Going on a cruise ship under the age of 60?

Evening all,

I was just wondering if any of you out there have had holiday on a cruise ship? The concept appeals. I.e. seeing lots of places in a short period of time. Not having to bother about sorting you transport between destinations. Food and drink included so that you can cost the majority of the trip long before you go.

However my concern is that being 30 they may be a bit old for me! Are the people on them mainly older or families? Therefore is the entertainment set for this reason. Theres me and a mixed group of five others looking for holiday ideas and to save arguing over destinations I thought this could be the solution.

Thoughts people?

I worked on a cruise ship for two years, so can give you some advice.

The type of holiday you will get will depend on the cruise fleet you go with (ie Cunard, P&O, celebrity etc)

Do some research as to which will suit you best.

It pays to go for the best restaurant you can - many will offer class based dining and the whole experience will be more memorable the better quality you can go to. In the lower restaurants, you can get treated like cattle due to two sittings etc.

Dont make the mistake of coming back for lunch when you are in port for two reasons:

1. You wont see as much.
2. If you are of the attitude that you have paid for it so you are going to have it, then you will ultimately miss out on the better things to do in port. The staff will hate you for making them work when they want to be in port too!

The entertainment will be catered for the type of passengers on board. For example, if its an older crowd, you will have Jane McDonald types. If its a younger persons cruise, you will have DJs etc (not good ones as in David Guetta but more like Bruno Brookes!).

I would also think about where you want to go - whether its Carribean, Med or other destination. Without wanting to sound snobbish but the further away from the Med cruises, the further away from riffraff (unless you are riff raff of course!). Oldies prefer Norwegian Fjord cruises!

Hope that helps to start!

Haha thanks Adam much appreciated.

The eating when in port wouldn't effect me. I like to get out and see as much as I can in the time I have there. So as much as knowing the majority of my costs before hand I would be looking forward to sampling food on dry land as well.

Hmmm hadn't thought about the riff raff element to be honest. Our group likes a drink but notthe boisterous sort these days!

I had been leaning more towards the med though. I suppose I could put up with a few clowns. Afterall you do on a Friday night out in any city in England! I'm not really the Ibiza, magaluf type though. Hence me looking at cruises.

I'm planning a road trip down south at some stage as well. My work is unfullfilling at the moment so the more things to look forward to the better!

Thanks again Adam. It gives me plenty to be going on with. Did you work all over the world then or just certain regions?

Good podcasts on the boxing by the way. I've been listening today

Cheers Spence.

I worked on the QE2 and did two world cruises. It was very much a old persons ship in the main but in the top grill restaurants (where I ended up working), it was for the incredibly rich.

On some ships, there are pay restaurants as well, so although you are full board, you can eat out as well.

Most big ships these days are like floating malls in that they have franchises on board (such as Ramsey etc).

If you pick the right type, you will most probably do it year in year out.

The one thing I will say is that its all about the company you are with. Even if you dont like the food, entertainment and accommodation, if you have good company, the rest is irrelevant.

In my opinion, your starting point when looking is to see where the ship goes, how long it stays in port and then into the eating arrangements on board.

I've been on three cruises - 1992 (aged 10), 1997 (aged 15) and 2002 (aged 20), so I know my cruising stuff. All my cruises were a week in the Caribbean on either a Carnival or Royal Caribbean ship.

Get off the ship as much as you can, as the whole reason you're going is to see new things. I've done bungee jumping, swimming with dolphins, swimming with stingrays, coral reef diving, BBQ parties, the lot. You'll have as much fun ashore than you will on ship.

On ship, the food is incredible. On my three it was any food, any time. As a 10 year old I wanted ice cream - and got it. As a 15 year old I wanted burger and chips - I got it. As a 20 year old I wanted steak, chips, onion rings, burgers and beer - I got it all (paying for the beer though).

I'd love to go back on another cruise, I love being at sea, playing table tennis off the back of a ship, taking a stroll up on deck, going to the gym for a workout and a swim...nothing beats it in my book.

Great advice guys. Will definitely be showing your comments to my friends as a way to convince them.

There where some pretty hot American women on board too, but I was too young for them the first two times, then lumbered with an ugly cousin

I am going on my first cruise ever , starting on Wednesday and visiting 4 countries in the Middle east, i have never really wanted to go on a cruise but family have convinced me that its a good idea.

Hopefully i'll enjoy it and perhaps we'll try it again, but still not convinced that its for me.

I've been on The Love boat........

Pretty hot American women....Are out of your league..

Did a cruise down the Nile. We went with the African Safari Club, the ship was called the M.S. Da Vinci. It was supposed to be 5 stars but was more like 3-4 stars.

It was a good experience because the temples were great and it was Africa. In November the temperatures were still in the 30's and hard enough work when walking about on tours. The food on the ship was just ok especially after eating it for 7 days.

Begging from tourists starts the second people step off the ships.

The cruise ship managers were fairly relentless about the need to tip at the end of the cruise to the point were I felt like telling them to eff off. Drinks were not free and were overpriced so take on some duty free if they allow it.