Why the FUCK does anyone cruise on any cruise line besides Virgin Voyages?

I agree that Virgin Voyages are fantastic -But not every cruise line is for everyone. I love that Virgin is adults only, but there are those who want to bring their crotch fruit with them on vacations, so they have to try elsewhere. You have Norwegian, Royal Caribbean , and Disney for families. Celebrity and Holland America for those a bit more well off and likely to leave the kids at home (or off to college). Cunard for those seeking old-fashioned elegance. And Carnival for those who like to get absolutely pissed and start fistfights every night.

Great review, OP.

"What made you choose Virgin Voyages?"

""This shit is off the hook better"

[quote]"This shit is off the hook better"

This is my new go-to line.

How suitable do you think it would be for a 73-year-old like me?

Viking is also adults only.

Am I allowed to take a virgin voyage if I'm a slut?

Okay I’ve seen a lot of talk on Reddit that virgin has been toning down the gay friendliness and sex positivity to try and get the more traditional cruise traveler. Has anyone gone and found that to be true?

Why would a cruise line need to be sex positive? Do the passengers need corporate approval before they go to a cabin and fuck?

I don't get on a ship, I'd be barfing overboard the whole time.

Do they still have a ship Drag Queen?

[quote] This shit is off the hook better.

Mafuckin!

It’s strictly Cunard for me. Which means I can only afford to sail every century or so, but it is worth it.

R13 - I prefer White Line cruises only.

Does the cruise slap? Is it a bop? W cruise?

The cruise is goals.

Cunard is out for me ... I refuse to get dressed up on vacation. So far I've done Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Holland America, Princess, and Celebrity. No cruises since COVID but I have two planned for later this year. I keep telling myself I should try one of the more upscale lines (Oceania? Seabourn?) because I can afford it but it seems like a waste of money. On the other hand, I hate the constant upselling and announcements on most cruises. I've heard Virgin is better about stuff like that, so I might have to give them a try, even though I'm an eldergay.

[quote] I had been doing NCL

Doing what?

Cruise? As in cruising? OP, try English.

r18 NCL=Norwegian Cruise Lines

R17 - I don't know - it would seem hard to justify 3x or 4x the price to go on luxury line. The ships are smaller, so not as many options, and then the passengers may not be the crowd you would want.

Seems risky to me. It's like the difference between an $900 night hotel and a $300 night hotel. Sure the finishes and the personnel are more polished and the food is going to be (probably?) better, but you can do so much with that price difference in other spending. Hell, you could buy a really nice watch or take 2 or 3 more vacations for the price difference.

Celebrity newer ships are my go to if I have a choice - never been on VIrgin, but - and this is petty - but I really don't like the red and white color scheme. Celebrity is modern, urban and feels fresh with very few kids.

I'd love to see what Crystal or Seabourne is like, but it's such a huge price jump and thousands and thousands more money, I would be calculating the price difference and comparing constantly to see if I was getting value for the money. And knowing me, it would fall short.

Celebrity Edge series and NCL's Prima series (Aqua is the newest) are amazing ships with great design, service and food. Haven't tried VV yet but plan to see what they are all about next year. I avoid Holland at all costs. I've also enjoyed Oceania, but mainly because they have the cooking schools on their larger ships and I find that entertaining. Have done Cunard once on the QM 2 crossing but it is too formal for my vacation tastes. Otherwise I'd go with Celeb or NCL in a heartbeat.

It's all a matter of personal preferences, of course. Smaller ships may offer fewer amenities/spaces, but those on offer will likely be far less crowded. And some amenities, like go-karts, water slides, and skating rinks are not to everyone's taste. Which leads to the subject of children. The more the ship resembles a floating amusement park, the more likely you are to be surrounded by children (even in what are officially adults-only areas). A good rule of thumb is: the more expensive the cruise, the few children will be aboard.

Another factor associated with the price of the cruise is/are your fellow passengers. Expensive lines are snootier -but they are (as a rule) quieter, calmer, and less prone to fistfights. Age is a big factor here: cheaper cruises tend to attract younger cruisers. Ditto the shorter itineraries. Given a choice between snooty passengers that won't give me the time of day and rowdy passengers that won't let me relax, I'll take the former any day.

I went on a Virgin cruise, only because it was gifted to me. It was my first and last cruise.

R21 night and day. Seabourn and Silversea are for old farts—really old farts. You get the best balance of luxury and decent people on Crystal and Regent. Those ships are not “too small.” They are just right. Of course the newest competition comes from R-C and Four Seasons “yachts”—haven’t heard too much about them, yet.

I'm doing RC Ovation of the Seas next month (they're finally bringing some of the big ships to LA!) and Norwegian Sun in Korea and Japan in November.

It’s Celebrity Edge class ships in the Retreat for us, or we stay home. We do two transatlantic cruises and a Caribbean cruise every year. We like high quality food and service, the separate pool, dining room and lounge. A ship within a ship.

r27 Do you enjoy the transatlantics? I've always been wary about sailings with so many sea days. It seems like it would feel like being locked in a hotel.

T27 you’re on Celebrity for gods sake! Gloria wouldn’t even let you near her ping pong pattle.

R27^

Or paddle!

After watching a video review from a guy in his 60s, I'm thinking I (72) could handle Virgin. The dining options sound terrific, and it's not like it's a forced party atmosphere. I like the design of the ships as well.

There were certainly people partying on my Virgin cruise -but I went to bed and never heard a thing. I was 61 at the time, and had a great vacation.

To the 72 year old, one of the most impressive things about this cruise is the diversity. Young people, old people, black people, white people, gay people, straight people.

Doo this boat check the privets for virginality? Or do I show the paper of certification?

I've heard so many good things about the food on Virgin ... and then I read this.

R1 is Charles Branson

I was the queen who went on his 12th gay cruise and has never gotten laid. That 12th gay cruise was on Virgin Scarlet Lady- a DUMP.

[quote][R1] is Charles Branson

Is he a British mogul/serial killer?

Death Wish Under the Sun

The Last of Virgin Sheila

I will say this: the food on Virgin was "fine". Nothing great, nothing horrible. In the restaurants, the speed at which they bring our entrees is a constant reminder that they are just reheating it in the kitchen.

R40 Don't forget the deconstructed clam chowder served at The Wake.

You pour cream sauce into a shallow bowl of clam meat and bacon bits, and watch it turn into soup.

[quote]I went on a Virgin cruise, only because it was gifted to me. It was my first and last cruise.

They told you not to come back? I respect them for that.

[quote] the deconstructed clam chowder served at The Wake.

Delicious.

Unless you're Doris Day, you can only be a virgin once.

But you can ride a virgin many, many times!

What absolutely sucks is that I had booked a cruise on NCL last year, then cancelled it and booked a VV cruise for the same week, and now I see the NCL is currently priced at under a $1000 for one person solo, which includes the drink package, while the VV cruise cost me $1470 by itself and I will probably put another $300 on drinks. Worse, the NCL cruise is going to 6 ports in 7 days, and the VV is only going to 5. I could still cancel the VV cruise and get FVC, but I don't want to deal with it. The NCL price is unbelievable for 7 nights all inclusive.

However, I just repriced a cruise on Holland America for next year and saved almost $500, so that tempers it a bit.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that it sucks cock.

Virgin just changed everything about how their pricing/amenities/pricing works.

[quote]""This shit is off the hook better"

Thanks to Norovirus for every meal!

My husband and I had never been on a cruise before, and we just returned from Bermuda on the new Norwegian ship, Aqua. We definitely had a great time, and we met a bunch of fun people to hang out with when we wished. There were only a handful of children aboard, so that was a huge plus. I had heard stories about how wonderful the food would be. Definitely mostly ok, but certainly nothing great. I would say that the specialty restaurants were not really any better than the two restaurants not labeled as such. The design and decor of the ship were trendy and well done, but all I could think, if I had been a passenger on this ship 5 years from now, it would look a little dated and tacky. After speaking with a few others who had more experience with multiple cruise lines, Norwegian seems like a decent mid-priced hotel, maybe a Hilton or a Marriott. I wouldn't rush to go on a cruise again, but it was definitely worth the experience. We will likely eventually do a cruise down the Rhine, it seems like a different way to experience traveling in Europe.