wander around and do whatever you want at the time with many options and little to worry about. It is a great way to see many different places on one vacation and on a budget for many people and the food is usually very good as well and the ships have gotten really good about having many different activities for every age group.

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Originally posted by nhtagmember:
yeah, I've always considered those big ships as like being in jail with a chance to drown

I am however considering a 12 day Viking River Cruise in Europe next year

Viking River Cruises are going to be a lot different than what you get out of those ocean going mega-cruise ships. Like anything, the higher you pay, the more discerning and sophisticated the guests/passengers, which usually means less knuckleheads, idiots and morons. Jump on one of those booze-cruise, bargain package deals, and you'll be amongst the types that hit the buffet hard or, end up on a You Tube video, drunk, fighting amongst each other.

You'll have a good time, just practice solid hygiene.

[quote]What do you think the islands they visit do with all of that? The exact same thing or burn the garbage, there is no place for a cruise ship to put it. The Navy and commercial ships do the exact same thing for the exact same reasons.

And this is a relevant response how. Oh never mind.
None of that excuse's what cruise ships do with all their garbage and waste.
It is as I said, disgusting, period.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
[quote]What do you think the islands they visit do with all of that? The exact same thing or burn the garbage, there is no place for a cruise ship to put it. The Navy and commercial ships do the exact same thing for the exact same reasons.

And this is a relevant response how. Oh never mind.
None of that excuse's what cruise ships do with all their garbage and waste.
It is as I said, disgusting, period.

It is the ONLY thing they can do with it, legal, and what every ship does with it. It's what Navy ships do with it, commercial freighters do with it. It's just a fact of life. The garbage is generally shredded or incinerated, plastic cannot legally be dumped. The sewage is treated.

Go on www.marinetraffic.com and just look at the map of the Atlantic Ocean, look at all of the ships on the entire map of an area, every single one of those ships is doing what you're describing.

It's like condemning one type of camper that sleeps in a tent in the woods for crapping in the woods, when every camper sleeping in a tent in the woods, is crapping in the woods as there is no other option.