Cruise? And I Don’t Mean Tom
My wife and I just got back from our very first cruise ever. Oh, we’d thought about it, talked about it and even several times over the last few years planned it, but it just didn’t seem to materialize until two weeks ago.
We weren’t sure if we were going to like ‘cruising’ so we took a short, 5 day trip. First, the basics so you can put this into perspective:
Cruise line: Celebrity
Ports of call: Jamaica, Grand Cayman
Sailed: New Year’s Eve
Now for the report card, keeping in mind that this was our first cruise so we don’t really have any frame of reference to make comparisons.
Ship: A+
Service: A-
Food: A+
Stateroom: A+
Ports of Call: C-
Perhaps I’d better explain that C-. Jamaica and Grand Cayman are both gorgeous. And that may have been the problem. We are the kind of people that like to explore. When we travel some place new, we spend as much time as we can getting into the craft shops and the local attractions and the local food and culture. The downside to cruising for us seemed to be the lack of time that was available in the ports of call. When you have 6 or 7 hours in a beautiful new country, it would have been wonderful to have much more time to explore.
So we’re now in re-evaluation mode. Although we truly enjoyed the cruising part (as you can see from the picture), we really missed the opportunity to learn about the ports of call. Options seem to be taking a longer cruise that features more time in each port or going to a resort and using that as a base of operations for touring the area.
That’s where you come in.
Help, please.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on cruising. Where to go? What to see? Your ideas for getting the most out of the cruise and experiencing the most out of the ports of call. Do you have a favorite cruise line? Favorite ports of call?
And thanks! Your input is appreciated.
And by the way, please don’t tell me that the photo looks like Ernest Hemmingway. I’ve heard that way too much since we got back.
I have tried both Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines and must say that the service was a little more elegant – if that’s the right word, on Norwegian. I went to alaska with RC and it was okay but most of it was the BC coast, which I have seen so many times that the cruise was a little disappointing. Norwegian was a cruise through the Caribbean with stops in St. Maarten’s, St. John’s, St. Thomas and their private island. The stops were wonderful but, as you say, you don’t get the time to really see and explore beyond the highlights. I don’t know how much I would really want to go back to those spots but if I were healthy enough for travel, I would go almost anywhere. Mostly, I think I’d like to go back to Ireland.
Saul,
We’ve been reading your posts frequently, since you departed the air here in Ottawa. You’re missed! Hope all is going well for you.
As for cruising, went on Royal Caribbean in 2005 and since then, almost every year on Princess Cruise LInes. In my opinion, can’t beat it for a vacation! True, longer durations at ports of call would be nice, but that’s what gives you something to do on the next time there: go on a different tour. Have been to many of the Carribean ports a number of times now, and do a 3-4 hour tour, and then wander in the town on foot, seelng the local people, and markets. Next time, we’ll do a different tour, or perhaps 2 (time permitting); but we’ll undoubtedly be back in the next year(s), and check out a different aspect of a port of call.
Food’s great, and entertainment, activities, and service are top notch! Sea days are a blast — sit back and do as little as you want, or get in on the ships co-ordinated activities. We find a 7-day cruise is definitely too short; a 10-day cruise is still a little short, and now figure a 14-day is almost a minimum! If I had to identify a “bad” part about any cruise …. they all come to an end.
Enjoy! Take care!
Hi Bryan,
Thanks for the kind words and your valuable input on cruising. Much appreciated!
I’m actually back on radio on the internet. If you get a few minutes, check out http://www.ltdradio.com and let me know what you think.
Thanks again!
Saul