If it doesn't capsize and sink, look on it as a plus. The Costa Concordia did, due to captain's negligence. But ignore me. I'm sure you'll be OK. Hopefully.
It's ironic that after watching the add you did for June's Journey, the murals on the wall of the ship had people in the same type clothing and era as the game and it became a Mystery to figure out where your room was located and how to get into it! LOL! The game made a great Segway to the next part of your video! 😄
True. But would anyone in their right mind take a 1 - y/o on a cruise of that kind ? Must be barking. Like those who take very young kids on flights - esp. long-distance ones.
@@toadette5350 their needs for sleep, basic hygiene, safe supervision, *appropriate* play etc are so incompatible with either a cruise-liner or long flight scenario ... if you can' t comprehend that, are you suited to be a the child's nurturer & protector ? Save the indulgences-for-grown-ups until they're becoming less incompatible with that. Just pure parental selfishness & "in-denial" about changed realities in new parenthood. Maybe if you took along a full-time nanny or dedicated carer whilst you went out doing the partying/tourist hedonism thing it would be ok
@@daffyduk77 WHY? Do you think people should just leave their babies at home? I have seen many very young ones on cruises and never seen a problem with any of them.
Noah is a trooper! Maintained his composure throughout embarcation while Mom and Dad were slowly melting down (and magically not transferring their angst to him). Well done Beans!
I'm a travel agent and I love that you kept your sense of humor and went with it! The good, the bad and the ugly! Well done and get the drink for sure!
I am 77 and I started traveling by sea with my parents when I was a child a small child as my dad was posted to Australia twice before I was 13.I absolutely love being on a ship.I started cruising in 2008 ,just 3 and 4 day trips then 7 and 13 day trips. As a senior I prefer smaller quieter ships .I enjoy Royal Caribbean and Cunard and recently crossed from Southampton June 23rd and it was a very enjoyable crossing with my daughter, 2 brothers and their spouses. I choose to do exactly what I like which is relaxing, reading,socializing. Cruising is not everyone's cup of tea.but I love it.
Having been a nurse on cruise ship, I can safely give advice: 1. Wash your hands everywhere you go. 2. Avoid crowds. 3. Do not let a child run around unaccompanied onboard - accidents are VERY common. 4. The drinks packages are a trap. 5. ALWAYS get a room with a balcony.
It's best to just fly to your destination you really want to go to your not at each destination more than a day, while I've been on a total of 5 cruises this does seem like it's not well organized I'll be sure to never go on that ship
They have the easiest temper child I’d ever seen. Soooooo easy going, happy, well mannered, loving, chilled….but look at his wonderful momma. Love this channel🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰💜💜💜💜💜🌺🌺🌺🌺🌻🌻🌻🌻🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
And no wonder Noah is such a sweet little guy when you see how chilled Emma is. My grandmother's name was Emma, and she was the sweetest woman I ever knew except for her youngest daughter (my mother).
As a very experienced cruiser I was fascinated to watch this video. I’m amazed you didn’t do any research, like knowing to check in your luggage and have it delivered to your cabin. However, I love your attitude to the agonies you faced and the joy you found too. I subscribed and am looking forward to seeing more.
You always make me laugh even when I feel so much empathy for the “challenges” you experience! Bless you for your willingness to laugh at yourselves and the circumstances you find yourselves experiencing. But even more significantly, your raw honesty while experiencing the daily human challenges of life.
I want to say thank you for this video and can't wait for the next instalment. It has confirmed why I have never wanted to go on a cruise. I admire your guts for having a go but he views of all the people fill me with dread. Not a people person in the sense of having to have "fun" with complete strangers and I think I would have jumped over board. First time of commenting but watched a lot of your content. Please keep going as you have saved me, with one video, from an experience worse than hell, take care to you both and little Noah
Beans on a boat😂 love it. The great thing about the two of you is you always find the positive in everything . So even if it was the world’s worst cruise you would make it the greatest. Can’t wait to see part two. Definitely Disney cruises. Noah will love it.
I took my daughter on a Med cruise in 2007 when she was 7. It was a smaller ship that was luxurious in it's day but had long been out luxuried. I booked a week before so it was rock bottom price & we got upgraded so had a window. We loved the food, the itinerary, the staff, the towels folded into different animals on the bed every night, the excursions (I did 2 of the cheapest ones!), daily cocktail of the day at a bargain price, everything. Only drawback just one pool & everyone trying to get in it. Watching your video made me look it up & sadly it's been scrapped. We went on the sister ship later in the year, not last min so much more expensive. That one had more pools and where my daughter learnt to swim, honestly the best holidays I've ever had. That one too has been scrapped! Never could afford to go again and tbh I now have the issue of them not being good for the environment 😔🐋🐬
The trick with the elevator is if every elevator going up is full push the down button and get on when the door opens, ride it down and back up. On disembark day, press the up button and ride it up and then down. Cruising is great.
Yes Emma, there are MUCH bigger ships! Advice: find out if there is a printed daily schedule of activities. Find: the buffet, the main dining room, the theater, the pool, and the children's area. You can leave your child with supervision while you go other stuff. Try all the activities. If you get off the ship, you don't have to stay out the whole day. Go back to the ship and take a nap, have a meal, have a swim. RELAX!!!!
Costa Fascinosa is rated at 3,780 passengers in 1,506 cabins, so I would assume 3,012 double occupancy. Royal Caribbean's Oasis class are currently the largest cruise ships in the world; each succeeding ship in the class carries slightly more passengers than its predecessors. Utopia of the Seas, the latest and largest entering service this month, carries 5,668 passengers double occupancy; I think the maximum capacity is a bit over 7,000.
Oh no. I’m worried now. My daughter (26) and I have just booked on this ship for October. I’m hoping it won’t be as mental as the schools will be back. Was it really awful?
No need to apologize guys ,your pain has been our absolute comedy pleasure...i have not laughed so hard for so long 🤣 ...you just knew that cabin door wasn't going to open 😂😂 i was waiting for mum to kick it off the hinges... im fairly introvert ,so the balcony, watching the ocean go bye would be my happy place 👋🇳🇿 NZ 🌺🌺🌺
I highly recommend watching blogs from other creators that travel on cruises often to get some pro tips for packing, boarding, etc. I think Ben and David are always very honest, listing pros and cons objectively and showing you a lot of the ship and it's amenities. They also experience a wide variety of ships and lines. They'd be a great place to start.
I would suggest Emma Cruises as well. Her entire job is doing reviews on cruises. She has done everything from river cruises, all the way up to ocean cruises on some of the worst ships, the biggest ships at sea, and the most luxurious ships. She will book rooms that everyone complains about, and do reviews about them.
Tip for Elevator Operation, works 99.9% of the time. Walk up 1 flight of stairs, push the button for down YES DOWN! Jump on and ride down 1 floor, then ride back up to where you need to go. I worked for a large company with MORE than 5000 people at the annual get together. Meeting always broke up at the same time, so literally 1000's of people were trying to go up at the same time.
I'm only 10 min. in this video and you haven't even gotten into your room and your baby is so so good and you both are so calm. If I had a hubby he would have blown by now. I can't wait to finish watching and pray it gets better for you.
I see the size of the ship, the useless elevators, the number of people on deck, hear the loud music, and think -- It's too peoply there. You're right, the balcony and a sunset are the way to go.
The elevators are less traveled 150’ down the passageway. Common first timer mistake. Also there are maps all over the ship. The beans are making every mistake you can make.
@@kelvinalston9349 Great comment. I have to give the woman Bean some credit. She liked the cruise and experience even though he tried to poison her on it.
You need to get in touch with Emma Cruise, she is a young lady and so sweet and a travel agent in England. She is online and I have been following her for years now. She is very versed on all the European cruising. She would never steer you wrong. She is constantly trying different cruises and knows it all. I go through AAA Travel to book mine. If you just follow her, she will give you all sorts of ideas. I have been cruising for years and love it and my first cruise was in 1966, so imagine being on something a little better than a ferry. That was it and I fell in love with cruising, so don't give up. Emma will show you all her adventures. By the way, I was only 21 on my first cruise and that ship was like a ferry, but smaller. HA HA It was the S.S. Oceanic and I wish I could send a photo or two. You would die laughing at the two of us (another girl I worked with) on formal night. I have been on many cruises and am leaving on Sunday on Celebrity Eclise. I go alone now, through AAA Travel. I hope you make it through this one. Looks interesting. HUMMMMMM
+1 to Emma Cruises. I'm surprised you don't know her, cause I thought all Brits knew each other haha. I've only been on one cruise but I enjoyed it. Sorry this hasn't been great for you ...
I am obsessed with cruising and cruising videos on youtube and this video made me cry laugh. 😂 I really appreciate your general positivity and hope you try cruising again. It's just that a few handy tips like using the elevators that are forward or aft and not the middle ones on day one, getting on a line where the app actually works, and making use of the free babysitting in kids clubs seems like it woulda completely turned around your experience so far. I researched extensively before my first cruise - forums, alll the FAQ on the cruise line website, and watched tons of youtube content ny cruise vloggers and had an amazing time. Anyway I am definitely subscribed for part two. 😅😅
No, there's no need to walk up. On boarding a ship with little pre-planning I suggest standing right in front of an elevator, you may wait a while but an elevator will open and no need to carry luggage .
right? i had to do that once as a mother travelling by myself with two toddlers and the elevators where out at hawaii's main airport. I made 4 trips up 4 flights to get all the luggage as we were racing to catch a connecting flight. Missed the flight, got put on another and had to tote it all back down again....three times because we missed the second flight too and the third was back at the original gate. over 30 yrs ago and I will never forget it. That scene in the video totally triggered me LOL
I did a Costa Cruise out of Savona Italy, it was okay, not the best I've been on. We always book a lower cabin with no windows, because, we're hardly ever in our room. We basically only use the cabin to sleep in. We're out early on excursions or doing some kind of activity on the ship. Once off the ship, we do our own thing, get local transportation and see what we want to see or do. It gives us a chance to see a place we might want to come back to later and stay there for awhile.
Don’t apologise for your negativity guys, you’ve been very positive and very kind about what appears to be a floating Blackpool!! When I saw the word ‘Costa’ I had some concerns for your safety…..we all know what happened to the sister ship!! Don’t get me wrong we have done a couple of cruises and enjoyed them, but at the end of the day as one of your other followers says you are on a floating Petri dish so plenty hand washing stay outside as much as possible!. Make full use of your balcony you’ll soon discover it was well worth paying for!!
I just love the honesty of your experiences showing a normal couples ups and downs and dealing with the situations presented, keep up the great videos.
I suspect that by now several viewers reported there in fact are many ships larger than that one. We've been on enough cruises with Princess that we will earn "elite" status after our next cruise which gives us several perks. We have never sailed on a Costa cruise. Our excursions have been on NCL, Princess and one on Holland America. Some of the newer ships are using an interesting AI elevator software that makes it easier to secure one when everyone is boarding and trying to get their luggage upstairs. You request your elevator at a nearby touch screen and input your floor there. It groups people by floors and sends you to a specific elevator number instead of everyone trying to get on any elevator.
Oh wow, that sounds like an interesting way to organise the elevators! We have heard good things about Princess cruises too - the other two are new names for us so thank you!
That sounds amazing! Celebrity does send several people down to the elevators to speed up the process but using AI seems really smart. Also when people play by the rules and come on when they are supposed to, it staggers the number of people coming on at one time, easing elevator congestion.
As a person with mobility issues, do they have a workaround for that? I find things like that require you to move quickly over a lot of ground and I can't.
I have been Elite for several years on Princess, I do pick the ships I prefer as well as ports when possible. Little over 500 Sea Days, I know where the quiet spaces are on every ship I've cruised.
@Kimberly_Sparkles I've only seen it demonstrated. If I were programming it, I would take note of a request from someone with a mobility issue and provide an elevator that waits. It would be pretty easy to do that because of the way the new elevators work. I read that on one of the cruise ships, there were criticisms that touch screens were not access accessible to people in wheel chairs, but that was quickly rectified.
I love cruising. Always have a balcony so I have a quiet retreat spot. Love going to comedy shows, piano bar, and cocktail lounges with live music. Enjoy playing in the casino. Going to different restaurants throughout the cruise. My 10th cruise is in 62 days can't wait!
My gosh! I’m a seasoned cruiser and have never seen anything like the boarding you experienced. I’m in the US and the newer ships are so nice and Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, and Princess all have organized boarding. When we board we go to the opposite set of lifts and those are usually much less crowded. I don’t know anything about Costa though. Please give it another try!!
Good to know that this experience is not then norm and that those other companies might be worth a try! I think we need to try a highly rated cruise now so that we can get a balanced view!
Another seasoned cruiser here. Please try some other cruise lines and maybe some newer ships. I would suggest watching a few UA-camrs - maybe Emma Cruises as a few other people suggested.
I think another thing is the general boarding in Europe. It appears in Europe they board more at the pier level where you would be getting in and off the ship in port where as in the US, you generally board through an airport like gangway and enter the ship in a more spacious atrium or promenade deck.
I remember my first cruise and that feeling of being overwhelmed! Our kids were 7 & 11 and it was craziness; can’t imagine with a toddler☺️ I think it is worth watching a lot of videos for tips and tricks (like bypassing the dreaded elevator wait🤪) once on land and then doing another cruise. We are 11 cruises in and still learning! Once the little one gets a little older, you can have those quiet dinners together while he has a great time in the kids club. Your experience will change in each season of life and cruising will be different each time you go. Enjoy! I look forward to seeing your adventures🥳
Wonderfully put together video of your misadventure. And you’re taking your share of the responsibility and not being (overly) cruel to the cruise line. Really well done! And compelling viewing! 🙌👍🏻🫶🙏
I have done 21 cruises, 22 is booked for December. Every one is different, it took a whole year to save for a cruise, so I maintain a very positive point of view. Enjoy the difference to land holidays. Also my favorite cruise line is Norwegian. I will watch for your next one.
Have you ever tried Celebrity? We love it. Friends of ours tried Norwegian after Celebrity and they thought Celebrity was 💯 better. We always book ours a year or more in advance and always get a great deal. Our friends did asia with Norwegian in Jan this year, we've booked to do our asia cruise with Celebrity Jan 2025 and ours was cheaper! Even though they had an outside room and we have balcony! Anyways enjoy the cruise in Dec 🎉
@@emmabourke6565 Yes, Celebrity, Holland America, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean. All have their pros and cons. My husband and I just preferred Norwegian.
As a seasoned cruiser, mostly on Disney, I'd recommend Disney since you have the little one. You can leave him at the nursery or if you go when he's a tad older, there are kids "camps" he can go to and play with other children while you roam the ship, have cocktail tastings or just find a nice lounger somewhere. It's a top end cruise as opposed to Costa which is a Carnival ship and the lowest of the Carnival fleet. (Yikes!). Disney has ships in Europe and the British Isles so you don't even have to fly to Florida (but you could ... and do a video from Orlando too!). We've done the Med cruise on Disney twice and also a Northern Europe one ... love them. I hope your cruise gets better and at the very least, this doesn't turn you off cruising. It's a very civilized way to travel. :D
The only problem is, that Disney is 100% satanic. Just check out any of their most well-known movies, and you will see that there is subliminal sex programming going on, aimed at children when they are most impressionable. Stay away!
I would never take my children on a cruise and leave them in "camps" or roaming a ship. ESPECIALLY DISNEY! Don't you people watch the news or research a bit? Disney has one after the other disappearing children, I won't even go into it any further...just never leave your children unaccompanied by you NEVER, especially Disney.
@@vickyhioniskolaiti Where the heck are you getting your information from? Disappearing children? LOL. Laughable. You can't go into any further because there's no truth to it. hahaha
@@pxlbarrel Where have you been? It's all over the news about the pedo's and Disney everything. Disney cruises took children right to Epstein's Island for snorkeling...I have all the research & you need to do some! I never left my children with strangers to have any kind of fun, they came first! You are in for a BIGWAKE UP if you live in your own little world. And probably watch only CNN, NBC etc...Even one child "drowned or missing" is too many. Watch over the children...
I was so excited to see that you did this video! My partner and I are addicted to watching cruise videos. We've cruised about 30 cruises, on many lines, and hands down our favorite cruises are on Holland America line to Alaska, preferably leaving from Seattle; however, we've departed a few times from Vancouver and that's okay too, just usually much busier and longer lines to board. Thanks for the cruise video! We hope you had a great time and want to continue cruising!
Love the positive mindset that you guys are willing to try out more cruises after having a sub-par experience. I also took my first cruise on a poorly reviewed budget line (MSC cruiseline), but it was sort of on purpose. I wanted a 'trial' cruise, just 3 nights. I ended up having a great time and after that I had 3 more cruises on different lines planned out in my head.
Respect to you and your son, he has the patience of an angel. Honestly, a cruise would be a living nightmare for me. But I understand why some people like it. 😅
We didn't like cruising (having never done one), until last year when we did our 1st, we have now booked our 3rd (in 2 yeears) to the carribean. Waking up each morning to somewhere new is amazing. We have met some lifelong friends too.
I only cruised once so far and I am hooked. I think the whole atmosphere is fun and I can't wait to try it again. I went on the Royal Caribbean and thought it was fantastic.
I agree, I think Emma could give you some great advice. She likes to be a budget cruiser but always seems to make the most of the cheaper rooms, cruise ships. I personally like Celebrity for food, service and the relatively calm atmosphere. We can always find a calm place to get away from the crowds and enjoy peace and quite.
So hilarious that you picked the world's worst cruise for your first experience. Bean Blunders! I've watched another UA-cam couple Brogan and Benji on a 3 month wedding package cruise and it looked so, so much better than your experiences so far. They were with P&O I believe and absolutely loved their cruising. Their enthusiasm was quite infectious. Cruising has never appealed to me as I think I'd feel trapped at sea (I get seasick) in what's essentially a massive hotel, with loads of people crowding everywhere you go.
What a great video and especially recognizable, we took the same cruise 2 weeks ago, so 1 week after your cruise and your story is 100% recognizable. also for us, husband-wife-son (17 years old), the 1st cruise and recognize everything you say. i want to add that we also found the food terribly bad, we got a beef wellington with beef dark gray and as tough as a shoe sole. But nice to hear and see that so we are not the only ones with this reaction, but there are more with the same feelings....
My Hubby and I just went on our first one with Princess and loved it! We thought we wouldn't but the service, food, and amenities quickly changed our mind. I've been looking for our next one already! Princess does an incredible job and would highly recommend them.
You are good for three cruises on the "basic cruise ship model" after the second trip out, the cracks start being obvious. Dont be afraid to "upgrade" away from the church groups and bachelorette parties. If you like cruising, rise your standards before you are soured on the whole method.
My ideal vacation is to get away from people, not mingle or be around them. But i respect those who prefer the human interaction vibe found on cruise ships.
I’ve been on several cruises and always can find space to be alone. I’ve never had to interact with people if I don’t want to. I think this is a misconception.
Guys you struck me funny😂 - I know no one, literally NO ONE who goes on a diet (last week you mentioned you are now on a diet) when boarding a cruise😂😂😂 I guess it will be a success🎉🎉 you are either ending up miserable or 1/2 a stone heavier 😅 omg! Your timing is formidable😂
We don’t diet on board but we do take the stairs as much as possible and I always come off "lighter". Of course we don’t have a little one to watch after, it that should be in your favor! 😊
It was really nice having a first time cruiser POV....I relived the excitement of my first cruise and honestly I have been on many all over the world but never have I got that first time cruise level of excitement again. I think you did very well in dealing with the discomfort at times that boarding day entails...no matter what line you cruise with. Fantastic attitude and resulting video, I really enjoyed it guys. Well done!
@TravelBeans you guys are awesome! I laughed the whole way through this video. I've been on 23 cruises and I've become a bit jaded and forgotten how much fun my first cruise was. Thank you for sharing your excitement and misery with us. HAHA! If I had to recommend a cruise line, try Royal Caribbean. I've been on 5 different cruise lines and they are by far the best. Disney Cruise Lines is really nice but not worth the money. They are 2-3 times more than other cruises. Royal Caribbean is reasonably prices, food is great, entertainment is top notch and the newer ships are what dreams are made of. Hope to see you guys on a cruise some time!
I did a Princess cruise (more expensive but worth it) and it was phenomenal. Gorgeous ship, great food, tons to do and awesome excursions. Sorry you had a bad experience -
Enjoyed the video Beans. You probably said (and did) what every first time cruiser did or said. So enoy your vlogs, videos, or whatever they call them. Little Noah gets cuter and cuter every day❤❤
I loved your cruise video! I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and Holland. Every line has its pros and cons and each offers its own character depending what you like. The key I’ve found though is that no matter what cruise line you choose, go for the newer ships (10 or less years old) and book suites if you can. It makes such a big difference on embarkation and debarkation. You will get priority embarkation the more you cruise and gain status. I hope you cruise again, next up, try Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships.
I just ran across your channel for the first time today and I just want to say, kudos to you both for continuing your passion with traveling after having a little one. I look forward to seeing more of your journey.
Taking a cruise with another couple with kiddo would be fun, taking turns playing with kiddos while others having adult time. Would like to try a Disney cruise too!
I used to work for Disney Cruise Line, so I am a bit biased, but Ive also cruised on Norwegian and had no complaints. That loud crowded scene with everyone dancing made me think of a hotel lobby I was in, in Puerto Rico. Chaos. Back to Disney- its top tier. Staterooms are beautiful, the restaurants are amazing and they have a kids area separated into different age groups, so you could have a couple hours of adult only time together. Ironically, my ex didnt want to go on the Disney cruise because he thought it would be overrun with kids. I told him, just wait.... And because the kids are all off on their own doing things in the camps, we didnt see kids hardly at all! It was great! lol
But poor Madame... If People dance, it means they are HAPPY. And are You sure that Disney or Norwegian have better quality/price than Costa Crociere?.... mmmmm
We have only been on sporadic cruises (mostly with our parents and with groups), but in my experience, it really is important to consider who the line targets to sail with them. Some highly rated lines are primarily oriented at adult travelers--that probably isn't your best choice. I believe Royal Caribbean and Disney feature nursery care on some ships--allowing you to treat yourselves to a date night, for a babysitting fee. That said, the cruise experience is designed as a pre-fab experience. However, sometimes, the convenience of a room you don't have to pack and move from at every destination, the availability of accessibility, and the opportunity to have a multigenerational experience--is just the holiday you need. YMMV.
Y’all are so funny! I love that y’all can turn a “world’s worst” into a fun time! Here’s to y’all from Montana, USA. This trip will keep you laughing for years to come. Now back to watch the rest of the story.
We didn't like cruising (having never done one), until last year when we did our 1st, we have now booked our 3rd (in 2 yeears) to the carribean. Waking up each morning to somewhere new is amazing. We have met some lifelong friends too.
Yes ... when you first get on a ship take the stairs up a deck or two and it's much easier to get a lift. EVERYbody congregates on the bottom because no one wants to walk the stairs. Embarkation day is often a faff ... but once you get into your cabin, grab a glass of wine or a cocktail at one of the bars, take it to your cabin balcony and watch the waves.....while your baby sleeps. Veteran of 20+ cruises .... I love them.
Embarkation is always busy! Lifts are always packed etc. but when you get on that balcony and the water starts passing you by, it is magic! I would never cruise without a balcony. I’ve cruised Royal Caribbean and MSC and Royal is definitely my favourite. Not as ‘party’ as Carnival & Costa. For a less crowded cruise with a more chilled pace, then you should try Celebrity or Princess ☺️ But if you are going to cruise again then there is 1 lesson you need to learn…. It’s a Ship not a boat. Seasoned cruisers get very irritated about that 😂😂😂😂😂
Also, there's usually lifts/elevators at the front and back that aren't usually quite as busy on day 1, in addition to the really busy ones in the middle of the ship.
Our first cruise was also a Costa Cruise. On the Costa. Magica (The sister ship of the one you know that captain crashed while trying to waive to his girlfriend ). As it was our first cruise we didn’t really have a reference point. But overall it was quite good. We had a cabin at the stern which is a bonus. Cruising I think is a great holiday with young children. After a while though I do tire of the noise and the constant herding. Tom from Toronto Ps . Next time I’d try Celebity - a good mid market line.
We are super cruisers, we did travel on our own all over Europe but now in our 60's, cruising is perfect for us. We tried many companies but Celebrity Cruises is our first choice. The food is fantastic, it's quieter, the service is first class and checking in and out is easy and fast. The prices are higher but for us it's worth it. Salutations from🇨🇦
@@audreychurch I think it’s worth doing once. (Not the Caribbean). There’s always ways you can make the cruise work for you. If you don’t like crowds for example, stay away from the buffets, dine in the specialty restaurants, have breakfast on your balcony. There are always many quiet areas on the ship you can read a book. Stay on the ship on one of the port days. Anyways it’s worth a try once.
I think that you are both very brave, can’t imagine sharing a relaxing holiday with that many people. Afraid that it does not appeal to me at all despite one of my family members cruising with P&O for over 10 years, their suggestion was to choose a smaller boat. Hope you had a great time.
Embarkation day is always crazy, and they had you board in the basement. Most cruise lines have you board via an elevated platform into the main hall. Not the best first impression for sure, but you at least booked a balcony room. It's the one thing I tell people who are considering a cruise. Spend the extra money for the balcony.
Congrats on taking the leap into the unknown, that sense of having no idea what you’re doing is very much part of the experience. It’s good to expand your horizons and many cruise ships are designed specifically for families, image how much more fun you could have on a large cruise ship! As a fellow sufferer I can recommend taking ginger tablets to reduce the effects of seasickness, I believe green apples might offer similar relief if that’s more your thing, and carry travel sickness tablets for when rougher seas come along. Oh, and wash hands frequently, but I’d recommend that on any type of holiday. Enjoy your future cruising.
Omg! Watching your first cruise was so entertaining, as we are cruisers! 😂 Interesting to see how things that we take for granted are not so obvious to newbies! Really great video!
@3:23 "that's what she said"...oh Emma... you two need to book a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas...the largest (most family friendly) cruise ship in the world. Then (aside from sunset on your balcony) you will truly find out what cruising is all about. Happy you finally made it onto a cruise SHIP.
This is my 1st time ever coming across your YT channel. I’m 1/2 way through, but I love your collective sense of humor AND the (seeming) fact that your baby seems very chill about the situation. lol.
I SO appreciate your open-mindedness about the cruise, even if it wasn't the best, top notch experience. I would definitely try another cruise line because some are quite nice. I've only been on one with Royal Caribbean - on an older, smaller ship to boot - and it was actually really fun! We DID do an interior cabin, which didn't bother us, but the balcony would be amazing. I hear you - it definitely feels overwhelming, like, we just boarded, how is everyone already at the pool/buffet/casino?! But next time you'll have a better idea and hopefully a really, really, lovely experience. Emma Cruises is a great channel: a lovely UK gal who cruises all over!
Tip one do some research before going on, it makes it so.much smoother. Eg drop of luggage check in at Port , buffet always an option. Cruises are all inclusive and should approached with informed minds.
I have never wanted to be stuck on a floating petri dish with a bunch of strangers, but to each his own. I watch you guys regardless because you always brighten my day!!🥰
I have cruised some. I have loved it. Your experience will be different each ship and cruise line. I have had great cruises, good cruises and mehhh cruises. I have found Royal Carribean to be pretty consistent for having good cruise experience. Each cruise you take you will gain more experience to know how to navigate everything and the experience gets easier and easier. Happy cruising! Also, depending on your child;s age, some or most cruise lines offer kids clubs based on ages and you can drop them off to be watched and have fun activities while you both go enjoy the shiplife some.
So sorry for this awful experience. This would not be my comfort zone or choice, but I'm glad you found some things you could enjoy. I'm so proud of you for not drinking! You are doing terrific! Have a great week! Much love, Jane ❤🙏
I am watching this having just returned from my second cruise. I agree about RC! We met people who were on their 40th cruise and had 18 more booked! This will not be me….I still enjoy other methods of travel but cruising has definitely been added to my list! RC treated us very well. Laughing very hard about this being a large ship lol!
I have never taken a cruise, but if there was such a thing as a cruise ship that had quiet places to soak up some sun, read in a lounger chair, have drinks brought to you and not be in the middle of music, people and craziness- it could be lovely! I liked the look of the cabin you were in with the balcony. I love being near the water but unfortunately I think I would be overwhelmed by the number of people, the noise, the action and chaos and I would likely withdraw to my cabin and balcony and never want to venture out. I would hate feeling like I'm in a zoo. So best to rent a place by the ocean in land!! Having said all that, I still think of going in a cruise that probably doesn't even exist!
Luxury cruise lines have smaller ships that are way less crowded, combined with a relaxing, non-raucous atmosphere. You pay extra for the privilege. However, on lines such as Viking (my favorite) the fare is much more inclusive than most lines and there's few attempts to sell extras once you're on board.
I've been on Costa Neoclassica, who got retired from service after my cruise in November 2017. It was a repositioning cruise from Italy to India (28 days) and it was dirt cheap (in summer they cruise the Mediterranean and in winter the Indian Ocean, so they have to take the ship back and forth once a year). It was absolutely amazing. The ship looked similar to this one, I would call it classic Italian chic. Since it was a full month cruise, there were almost no kids. We had a lot of days at sea and although there were a lot of passengers as well, it never felt too much really. The food was absolutely outstanding. I'm traveling a lot globally, but this food was one of the best (e.g. way better than on Queen Mary 2 for example, since you question how the food would be on a "better" ship.). It was the best journey of my life so far with plenty of bucketlist places ticked off in one go (Olympos, Athens, passing the Suez Channel, the Death Sea, Petra, Oman, Maldives for 4 days, Sri Lanka and Goa / Mumbai).
I have been a few times on Royal Caribbean. Well organised, you don't take your case on board yourselves. digital displays screen showing what's on and where. We usually go in May and it certainly isn't as crowded as that. Maybe because its an Italian company, its more laid back. Look at ftn videos. Honestly it can be a lot of fun!
Agree! Royal to relax. We love cruising with Royal Caribbean. While my kids are teens, there is childcare included with RC as well. Lots of cozy lounges to relax with a book.
I have to tell you.I never cruised before myself before 2024, but you never go for the least.Expensive.The more you spend honestly the way better it is. We'll be leaving on our third cruise this year over Christmas. Royal Caribbean all the way. Check out the ship its the biggest Utopia of the seas.
I remain unconvinced taking a cruise is something I should ever try, but I admire your intrepid spirit! Also, the look on Emma's face when the key card fails @8:52 is priceless. Thanks for sharing.
My wife Gabrielle and I had our first cruise on the IONA from Southampton to the Fjords and had the most amazing time, thank you for sharing your experience 🙏
Ugh. Cruises just seem like my worst nightmare of a vacation. To be stuck on the ship with so many people in full tourist mode - I generally avoid the super tourist-filled areas at most destinations, because they all seem to be bad in the same way. And to have to funnel in and out through a (relatively) narrow choke point with them every time you want to get off or back on. I can see how there’s something satisfying about it for people who dislike surprises or who like to be able to figure out hacks and proudly tell others that they’ve somehow gamed the system (“well, I always climb a flight of stairs and THEN go to the next lift lobby over, easy-peasy…””the best strategy for choosing which ports to get off and when to stay onboard is…”) but all of it just stresses me out just to consider it. I’d much rather just get around on my own.
Cruising is now more a resort type vacation. Bottom line the food, room service, itinerary all contribute to an amazing value. You don’t lift a finger. I go in ships that have about 1800 guests. The monster 7500 passenger ships are too big for me. We enjoy Holland America. Premium cruise at great prices.
I'm with you on that. I'm not a people person so this seems like the worst vacation ever. I would rather be camping some place. I have no interest whatsoever in a cruise.
@@cherylbrunette2490 Try holland America people. I used to think like you. The guests are 55-up. Very few kids. It’s amazing how uncrowded the ship is. The crowd factor isn’t what you think.
As soon as I saw it was on Costa, I knew why the ratings were so low. I was advised, at least a dozen years ago, to avoid Costa. When the Concordia went down and the captain abandoned the ship and staff were telling passengers to return to their cabins (to die), it sealed my resolve.
I’ve been on three cruises. I love that everything is included. You see destinations but don’t have to unpack and pack. I just spent a five day vacation with my grandson and his two littles. Five days four hotels. I’m 66 I was tired and needed a vacation
👒🔍 Download June’s Journey for free now using my link: woo.ga/pjezi0k9
After booking the WORLD's worse cruise, I'm not sure introducing Emma to a game about murder is a good idea.
If it doesn't capsize and sink, look on it as a plus. The Costa Concordia did, due to captain's negligence.
But ignore me. I'm sure you'll be OK. Hopefully.
Love June's Journey!
Rachel Martin
Is good trips
It's ironic that after watching the add you did for June's Journey, the murals on the wall of the ship had people in the same type clothing and era as the game and it became a Mystery to figure out where your room was located and how to get into it! LOL! The game made a great Segway to the next part of your video! 😄
Is that the best baby in the world or what? He handled that embarkation like a champ.
True. But would anyone in their right mind take a 1 - y/o on a cruise of that kind ? Must be barking. Like those who take very young kids on flights - esp. long-distance ones.
Yes people with kids should definitely just stay home and not do anything fun. @daffyduk77
@@toadette5350 their needs for sleep, basic hygiene, safe supervision, *appropriate* play etc are so incompatible with either a cruise-liner or long flight scenario ... if you can' t comprehend that, are you suited to be a the child's nurturer & protector ? Save the indulgences-for-grown-ups until they're becoming less incompatible with that. Just pure parental selfishness & "in-denial" about changed realities in new parenthood. Maybe if you took along a full-time nanny or dedicated carer whilst you went out doing the partying/tourist hedonism thing it would be ok
@@daffyduk77 WHY? Do you think people should just leave their babies at home? I have seen many very young ones on cruises and never seen a problem with any of them.
@@daffyduk77 you're a fool and probably the most selfish person in the world.
Noah is a trooper! Maintained his composure throughout embarcation while Mom and Dad were slowly melting down (and magically not transferring their angst to him). Well done Beans!
Their patience and sense of humor is remarkable (and I've watched only the first ten minutes so far!), they deserve an upgrade!
Ya'll, have created a monster!!! Mixing a travel channel with a cruising channel+++! Doing it with a baby!?! Your killing it! Love the show!
Y'all
I'm a travel agent and I love that you kept your sense of humor and went with it! The good, the bad and the ugly! Well done and get the drink for sure!
I am 77 and I started traveling by sea with my parents when I was a child a small child as my dad was posted to Australia twice before I was 13.I absolutely love being on a ship.I started cruising in 2008 ,just 3 and 4 day trips then 7 and 13 day trips. As a senior I prefer smaller quieter ships .I enjoy Royal Caribbean and Cunard and recently crossed from Southampton June 23rd and it was a very enjoyable crossing with my daughter, 2 brothers and their spouses. I choose to do exactly what I like which is relaxing, reading,socializing. Cruising is not everyone's cup of tea.but I love it.
We were on the same journey (June 23rd transatlantic to NY). It was simply fabulous!
Amazing story!
You were lucky to find anywhere to relax and read in peace on Royal Caribbean. Maybe on Cunard, Regent, Silverseas or Saga.
Having been a nurse on cruise ship, I can safely give advice: 1. Wash your hands everywhere you go. 2. Avoid crowds. 3. Do not let a child run around unaccompanied onboard - accidents are VERY common. 4. The drinks packages are a trap. 5. ALWAYS get a room with a balcony.
6. Just don't bother
It's best to just fly to your destination you really want to go to your not at each destination more than a day, while I've been on a total of 5 cruises this does seem like it's not well organized I'll be sure to never go on that ship
Since Covid we ALWAYS get a balcony. It's more expensive but so worth it.
how do you avoid crowds on board these monsters? Room and balcony, ha ha
@@gabygaedecke2411 how do avoid crowds on board of a cruise ship? Hiding on the loo?
They have the easiest temper child I’d ever seen. Soooooo easy going, happy, well mannered, loving, chilled….but look at his wonderful momma. Love this channel🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰💜💜💜💜💜🌺🌺🌺🌺🌻🌻🌻🌻🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
and poppa is not bad either 😏
And no wonder Noah is such a sweet little guy when you see how chilled Emma is. My grandmother's name was Emma, and she was the sweetest woman I ever knew except for her youngest daughter (my mother).
Yep we did costa cruise line man what a mistake but it can only get better cause you did the worst stay away from Carnival
It's called editing
Vacations are like life. Everything doesn't have to be perfect for it to still become a wonderful family memory.
As a very experienced cruiser I was fascinated to watch this video. I’m amazed you didn’t do any research, like knowing to check in your luggage and have it delivered to your cabin. However, I love your attitude to the agonies you faced and the joy you found too. I subscribed and am looking forward to seeing more.
Good tip but apparently someone’s luggage was delivered to the wrong room and they still don’t have their luggage at the end of on day 2! 😳
@@tobirates916 Airtags are your friend 🙂
I know! So confusing….why not give your luggage to check in…you’ll see it outside your room in a few hours.
You always make me laugh even when I feel so much empathy for the “challenges” you experience! Bless you for your willingness to laugh at yourselves and the circumstances you find yourselves experiencing. But even more significantly, your raw honesty while experiencing the daily human challenges of life.
I want to say thank you for this video and can't wait for the next instalment. It has confirmed why I have never wanted to go on a cruise. I admire your guts for having a go but he views of all the people fill me with dread. Not a people person in the sense of having to have "fun" with complete strangers and I think I would have jumped over board. First time of commenting but watched a lot of your content. Please keep going as you have saved me, with one video, from an experience worse than hell, take care to you both and little Noah
Beans on a boat😂 love it. The great thing about the two of you is you always find the positive in everything . So even if it was the world’s worst cruise you would make it the greatest. Can’t wait to see part two. Definitely Disney cruises. Noah will love it.
Your experience is worthy of an Academy Award for the Best comedy of the year!
I took my daughter on a Med cruise in 2007 when she was 7. It was a smaller ship that was luxurious in it's day but had long been out luxuried. I booked a week before so it was rock bottom price & we got upgraded so had a window. We loved the food, the itinerary, the staff, the towels folded into different animals on the bed every night, the excursions (I did 2 of the cheapest ones!), daily cocktail of the day at a bargain price, everything. Only drawback just one pool & everyone trying to get in it. Watching your video made me look it up & sadly it's been scrapped. We went on the sister ship later in the year, not last min so much more expensive. That one had more pools and where my daughter learnt to swim, honestly the best holidays I've ever had. That one too has been scrapped! Never could afford to go again and tbh I now have the issue of them not being good for the environment 😔🐋🐬
The trick with the elevator is if every elevator going up is full push the down button and get on when the door opens, ride it down and back up. On disembark day, press the up button and ride it up and then down. Cruising is great.
I did a thumb's-up.....but it does add to the cause of a long wait.
Can't do that on the bottom deck...
Yes Emma, there are MUCH bigger ships!
Advice: find out if there is a printed daily schedule of activities.
Find: the buffet, the main dining room, the theater, the pool, and the children's area. You can leave your child with supervision while you go other stuff.
Try all the activities. If you get off the ship, you don't have to stay out the whole day. Go back to the ship and take a nap, have a meal, have a swim.
RELAX!!!!
Costa Fascinosa is rated at 3,780 passengers in 1,506 cabins, so I would assume 3,012 double occupancy. Royal Caribbean's Oasis class are currently the largest cruise ships in the world; each succeeding ship in the class carries slightly more passengers than its predecessors. Utopia of the Seas, the latest and largest entering service this month, carries 5,668 passengers double occupancy; I think the maximum capacity is a bit over 7,000.
Oh no. I’m worried now. My daughter (26) and I have just booked on this ship for October. I’m hoping it won’t be as mental as the schools will be back. Was it really awful?
No need to apologize guys ,your pain has been our absolute comedy pleasure...i have not laughed so hard for so long 🤣 ...you just knew that cabin door wasn't going to open 😂😂 i was waiting for mum to kick it off the hinges... im fairly introvert ,so the balcony, watching the ocean go bye would be my happy place 👋🇳🇿 NZ 🌺🌺🌺
I highly recommend watching blogs from other creators that travel on cruises often to get some pro tips for packing, boarding, etc. I think Ben and David are always very honest, listing pros and cons objectively and showing you a lot of the ship and it's amenities. They also experience a wide variety of ships and lines. They'd be a great place to start.
I would suggest Emma Cruises as well. Her entire job is doing reviews on cruises. She has done everything from river cruises, all the way up to ocean cruises on some of the worst ships, the biggest ships at sea, and the most luxurious ships. She will book rooms that everyone complains about, and do reviews about them.
I want a simpler kind of vacation that doesn’t require an online course.
Ben and David are delightful. I also enjoy @emmacruises
Tips for travellers is always a good one too
Yes, try out Ben and David for full tours and major food reviews aboard almost every ship out there. Plus they're British and sooo funny.
Tip for Elevator Operation, works 99.9% of the time. Walk up 1 flight of stairs, push the button for down YES DOWN! Jump on and ride down 1 floor, then ride back up to where you need to go. I worked for a large company with MORE than 5000 people at the annual get together. Meeting always broke up at the same time, so literally 1000's of people were trying to go up at the same time.
this is a big brain maneuver.
That’s horse sh*t. 🐴 💩
i have done the same thing myself.
I've been doing that for my 20 years of cruising.
I do the same thing
I'm only 10 min. in this video and you haven't even gotten into your room and your baby is so so good and you both are so calm. If I had a hubby he would have blown by now. I can't wait to finish watching and pray it gets better for you.
I see the size of the ship, the useless elevators, the number of people on deck, hear the loud music, and think -- It's too peoply there. You're right, the balcony and a sunset are the way to go.
The elevators are less traveled 150’ down the passageway. Common first timer mistake. Also there are maps all over the ship. The beans are making every mistake you can make.
@@thereissomecoolstuff….Some people might find my comment offensive, but in Australia we call people like The Beans “Whinging Poms”.
@@kelvinalston9349 Great comment. I have to give the woman Bean some credit. She liked the cruise and experience even though he tried to poison her on it.
it is always going to be busy the day of embarking.
You need to get in touch with Emma Cruise, she is a young lady and so sweet and a travel agent in England. She is online and I have been following her for years now. She is very versed on all the European cruising. She would never steer you wrong. She is constantly trying different cruises and knows it all. I go through AAA Travel to book mine. If you just follow her, she will give you all sorts of ideas. I have been cruising for years and love it and my first cruise was in 1966, so imagine being on something a little better than a ferry. That was it and I fell in love with cruising, so don't give up. Emma will show you all her adventures. By the way, I was only 21 on my first cruise and that ship was like a ferry, but smaller. HA HA It was the S.S. Oceanic and I wish I could send a photo or two. You would die laughing at the two of us (another girl I worked with) on formal night. I have been on many cruises and am leaving on Sunday on Celebrity Eclise. I go alone now, through AAA Travel. I hope you make it through this one. Looks interesting. HUMMMMMM
Emma isn’t a TA, her friend is😊
+1 to Emma Cruises. I'm surprised you don't know her, cause I thought all Brits knew each other haha. I've only been on one cruise but I enjoyed it. Sorry this hasn't been great for you ...
Emma’s channel is great, I also recommend Ben & David. I am not really into cruises but I always watch their videos, they’re informative and fun.
I am obsessed with cruising and cruising videos on youtube and this video made me cry laugh. 😂 I really appreciate your general positivity and hope you try cruising again. It's just that a few handy tips like using the elevators that are forward or aft and not the middle ones on day one, getting on a line where the app actually works, and making use of the free babysitting in kids clubs seems like it woulda completely turned around your experience so far. I researched extensively before my first cruise - forums, alll the FAQ on the cruise line website, and watched tons of youtube content ny cruise vloggers and had an amazing time. Anyway I am definitely subscribed for part two. 😅😅
Omg another one like me!!! I’m OBSESSED with watching the cruise videos although I doubt I would ever try one. 😂
I have never seen one of your videos before, but you seem likely truly delightful people. You have a new subscriber!
Props on getting some footage of the miserable walk up the 8 floors with both hands carrying luggage.
No, there's no need to walk up. On boarding a ship with little pre-planning I suggest standing right in front of an elevator, you may wait a while but an elevator will open and no need to carry luggage .
Actually the fact he also walked up to place the camera then walked back down to get the luggage and up again!
right? i had to do that once as a mother travelling by myself with two toddlers and the elevators where out at hawaii's main airport. I made 4 trips up 4 flights to get all the luggage as we were racing to catch a connecting flight. Missed the flight, got put on another and had to tote it all back down again....three times because we missed the second flight too and the third was back at the original gate. over 30 yrs ago and I will never forget it. That scene in the video totally triggered me LOL
Didn't you drop off your luggage with the dock workers?
I did a Costa Cruise out of Savona Italy, it was okay, not the best I've been on. We always book a lower cabin with no windows, because, we're hardly ever in our room. We basically only use the cabin to sleep in. We're out early on excursions or doing some kind of activity on the ship. Once off the ship, we do our own thing, get local transportation and see what we want to see or do. It gives us a chance to see a place we might want to come back to later and stay there for awhile.
Don’t apologise for your negativity guys, you’ve been very positive and very kind about what appears to be a floating Blackpool!! When I saw the word ‘Costa’ I had some concerns for your safety…..we all know what happened to the sister ship!! Don’t get me wrong we have done a couple of cruises and enjoyed them, but at the end of the day as one of your other followers says you are on a floating Petri dish so plenty hand washing stay outside as much as possible!. Make full use of your balcony you’ll soon discover it was well worth paying for!!
You are such a ... a ... a human family. And Noah is melting my otherwise frozen heart. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
I just love the honesty of your experiences showing a normal couples ups and downs and dealing with the situations presented, keep up the great videos.
I suspect that by now several viewers reported there in fact are many ships larger than that one. We've been on enough cruises with Princess that we will earn "elite" status after our next cruise which gives us several perks. We have never sailed on a Costa cruise. Our excursions have been on NCL, Princess and one on Holland America. Some of the newer ships are using an interesting AI elevator software that makes it easier to secure one when everyone is boarding and trying to get their luggage upstairs. You request your elevator at a nearby touch screen and input your floor there. It groups people by floors and sends you to a specific elevator number instead of everyone trying to get on any elevator.
Oh wow, that sounds like an interesting way to organise the elevators! We have heard good things about Princess cruises too - the other two are new names for us so thank you!
That sounds amazing! Celebrity does send several people down to the elevators to speed up the process but using AI seems really smart. Also when people play by the rules and come on when they are supposed to, it staggers the number of people coming on at one time, easing elevator congestion.
As a person with mobility issues, do they have a workaround for that? I find things like that require you to move quickly over a lot of ground and I can't.
I have been Elite for several years on Princess, I do pick the ships I prefer as well as ports when possible. Little over 500 Sea Days, I know where the quiet spaces are on every ship I've cruised.
@Kimberly_Sparkles I've only seen it demonstrated. If I were programming it, I would take note of a request from someone with a mobility issue and provide an elevator that waits. It would be pretty easy to do that because of the way the new elevators work. I read that on one of the cruise ships, there were criticisms that touch screens were not access accessible to people in wheel chairs, but that was quickly rectified.
I love cruising. Always have a balcony so I have a quiet retreat spot. Love going to comedy shows, piano bar, and cocktail lounges with live music. Enjoy playing in the casino. Going to different restaurants throughout the cruise. My 10th cruise is in 62 days can't wait!
My gosh! I’m a seasoned cruiser and have never seen anything like the boarding you experienced. I’m in the US and the newer ships are so nice and Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, and Princess all have organized boarding. When we board we go to the opposite set of lifts and those are usually much less crowded. I don’t know anything about Costa though. Please give it another try!!
Good to know that this experience is not then norm and that those other companies might be worth a try! I think we need to try a highly rated cruise now so that we can get a balanced view!
Princess and Holland are well organized on about everything. Over 500 Sea Days with three booked now.
Another seasoned cruiser here. Please try some other cruise lines and maybe some newer ships. I would suggest watching a few UA-camrs - maybe Emma Cruises as a few other people suggested.
Another seasoned cruiser here, Royal Caribbean are brilliant very family orrientated Noah would love it as he gets older
I think another thing is the general boarding in Europe. It appears in Europe they board more at the pier level where you would be getting in and off the ship in port where as in the US, you generally board through an airport like gangway and enter the ship in a more spacious atrium or promenade deck.
I remember my first cruise and that feeling of being overwhelmed! Our kids were 7 & 11 and it was craziness; can’t imagine with a toddler☺️ I think it is worth watching a lot of videos for tips and tricks (like bypassing the dreaded elevator wait🤪) once on land and then doing another cruise. We are 11 cruises in and still learning! Once the little one gets a little older, you can have those quiet dinners together while he has a great time in the kids club. Your experience will change in each season of life and cruising will be different each time you go. Enjoy! I look forward to seeing your adventures🥳
Wonderfully put together video of your misadventure. And you’re taking your share of the responsibility and not being (overly) cruel to the cruise line. Really well done! And compelling viewing! 🙌👍🏻🫶🙏
I have done 21 cruises, 22 is booked for December. Every one is different, it took a whole year to save for a cruise, so I maintain a very positive point of view. Enjoy the difference to land holidays. Also my favorite cruise line is Norwegian. I will watch for your next one.
You would find Princess and Holland American would make you much happier.
NCL Loyalist here. I'm a solo traveler and they make it affordable for me. Transatlantic trips are my favorite.
I have the Caribbean booked for October, can’t wait.
Have you ever tried Celebrity? We love it. Friends of ours tried Norwegian after Celebrity and they thought Celebrity was 💯 better.
We always book ours a year or more in advance and always get a great deal. Our friends did asia with Norwegian in Jan this year, we've booked to do our asia cruise with Celebrity Jan 2025 and ours was cheaper! Even though they had an outside room and we have balcony!
Anyways enjoy the cruise in Dec 🎉
@@emmabourke6565 Yes, Celebrity, Holland America, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean. All have their pros and cons. My husband and I just preferred Norwegian.
As a seasoned cruiser, mostly on Disney, I'd recommend Disney since you have the little one. You can leave him at the nursery or if you go when he's a tad older, there are kids "camps" he can go to and play with other children while you roam the ship, have cocktail tastings or just find a nice lounger somewhere. It's a top end cruise as opposed to Costa which is a Carnival ship and the lowest of the Carnival fleet. (Yikes!). Disney has ships in Europe and the British Isles so you don't even have to fly to Florida (but you could ... and do a video from Orlando too!).
We've done the Med cruise on Disney twice and also a Northern Europe one ... love them. I hope your cruise gets better and at the very least, this doesn't turn you off cruising. It's a very civilized way to travel. :D
YES!!!! I heard Disney has the BEST food.
The only problem is, that Disney is 100% satanic. Just check out any of their most well-known movies, and you will see that there is subliminal sex programming going on, aimed at children when they are most impressionable. Stay away!
I would never take my children on a cruise and leave them in "camps" or roaming a ship. ESPECIALLY DISNEY! Don't you people watch the news or research a bit? Disney has one after the other disappearing children, I won't even go into it any further...just never leave your children unaccompanied by you NEVER, especially Disney.
@@vickyhioniskolaiti Where the heck are you getting your information from? Disappearing children? LOL. Laughable. You can't go into any further because there's no truth to it. hahaha
@@pxlbarrel Where have you been? It's all over the news about the pedo's and Disney everything. Disney cruises took children right to Epstein's Island for snorkeling...I have all the research & you need to do some! I never left my children with strangers to have any kind of fun, they came first! You are in for a BIGWAKE UP if you live in your own little world. And probably watch only CNN, NBC etc...Even one child "drowned or missing" is too many. Watch over the children...
I was so excited to see that you did this video! My partner and I are addicted to watching cruise videos. We've cruised about 30 cruises, on many lines, and hands down our favorite cruises are on Holland America line to Alaska, preferably leaving from Seattle; however, we've departed a few times from Vancouver and that's okay too, just usually much busier and longer lines to board. Thanks for the cruise video! We hope you had a great time and want to continue cruising!
Love the positive mindset that you guys are willing to try out more cruises after having a sub-par experience. I also took my first cruise on a poorly reviewed budget line (MSC cruiseline), but it was sort of on purpose. I wanted a 'trial' cruise, just 3 nights. I ended up having a great time and after that I had 3 more cruises on different lines planned out in my head.
Respect to you and your son, he has the patience of an angel. Honestly, a cruise would be a living nightmare for me. But I understand why some people like it. 😅
One cruise was all it took for me to realize it's not my idea of a fun holiday!
My hubby hated it !
Actually knowing me ,no cruise is all it takes ,to know its not my idea of a holiday Never!!!
We didn't like cruising (having never done one), until last year when we did our 1st, we have now booked our 3rd (in 2 yeears) to the carribean. Waking up each morning to somewhere new is amazing. We have met some lifelong friends too.
@@illigitimus3451 How did you meet lifelong friends when you went on your first cruise last year? 🤔
@@niag.3332 I'm not sure how you make friends, but it's quite easy.
Noah is growing exponentially !!! wow. Since I get seasick and dont like waves, I could never do it. Thanks for the tour....Noah is adorable.....
I'm going to need a whole series of the Beans trying different cruise ships now because this whole video was also a culture shock for me!
😂 We might need a bit of a break before we embark on such a series - have you ever thought "I need a holiday after this holiday".. 😅
I would not wish that on my worst enemy 😂
I only cruised once so far and I am hooked. I think the whole atmosphere is fun and I can't wait to try it again. I went on the Royal Caribbean and thought it was fantastic.
He is such a well behaved little fellow!! So chilled out! Also going on my 4th cruise next year on Holland America Line
please do a coop with Emma Cruises, that would be the best content!
I agree, I think Emma could give you some great advice. She likes to be a budget cruiser but always seems to make the most of the cheaper rooms, cruise ships. I personally like Celebrity for food, service and the relatively calm atmosphere. We can always find a calm place to get away from the crowds and enjoy peace and quite.
Emma is fabulous.
Yes! Hook up with Emma. She will definitely steer them in the right direction!
Yes Emma cruises would be a great place to look for the best cruise for you.
100% this!
So hilarious that you picked the world's worst cruise for your first experience. Bean Blunders! I've watched another UA-cam couple Brogan and Benji on a 3 month wedding package cruise and it looked so, so much better than your experiences so far. They were with P&O I believe and absolutely loved their cruising. Their enthusiasm was quite infectious. Cruising has never appealed to me as I think I'd feel trapped at sea (I get seasick) in what's essentially a massive hotel, with loads of people crowding everywhere you go.
Atlantic crossings (Queen Mary 2) or smaller boat cruises in Alaska are nice. Those tropical virus factories horrify me.
Agree …..
Just avoid the ships named Titanic.......
What a great video and especially recognizable, we took the same cruise 2 weeks ago, so 1 week after your cruise and your story is 100% recognizable.
also for us, husband-wife-son (17 years old), the 1st cruise and recognize everything you say.
i want to add that we also found the food terribly bad, we got a beef wellington with beef dark gray and as tough as a shoe sole.
But nice to hear and see that so we are not the only ones with this reaction, but there are more with the same feelings....
My Hubby and I just went on our first one with Princess and loved it! We thought we wouldn't but the service, food, and amenities quickly changed our mind. I've been looking for our next one already! Princess does an incredible job and would highly recommend them.
You are good for three cruises on the "basic cruise ship model" after the second trip out, the cracks start being obvious. Dont be afraid to "upgrade" away from the church groups and bachelorette parties. If you like cruising, rise your standards before you are soured on the whole method.
@@thomasallen6980
My ideal vacation is to get away from people, not mingle or be around them. But i respect those who prefer the human interaction vibe found on cruise ships.
I’ve been on several cruises and always can find space to be alone. I’ve never had to interact with people if I don’t want to. I think this is a misconception.
@@ceeceebb 14:04 You enjoy this? If your neighbour at home was making such a racket you’d call the police. I love sailing but this is not sailing.
Guys you struck me funny😂 - I know no one, literally NO ONE who goes on a diet (last week you mentioned you are now on a diet) when boarding a cruise😂😂😂
I guess it will be a success🎉🎉 you are either ending up miserable or 1/2 a stone heavier 😅 omg!
Your timing is formidable😂
We don’t diet on board but we do take the stairs as much as possible and I always come off "lighter". Of course we don’t have a little one to watch after, it that should be in your favor! 😊
I'm sure hubby will know better next time, lol. Little Noah is so adorable 😍🥰
Yeah.. I'm now waiting to be suprised with the BEST cruise in the world to balance things out 😂
🤞 for you Emma 😊@@TravelBeans
@@TravelBeans 🤣🤣🤣🤣
It was really nice having a first time cruiser POV....I relived the excitement of my first cruise and honestly I have been on many all over the world but never have I got that first time cruise level of excitement again. I think you did very well in dealing with the discomfort at times that boarding day entails...no matter what line you cruise with. Fantastic attitude and resulting video, I really enjoyed it guys. Well done!
@TravelBeans you guys are awesome! I laughed the whole way through this video. I've been on 23 cruises and I've become a bit jaded and forgotten how much fun my first cruise was. Thank you for sharing your excitement and misery with us. HAHA! If I had to recommend a cruise line, try Royal Caribbean. I've been on 5 different cruise lines and they are by far the best. Disney Cruise Lines is really nice but not worth the money. They are 2-3 times more than other cruises. Royal Caribbean is reasonably prices, food is great, entertainment is top notch and the newer ships are what dreams are made of. Hope to see you guys on a cruise some time!
Is your boy always that calm and good natured?
He definitely has his moments 😅
I did a Princess cruise (more expensive but worth it) and it was phenomenal. Gorgeous ship, great food, tons to do and awesome excursions. Sorry you had a bad experience -
Love love love Princess! Very guest focused!
Enjoyed the video Beans. You probably said (and did) what every first time cruiser did or said. So enoy your vlogs, videos, or whatever they call them. Little Noah gets cuter and cuter every day❤❤
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching and for the lovely comment 😊🙏
I loved your cruise video! I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and Holland. Every line has its pros and cons and each offers its own character depending what you like. The key I’ve found though is that no matter what cruise line you choose, go for the newer ships (10 or less years old) and book suites if you can. It makes such a big difference on embarkation and debarkation. You will get priority embarkation the more you cruise and gain status. I hope you cruise again, next up, try Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships.
I just ran across your channel for the first time today and I just want to say, kudos to you both for continuing your passion with traveling after having a little one. I look forward to seeing more of your journey.
Taking a cruise with another couple with kiddo would be fun, taking turns playing with kiddos while others having adult time. Would like to try a Disney cruise too!
I used to work for Disney Cruise Line, so I am a bit biased, but Ive also cruised on Norwegian and had no complaints.
That loud crowded scene with everyone dancing made me think of a hotel lobby I was in, in Puerto Rico. Chaos.
Back to Disney- its top tier. Staterooms are beautiful, the restaurants are amazing and they have a kids area separated into different age groups, so you could have a couple hours of adult only time together.
Ironically, my ex didnt want to go on the Disney cruise because he thought it would be overrun with kids. I told him, just wait.... And because the kids are all off on their own doing things in the camps, we didnt see kids hardly at all! It was great! lol
But poor Madame... If People dance, it means they are HAPPY. And are You sure that Disney or Norwegian have better quality/price than Costa Crociere?.... mmmmm
We have only been on sporadic cruises (mostly with our parents and with groups), but in my experience, it really is important to consider who the line targets to sail with them. Some highly rated lines are primarily oriented at adult travelers--that probably isn't your best choice. I believe Royal Caribbean and Disney feature nursery care on some ships--allowing you to treat yourselves to a date night, for a babysitting fee. That said, the cruise experience is designed as a pre-fab experience. However, sometimes, the convenience of a room you don't have to pack and move from at every destination, the availability of accessibility, and the opportunity to have a multigenerational experience--is just the holiday you need. YMMV.
Y’all are so funny! I love that y’all can turn a “world’s worst” into a fun time! Here’s to y’all from Montana, USA. This trip will keep you laughing for years to come. Now back to watch the rest of the story.
British approach to problems: humour
We didn't like cruising (having never done one), until last year when we did our 1st, we have now booked our 3rd (in 2 yeears) to the carribean. Waking up each morning to somewhere new is amazing. We have met some lifelong friends too.
That is truly my worst nightmare. Thanks for taking one for the team. Can cross that of the list of wants!
Haha, me too - after that 'party', I'd need several drinks!!
There are much better cruise options. As mentioned this is one of the worst cruise lines and cruise ships you can take.
Yes ... when you first get on a ship take the stairs up a deck or two and it's much easier to get a lift. EVERYbody congregates on the bottom because no one wants to walk the stairs.
Embarkation day is often a faff ... but once you get into your cabin, grab a glass of wine or a cocktail at one of the bars, take it to your cabin balcony and watch the waves.....while your baby sleeps.
Veteran of 20+ cruises .... I love them.
Good to know!
Where I would be for the whole trip. On the balcony. No wonder so many jump. I get it now.
Embarkation is always busy! Lifts are always packed etc. but when you get on that balcony and the water starts passing you by, it is magic! I would never cruise without a balcony. I’ve cruised Royal Caribbean and MSC and Royal is definitely my favourite. Not as ‘party’ as Carnival & Costa. For a less crowded cruise with a more chilled pace, then you should try Celebrity or Princess ☺️ But if you are going to cruise again then there is 1 lesson you need to learn…. It’s a Ship not a boat. Seasoned cruisers get very irritated about that 😂😂😂😂😂
Also, there's usually lifts/elevators at the front and back that aren't usually quite as busy on day 1, in addition to the really busy ones in the middle of the ship.
@@jillr759😂
Our first cruise was also a Costa Cruise. On the Costa. Magica (The sister ship of the one you know that captain crashed while trying to waive to his girlfriend ). As it was our first cruise we didn’t really have a reference point. But overall it was quite good. We had a cabin at the stern which is a bonus. Cruising I think is a great holiday with young children. After a while though I do tire of the noise and the constant herding.
Tom from Toronto
Ps . Next time I’d try Celebity - a good mid market line.
We are super cruisers, we did travel on our own all over Europe but now in our 60's, cruising is perfect for us. We tried many companies but Celebrity Cruises is our first choice.
The food is fantastic, it's quieter, the service is first class and checking in and out is easy and fast. The prices are higher but for us it's worth it. Salutations from🇨🇦
I’ve traveled a bit but never went on a cruise. Never appealed to me. Still not sure if I want to go on one. Ever!
@@audreychurch I think it’s worth doing once. (Not the Caribbean). There’s always ways you can make the cruise work for you. If you don’t like crowds for example, stay away from the buffets, dine in the specialty restaurants, have breakfast on your balcony. There are always many quiet areas on the ship you can read a book. Stay on the ship on one of the port days. Anyways it’s worth a try once.
Just found your channel a couple of months ago and already a dozen vlogs in - really enjoy your dialogue and realism (as parents lol). Nice.
I think that you are both very brave, can’t imagine sharing a relaxing holiday with that many people. Afraid that it does not appeal to me at all despite one of my family members cruising with P&O for over 10 years, their suggestion was to choose a smaller boat. Hope you had a great time.
Embarkation day is always crazy, and they had you board in the basement. Most cruise lines have you board via an elevated platform into the main hall. Not the best first impression for sure, but you at least booked a balcony room. It's the one thing I tell people who are considering a cruise. Spend the extra money for the balcony.
That was so funny 😂😂. 2 days, you did well. Just a bit overcrowded for me, I thought a cruise was meant to be a relaxing holiday 😮. Travel safe Beans
They did no research and chose the wrong cruise, this one is a get away for a week booze and party cruise.
We went on our first ever cruise this past February 9 days to the Bahamas on Carnival. We actually loved it ❤.
Congrats on taking the leap into the unknown, that sense of having no idea what you’re doing is very much part of the experience. It’s good to expand your horizons and many cruise ships are designed specifically for families, image how much more fun you could have on a large cruise ship! As a fellow sufferer I can recommend taking ginger tablets to reduce the effects of seasickness, I believe green apples might offer similar relief if that’s more your thing, and carry travel sickness tablets for when rougher seas come along. Oh, and wash hands frequently, but I’d recommend that on any type of holiday. Enjoy your future cruising.
Omg! Watching your first cruise was so entertaining, as we are cruisers! 😂 Interesting to see how things that we take for granted are not so obvious to newbies! Really great video!
@3:23 "that's what she said"...oh Emma... you two need to book a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas...the largest (most family friendly) cruise ship in the world. Then (aside from sunset on your balcony) you will truly find out what cruising is all about. Happy you finally made it onto a cruise SHIP.
No way! Too darn big!!
@@roseanzaldi3660 "It's smaller on the inside..."
This is my 1st time ever coming across your YT channel. I’m 1/2 way through, but I love your collective sense of humor AND the (seeming) fact that your baby seems very chill about the situation. lol.
Ditto
Make sure you dont put key cards next to anything magnetic, it unprograms them.
Love me some beans in the morning!! Noah is just the cutest baby ever!! 💙 Much love from Southern California 🌴
I SO appreciate your open-mindedness about the cruise, even if it wasn't the best, top notch experience. I would definitely try another cruise line because some are quite nice. I've only been on one with Royal Caribbean - on an older, smaller ship to boot - and it was actually really fun! We DID do an interior cabin, which didn't bother us, but the balcony would be amazing. I hear you - it definitely feels overwhelming, like, we just boarded, how is everyone already at the pool/buffet/casino?! But next time you'll have a better idea and hopefully a really, really, lovely experience. Emma Cruises is a great channel: a lovely UK gal who cruises all over!
Tip one do some research before going on, it makes it so.much smoother. Eg drop of luggage check in at Port , buffet always an option. Cruises are all inclusive and should approached with informed minds.
I have never wanted to be stuck on a floating petri dish with a bunch of strangers, but to each his own. I watch you guys regardless because you always brighten my day!!🥰
Have you ever seen a NPC Baby 😂 he is so chilled he became a prop 😂😂
I have cruised some. I have loved it. Your experience will be different each ship and cruise line. I have had great cruises, good cruises and mehhh cruises. I have found Royal Carribean to be pretty consistent for having good cruise experience. Each cruise you take you will gain more experience to know how to navigate everything and the experience gets easier and easier. Happy cruising! Also, depending on your child;s age, some or most cruise lines offer kids clubs based on ages and you can drop them off to be watched and have fun activities while you both go enjoy the shiplife some.
So sorry for this awful experience. This would not be my comfort zone or choice, but I'm glad you found some things you could enjoy. I'm so proud of you for not drinking! You are doing terrific! Have a great week! Much love, Jane ❤🙏
My wife and I LOVE cruising, but pretty much only cruise with Royal Caribbean and never had a bad experience.
Us too.
I am watching this having just returned from my second cruise. I agree about RC! We met people who were on their 40th cruise and had 18 more booked! This will not be me….I still enjoy other methods of travel but cruising has definitely been added to my list! RC treated us very well. Laughing very hard about this being a large ship lol!
Same here! Definitely📣LOYAL TO ROYAL!!😊
I have never taken a cruise, but if there was such a thing as a cruise ship that had quiet places to soak up some sun, read in a lounger chair, have drinks brought to you and not be in the middle of music, people and craziness- it could be lovely! I liked the look of the cabin you were in with the balcony. I love being near the water but unfortunately I think I would be overwhelmed by the number of people, the noise, the action and chaos and I would likely withdraw to my cabin and balcony and never want to venture out. I would hate feeling like I'm in a zoo. So best to rent a place by the ocean in land!! Having said all that, I still think of going in a cruise that probably doesn't even exist!
Luxury cruise lines have smaller ships that are way less crowded, combined with a relaxing, non-raucous atmosphere. You pay extra for the privilege. However, on lines such as Viking (my favorite) the fare is much more inclusive than most lines and there's few attempts to sell extras once you're on board.
All this. My same thoughts always 😊
Love how kids really don’t give a damn .. wether it’s good or bad ❤️
I've been on Costa Neoclassica, who got retired from service after my cruise in November 2017. It was a repositioning cruise from Italy to India (28 days) and it was dirt cheap (in summer they cruise the Mediterranean and in winter the Indian Ocean, so they have to take the ship back and forth once a year).
It was absolutely amazing. The ship looked similar to this one, I would call it classic Italian chic. Since it was a full month cruise, there were almost no kids. We had a lot of days at sea and although there were a lot of passengers as well, it never felt too much really. The food was absolutely outstanding. I'm traveling a lot globally, but this food was one of the best (e.g. way better than on Queen Mary 2 for example, since you question how the food would be on a "better" ship.). It was the best journey of my life so far with plenty of bucketlist places ticked off in one go (Olympos, Athens, passing the Suez Channel, the Death Sea, Petra, Oman, Maldives for 4 days, Sri Lanka and Goa / Mumbai).
First time I have watched one of your videos and I can’t believe how calm you both stay with such poor service. Noah is so chilled too!
I have been a few times on Royal Caribbean. Well organised, you don't take your case on board yourselves. digital displays screen showing what's on and where. We usually go in May and it certainly isn't as crowded as that. Maybe because its an Italian company, its more laid back. Look at ftn videos. Honestly it can be a lot of fun!
Agree! Royal to relax. We love cruising with Royal Caribbean. While my kids are teens, there is childcare included with RC as well. Lots of cozy lounges to relax with a book.
Seasoned cruiser here, I’d never go near costa! Don’t let a bad cruise line put you off.
I have to tell you.I never cruised before myself before 2024, but you never go for the least.Expensive.The more you spend honestly the way better it is. We'll be leaving on our third cruise this year over Christmas. Royal Caribbean all the way. Check out the ship its the biggest Utopia of the seas.
I remain unconvinced taking a cruise is something I should ever try, but I admire your intrepid spirit! Also, the look on Emma's face when the key card fails @8:52 is priceless. Thanks for sharing.
My wife Gabrielle and I had our first cruise on the IONA from Southampton to the Fjords and had the most amazing time, thank you for sharing your experience 🙏
Ugh. Cruises just seem like my worst nightmare of a vacation. To be stuck on the ship with so many people in full tourist mode - I generally avoid the super tourist-filled areas at most destinations, because they all seem to be bad in the same way. And to have to funnel in and out through a (relatively) narrow choke point with them every time you want to get off or back on. I can see how there’s something satisfying about it for people who dislike surprises or who like to be able to figure out hacks and proudly tell others that they’ve somehow gamed the system (“well, I always climb a flight of stairs and THEN go to the next lift lobby over, easy-peasy…””the best strategy for choosing which ports to get off and when to stay onboard is…”) but all of it just stresses me out just to consider it. I’d much rather just get around on my own.
Cruising is now more a resort type vacation. Bottom line the food, room service, itinerary all contribute to an amazing value. You don’t lift a finger. I go in ships that have about 1800 guests. The monster 7500 passenger ships are too big for me. We enjoy Holland America. Premium cruise at great prices.
I'm with you on that. I'm not a people person so this seems like the worst vacation ever. I would rather be camping some place. I have no interest whatsoever in a cruise.
@@thedonleroyagree, I feel the same.
@@cherylbrunette2490 Try holland America people. I used to think like you. The guests are 55-up. Very few kids. It’s amazing how uncrowded the ship is. The crowd factor isn’t what you think.
They are.. yuck
That is real dedication to have to walk up 8 floors, go up, put the camera down, go back down, walk back up on the camera. Props to you!
Sounds sarcastic
As soon as I saw it was on Costa, I knew why the ratings were so low. I was advised, at least a dozen years ago, to avoid Costa. When the Concordia went down and the captain abandoned the ship and staff were telling passengers to return to their cabins (to die), it sealed my resolve.
I’ve been on three cruises. I love that everything is included. You see destinations but don’t have to unpack and pack. I just spent a five day vacation with my grandson and his two littles. Five days four hotels. I’m 66 I was tired and needed a vacation