Beginners and Beyond

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Cruises (Read 67 times)

beer run


    Has anyone here taken a cruise, if so what are your experiences? I am considering one for our next vacation but someone at work said the alcohol prices are astronomical

    Docket_Rocket


      We took one through Scandinavia and we loved it. We didn't spend much time on the cruise except for two days at sea. Even soda costs are astronomical but I remember that for $20 you could get a cup and free soda the whole cruise!! I wish there was one like that for beer.

      Damaris

       

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      LRB


        I have never been on a cruise oddly (I just haven't gotten around to it yet) but have heard that if you are caught smuggling alcohol they make you walk the plank.  

        Little Blue


          We've been on a bunch (15-20).  Yes, alcohol is expensive. Some of them do have drink packages, for alcohol as well as sodas.  Even that seemed high to me, seems like it was something like $50/day when we went in January.  I guess if you were to buy one and share it (don't tell!), it could work.  Check the individual web sites for the cruise lines.  Also, this is the kind of thing that they'll use as an incentive during slow periods.

          GinnyinPA


            I've had several friends who loved their cruises to Alaska.  Big money there is on the excursions.  You'll want to do the adventures - flying over Denali or kayaking among icebergs or climbing glaciers or looking for grizzlies - and they get expensive.  Still worth it.

              Has anyone here taken a cruise, if so what are your experiences? I am considering one for our next vacation but someone at work said the alcohol prices are astronomical

               

              If you are looking for a cheap vacation, it is the wrong choice. If you are willing to splurge a little, they are awesome.

              Dave

              happylily


                I've never been on one and I'll never try one. I'm 100% sure of it. But my BIL and SIL love them and do a cruise at least once a year. They always complain about the price of alcohol on board, and also about how crowded it is and how everyone fights for chairs around the pools. Real horror stories with shouting matches, apparently.. But they keep going back for more, year after year. I guess they like it.

                PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                        Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                JerryInIL


                Return To Racing

                  We had a good drink package on Celebrity.  But then, we aren't big drinkers.  If you do book a cruise,  join the Roll Call for your specific cruise on CruiseCritic.com.  Where are you thinking of going??

                      

                  Little Blue


                    I've never been on one and I'll never try one. I'm 100% sure of it. But my BIL and SIL love them and do a cruise at least once a year. They always complain about the price of alcohol on board, and also about how crowded it is and how everyone fights for chairs around the pools. Real horror stories with shouting matches, apparently.. But they keep going back for more, year after year. I guess they like it.

                     

                    Geez, what cruise line do they take?  We've never, ever seen stuff like that.  Maybe the occasional loud drunk, but that's all.

                    happylily


                       

                      Geez, what cruise line do they take?  We've never, ever seen stuff like that.  Maybe the occasional loud drunk, but that's all.

                       

                      They must go on the cheaper ones, I suppose. They said they have to get up really early and leave towels on the lounge chairs, along with a few personal objects, like a book, sun tan lotion, etc... Then they go for breakfast. It's the only way to ensure you have chairs when you come back from breakfast. One time, someone had removed all their things and put them on the floor and claimed the chairs for themselves. That started a fight.. Hungover Canadians against hungover Americans. hahaha...

                      PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                              Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                      18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010


                      delicate flower

                        Wife and I have been on a couple of cruises.  Booze isn't cheap on board the ship, but it won't break the bank unless you drink constantly, and certainly not "astronomical."  A few drinks per day won't ruin you...no more expensive than a bar in a big city.  Now depending on where you go, booze can be had pretty cheap on land if you want to load up the belly before getting back on the ship and venture away from establishments owned by the cruise company.   Beers from local street vendors just trying to make a few bucks can be pretty cheap.  I had $2 beers in Belize, and drinks on Grand Cayman and Cozumel were even cheap.  Those local places want your money.

                         

                        We had a blast on our two cruises.  I'd definitely go again, and I'm sure some day we will.  I've quit drinking since our last cruise, so that won't be an issue next time.  BTW, get up EARLY to get your runs in each morning on the ship.  Many ships have a track on board but they get very crowded once people start waking up.  And most have treadmills as well.  Crowds, lines, and waits were never an issue for us, ever.  We also book our excursions through local third parties instead of the cruise company.  You save a lot of money this way and the experience is much more personal (think groups of 10 people instead of full busses).

                        <3

                        Cyberic


                          I have never been on a cruise oddly (I just haven't gotten around to it yet) but have heard that if you are caught smuggling alcohol they make you walk the plank.  

                           

                          . And I've heard that it's a great event on the ship every time it happens. People award points on style, difficulty and water splash on entry.

                          happylily


                             

                            . And I've heard that it's a great event on the ship every time it happens. People award points on style, difficulty and water splash on entry.

                             

                            LOL...

                            PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                                    Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                            18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                            adkkev


                               BTW, get up EARLY to get your runs in each morning on the ship.  Many ships have a track on board but they get very crowded once people start waking up.  And most have treadmills as well.  Crowds, lines, and waits were never an issue for us, ever.  We also book our excursions through local third parties instead of the cruise company.  You save a lot of money this way and the experience is much more personal (think groups of 10 people instead of full busses).

                               

                              We took an Alaskan cruise on Holland America ... not a large ship ... no track on board but there was a small exercise room with a great view.  When on board we spent much of our time out on the rear deck ... usually had the whole deck to ourselves.

                               

                              Third party excursions are great ... remember, too, TripAdvisor is your friend.


                              delicate flower

                                 

                                 

                                Third party excursions are great ... remember, too, TripAdvisor is your friend.

                                 

                                Definitely.  We booked our zipline and cave tubing tour on Belize directly with the tour company online.  We had about a dozen people on our tour.  We got there early, before the cruise busses showed up, and we were done ahead of the crowds.  The tour guide then took us to some tiny family owned local restaurant way the hell off the beaten bath for an authentic lunch, while the people who booked with the cruise company stood in long lunch lines and were lead through a trough.  Just a great, great experience for us.  We got back to the dock with a few extra hours to walk around before we had to get back on the ship.

                                <3

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