Do you want to cruise or not?
March 18th, 2006 ~ Potpourri for 100, AlexSteven’s comment made me think that there might be some benefit to passing along a couple quick thoughts for those who are thinking about taking a cruise but don’t know if it’s a good idea. (It’ll have to be quick because I’m paying 35 cents a minute for this. Eek!)
Things to think about:
- What is your capacity for luxury? That might sound like a silly question, but I’m serious. Some people really don’t want to go the cruise route because the idea of being waited on and offered way too much food and being treated like you’re at an Old World four-star hotel just isn’t their idea of a good time. If that’s you, you won’t be happy on a cruise because it’s all about the pampering.
- Want to see some interesting places, but not sure you’ll like them? Another silly-sounding question, but IMHO it argues for cruising. There are a number of much-coveted vacation getaways that just aren’t that big a deal to me. (Mexican Riviera would be one.) But on a cruise, getting there is half the fun. And if you know that, you can relax and enjoy whatever you like at the destination without feeling some obligation to eke a good time out of someplace you don’t turn out to like. Conversely, if the destination is a big deal to you, I’d think twice about cruising. You might have more time and better sightseeing opportunities by not having to abide by the ship’s timetable.
- Family or not-family? Party or not-party?Different cruise lines cater to different crowds. Though there are some similarities on any line, Carnival is a party line for 20-somethings — a little on the rowdy side for old-timers like Greg and I and we’ve steered clear of it. Cruise lines like Disney (obviously) are very family-oriented. Others are less so, and your kids and teenagers will find less to do. Greg and I have only done Princess so far, but we really like it. Rather adult crowd, average age about 52.
- How are you with dressing up? This is something I wish I’d known on our first cruise. The dress code (unless you’re on one of the family-themed cruises) is a cut above what most of us are used to for the dining. And the formal nights for dining are just that — gowns and sparkly pantsuits for women; tuxedos or good jackets (not sportscoats) for men. No one will throw you out if you get it wrong, but you’ll be obviously underdressed and you’ll feel like a doof. There are ways around this — you don’t have to eat at the dress-up restaurants, but I think it’s more fun if you do.
Contents available under a
March 19th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Wow…you hit the nail on the head of why I resist a cruise every single time my husband asks. The thought of all that food, alcohol and waste makes me nausated. I am not a dress up girl either.
I always feel so weird when other people ask me, “why don’t you and Dave go on a cruise?” And I say “because I don’t want to”…and they look at me like I’m nuts. Now I know someone else feels the same way.
God bless,
Linda
March 19th, 2006 at 11:54 pm
Wow thanks for the post, I’d have never known all that. I’m passing it on to my wife who has mentioned cruises, but this will be enlightening. What a way to spend part of Lent… LOL 40x
March 20th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Linda,
Yep, people who have done cruising and like it are often real zealots. We started because it was heartily recommended by friends. In our case, it seemed very cool, but as I get older, I realize how subjective things like that really are.
It can actually be sort of cost-effective depending on your destination and how much you figure out cost-cutting tricks (like scheduling your own tours ashore rather than going with the ones the cruise-line will want to sell you). But in any case, it’s too expensive of a way to go if it’s just not your cup of tea. It can be just as cool to figure out your own overland route (train? car?) and just plan out a road trip.
March 20th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Steven,
We had been trying to book this cruise with friends for some time and when it became available, I honestly didn’t remember about Lent. And yes, it is a whoooole different kettle of fish. Even if I was getting the fast right somehow, the whole ambiance doesn’t lend itself to Lenten reflections.
BTW, there is a different type of cruise called (I think) an excursion-cruise, where you take the boat one way and come back the other way by land. You’re still traveling with a group the whole time with all that that entails. But I thought it sounded like an interesting way to see Alaska, for example.
March 21st, 2006 at 10:01 pm
So I take it that you and your husband are NOT on the Tom Cruise Scientology Boat Tour :)
March 21st, 2006 at 11:05 pm
Oh rats!! Did I miss that again?! I don’t know how I’m ever going to get rid of my free radicals (or whatever)?
March 23rd, 2006 at 8:30 am
I had a general contractor friend who got into Scientology and did an office remodel for a dentist who was pretty high up, in fact he was so “clear” that he had to pay the second in command 250,000.00 for his next “audit”. He breathlessly told me how “clear” this guy is and what a phenomenal person he is, how he runs his business on Scientology principles and is soooo successful etc. etc. I went to work on his office and basically it is a cheap behavior modification system (I worked in residential treatment…) and the guy was basically a controlling asshole with a veneer of nice. After my first day, Don came up to me and asked “Well…what did you think of Dr. X?” I said, “Don, if he is “clear” then I’m friggin’ the invisible man….” What a crock of human potential movement.
March 23rd, 2006 at 5:39 pm
LOL. Figures, though, doesn’t it? Any “religion” that Tom Cruise and other Hollywood stars and starlets can stand would automatically have to be one that tells them what they want to hear — that their biggest problem is that they’re too stressed out and that there are secret ways to maximize their potential.