Areas that are Important on a Cruise

[ITWA Travel Writer]

Please suggest (maximum of 5) any areas of the cruise holiday that should be looked at in detail

[barney]

Interesting to see that dress code is currently coming out on top.

I know that there a a few on here who hate formal with a vengenge.
I know that this just states 'dress code' but am assuming that most folk consider this to mean formal dress code.

[oldbluefox]

I took it just as an issue of importance. It could be viewed as an issue from either perspective but it's interesting to see that whether casual, formal or a mix it is very relevant when choosing a cruise.

[Dark Knight]

none are a deal breaker
dress code for instance, if my cruise has formal nights, which I don't want to attend, I will just opt out and eat elsewhere

Itinerary is foremost, then others

[gravy1955]

For me itinerary has to be the main area of focus , closely followed by time in port. An interesting itinerary I feel is important and I often feel short-changed that the ship very often spends such a short time in the port that it's often not worth visiting because you have such little time to look round. I'd rather have fewer ports and longer stays in those visited

[Manoverboard]

Itinerary, itinerary, itinerary ... nothing else is of any real importance to us.

Basically we will not pay good money to see the same places time and time again so as long as there is somewhere new to go we will be booking it and regardless of Cruise Line.

ps ... time spent in the Port is also important.

[ITWA Travel Writer]

Splash, although what you say is an understandable and important part of selecting a cruise and ship, are you implying that all else is of no importance.

Are you implying that you are prepared to, sleep on the deck or in a cupboard and eat your own food purchased in port and entertain yourself, as long as the Itinerary is right?

Why not just fly to the resort and fully experience it like that. Surely part of the enjoyment of a cruise is the ship itself.

[Dark Knight]

the intinerary and when and where you visit , is the number one priority and surpasses all other criteris, why else would you bother ?
the ship and cruise line are of secondary importance, depending on budget, snob value and if you just have to go from Soton, as everywhere else just isnt a "proper" cruise
yes there is a difference between lines and ships but not enough to take precedence over the itineray

[Manoverboard]

Splash, although what you say is an understandable and important part of selecting a cruise and ship, are you implying that all else is of no importance.

Are you implying that you are prepared to, sleep on the deck or in a cupboard and eat your own food purchased in port and entertain yourself, as long as the Itinerary is right?

Why not just fly to the resort and fully experience it like that. Surely part of the enjoyment of a cruise is the ship itself.

I am saying that we check out the Cruise itinerary then the Airline, Visas and jabs etc if applicable.

What else is there to check, all the other factors are well known else clearly documented. A certain standard overall is a given regardless of the Operator so we confidently book anything from Ocean Village to Swan Hellenic but ONLY to do their itinerary rather than to be on a particular ship or in a particular cabin.

ps ... a port per day is the ideal but not the same one

[Andrea S]

Itinerary and times in port. I want to spend my 1st night on board in another country. Sailing from Southampton ( or elsewhere in the UK) and spending days at sea is not for me.

Calling at different points gives you a good insight as to whether it is somewhere that you would like to go back to for a holiday, so a full day there is essential. How can you say you have been to theses places when you have left almost as soon as you have docked .

There is a big difference between what younger and older people need.

I want clean comfortable accommodation and a choice of eating places at a time to suit me. I want to be served by friendly people and I don't want to hear constant rantings that things such as service /food/entertainment are not as good as they used to be.

[Quizzical Bob]

There is a big difference between what younger and older people need.

I want clean comfortable accommodation and a choice of eating places at a time to suit me. I want to be served by friendly people and I don't want to hear constant rantings that things such as service /food/entertainment are not as good as they used to be.

You wait: you will.

[oldbluefox]

Indeed QB. They are out there.

We were (un)fortunate enough to be pigeon holed near one on a tender boat. Although we were only on it for 20 minutes I was beginning to think we would never get there. Oddly enough she had cruised with P&O for years and had further cruises booked.

[Andrea S]

Precisely. People who have cruised with P&O for years, more cruises booked with them and yet nothing is right.

[Kendhni]

Shame I couldn't give at least 3 votes to itinerary ... it is the first thing we look at when we book a cruise and if we are not interested in that then we look no further.

I added a vote for 'other' because to us the departure point is also important (maybe it is a second vote for itinerary here) ... when I take a holiday I want somewhere warm with sunshine, so I have no intention of wasting half my holiday by leaving from Southampton ... this means fly/cruising with the ship based elsewhere: Med, Caribbean, Red Sea, Emirates, Pacific ... so many good choices.

Once we have found an itinerary we like then it is straight to the price to see if it is within a budget I am willing to pay ... or to be more accurate, is it within a budget that Julie can convince me to pay (using all her womanly wiles).

The final two items are basically things we take for granted on a cruise.
Firstly the evening entertainment program is very important ... and one of the reasons why we love P&O. They have some fantastic entertainment from both the Headliners and the other acts that they bring on board. They have an advantage over other lines in that they only need to please the British taste in entertainment .. whereas on other lines the entertainment has to be more cosmopolitan.

Secondly Quality of food (which is sort of a sneaky vote for alternative dining venues as well). Sadly my waistline shows my love of food from many different cuisines. In general this has always been of a high quality ... sometimes not to our tastes, but the variety and quality was still (usually) apparent.