How many cruises is enough?

[DFAD2]

We are new to this forum so forgive any dumb questions.

One thing I have noticed is several forum members who have a LOT of past cruises, like over 100. We love cruising and hope to do a lot more, but at some point I think I might get tired of going to the same ports on the same boats (inevitable if you get to that many trips). So I am absolutely, totally not being negative, but I would appreciate the comments from those mega cruisers as to why they keep coming back, and how do they keep the experience fresh and exiting. Any tips?

[cherylroslyn]

We are new to this forum so forgive any dumb questions.

One thing I have noticed is several forum members who have a LOT of past cruises, like over 100. We love cruising and hope to do a lot more, but at some point I think I might get tired of going to the same ports on the same boats (inevitable if you get to that many trips). So I am absolutely, totally not being negative, but I would appreciate the comments from those mega cruisers as to why they keep coming back, and how do they keep the experience fresh and exiting. Any tips?

SERIOUSLY???? LOL I guess it is just a personal preference, the same could be asked of baseball games or football games....how many times to the stadium is enough. Likely the answer is "there will never be enough". Every cruise is totally different even when taking the same cruise over and over.

 

I take the Summit Repositioning cruise every April and most of the time I take the repositiong cruise in October. The repos themselves are different and then each cruise is unique. So although sometimes the ports are the same the cruise is never ever the same.

 

I've been on Summit at least ten times, and I have never felt a sense of repetitiveness, familiarity with layout and some staff, but it is never repetitive.

 

So my answer is "NEVER".......it will never be enough:)

[ECCruise]

We are new to this forum so forgive any dumb questions.

One thing I have noticed is several forum members who have a LOT of past cruises, like over 100. We love cruising and hope to do a lot more, but at some point I think I might get tired of going to the same ports on the same boats (inevitable if you get to that many trips). So I am absolutely, totally not being negative, but I would appreciate the comments from those mega cruisers as to why they keep coming back, and how do they keep the experience fresh and exiting. Any tips?

 

We are closing in on our 60th cruise, most of which are 12+ days each including a number of ~30 day cruises.

 

We've been able to keep it fresh by varying the itineraries widely. We've sailed on all 7 continents, something like 80 different countries. Yes, we have done certain ports multiple times (like Naples probably close to 10) but have usually been able to mix up what we do at those ports. Gave up sailing in the Caribbean many moons ago, simply because we couldn't find enough different there and the sameness of most of the ports.

 

We are, though, more and more, thinking of alternative travel arrangements. We would never cruise just to go on a ship, so as the port options start to go stale we probably will do more land based trips (we do a number of those now, generally driving trips for a couple of weeks).

 

So, our advice would be mix up itineraries, times of the year and cruise lines to savor all the differences and keep things fresh. Throw in a couple alternate travel plans to keep it all interesting.

[cb at sea]

You'll know when enough is enough! No worries!

[NMLady]

Even though we have taken the same itinerary more than once there is usually at least one port that is new to us.

 

Also, each cruise is a new adventure because there are new passengers to interact with. So, even on ships we've been on before or on itineraries that are mostly familiar, it is still a new adventure.

[bethco]

I have met several couples who sail same ship same itineraries and usually cruise for at least B2B. I wondered the same thing until I got to know them a bit. One of the couple has medical conditions that impact their energy levels. Going on cruises there is no housework, no cooking, no cleaning. When having a bad day, they can simply stay in the cabin and sleep or rest while the other can go and enjoy the ship. In the evenings, there are drinks and appetizers in the Diamond Lounge. And while the production shows are always the same, the headliners and comedians rotate around.

 

After better understanding their situation, I could really see the appeal of this for them. By no means do I think that everyone who cruises a lot has serious health concerns, but I could really see how this a nice way to spend some time for their situation.

[AKman2495]

Years ago, I took my family to Hawaii for a land vacation in August. I was great. We spent a week there and went to the beach almost every day. There was a hotel right on the beach where we would go. One day I saw a man checking out of the hotel. The door man was like a close friend and as he shook his hand, the guy told the doorman, I'll see you at Christmas time.

 

Apparently, this guy vacationed every year (at least twice a year) in Hawaii in the same hotel. It is what some people do. They get comfortable in a place and they go back year after year.

 

Same with cruising. So far, we are beginners and have not had a repeat cruise, so things are new to us. But I can understand long term cruisers. It is not about the ports or the ships, but the feeling you get from being on a ship, traveling on the sea to various places that makes cruising such fun.

 

The sea gets into your blood and it is hard to get out.....

[Scrapnana]

I have nowhere close to 100 cruises but can't imagine a time when I will get to too many. There are too many ships and itineraries to get bored.

[okgirl]

I've been on 33 cruises and while I'm not tired of it, my experience has changed a lot.

 

Before I retired I had 6 weeks of vacation and a very stressful job. So getting on a ship where all my needs were met was a very relaxing way to spend my vacation. Most of my cruises have been to the Caribbean but I'm not really a beach person, so the draw for me was the ship board experience. I like meeting new people both guests and crew.

 

I've been retired for 2 years and without that stressful job to escape from, I find that I don't need to cruise that often. I still do the same things that I always did on the ship though. And I still love the pampering.

[Warm Breezes]

We have sailed DCL 2x, NCL 3x (Jewel 2x), CCL 6x (Freedom 2x), and Princess 1x. Every time we sail something is new. It is either the embarkation port or at least 1 port on the itinerary, or the ship. There are so many places we want to sail to on our bucket list and so many more different ships we want to try....I don't think I will ever say "enough is enough". Every cruise is slightly different but the main parts that we love, the pampering, the peace of the ocean, the traveling to different places it remains the same and I can't see myself tiring of that.

[sail7seas]

I've been on roughly 95 cruises and 80+ of them have been on HAL. Of those, we sailed Maasdam over 30 times.

 

For us, the cruise is more about the shipboard life than the ports. Having sailed Europe a number of times, Panama Canal, Alaska, Canada/New England, Bermuda and many times in Caribbean, unless it is a port we really love or have favorite things to do, we often leave the ship just for a short walk around or don't get off at all.

 

Because we have sailed the same company so much, we have gotten to know some people and we always enjoy the opportunity to see them again. :)

 

Some people buy a time share and year after year go to the same condo or vacation spot. Some people go over and over to same camp grounds or ski slopes or whatever..... for me, it's HAL cruise ships.

 

Edited September 9, 2014 by sail7seas

[navybankerteacher]

Of course, staying home for any given week means you are living in the same house as always and hanging around the same town. A lot of ports, particularly in the Caribbean, might no warrant going ashore, but having the ship largely to yourself is not a bad way to spend a day. Additionally, a number of cruisers travel - using repositionings as transportation: sure beats flying for comfort (and cost, unless you fly coach).

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

You can never see every thing in the world:):) I will try to do a lot ..

[dancinman66]

I never mind same ports as it is the cruise I love

I will book a cruise not even knowing specifically where it's going just because it's there

If your cruising for visiting places only then yes you will get boredf of same places

But if it's for the cruising then you won't give a rats a.... Where it goes

I'm one with well over 100 cruises and I can never get enough

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruiserking]

... I can understand long term cruisers. It is not about the ports or the ships, but the feeling you get from being on a ship, traveling on the sea to various places that makes cruising such fun.

 

The sea gets into your blood and it is hard to get out.....

 

I agree with AKman 100 %. We just love everything about the cruising experience. We always meet wonderful people, it's a stress free way to visit different countries and ports instead of packing up and flying or taking a train every few days.

 

Just the simple, sublime thrill of being aboard a ship, strolling the decks, looking out at the vast ocean, arriving at port in the morning. I can recall sitting up in the Crows Nest Lounge high atop the HAL Noordam as we steamed into Tortola a few years ago and my wife smiling and saying "It never get's old".

 

Jonathan

[BruceMuzz]

There are 10's of thousands of ports around the world.

Most of them are in rather interesting places.

 

100 cruises would only scratch the surface of all the possibilities.

[paul929207]

Much of it depends on the individual. There are some who feel that one cruise is enough or even too much. But for others 100 is not enough.

[momofmeg]

I think everyone is different. I know for us we are not as enamored as we were at first,so we do not cruise as often-but still cruising is a great value and I like the idea that it can also be "ferry service" and a "hotel" that gives you a taste of areas, so that you can later visit more as a land trip if you found you enjoyed it and want more.

 

I doubt I will ever make near a 100 cruises because we also enjoy land trips. However, if others want to cruise that much I see nothing wrong with that. Obviously they enjoy it more than I do, or else have more time and money for vacationing.

[beachbum53]

Well, I don't know about cruising in general, but when you go to a port that you've been to several times, and you're on a first name basis with everyone there, I'd say you've probably visited there enough. :rolleyes:

[GUT2407]

Well in my opinion one cruise would be enough.

 

If just they'd let me get on and stay till they carried me off in a box.

 

My next cruise is to one port I've cruised to twice, one I've cruised to three times and visited more times than I can remember and one I've cruised to twice and visited multiple times, including living there for a short period, but I'll still love every minute of it.

 

Personally I don't really care about the ports in fact last cruise I was off the boat for lees than an hour, but that was my first in a wheelchair.

 

I also know a lot of people who have their land holiday in the same place every year.

[OCruisers]

We've been cruising for a long time (53 years) so 80 + cruises is really not that many.

Most people take a land vacation every year. We take cruises. :)

LuLu

[Hlitner]

We no longer count cruises because we take many longer cruises (some over 60 days) so the number of cruises is really not important to us. We know a lady who has only been on 5 cruises, but 4 of them were World Cruises each over 100 days in length.

 

We have been on an awful lot of cruises (well over 3 years on cruises) and have never tired of cruising. We think the reason is that we like variety and have been on 14 different cruise lines, traveled to 6 continents, and visited over 100 countries. Every cruise (and land trip) is a new adventure. On the other hand, we still try to return to the Caribbean once a year (usually a 14 day cruise) which was where we went on our first cruise nearly 40 years ago.

 

Hank

[ger_77]

In my opinion, there will never be "enough" cruises. There may come a time (hopefully in the distant future) when because of health issues, we won't be able to cruise any longer, but even then, I'm not sure the last one taken will be enough. There's always one more port, one more shore excursion, one more pre/post cruise city to enjoy. You just can't put a limit on making memories.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[lor74]

Never enough!

 

Having been on 18 cruises in the last 12 years (a lot for someone in their 30s), at one point I was feeling a little cruised out. We did a couple of All-Inclusive resorts which were great, but it didn't take long for me to start missing the ship. I could do the same itinerary over n over, and never get off at any of the stops. I love being on the ocean!

[agabbymama]

Wow, compared to the other posters, I haven't cruised much at all. I have 7 cruises, from 3 day cruise to 12 days. I guess I'm not a cruise-aholic, as I've had enough.

 

I don't usually go to the same place repeatedly, been there done that is my motto, to many interesting places to visit. I used the cruise ship as a mode of transportation and hotel, not really interested in the on-board activities.

 

My last cruise was a 7 day from Vancouver South to Los Angeles. We hit some really rough weather for about 3 days. So much so, I have sworn off cruising. I don't really think I will ever board a ship again.

 

And unfortunately the same happened on my last flight from Maui to LAX. It was 5 hours of pure torture through terrible turbulence. None of us thought we were going to make it home.

 

Thank goodness I've done my traveling while I was healthy enough to make the trips. Health issues have reared their ugly head, and the doctor said no more flights, so guess my car will be my mode of travel now.

 

I still enjoy reading the threads here on CC, and even joining in the conversations now and then. Happy Travels to all!