Cruise Lines You Should Stay Far, Far Away From
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- This video delivers on a promise I made in the video about lines that I recommended to make a video of cruise lines avoid and think other cruisers should too
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00:00 Start
00:31 #1 Money Talks
02:57 #2 Who's The Boss
04:32 #3 Old Loves
05:38 #4 Price Of Change
07:07 #5 Not Your Style
09:04 #6 Lost in Translation
11:16 #7 Bad Reviews
Having just disembarked from the MSC Grandiosa, I totally appreciate your comments. 6000 plus people on a very large vessel is not for me. Whilst I can appreciate the engineering prowess in building such a ship, the sheer volume of people was a nightmare at every stage. It was an experience that I will not repeat.
Ha - we're booked on the 6000+ MSC Virtuosa for a week at the end of Feb, Northern Europe from Southampton. I'll let you know whether it's for us or not :)
We're not experienced cruisers, and no, MSC wouldn't be our first choice if we had loads of money. We're viewing it as a (relatively) cheap & cheerful option, which obviously we won't repeat if we don't enjoy it. But we're hoping we'll enjoy the entertainment, and the food, and the fact we've been able to afford a decent size cabin (sorry 'stateroom') at the bow where we can keep a lookout for icebergs.
Hey, I was on the same cruise!
Heading out on the MSC Grandiosa in 2 weeks. Not a fan of big ships but the itinerary with Malta on it is what drew us in. Any large pitfalls you found?
@@jonbowles7480 I'm sure that it will be more quiet now than when we were on. The ports of call were OK. Malta was beautiful. I hope that embarkation was OK. We had to queue around the block.
I hope that you enjoy it.
i had been on 2 cruises on the sinfonia with abt less than 2000 passengers and it felt completely different and more personalised. my family left the holiday being friends with and having so many of the crew on socials
I just got off of a Royal Caribbean cruise in Greece, and I absolutely loved it. It’s the 3rd time I’ve cruised with Royal Caribbean, admittedly for the first time in over a decade, and the thing I really like about that line is that they seem to be really good at appealing to the masses. You want something quiet? There’s the solarium, which is the adult only pool area. Like thrills? There’s the flow rider and the rock climbing wall and the Skypad on the Quantum-class ships. Want to do small activities? There’s scads of trivia events. Have kids? Adventure Ocean. Don’t have kids? Plenty of adult oriented activities. It’s got something for everyone, and that’s what I love about it.
We will try R.C but waiting to hear if things get back to normal. Watched a few bloggers who said that the food in the MDR wasn’t up to par. They said they’re avid RC cruiser. We noticed on the Carnival Mardi Gras the food in the MDR wasn’t up to par as well. But I kind of expected it after Covid shut down . Just hope they don’t take too long ✌🏻
@@sunsetrescue7112 I just got off a RCI Alaska Cruise. Food all around was great! Yeah some stuff wasn’t the best but to unlearn what’s good and what’s not so good
@@RRLV434 I’ve discovered during my worldwide travels, mostly in RCI, is that what one person loves, another will hate.
Odyssey out of Rome? I loved that cruise. Sailed 9/11
We like RC (admittedly the only line I've ever been on, but he's been on a few) because it's a nice mix of fun, formal, and relaxed. And usually not swarming with too many kids.
I’ve cruised on Princess and Norwegian and thought this was nice. But then I sailed on Viking to the Baltic, and I was in love. Less than 800 passengers. No kids, no casinos, no photo hucksters, no art shows, no roaring music/parties by the pool. And no separate charges for drinks, desserts, special restaurants, etc.. everything is included. They even send a bus to pick you up at the airport, meeting you at the luggage pick-up. It was wonderful. I highly recommend Viking ocean cruises.
When did you do the Viking cruise?
@@rogerbaker5090 Last summer, July 2022.
Comes with a price tag some can’t afford
@@robheb1355 Shop the sales, sign up for Viking alerts and book at last minute. My wife and I did a 14 day cruise to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Poland, with all meals and drinks included, plus one shore excursion per port, WITH included air fare from Canada to Sweden and return from Norway all for under CAD$7,000 a person.
@@admiralbeez8143 lol bruh you paid 5000 per person its no wonder all that is included, im sure you would have spent much less just paying as you go
Thanks for the perspective. I really like your balanced approach and the concept that there are different lines that appeal to different types of travellers. Doing your research on CruiseCritic and other venues is really important to find the right line for the style of travel that best fits.
We had the opportunity to sail with RC on its first post covid cruise from Long Beach. Short cruise with maybe 1/3 the usual number of guests. It was heaven! No crowded elevators, crew so welcoming to get back to work. A memorable once in a lifetime chance.
Too many kids on RCI for me
Too many kids on RCI for me. (Royal Caribbean International).
Wow that sounds great just got off NCL Bliss that held 4000+ people and it was just too crowded!!
We sailed RC Symphony of the seas post covid. It was weird as the ship felt empty. We took an upgrade to a crown loft suite and truly felt like royalty for the week! Anything since, has unfortunately felt quite crowded!
I absolutely love Royal Caribbean.
My spouse and I have cruised 12 times with Carnival. The last one was this summer on the Mardi Gras. We took our grandson and his Mom. This was their first cruise. And they enjoyed it. The water park was a hit. We as a couple came away thinking.. Bigger isn’t better . We just got back from our first cruise with Celebrity on their Eclipse and WOW we loved it. Everything was better.. for us. The food and activities, the ships decor.. was a hit with us . We’ve came to the conclusion that Carnival is who we will sail with when we are taking younger family and friends and Celebrity is for us as a couple.. my best friend and I have a cruise booked for this November on a Carnival cruise and I’m kind of dreading it but she said she wants to try Celebrity with me.. I’ll make the best of it as I always do .🥰
Well said. My partner of 38 years and I started out on Carnival, back when they only had 2 ships and one was named Mardi Gras. We graduated to Holland America because we always want a suite. We live and learn for sure
Our favorite cruise line is Celebrity for that same reason. We went on RCCL Allure of The Seas and came back determined not to cruise again on such huge ships.
Just did our first Celebrity in Alaska back in September. We have always sailed Royal and Princess but Celebrity was far and away the best experience we have ever had. The food was amazing, the service was impeccable. Everyone was friendly. Definitely going to do more with Celebrity.
@@slimtny that’s EXACTLY how we felt and feel. If not for grandkids I think we would sail Exclusively with Celebrity 🥰
We just took a cruise on Holland America because my friends Auntie insisted upon it. She would only cruise on that line. Horrible time. We mainly cruise Celebrity. What a let down that line was for us. She loved it but we we will never cruise with them again. To each their own. 😉
We are all different, Gary, and it's good that there are different cruise ships for different types of people. We are seniors and we tend to agree with most of what you said here Thanks for the reassurance that we are doing the right thing.
My husband and I tend to like Holland America for some of the reasons you spoke of - we like the smaller ships, less amusement park atmosphere, and since there is less for kids to do and higher prices there tends to be less families with small children. When we took our adult kids to the Caribbean, we chose Carnival Cruises for the reason you stated, it had the more party atmosphere that was geared towards young adults. We all had a great time, had we went on HAL, our kids may have enjoyed as well. Researching cruise destinations, cruise lines and time of the cruise can make all the difference for cruise.
Excellent video. There are so many things to consider when choosing a cruise line and itinerary. Cheaper really isn't always better. Language spoken on board is vital to me. Thank you for a great perspective.
Gary, for Greenland and the Canadian Arctic my wife and I have enjoyed Adventure Canada cruises. They get you out on the land in remote places and have community people travel with you on the ship for more enrichment. The landings change depending on ice conditions so it is truly an adventure. It is a small ship - our last trip around Baffin Island and over to Greenland had 170-ish passengers.
Who did you book you trip through? Or did you book directly? Thanks.
@@junehitchcock170 We booked directly. Their phone number is on their website.
That sounds like an amazing cruise. I have never been on a cruise and it is on my bucket list. This sounds like an amazing adventure.
@@kathrynjordan8782 We've been on several of their trips all on the NE coast of Canada and Western Greenland. We visited Iceland with them and next year are doing Scotland - Faroe Islands - Iceland with them.
@@RichardGaskellSings Thanks! Are these good for singles as well? I would love to visit Scotland.
Gary, your vlogs are always great, BUT this one is a must watch for anyone wishing to cruise for the first time
My wife and I ARE NOT drinkers. I have never cruised and we are 62yo and 65 yo. We love the fun that is going on and all the FUN that is available. We normally get up with a lot of couples in out age group and they also enjoy the constant FUN that is available. I believe we will be cruising with Carnival well into our 80s. By the way I really do enjoy your VLOG and your up front and honest opinions.
Enjoyed this video! Indeed, our likes and dislikes change as we age. Started out with CCL many years ago. However, now at age 75yrs I'm very content with X and HAL. Thanks again with your ongoing insight.
The absolute worse cruise we took was with Norwegian Cruise lines Breakaway. New York to Bermuda. One thing to consider is the passengers sometimes reflects the port it sails from. This was true on this cruise. Half of Brooklyn was on this boat. Loud, rude and inconsiderate. We befriended a couple from Nova Scotia snd they were just as upset as we were. We will never ever sail from New York ever again…
OMG-I had my worst cruise EVER on Norwegian!
Yikes doing a cruise with Norwegian in march
I don't know if you have already commented on Viking. Doing a German river cruise next summer. Any opinion?
You cant blame the cruise line.
@@cherylschneider6903 correct. But remember your passengers sometimes reflects the port it sails from. That is something to remember when sailing from New York City
I'm glad I've come across your channel Garry. Thank you so much for all your advice and being very fair and understanding about different people's tastes etc.
We love the formality on Cunard and the afternoon teas, we are on QM2 again soon. We have never found them more expensive than any other line and we have had some great deals with them in the past. We had been put off Royal Caribbean because of the size of the ships, but we did a short cruise on the Independence a few years ago and we loved it. We love the new P&O ships too. The trouble with small ships is that they do wobble more in rough seas.
Love what you have to say, my preference is for larger and newer ships like the Norwegian Breakaway Plus class, I've been on the Norwegian Escape twice once in the Caribbean and again in Europe and it was lovely.
This was such a well thought out vlog; so appreciated. I learned from you and then learned more while reading your channel's comments. I started cruising with Costa, then to Holland America, then to Princess for the last 8, and now looking for something completely different to try a solo trip for the first time. I've never heard anything bad about Celebrity so I might try the Summit for her size and atmosphere.
I have had a blast on every cruise I have been on. I think it is great to enjoy what you have in the moment. Some people talk themselves out of a good time.
Another thing to consider is the port. I would have never thought much of it, but as a foreign national I had the displeasure of having the port of Galveston, Texas as my first cruise (on Royal Carribean). The cruise was fine, had a great time but the disembarkation was a nightmare. The "lady" held the foreign national line up until all US nationals cleared. We ended up waiting 3 hours in the port to clear Customs. People missed flights. I will never sail out of Galveston again.
America First!
You'll also want to avoid New Orleans. It’s not well organized and often makes people late for flights.
It was bad the first time we sailed out of Galveston but not so bad last year!
We have always had great cruises on Norwegian, so wanted to vote for them. Wonder why the negative comments. We had great food, good service, excellent entertainment, fine tours, etc.
Same here! Loved NCL for our Med cruise for our honeymoon. Just went to Alaska on Encore and it was even better than our honeymoon. Super clean, great food, lots of entertainment options. Only downside was the excursion prices
Just one man’s experience and opinion
I tried Norwegian and hated it. The service was horrible UNTIL I raised a stink with guest services. We had a person with specific food allergies. We were told before the cruise it wouldn’t be an issue. We got on board and we didn’t find out until 2 days later how to properly pre order food. Our room had a horrible vibration noise. It took twice saying something before they finally agreed to send someone out to look at it. At dinner we would ask for a wine list, multiple times we would ask and never receive the wine list. Was these things enough to ruin our vacation, no. But I also look at it as if I’m spending this amount of money, I want good service. But I’m sure many people have had good experience with NCL.
Went Norwegian to Alaska (on the Bliss) and it was the best cruise I’ve ever had). That’s the only time I’ve cruised them though
Just got off the Getaway. I mean they did have good food and service, but there was no good entertainment and all the tours were too expensive or just weren’t really interesting. If it wasn’t for the onboard activities like pools and sports, Norwegian could’ve been worse.
We've been round several river cruise lines and while we've had a good time, we've gone back to Scenic who are one of the more expensive but provide the experience we want. I also like the fact they generally do longer itineraries eg. 11 days around Bordeaux when all the other lines do 8 days. Having gone round a few lines on river cruises and regretted it to some extent, we've decided to stick to Viking for ocean cruises since we like what they do. My mum is 78, as she says she doesn't have time to be disappointed and come back on another cruise line.
Viking are our favourites too. We have a cruise booked for next year, Rome to Venice. We know it will be fabulous.
We went on Holland for an Alaska cruise July 2022. It was as close to perfection as we had hoped it would be. With few children, an excellent atmosphere and music for mature adults, destinations to learn some history, crew members that were fantastic, and a buffet that you can only dream about, I wouldn't consider another cruise line. But of course that's my opinion. Maybe you want lots of partying action. Then Holland is probably not for you.
What ship did you sail on?
We have been on Holland America and Princess as well, for the seven day Alaska cruise out of Seattle. The Alaska cruise is by far the best one in that it feels like everything is more upscale; entertainment, food, service, etc. But then per day cost makes it one of the more expensive itineraries, too.
@@littleleers I just looked at Costcos Alaska cruises for 2023 last night. One way from Vancouver BC..All on the starboard (right) side are taken where the views are. A few on the port (left)…will have to keep looking. I’d go Alaska Marine Highway If I had some privacy and comfort. Just don’t think I can handle that rustic anymore.
Congratulations you like HAL,I'm Indonesian,I worked as a dining room steward a long time ago,now 64,If I have a chance I want to take my wife,my son and daughter in law for cruise on HAL as nostalgia🙏
@@littleleers which one would you recommend, I heard glacier bay important
We have cruises Norwegian 3 times. Last was Breakaway out of New York. It was a great cruise up the New England coast. We've never had a bad experience with NCL
You make some wonderful points Gary. My cruise next year, we only have 2 choices of lines, being P&O Australia and Carnival. Both are 'budget' lines here. However doing some virtual ship tours, and reading about the lines, I felt that P&O was for us. Not only is Carnival Splendor gaudy and tacky, IMO of course, but the fact it caters to a younger higher energy crowd was part of the turn off. We don't need the 24 hour included pizza and ice cream options, as we wouldn't take advantage of them. P&O Australia, though still budget or cheap if people prefer, has a more understanded and traditional interior design, and has limits on the number of children per sailing, thus caters more for those without children. It also has fewer high energy activities. Certainly more our style.
Hi Gary, you are such a fantastic source of information and guide. I value your feedback and sincerity. We have cruised numerous times to the Caribbean but in the last recent years we are focused on Europe. You provide such valuable information and guidance! Thank you for your constant excellent insights!
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I've been cruising on Carnival for over a decade because I enjoy how fun it is! The Fun Squad is what makes or breaks a cruise for me, and the piano bar and comedians are always highlights. It’s not that difficult to avoid rowdy children, and they definitely exist on all cruises that allow kids onboard.
Excellent advice as always. Well, in tune with how we think too. Yet to try Cunard, but one day, hopefully.
We had five cruises canceled from Princess, so when we tried to replace the last one, Carnival was the choice. It was on their Big Panorama and we had cabins in their Havana area (no kids under 12). It was a fabulous cruise. The food and the staff were all great. We haven't sailed with Carnival in years, but wouldn't hesitate to sail again.
I went on my 1st cruise last month on the Panorama. Had a fantastic time and am ready to cruise again.
LOVE that Havana space!!! So relaxing!
Hey Gary, I absolutely love listening to your videos. Of all the channels, I feel you are the most informative. You really touch on some details that others fail on. Just wanted to say thank you. Greetings from Texas
I appreciate that. Thanks :-)
Totally agree. Gary's videos are always well presented and informative.
I watch a few Cruise vloggers or whatever you call them and Gary by far is the most in depth,informative one by far . Not saying I don’t enjoy others but some tend to just focus on what’s in the headlines.Gary’s subject matters have actually saved us from some costly mistakes. Thanks, Gary ❤️✌🏻
I don't even cruise and STILL love watching good videos. I'm learning a lot should I ever find myself about to go on one.
You should absolutely go on one. The videos and info are great. But you can't imagine how wonderful a great cruise is. But again like Gary always points out, its just as important to find the right ship and itinerary. This community would love to have you.
Thanks for another great video. These tips are great and really have me thinking about my next cruise. I now realize what I do and don’t prefer. Even if you don’t cruise allot, all cruises are not created equal. And details really do matter.
I am
So fascinated by how passionate you are with cruising. Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise
My spouse and I really loved our Virgin cruise. No kids, excellent food, personable crew, ship isn't super large, most things onboard are included in your cabin price, and you have a good mix of activities for whether you want to be active and party or if you just want to relax and have some tea and champagne. Book early enough and you can get a rockstar suite for the same price as a balcony room would be if you waited. There are even some secret shows and surprises that can happen around the ship. Found a weird bathroom tucked away in the corner that has a giant ceiling to floor window in front of the toilet so you can watch the sea while you do your business. Lol
People don't do their research and then complain because the cruise isn't what they expected. I personally only care about two things... the itinerary and the price. I'm not saying a cruise must be cheap but the price should match what you get for it. And whenever possible we arrange our own excursions at every stop. The only reason we would take a cruise line arranged tour is if for safety or visa reason it is impossible to leave the ship independently.
Another great video Gary, thank you. I've also heard similar comment about Seabourn to.
You are so sweet, and so kind. Very thoughtful, even when you are sharing rough experiences. Very classy man✨👌🏻
Sailed Oceania in 2017 around Europe and LOVED it. As a history buff there were plenty of good shore excursions and I learned a lot. I enjoyed the art classes (I hadn't heard of watercolor pencils before), was one of the few to brave the cooler pool...but as a Californian, how could I not? It was wonderful. As someone who isn't into the drinking and party scene, I really appreciated quieter details like the well-stocked library with the fireplace and cozy overstuffed chairs, daily afternoon tea, and freshly baked chocolate croissants every morning. I would sail with them again in a heartbeat.
Oceania is my favorite, not that I've tried that many. Getting ready to go on the Vista in February 2024.
I’ll definitely check this cruise line out! I love history as well.
I think it’s so important to spend our money wisely on hard-earned holidays! my job is quite serious and intense so for contrast I enjoy a short (1 week) cruise on Marella - fun available with the availability of quiet spaces too and tend to be smaller ships with decent itineraries (Greek islands this summer was great, I also like a positioning cruise for variety) but their standard itineraries also repeat a lot … tried P&O but wasn’t a fan, tried Cunard and it’s too ‘grown up’ for us (hubby is not a fan of formal wear!). We’re looking at Princess or similar next (not Virgin for personal reasons) and might also try Hurtigruten for fjords and Northern Lights. I think it’s great there is such variety available and what is right for some people won’t work for others.
I can't thank you enough for this video. As somebody who has never cruised before and is getting ready to start planning their first cruise the information that you have provided is invaluable. You gave me things to think about that I had never even considered and I'm sure it will help me make better choices and greatly improve the odds that my first cruise will be truly memorable and enjoyable. Thanks again for the time and detail that you put into this video.
We talked to a travel agent prior to our first cruise. She took the time to learn about our likes/dislikes and what we wanted out of a cruise line. Ultimately, she recommended Royal Caribbean. This has worked well for us though we are starting to look at other lines as we have gotten a bit older. One thing to consider is that each class of ship may bring in a different clientele. Would recommend talking to a travel agent at the outset. Once you know the inns and outs of the classes of ship and lines, then it’s easy enough to go out on your own.
Really wonderful commentary! Such great advice. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience and perspective on cruising/lines. I have only just taken my first cruise and I'm nearly 60 yrs old - the idea of ending up on a huge ship left me decidedly unenthused. I find your reviews invaluable for learning what is available and what I am likely to enjoy and what I will avoid. Happy cruising!
Look into the longboat River Cruises. I've done two from Amsterdam to Brussels and from Amsterdam to Budapest. Only 200 people including staff.
I agree in many things that you said in this video most of all about that everyone of us is diffrent and has diffrent expectations in services. One big issue nowadays that most people do in booking is related to internet researches about infos etc. Most travel reviews have sponsors behind them. All this is ok to think about the location i want to go but at the moment of booking i always choose a travel agency (ofc experienced ones) that can give deep details of what i am going to book. When they give advice to turists first they ask is about their wishes but most important about their needs. Operators know what happens and what issues turists can find, they know exactly the extra cost and for sure you know that operators know in advance what type of guests we can find in a cruise. Same cruise can have diffrent categories of guests in diffrent voyages. My last cruise in norway they suggested me to change moment of departure cause the cruise i was going to do was for older people, choosing the one a week later it was setup for people in my age with children. Book with an agency is not a must but it can help a lot to take infos and also it happened to me to find same cruise cheaper than booking on my own. Ofc you have experience in travelling and for you it's easy so what i wrote it's more for those who are not used travel a lot.
I agree completely. I’ve always enjoy following your insight.
Watching this video was a stark reminder to me to do your research and figure out what is best to you. Things that are important for one could be totally different than another. For example I tell people pick more for the ship and the destination than the cruise lines. I actually avoid the smaller ships because they tend to be older and the money spent on board for amenities by the cruise lines is less for example you get the second line of entertainers.
I agree 100% with you about Costa cruise line. It was surprisingly, the worst experience I had on a cruise. I thought it would fun to engage with another culture, but boy was I wrong. Most passengers were unfriendly & downright rude to the few English speaking passengers. I could go on...
Hey Gary, not sure if you'll see this, but I will be a first-time cruiser coming up in April. I'm going with family and it's not my typical way of traveling (I'm more into adventure-style traveling either solo or in very small groups). I've been kind of apprehensive about the whole thing wondering if I'll enjoy it or not as being constantly around scads of people isn't really my thing, but your videos have done a lot to put my mind at ease. I'll be continuing to check out your tips in preparation!
Good review Gary. I have given a dozen or so investment seminars on cruises (mostly years ago); and now cruise just for a break from markets (I can do my daily blog from a ship these days; and Starlink satellite service will soon become a 'must' to attract me to a ship over one with older slower internet speeds). I just got off Virgin Scarlet Lady day ago; and loved the vibe. Superb service; although the Mega RockStar inclusive is pricey but blows away the standard cabins (tiny heads/bathrooms; but that's not uncommon); not being nickled and dimed was welcomed; and mingling with staff was excellent; as was the 'different' entertainment; especially the cirque de soleil style act and 'secret' pop-up parties (can't tell you because it's secret lol). I would say music around the pool was too loud for me during the day; while service was attentive and fast. Ports were nothing on this typical Miami itinerary one takes this for the ship experience, which is very 'chill'. I'll take Virgin again in the Summer; and was more comfortable than on the mega-size ships that I've also done several times. Take me to Ibiza and Mykonos again, and I'm booking :)
I’m on the carnival dream right now, it’s a journey cruise so there are very few kids on board and age skews to people 50 and above. While I like going on the journeys, I also enjoy bringing my grandkids on cruises, I like to see them explore the world and find out about how other people live. My grandson really likes history and I’m glad that I can help him learn more.
I’m a senior but have the exact opposite opinion of the larger ships. I love the Oasis class ships of Royal. They are so easy to navigate that it makes it fun especially with a husband who has dementia. As long as we are on an Oasis class ship he does not get lost so it works for us.
A few years ago I took the most magnificent cruise in the Med .... we visited Greece, Ibiza and France and Italy ... even Venice .... It was fab ... The ship was not over crowded and the food was not bad either .... they even paid me it was the US Navy ship USS Iwo Jima carrier .... best cruise ever .....
Now that’s a dream cruise! And what’s more, the ship is designed to protect you from everything!
I'm with you. No kids. No loud partying. No drunks. And no belly flop contests! Lol. Enjoyed this video. Thanks.
We went on the Joe Bonamassa Keep The Music Alive tour on Norwegian for several years in a row. It was tailored to musicians and it was great. The on-board options were so good that fewer and fewer guests went to shore. The featured musicians blended right in with the guests; we found ourselves in an elevator with one of our favorite guitarists one evening... it was very cool.
This pretty much encompasses why we don't go on big resort ships.. Might be for some people but not for us.. When we first started cruising I thought all the ships were exactly the same... So wrong... It really is decide what you want in a vacation and what is worth your money.
I agree. And I like small ships for older people, of which I am over 55. I enjoy culture and food. Not the big ships like Carnivals that's for families and kids. Nothing wrong with it but it's too busy and loud for me .
My wife and I went on Celebrity summit and at first thought it was too much of a granny ship, but later on found out the benefits. Since most people were older, by the time we woke up the buffet was empty, most people had already disembarked. By the time we came back in the evening there were just a few people lining up and the second showing on theatre after the second dinner had plenty of chairs to choose from.
Excellent video!!! It helps a lot to people who had never cruise before to choose the right ones for them... Thanks a lot for your honesty 😎😎😎
Excellent vidéo, as usual. Our first cruise was on Celebrity Millenium in 2010. We were happy and well taken care of, we would sailed with them again but only on their smaller ship. Retired, now we are cruising with Viking, it suits us, it will be our 4th cruise. We like the smaller ships ambiance. 🇨🇦
Great video, Gary, with the best tips of all - know yourself and do your research!
Glad you enjoyed it! thanks !
Excellent information, Gary. I found it to be quite interesting, although I have never cruised before. I feel that this information applies to many areas of travel and tourism, and even in everyday life. I enjoy your channel, and I enjoy listening to you. Thank you 👍
I am now a senior but even when I was 50 I loved Holland America ! I don't mind other seniors on canes and walkers and wheelchairs! Makes me feel like a teenager! I went on one Carnival cruise when I was almost 60. It was the party-till-you-puke crowd ! Ugh!
I’ve been over 35+ cruises (28 of which are on the same cruise line) and I stay with my preferred line because I prefer the perks of my status with them. I’m a loyal customer to my cruise line ❤️
Congrats to the wonderful thought provoking video. As a Master on Philosophy myself as my main University training formation, it's easy to understand I hugely enjoy thought provoking videos of all kinds, even the very rare ones on my favorite hobby that is cruising, like this is. So very well done. It might to be noted that you're not disregarding any cruise line, just noting some facts that are indeed facts, and in summary giving each other some general recommendation on what one should do BEFORE one books a cruise. To sum it up:
1. Understand if your cruise line of choice is financially doing well, or at least if it has their chances; in other words, if sad line is risky or not.
2. Give a new entrant on the market, or someone with a new boss the needed time to set up their product.
3. Adapt your expectations to the real product you can purchase on your budget.
4. Follow the ones with similar interests - and language - as you.
5. Don't think your long time favorite is the unique option.
6. Even if you decide you'd go on a different thing, go with an open mind.
7. Pay attention to the details.
If one follows these recommendations, one can to find their best cruise fit, even if that is trully opposite from my own ones. Nothing is perfect as said, but there are no bad cruise lines by itself. Simply they serve different market segments in some ways, pretty much all of them following their market segment standards. Let me to give my industry standards comparison matching European hotel segments to cruise lines (sometimes you may have a superior product on an lower level ship with the suite concepts like MSC Yacht club, or NCL Haven, but I'll let it alone for another day):
4* (mainstream) - Carnival, Costa, MSC, RCI, NCL
4*+ (upper mainstream or Premium) - Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Virgin, Cunard
5* (Mid luxury) - Viking, Oceania, Explora (soon to be), Azamara
5*+ (Full luxury) - Regent, Seaburn, Silversea, Happag-Lloyd, Crystal (soon to be with new owners)
In conclusion: Do your homework and you'll be happy! Oh, yeah; and pretty much all of us go on cruises for holiday, but very few will go there to make professional reviews like this channel ones!
Many thanks!
Super interesting. I really appreciate your even tone, and how you mention things that are important to "you." That's really key. What I care about, and what Joe Blow cares about, could be two entirely different things.
Weare in our early 70's and love Carnival because there is always something g to do...and there are still low key quiet areas. Carnival seems to have a variety for all ages.
Having taken around 80 or so cruises, since 1972, that is an awful lot of ships and cruise lines - and yes, there have been 'the perfect' cruise ship. Vistafjord when she was brand new, Rotterdam (the one now preserved in Rotterdam) and Aegean Odyssey. When I disembarked from her I said "Now, if I owned a cruise ship that is how it would be operated!"
As young cruisers we started on Carnival and loved it. After about 4 cruises we tried Holland America. We found that we loved that cruise line even more. We have cruised on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean since then and we were very disappointed in both. We now have a cruise booked on the new Rotterdam this winter. We’re really looking forward to the cruise experience. I sure hope they have not changed since the pandemic. Great video by the way! 😊
Jean we are on the Rotterdam for Christmas this year, I am so excited and looking forward to that cruise more than anything else, I hope you have a fantastic cruise as well.
@@carolynadams1249 We are on Rotterdam in January! Can’t wait! Have fun on your Christmas cruise! 😊
Glad u enjoyed. I been on others then carnival & on HAL 3& this dec 12be the 4th. I was in carnival March 2022 happy birthday east coast party. I gonon Oceania 2nd cruise Jan 4th2023 .
STAY AWAY FROM CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE!!!! there is a big massive and multiple reasons to why, Carnival is so much cheaper. lol. get what you pay for people.
My 1st cruise was on the Rotterdam in 2013. Caribbean. I loved it. We’re cruising on the Oosterdam in June to the Mediterranean.
I agree with the finding the right cruise for you. We went on a cruise on holland with the kids and in port we were envious of the waterslides and music on the carnival in port. There were only 11 kids total on our cruise ship. Holland was very much more suited to a slower pace. That being said, service was good and food was excellent, the cruise itself was very good, just not aimed towards the children.
We only cruised twice, in 2016/2018 both on the crystal symphony. Loved the small ship, loved the great crew! I was really sad to see them go under!
Wonderful channel. I went on my first cruise on Norwegian's Hurtigruten Coastal Express. It is like you said pick what you want to do. The ship was mostly older people, the excursions were all cultural and the ships are small (500 passengers) enough to make it cozy. They also stop a lot because they also deliver cars and freight which made it so much more interesting. It also helped that they always covered things in at least three languages; Norwegian, English, and German in our case.
That sounds amazing. I didn't know that even existed.
@@teresaforsyth6185 Yes - and they are focused on fresh local food, picking up from local sources each day.
@@teresaforsyth6185 they are not like a real cruise ship. They started out as transportation ship along the Norwegian coast. Now they have cabins and a couple of suites but that’s it. No entertainment as such like on real cruises, you’ve got the views and that’s included 😅there’s another line though that is just starting out, Havila, brand new electric ships and more amenities. Worth a look 😊
I agree. And I cruise on the Nautica Oceania because they remember you and your likes, etc. I love to cruise and waiting to go on a worldwide one. Although I'm afraid I'll miss my gkids.
@@barbaraz.5396 I hear they charge for hot beverages on board - is that right? Great pity they don’t do solo prices b
You’re right on point with Carnival. I’ve mostly sailed with them but maybe as I’ve gotten a little older I realize that they’re not for me. I’m more interested in the travel aspect visiting different countries and I have recently stumbled onto Holland America and they are definitely more geared to preparing you for your excursions. I really enjoyed the more quiet laid back lifestyle.
I suppose when I am in my 80s or 90s I might be ready for a more sedate cruise.
@@elouise5593 lol
I’ve cruised on Holland America more times than I can count
Just sailed across the Atlantic on their new Rotterdam
They keep cutting all the things that made them special and everything revolves around their app
I don’t want to be messing with a phone on holiday and there wasn’t a USB outlet anywhere including your cabin
I could write a book on how bad they’ve become
I agree Cory. I ok with my many past carnival including 4dy March 2022 yet not same as HAL special topics etc. I sail 11dec HAL
@@elouise5593 then Holland will be perfect it’s for the 80-90 year olds who are barely breathing. I hope you never get too old to have fun and stay away from the geriatric cruises
Did a Disney cruise in Sept. The food was AMAZING. Beautiful ship, and when they had to change the itinerary because of the Hurricane they did so smoothly I was impressed.
Great video! We just returned from 2 months of travel, a back to back on Azamara, and an Australia to Auckland on Celebrity. For ages, Aza was top tier of Royal Caribbean, and we never heard a bad word about Celebrity from any of our fellow passengers. A year ago, I fell into a Celebrity cruise, one week to Alaska, and I grabbed it for all the reasons you hate - lowest price, guaranteed (inside) room, change of line. It was a great, unexpected trip to Alaska, but we did not like the line. Millennium was too big, food wasn't up to Azamara par, we were nickel and dimed everywhere. We had a good time, not a great time. This most recent trip - three weeks of heaven with Azamara (veranda and ocean view to pinch pennies), followed by 2600 passenger Celebrity Eclipse. Blaring music, with NO escape anywhere from the noise, cold/tepid food repeatedly, mediocre bar, kids running wild. Again, the trip to New Zealand was spectacular, the Aussies, Brits, and New Zealanders we met were just amazing people. But we got off the ship, scratched our heads, and said NO. We would travel with Celebrity again ONLY if the price was dramatically lower than everyone else's, and the itineraries were better than everyone else's. You have to ask yourself, "Why do I want to go, in the first place? What do I dislike about traveling? How large a ship and crowds can I tolerate on a vacation?" Answer those questions, read to pro and con comments, and use your gut. You will have a much better time. After all, it's your money.
I am finding it really hard to trust review sites, beyond cruises. I find more and more that customer entitlement has grown to such horrible levels that it is hard to distinguish between someone who truly had a horrific experience and someone who had one small thing not go their way and jumped on the review sites to post maliciously with false claims to hurt the line or product.
I feel this too that people are venting more and being less balanced too
I agree
I'm 58 and still loving Carnival; I've been on 19 Royal and Carnival cruises and I actually prefer Carnival. I might eventually "age out" and go with more subdued lines, but for now, I'm happy with an "active" ship...and it's not as if there aren't places to escape the hurly-burly on Carnival, with the Serenity all-adults area and the "secret decks," located forward on many of their ships. Looking forward to the Horizon in about a week!
I agree with you we be diamond in October
I just got off an 8 day cruise on the Horizon today.
@@patriciautley3824 my kids and husband just turned platinum. We enjoyed the laundry services. Lol
STAY AWAY FROM CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE!!!! there is a big massive and multiple reasons to why, Carnival is so much cheaper. lol. get what you pay for people.
@@nexpro6118 we are diamond with carnival tried 2 RC shipx and was not impressed with food or service and couldn't book 3 of the shows they were booked up by people who went more than once and a lot more money for 3 people and the room was smaller
This past November, 13 nights on QM2 to Caribbean. Best cruise ever! Last July, Bahamas on Carnival Legend-very inexpensive but it was like Golden Corral at the trailer park. It's all good, just know what you're getting into.
Excellent talk. I think your best point is choosing the line/ship for your own taste. After 40 cruises on all types of lines/ships from luxury to mass market, we have basically settled on Princess and HAL. Celebrity is pretty good too. You notice a theme w/these 3 lines. They represent the best value and atmosphere for our money. Oceania was the worst, but this was before the NCL buyout. Only 2 bad experiences in cruising.
We recently sailed from Seattle to Sydney on a Transpacific cruise on Carnival Splendor. There were not many children on board, a huge bonus, most cruisers were over 60. There was a Naturalist on board which was of huge value for such a long cruise. We also prefer smaller ships. We also recently sailed with Norwegian, top rate food, staff, and first class entertainment.
Gary, this video gives so much information; you did a great job with it.
Since you brought up Carnival, I will say that while I hate how most of their ships are laid out - having to go through the cafeteria with its narrow walkways to get to the pool, and having to go through the smoky casino to get to the front of the ship, I have had the best meals at sea on their ships. I go on their line with friends, but I take my family on less boozy lines
we took our kids on Carnival-no issues with it being "boozy". I think it depends on the number of days. 7-day cruises are more expensive and the younger wild crowd can't afford them.
My wife and I are more reserved and modest than most these days and we are booked for a trip on the Scarlet Lady with Virgin. This will be the first cruise for me. Thank you for explaining the different cruises. This will help us try different out other cruise if this one isn't our cup of tea.
Thank you for all the tips! Some things I hadn’t even thought of!!
I only went on one cruise ship (on my birthday this year) with Royal to the Bahamas. It was a total life changer, and there was so much to do. The staff was extremely memorable, they bent their backs to make my birthday one-of-a-kind; 21 is a very important number! I could go on through an entire list of what I did in those 8 days. This was an almost perfect birthday! (Almost, because I did something really stupid; forgot to put sunscreen on my wrists where my seasick-proof bracelets were (Not that I needed them, but just in case), and I ended up having purple wrists for weeks. Other than that, amazing!)
Awesome! You sound like me when I took my first cruise and chose Royal. They were absolutely phenomenal, from the food, entertainment, to the service. I've been hooked ever since. I do try other cruise lines but Royal/Celebrity are my favorites. # loyaltoroyal Glad you enjoyed your birthday!
@@ladiuneeq9789 Thanks!
As a native French speaker, I wouldn’t mind going to French leaning cruises line. Of course, knowing and speaking English opens up many doors for me as the bigger cruise lines cater to mainly English speaking passengers.
Both my cruises were on the Celebrity Eclipse and HAL Konningsdam and I loved both ships and both cruises. My spouse and I are looking for more destinations cruises but we do pay attention to what the ship offers. Let’s just say that I don’t think we’ll be a good fit for Carnival nor Disney.
Celebrity has been ou favourite so far but we're going to the Canary Islands/Madeira/Morocco/Spain for 14 nights on Norwegian Sun in March.As a French/English speaker myself I would love a more French presence but the French lines such as Ponant are much more expensive. We were disappointed last year in Rome, the Greek islands and Istanbul which were overrun despite it being only late May. Also it was around 35c. every day - unseasonably hot.
This was very thought provoking and informative. Great work.
Wow. Thanks for this! We travel a lot of the year. Some tours include cruises, I didn't know any of this.
Royal Caribbean has always my go to lines. I have never been disappointed and cruise the smaller ships as well as the huge ships. I love them all. I went on several Carnival cruises and did not enjoy them as well. I like the quietness of a smaller ship and the variety of the large ships. I hated the Virgin cruises. I am old school and love the dress up nights in a beautiful dining room.
“Once you’ve had a so-so experience, it’s best to move on.” That’s great advice. My last couple trips on NCL were disappointing, but I was unsure if I was being too hasty. After hearing this I’ll probably continue to steer clear of them.
You may need to do an update of post-Hurricane cruising. Which ports have been fixed, when are the residents ready to have cruisers back, when it is appropriate to be in the tropical areas, etc.
This is a great video. Just got off the Mardi Gras and paid for an aft excel suite. After only sailing carnival since cruising the last 10 years, it was a huge disappointment. Even for my 19 year old. I have Royal and Princess within the next few months. Also looking forward to trying Virgin, NCL and celebrity to find my new space.
The first cruise I went on was on Carnival. I wasn't a major partier which Carnival pushes pretty heavily. What saved it for me was it was a smaller ship and we went to some places that weren't huge destination spots for the larger ships. There was one island that that was the only ship that stopped there and it was amazing. That said, my second one was on Norwegian which was much more my style. I wouldn't want to go on any of the megaships now. That's just too many people.
I love Royal Caribbean and they are my first choice. I love mega ships ( hate small ones, I get bored easily) and all they have to offer. Never felt more crowded than when I was in a smaller ship. And the love the Promenade in the middle. My favorite place to hang out.
I’m not the type to lay by the pool. I have fair skin and burn too easily.
So I also mostly book balconies.
There are only certain places Large ships can go due to their size
Right there with you! Tried RC Oasis and loved it. So much to do, great entertainment, adult solarium. Went on smaller Princess Emerald and there was NOTHING to do on the ship at night. Same thing each night, karaoke, piano players at the bar and Trivia. Everyone was asleep by 11:00.
@@davidbrowne3761 they can tender.
Nicely done. Your presentation does a great job on the topic without being negative about things. While I don't have as much experience cruising as you do and on far fewer lines your thoughts on which line to book and why are generally in sync with my own.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
I went on a MSC cruise that ended a couple of weeks ago. I think it was a good good "starter cruise". It had everything (or a lot of things at least) and at the end of the cruise I found out that I had had a great time, but I would not go on MSC again, but I WILL go on another cruise when the economy is at the right place. I also know that ships like Cunard are not for me, I just don't have enough evening wear. Disney has too many children, and for a single person, that is not for me. I will be somewhere in the middle of the pack, and that is what crystallized more during my cruise.
Since I took the first cruise, I appreciated the kindness in the treatment of guests, the variety of leisure options such as theater, swimming pools, shows, piano bar and especially the food. Buffet, themed restaurants and main restaurants, food options all the time. Before the pandemic, I took a cruise in 2019 and only now did another one. I was shocked at the difference, perhaps it's because it's another company. It was my first time on Costa Cruises. For me it was a disappointment both in the not so cordial treatment, for the lack of information about the products by the crew and for the decrease in the offer of food and drinks, although there was no shortage. In general, I think that cruise lines are making the experience less attractive to consumers and will only change their attitude when they see purchases decrease. And there is also the problem of segregation, which is now not restricted to physical space but also to access to food and drink. They created special areas where you pay more. In life outside of cruises, it is normal to pay different prices at the theater or at the football stadium according to the location of the seat, but the show is the same. In the cruise industry this is changing and I don't like it. Previously, a different price was paid depending on the type of cabin (inside, outside, with balcony, suite) but access to other areas and services was the same. I still enjoy taking cruises, but it's something to think about.
I am going on a cruise next week…..and I noticed that differential/upselling promotions increased, well beyond the shore excursions and including simple things like coffee! This special area pricing is upsetting and obviously their business model of charging more for other rooms is just feeding into pockets of owners that don’t want to bear their risks…..just set up various pricing levels and see what the passengers will pay. It also goes back to the Titanic days of affordability from luxury to stowage. I just hope my room is not in stowage! And 2 weeks out from the cruise, the management (no named management) sent a letter saying that all dinner reservations are cancelled due to capacity issues. I’m not sure what that meant and it’s both confusing and makes me wonder about service levels. Fortunately, I booked this cruise for the sailing location and views.
Gary thank you for these cruise ship videos. I very much have enjoyed watching them. I have been in love with the Ship Titanic since I was a very small child and have been in love with cruise ships overall as well. I wished that they had saved the Olympic and preserved her as a museum piece. But I digress, I have always wanted to go on a cruise, but have never been able to because of finances. Looks like it will stay that way. But thank you, because I can get a sense of these modern day cities on the water from your videos.
Thank you , I’m thinking about booking a cruise holiday for 2023 , love your advice ❤
We are recently back from a mini cruise with MSC, our first, three nights, Southampton, Cherbourg, Brugge and back to Southampton. It was a very busy ship, and had a big entertainment strip at the front of the ship. We had a cabin with balcony towards the back of the ship and it was very nice and quiet, certainly after 10pm we hardly heard anything, I am guessing those who went to party would have cheaper inside rooms as they wouldn’t be spending much time in them. The staff were very pleasant, the food whilst not great was ok. We had a drinks package so had very few additional charges and the staff refused to take tips. All announcements were in English. Plus the ship MSC Virtuosa was virtually brand new. Everything worked! Now I would like to try another cruise line but just thought I would share our experience.
I like MSC virtuosa. Great stuff
Wow Gary, your knowledge on cruising is vast and impressive. I'm hoping to go on a cruise one day, but after the pandemic, I found myself struggling with a new fear of it. Sad that now that I'm at a point in my life where I have means and opportunity, I'm letting fear hold me back, but I find your advice on finding what would work for me encouraging. I'm definitely on the "smaller, quiet spaces, destinations" side of things. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge!
Most of the more severe illnesses happen to people because an upsetting event occurs in their lives taking them by surprise, unexpectedly, impacting first in the brain, then in the corresponding organ which that part of the brain controls. The end of WWI had absolutely everything to do with the Flu and lung TB outbreak that occurred killing millions. In nature, the biological conflict linked with a territorial fear (just what it means-a fear in your territory, your home, your community, etc.) is a widening of the bronchia (tissue loss). Your body attempts to widen your bronchia in order to allow more air into your lungs to give you more strength and energy to fight to keep your territory safe. Stay with me.......The biological conflict linked with a death fright impacts the lungs. The lungs attempt to grow larger in order to allow more air in because breath equals life, as we all know. No breath equals death.
While you are in the fear or death fright conflict, you notice no symptoms of “disease”, except you have cold hands, cold feet, you can’t sleep, you awaken at 3 AM every night, you have little appetite. During the war, millions of people were in fear of the bombing of their homes and cities where the war was most active. Fearing for their lives, their loved ones in the war, their ability to survive. The food in the stores was sparse due to shortages. This lasted for 4 long years! The longer the conflict, the worse the healing phase. Within 2 weeks of the German Chancellor announcing the end of WWI, these millions of people ALL went into the healing phase all at the same time. It is during the healing phase that you experience symptoms of illness! What is the healing phase of the bronchia widening? Severe bronchitis, pneumonia. The body attempts to refill this lost tissue and you experience inflammation, fever, coughing, body aches, fatigue, etc. What is the healing phase of the extra lung tissue that grew? Decomposing of the tissue by TB bacteria and fungi. The symptoms of this healing phase are: severe coughing up of blood and tissue, fever, inflammation, severe mucous, body aches, fatigue. During this decomposing of the extra tissue (tumor), the body expels a lot of protein, and without replenishment, severe protein loss can result in death. Antibiotics did not exist yet. If TB bacteria does not exist in a person or they have been vaccinated against TB (big mistake), then the tumor will simply encapsulate and become dormant and not harm you. Who died during the Spanish Flu? Mainly the poor who could not afford to buy meat and proper nourishment, and the people who were directly impacted by the bombings and destruction of their homes.
Millions of people suffered fear and death frights during the fighting of WWI, and millions of people all went into healing at the end of it. Not everyone was affected because not everyone suffered the same way.
It’s not a “flu”, it’s not something you “catch”. It’s biological, meaningful, and unavoidable. One hundred years later, a Fear Campaign begins, using the media to spread it.....
Thank you Gary, I love your travel tips.
Excellent advice! Thank you.
You know who may have gotten "better dealed" for me? Before cruising Oceania in Northern Europe this summer I had only sailed Cunard, and it FELT very luxurious. But stepping up a price class, I had the oddest feeling like "They were really nickle and diming me." Also, it was my first cruise on Oceania--not only did I get a free upgrade (admittedly they were short on passengers) their 'welcome' gifts for their loyalty club were vastly superior to Cunard (where after three voyages I got an enamel pin.) Add on lots more offers to save money for a new booking even done on shore after the cruise, and it was a pretty easy call to book them for Atlantic Canada and Greenland next year. Seeing what some other Cunardistas are saying about their post-Covid experience I'm really not sure about going back.
I love Oceania!