what cruise line would you choose?

[TravelDivas]

I was looking at itineraries for Princess, huge factor for my choice.--especially the Caribbean routes. A few mentioned Movie underneath the stars. So it looks like it might be my first choice. I do want to try a celebrity cruise as well. I am getting excited planning and reading up on all the lines :D.

[Moobaby214]

I was looking at itineraries for Princess, huge factor for my choice.--especially the Caribbean routes. A few mentioned Movie underneath the stars. So it looks like it might be my first choice. I do want to try a celebrity cruise as well. I am getting excited planning and reading up on all the lines :D.

 

Princess is a great mix of fun and formality. My first cruise ever was on the Grand Princess (we thought it was an appropriate name since I have been called that a few times lol) and have very fond memories of it.

 

MUTS is definitely a very nice thing that Princess started (and others are now "borrowing"). A blanket, popcorn, and a movie while you sail is definitely a very nice treat!

[shepp]

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

 

Which other lines have you sailed? And why were they inferior?

[shepp]

MUTS is definitely a very nice thing that Princess started (and others are now "borrowing"). A blanket, popcorn, and a movie while you sail is definitely a very nice treat!

 

If you head over to the Princess board, though, you'll discover that a number of us (myself include) are heartily over high-volume soundtracks being blasted on Lido deck during daytime hours. While I'm a big Princess fan, I can truthfully say that in over two months aboard the line, I've only watched one MUTS film from start to finish. (And that, god help me, was Mamma Mia! Strictly camp value...) Too many other things to do, not enough good movies on the schedule. I mean, The Green Hornet?

 

So it's strictly YMMV.

[shepp]

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.

 

OK, well, "schnozz" is a Yiddishism. "Loudmouth, rude, big-nosed New Yorker retired to Florida" pretty well reeks of "anti-Jewish stereotype," whether intended or not. Take it from me.

 

I do have a few questions. Since the man was in his early 50s - hardly retirement age - what made you decide he was an ex-New Yorker retired to Florida, anyway? And what did the guy in the elevator do to the electrical system that was so heinous that you felt forced to righteously slam him against the wall?

 

What would I have done in your situation? Oh, I don't know...maybe walked away, feeling superior because I, unlike him, wasn't a lout? Or made a very public verbal scene and tried to embarrass him? Asked a staffer to have a word with him? But then, I'm just a flouncing San Franciscan with big earrings who can't deal with physical conflict. At least not in the buffet line.

[msmoger]

OK, well, "schnozz" is a Yiddishism. "Loudmouth, rude, big-nosed New Yorker retired to Florida" pretty well reeks of "anti-Jewish stereotype," whether intended or not. Take it from me.

 

I do have a few questions. Since the man was in his early 50s - hardly retirement age - what made you decide he was an ex-New Yorker retired to Florida, anyway? And what did the guy in the elevator do to the electrical system that was so heinous that you felt forced to righteously slam him against the wall?

 

What would I have done in your situation? Oh, I don't know...maybe walked away, feeling superior because I, unlike him, wasn't a lout? Or made a very public verbal scene and tried to embarrass him? Asked a staffer to have a word with him? But then, I'm just a flouncing San Franciscan with big earrings who can't deal with physical conflict. At least not in the buffet line.

 

LOL!!! CC needs to add a "Like" button :D

[keithm]

OK, well, "schnozz" is a Yiddishism. "Loudmouth, rude, big-nosed New Yorker retired to Florida" pretty well reeks of "anti-Jewish stereotype," whether intended or not. Take it from me.

 

I do have a few questions. Since the man was in his early 50s - hardly retirement age - what made you decide he was an ex-New Yorker retired to Florida, anyway? And what did the guy in the elevator do to the electrical system that was so heinous that you felt forced to righteously slam him against the wall?

 

What would I have done in your situation? Oh, I don't know...maybe walked away, feeling superior because I, unlike him, wasn't a lout? Or made a very public verbal scene and tried to embarrass him? Asked a staffer to have a word with him? But then, I'm just a flouncing San Franciscan with big earrings who can't deal with physical conflict. At least not in the buffet line.

He wasn't retired. This cruise was from NY in '04 on the QM2. Being from the area(as a kid) the accent is pretty obvious when he said you're blocking me.. The second guy started the cruise by disrupting the boat drill.(2008, again QM2)He was problematic the next few days. What he did in the elevator was to pry off the control panel & twist the wires. This caused some sparks & smoke (it was after 2AM)as it shorted out. I didn't slam him into the wall. I held him until security came, which was pretty quick. He got put off the ship in St.Thomas,so I feel he must have been doing something wrong for Cunard to take that type of action. Just because a lot of New yorkers are loudmouth schlubs, doesn't mean they're Jewish(unless YOU think that's the case)So give the anti Jewish stance a rest,OK? Perhaps if you, & others would take action, instead of ignoring bad events, things would be a little better. Try watching the show "What would you do?"

[Boytjie]

He wasn't retired. This cruise was from NY in '04 on the QM2. Being from the area(as a kid) the accent is pretty obvious when he said you're blocking me.. The second guy started the cruise by disrupting the boat drill.(2008, again QM2)He was problematic the next few days. What he did in the elevator was to pry off the control panel & twist the wires. This caused some sparks & smoke (it was after 2AM)as it shorted out. I didn't slam him into the wall. I held him until security came, which was pretty quick. He got put off the ship in St.Thomas,so I feel he must have been doing something wrong for Cunard to take that type of action. Just because a lot of New yorkers are loudmouth schlubs, doesn't mean they're Jewish(unless YOU think that's the case)So give the anti Jewish stance a rest,OK? Perhaps if you, & others would take action, instead of ignoring bad events, things would be a little better. Try watching the show "What would you do?"

 

So you bitch about ex-New Yorkers sailing out of Florida but your examples are actually of sailings out of New York? :confused:

 

And vigilantism makes things better? :confused:

[albany cruisers]

Love Celebrity and Royal C. Had an awful time on the NCL line! Holland is very old! Depending on how long the cruise is will determine how old the passagers usually are.My partner and I will be doing a transatlantic in April for thirteen days and most likely will have many seniors on it..down side is they all go to be early and get up early and take all the chairs at the pool. Good luck and have a great time no matter what ship you are on....

[keithm]

So you bitch about ex-New Yorkers sailing out of Florida but your examples are actually of sailings out of New York? :confused:

 

And vigilantism makes things better? :confused:

No, the first cruise was out of NY the other out of Lauderdale.

[keithm]

So you bitch about ex-New Yorkers sailing out of Florida but your examples are actually of sailings out of New York? :confused:

 

And vigilantism makes things better? :confused:

And standing around is better?? Do you help the victim, or are you too afraid to get involved?? sometimes you have to take a stand, and I choose to. Not my problem if you & others don't. I've gotten a child & a dogs out of locked cars in the summer..yes, a broken window took place. Perhaps you'd do nothing & what might the result have been?

[Boytjie]

And standing around is better?? Do you help the victim, or are you too afraid to get involved?? sometimes you have to take a stand, and I choose to. Not my problem if you & others don't. I've gotten a child & a dogs out of locked cars in the summer..yes, a broken window took place. Perhaps you'd do nothing & what might the result have been?

 

So other than slamming and twisting noses you only recognize one alternative: do nothing? Your assumptions are wrong.

 

There are lots of other options available - it does not have to be direct confrontation.

[shepp]

The second guy started the cruise by disrupting the boat drill.(2008, again QM2)He was problematic the next few days. What he did in the elevator was to pry off the control panel & twist the wires. This caused some sparks & smoke (it was after 2AM)as it shorted out. I didn't slam him into the wall. I held him until security came, which was pretty quick. He got put off the ship in St.Thomas,so I feel he must have been doing something wrong for Cunard to take that type of action. Perhaps if you, & others would take action, instead of ignoring bad events, things would be a little better.

 

Well...if someone were motivated, fast, strong, and well-equipped to pry apart an elevator in the few seconds I was aboard, and stupid/drunk/crazy to do it a foot or two away from me, I would probably forsake acting the superhero. Either that elevator shorted out with the doors closed, in which case staff would have arrived anyway, or with the doors open, in which case it would have been a relatively simple matter to tail him until he either arrived back at his cabin - when I would then call security - or made it into a staffed public space, where I could alert whomever.

 

There is, you know, a middle ground between "ignoring" and, as Boytje put it, taking vigilante action. Heck, there's even a difference between Moe Howard and Peter Parker.However, this is all so thoroughly OT that I'm done.

[gitlaw]

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 :)

 

Since you're travelling in a group, you should consider one of the smaller cruise ships since your group will get more attention (a good thing) from the staff. Consider Windstar, Azamara or Oceania. Being 6 people on a 300 passenger ship is better than being 6 on a 3000 passenger ship, we think.

[Seago2]

OK, well, "schnozz" is a Yiddishism. "Loudmouth, rude, big-nosed New Yorker retired to Florida" pretty well reeks of "anti-Jewish stereotype," whether intended or not. Take it from me.

 

I do have a few questions. Since the man was in his early 50s - hardly retirement age - what made you decide he was an ex-New Yorker retired to Florida, anyway? And what did the guy in the elevator do to the electrical system that was so heinous that you felt forced to righteously slam him against the wall?

 

What would I have done in your situation? Oh, I don't know...maybe walked away, feeling superior because I, unlike him, wasn't a lout? Or made a very public verbal scene and tried to embarrass him? Asked a staffer to have a word with him? But then, I'm just a flouncing San Franciscan with big earrings who can't deal with physical conflict. At least not in the buffet line.

 

This.

 

Not to mention... Would you grab his nose and squeeze and turn it? Eww.

 

Best to move on from this :cool:.

[Volunton]

It's an interesting question - which line is better/best. There's no real 'answer' per se. Why, you ask? I thought I heard you asking! Anyway, the reason is because, on any given sailing there is a 99% turnover in passengers. This fact, alone, will account for whether or not you have a good time or a great time on your ship!

 

The crew tends to be in place for longer periods of time so having a deckhand or cabin steward leave will not have any effect on the quality of your cruise.

 

The most important factor is:

 

<drum roll>

 

YOU!

 

Your attitude, your willingness to have 'fun' and let loose without being obnoxious or a drunk (for example).

 

Getting involved in ship activities - whether they're of the sit-down (trivia game) variety or scavenger hunt/murder mystery/pool games variety allows you to shed not just your clothing (keep your shorts on though, please!) but your inhibitions. Once the cruise finishes, you will never see any of the other people from the ship (excluding the ones you came onboard with). So get out there and have F - U - N !

 

As for a ship being 'gay-friendly' or a cruise line being 'gay friendly', my partner and I have been on the NCL Pearl (with our two young kids), Sun and Jewel, Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas with my partner (and our two young kids). I've been on the Caribbean Princess with my mother and on Carnival in the early 90s solo (two cruises). Frankly, I ASSumed Carnival was not 'gay friendly' so I may need to be re-educated about this cruise line.

 

However, I think ship crews (many of whom are gay anyway) are paid to do their job and not pass (overt) judgment about the passengers they are serving - just as passengers should respect the hard work done by the crew.

 

I could not say I prefer one cruise line over another in terms of my sexual orientation. Now, what matters most is that a ship has activities for younger children. Food is not an issue as most any ship will provide more than enough (quality) food than I would be making myself for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

 

Cruises provide value and a chance to get away and be pampered for a week. No making beds, making food or doing dishes. If the hardest chore I have is getting sunscreen on our kids, I'll take any cruise ship and any cruise!

[Darshan1]

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.

:)

 

 

If you're planning on a cruise that sails for a full week in Hawaii, I believe NCL is your only option, and actually that ship is a separate division called NCL America. It has special permission to offer sailings that only go to American ports. I have never sailed NCL nor have I sailed in Hawaii, but my understanding is that a lot more of the service crew is American as they have to pay higher wages, and I've heard a crew member from that ship say the dining room atmosphere is more like a TGI Fridays than the formality of a typical cruise ship.

 

I've sailed Carnival, Celebrity, and Princess. Overall, I've found that Carnival had the best turn outs for their LGBT "meetings". I think more information is needed to give a good recommendation. What's the typical age of your group? Where are you planning to go? Does your group generally prefer dancing and partying? Or are you going for historical ports or sightseeing? Since you're going to be at least a small bunch of you (6, right?), you're bringing your own "community" of sorts, so being lonely seems unlikely. Nor do I think will homophobia be a problem on any line that I can think of (anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong). It more depends on what you like - level of luxury, less crowded smaller ships vs more entertainment options, exotic ports vs. ports just about everyone hits.

[TravelDivas]

I agree it's all about the attitude! did i say 6? I said my social group. There are 500 plus in my group, aiming for 50 to come with me :D. Some said they don't really care what movie-- it's open air at sea. Something different. Hmm true it's all about the attitude.

 

V