Riverboat cruise through Amawaterways up the Rhine from Amsterdam Netherlands to Basel Switzerland. Absolutely spectacular scenery and history. When all this dies down, I'd consider it again.
River cruises are great. Lots of fun stuff and tours at stops. 200 people, not 2000. Entertainment every night.
In addition to the Rhine, try the Danube. Their old palaces make the US Capitol look like tinker toys.
History themed river cruises: Down the Columbia and Snake Rivers with Lewis and Clark stuff.. Down the Mississippi from Memphis to New Orleans with Civil War stuff.
As for ocean cruises, Alaska on the inside passage is great in July. I liked Tahiti in a 4-masted ship. Never went on a Caribbean cruise and don't care if I see the Panama Canal.
If you never tried a cruise, you don't know what you're missing. ALWAYS get an upper deck room with a balcony. If you can't afford that, don't go.
Don't blame me. I voted for Trump.
Democrats would burn this country to the ground, if they could rule over the ashes.
I'd like to take a river cruise up the Columbia & Snake to Clarkston, WA, which is on the ID border. It takes 8 days. It's pretty pricey, though. For a couple, it can set you back nearly 8 grand.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
I looked into that cruise line, RC.They offer a gazillion cruises on the Columbia, the Mississippi, the Ohio, and the coast of Maine. Almost without exception, it's $1,000 per person, per day, and you must book for a couple. Their glorious Minnesota to New Orleans cruise is 25 days - or $50 grand.
Last year, I was about to book their Maine coastal cruise. Seven days, or $14k for the two of us. I slapped myself and instead booked a VRBO in Portland and a rental car. For under $500/day total. Drove up the coast to many of the same port calls, but got to see even more - including the gourmet walking tour of Portland rated the #1 such tour in the world, a day trip on a sloop watching the tall ships leave, and a visit to Arcadia National Park.
Our European riverboat cruise scheduled for mid May has been cancelled. Viking Cruise Lines is offering a 2 year voucher worth 125% of what we paid (about 14 grand). Also, our trip insurance will roll over to the "new" cruise at no extra expense. If we don't use the voucher we'll get a full cash refund which is nice.
Too bad, this was our 35th anniversary trip. Cruising down the Danube from Prague to Nuremberg and downriver to Budapest in a longboat with only 160 passengers. We were looking forward to it.
We were on one other cruise many years ago to the Mexican Riviera on Carnival. I enjoyed it, wifey got seasick so ocean cruises are out for us.
Refneck: The VarmintWife and I did indeed take the Seattle to Alaska Cruise and enjoyed it IMMENSELY the scenery was fantastic and the food was incredible! Lots to do at all the stops on that cruise and our cruise was special as we stayed in Canada at the Worlds Fair that year (for two days at the fair) - it is one of the highlights of my life! I still remember most every detail of that trip every port and the constant incredible views of the nearby shorelines/islands/mountains!!! As an aside to this wonderful trip if I may: The VarmintWife and I took our 3 year old, at the time, VarmintSon, along with us! Midway through the week long cruise it was "dress up" (formal wear!) night at the evening meal. Well the VarmintWife knew of these "formalities" and she had bought the little VarmintSon a beautiful 3-piece suit and tie! Well when the Maitre D saw us approaching the dining room he was so taken with the tiny VarmintSons 3-piece suit (and maybe the VarmintWifes big titties and natural red hair?) he immediately escorted the three of us to the Captains table and introduced us to the Captain of that Princess Lines "Love Boat"! The Captain was so taken with the cute little VarmintSon he sent for the head Chef and the head Chef quickly appeared and took our orders in person. I of course ordered steak and lobster, the VarmintWife ordered Filet Mignon and after some prompting the shy little VarmintSon ordered Macaroni and Cheese! We all got a laugh out of that at the time. Soon enough our orders came and the plate of hand made macaroni and cheese was enormous! Of course the VarmintSon would not be able to eat all of it and in an attempt to not insult the head Chef I began to nibble at it myself. It was THE best macaroni and cheese I have ever tasted, in my life! Yeah I can't wait for our next cruise. Relaxing, no hassles, relatively cheap, lots to do, no rental cars, no thievery, movies, nightclubs, casinos, libraries, swimming pools, eat all day, watch the scenery all day, take nifty shore excursions etc etc etc! Hold into the wind Varmintguy
I would never take a cruise. Locked on a ship with thousands of people, at least half of whom are inebriated at all times of day, at the mercy of wind and weather, stopping and going according to schedule instead of spending time where you want... No way.
your mistake is not being drunk with them
have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues, can you bend them guitar strings
Refneck: The VarmintWife and I did indeed take the Seattle to Alaska Cruise and enjoyed it IMMENSELY the scenery was fantastic and the food was incredible! Lots to do at all the stops on that cruise and our cruise was special as we stayed in Canada at the Worlds Fair that year (for two days at the fair) - it is one of the highlights of my life! I still remember most every detail of that trip every port and the constant incredible views of the nearby shorelines/islands/mountains!!! As an aside to this wonderful trip if I may: The VarmintWife and I took our 3 year old, at the time, VarmintSon, along with us! Midway through the week long cruise it was "dress up" (formal wear!) night at the evening meal. Well the VarmintWife knew of these "formalities" and she had bought the little VarmintSon a beautiful 3-piece suit and tie! Well when the Maitre D saw us approaching the dining room he was so taken with the tiny VarmintSons 3-piece suit (and maybe the VarmintWifes big titties and natural red hair?) he immediately escorted the three of us to the Captains table and introduced us to the Captain of that Princess Lines "Love Boat"! The Captain was so taken with the cute little VarmintSon he sent for the head Chef and the head Chef quickly appeared and took our orders in person. I of course ordered steak and lobster, the VarmintWife ordered Filet Mignon and after some prompting the shy little VarmintSon ordered Macaroni and Cheese! We all got a laugh out of that at the time. Soon enough our orders came and the plate of hand made macaroni and cheese was enormous! Of course the VarmintSon would not be able to eat all of it and in an attempt to not insult the head Chef I began to nibble at it myself. It was THE best macaroni and cheese I have ever tasted, in my life! Yeah I can't wait for our next cruise. Relaxing, no hassles, relatively cheap, lots to do, no rental cars, no thievery, movies, nightclubs, casinos, libraries, swimming pools, eat all day, watch the scenery all day, take nifty shore excursions etc etc etc! Hold into the wind Varmintguy
What a nice story... Obviously a trip you'll never forget... There is just ONE drawback to your cruise to Alaska - no bikinied babes by the pool 'cause it's too danged cold...
Originally Posted by UPhiker
Originally Posted by shootinurse
I would never take a cruise. Locked on a ship with thousands of people, at least half of whom are inebriated at all times of day, at the mercy of wind and weather, stopping and going according to schedule instead of spending time where you want... No way.
Why would you think that half the people are drunk?
He's obviously done research on the Carnival line... I love cruises - but NO WAY JOSE would I set foot on a Carnival ship..
To those who say 'you can always leave a sports venue...........' etc., true - but now one can't even GO to a sports venue and yer nearly stuck inside four walls with nothing to do..
Works both ways...
Everybody stay safe and healthy...
Ex- USN (SS) '66-'69 Pro-Constitution. LET'S GO BRANDON!!!
I'm thrilled that so many people will never try a cruise even though they have no flipping idea of what they're missing. Why? Because it's already hard to book a trip less than six months in advance, and some of them are full a year or more out. The last thing we need are more people in on the secret.
We’re big into traveling and sailing. So for the price of a premium cruise we and two other couples hire a large sailboat w captain and crew. Fly to Miami and sail to Bahamas, BWI, BVI, USVI. We’ve done this 3 times and had a blast.
I took a 10 day vacation at a resort in Jamaica several years ago. The food was good, the booze was included, the entertainment was amazingly good, and they got Cuban cigars! Even at that, I got claustrophobic. I don’t reckon I could ever live on an island. If I can’t get in my truck or on my bike and drive 1000 miles whenever I take a notion, I feel restrained. A cruise ship would have me contemplating piracy within a few days.