What are your experiences cruising overseas on overseas cruise lines? Favourable or not?

[MMDown Under]

44 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Agree it makes you laugh in hindsight.  However, you don''t know anger, until you've heard it in seven different languages.at once! 

I was just thinking, I wish MSC would bring one of their spotless medium sized ships to homeport in Australia.  Australia has a large Italian population who would be attracted to a dual language ship.  I would love to cruise with them again locally.  

[buchhalm]

I think it depends on the destination.

That means what type of passengers are in the majority.

Take one of the Celebrity ships.

Cruising Northern Europe, laid back and well educated. Not many kids.

Cruising the Mediterranean, lively, younger professionals, a few kids.

Cruising the Caribbean, American bogans, hundreds of mobility scooters parked in the corridors. 

 

Cunard in Europe: old people in good shape that are full of spirit. HIP HIP, replacement, is the catch cry.

Cunard in American waters. Floating nursing home.

 

[buchhalm]

On 10/19/2022 at 1:32 PM, NSWP said:

Yes, Arcadia was 7 weeks in 2012, Sydney to Southampton via Africa, half worldie at a great price. 

Aurora in 2016 was 3 and a half weeks from Southampton, transatlantic..east coast of USA/Canada and back.  

 

P&O do the long cruises well. And kippers for brekkie if you want, lol..

God, that image.

My Gyno friend, Dr. Bernd would say that he doesn't want to be thinking of work whilst on holiday.

[Tripmode33]

50 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I was just thinking, I wish MSC would bring one of their spotless medium sized ships to homeport in Australia.  Australia has a large Italian population who would be attracted to a dual language ship.  I would love to cruise with them again locally.  

Agree - I would love to try MSC but flights to join are a little cost prohibitive. For someone who has always hated the 'class system ' on ships, I've found myself researching interior cabins within the Yacht Club class on MSC!

[buchhalm]

Our first ever cruise was on the maiden voyage on MSC Opera.

Wonderful ship, and we had a lovely time.

I remember every PA in 5 languages and there were no tea spoons anywhere. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The Italian food was lovely, apart from horrible soups. Every other type of cuisine was meh....

And we learned that A) don't go between an Italian and a buffet table,

B) Bikinis on ladies of a certain age and girt are frightening 

C) Italian children are very active

 

Never been on MSC since.

*But the ships DO look lovely 

[MMDown Under]

2 minutes ago, buchhalm said:

Our first ever cruise was on the maiden voyage on MSC Opera.

Wonderful ship, and we had a lovely time.

I remember every PA in 5 languages and there were no tea spoons anywhere. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The Italian food was lovely, apart from horrible soups. Every other type of cuisine was meh....

And we learned that A) don't go between an Italian and a buffet table,

B) Bikinis on ladies of a certain age and girt are frightening 

C) Italian children are very active

 

Never been on MSC since.

*But the ships DO look lovely 

Holidaying on the Mediterranean, I observed mature aged women who rolled the top of their one piece down to their waist, on the beach, everyone getting dressed to go off beach to get an ice cream, including men putting their socks on under sandals.  

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, Tripmode33 said:

Agree - I would love to try MSC but flights to join are a little cost prohibitive. For someone who has always hated the 'class system ' on ships, I've found myself researching interior cabins within the Yacht Club class on MSC!

There are a few Oz TAs ( can't mention TAs here but with a little insight and imagination you may be able to work it out) that offer flights (Qatar) included for MSC cruises. For my return from Miami to Sydney (30 hours flying time) I was able to upgrade (when I originally booked the cruise) to Business for about AUD6500. It was worth every cent. While I was in Miami I went online and checked cost of a flight BC from Miami to Doha - AUD9000!

[Tripmode33]

6 hours ago, lyndarra said:

There are a few Oz TAs ( can't mention TAs here but with a little insight and imagination you may be able to work it out) that offer flights (Qatar) included for MSC cruises. For my return from Miami to Sydney (30 hours flying time) I was able to upgrade (when I originally booked the cruise) to Business for about AUD6500. It was worth every cent. While I was in Miami I went online and checked cost of a flight BC from Miami to Doha - AUD9000!

Thanks. I'll further my research... appreciate that advice.

[MMDown Under]

After a lifetime of economy, and one $$ economy which wasn't worth the extra money, I now fly only business overseas.  My current favourite airline is EVA Air as I can fly north from Brisbane.  I have flown Qatar and Royal Brunei, both excellent business class.  Royal Brunei used to fly north from Brisbane, but is now based elsewhere in Australia.  Qantas from New York business class, on points, was superb.  But Qantas is too expensive business class for Australians.  My US friends can access Qantas business class deals.  I was upgraded to Air NZ business class, from Auckland to Brisbane once and it was superb.   I can't remember the American Airline on which I flew business class, but I remember you could sit at a bar, quite an experience.  When you age, to be able to lie flat is priceless.  Th fine bone china, beautiful glasses, napkins etc. and the Asian food choices are a bonus.  

[lyndarra]

8 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

After a lifetime of economy, and one $$ economy which wasn't worth the extra money, I now fly only business overseas.  My current favourite airline is EVA Air as I can fly north from Brisbane.  I have flown Qatar and Royal Brunei, both excellent business class.  Royal Brunei used to fly north from Brisbane, but is now based elsewhere in Australia.  Qantas from New York business class, on points, was superb.  But Qantas is too expensive business class for Australians.  My US friends can access Qantas business class deals.  I was upgraded to Air NZ business class, from Auckland to Brisbane once and it was superb.   I can't remember the American Airline on which I flew business class, but I remember you could sit at a bar, quite an experience.  When you age, to be able to lie flat is priceless.  Th fine bone china, beautiful glasses, napkins etc. and the Asian food choices are a bonus.  

Have you noticed recently that QANTAS points don't seem to get you as far as they used to?

 

[Cruisers47]

8 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

After a lifetime of economy, and one $$ economy which wasn't worth the extra money, I now fly only business overseas.  My current favourite airline is EVA Air as I can fly north from Brisbane.  I have flown Qatar and Royal Brunei, both excellent business class.  Royal Brunei used to fly north from Brisbane, but is now based elsewhere in Australia.  Qantas from New York business class, on points, was superb.  But Qantas is too expensive business class for Australians.  My US friends can access Qantas business class deals.  I was upgraded to Air NZ business class, from Auckland to Brisbane once and it was superb.   I can't remember the American Airline on which I flew business class, but I remember you could sit at a bar, quite an experience.  When you age, to be able to lie flat is priceless.  Th fine bone china, beautiful glasses, napkins etc. and the Asian food choices are a bonus.  

We must be on the same wave length!   We can’t fly international on economy anymore.   Spending the kids inheritance.  We today fly home from Paris on Thai which was booked before Covid.   Have found them very helpful….specially when I drop my hearing aid and they virtually took the seat apart and found it.   Old age comes with issues.

 

on MSC…they did not provide tea or coffee after dinner and you had to buy it.   That was in our early days cruising.   We used to take English breakfast tea bags at breakfast and after dinner ask for a cup of hot water at the bar so we could you use the tea bags.   Pretty bad on our part…they were mean but so were we!!

 

 

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, Cruisers47 said:

We must be on the same wave length!   We can’t fly international on economy anymore.   Spending the kids inheritance.  We today fly home from Paris on Thai which was booked before Covid.   Have found them very helpful….specially when I drop my hearing aid and they virtually took the seat apart and found it.   Old age comes with issues.

 

on MSC…they did not provide tea or coffee after dinner and you had to buy it.   That was in our early days cruising.   We used to take English breakfast tea bags at breakfast and after dinner ask for a cup of hot water at the bar so we could you use the tea bags.   Pretty bad on our part…they were mean but so were we!!

 

 

How was that mean?  Just canny.  I drink black tea with lemon so collect Earl Grey tea bags before there are only flavoured tea bags left.  I do take my own from home also.  

I've flown Thai - the nicest people.  We had rough weather flying north once from Bangkok, so the air hosteses were belted in facing us.  I whispered maybe we should tell them their job is not to look terrified, as we were.  

And here I was thinking I was the only one having to call the air hostesses to pull my seat apart to get my glasses.  Lucky I had read not to touch the seat!

Have a good flight and put your hearing aid in your purse. 

[queenslander]

On 10/19/2022 at 11:20 AM, MMDown Under said:

This in my personal opinion on why the fit is important when you decide to cruise overseas on an overseas cruise line -

 

MSC Lirica - The bad - too many languages, and too many rude people.  There was a near mutiny in puerto rico because many passengers didn't realise we had to go through Customs there, in lieu of first port in USA.  Despite being comfortable seated in a big theatre, with Customs on the Stage processing people, people kept going up to the stage with their complaints.  Staff lost control.  The Customs people left the stage.  An Aussie (bless her heart) took control and told everyone to please sit down or we'll never get off the ship.  I remember thinking I wouldn't want to be on this ship in an emergency. 

The good - first class entertainment and spotless  ship.

MSC Poesia - the bad - ship was too big with too many passengers and too many rude people who didn't follow rules.  One example of rudeness - Staff had made a small area in the pool area for interested passengers to do fun exercise.  Passengers on lilows pulled up their lilows across the edge of exercise space,  crowding that small area. 

The good - fabulous itinerary, and spotless ship.  I remember thinking I'll never cruise on a ship this big again.  

Hurtigruten - Norwegian ships - perfect fit for me.  I've been on five cruises with them.

Queen Frederica - Greek ship - perfect fit for me.  I used to get up at 11 am for Greek dance lessons.  Such fun people. 

P&O Chusan - British ship - perfect fit for me. such well mannered well travelled passengers.  

All chartered small ships out of Britain - perfect fit for me. 

The most fun ship - chartered Rhapsody of the Seas cruise ship full of Aussies and one Kiwi couple from Hawaii to Australia. 

 

What have been your experiences?

 

We did many overseas cruises on Celebrity,  Princess and Royal Caribbean and enjoyed all of them. I liked the mix of different nationalities and we made some good friends onboard. We also joined some of our US and Canadian friends on the new Carnival ships in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe. We cruised around South America on Carnival Splendor when she was new and had a great time. I haven’t cruised on Carnival in Australia but perhaps I should try it some time. I really enjoyed the overseas cruises with some friendly, interesting and well-travelled people so I can recommend them to Australian cruisers. 

For the past twelve years since the death of my husband I still went on  overseas cruises including some well- priced transatlantic cruises but now I tend to do more cruises out of Australia.

[queenslander]

I went to Europe on my own in the years before Covid and usually went on Insight Country Roads tours followed by a cruise. I treated myself to Singapore Air business class for the comfort but it was expensive. 

 

I had booked an Azamara cruise out of Lisbon on the recommendation of a US friend who really loves that cruise line but unfortunately it was cancelled due to Covid. Perhaps I will try Azamara down here sometime  if I see one of their solo specials! 

[MMDown Under]

On 10/19/2022 at 12:25 PM, MMDown Under said:

Oops - I forget Azamara - perfect fit. 

CTMA Vacancier, a French ship, which was an interesting experience, with three themes.  We chose food, for obvious reasons.  

 

I also forgot, crew who spoke fluent English on MSC were not native English speakers, so couldn't be understood by native English speakers. 

[MMDown Under]

5 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I also forgot, crew who spoke fluent English on MSC were not native English speakers, so couldn't be understood by native English speakers. 

when they spoke on microphone. 

[bazzaw]

I hate to generalise about Nationalities - but I think the answer to your question does depend a lot on what Nationalities are onboard a ship. I have always liked Americans and had a great time around the Hawaiian Islands on Pride of America - BUT came across a few truly obnoxious ones on that cruise. P&O UK and Cunard sailing from Southampton are always topped up with Poms - I understand Poms well having been married into a family of them and also serving with their Submarine Armed Forces  and also love travelling around Pommyland a fair bit over the years.  They come is several "Classes" - a sometimes "snooty" class . a sometimes dreadful working class but an agreeable class in the middle 🙂.  I have always found that the friendliest Poms on board these ships are people who have visited Australia at some time or have some other association - like family in Oz. The ones that dislike us the most are usually the ones who have never been here and have preconceived incorrect notions about Australia 🙂 There was a contingent of Germans onboard a Cunard ship once - none seemed to speak English so it was difficult to talk to them and they seemed quite insular. Our experience with them told me that I would not like a majority German ship. 

[MMDown Under]

11 hours ago, bazzaw said:

I hate to generalise about Nationalities - but I think the answer to your question does depend a lot on what Nationalities are onboard a ship. I have always liked Americans and had a great time around the Hawaiian Islands on Pride of America - BUT came across a few truly obnoxious ones on that cruise. P&O UK and Cunard sailing from Southampton are always topped up with Poms - I understand Poms well having been married into a family of them and also serving with their Submarine Armed Forces  and also love travelling around Pommyland a fair bit over the years.  They come is several "Classes" - a sometimes "snooty" class . a sometimes dreadful working class but an agreeable class in the middle 🙂.  I have always found that the friendliest Poms on board these ships are people who have visited Australia at some time or have some other association - like family in Oz. The ones that dislike us the most are usually the ones who have never been here and have preconceived incorrect notions about Australia 🙂 There was a contingent of Germans onboard a Cunard ship once - none seemed to speak English so it was difficult to talk to them and they seemed quite insular. Our experience with them told me that I would not like a majority German ship. 

Your last comment was our experience also.