Need some feedback - 30 days on a ship

[Vic The Parrot]

Wouldn't 30 days be kind of 'excessive' ? :confused:


As much as I love being at sea, not sure if I could handle a month on board.
What if you run out of things to do? LOL


But seriously, if I had the opportunity to try that sort of thing, I might go for it. Anyone here ever sailed for 30 days? .... Did you enjoy it?
Would you recommend it?


Thanks

[Krazy Kruizers]

The most we have done is 22 -- will soon be doing 23.

We never get bored on a ship. There are always so many activities on the ship. And when we are in a port - lots to do there as well.

If you can do it -- go for it!!

[Fblack]

I am doing 26 days on the Westerdam soon. I am not too worried about finding things to do.

[wowzo]

People go on the 'round the world' every year ! I haven't yet.

But we went 56 days this year to Europe & Africa on the Prinsendam.Next year, we're going 65 days to Asia/Austraia. and more.

The ports are usually so intensive that you a waiting for the sea days ! Not once did I ever think ' I've had enough, I'm ready to get off' until the last day - I still wanted such a wonderful trip to keep going.

Book it & enjoy it, MaryAnn

[obriendan]

We were on a 34 day Sydney to Osaka cruise on the Statendam and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were never bored. The itinerary was great and we had a very active CC group. We planned several independent shore excursions ahead of the cruise and had frequent meetings. As others have stated, longer cruises are slower paced and it is easy to get into the rythm! Go for it:D !

[Chivalrygirl]

Vic we did the 28 from Vancouver back to Auckland. I love just being at sea and on sea days can just sit and enjoy doing just that. However DH, is not so content, from London orginally, maybe thats his problem :D By the time he got to Fiji he had cabin fever, damn near nearly threw him overboard :D
So you see it really does depend on the individual. Long runs of sea days on that cruise, 4 and 5 at a time. I guess if you are a joiner in and enjoy shipboard activities OK. We aren't particularly the type that flys around the ship joining in this and that. I will chat to anybody, he is much more reserved. Hope this helps.

Cheers
Val

[grannynurse]

Hi Vic,
You know that Ruth and I sailed the 35 day TA in 2004, and she's been on quite a few more 30+ day cruises. We wondered the same thing but by the time we were docking back in NY we wondered where the time had gone. It was my best cruise ever, my DH didn't want to get off.
Where are you planning to go? BTW, you never answered my last email....
GN

[u4ea]

Hey Vic, wow dude, up at 3:30 am! Need some feedback? Put on some Hendrix!:cool:
What are you thinking of booking? I would do it no problem, especially if it left from Amsterdam. ;):cool:
I think you would find lots of “mellow” folks too on a longer cruise since they expect to spend a lot of days at sea and ports of call in a kind of lazy sequence. Two weeks is the longest I have done, and I have hated disembarking every time.
Mark….

[osiebosie]

Our longest cruise was 16 days through the Panama Canal, and when it was time to disembark, we were depressed and would have stayed on another 16 days if we could've!

Next year is our 30th, and we are looking at something around the 25-30 day length cruise. I can't wait to figure out what we'll be doing.

I don't think I have ever seen my husband so relaxed in my life as he was on that cruise. That was before cell phones were what they are today (in fact, we used phone cards), and with limited communication with his business, it was amazing watching his stress totally leave him.

I'd do 50 or 60 days in a heartbeat.

Shay

If I could afford it.

[Two if by Sea]

Are there any longer cruises where they spend 2-3 days at each port, so you really have time to get to know the area? 8AM to 5PM is really not enough! Especially if the port has any sort of nightlife.

[bruceh4]

I love the longer cruise's as you can see from some of my past ones. The longest so far being 64 days. You settle into a daily routine after awhile and you also realize that you dont have to EAT EVERYTHING in site. Like the comedian on one of our cruise's said "you gain a pound everyday". At that rate on a 64 day cruise, ugh. Some of the longer cruise's you do stay 2 days at a port. On our pacific cruise we spent 2 days at Bejing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Perth. The 2 days at Perth were not originally scheduled but we sailed just a week after the bombing in Bali and they canceled the Bali stop. I to look forward to sea days and you can find plenty to do if you want. Or find a place to curl up and nap or read a good book.

[leoandhugh]

Have done several trips of 30+ days; we usually combine a european cruise back2back with a Trans Atlantic. The European cruises are very port intensive and following that with a TA with all its sea days has always been a good combination. We are never bored for the lack of something to do, but I think it helps to be a "self-starter" instead of relying on someone or something to entertain us. We keep up with current affairs and family on the internet daily - always cruise with a laptop. It also helps to be of the generation that read (and still reads) a lot of books instead of spending hours in front of the boob tube. It also helps to be outgoing and a good conversationalist because long cruises have passengers with a lot in common - been there, done that:)

[ANSalberg]

[QUOTE=Vic The Parrot;11548932]Wouldn't 30 days be kind of 'excessive' ? :confused:


As much as I love being at sea, not sure if I could handle a month on board.
What if you run out of things to do? LOL


But seriously, if I had the opportunity to try that sort of thing, I might go for it. Anyone here ever sailed for 30 days? .... Did you enjoy it?
Would you recommend it?

Sailed twice for 60 days and once for 105 days; ALL on Holland America - LOVED it!!!!!! First two were Pacific Rim cruises -exciting ASIA itineraries and lots of "At-Sea" days.....the last was the Grand World Cruise.
I don't "recommend" cruising for everybody because you need to understand who YOU are- Are you easily "bored" [ everybody who has never cruised asks us that 'don't you get bored?' -answer for us is never!] Are you open to NEW ideas and new adventures? Asia is amazing -ALL of it -and very very different. India, Egypt.....if you like to have every place you go imitate your life in Canada/USA -that isn't for you; different culture, different WORLD -and VERY exciting.
We are retired now after working for forty years in demanding jobs/ raising kids/ participating within our communities - NOW is "our" time. Cruising the world is what we WANT to do [ we are doing another 65 day in fall 2008 on the "Amsterdam"] but we know ourselves well enough to predict that we don't need to nit-pic every small detail, that we enjoy a day of reading a good book, we WILL be pleasant to ALL staff members who are knocking themselves out FOR us, and we will make new friends. Only YOU know what YOUR potential is, only YOU know if that is "Your kind of thing" ......IF you can honestly say you love the idea, the adventure -Go for it!
Anne

[Krazy Kruizers]

Well Vic - with all these positive reports -- looks like you have to book a 30 day cruise!!

[kakalina]

We did it on the Amsterdam and the Veendam and it was great.
With the b2b we added on the Veendam it was 44 days.
Going on another 30 day on the Ryndam 1-6-08.

Virgil

[jwitt2]

We did 30 days on the Ryndam in the S. Pac. last winter and loved it so much that while we were on board, we booked the Maasdam 35-day Voyage of the Vikings for next summer. We were supposed to have 17 days at sea but missed Maui because of rough tendering, so had 18. I enjoyed the Dam Dollar sports activities and just sitting on the deck, as well as the many lectures. Hardly found time to read my books. We also had a small singing group that we formed to practice after lunch and then sing in the talent show. There are many activities. My husband walked around the deck a lot. Our tablemates played cribbage everyday. When they told us it was time to go home, my husband said he felt like we were already at home. GO FOR IT!

[hammybee]

I am thinking it's not the number of days in the intinerary, but rather the number of consecutive days, at sea. Given you have, I think, handled a crossing or two, quite well, a 30 day sail should not be a problem, for you.

[cdkempton]

We were on the Ryndam for 34 days doing So. America - Fabulous cruise!!!!
Also on the Crown Odyssey when it belonged to Orient for a 32 day Trans-Atlantic/Caribbean/Canal cruise. Wonderful. :):) Now we're set for a 28 day Tri-Continent in 2008. Can't wait!! Go for it!!

[RuthC]

We also had a small singing group that we formed to practice after lunch and then sing in the talent show.
Did this happen to be organized my a man named Maurice? From Quebec Province? (Can't remember if he's from Montreal or Quebec City.)
*****
Vic, as grannynurse reminded you---I've been on several cruises over 30 days. It's my preferred cruise length.
But that's me.

Only you know how much you like the longer cruises you have taken. Now, a longer cruise is not the same as several shorter cruises done back to back (to back). When the cast of characters remains the same you get to know your fellow passengers much better. Anyone can remain on their best behavior for a 7-10 day cruise; on a longer cruise the masks come off.

What are you looking at? How is the balance of sea/port days? Is it an itinerary you would enjoy immersing yourself in? If you like what you are seeing, and life at home can be kept under control, then try it. You might just like it! ;)

[RevNeal]

Vic,

The longest cruises I've done is 21 days on the Zaandam (Panama Canal, 2004) and 28 days on the Maasdam (1999 Europe crossing). I LOVE the longer cruises. I'm giving serious thought to the 30 day Hawaii-Tahiti trip for January 2009 (the one that Rita has done). It LOOKs wonderful.

I can manage 30 days at one gulp, though that pushes it for me for a year's worth of vacation (I'll only get 1 more week of vacation without negotiation). But ... it's worth it. Long cruises are VERY special. They're actually ocean VOYAGES, and are much more like the ship-journeys of the past. One gets aboard ship and gets into a routine. After the first couple of weeks it becomes a true, relaxing, peaceful experience. No pressure to get it "that last full enjoyment of the cruise" because the cruise still has at least a week (or 2 or 3) to go! I love 'em.

I don't like coming home from them -- to the pile of mail and the pile of work! -- but I love 'em nevertheless. They're worth the cost and the effort.

In 2008 I will be experiencing at least 40 days aboard ship: 20 days on the Rotterdam in South America and Antarctica; 20 days on the Eurodam for her inaugural. 20 days is enough to get that "voyage" feel, and I am truly looking forward to them both!

[wander]

RuthC,

While I am not the person who posted before, I was on the Asia-Pacific cruise several years ago when Maurice (from Quebec Province) organized a barbershop style singing group. It was FUN! We sang outside the dining room on formal nights and in the Passenger talent show. Since there were so many of us at once we got to sing longer than most do. He got off before the end of the cruise but left the music and we all (about 15 of us) continued to sing.

It was something to look forward to on sea days.

[RuthC]

Thanks, wander. I met up with him---under similar circumstances---on a round-trip trans-At one year. We never went public, though. ;)

[Vic The Parrot]

Decisions ... decisions


Should I ... or shouldn't I



:D

[Vic The Parrot]

Thanks everybody!



I'll be putting alot of thought into this. So far, I would love to try it!
And a few of you are right .... it's easy getting into the swing of things on a longer sea journey. (As much as I love crossings, 5 days at sea go by real FAST)


Think I'll sleep on it ... :)

[kryos]

As much as I love being at sea, not sure if I could handle a month on board.
What if you run out of things to do? LOL

Run out of things to do? Are you kidding?

You get into such a relaxed mode on a longer cruise that you can't figure out where the days went. You don't have to have something to do every minute. Sometimes just the pleasure of sitting on deck looking out at the ocean is plenty to do.

Of course, the number of sea days on that 30-day cruise is something to take into consideration too. If you have chunks of sea days, like on the 30-day Hawaii/South Pacific cruise, you'll want to stake out the library's offerings early in the cruise and load up on lots of good books. You'll enjoy them and you'll find that just being able to sit back and enjoy a good book is a luxury you often don't get at home.

And, if the itinerary is port-intensive, believe me ... those 30-days will fly and you may very well come home at the end of the trip needing a mini-vacation just to recuperate from the cruise.

Either way ... the longer the better as far as I'm concerned.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[leoandhugh]

We, too, were on that Amsterdam Hawaii/South Pacific cruise in January 2006 and made great use of that wonderful library in Explorations. IMO HAL has the best libraries of the many cruise lines we have sailed. And since they have tied in with the NYTimes in Explorations, it has gotten even better. And how we loved those long 5 or 6 days at sea between island stops!:)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Just do it, Vic:) ! We never have and in theory it always sounds like such a long time ... but I think in reality I would love it.

Once you get into the sway of the sea, it draws you in and you never want to leave.

[RevNeal]

Vic .... what cruise are you thinking about taking?

[JimVrhovac]

Don't be one of those people that thinks I wonder if..... when he is on his deathbed.

Whenever I get curious we try it.....

Have a long pleasant voyage.

I get new laptop and couple computer games to pass the time of day...

Ruth & Jim

[GrammyPL]

We did the Voyage of the Vikings in July (A 35 day cruise) and just loved it. I would go back any time. You have a string of ports then then a couple of sea days to catch your breath. The cruise was the best. We took so meny pictures that I am having trouble figuring out which ones to print and which ones to just leave on a disk. Penny

[bjpnev]

We did the 30 South Pacific cruise on the Statendam and loved it. We had plenty to do, never got bored. I beleive that there we 15 days at sea. We spent a lot of time with the friends we made on board.

[Vic The Parrot]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]What are you looking at? How is the balance of sea/port days? Is it an itinerary you would enjoy immersing yourself in?



It's the Sept 2008 Hawaii/So Pacific on Statendam .... a good balance of sea and port days, and no doubt in my mind that I'd enjoy it! :)

[WeLoveCruising]

It's the Sept 2008 Hawaii/So Pacific on Statendam .... a good balance of sea and port days, and no doubt in my mind that I'd enjoy it! :)

Oh that's one of my "dream cruises". If I could only get that much consecutive time away from work I'd do it in a heartbeat!

[RuthC]

It's the Sept 2008 Hawaii/So Pacific on Statendam .... a good balance of sea and port days, and no doubt in my mind that I'd enjoy it! :)
If it's anything like the one I took in '95 (and how different can it be? ;) ), then take it! It's beautiful, relaxing---a whole new kind of "island time". Wadda ya got to lose? :D

[Vic The Parrot]

Wadda ya got to lose? :D




Oh, only about 8K :eek: :D

[HeatherInFlorida]

It's the Sept 2008 Hawaii/So Pacific on Statendam .... a good balance of sea and port days, and no doubt in my mind that I'd enjoy it! :)

...............but, Vic!!!!!:( Did you forget October 2008?;)

[RevNeal]

Oh, only about 8K :eek: :D

Hey, Vic ... wait to Jan 2009 and you can save about $3000 and do a share with me! :D

[Solstice]

Now you all have me thinking about long cruises with lazy days at sea, time to read, time to check out every bar on board, naps (and bread pudding) every afternoon, and interesting ports of call. Yeah, I could do it. I think I would be really good at it.

If I had known how much I was going to like cruising, I would have made different career choices... I guess I'm just going to have to start buying more lottery tickets!

[Vic The Parrot]

Hey, Vic ... wait to Jan 2009 and you can save about $3000 and do a share with me! :D



Do you snore ?? :D ;)

[Vic The Parrot]

...............but, Vic!!!!!:( Did you forget October 2008?;)



Of course I didn't forget ... I'm still leaving Oct 2008 open for anything. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Of course I didn't forget ... I'm still leaving Oct 2008 open for anything. :)

Okey Doke, Vic:D ... want to be sure you were paying attention;) .

[Chivalrygirl]

and Vic, what you plan to do when you get to Auckland town ?? :D

__________________
Val

[middle-aged mom]

and Vic, what you plan to do when you get to Auckland town ?? :D

__________________
Val


Overtime here, mea culpa. Val, my gal, how are you doing? Where are you right now? Bon Voyage, hope all is going well!! My hubby and I are booked on a 66-day cruise to Oz, NZ, and the S. Pacific in '09:) See you then?

Karin

[Chivalrygirl]

Overtime here, mea culpa. Val, my gal, how are you doing? Where are you right now? Bon Voyage, hope all is going well!! My hubby and I are booked on a 66-day cruise to Oz, NZ, and the S. Pacific in '09:) See you then?

Karin

I am doing good Karin, I am in DC right now. We go to NYC on Friday and the Grand next Tuesday and then we come back to DC as my son and his gal are getting wed! Now that was a bloody shock for old bones let me tell you. I will try and get an email to you soon.

___________________
Val :)

[Vic The Parrot]

Thanks, Karin, for hijacking my thread .... :D


Hope all is well with you. :)



Val ....


The South Pacific voyage I'm looking at, doesn't include NZ and OZ.
It's only Hawaii, and French Polynesia ... Bora Bora, Moorea, and a few other islands in that beautiful area.

Hope to do that next year.


And, if you have time up here .... ring me up when you're in my neck of the woods. I'll email you my number. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

.......

The South Pacific voyage I'm looking at, doesn't include NZ and OZ.
It's only Hawaii, and French Polynesia ... Bora Bora, Moorea, and a few other islands in that beautiful area.

..........

We cruised Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and other Polynesian islands on Wind Star. They are the most glorious islands on the face of the earth. We also spent a week on Moorea and Bora Bora.

You really can't go wrong visiting these islands. Even if you don't do it next year, be sure to do it ... guaranteed you will love it:)

[jwitt2]

Did this happen to be organized my a man named Maurice? From Quebec Province? (Can't remember if he's from Montreal or Quebec City.)
*****


Ruth,
Sorry for the delay in answering. Our singing group was started by a passenger from Carlsbad, CA who is in a barbershop quartet at home and brought that type of music along.

[middle-aged mom]

I am doing good Karin, I am in DC right now. We go to NYC on Friday and the Grand next Tuesday and then we come back to DC as my son and his gal are getting wed! Now that was a bloody shock for old bones let me tell you. I will try and get an email to you soon.

___________________
Val :)

Oh Valerie, that's wonderful!!!! Congrats to your son and his bride-to-be!! I can understand the shock, though . Have a marvelous cruise in New England/Canada........ Gosh, I am just tickled to hear your news:)

Thanks, Karin, for hijacking my thread .... :D


Hope all is well with you. :)


................ :)


Vic, I've been trying to catch up with Val ever since her departure from NZ to wish her a "Bon Voyage", and thanks to your thread, I finally found her:) . Thanks for letting me butt in!

The anticipation of a long, exotic cruise is very exciting, don't you think? Enjoy yours; it sounds marvelous! We can swap notes, because I've never been on a long cruise, either.

Cheers!

Karin

[RuthC]

Ruth,
Sorry for the delay in answering. Our singing group was started by a passenger from Carlsbad, CA who is in a barbershop quartet at home and brought that type of music along.
Thanks for getting back to me; he and Maurice are kindred souls.
Wouldn't it be a hoot if they both ended up on the same cruise! Barbershop all over the place! :D

[mamaofami]

I am doing good Karin, I am in DC right now. We go to NYC on Friday and the Grand next Tuesday and then we come back to DC as my son and his gal are getting wed! Now that was a bloody shock for old bones let me tell you. I will try and get an email to you soon.

___________________
Val :)

Hey Val,
That's exciting news about your son. Congrats. Now, I'll let this thread continue.

[Chivalrygirl]

He he, I know Vic does not mind, hes a friend of mine :D

Oh bother, we were in NJ last week for 4 nights. We were thoroughly spoilt by DH family. Wonderful to meet dear old Aunt Freda, just a mere 97 years young. Amazing woman.
NYC on Friday, and next Tuesday 10 nights on the Grand Princess, I can't wait.
Thanks for all your kind wishes guys :D

_________________
Val

[ekerr19]

Vic -

You sure about doing 30 days???? Seems kind of long to me. Of course, I've only done 16 days at one stretch, but I was pretty happy to be home. It was a pretty port intensive cruise though.

Maybe you can just go back and forth across "the pond" a coupla times and call it good! :D

[Vic The Parrot]

Vic -

Maybe you can just go back and forth across "the pond" a coupla times and call it good! :D



Ello luv


That's my backup plan! :D


Either a R/T on QM next May, or combine another crossing with a short cruise.


The R/T looks good, but have to find something to do in Southampton, as it's the only port of call. ;)

[arzz]

We did 27 days this winter -- and much to our amazement it was not necessary for the crew to hide the knives by the end of the trip -- we were very sad to leave and could have gone another 27 days! Especially if the ship is as warm and comfortable as the Prinsendam.

We are so confident in our ability to coexist in tiny quarters that we have booked 65 days (Amsterdam Asia/Pacific) for September 2008! (And we do not book the suites as we have not won the lottery -- we book steerage)

To be honest, if it had been 27 days of Caribbean ports I do not think it would have worked for us -- but we were so excited as we traveled from exotic port to exotic port seeing the wonders of the world that, as someone mentioned earlier, the sea days were a welcome rest from the business of sight seeing.

I have not tired of the sea -- but I no longer have much desire for a "mundane" Caribbean cruise -- I now want to get out there and continue to rack up my score at viewing the wonders of the world. As long as the itinerary is exciting to me, and there are enough sea days (days of rest), and a nice Holland America ship, bring it on!

How will you ever know if it will work for you if you haven't tried it? The worst that could happen is that you will never do it again.

[KAYEF]

This causes me to think of my husband's first cruise...........I booked a 24 day one and even my Mom (96) was concerned that it was too long for him. While packing that last night he said to me, "If they said they were going to go back, would you stay on?":rolleyes:
I said I'd have to think about it..........just kidding........and he said he'd not think for two seconds about it, that he'd jump at the chance.:)
Then I tool my daughter and her husband on that fifteen day round trip to Hawaii. He's VERY active and was sure he'd be bored with "all those sea days."
He LOVED it and never ran out of something to do; he and I were playing mini-golf on the top deck before we even left L.A.
Sea days are my favorite..............the longer the better.
I just wish the new, big ships had self serve laundry facilities as do the smaller ones; that's very handy.
Just about to leave for a b2b...........:p :p