Cruising...as in Cruises!

Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Costa, and more...

The world is FULL of Cruise Ships and they offer a reasonably priced way to see the world and have a vacation on a mini floating city.

Have you ever cruised before?

Did you go diving or just have fun in the sun?

Tell us your crusing stories both diving and non diving related!

Who knows...maybe SD should offer a cruise someplace? I know my mom is starting to like them so maybe she is onto something?

My family is experienced Princess cruisers, and I enjoy them. Some of these islands in the caribbean are difficult to get to by air, but by ship its no problem. Take a Southern Caribbean. How about 5 days of diving, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba? The downside is you have to haul your gear on and off the boat every day. But you can have dive ops that meet you at the port and take over from there.

Its certailny a 2 dive a day experience. So for people that want more a liveaboard experience, its not for you. But if you have non divers in your group, its a great way to go. And the days of having to get dressed up every day for dinner is no longer the case either. But its an option if you choose to.

..And the days of having to get dressed up every day for dinner is no longer the case either. But its an option if you choose to.

Check with the cruise line if you aren't sure. While some lines have done away with the formal dress nights, others have not--though these tend to be the really old-school lines like Holland America and Cunard. On some vessels, Formal night is limited to one or two evenings during the cruise.

Personally, I enjoy putting on my white dinner jacket and going to such things. Makes me think of how it used to be in what I perceive as a gentler, more genteel time.

PPM

I've been and it wasn't really my thing. There wasn't enough time in each port to really see anything that wasn't a tourist trap and what diving that was offered was really expensive. I did find out that it's cheaper to book excursions in port and not on the boat but if something happens and you miss the boat then they won't wait for you.

I've been on a couple cruises and have enjoyed them. They were before my diving days though. I liked that once you boarded and unpacked, your "hotel" moved around to different islands. The good thing is you can sample different islands on one trip. The bad thing is that if you really liked one port, you only had time for a taste.

Now I have a diving addiction, I'll probably opt for a liveaboard.

I will be trying my first cruise next year in June! One of my sisters and her husband will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary!!

I have to admit at first I wasn't too thrilled about going. Not that I don't want to try a cruise, but it will cut into my diving time!! We are going to Alaska, so no diving will be done by me!!

I do, however, think it will be awesome to get on the boat and just BE there!! Do what you want, when you want...drink what you want!! Sounds like an amazing way to RELAX!!

PLEASE don't throw things at me.....BUT....This actually appealed to me more than doing a liveaboard (smaller quarters) and nothing else to do BUT dive.

I am however breaking out and doing my first liveaboard to Turks and Caicos in September!!

I think I'm a dive junkie!!!

I have been on 3 Cruises. I have to agree ,it is a great way to find out what Island's you want to return to.The being left behind.I saw a couple get left in Coz.I guess they had to many Coronas or Margaritas.Anyway,you do have a time element on each port.If you get in early,thats when you can get a couple of divies in usually.When packing your luggage & Dive gear.Depending on what room you choose,it might get cramped .The Verandas have more,but cost more as well.The food on all of my cruises were fantastic.Allow for extra weight to return .LOL As for the fear of getting seasick.These ships are so big,you hardly notice any sway.It usally takes a day to get oriented.
I dropped cruising because of my aquired addiction to Diving.Would rather stay in 1 place & have the chance to explore land venues on my own time.Have fun setting sail.
Bon voyage...

Edited by Greg@ihpil, 28 May 2012 - 10:12 AM.

After the Navy, it took 15 years for SWMBO to interest me in going back to sea. We took one cruise on a small boat out of Boston to Bermuda (700 pax I think) - it was really nice - with 3 days in Bermuda to sight see - and do a little diving with local ops and snorkeling arranged by the cruise line.

Our only other cruise was Alaska on another relatively small boat that could go through the inland passages and into Glacier Bay (1400 pax). No diving for me (warm water wus) but one of the excursions offered was dry-suit snorkeling (KMA).

Sara_The_Brown took a caribbean cruise out of PR and I used some contacts to arrange pickup at the ship for her with local dive operators. She loved it. I don't know if any really cater to divers so you're choosing a 2 tank dive vs seeing the topside sights since they generally pull in for just part of the day.

Cruises are good deals in the sense of accurately predicting your costs, and traveling with your hotel & restaurant. It isn't my thing since I like to explore and stay awhile getting closer to the local culture, food etc.