[Drivingforfun]

Has anyone got a preference, and has this preference ever changed during your life?

I’ve always been a keen traveler but since (not necessarily because of) COVID haven’t left the UK but have done multiple trips here

I’ve appreciated so many of the benefits: lack of airport hassle; no organising insurance/FX/transport etc.; use of my own car

One thing I’d say it’s definitely NOT is cheaper, we’re doing 4 night stays for the price of maybe a week somewhere in Europe including travel, but that comparison depends where in the world you’d go, obviously…!

Has anyone had a similar revelation, or maybe the opposite way round??

[Rolebama]

In the Army I found that not many people mess with armoured vehicles on the road.😊 When I rode around on a motorbike there, I felt that, generally, people were more aware of me in Europe. The SMIDSY gang are widespread here. As for the rest, alcoholic drinks and restaurant food was cheaper. As to hotels and the like, I reckon they had better service and cleaner rooms.

[TC1474]

I am fortunate that I have been lucky to travel around the world since I was a young boy for both pleasure and business. I used to think nothing of getting on a plane and flying half way around the world, but what really put the kybosh on me was before Covid, when I still had my own business, I flew from Heathrow to India, to China, to Perth and Sydney in Australia to Los Angeles and New York in the USA and then home.

I did this journey in 6 days. I held my meetings in the terminal building of the airport, I ate and slept on the plane, I showered and changed clothing in the terminal building and developed acne and spots at 35,000 feet.

I got home exhausted and decided there and then never again and I closed my business down shortly after.

I am sure it was this journey that contributed t my heart attack.

Did it put ne off travelling? Not at all. But these days I go at a much more leisurely and luxurious pace as me and SWMBO are (and have been for the past 15 years) devout cruisers.

Everyone thinks we are being snobs, but when they find out that (and we always have a balcony cabin) pay less for 5 star luxury, there is no packing, unpacking or queuing in airport lounges but we still see several countries with Michelin quality food, brilliant entertainment for less than a weeks package half board in Spain, the penny starts to drop.

Most of the time we sail from Southampton, Tilbury or Dover so no flying involved, but I am currently looking at 14 nights in the Pacific visiting the Hawaiian Islands including Pearl Harbour which includes flights to LA, 14 night in the Pacific then up to the west coast of Canada for flight home, all in which includes Balcony Cabin? £1400 per head.

We have done in excess of 25 cruises now, from the Med, to the Baltic and visiting Russia, to the Caribbean, The eastern med, all have been brilliant. Even on sea days there is so much to do, you never get bored (unless you want to be) and contrary to myth, you do not need to dress up for dinner every night, in fact I never even pack a suit in the first place.

What is so different is arriving in a country by sea. The perspective is so different to arriving by air, its is difficult to articulate it here, but it is very different.

As I say to people who diss cruising.. Don't mock it until you have tried it and it never surprises me when someone tells me that they did try it and now like us they are hooked.

[Drivingforfun]

@Rolebama

The safety of traveling in the army seems a bit paradoxical to me in that, obviously it's your job to put yourself into danger so ordinary civilians don't have to, but the actual traveling, especially in non-conflict areas, I imagine you are pretty immune to the dangers that normal people would have to bear in mind?
@TC1474

I think you're right ... we've been looking into cruises recently for an older relative and I wouldn't mind going on one myself. I have an uncle who took his 2 teenage daughters on one so it seems all ages go on them

When it comes to the value, something that crossed my mind, my relative is a pretty representative retired person, maybe on the upper end of working class, but if she sold her house and combined it with her private pension she could live on a cruise ship for about 30 years before running out of money... without sounding pessimistic, she's in her late 70s and I can't see her living until 110. ... I sometimes wonder why more people don't do that?

[TC1474]

Originally Posted by Drivingforfun

@Rolebama

The safety of traveling in the army seems a bit paradoxical to me in that, obviously it's your job to put yourself into danger so ordinary civilians don't have to, but the actual traveling, especially in non-conflict areas, I imagine you are pretty immune to the dangers that normal people would have to bear in mind?
@TC1474

I think you're right ... we've been looking into cruises recently for an older relative and I wouldn't mind going on one myself. I have an uncle who took his 2 teenage daughters on one so it seems all ages go on them

When it comes to the value, something that crossed my mind, my relative is a pretty representative retired person, maybe on the upper end of working class, but if she sold her house and combined it with her private pension she could live on a cruise ship for about 30 years before running out of money... without sounding pessimistic, she's in her late 70s and I can't see her living until 110. ... I sometimes wonder why more people don't do that?

Depending on what cruise lines you use, there really is something for everyone.

When we take my daughter and son in law, we tend to go Royal Caribbean (Independence of the Seas) or Carnival (Glory) as they literally cater for all age groups, and despite being big ships, you never see the mass numbers.

But on sea days, things like the flow rider (surf simulator) ice skating, rock climbing, the free fall simulator and everything else really does keep you entertained.

When its just me and SWMBO we have tended to use P & O having sailed on Iona and Azura wth smatterings of Norwegian Cruise Lines, Celebrity and a few others.

The idea of someone living on board is actually more common than you think. On Azura there were several who lived on board permanently or until it went into dry dock for a refit at which point they would transfer to another ship.

As they point out, no cooking, cleaning, they see the world, medical assistance to hand immediately as and when needed, and it is total relaxation.

We have even half jokingly thought about it ourselves 😉

This is Independence, Azura and Iona

I can show you facilities and entertainment on board if interested.

As a by the by, on Iona which we did 2 years ago now, the nightly entertainment were Take That who were very good, along with a couple of comedians who I recognised.

All included in the price.

[NMNeil]

No way would I get on a floating Petri dish.
https://www.cruisemapper.com/wiki/10...irus-outbreaks

[TC1474]

Originally Posted by NMNeil

No way would I get on a floating Petri dish.
https://www.cruisemapper.com/wiki/10...irus-outbreaks

Everyone to their own.

Don't knock it until you have tried it, and hygiene on board is usually second to non.

[Rolebama]

I vaguely remember a documentary on TV some years ago about pensioners living on cruise ships. The pros ran along the lines of no queues at the doctor's and onboard hospitals if serious, and if you want a lie-in, or just feel a bit down, just order breakfast in bed. The thing that appealed to me at the time was the overall cost - some were only living on State Pensions, but still had enough cash to buy the extra little luxuries. The reason I gave up the idea was I get sea sick on calm waters, yet I am quite OK on roughish seas. I discovered this sailing on ferries from Bremerhaven to Harwich and Portsmouth to Isle of Wight. A few times each.

[TC1474]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

The reason I gave up the idea was I get sea sick on calm waters, yet I am quite OK on roughish seas. I discovered this sailing on ferries from Bremerhaven to Harwich and Portsmouth to Isle of Wight. A few times each.

My Mrs was the same which is why we did not start cruising until later in life. She used to get violently seasick whilst still in Dover on the Cross Channel ferry.

Then she heard that something like a ginger beer, biscuit or anything else containing ginger, or a green apple would sort her out.

We have travelled around the world as a result and she even managed a force 9 in the Bay of Biscay. Bit queasy on that one but she coped, but that apart, never had a problem since with sea sickness including the channel ferry.

I thought it was one of those old wives tales, but there must be some substance in it.

[Nick]

I've always loved travelling abroad, I think it comes from wanting to see places.
I remember our first family holidays abroad, driving through France etc, then venturing to Spain, as far as afield as Morocco, and now to trying to give similar opportunities to my own kids when we can!

Never really fancied a cruise, I do get sea sick, I wear the bands sometimes which helps but generally avoid ferry crossings and the like!), although I love the feat of engineering that is a massive cruise ship!

[NMNeil]

Originally Posted by TC1474

Everyone to their own.

Don't knock it until you have tried it, and hygiene on board is usually second to non.

The word 'usually' is off putting. But as you say, each to their own.