what cruise line would you choose?

[TravelDivas]

Hii everyone! I am a newbie on here and have been reading everyone's post. I am hoping to go on a cruise next yr and plan to take a group of women from my social group. Most are worried about cruising mainstream,some that have cruised said no to NCL. I am thinking about Princess? would love any suggestions!

 

Tnx V from Toronto :)

[Jen & Kim]

I've been on Royal Caribbean, Holland America, and Celebrity.

 

Celebrity is my favorite

[keithm]

Hii everyone! I am a newbie on here and have been reading everyone's post. I am hoping to go on a cruise next yr and plan to take a group of women from my social group. Most are worried about cruising mainstream,some that have cruised said no to NCL. I am thinking about Princess? would love any suggestions!

 

Tnx V from Toronto :)

We've always done Cunard. We like the nights of formal dressing up..which to say is not everyone's idea of fun.

[disfan13]

We have done NCL ccl rccl, never a problem. I have had clients on these three, celebrity and Disney recently, none with any complaints. NCL is fine s long as you know about freestyle cruising.

[Anthony&David]

Most are worried about cruising mainstream,some that have cruised said no to NCL. I am thinking about Princess? would love any suggestions!

 

I am not sure why they have said "no" to NCL, but we have enjoyed three cruises on NCL and would again sail NCL. To date, we have only sailed NCL, so we do not yet have a point of comparison. For our next cruise, we are trying Celebrity.

[TravelDivas]

Thanks for the feedback!

I think it was the service compared to other cruises, heard a variety of different reasons. I am open to experiencing it though since I am now in the travel planning biz. would love to do a 7 day Hawaii cruise and notice NCL has that.

:)

[GXmanDC]

I hope they don't mind me plugging their site. Two CC members have an online journal of their many cruises. It is at www dot cruisenotebook dot com. It is a great place to see many different cruise ships and cruise lines.

[goodclicks]

I loved the formality of Cunard but it wouldn't be the same on any ship other than the QM2. If they are eschewing NCL for being too mainstream i think Celebrity would be ideal. It's my line of choice for the ships, food, service and a good balance between culture and fun.

[keithm]

I loved the formality of Cunard but it wouldn't be the same on any ship other than the QM2. If they are eschewing NCL for being too mainstream i think Celebrity would be ideal. It's my line of choice for the ships, food, service and a good balance between culture and fun.

We just did a Panama trip on the Queen Victoria. The staff/food were excellent. The only real downside were the retired Floridians(exNewYorkers)my God, what a group of classless lowlifes. I don't mean that in a monetary sort of way. These people, I guess were just used to pushing others around all their lives. I locked horns with a few of them & put them in their place. Respect gives, as respect gets! Our TA loves Celebrity the way we love Cunard. Some things are definately starting to slip. Though we're booked for next Jan.20, We may change that. We're looking at Oceania. Less formal, but outstanding food. Being in the food industry, we're real foodies. Having a catering company, I've gotten the chance to see some real "beasts" out there. As mentioned earlier, I definately don't let these types abuse the staff, the way those of us in this type of field can get abused.

[shepp]

I think it depends on who you are and what you want. Seems like many of the posters on this board have more upscale tastes than mine, and perhaps you do, too.

 

Princess - which you asked about - has been pretty much a perfect fit for me. The ambiance is friendly, sometimes quietly elegant, but fun-loving and not at all snobbish. It gives good value for money without feeling cheesy or glitzy. It's also a very queer-friendly line.

 

I've only been on one Celebrity cruise, and the thing I most preferred to Princess was the visual design of the ship, which may or may not be important to you. (And anyway, what I've seen of the upcoming Princess ship looks gorgeous.) If Celebrity sailed from San Francisco, or if the Celebrity cruises I've considered hadn't been more expensive than comparable Princess sailings, I would probably be sailing that line, too. But i sure don't feel like I'm settling when I sail Princess.

[goodclicks]

We just did a Panama trip on the Queen Victoria. The staff/food were excellent. The only real downside were the retired Floridians(exNewYorkers)my God, what a group of classless lowlifes. I don't mean that in a monetary sort of way. These people, I guess were just used to pushing others around all their lives. I locked horns with a few of them & put them in their place. Respect gives, as respect gets! Our TA loves Celebrity the way we love Cunard. Some things are definately starting to slip. Though we're booked for next Jan.20, We may change that. We're looking at Oceania. Less formal, but outstanding food. Being in the food industry, we're real foodies. Having a catering company, I've gotten the chance to see some real "beasts" out there. As mentioned earlier, I definately don't let these types abuse the staff, the way those of us in this type of field can get abused.

 

This was my worry about Cunard and part of the reason i took so long before trying them. I didn't get that impression on my sailing thankfully (Norwegian fjords from Southampton) - quite the opposite - everyone i spoke to were enjoying themselves. The class distinction wasn't too obvious onboard either. Cunard does set itself up to attract the types you are talking about however.

[TravelDivas]

Shep is right- it all depends on who are with--like my group many are foodies and some like to dress up once in awhile as well.

GXman, I will check the sites you suggested.

[keithm]

This was my worry about Cunard and part of the reason i took so long before trying them. I didn't get that impression on my sailing thankfully (Norwegian fjords from Southampton) - quite the opposite - everyone i spoke to were enjoying themselves. The class distinction wasn't too obvious onboard either. Cunard does set itself up to attract the types you are talking about however.

Normally we never have had issues with Cunard. We really love the British style. The issue we've had, is "round trip" voyages from Ft. Lauderdale. You get these obnoxious former New Yorkers. I'm originally from the metro NY area, but moved as a child. These people will not hesitate to cut you in line,grab your seat, just as you're about to sit down, etc. I grabbed one by his big schnozz & twisted it when he kept hitting my arm with his tray in the Lido. Seemed he couldn't wait for me to get my eggs, that I had ordered, and instead of going around me, just tried to "move" me along! I pinned another against the wall after he shorted out a control panel in an elevator. This particular guy had been disruptive since we got on the ship a few days earlier. He may have been relatively old, but was not senile..just a prick. He got put off the ship the next day. Just cause you're retired, doesn't give you the right to be a prick to everyone around you! I've never been known to "turn" the other cheek. Rudeness gets proper admonishment from me!

[shepp]

The issue we've had, is "round trip" voyages from Ft. Lauderdale. You get these obnoxious former New Yorkers. I'm originally from the metro NY area, but moved as a child. These people will not hesitate to cut you in line,grab your seat, just as you're about to sit down, etc. I grabbed one by his big schnozz & twisted it when he kept hitting my arm with his tray in the Lido.

 

Hmmm...pushy New Yorkers with big schnozzes who've moved to Florida...hmmmm.

[johhnnyt]

On our last voyage on Celebrity Century, the Captain performed a commitment ceremony onboard and it was wonderful, and moving. For price/value, food, shipboard accommodations, I think they are the best.

Have especially liked the Gay Group tours I've done with Pied Piper/Aquafest/RSVP

Noticed Celebrity did pretty well in this years 2012 Cruise Critic awards as well

2012 Best Overall

1. Celebrity Equinox

4. Celebrity Eclipse

7. Celebrity Silhouette

9. Celebrity Solstice

 

2012 Best for Cabins

2. Celebrity Equinox

3. Celebrity Eclipse

5. Celebrity Silhouette

6. Celebrity Solstice

 

2012 Best for Dining

2. Celebrity Equinox

3. Celebrity Eclipse

6. Celebrity Solstice

8. Celebrity Silhouette

 

2012 Best for Fitness

2. Celebrity Equinox

3. Celebrity Eclipse

 

2012 Best for Public Rooms

1. Celebrity Equinox

2. Celebrity Silhouette

4. Celebrity Eclipse

5. Celebrity Solstice

10.Celebrity Constellation

 

2012 Best for Service

2. Celebrity Equinox

3. Celebrity Eclipse

6. Celebrity Silhouette

[AttilaTheFun]

OP, could you let us know what the most important factors are for your group and what you do/don't like? The cruise line recommended can vary widely depending on whether food, activities, nightlife, clientele, etc. is most important to your group.

 

NCL is the only line to do a 7-day Hawaii cruise because they don't have to stop at an international port before returning to the US as Pride of America is a US-flagged ship. All other lines I've seen have to do 14-night cruises from California!

[keithm]

Hmmm...pushy New Yorkers with big schnozzes who've moved to Florida...hmmmm.

Read it as you will. The guy hit me 3 times with his tray. I gave him a good ol' "Moe Howard" nose twist. It got the message across.

[shepp]

Read it as you will. The guy hit me 3 times with his tray. I gave him a good ol' "Moe Howard" nose twist. It got the message across.

 

Before I posted that response, I wanted to be sure of myself. So, without any preface, I read the first (pre-nose) of your two posts to my bf (I'm ethnically Jewish, he's not). Before I was done, he said, "Jews!" And the gratuitous mention of the size of his "schnozz" in your second post kinda cinched it, whether intentional on your part or not.

 

Hey, you may think Florida retirees are low-class, but I'd argue that actually boasting about repeatedly using physical force against older people - not in self-defense, but because they irritated you - is trashier than anything I've witnessed among the big-nosed ex-New-Yorkers at my mom's assisted living community.

 

Let us not forget: Moe Howard was an unregenerate bully.

[Mathguy42]

Celebrity gets our vote for best line for G&L cruisers. We are going on our fourth cruise with them soon. :)

[whw]

I think the variety of responses shows that the answer really depends upon what you are looking for. I have done only cruises on Princess and have been very happy. I certainly think that Princess is very gay friendly. I selected Princess based soley on the itineries. If you are choosing a main stream cruise then you need to decide what is important to you. Is it the destinations, the people on board, etc. Princess has a very good cross section of people. I have always been happy with the food, excursions, entertainment, etc. Maybe I'm just not hard to please.

[Boytjie]

Normally we never have had issues with Cunard. We really love the British style. The issue we've had, is "round trip" voyages from Ft. Lauderdale. You get these obnoxious former New Yorkers. I'm originally from the metro NY area, but moved as a child. These people will not hesitate to cut you in line,grab your seat, just as you're about to sit down, etc. I grabbed one by his big schnozz & twisted it when he kept hitting my arm with his tray in the Lido. Seemed he couldn't wait for me to get my eggs, that I had ordered, and instead of going around me, just tried to "move" me along! I pinned another against the wall after he shorted out a control panel in an elevator. This particular guy had been disruptive since we got on the ship a few days earlier. He may have been relatively old, but was not senile..just a prick. He got put off the ship the next day. Just cause you're retired, doesn't give you the right to be a prick to everyone around you! I've never been known to "turn" the other cheek. Rudeness gets proper admonishment from me!

 

Sounds like one obnoxious former New Yorker ran into other obnoxious former New Yorkers. :rolleyes:

[keithm]

Before I posted that response, I wanted to be sure of myself. So, without any preface, I read the first (pre-nose) of your two posts to my bf (I'm ethnically Jewish, he's not). Before I was done, he said, "Jews!" And the gratuitous mention of the size of his "schnozz" in your second post kinda cinched it, whether intentional on your part or not.

 

Hey, you may think Florida retirees are low-class, but I'd argue that actually boasting about repeatedly using physical force against older people - not in self-defense, but because they irritated you - is trashier than anything I've witnessed among the big-nosed ex-New-Yorkers at my mom's assisted living community.

 

Let us not forget: Moe Howard was an unregenerate bully.

Just say Moe! Actually I don't think the guy was Jewish. He had a nose that looks like it had been slugged a few times, or Roscea.(WC fields) Either way it was beyond annoying as you say. Having your arm hit hard 3 times & warning the person not to do it again..Well, what would you do?? truely bad behavior deserves no sympathy. I don't care his age. He was probably early 50's at the time. I just get tired of the rudeness I've seen from the retirees. I'm not saying ALL, but there's a large enough group. I've only noticed this from embarking from Ft. Lauderdale.

[keithm]

Sounds like one obnoxious former New Yorker ran into other obnoxious former New Yorkers. :rolleyes:

Sorry, Boytjie, perhaps you don't mind getting hit hard enough with a food tray to leave bruises. I just wouldn't take it after 3 times & warning him to knock it off.

[Boytjie]

Sorry, Boytjie, perhaps you don't mind getting hit hard enough with a food tray to leave bruises. I just wouldn't take it after 3 times & warning him to knock it off.

 

If I got bruises I would have filed assault charges. :rolleyes:

[Moobaby214]

Getting back to the question asked by the OP, what types of things are important to you and your friends? Figuring out what is important to you will help you pick a cruise line to try.

 

I personally would go for Celebrity if you want good food, great atmosphere, and even better service. If you are looking for a little more fun and drinking with good service and okay food go for Carnival. I personally did not like NCL, food was not good, service was okay, and the atmosphere was sensory overload.

 

Also something to think about, ships are all different. Even if they are owned by the same company, each ship presents something different. So dig around on here on CC and see what you can find. The search feature works fairly well :)