Mini Cruise - anyone done one

[simonpjd]

As we have a major holiday booked for next summer (Rockies/Alaska) we are thinking of doing one of the mini cruises just for a break. We are thinking of the Balmoral at end May - 3 nights - St Malo and Honfleur.
Has anyone done one of these - is it just as good but just shorter or is the ship full of drunks out for a weekend away and first timers seeing what it is like.

[Marius]

Hi Simonpjd,
We did two mini cruises before a "proper" one and they were both great.
The first was aboard Blackwatch to Guernsey and Ireland, the second on Boadicca was to Norway. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and they were really just short versions of the full cruise experience. There was no evidence of "stag or "hen" type groups and no overt drunkeness. I would reccomend the mini cruise to anyone thinking of trying cruises or to those wanting a short break.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

As we have a major holiday booked for next summer (Rockies/Alaska) we are thinking of doing one of the mini cruises just for a break. We are thinking of the Balmoral at end May - 3 nights - St Malo and Honfleur.
Has anyone done one of these - is it just as good but just shorter or is the ship full of drunks out for a weekend away and first timers seeing what it is like.

I haven't done a mini cruise,but we have recently done 8 days on the Braemar and two of the ports were St Malo and Honfleur. From St Malo we went to the Mont St Michel, which was awesome and Honfleur was absolutely beautiful,my favourite port of the trip. Do go! Can I come with you:)

[Popsey Wopsey]

As Linda says ,Honfleur was lovely ,far better than LeHarve on the other side of the river,I don,t think you will get stag-hen drunk parties on FO but then you never know some of us "old uns" can get a bit naughty.:D

[Alibobs]

I haven't but friends did the itinerary you mention for her parents Golden Wedding.....they loved it, they were a group of fifteen ranging from 85 down to 12 and had a great time

[simonpjd]

Thanks everyone - it is booked and amazingly we have the same cabin we had on the Spitzbergen trip last month !!
Honfleur & St Malo - do FO trips or do something ourselves - ideas/suggestions please.

[Popsey Wopsey]

Fred put on a shuttle into Honfleur and it is a lovely port to walk round,lots to see,St. Malo will probably be a tender port,to get off early book a trip ,otherwise a do it yourself.:)

[ISS]

Has anyone done one of these - is it just as good but just shorter or is the ship full of drunks out for a weekend away and first timers seeing what it is like.

My first trip on BLACK WATCH in April 2009 was a 5 night cruise (St. Peter Port, Cobh, Honfleur) it was less than a week so I suppose it counts as a "Mini".

No problems with fellow passengers. All very civilised.

I note your trip includes Honfleur I really enjoyed my visit. If you have not been you should go - very nice quaint place!

John

[tring]

We have done 4 mini cruises with Fred and only one longer cruise (Spitsbergen on Balmoral last month). The mini cruises do have quite a different atmosphere. The shorter ones do have hen parties around but they were not a problem - just helped the atmosphere on the dancefloor. I have never seen groups of blokes (or girls) there to get drunk.

The three or four night cruises have less groups, but the bars are still a lot busier - staff very busy and there can be a bit of a wait to be served - but no real problems. As someone else mentioned we have experienced family groups - extended family go for Gran's 90th for instance and there are more younger people around.

Spitsbergen was great as it was a sightseeing cruise - but we missed the chance of a good disco on a couple of occasions - although we did take over the dancefloor one night.

We are 60 now but are not really interested in ballroom dancing, yet Fred and P&O do not seem to offer that on longer cruises. Strange when you consider that people in their early 60's did not ballroom dance when youger. Ballroom dancing has it's place, but it is a shame that an alternative is not allowed unless you are prepared to wait until midnight. Most people want to be asleep by then.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

We are 60 now but are not really interested in ballroom dancing, yet Fred and P&O do not seem to offer that on longer cruises. Strange when you consider that people in their early 60's did not ballroom dance when youger. Ballroom dancing has it's place, but it is a shame that an alternative is not allowed unless you are prepared to wait until midnight. Most people want to be asleep by then.

Well you were obviously not in bed after midnight when you wrote this:D:D
Seriously, though, a very good point, most of us baby boomers were brought up on the jive, the twist etc, yet ships and hotels seem to think we all like ballroom dancing:rolleyes:
Personnaly, I like to do my own thing, not strut around with my head back and my arm half way up my partners back:eek:

[Popsey Wopsey]

Strictly ,I agree ,us jivers ,don,t want to stay up all hours for a bop,leave that to the youngsters,come on Fred., more R&R and less 1-2-3.:D

[simonpjd]

They are probably worried about 'Code Alphas' and reckon ballroom is safer !! Ship moving about a bit. OAPs strutting their stuff. One too many Pina Coladas. Its a recipe for disaster !!
I didn't dance at my own wedding so Fred have no chance of getting me up there. In fact I cannot think of anything worse.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

They are probably worried about 'Code Alphas' and reckon ballroom is safer !! Ship moving about a bit. OAPs strutting their stuff. One too many Pina Coladas. Its a recipe for disaster !!
I didn't dance at my own wedding so Fred have no chance of getting me up there. In fact I cannot think of anything worse.


Typical Man:D OH needs a few beers before he gets on the dance floor;) Then he dances like a lunatic:eek:

[tom_uk]

Our only Fred Olsen cruise so far was 4-nights on Braemar in September 2007. It was in fact a repositioning cruise, to get Braemar back from Newcastle to Southampton. We called at Honfleur and Cherbourg (in lieu of St Peter Port - too rough), and also had a day at sea coming down the North Sea. It was an excellent cruise, with a real mix of people including a goodly number of Geordies. A good time was had by all, and I don't recall any bad times. Exactly the opposite, if anything - the mix of people made it especially interesting. As ever on a cruise, people were happy to start conversations with strangers in a way that they don't do in most other environments.