Would you cruise on a ship on which English wasn't the predominant language?

Inspired by a spirited discussion on the Europa2 thread in the luxury forum, and currently cruising on that German centric ship at the moment, I'm noticing something in the wind for upmarket cruising. Just as the big ships have gone from being country-centric to more globally focused, we're seeing more "melting pot" geography in the luxury sector. It's not just that lines like Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Silversea are attracting passengers from all over the world.

It's also that lines like Le Ponant and Hapag Lloyd, who operate first in French and German respectively, are also trying to gain a foothold in the English speaking market.

As a luxury cruiser, how interested are you in cruising with a brand that's not primarily North American (or even British)-focused? Please vote in our poll, and definitely feel free to weigh in with opinions and experiences below. Thanks.

Carolyn

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

It would be very interesting as long as all announcements were made in ONE language. Nothing worse than sitting through announcements in several languages. We are fortunate that between us we know 7 languages so any one of those on a ship would be fine. It's the itinerary, food, suites and total atmosphere that would get us to book a foreign line. :confused:

as for PRACTICAL reasons,would NOT understand what is being said.How can you enjoy THAT?If it was also broadcast,and spoken in English afterward,PERHAPS?:confused:

I live in a very multicultural city, so hearing foreign languages around me isn't a big deal. I wouldn't travel if all I wanted was my own language and culture - actually, I think occasionally being surrounded by other cultures and languages is terrific.

If it's a good ship with good service staff going somewhere I want, the language wouldn't really bother me.

We traveled to the Arctic on the Silver Explorer (50-50 between German speakers and English speakers) and to the Antarctic on L'Austral (Ponant) when the vast majority were French speakers. Both were wonderful cruises and we would do it again.

Interesting, orchestrapal. I'm on Hapag-Lloyd's Europa 2 right now and for the safety drill, all the English speaking passengers (about 25 or so out of a total of about 300) were taken to a different room so that no one had to listen to it more than once.

Carolyn

It would be very interesting as long as all announcements were made in ONE language. Nothing worse than sitting through announcements in several languages. We are fortunate that between us we know 7 languages so any one of those on a ship would be fine. It's the itinerary, food, suites and total atmosphere that would get us to book a foreign line. :confused:

That's how I feel, too, Calliopecruiser!

Carolyn

I live in a very multicultural city, so hearing foreign languages around me isn't a big deal. I wouldn't travel if all I wanted was my own language and culture - actually, I think occasionally being surrounded by other cultures and languages is terrific.

 

If it's a good ship with good service staff going somewhere I want, the language wouldn't really bother me.

I did a cruise out of Santos, Brazil where 98% of the pax were Brazilian, hence Portuguese was the primary language. I loved it! Nearly all the crew spoke passable English & some of the pax as well. I love experiencing different cultures & that cruise definitely fit the bill!

I'm not sure. Perhaps if critical announcements (I certainly don't care about bingo announcements, etc.) and printed information were available in English.

From experience visiting my husband's family (French Canadian), I've found it to be really exhausting to be completely immersed, maybe more so because I understand just enough of the language to almost follow bits and pieces of a conversation. Perhaps if I didn't know the language at all, I could just tune out and enjoy the other aspects of immersion (food, culture, etc.).

Srlafleur, thought your comment about the exhaustion re being completely immersed totally true in my experience. My husband is Finnish, and most of his family does not speak English. So I try to get the main gist of things, then let the rest go. Otherwise, too tiring for him :)

I think that any line, luxury or mass market, that intends to appeal to global audiences has to print newsletters (and issue key, the "key" word is key) announcements in appropriate languages) is a necessity. Beyond that, I enjoy the different ambience. Some of the time. Some of the time, I like being in familiar surrounds.

Carolyn

I'm not sure. Perhaps if critical announcements (I certainly don't care about bingo announcements, etc.) and printed information were available in English.

From experience visiting my husband's family (French Canadian), I've found it to be really exhausting to be completely immersed, maybe more so because I understand just enough of the language to almost follow bits and pieces of a conversation. Perhaps if I didn't know the language at all, I could just tune out and enjoy the other aspects of immersion (food, culture, etc.).

We will be cruising on the MSC Preziosa, departing from Marseille following a trip to London and Paris. It will be seven nights in ports we have yet to have been to with the exception of Naples. So we will see Genoa, Messina, La Goulette, Tunisia, and Barcelona as well as our departing city of Marseille.

A new adventure for sure. Last time was 12 days with Princess so language was not a problem for us then.

Srlafleur, thought your comment about the exhaustion re being completely immersed totally true in my experience. My husband is Finnish, and most of his family does not speak English. So I try to get the main gist of things, then let the rest go. Otherwise, too tiring for him :)

 

I think that any line, luxury or mass market, that intends to appeal to global audiences has to print newsletters (and issue key, the "key" word is key) announcements in appropriate languages) is a necessity. Beyond that, I enjoy the different ambience. Some of the time. Some of the time, I like being in familiar surrounds.

 

Carolyn

:) Of course, it IS different when it's family. You WANT to be engaged and they want to include you, so there is pressure, of a sort, on both sides. I suppose it could be pretty relaxing if no one really expects anything from you and you can just sit back, observe and go your merry way. I guess from that standpoint, it would depend on the language. My concern would be the menus. I can do pretty well reading a menu in French, Italian or Spanish. Printed exclusively in any Asian language (for example) could be tough! :o

As a long time lurker, this topic is so interesting to me that I thought I should post. My husband is also from Finland. I understand what it is like to travel when English is not the primary language.

I really believe it is about the person’s attitude. I really like it when we take the Silja line (a large ferry) between Helsinki or Turku to Stockholm. I think it is traveling at its best. You get so see how other cultures enjoy their vacation. But, I can also see someone being overwhelmed not knowing what is going on. You need to know yourself and how you feel not being completely in control.

Last month I travel with my husband and his sister and brother in law on an American brand cruise ship to Canada. It was his sisters and brother in laws first time in America/Canada. They were really good at going with the flow and saying, the comedy show is a bit hard for us to understand so can we go to the production shows instead?

You need to absorb it all and not expect to “get” everything, at least not the first time around.

Our son, who is now 18, has grown up expecting travel to be in multiple languages. The first time we went to Disney, he asked why no one was speaking Finnish and why the majority of people were Americans.

And Carolyn, isn’t being married to a Finn fun? There is always something good to laugh about!

I chose "other." I might book on one of the small European lines like Compagnie du Ponant, but I would not go on a mass market cruise where the majority weren't English speaking--particularly if it were sailing out of a Latin American port.

Inspired by a spirited discussion on the Europa2 thread in the luxury forum, and currently cruising on that German centric ship at the moment, I'm noticing something in the wind for upmarket cruising. Just as the big ships have gone from being country-centric to more globally focused, we're seeing more "melting pot" geography in the luxury sector. It's not just that lines like Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Silversea are attracting passengers from all over the world.

 

It's also that lines like Le Ponant and Hapag Lloyd, who operate first in French and German respectively, are also trying to gain a foothold in the English speaking market.

 

As a luxury cruiser, how interested are you in cruising with a brand that's not primarily North American (or even British)-focused? Please vote in our poll, and definitely feel free to weigh in with opinions and experiences below. Thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

I have cruised once from England to the US and cruised on the MSC Poesia from Florida (10 nights). I found the european style experience strange, sometimes annoying. Every announcement, shows or activities was in five languages. Swimming pools & hot tubs closed for the evening between 6:00 and 7:00 PM. Deck crew normally hovered over anyone not getting up. Saw numerous handicapped scooters get hung up in doorways. The list goes on. My bottom-line, the ship was gorgeous, itinerary great, food was ok (late night food closed at 1:00 AM) but I will not sail on any line that boasts a european cruising style/experience. Not for me!

Great insights, Finnishwife! I also love the ferries...we go once a year, usually, either to Stockholm or Tallinn.

I think it's great that your son's already used to it (so is my husband), and yes, Finns are fantastic. We're just back from our annual holiday there...and I wish we had more time.

Carolyn

As a long time lurker, this topic is so interesting to me that I thought I should post. My husband is also from Finland. I understand what it is like to travel when English is not the primary language.

 

I really believe it is about the person’s attitude. I really like it when we take the Silja line (a large ferry) between Helsinki or Turku to Stockholm. I think it is traveling at its best. You get so see how other cultures enjoy their vacation. But, I can also see someone being overwhelmed not knowing what is going on. You need to know yourself and how you feel not being completely in control.

 

Last month I travel with my husband and his sister and brother in law on an American brand cruise ship to Canada. It was his sisters and brother in laws first time in America/Canada. They were really good at going with the flow and saying, the comedy show is a bit hard for us to understand so can we go to the production shows instead?

 

You need to absorb it all and not expect to “get” everything, at least not the first time around.

 

Our son, who is now 18, has grown up expecting travel to be in multiple languages. The first time we went to Disney, he asked why no one was speaking Finnish and why the majority of people were Americans.

 

And Carolyn, isn’t being married to a Finn fun? There is always something good to laugh about!

To me this question is the same as asking would you travel to any country where English is not the predominant language? Isn't that why we travel in the first place? To acquaint ourselves with different cultures?

To me this question is the same as asking would you travel to any country where English is not the predominant language? Isn't that why we travel in the first place? To acquaint ourselves with different cultures?

not really. I love visiting different cultures, but it's nice to come back "home" at the end of the day to the familiar.

Wripro and Ducklite: Your opinions on this topic are why I love to discuss cruise-related stuff on Cruise Critic. You're both right!

Carolyn

Interesting, orchestrapal. I'm on Hapag-Lloyd's Europa 2 right now and for the safety drill, all the English speaking passengers (about 25 or so out of a total of about 300) were taken to a different room so that no one had to listen to it more than once.

 

Carolyn

Sounds like a great way to handle it. :D

We love to travel and if no one speaks English, so what? We have fun anyway and like to immerse ourselves into the different cultures. I love going to different countries and trying new foods and listening to new languages. That is the reason we travel.... We have traveled numerous times to Asia - not on a cruise and loved the experience. I can't imagine it being any different on a ship filled with different nationalities...

What better way to have fun than trying to communicate with someone who doesn't speak you language? Isn't that why we have hands?

We visited Club Meds in different parts of the world for about 10 years and became used to English being a second language (although everyone working for Club Med spoke excellent English). While we still enjoy being around people from all over the world, at the end of the day, we prefer that English be the first language on a luxury cruise.

While it sounds as if muster was handled perfectly, I envision other announcements being delivered first in German, secondly in French and last in English. Is this the case?

Sitting in the lounge or at dinner with guests speaking accented English always makes me admire the countries they are from....... making sure that their citizens can speak more than one language. Wish we did that in the U.S. In these situations (usually on Regent or Silversea) very few people are sitting on their own speaking the language of their country. The staff do not speak to each other in their home tongue.

It will be interesting to learn if the English speaking passengers tend to sit together in the lounge, etc. Wouldn't it be awkward to join a group with everything speaking their own language (that includes Germans or French not wanting to join a group speaking English)?

Hope you enjoy your cruise (and please get a massage so you can report back:-)

What exactly prevents a native English speaker from learning a little of the predominant language they will encounter prior to going on holiday?

As I have found from experience, just speaking a little of their own language to someone can be a great 'ice breaker' and, if nothing else, demonstrates that one does not expect all foreigners should learn English.

What exactly prevents a native English speaker from learning a little of the predominant language they will encounter prior to going on holiday?

 

As I have found from experience, just speaking a little of their own language to someone can be a great 'ice breaker' and, if nothing else, demonstrates that one does not expect all foreigners should learn English.

Agree with you to a point. It sounds as if going on this cruise line would be "total immersion" rather than just learning a little of the language. Not sure how one would hold a conversation with other guests that cannot speak English.