Thoughts on cruise holidays?

[JR_StudyEd]

Has anyone here ever been on a cruise holiday? Where did you go? What was it like? Would you consider doing another cruise holiday? Was it worth it? And for those like myself who haven't been on one yet, would you consider it?

[angewina_naguen]

Has anyone here ever been on a cruise holiday? Where did you go? What was it like? Would you consider doing another cruise holiday? Was it worth it? And for those like myself who haven't been on one yet, would you consider it?

Hey, JR_StudyEd!

I've been on two cruises, both with Royal Carribean and to the islands (Vanuatu and Isle of Pines), and had two vastly different experiences to draw from. The first time was with my family and their friends which I'll have to say was not that fantastic. I didn't get to go and do the things I wanted to, I felt seasick most of the time and had little enjoyment from it because I was still underage  The second time, however, I went with close friends and I was able to do so many things that I wanted to do the first cruise; I went to all the shows, the art auctions, the gym, the spa and the bars which were all great. I definitely think the crowd you go with makes or breaks your cruise experience so that's worth considering if you're thinking of going 

As for whether I've considered going on another cruise holiday, I would 100% go again with Royal Carribean. I haven't been on other cruise ships but I just like the way Royal Carribean is set out and the activities they have going on during the day. They have some of the most lovely staff on board too; we became really close friends with our waiters in the dining room and overall enjoyed the hospitality they gave us on the ship. I think everyone should at least go on a cruise once in their life if they can because it's truly life-changing. Unless you purchase WiFi, you're spending days away from the noise of social media, the Internet and really reconnecting with people, nature, places, good food and fun activities. You realise how much to life there is and might discover a new hobby or meet some awesome people. Before all else, you'll make lots of memories that will be treasured for a long time  To this day, the second cruise I went to has been my favourite trip away from home ever. In short, I am a huge advocate for cruising despite not having such an amazing first experience and would totally recommend it

[PhoenixxFire]

I get very sea sick so that'll be a strong no from me.
In theory they sound nice though. I've always viewed them as a very expensive form of holiday which puts me off it too, although I don't know if they really are that expensive compared to similar experiences because I've never bothered to check and all holidays seem expensive to me haha.

[Ionic Doc]

Has anyone here ever been on a cruise holiday? Where did you go? What was it like? Would you consider doing another cruise holiday? Was it worth it? And for those like myself who haven't been on one yet, would you consider it?

I've only been on 1 cruise holiday, on Carnival Cruise Lines.
On the way to New Caledonia/Isle of Pines, leaving from Sydney was alright. There are a lot of activities and things to do on a cruise ship, so the first 2-3 days were enjoyable. The Islands itself were really enjoyable and you could go snorkelling in the reef as well. Gotta watch out while snorkelling though because my mom nearly got bitten by this water snake. Overall the Islands are very worth it.

The cruise however imo is not.
After the 2nd day you get put of food, there is so much food on the cruise it's crazy, it's also pretty much the same food, day after day.
On the way back from the islands as well, the sea was VERY rough, the ship was ALWAYS rocking side to side and I could barely walk straight without nearly falling over, my head was also spinning like crazy and at this point I was very seasick so I just stayed in bed for the rest of the cruise. Extremely bored with nothing to do.

Islands were nice, cruise wasn't
Never going on a cruise again.

Different people enjoy different things and cruises are just not ma thing.

[K888]

I get seasick and I'm convinced that all cruise ships must be infested with gastro everywhere so I'm never gonna go on one 😂

[annabeljxde]

I went on a Carnival Cruise late last year to Mare & New Caledonia. Before the trip I was apprehensive, mostly because the activities the cruise offered on the ship didn't appeal to me at all. I didn't like the idea of Bingo, jewellery seminars or comedy shows. I also had a HSC exam literally a week after I would come back from the cruise so the holiday made me extremely angry. But once I got on the ship, I was shocked to find myself liking it after maybe the 2nd day. For people who don't enjoy the activities the cruise offers, it was a nice experience in terms of the food and room service. The people on the cruise were also very nice, and while there were some nights where the waves were especially rough, the live music and sports areas on the top deck (golf, basketball, slide) made up for it in the morning.

People have different experiences, so if you're looking forward to the activities on the ship, I can't really say much in that sense. But if I had to rate my first cruise experience, I'd give it an 8/10 and I would definitely go again, however maybe to a different destination. New Caledonia didn't have much free activities unless you wanted to pay for an extra package (snorkelling, beach etc.) which we didn't pay for because it was too expensive. 

[JR_StudyEd]

I recently went on a cruise with Carnival to New Zealand. I liked it. Not amazing, but a nice, relaxing way to holiday. You can do as much or as little as your heart desires and I think you would still enjoy it. With the money you pay covering most onboard services, all that's left to do is explore around. However, be prepared to fork out some cash for a decent internet connection (or if you're like my family who value their money, don't pay for onboard Wi-Fi at all and just wait until you get to the port!) Trust me, the onboard entertainment and activities more than compensate for it and you won't be missing the internet at all when you're 3 days in!

Obviously, as this is my first ever cruise, I can't speak for any other cruise lines. I would certainly go on another Carnival Cruise, however it's kind of disappointing that wayyy more ships depart from Sydney than my city of residence (Melbourne). Or you know, planes exist too, sooo...

JR's words of warning:
- There's so much food. Get smaller plates so that you force yourself to put less on your plate and eat less. (Don't know if this works 100% of the time, but I tried it a few times during the cruise and I felt better after the meal because I didn't end up stuffing my digestive system with food)
- It's windy on the top outdoor decks. Don't underestimate the power of wind.
- When you're on dry land, make sure you keep track of time so you're not late for departure and stuff.