Another Carnival Cruise "Fun Ships" Incident

I don't "get" cruises. Wouldn't you rather go somewhere than be stuck on a tourist trap?

From the video it looks like the security staff are the ones who should have been removed.

Walmart on the Waves.

Where was this family of trash from? I'm guessing Australia since it has become loaded to the gills with scummy lowlifes.

When you note the staggering number of people who take cruises every year you wonder why more of these incidents don't happen.

To me it would be Hell: packed like sardines with a bunch of loud strangers. What is the attraction? Oh look, water.

A friend said he took one and they constantly blare announcements over the speakers.

I couldn't imagine going on one of these. It looks like you're taking a vacation at a shopping mall.

Here is what I think: Anyone of any race ,creed, economic status or gender who books a Carnival Cruise deserves what he gets. It is the equivalent of a Super Bowl party in a lower middle class neighborhood in Brooklyn while floating at sea. Tattoos, wife beaters, and women who are straight outta a Scorcese mafia film is what you get.

I do love Shaq, and as he is the new Carnival spokesperson I feel a bit bad criticizing the line, but I think that the choice of Mr. O'Neal shows exactly what Carnival is going for now.

The security guards are acting like complete fools.....kicking and punching people. Seems like they're enjoying the chaos.

Instead of cabins, Carnival should install little trailers all in a row throughout the ship.

I've actually been on the Carnival Legend, maybe ten years ago.

The cruise lines have all introduced these unlimited drinks packages where you pay X number of dollars a day and get to consume as much as you want. Curiously, although perhaps unsurprisingly, Carnival doesn't offer them on cruises that go around Australia. Truth to tell, I'm sure this type of thing happens a lot on other lines as well, just the massive number of people booted here made it newsworthy.

[quote]The cruise lines have all introduced these unlimited drinks packages where you pay X number of dollars a day and get to consume as much as you want.

Ooh! Maybe I quit the biz too soon.

Oh, Kathie, in the mornin', in the evenin' you would have fun.

I'm taking my first cruise in 2 weeks. Norweigan, not Carnival. But unlimited drinking.

What can I look forward to?

Which ship, R13?

I think NCL actually does cap the unlimited drinking, but it's something like 18 drinks within 24 hours. So, it would be a struggle for Kathie Lee, but not me, for example.

The alcohol packages are not unlimited. I think you are allowed 12 drinks a day. The bartenders can and will cut you off if they feel you have overdone it. The drinks are also very weak.

R6 a shopping mall that you can't leave.

I'm not "in the know" when it comes to cruises, but are there any geared towards the younger crowd as opposed to the families with small kids and the geriatrics?

The idea of being on a cruise with other young people actually sounds like a good way to make friends. But I'm sure yuppie types prefer backpacking in Europe.

R14, Breakaway.

[quote]The alcohol packages are not unlimited. I think you are allowed 12 drinks a day. The bartenders can and will cut you off if they feel you have overdone it. The drinks are also very weak.

Try spending big bucks on a Celebrity cruise. I'm serious, we went to Alaska last summer and paid through the nose for a suite. "No" was not a word we heard often, and it was pretty good booze too.

[quote]I'm not "in the know" when it comes to cruises, but are there any geared towards the younger crowd as opposed to the families with small kids and the geriatrics?

The premium lines (Princess, Holland America, Celebrity) tend to go after younger (we're talking 30s-50s professional types), although they still have plenty of seniors. Carnival goes after anyone who wants to go somewhere with a cheap upfront cost and then nickel and dime once they're captive. Royal Caribbean goes for families with a bit more money.

[quote][R14], Breakaway.

As long as it's not school vacation, you'll be fine. Breakaway's a nice ship. And the sailaway from NYC has awesome views. It should probably be warm enough that you can watch on deck without freezing your balls off.

VOTN,

Paid roughly $1100 for a cabin with a window and then later upgraded to a suite with balcony on a $100 bid.

It is a full 7 day trip from NYC to FL to the Bahamas and back.

I saw this story earlier today & thought it was a hoot. I'm just glad it wasn't Americans behaving badly for a change. As others have noted, between the alcohol, being cooped up on ship and the groups that tend to vacation together, it's kind of a wonder these things don't happen more often. I love that their apology to non-violent passengers was 25% off your next cruise - who'd want to go on another cruise after being on the USS Jerry Springer?

You'll like Great Stirrup Cay. I'm not a big fan of Nassau, but at least you'll be out of the last of the Northeast winter yech.

Just, you know, wash your hands copiously.

Breakaway and Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas are the two that go out of New York year-round. I'd pick Breakaway every time.

Australians.

You never hear about savage behavior like this on Bolivian cruises.

We are in Australia for two months then will take a 40 day Holland American cruise from Sydney to Vancouver, B.C.

I just hope the cruise isn't filled with tRump supporters.

The cruise in the OP makes me think of a Datalounge cruise. Have we had a thread on that yet?

[quote]I just hope the cruise isn't filled with tRump supporters.

I hate to break it to you...

[quote]The premium lines (Princess, Holland America, Celebrity) tend to go after younger (we're talking 30s-50s professional types), although they still have plenty of seniors.

Those are NOT "premium lines." Premium lines are Crystal, Silversea, Oceania, etc.

I was a Norwegian cruise with a friend and his brother and sister-in-law. They're big drinkers and were planning to get the unlimited beverage package, but were very disappointed to find out it was not available on our particular cruise. The reason? It was during Spring Break, and the itinerary (Mexican Riviera) was quite popular with the college crowd. So they figured they'd (1) have behavior issues, and (2) probably lose money on the deal.

I didn't know how international African-American culture has become.

It makes me feel proud, dog. My bitch, too.

Aren’t all the white Australians the descendants of British convicts? It was never going to be the classiest place.

The family on the boat were of some other ethnic origin. Likely Lebanese or some other middle eastern type hellhole.

I read a couple articles on this incident and it sounds confused.

One person claimed that the "family members" who ended up being removed were hassling the Australians.

So what nationality were the people doing the hassling?

Have there been any clearer stories from the Australian media?

The people who were thrown off the ship were put ashore in Eden, NSW.

[quote] So what nationality were the people doing the hassling?

The report is they are "Italian", but that no longer is definitive of who they are. Thanks to Merkel they are just as likely to be Syrian or Ethiopian with waterwings and wet Italian passports.

Cruise ships lost a lot of their ambiance when discount group fares became popular.

R28 I think pretty much so. I had the shock of my long life when I learned last year that my Irish forbears came to the US NOT from Ireland, but from Australia. I stopped doing research at that point.

This has had huge coverage here in Oz - and gather there’s also been a similar incident as well (tho involving a lot less people) on another ship from another line - but it also resulted in violence and people being put off.

The family involved in the article that OP posted were supposed to have been Italian Australians. The idiot above who posted some bullshit about since Merkel opened the floodgates to immigrants and they could have been Ethiopian or something - is just a racist troll who is full of shit.

I suspect that it was a bunch of bogans. That’s kind of what Australians call our rednecks. It’ll be a bunch of mainly male relations - brothers, cousins, uncles - and there’ll have been booze and testosterone. And possibly roid rage if any of em we’re into bodybuilding and hitting the gym - and face it - the young ones were bound to be!

Think guidos from jersey shore - with even less intelligence, class and style - and you’ll be close...

And of course - PR nightmare for the cruise lines - and their joke compensation - 25% off your next cruise! - isn’t doing them any favours. If they’re that mean and passengers feel poorly treated - they risk a class action. It’s more a nuisance than anything - but PR disaster! They just want this to drop from sight.

But now it’s got so much press - it’ll no doubt get the attention of others who also like a bit of a stoush - and suspect the copycat effect will mean there’ll be repeats by other dickheads. And the bad publicity will result in cancellations and a drop in bookings - which means even lower prices and deals to get more onboard - which means ever trashier passengers - and more incidents.

I really wouldn’t like to be working for the cruise lines here just now...

The surname of the family is Barkho. Doesn't sound Italian.

Apparently the surname Barkho is an islamic name which originated in Syria. There you go!

The first names in the family include “David” and “George”, so I might go with Lebanese Christians.

Still, I'd rather cruise with breeders than a ship full of gay men.

These trashy passengers should have been made to walk the plank.

Thank you r35.

Here is a picture of "George". Syrian Army deserter?

My vacation dollars go to getting away from people. Not being trapped on a boat with them. I fucking hate people.

A comment on the story from The Sun.

[quote] If you go to David Barkho's facebook page something does not seem right. There are a few comments in English, none in Italian, but many in Arabic. The page is filled with anti semitic, anti western hate crap and some of the posts seem like Al Queda ior ISIS propaganda. This family doesn't seem like any Italians I've ever known.

Ditto, #40. But it's getting harder and harder to get away from people. I swear if I crash-landed in Antarctica there'd be a Rally's and a Motel 6 (no vacancies).

If you're on a cruise, discount or not, you're stuck with the lot who boarded the ship with you. Even when I'm on a ferry for a just a few hours, I'm ready to abandon ship once we dock. The massive boats look like a McDonald's super-sized meal loaded with empty calories, though packaged like you are getting something more special than a few pieces of meat and bread smothered with over-processed slop. Just throw me overboard should I ever book one of these cruises. I'll take my chances with the sharks.

[quote]Those are NOT "premium lines." Premium lines are Crystal, Silversea, Oceania, etc.

Those are the luxury lines.

The family that was hassling everyone was ITALIAN. And they got the shit kicked out of them by security.

VOTN, DO. Why not MD?

[quote]VOTN, DO. Why not MD?

Just how the cookie crumbled. DO med schools are generally more accommodating of non-traditional students. Hell, I wasn't even the oldest person in my class. Still took and passed all the same exams.

How are you a non-traditional student?

I'm old. I was 35 when I started school.

I will emerge from my chrysalis on my 40th birthday in a few weeks as an eldergay. HISSSSSSS!

Sorry r27, but the tests kicked off of this ship are of... Italian descent...quelle surprise! The guidos on the Carnival cruise I took from New York City to Canada was overrun with the Bensonhurst/Howard Beach crowd. I see that they have relatives in Australia!

VOTN, eldergay DO. Reads better.

Every time a cruise is mentioned, I recall the description a friend made of HER cruise: “it’s like the Bronx emptied out onto a ship”.

Although the Viking River Cruises in Europe don’t look terrible, I hate being confined.

Looks like a typical Saturday night pub brawl on Lygon Street.

[quote]VOTN, eldergay DO. Reads better.

I'll take it under advisement. Do you have any recommendations on caftan colors? I'm supposed to have a fitting next week.

[quote]Although the Viking River Cruises in Europe don’t look terrible, I hate being confined.

Viking River Cruises are full of Americans who complain that they cannot get peanut butter and ketchup in Europe. They may be more well-to-do, but they are still pretty much vulgar Americans.

I'm stunned with disbelief. You provided a white trash family with unlimited alcohol - a vacation they probably saved up for from their dole checks - and then they get in a fight. Get out of here - no way. I'm certain this isn't the first fight this family has engaged, the others - during a wedding reception or probably during the Chinese restaurant all you can eat buffet.

Just an FYI for those who might actually be considering a cruise. For years my partner's family took a family trip on Carnival because it was an easy way to deal with elderly parents. OK, not great, but better than Great Wolf Lodge or Branson, MO. This year we took a cruise on Royal Caribbean, thinking it would be a better experience. It was actually far worse than a Carnival Cruise. The food was worse, the service was worse, the entertainment was worse.

Carnival, at least on their longer cruises, is really not a bad product. You get a rowdier crowd on their shorter cruises, but I've been on two longer ones and had perfectly nice time, including being seated at dinner with another gay couple, who were military guys during DADT, and it kind of broke my heart that they had to go out into the middle of the ocean to get away from prying eyes.

Royal Caribbean can be REALLY inconsistent. Anthem of the Seas, their ship that goes out of Bayonne year round has a really rough reputation. They do have a bunch of pared down Broadway shows on a few of their ships, although don't nobody want to see Cats.

So Royal Caribbean is the bottom of the barrel?

Actually, one thing I will say for Carnival is that they are really good at keeping children invisible. They have some ridiculous childcare- like to 4AM and several adult only areas. Aside from the scavenger hunt, I rarely saw kids except at meals.

No, I'd still go with Carnival as that, but I honestly thing the differences between the two are pretty negligible. Think the difference between Applebees and TGIFridays.

[quote]Actually, one thing I will say for Carnival is that they are really good at keeping children invisible

For all the name implies, Disney Cruise Line is fucking fantastic at that.

VOTN, What more can I expect on my Breakaway cruise? This is my first time.

NCL is very laid back and casual. They don't have any formal dress code, so you really don't need to pack the tux (this has been a point of contention for a bunch of prisspot retirees who like to look down on everyone as slobs). No set dining times and not really a formal dining room, just restaurants to pick from. One warning, there are a few restaurants that are included, but there are a lot that upcharge. Most of them--especially Moderno Churrascaria--are worth it. Make sure you go to the Ice Bar. There's also a really cool open-air space that wraps around one of the decks that has a bunch of bars and little cafe type places that are open to the sea.

Go snorkeling in Great Stirrup Cay.

We're doing the catamaran/snorkeling in Nassau.

You can get a cabana there. They give you snacks and bottled water, but you gotta pay for booze. Although you can also use your open bar.

R33: If these passengers are brought to trial, what would the typical punishment be in Australia?

Would Carnival bring the hammer down to make an example of them and to discourage future behavior? Community service?

[quote]We are in Australia for two months then will take a 40 day Holland American cruise from Sydney to Vancouver, B.C.

40 days! Rather you than me, gurl.

There's the question of who would prosecute. They were on a Panamanian-flagged ship in international waters, going between a French territory and Australia.

So, what's the latest on the expelled family?

Given how many people in that group, it seems like somebody in Oz would know who they are. Especially since they don't appear to be the shy, retiring types. A big family group going on a cruise most likely would be talking about it before hand.

And if their on board behavior is any example, then there were likely similar incidents at home.

We seem to have conflicting information as to their ethnicity.

I did notice that the Oz newspaper sites I checked blanked out their faces.

Who's surprised? These things are nothing but floating trailer parks.

M sister is an alcoholic and she and her bf take cruises because they can drink all they want and not have to get up early or dock if they don't want to. They can find their way back to their room on a ship, as opposed to trying to find their hotel in a city or town.

Some of them are gambling cruises and she likes those, too.

R71 many go overboard , it seems ,. while drunk too!

Do they have any cruises where no booze is available or can be brought on board?

I bet they would find a market for those cruises. Perhaps an occasional cruise every so often.

There are plenty of people who don't drink or who are ambivalent about it and others who can't drink and others who would like to avoid drunks on board.

R67 Repositioning cruises are the best. You wont see any amateurs on them, so not troubles.

I am somewhat concerned that you will need to bring clothing for the disembarking in Vancouver though.

Surely you will have gained 20 LBs!

[quote]Do they have any cruises where no booze is available or can be brought on board?

Yes, Christian charter cruises.

Booze and the casino is how the ships make money.

[quote] right. There are a few comments in English, none in Italian, but many in Arabic.

Maybe they are from Malta.

I worked at a hotel once in a port that Carnival cruises out of. The folks taking them were trashy, trashy, trashy. They'd drive/fly to catch the ship and most of them were hicks from Arkansas and other midwest locales. Entire huge families of fat, tattooed, badly dressed rednecks would swarm the hotel immediately before and after the cruises. Fat tattooed parents, fat, tattooed kids, and all the women had fat little hooves crammed into flip flops.

R77, I don't know what port your hotel was at, but I have met many people from DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, etc. I also see a lot of what used to be know as Jersey Shore types. OK, not high class, but hardly fatties from the mid-west.

R78 the port was a Southern middle, coastal city, which is easier to get to for all the flyover land types. DC and other types would more likely take one from the East coast.

Oh, the people who leave from New Orleans usually get good and drunk the night before on Bourbon St, and then board the ship either while still drunk or hung over.

A female friend went on a 3 or 4 day cruise with her sister out of Long Beach to Ensanada. A sort of "get away from the husbands" trip. She said a lot of other large groups of women were on it and were drunk when they boarded and kept drinking non-stop the whole time. She said it was awful and not something she'd do again. She drinks but she said those people were unbelievable and couldn't believe no one died from alcohol poisoning.

r73 No cruises allow you to bring alcohol on board -- they want to make money off of selling you THEIR alcohol.

[quote]No set dining times and not really a formal dining room, just restaurants to pick from.

I was on NCL (Norwegian Star) a couple of years ago, and they definitely had a formal dining room, although as you say, it was always "anytime dining."

[quote]I was on NCL (Norwegian Star) a couple of years ago, and they definitely had a formal dining room, although as you say, it was always "anytime dining."

There are main restaurants where you don't have to pay the surcharge, but it's a bit different than the big dining rooms where everybody goes on other lines. Although a lot of the new ships in all the lines are starting to emulate NCL, so it's not as unique as it used to be.

Although the Breakway also contains Margaritaville, so you can visit a chain restaurant without having to get off the ship.

which cruise ships have the best stage shows? Actually, Carnival has always been very good- very good theme park, but very good. Royal Caribbean was just awful.

Can you still do lines with Julie?

[quote]which cruise ships have the best stage shows?

Disney.

Entertainment budgets seem to have been majorly cut back across the industry. There's often one good show per 7 night cruise, and the rest is filler. Our last one on Celebrity, the shows were godawful, although the dancers and acrobats were hot as hell.

Like airline travel, once the discount operators opened up shop and forced the big guys to reduce fairs and cut services and lowbrow trash became able to avail themselves it all went to hell. I remember the day when flying on an airliner meant you would only be subjected to people with class. It's the same now with cruising. A big boat loaded with trash dressed in pedal pushers and flip flops who wouldn't know the difference between a salad fork and a dinner fork if their lives depended on it. At least on an airliner they attempt to separate the classes. But even the folks in cattle class have to pass through the first class cabin on most planes.

The Lovely Lady yacht in Some Like it Hot - that was a nice old small yacht. Sunk a little while ago.

Cruises: Las Vegas on the water.

No, thanks.

[quote]At least on an airliner they attempt to separate the classes.

All the cruise lines, even Carnival, are starting to carve out 1% only spaces. Newer ships have purpose-built outdoor spaces with private pools and the like, but even on older ships, there are often exclusive lounges and dining rooms.

As long as you're willing to pay, you don't have to mingle with the unwashed.

They're like Greyhound buses that float.

I have not ever taken a cruise, and would like to, in spite of all of the negatives. The challenge seems to be choosing as carefully as possible.

What about the Alaskan Cruises?

Do they get the same low class clientele ?

The same large number of drunks?

Another cruise ship, P&O Pacific Explorer, returned to Sydney and threw 7 people (6 men and 1 woman) off the ship earlier this week. The ship then continued the cruise.

There was an argument with men waiting in a toilet queue and a woman struck one of the men with an empty wine bottle.

Oh, those fun loving Aussies.

I've always thought the Antarctic voyages in the smaller cruise ships would be very interesting, but I know if I tried it would end up like this.

Every word VOTN has said is accurate. I am in the travel industry, and if I did not know better, I would think he was as well.

Taking a Western Caribbean cruise out of N.O. could be fun for many, but if 34 hour drinking offends your senses, avoid like the plague.

And for Mr. "It's like a Vegas casino at sea," not if you can swing Crystal, Silversea or even a 13 day Holland America cruise. 13 day or longer cruises filter out all the riff-raff.

R96, that footage is amazing.

Outside of the vacationers in the video looking like they're waiting for the end of the world in 15 minutes that is one damn ugly ship.

That entire interior really does look like a budget motel you can't leave. People would even think of being trapped on thing for a week or more?

I did a 15-day Panama Canal cruise (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles) on one of Princess's smaller ships (small enough to fit into the old canal) over the holidays last year and it was lovely.

I avoid cruises with a lot of consecutive "sea days" (i.e., days where you're at sea the entire day; no port.) Those are the days when you REALLY feel like you're locked in a hotel

I would never go on the Hawaii cruises; they have five consecutive sea days getting there, and five more getting back. And just when you're almost home, you have to stop in Ensenada because of of the silly rules about not traveling between two US ports.

I actually enjoy going on cruises, but completely understand that it’s not everyone’s ideal vacation choice. That said, I would probably never set foot on a Carnival ship — that sort of lower-end party crowd doesn’t appeal to me at all. Of the larger mainstream cruise lines, I would recommend Cunard, Celebrity, and Norwegian. They generally target more sophisticated travelers.

Also have been on Royal Caribbean twice. Not a favorite, sort of a mixed bag. And as someone else mentioned above, their ship that departs from NYC, the Anthem of the Seas, is just for some reason a cursed ship. If something can go wrong, it definitely will on that ship.

All of Disneyworld is turning into a Carnival Cruise.

[quote]All of Disneyworld is turning into a Carnival Cruise.

What do you mean? We're so much classier!

OMG. She has a dedicated teat for each child?? And isn't Micah a tad long in the tooth for suckling?

In any other instance I would probably call out that lady pictured in R104 for being crass and tacky, but seeing those two bitches behind her make me root for her and hope she keeps those bazooms out and swinging and dripping titty milk all over the park.

Didn't Cecil Beaton write about this woman in his diaries? Something like “Her breasts, hanging and huge, were like those of a peasant woman suckling her young in Peru."

All the disdain for floating trailer parks and humble bragging from people who would never lower themselves to mingle with the hou polli. Probably the same people who prattle on endlessly about their favorite porn stars.

Cruise lines target different demographic groups. Generally speaking, the more money you spend the more rarified the clientele. I travel with a group which usually sails on Celebrity or Holland America. No riff raff there.

But last fall I booked two adjoining solo cabins in the Norwegian Epic and had a blast. The food wasn’t as good as on the more expensive lines, so we did a lot of fast fast food and appetizers. The unlimited drink package was well utilized and we met people with whom we’re still in touch.

The cruise snobs can go fuck themselves.

But isn't Norwegian Epic though not premium or luxury still far above a Carnival cruise?

I've always had the impression Carnival was like a floating trailer park with a cash bar and 24 hour Golden Corral buffet.

[quote]What about the Alaskan Cruises?

The travel to/from them is more expensive, because you have to fly into Anchorage and out of Vancouver, or vice versa, so it peels off some people. Even the ones that are round-trip Seattle are more expensive, especially because it's not like the Caribbean and there's just a few months they can do it out of the year. That said, I totally recommend seeing it before it melts. As touristy as it was, we took the little railway from Skagway that runs up to the Canadian border. The views were just astonishing, and the weather was unexpectedly sunny, so we could see mountain-top glaciers that are usually covered in fog.

[quote]Every word VOTN has said is accurate. I am in the travel industry, and if I did not know better, I would think he was as well.

I was a travel agent before I went to medical school. The entire cruise industry fascinates me for reasons I can't really explain, and the ship construction has always intrigued me. My husband and I still cruise occasionally, although we've upgraded from Carnival to Celebrity.

R109, no, it is actually more like a floating Casino, like Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods. The decor is flashy, casino baroque. The food is plentiful. They are always trying to sell bad art, fake Rolexes, etc.

[quote]hou polli.

Oh, dear!

I will put in a more gentle way than most have thus far for those of you who find too much elitism in this thread.

My best friend is truly a cruise connoisseur. She is loaded and thus can cruise where, on which ever she chooses and whenever she feels like it.

She's done them all from Seabourn, Crystal, Siversea all the way down to Carnival. She calls Carnival "the paper plate cruise line."

Isn't that less offensive than trailer park?

Carnival is the Pushy Bottom of all the Cruise Lines. Cheap, sloppy, messy, always open for anyone to ride.

I don't think 'paper plate' or 'pushy bottom' are much better than trailer park.

R110 +1. I did that cruise to Alaska on Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas. It was an amazing trip to Hubbard Glacier watching the ice calve off into the water with your own eyes. Don't wait until you are 65, there are a lot of off day excursions when you pull into a port like hiking and adventure things you really only want to do while you are still young and healthy.

[quote]Outside of the vacationers in the video looking like they're waiting for the end of the world in 15 minutes that is one damn ugly ship.

All of Carnival's ships used to have their interiors designed by a man named Joe Farcus. He was the kind of guy that Vegas would say "No, no, we're good." He'd pick a theme for each vessel and design all the public spaces around that theme. For the Legend, the theme is "legends of the ancient world," and everything kind of stems from that. There are a lot of Grecian Urn shapes around the ship, and there's a giant mural of the Colossus of Rhodes in the atrium.

His absolute nadir was the Carnival Splendor. Theme is "splendid things." This is a picture of the atrium, but I'm going to see if I can find one of the dining rooms.

Although, cute story, Carnival Legend was christened by Judi Dench. They usually rig the bottle of champaign on a cable that swings into the bow of the ship, but when she released it, it didn't break. So they had her do it by hand in one of the ship's gangways, and the bottle EXPLODED all over her. The headlines in the London papers were all "Judi DRENCHED!"

[quote]I don't think 'paper plate' or 'pushy bottom' are much better than trailer park.

Actually, you can find both at the trailer park, so its a win win for white trash gays.

Here's a close up view of the detailing in Carnival Splendor's Black Pearl Dining Room. Check out the carpet.

[quote] There are a lot of Grecian Urn shapes around the ship

You don't say!

Just drink in how gaudy it is.

Well Joe Farcus definitely had a talent of a kind. These things can't happen by accident.

Though it's a wonder diners can keep their food down.

I have never been on a cruise and would like to experience one. Is there a way to go on a cruise that isn't tacky and tasteless? Which are the better cruise lines? Are their certain destinations to avoid because they attract a trash element?

I'm sure that carpet is good at hiding the inevitable vomit stains.

What R93 & R123 asked. Are there any desirable cruises that are affordable (relative, I know)?

Band of Gypsies; what do you expect when you cruise with the Carnies?

[quote]Is there a way to go on a cruise that isn't tacky and tasteless?

Break it down this way:

Carnival, Royal Caribbean - lower up-front cost to get butts in the cabins, then they adore to find things to charge for once you're onboard. The trappings on RC are a little more upscale, but the food and service is not better, and in some ways worse than Carnival.

NCL - Similar in price, but different vibe. If I were going for this tier, this is probably what I'd pick.

Princess, Holland America, Celebrity - Slightly more luxurious, theoretically better food and service, and on the whole, the ships aren't as ginormous. Furnishings and appointments are kind of like a nice urban hotel. Think Lexus or Accura over Toyota or Honda.

Cunard - they like to pretend these are classic ocean liners, but it's more like Titanic cosplay. Food and service are really not that much better than Princess, HAL, or Celebrity. Ships are gorgeous though.

Disney - its own thing. The ships are nice, but they charge WAAAAAY too much. Also, the ships don't have casinos.

Silversea, Crystal, Regent, Seabourn - small ships, fancy stuff with the price tags to match. This is the 1% and all the good and bad that entails.

MSC, Costa - it's really hard for Americans to quite understand them. If I was still making money off this, I would have to prep you VERY carefully before I booked you. They're really, really European, again with all the good and bad. MSC has a new purpose-built Caribbean ship and the reviews, from what I've read, are mixed.

Oceania, Viking Ocean, Azamara - these are like boutique hotels at sea. Focus is really more on the itineraries than the shipboard experience, although it's a semi-lux experience anyway. The ships are fairly small, so they can get into smaller, less visited ports. Azamara does some really cool Asian itineraries that I'd love to try if I had the time and money.

I watch a lot of AWE TV, and one of their main sponsors is MSC. They teased a bit of their newest ship on a show yesterday and it looked amazing.

[quote]I watch a lot of AWE TV, and one of their main sponsors is MSC. They teased a bit of their newest ship on a show yesterday and it looked amazing.

I still can't decided if I really like the way it looks or really hate it.

That thing at R129 looks like a self-piloting vacuum cleaner.

I’m going on a Viking Rhine river cruise in April. Yes, we have a full itinerary with something to do everyday. It was pretty reasonable, airfare included.

That is my next goal R131.

The new MSC mega-ship has some awesome looking zip lining through the skyscraper like atrium.

I also had a great time on an NCL cruise, last year. If you use the upgrades, you can have a vacation away from the crowds. Specialty dining every night, etc. You can pay just a little extra and have access to a special private deck. I think they only sell about 60-100 of these. No pool, but a hot tub. There a 20 max people at any time usually, and the seats are wonderful, they bring you fresh towels, fresh carafes of water, fruit on little sticks, and on and on. I think I spent just $119 for the entire week. I’d also recommend getting a week’s pass to the spa facilities - again very minimal people there, but it’s at the front of the ship and you can have a wonderful chair to lounge in and gaze at the water. With a little extra planning, and a little extra money, you can really have an incredible vacation. I was also upgraded to a balcony room, which was very nice. Tip your cabin steward $100 as soon as you get on, and you will get very good service!

R112. Hou polloi was a typo. Much like the comma you put between oh and dear. I agree with R111’s characterization of Norwegian. We booked it only because of the single cabins since I’m a snorer and my partner is a light sleeper. The bonus of having two bathrooms motivated us to sign up for another cruise this year.

wouldn't it be easier to just build a brig?

Am I the only one who finds the look of these things frightening?

In R129's photo I would never sail on that thing in a million years.

I'm with you R137. That's just another reason why I would never go on one. I can enjoy the water at a lake.

EEK

I thought they sounded like gypsies.

Sorry the power went out, your toilets dont work, your rooms are dead, no showers and you have to sleep on deck. Please enjoy this 3% discount on your next Carnival Cruise!

[quote]Much like the comma you put between oh and dear

Not a typo.

[quote]I thought they sounded like gypsies.

Did they bring their queen?

I mean HER.

I've only been on the lower and mid-tier lines (NCL, Princess, HAL, and Carnival) but I go so fed up with the constant shilling of crappy merchandise (art, jewelry, souvenirs, etc.) that I'm considering splurging and going on one of the upscale lines (which I'm told don't do this) for my next trip. I usually go solo, and it can get quite pricey unless you can find a good deal. (My best deal so far was getting a FULL suite on Princess for the price of a balcony on a 15-day Mediterranean cruise out of Southampton.)

Celebrity does a minimal amount of shilling, and they certainly don't announce it overhead constantly like Carnival does.

That said, assuming you want itinerary and not a rock-climbing wall, waterslide, or zipline, look at Oceania and Azamara. Still lux, bit more personalized.

R145, how is it traveling alone on a cruise? I want to do have some "me" time all alone and would like to do a cruise. But I'm worried about feeling overwhelmed and forced to join some group if I'm a single.

That ship at R129 looks top heavy to me. One big wave and it's The Poseidon Adventure.

R141 - What in the world? Can you explain the picture you posted?

I would love to try a cruise solo, Do they place you at a table with other singles, or do they put you with couples? I would not really want to be with a bunch of single people looking to hook up,

r147 r149 First, do not go on a SINGLES cruise.

R150 I would never even consider that. My whole thing is NOT wanting to hook up.

I've been a on a number of cruises solo. You need to do some research first, and decide what kinds of things you like to do. I've found that for the most part, I could be alone when I needed to, or together when I felt like it. For example, if you have "anytime dining," you can ask to be seated by yourself, rather than with a group of strangers. Or you can have traditional, fixed dining, where you eat with the same group (usually six to eight people) every night (at the same time.) You can dine solo at the specialty restaurants, too. And of course most ships have buffets, which are ideal for solo dining (or for meeting people if you prefer.)

If you book shore excursions, you'll obviously be with others. On board, I've found it's fun to meet people who have similar interests by going to the frequent trivia contests. There are also a lot of other specialized activities and groups on most larger ships -- even a GLBT meet-up every day. Do some research on cruisecritic.com (their message boards have a lot of good info.)

I would love anytime dining, but I have yet to take a cruise which offers it.

I'm totally fine with being with a large group on shore excursions. Every cruise I have been on I took the diving trips by myself and it was fine.

Thanks for your tips,,,you have given me the impetus to really look into this seriously.

VOTN, what is the cruising scene like on the Breakaway?

And by cruising, I don't mean the boat in the water.

My partner and I just booked a Royal Caribbean cruise (Harmony of the Seas) for the first week of September with some friends of ours. I've never been on a cruise before and was kind of ambivalent about the idea, but he talked me into it. He's been on several Royal Caribbean cruises in his life, and he swears up and down that he's never once had a bad experience with them. He says we should definitely avoid Carnival like the plague, but insists that RC is completely different.

This thread has been less than reassuring (fascinating, though). Anyone know anything about Harmony of the Seas?

We had a great time on a 7d New England and Canada cruise out of New York on the Regal Princess last October. I’d do it again in a minute.

Listen to your boyfriend R155, he is absolutely correct about Royal Caribbean and Carnival. Iv been on both. You will enjoy Royal Caribbean.

I did a 7 day out of NO on Carnival and was, as others have stated, nickeled and dimed once on board. The cruise director reminded me of a used car salesman and kept trying to force rum cakes on us. Every little thing cost extra. I went through over a thousand bucks on board quite quickly. Also, the water in the sinks is recycled toilet water, something to consider when you get those weird green cruise shits. And bottles of water are $8.

VOTN, can you be a little more specific about what you mean by MSC and Costa being "really, really European"?

What are the main differences?

Just a note about higher end lines: We took a transatlantic voyage on Cunard for our anniversary. Pretty much the entire ship was people who knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. All they could talk about was business and money. I thought we had lucked out when a couple mentioned that they had a subscription to the NYC Ballet. Wrong, to them it was real estate. The bragged about how long they had had it and how they had moved up to the "primo" location that they had now, etc. They knew nothing about ballet except what some of the dancers were paid, It was a horrible trip and because it was transatlantic, we were stuck.

[quote]VOTN, what is the cruising scene like on the Breakaway?

Same places you would normally look--the gym, the steam room, the dance club. The ship should have have LGBT meetups, but those can be hit or miss. If you're looking to hook up at one of those, it will usually be in the form of a couple looking for a threesome.

The entertainment staff will also be hot, but they can't hook up with passengers. Not that it doesn't happen.

[quote]VOTN, can you be a little more specific about what you mean by MSC and Costa being "really, really European"?

Until they finally started changing it a few years ago, one of the big things was with smoking. That's a problem on a lot of cruise ships (some lines now only allow smoking outside on open decks), but the worst complaints were usually from Costa. MSC Seaside I don't think allows smoking indoors, which is a nice change.

Since most of Costa's ships are just Carnival's hulls given Costa styling, it's not as big a problem for them, but on MSC's older ships, the cabins, much like European hotels, are smaller than we're used to here. Again, with Seaside being built specifically for North America, it's a bit better. And when they're cruising in Europe and have a majority of European passengers, the entertainment not exclusively being in English throws some people.

And the service tends to run more towards...let's just say less attentive.

[quote]Just a note about higher end lines: We took a transatlantic voyage on Cunard for our anniversary. Pretty much the entire ship was people who knew the price of everything and the value of nothing.

The Cunard fans are the fucking worst. My mom and grandmother did a grand tour of Europe in the early 60s and went over on Cunard's RMS Mauretania, and I've always wanted to at least do the crossing to see what it's like, but the Cunard clientele is what has kept me from doing it. These are the type of people who want you to know that what you're actually wearing is a dinner suit, not a tux.

Also, despite the price tag, Cunard is not really a high-end line. At least in the steerage (Britannia Club) class, the service is not appreciably different from Princess, HAL, or Celebrity. And the ships aren't even registered in the UK any more, so they don't fly the Union Jack, and what's the point?

I know nothing about cruises. Being trapped on a ship seems like a nightmare to me.

Is Costa really high end? My parents did it all the time when my father was alive. I always thought they had a lot of money though I don't know.

They were always cheap and stingy with me and we lived in a lower middle class neighborhood but I thought they could have done a lot better especially for the time period.

But now my mother has a beautiful home in an upscale retirement community and a condo in Boca. By herself. No golden girl roommates.

Think Italian misers. At least with me.

[quote]Is Costa really high end?

Dear God, no.

VOTN, Eldergay DO, Our Cunard experience was on the QEII. I thought I was losing my mind when I did not see the ship listed on the Cunard website. I went back and checked. It was the QEII; so, we had a somewhat better experience. The best part was having junior members of the Royal Shakespeare Company perform, but Oh!, the people. To be honest, I doubt most of them would know the difference between a Tux and a Dinner Jacket. They were more of the "With my money, I'll call it whatever I damn well please."

Oh, the QEII is long gone, sold to a real estate group in Dubai that hasn't been doing much with her since. Cunard did arrange a special 50th anniversary cruise on the current Queen Elizabeth, with a lot of programs and lectures about the ship's history.

When Lilibet christened the new QE, the president of Cunard pointed out that she was the only person in attendance who had been at the christening of all three of the QEs. She was with her mom when the first one launched, and did the other two herself.

Camilla did the Queen Victoria.

[quote]Oh, the QEII is long gone,

Thanks for making me feel ancient.

I thought it was the new QMll.

Anybody done a cruise on it?

[quote]Thanks for making me feel ancient.

That's practically an eternity in industry time.

[quote]I thought it was the new QMll.

There are three Queens, QMII, QE, and Victoria. QMII actually is built as an ocean liner and can cross the North Atlantic. The other two are basically cruiseships, as much as they try to pretend otherwise.

23 members? I had no idea the Palin family was so large.

There was a really cool NatGeo docu-series "Cruise Ship Diaries" ~6 years ago. It followed a Costa ship (Costa Serena in season 1). Had a behind the scenes look at the crew, etc. Of course it was edited for drama. Some hints of people dying on board (old age) etc. Yeah, the staff were very European in terms of attitude and service!

If you really want to see a train wreck, watch the British docudrama/docusoap The Cruise (1998). It really is one of those disasters that you hate, but cannot stop watching.

[quote]Some hints of people dying on board (old age) etc.

Happens all the time. HAL, before they tried to go after a younger demographic, offered dialysis services. They may still, for all I know.

R155 Harmony is a great ship. Lots of things to do. I’d recommend downloading the Shipmate app and and join your cruise roll call. Lots of great info.

VOTN—

What would you recommend for people who are refined but have a white trash budget

[quote]What would you recommend for people who are refined but have a white trash budget

Be flexible with dates. You can often score awesome last-minute deals, but the trade off is potentially more expensive airfare if you have to fly.

Also, look in hurricane season. Again, that's a trade-off.

"Do they have any cruises where no booze is available or can be brought on board?"

I bet a total fitness cruise would get people - really healthy and fresh food options, a nice full gym, cross-fit, spinning and other classes.

Are these the Australian equivalent of what the British call chavs?

[quote]I would love anytime dining, but I have yet to take a cruise which offers it.

I'm curious as to which cruise lines you've taken -- it seems like pretty much all of them offer this now. And NCL has ONLY anytime dining.

[quote]Are these the Australian equivalent of what the British call chavs?

I think the Australian term is "bogan."

[quote]I'm curious as to which cruise lines you've taken -- it seems like pretty much all of them offer this now. And NCL has ONLY anytime dining.

I'm pretty sure all the basic and mid-tier lines have an option now. I think all of boutique lines do. In fact, Cunard is the only one I'm certain only has fixed seating any more.

[quote]Those are NOT "premium lines." Premium lines are Crystal, Silversea, Oceania, etc.

YES THEY ARE!!!! Crystal and the others you mentioned are LUXURY....Luxury, Premium, Standard...that is how it works.

I've thought it would be interesting to do a trans-Atlantic crossing either before or after a European vacation.

Can you recommend a ship? What I'm reading about Cunard here is not encouraging.

Also, since part of my trip would be to see relatives in Ireland, do any of the ships stop in Ireland?

How about ships to Iceland?

r182 I know some friends of mine took a cruise out of Dover (UK) that stopped at several ports in Ireland and Scotland.

The problem you'd run into is that the Queen Mary is the only ship that's built to do a North Atlantic crossing. The other ones have to cross in calmer waters closer to the equator, so that usually means fifteen days as opposed to the QM's 6.

I know Holland America has a few itineraries that go around Britain and Ireland. I think Princess does too. The lux lines often do them, because it's more navigable for smaller ships. Some even sail up the Firth of Forth.

Thanks R183 and R184 (AKA VOTN, DO).

This is just one Dler's opinion, but I don't think that cruise with all healthy food, no alcohol sales and an overall emphasis on health would do terribly well.

Even very body conscious folks look forward with great anticipation to their cruise where they will dine on lobster, rack of lamb, blanquette de veau and prime entrecote followed by decadent deserts. My parents were the most figure and health conscious people you could ever meet. They went to "health retreats" such as Pritikin several times a year, and they never exceeded their ideal weights.

But they LOVED their cruises(usually Silversea and longer Holland America cruises) and each would lose 5 LBs in advance so they could dine guiltlessly while onboard. If they fully embraced cruise ship decadent dining, I can't imagine who on earth would not.

VOTN would know better than I, but it's my gut feeling that asceticism and cruising just don't go together, It would be somewhat analogous to throwing a gala Christmas dinner full of kale, quinoa and cone broth in lieu of Standing rib roast, duchesse potatoes and asparagus with hollandaise. One can eat right 50 weeks per year, but when you cruise, or stay at a 5 star resort, you want to EAT!!

There are absolutely fitness cruises. Either big groups of cabins that are blocked out, or full-ship charters. I don't know what the situation with alcohol or booze, but if you Cross-Fit, there's a cruise for that. I don't know if they alter the menus or not, but if you give the line enough money, they'll probably let you do whatever you want.

What about one of those cruises you take with the fans of the Walking Dead? Sounds delightful.

I'd do Star Trek: The Cruise in a heartbeat. I ain't ashamed.

There is the Gronkowski Family Throw Down annually. It is very, very popular, but can you imagine being on a ship full of drunken NE Pats' fans?

I think there is a cruise for almost any interest.

I bet those fan cruises are tacky as hell. God love ‘em for being so dedicated, but my God.

I don't know a cruise full of like minded people, whatever it may be, sounds fun.

They stopped doing the TCM cruises, but I know there's one for fans of old radio shows, country music fans, fans of specific performers, etc.

[quote] I'd do Star Trek: The Cruise in a heartbeat. I ain't ashamed.

Not too many weeks ago I was window-shopping cruises online and saw exactly that. I really couldn't handle 24 hour a day "Live Long and Prosper" and the knock down brawls between Kirkists and Picardists, but nonetheless.....

STAR TREK: THE CRUISE™ III is a Star Trek experience unlike anything this side of the Neutral Zone! On this 6-day voyage on the spectacular Norwegian Jade, you will sail the Caribbean with iconic Star Trek actors and personalities.

Confirmed for 2019:

Wil Wheaton Brent Spiner • Jonathan Frakes Marina Sirtis • Michael Dorn Gates McFadden • John De Lancie Nana Visitor • Robert Picardo Rene Auberjonois • Connor Trinneer Denise Crosby • Ethan Phillips Chase Masterson • Casey Biggs Mary Chieffo • Wilson Cruz ...and many more to be added

I know someone who went on that Walking Dead cruise. They said ocean was very rough, and a lot of people got sick. That's what worries me about a cruise of any kind.

Those cruises aimed at Boomers which are full of 602 and 70s pop/rock acts which are meant to remind us of our high school days are very popular now.

I wouldn't go because I imagine they are full of Trumpers mostly.

I never, ever wanted to take a cruise — I thought it would be like going to a new city and never leaving the hotel. But I ended up accompanying a relative on a Celebrity cruise to Alaska and had a blast.

First: there's nothing for kids to do on the cruise. Nothing. I found the fjords and glaciers amazing. A kid would likely just see a hunk of ice. The ship had a two-story library, an onboard naturalist, a glass-blowing studio — all stuff that appeals to older people on vacation.

Second: Because of that, there wasn't a grabby, unpleasant atmosphere. You could help yourself at lunch (or dinner, if you liked) but you only saw a couple of people with Leaning Towers of Crab Legs on their plates. Same with the unlimited drinks.

Third: There was no upselling on board and tips were inclusive, which worked well for everyone. But the staff, all of whom were nice, obviously were graded (and perhaps bonus compensated) by a survey sent to all the passengers a day after docking. We made notes on all our favorite people — headwaiter, sommelier, coffee bar guy, gorgeous jazz singer, charming busboy, etc.

The time flew by. I'd do it again.

[quote]First: there's nothing for kids to do on the cruise. Nothing.

Doesn't Celebrity have kids' programs like most of the other cruise lines?

[quote]There was no upselling on board and tips were inclusive, which worked well for everyone.

Even though they say this, I think it's expected to tip a little extra to the cabin steward, and if you have fixed dining, your table staff. I always give the cabin steward at least $50 at the end of the cruise (I'm usually solo.)

[quote]Doesn't Celebrity have kids' programs like most of the other cruise lines?

They do, but the offerings are pretty meager. Celebrity doesn't really market themselves toward families. The parent company steers them toward Royal Caribbean.

Yes but at least the little ones move. I was on a Celebrity cruise a couple of years ago. I was the youngest person on the ship (51). Nice people but slow, lots of walkers.

I don't find there's much of a point in tipping beyond the inclusive at the end of a cruise. I tip the cabin steward about $20 the first time I see him/her and explain a few things. I like the refrigerator empty so I'm not tempted to grab a something when I'm too lazy to get it myself. Contents of the refrigerator are not on the beverage package. I ask for a bucket of fresh ice in the late afternoon. That used to be automatic, but no longer. And I don't need my room "refreshed" with my bed turned down in the evening. Making up those silly towel animals takes up their time, and they do nothing for me. At the end of the cruise, I may give the steward another $20. If I find a favorite bartender, I tip generously in cash at the beginning of the cruise and we're always served first and the drinks are generous.

That reminds me that when my husband and I did a quickie five-night on Celebrity about two years ago. We had dinner in the ship's French restaurant one night, and as we were sitting there, my husband enjoying his rack of lamb and me enjoying my...it was probably some kind of fish...there was a couple about three tables away having a romantic dinner with a toddler in tow. The kid was actually perfectly well-behaved, but they'd apparently paid the same $50 per head we had paid for him to sit there and eat chicken nuggets.

That kid was actually a better companion than the people who were on the NY Jets Fan Cruise group that was also aboard. I'm fairly certain some of them were put off the ship in Key West.

Carnival is the absolute worst. It's filled with the trash of the world.

I imagine Carnival is people like this. Farting in line at the buffet. Piling their plates so high they need both hands to carry it back to their tables. Open beer bottles. Lots of tattoos and tank tops with shorts and flip flops (at dinner). Children being allowed to urinate in the common pool areas. Breast feeding at the hot tubs. When they do wear jeans they are filthy and have holes in the knees (that is considered dressing "fancy") with a button up Faded Glory white shirt (stained, of course). Equate brand sun blocker being rubbed on cellulite and strecth marks. Scrunchies and fanny packs galore.

Am I right?

Oops, I almost forgot... Smoking cigarettes on the deck. Arguing with staff when asked to put it out and finally just tossing it into the ocean when all is said and done!

Oh and lots and lots of profanity. Especially around other people's children.

This has been a really helpful thread. Thank you.

R205/R206 You could not be more wrong.

Smoking in pretty much limited to the Casino. I am pretty sure that no glass, bottles or other, is allowed on the ship for safety reasons. Certainly no glass bottles in public areas, maybe in the bars.

I rarely hear any profanity. As mentioned, children are kept busy and out of sight in the children's area. This is one thing that Carnival is very good at. I have never seen public breastfeeding. And urinating the pool area would not be allowed.

You will see tattoos, and cutoffs. Usually on very fit or fat/fit working class young people. The bodies on Carnival Cruises are not that bad if you go for over tanned. Jersey Shore types. Carnival is a popular destination wedding; so, often there are entire wedding parties of young people. (Yes, you can get married on the ship.).

Clothing during dinner is policed by the staff. I have seen people turned away. Normally, what you see are guys in polo shirts and khakis while their wives and daughters are in satin and sequins. Some women really make a point to dress up for dinner. Yeah, the look like Barbie dolls, but they do try. My favorite was seeing a table next to us with men in T shirts. The next night they were not there. The next day after a port docking, the men all showed up in identical shiny maroon shirts and dress trousers. I am sure the women dragged them off ship and made them buy appropriate clothes. The women were not going to miss eating in then dining room.

Carnival is a very mixed bag. You get and see all types. Likewise, it is what you make of it. I don't drink, I don't gamble, I don't over eat, and I am not a shopaholic. I have a perfectly fine time on a Carnival Cruise. It wouldn't be my first (or second choice), but it is hardly hell on earth.

I will add a caveat. I have only left from East Coast ports. It seams that each port has its own identity.

[quote]I am pretty sure that no glass, bottles or other, is allowed on the ship for safety reasons. Certainly no glass bottles in public areas, maybe in the bars.

Usually the bottles are aluminum, at least if you're walking around with them. I can't think of seeing a person with a glass bottle, although I'm not a beer drinker. The bartenders may pour a glass bottle out and give it to a passenger. You do usually get real glasses for a mixed drink or wine.

One of the truly déclassé things about Carnival is their bucket o' beer, where you get four at once. It is a common practice for a gentleman to purchase one, and then sit in the hot tub for hours, without getting out for biological imperatives. Blech.

Although Carnival's newest ships, the Horizon and the Vista have their own onboard craft breweries. The space where they're made is kind of tasteful, if a bit chain restaurant-y.

VOTN, Eldergay DO,

You lost me at calling the bucket of beer déclassé. They are about as déclassé as Buffalo Wings. It is a pretty normal bar practice and it would be odd if they did not do it.

[quote]You lost me at calling the bucket of beer déclassé. They are about as déclassé as Buffalo Wings. It is a pretty normal bar practice and it would be odd if they did not do it.

It's the "not bothering to get out of the hot tub to pee" part that I find objectionable.

And this happened.

I mean, I applaud the guy, but it's a useless protest. I definitely support him getting his deposit back.

It seems that dress codes get more relaxed every year. Like a lot of cruisers, my partner has to were a suit and tie to work every day and will be damned it he'll dress up on vacation. Cunard requires a dinner jacket/cocktail dress every night, most of the others have a couple of formal nights when we'd go to the buffet or get room service. On our most recent cruise on NCL he really tested the rules, showing up in jeans and a t-shirt. Sometimes he was grudgingly admitted, other times he was sent back to his cabin.

^ "wear" not "were"

A few observations:

1. Long (13+ day) cruises are FULL of old people. Their families treat the cruises like short-term assisted living facilities to send grandma/grandpa away for a few weeks at a time.

2. Internet access on transatlantic repositioning cruises is expensive AND poor-to-unusable, even on ships with decent internet connectivity in the Caribbean. In the Caribbean, they can use terrestrial LTE (running in huge chunks of Bahamian UHF TV spectrum) and satellites with Caribbean spot beams. Those satellites don't aim at the open Atlantic (or at best, have only a single beam for the entire region).

3. The open Atlantic is like a big, wet desert. After a day or two, there's little to see besides endless water in all directions.

4. Being on a "repo" cruise is like spending 2-3 weeks at Disney's Magic Kingdom & Contemporary Resort... with 3/4 the attractions shut down for maintenance & the rest running in low-capacity mode with a skeleton crew, one monorail per hour, and no escape to the city. That's WHY they're so cheap per day vs other cruises.

That said... if you want a 2-3 week forced "change of scenery" to focus on a work project that somehow doesn't depend upon internet access, a solo repo cruise can be good. But the poor internet access is a BITCH to contend with.

[Quote] the poor internet access is a BITCH to contend with.

One person's bitch to contend with is another person's freedom from online annoyances. And internet plans have gotten much better since we first started cruising. Both AT&T and Verizon have $10 per day international plans where you have essentially the same plan that you have at home. We just go into airplane mode while we're at sea and catch up with things when we reach a port. NCL has a great on ship texting plan where for a small fee, you can download an app and have unlimited texting to others in your group.

If you cruise a lot with the same line, you can get free internet access (a set number of minutes) after several cruises (if you join their loyalty program.)

If you own at least 100 shares of Carnival stock, you can get free on board spending money on many cruises. (Carnival owns Princess, Cunard, P&O, Holland America, Seabourn, and Costa.)

As for dressing ... I'm with the guy who doesn't like to get dressed up on vacation. Especially in warm climates. So if I'm on a cruise line that has formal nights (which seems to be nearly all of them except NCL and maybe Oceania?), I just skip the dining room on those nights and eat in one of the specialty restaurants or the buffet.

VOTN, for my Breakaway cruise will I be okay for dinner wearing a mix of khakis, courdaroy and jeans paired with nice button down short sleeve shirts and shoes (no flips or sandals)?

Again, thank you so much VOTN for your expertise.

I'm a cruise virgin so you have been extremely helpful in prepping me to do this correctly.

[quote]As for dressing ... I'm with the guy who doesn't like to get dressed up on vacation. Especially in warm climates. So if I'm on a cruise line that has formal nights (which seems to be nearly all of them except NCL and maybe Oceania?), I just skip the dining room on those nights and eat in one of the specialty restaurants or the buffet.

I think it's about 50/50 with lines who do and don't have formal nights now. The boutique lines largely don't, the premium lines mostly do. Cunard is probably the strictest about enforcement, and even if the maitre'd doesn't stop you (he or she will) one of the passengers most certainly will.

Disney, Princess, MSC, and Royal all technically have formal nights, although the enforcement is kind of selective, especially with the latter and especially especially in the Caribbean. Carnival just wants you dressed. Celebrity and HAL have what are called "Chic" and "Gala" nights, respectively, where they request at least a collared shirt (tie optional) and a nice pair of pants.

NCL is catch as catch can. Oceania has always said "country club casual," from the very beginning.

[quote]VOTN, for my Breakaway cruise will I be okay for dinner wearing a mix of khakis, courdaroy and jeans paired with nice button down short sleeve shirts and shoes (no flips or sandals)?

Yep. Polo shirts should be okay too, at least in some of the restaurants (maybe not the French Bistro and Cagney's Steakhouse). Make sure the jeans are darker and without holes. Maybe take one long-sleeve collared shirt just in case.

[quote]Again, thank you so much VOTN for your expertise.

Please, I'm on a staycation this week to do a bunch of stuff I've been putting off, like renewing my driver's license. This reminds me of why I used to like that job.

^^^ Pardon?

I met a bartender on a Holland America cruise to Canada several years ago. I was supposed to be going with my then bf, but his mother took sick, and I insisted that he go tend to his mother and I’d make the trip so as not to waste the ticket, as the cruise line wouldn’t refund us. One night at sea, I meandered over the ship’s martini bar. I was already a little tipsy from the vodka that I smuggled on board in a colostomy bag, but felt like some company. The ship was filled with old people who had long since retired to their cabins. I struck up a conversation with the bartender, who was from Poland. His name was Mladen, and I too thought he was very handsome. He was divorced, and sad that he was not able to see his children as often as he liked. He seemed rather angry, but I put it off to his long hours. I turned on the charm and said some funny things to make him laugh, and he finally did, exposing several missing and rotten teeth. I let it go, as he was being very kind serving me full strength drinks, and not the watered down stuff. By midnight, I was really drunk and struggled to get off the barstool to stagger back to my cabin. I remember the bar being empty; the only thing I could hear was the sound of the ships engines. Mladen offered to take me back to my cabin. I gratefully took his arm as he helped me from my barstool and we walked back to my cabin.

I thanked him for walking me back as I placed my key card in the door if my cabin. “Wait, I will help you in…” he said. Looking back, I guess there was a certain tension in his voice, but I ignored it. “Well, Mladen, aren’t you sweet to tuck me I………”. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain on the side of my face; he had hit me! I fell to the ground, my toupee gone askew over my eyes, and before I could do anything, he had pounced upon me, pinning my arms back, forcing his tongue down my throat. “EETS you and ME, baby, NOW!” he grunted, his hot, foul breath making my eyes water. “L-l-let go of me, you b-b-bastard!” I yelled, trying to push him off of me. My dream cruise was turning into a nightmare! I felt his forearm up against my throat as I lost my breath. My partial plate fell out of my mouth, and he began to laugh. His other hand began to tear at my Old Navy sweat suit, exposing my body to his lusty assault. I wanted to scream, but was too frightened at the prospect of someone seeing me in such a compromising position. Besides, I was drunk – who would have believed me? Just as I was about to pass out, without warning, he turned me over. He was so strong, I couldn’t believe it. I work out and am in shape, but I was drunk and too weak to fight his violent onslaught of my person. I turned around to watch him remove his shirt, and tried to use it as an opportunity to escape, but he slapped me, and then he stuffed the shirt in my mouth; I can still taste the acrid sweat and deodorant. “DO as I SAY OR I KEEEEL YOU!” he growled. I felt my sweat pants pulled down around my ankles, and cringed as he ripped my truss from around my waist, and listened to the sickening sound of him spitting in his hand. Suddenly, w-w-w-without warning, I felt his violent penetration of my anus – h-h-h-he RAPED ME!!! It went on and on, for at least ten minutes. As he climaxed, I tried to think of England, although I'm an American. He lay on top of me for a few minutes. Then he got up. I turned to look at him, my bartender and now, my rapist. He had a smug, satisfied look on his face, even in the dim light I could see it. He yanked my toupee off and used to to wipe the santorum off of his cock. He laughed, put his shirt on, then was gone.

I'll never sail with Holland-America again. He never calls, he never writes...

I met a bartender on a Holland America cruise to Canada several years ago. I was supposed to be going with my then bf, but his mother took sick, and I insisted that he go tend to his mother and I’d make the trip so as not to waste the ticket, as the cruise line wouldn’t refund us. One night at sea, I meandered over the ship’s martini bar. I was already a little tipsy from the vodka that I smuggled on board in a colostomy bag, but felt like some company. The ship was filled with old people who had long since retired to their cabins. I struck up a conversation with the bartender, who was from Poland. His name was Mladen, and I too thought he was very handsome. He was divorced, and sad that he was not able to see his children as often as he liked. He seemed rather angry, but I put it off to his long hours. I turned on the charm and said some funny things to make him laugh, and he finally did, exposing several missing and rotten teeth. I let it go, as he was being very kind serving me full strength drinks, and not the watered down stuff. By midnight, I was really drunk and struggled to get off the barstool to stagger back to my cabin. I remember the bar being empty; the only thing I could hear was the sound of the ships engines. Mladen offered to take me back to my cabin. I gratefully took his arm as he helped me from my barstool and we walked back to my cabin.

I thanked him for walking me back as I placed my key card in the door if my cabin. “Wait, I will help you in…” he said. Looking back, I guess there was a certain tension in his voice, but I ignored it. “Well, Mladen, aren’t you sweet to tuck me I………”. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain on the side of my face; he had hit me! I fell to the ground, my toupee gone askew over my eyes, and before I could do anything, he had pounced upon me, pinning my arms back, forcing his tongue down my throat. “EETS you and ME, baby, NOW!” he grunted, his hot, foul breath making my eyes water. “L-l-let go of me, you b-b-bastard!” I yelled, trying to push him off of me. My dream cruise was turning into a nightmare! I felt his forearm up against my throat as I lost my breath. My partial plate fell out of my mouth, and he began to laugh. His other hand began to tear at my Old Navy sweat suit, exposing my body to his lusty assault. I wanted to scream, but was too frightened at the prospect of someone seeing me in such a compromising position. Besides, I was drunk – who would have believed me? Just as I was about to pass out, without warning, he turned me over. He was so strong, I couldn’t believe it. I work out and am in shape, but I was drunk and too weak to fight his violent onslaught of my person. I turned around to watch him remove his shirt, and tried to use it as an opportunity to escape, but he slapped me, and then he stuffed the shirt in my mouth; I can still taste the acrid sweat and deodorant. “DO as I SAY OR I KEEEEL YOU!” he growled. I felt my sweat pants pulled down around my ankles, and cringed as he ripped my truss from around my waist, and listened to the sickening sound of him spitting in his hand. Suddenly, w-w-w-without warning, I felt his violent penetration of my anus – h-h-h-he RAPED ME!!! It went on and on, for at least ten minutes. As he climaxed, I tried to think of England, although I'm an American. He lay on top of me for a few minutes. Then he got up. I turned to look at him, my bartender and now, my rapist. He had a smug, satisfied look on his face, even in the dim light I could see it. He yanked my toupee off and used to to wipe the santorum off of his cock. He laughed, put his shirt on, then was gone.

I'll never sail with Holland-America again. He never calls, he never writes...

Does the Star Trek cruise have a holodeck?

[quote]Does the Star Trek cruise have a holodeck?

They do make the Brazilian steakhouse over as a Klingon restaurant.

^^^ My gok is moving.

My favorite part of the movie is when the security/staff tried to halt production of the movie.

What do they do with all the poop water? Just dump it into the ocean?

Depends on the ship. The newest ones filter their grey water really well (to the point that it's drinkable) and then put it back into the sea. The solids are then burned, often using the byproducts to heat the ship's potable water.

Anything more on the ejected family from Oz?

They're probably getting their own reality series.

This thread did get me to book a cruise, although not until the end of 2019 on the Norwegian Bliss also going out of NYC. Excited about not having to fly.

How do they keep the ship free of stowaways? It looks like it would be easy to sneak on.

r234 When you first board, you get a key card that you have to have scanned every time you board or disembark the ship. They also take your photo when you first board, and check that photo against your key card most of the time when you board. There are also airport-style scanners you have to go through (both the metal detector kind and the kind for your bags) whenever you board the ship. Also, many ports have secure areas into which random people (i.e., those without the proper documentation) are not allowed to enter.

Proving that they learned nothing from the debacle around the launch of Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has again elected to forego punch-listing their new Symphony of the Seas and instead added several cruises when they were told the shipyard would be delivering it early. Godspeed, those brave souls on the maiden voyager at the end of the month.

It boggles the mind that a shipyard delivers a such a behemoth ahead of schedule. Is it the same shipyard?

I think it's because Denmark is about to build a new bridge that will limit the height of future ships, so the shipyard is making a final mad rush to build as many ships as they can before the bridge construction starts.

Going forward, they'll have to tow ships with unbuilt upper decks & smokestacks to another shipyard on the other side of the bridge for completion.

Sucks for the shipyard, but awesome for everyone else in central Europe because you'll be able to drive directly from Germany to Sweden via Copenhagen without a single ferry or long detour through western Denmark. That's a HUGE improvement. Looking at Denmark's new freeways & bridges, it's hard to believe how hard and slow it used to be to drive around Europe. Europeans can now do the kind of casual long-distance road trips that USED to only be viable & common in the US.

[quote]I think it's because Denmark is about to build a new bridge that will limit the height of future ships, so the shipyard is making a final mad rush to build as many ships as they can before the bridge construction starts.

This was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique yard in France, so they're not going to be affected by affected by any infrastructure in the Baltic. It's going to suck for the Meyer Turku yard in Finland though.

But yeah, same shipyard as the Harmony. And so they're doing a few short Med cruises before what was supposed to be the official maiden voyage at the end of April.

[quote]Hou polloi was a typo. Much like the comma you put between oh and dear.

Oh, my sides!

There are three new ships, the largest in each of their respective fleets, about to debut in April. Symphony of the Seas, Carnival Horizon, and Norwegian Bliss. Which do you think will have problems first?

I was watching a documentary on the new Queen Mary and it just barely making it passing under the Verrazano Bridge made me nervous. The timing of doing it at the correct tide level seems to have to be perfect. Not a whole lot of space there if they get it wrong.

We did the New England cruise on the Regal Princess out of New York last October. We passed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge just about thirty minutes after high tide, and it was thrilling. The captain did the [italic] Love Boat [/italic] theme on the ship’s fog horns as we passed under and the big trucks on the bridge blew their air horns back at us. It was a fun sail-away party on the upper decks.

I picture the ship dragging the Verrazano along with it.

OP were they Irish Travellers?

[quote]I was watching a documentary on the new Queen Mary and it just barely making it passing under the Verrazano Bridge made me nervous. The timing of doing it at the correct tide level seems to have to be perfect. Not a whole lot of space there if they get it wrong.

IIRC, the QM's funnel retracts slightly in order to fit.

Most ships sailing, even the Oasis-class can fit through the new Panama Canal, but a lot are too tall to make it under the Bridge of the Americas.

I’ve never sailed with the “Carnies”.

Has anyone done a tour of SE Asia or through the Indian Ocean or to French Polynesia?

Small incident aboard the Carnival Dream.

Manny, Manny!

Can you imagine stepping out into the hallway and finding Shelley Winters belly-surfing on several feet of water?

Hey, in the water, she's a VERY skinny lady.

Sincere question: are Royal Caribbean cruises any different/better?

"Better" is a manner of taste. Carnival does okay on certain things. RCI does better on others.'

Maybe a half-star advantage to RCI.

Carnival cruise passengers stuck on ship in Tampa port for two days.

I can't stand it when they compare every little nautical mishap to the Titanic 🙄🙄. So sickening!

Want to drink booze on board, but without the insane markup? Simply fill up a few heavy-duty ziplock bags with X beverage (Arbor Mist for me!), triple bag each booze bladder, and pack them with lingerie so as to be discreet. Once on board, throw your bag-o-booze over some ice, and enjoy!

Carnival ships themselves are fine, but the demographic is pure trash! Cruises out of New York City attract Guido lowlifes from Bensonhurst and Howard Beach. Nasty, awful narrow minded people.