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What made you decide to start cruising ?


Eglesbrech
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I wanted to travel overseas to Britain and Europe and cruising to and fro was the way one travelled from Australia in 1969/70. Those cruises via the Panama over and return via South Africa set the tone for all future cruising. It was all about the destinations.

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In the far-off days when we were DINKIES, we were trying to decide what to do for our next summer holiday. For some unknown reason I'd always fancied cruising, so I said to DH that if we could try cruising that year, he could pick the holiday the next year. Our first cruise was on Canberra in the early 90s, an almost identical itinerary to the one we did this summer, down to the Canaries. It was in late October (over DH's birthday) and despite not brilliant weather and probably being the youngest people on board by a good margin, we had a wonderful time and DH was totally hooked.

A couple of years later we were in the same situation (debating main holiday) and a leaflet dropped through the letterbox from a local TA advertising a significant reduction on a cruise to the Eastern Med. As we'd both wanted to go places on the itinerary we booked immediately and had a fab 2 weeks on Sea Princess visiting Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and Greek Islands. Despite missed ports and other incidents that made it a very eventful cruise we loved it. We then had a 17-year gap before cruising again, one with RCI and 4 with P&O and cruise once every couple of years.

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We flew to new york for our silver wedding anniversary.

After five nights, we returned back to the uk, on qm2.

Have not been on a plane since. 2006. No jet lag, and would not

Have visited so many places without cruising. Although, it is now

Hard to find any new routes to travel. No flying.

Oh, i also live in southampton!

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What a lovely thread! I’m enjoying all these memories.

I’m relatively new to cruising having had our first one in 2012. I’ve always loved the sea. Like many others it was supposed to be a one off special for our 25th wedding anniversary! And guess what? We’ve been on one every year since even if it’s just a 4 or 5 nighter!

In 2018 I’m going with my friend who has never cruised as an adult but went on Canberra and the original Oriana as a child. Her husband refuses to try it so we’re going together! In February I’m also going on a 4 nighter with my hubby so he won’t miss out! Well that’s how I sold it to him! [emoji6]

 

 

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We started cruising in 2011 to celebrate my wife's 50th birthday. Prior to that we usually drove to the South of France twice a year since I wont fly but 'she who must be obeyed' wanted to do something different.

 

Now done 8 RCI and 3 P&O cruises and have 4 P&O cruises in the pipeline but will still go to France once a year .

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We won a cruise in 1976 on the Ellinis, a ship of the Chandris line which later became Celebrity. Had a wonderful time but then we had children. I did 3 school cruises when I was teaching in the 90's which were enjoyable despite my colleague and I having 20 teenagers in tow. Since our children flew the nest , in 2003, we've been spending their inheritance with P&O and Cunard. It also helps living in Southampton.

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I was told to take a weeks vacation or loose my time. I had 3 weeks to plan. A friend convinced me to take a cruise. I booked 10 days out, Even with 2x solo rate, it was less than I looked at for other options.

 

Been cruising solo, with friends, family ever since.

 

 

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What a lovely thread! I’m enjoying all these memories.

I’m relatively new to cruising having had our first one in 2012. I’ve always loved the sea. Like many others it was supposed to be a one off special for our 25th wedding anniversary! And guess what? We’ve been on one every year since even if it’s just a 4 or 5 nighter!

In 2018 I’m going with my friend who has never cruised as an adult but went on Canberra and the original Oriana as a child. Her husband refuses to try it so we’re going together! In February I’m also going on a 4 nighter with my hubby so he won’t miss out! Well that’s how I sold it to him! [emoji6]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Totally agree. A lovely thread and a great way of getting to know fellow CC members better in some way.

Happy cruising everyone :-)

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We used to drive on the Continent for our holidays, but were finding parts of it not much fun, if the hotel wasn't good, or we didn't find a great restaurant, and it was getting tiring being constantly on the move.

We sailed back on the ferry which used to run from Hamburg to the UK which was about 24 hours on board, and both realised that that had been a highlight of our holiday. Soon after we saw an advert from a local TA, offering door to ship transport... it was from our front door to the Caribbean, where we were staggered at the sight of the massive Sea Princess.

We've hardly done a land holiday since.

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When my husband first become disabled we used to fly to Tenerife as we had teenage children. My husband used to get stressed before the flight as he really didn't like having to be lifted on/off the plane, usually ending up bruised and battered. Family members had been cruising for years and kept telling us we would love it. My only encounter of big ships was to Denmark on a DFDS ship in the winter in gale force 11.. I kept saying no until my daughter herself cruised and took a photo of the disabled cabin and how easy it would be for us. That was it, down to the travel agents the next day. My husband now looks forward to his holiday as much as I do, in fact probably more. It is so much easier for him to be able to just get around on his own than going out in resorts. The only problem we encounter now is trying to get an accessible cabin. Fortunately I have 4 booked over the next 2 years.

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I haven't been on a cruise yet, but I'm hoping to soon. I was looking online for a holiday and saw an advert for the Strictly Come Dancing themed cruise. I love Strictly so I had a look at it. That cruise was too long and too expensive for me, but realised that a shorter cruise ticked every box for what I was looking for in a holiday. Plus I've always wanted to experience being on a ship.

 

I just wish I had realised this sooner, as the cruise I would have chosen is happening next week and I'll now have to wait a whole year for the next one.

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We really wanted to go to the Fjords and decided cruising was the best way to do it. I am prone to travel sickness but thought it would be lovely and calm in the Fjords. That was true but I overlooked the North Sea crossing! :eek: Suffice to say it was my first experience of Force 9! However sailing down to the likes of Geiranger and Flam was absolutely amazing and I survived the rough seas without it putting me off cruising.

We were overwhelmed by the whole concept of a floating hotel, new destinations each day, comfortable accommodation, good food and were totally surprised by the superb entertainment (as others have mentioned, on Thomson).

We've never looked back and travelled on a variety of cruise line since to places I never imagined I would see - granted sometimes only for a day but what a joy to be able to experience so much. I'm still excited when we book another cruise - love the research, planning and revisiting old favourites as well as discovering something new. So lucky to be able to do it.

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We wanted to do something special for our 40th birthdays, they are 15 days apart, asked our TA at the time if he had any suggestions. He said had we thought about a cruise? No we hadn't but it was a thought to think of. We went away with armfuls of brochures. We came across a 2 week sailing on the Caribbean Princess that started the day after my birthday and ended on Hubbies. We geared up for it over 10 months and were super excited when our birthdays came around.

It didn't start well though as American Airlines misrouted one of our cases and sent it on it's own holiday with out us. It took 4 days to get it back to us and did put us off to a small degree. Princess did all the could to help us where possible, they gave us free tux and shoe hire as they were in that missing suitcase. They bought us snorkels and masks as again, in that missing suit case. I was at a loss as I had dresses and outfits I could wear but the shoes needed were yes in that other case to. We enjoyed the rest of the cruise but were unsure we would want to do another. And defiantly not a fly cruise.

Then 2 years later I got a promo email for a 2 day mini cruise from Southampton. Thought hey lets try it.

Been on a cruise every year since including 2 fly cruises. I tag up the cases as best I can before it's handed over at the airport and pray they don't make a similar mistake. so far it's not happened since.

Off again in 4 weeks, 1st real cruise on P&O and can't wait.

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After my father passed away in 2005 my mum started cruising with my auntie and always raved about the good times they had. My DH was not interested in cruising but after seeing a good deal for cruising the med with Fred Olsen Balmoral in the paper he said he was willing to "give it a go" and that was the start of our cruising.

Since then we have been on some wonderful cruises inc transatlantic to NY and to Russia with Cunard and various others with P&O but also some with other lines. Just over 3 weeks and I will be embarking Aurora........can't wait......:D:D

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I think Eglesbrech deserves a virtual round of applause for starting this thread!

I don't know about anyone else, but I find that the people who dislike cruising the most are those that have never been.....

 

I quite agree. It’s been great to hear a bit about everyone as we have only had the pleasure of meeting a small number of fellow Cruise Critic contributors in the real world and very much enjoyed doing so, especially Andrew (Britboys) whose company we really enjoyed for a half hour chat on the top deck of Aurora when we were in Skagen in May.

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Our first cruise happened when my children, (and all their friends) were home from uni for the summer. I found myself sitting in the bedroom as there was no space left downstairs! I was sick of feeding them all so found a very cheap cruise from Liverpool on teletext holidays. I was sick as a dog for 2 weeks and vowed never to step foot on a ship again.

SIX years later, I should add my husband loved it and really wanted to cruise again, anyway 6 years later I did a holiday auction and for a ridiculous price we went to the caribbean for 14 days. Fantastic holiday loved it. We then did another, and another, and........ Apart from UK we haven't been on a land based holiday for years now.

 

I would also like to say Thank-you for starting this thread.

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I'm glad people are enjoying the thread, I certainly am. Really interesting to hear how people got started.

 

I am however astounded that more people were not inspired to the sea by Gopher, Doc, Isaac, Julie and Captain Stubbing - must just have been me then;p

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We did European package holidays when our children wereyoung. Then our parents inherited somemoney and said they wanted to take us all to Florida, which we did 3 yearsrunning. We enjoyed the USA so our next holiday we went to Los Angeles and then to San Diego. Great holidays but the long hours flying put us off doing it again. We had friends who cruised several times a year and so were always talking about it, so when it came to booking a next holiday looked into cruising as my teenage sons did not want to fly. This was 2009 and we booked a 14 day cruise school holidays on Oceana. My youngest son who was 14 said it was hisbest holiday ever. We all enjoyed it butwere not sure if we all wanted to do it again, so following year we booked apackage holiday to a lovely hotel in Madeira. My 15 year old son, hardly left his room, he kept saying it was boring and my eldest son who was 19, said whenwe arrived “it doesn’t compare to a cruise”.

 

My only regret, as I am sure a lot of people have, is that my parents would have loved cruising and wish we had taken them with us whilst they were fit and able to go. We took my 85 year old father-in-law this yearto the Fjords and he absolutely loved everything about it and have booked againf or next year.

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Both My Wife and I grew up in Southampton, about a mile from the old Ocean Dock. As children we had both watched a long list of Ocean liners and Cruise ships come and go. We both thought Cruising was too expensive and only for the Rich. Then about 5 years ago we got a good deal on a 7 day trip to Norway and loved it.

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I'd never really done very much with my holidays, but when I retired I decided that I'd better start travelling more widely while I was still young enough and fit enough to do so. The idea of cruising had always appealed, with the ability to see lots of different places on a trip without continually having to move from one hotel to another. It was even more appealing as my eyesight is too poor for me to drive.

 

Then in 2010 I saw one of those full-page adverts in my newspaper from that well-known travel agent that specialises in cruises. It was for a cruise to the Canaries on Aurora departing in a couple of months time for what seemed like a very good price. So I took the plunge, thoroughly enjoyed it, and became a regular cruiser, mostly with P&O.

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Great thread - Interesting to read how everyone got into cruising !!

 

For me I went into the travel agents to get a brochure for something else and picked up a leaflet for P&O Cruises, took it home and read it cover to cover about a 100 times and fell in love a cruise on Arcadia to Belgium, Holland, Germany, Norway and Denmark in December 2009

 

Just before I was due to sail they held the climate conference in Copenhagen - where we were due to have 2 full days - For me that was my reason to book as I had wanted to visit Copenhagen - People were demonstrating in Copenhagen so P&O sent me a letter saying we were going to go to Aarhus in Denmark and Gothenburg in Sweden instead of 2 full days in Copenhagen. I went on the cruise, had a great time, met some lovely people, came home and raved about it - but wouldnt sail again until 2012 when I booked on P&O Azura to the Norwegian Fjords, got a great deal on an inside cabin, too good to resist

 

Needless to say its an expensive addiction that I bloody love

 

49 Nights on 6 Cruises, 4 Ships, 13 Countries later all with P&O Cruises

 

Will be experiencing Princess Cruises from Vancouver to Alaska on the Star Princess in May 2018

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We used to spend all our holidays in France or Spain (driving down) as I have always had a fear of flying but after the children had left home we felt we wanted to travel further afield (without flying). I noticed a cruise to Iceland in the travel agents so booked and have been hooked ever since! Visiting new countries made me want to visit even more!( I be got a lot of catching up to do) I even went on a fear of flying course ( and am flying to the Caribbean in march)but still prefer to cruise from the UK. I love the social side the fact that you can visit so many places on just one holiday and the fact that you only have to unpack once!

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