Why do you all take a cruise ?

[drumflower]

Hi! I have never been on a cruise and have some questions! Why do you do a cruise instead of just staying at a nice resort? Is it because of the stops that you make along the way? How long do you get to tour at the stops? Is it enough time to see the neatest things of the area, or is mostly for shopping?
I get travel sickness very easily, like in the backseat of a car, on a train, on airplanes and those travel buses. I am afraid that if I would go on a cruise I would be totally sick the whole time and couldn't enjoy it. I know there are meds that help but the side effects make me want to sleep all day.
I guess I just want to know what I am missing, if anything. My inlaws won a 5 night cruise with airline tickets included and couldn't go so they asked me and DH. I said not thanks, for a lot of reasons but mainly I didn't want to be stuck on a ship pucking my brains out with nowhere to run. lol What are your experiences?

 

[disneysooz]

Disney cruising has become our favorite way to vacation. You unpack once, you have the opportunity to see different places at port, shop, excursion OR you can stay put on the ship if that is what you choose to do. It is very safe for your kids and most have a ball in the club, affording them time to do what they want, you have adult time and then you can all do things together as a family. It's a traveling city with lots of choices and all the CMs are there to see that you have a good time!

Now, I have had motion sickness my whole life. As a child my parents gave me dramamine, put me in the back seat of the car and away we went. Cannot to this day, ride in the back seat without medication in advance. So imagine my surprise in 2002 when we took the 3 day cruise (to see if I could hack it), and I had not the first bit of nausea. Although I took enough bonine for the entire trip, it went unused. Second cruise? A 7 day western in September 2004. Again, I took the bonine (and scopalamine patch too), but no meds needed. Now I have read from fellow Diser's thye have experienced problems so that is not to say that there are not times when the water is rough with high swells; enough to send even the most experienced cruiser to the rail (or local restroom), but it is not typical. Trial bonine one day at home and take a ride in the backseat. See how you feel and if you get any side effects (drowsiness, etc). You might also want to investigate the times when the sea tends to be most prone to being rough and avoid cruising during those times. I have been fortunate that I have not had any problems.

Good luck! I hope it works out for you! Cruising is alot of fun! We love it!
Susie

 

[zacsmom]

Wow!! Do I remember sounding just like you 20 something years ago. On our first cruise, our honeymoon, I got sick as a dog. The seas were rough, it was hurricane season, and people were actually not getting back on in ports because it was so rough. I had tried the scop and got delerious, so tha was out. Boy did I suffer! This situation totally reminded me of being a kid in the back of the station wagon with a bowl on my lap the whole way.

Where am I going with this? Well, I tried another cruise 10 years later and just took Antivert when needed. What a difference!!! No drowsiness, no dry mouth and I had a blast. That cruise has led to 6 or 7 more cruises with another one coming up in March. I love the relaxation of a cruise. If I want to do something, I can. If I don't, no problem. I love dressing up for dinner and feeling pampered for a week. I don't miss all of the hustle and bustle of running to see and do everything. I also love that it is too expensive for anyone at home to call. The only voice that I ever want to hear on the stateroom telephone is Mickey.

Give it a try some time, you never know what can happen!

 

[WDWLVR]

We love cruising because of all it has to offer. The ship itself is beautiful and like someone else said we love being able to unpack once and visit different ports.


My favorite days are sea days. I love being far away from land and just sailing along. There are things to all over the ship or I can just relax on my verandah with a good book. Now if your idea of a good time is the family spending a lot of time at the pool then maybe a cruise wouldn't be good for you. The pools are small and get crowded during sea days.

However if you like being pampered with a variety of dining options at your disposal. If you like seeing new and different locations. If you like to just relax and see the beauty of the world around you - well then I would give cruising a try.

There are many different options for sea sickness - talk with your doctor and I'm sure they can find one that will be right for you.

 

[webray]

Drumflower..I am like you..bad motion sickness. Hubby and I decided we wanted to try a disney cruise. We chose the 7 day western for our anniversary as our first cruise. I was prepared. Got prescription from doctor for seasickness, although after I read the side effects there was no way I would take it. So, ended up with chewable dramamine and sea bands. I took the dramamine before we left for the port that morning, then again that night. I had to put the sea bands on when the ship first started to sail, until I got my sea legs. After that, I was great the rest of the week, not a problem at all. No motion sickness..none.

As far as cruising..we find it an excellent way to experience the places in a very short period of time. It is also very relaxing. We have plenty of time to see the islands, we usually take like the two hour taxi tour, mostly on our own, then we get a lunch restaurant recommendation. I have checked out all the other spots that we need to visit from travel books, we have a list, so we just start exploring. It is excellent and we always have a blast.

 

[the4nitz's]

Wasn't sure about cruising at first, but we love it. We are going on our 2nd in 2 weeks & have a 3rd cruise booked for next year. Very relaxing. You unpack once, no running around, no worrying where you are going to eat. There is a variety of things to do on the ship.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

It's extremely relaxing. You aren't up and running like you are with most vacations. For me, this is the best vacation I'll ever take -- cruising.


DH gets seasick. He took Bonine (no side effects whatsoever) and enjoyed every minute he was on the ship. Check it out.

 

[TootyJane]

Cruising for us is probably the easiest way to vacation. We do a "family-reunion" vacation every year and there are 9 of us. With cruising, we unpack once. We're in a different place every day. There is something for every one of us to do. The biggest benefit is not having to worry about making reservations for dinner especially when you have 9 people in your party. HTH

 

[smchan]

My wife suffers from severe motion sickness. She can't even read in the car. So it took a while before we tried cruising. She got a little sick on our 2nd, a 7 day, but has learned that sea bands are very effective. On our 3rd, we experienced 50 mph winds and 15 ft waves. The ship was rocking big time but she was fine.

Anyways, the cruise is the only vacation where I become truly disconnected and relaxed. Phones and Internet are expensive to the point that I'm not tempted to use them, and I always have a seat at dinner. No trying to decide whether to eat and no standing in line.

Further, the crowds aren't really a problem except maybe during embarkation day. It's an easy walk to most activities onboard - no waiting for buses, jostling with others in lines, etc.

I also like the all-inclusive price. Having already paid the bill, and I can do the cruise without feeling like theirs a vacuum cleaner in my wallet. (At Disney World, those $2 sodas and over-priced restraurants stress me out.)

And here's an intangible. I work hard - very hard - so time alone with my family or just my wife is at a premium. And there are fewer things that compete for my wife's and my attention onboard than elsewhere, and it's been very healthy for our marriage to do next to nothing other than enjoy one another's company when we're cruising.

Sam

 

[jennat]

I have never been sick on a cruise. When I first started I would wear the patch but found I didn't need it at all. I get sick in the car, on rides, busses, etc. I don't think there is a problem with that unless you hit really freaky weather.
Take a cruise. It seems like a lot of people think they won't like it and they almost always LOVE it. I wasn't to thrilled to be going on the first one and it was so great that I started saying "we cruise every year", my husband looked at me like I was crazy, I said "Just wait and see". And we have 5 years running. It is the best vacation on earth! Try it!

 

[2disneycruzrs]

My DH and I have only been cruising since 2002, but I'll have five in at the end of this year. Through my job and in my childhood, I was able to stay at many nice resorts (especially some through work that we could not afford) but you're almost "trapped" at the property - especially if it is secluded from a major city. We enjoy discovering the different ports, and if we like them a lot, we'll go back and make a vacation there separate from a cruise.

Another benefit of cruising over resort is you can make your stateroom as expensive or cheap as you want, whereas the resort has fewer price point options.

Finally, with cruising, you can go to places that would be too expensive to make as a vacation or you can't get to on a "normal" vacation. Such example for me was taking a work cruise to Alaska and seeing the glaciers calving was the best cruise sight I've had yet.

 

[musicgirl]

Like some of the above have mentioned, I also get extremely motion sick. We did the 3 night first, and then another 3 night and then a 7 night and now another 7 night coming up in about 525 days (not that I'm counting).


I use the less drowsy formula of dramamine. I take one before we leave for the airport and then one about every 12 hours until I get back. I also used an electronic wristband the last time when I felt the rocking.

Two other hints: Sit in the pool. You don't feel the movement.
Sit in the midship atrium.

We love the service, the all inclusive, traveling to new places. DS-14 absolutely loves this vacation. He can meet lots of kids, hang out away from mom and dad and we don't have to worry.

 

[crisi]

I wouldn't cruise for the ports. If I wanted to go to Cozumel, I'd book a trip to Cozumel. The ports are a lot of "same ole, same ole" excursions - do you want to go to the beach, or snorkleing, or go on a catamaran......there is the occational educational or local color tour - but some cruise stops aren't too exciting.

I cruise because its the near perfect mindless indulgence vacation. You sit around, someone feeds you decent food on a schedule. Makes your bed. Brings you drinks (perfect is the all inclusives where the Bahama Mamas are free). The DCL cruise ships are very clean and well kept up. The kids get a kids program they really enjoy spending time in - therefore Mom gets time in the hottub with Dad and without kids.

We also enjoy WDW, but its a completely different experience where I plan, run, organize, get the whole family moving in the right direction and worry about when I'm going to eat.

 

[jazstar87]

My family and i Love cruising we started out on our first cruise on the disney on a three day just to try it out and ending out loving it. Our second cruise was a seven day to alaska on a princess cruise and loved it too but perferred disney. Now planning on a third ,of course with disney, next year.

Im not a motion sickness person so i can't help you with that. But, I love cruising because everything is right there and every thing is paid for. Even though your suck with the family, but every thing is just ok. I loved going with a bigger group because it made memories that will last a life time. There just so many cruises out there to different places and you do this with in a week. it may sound tiring but it so relaxing.

 

[chipanddalenuts]

Today we returned from our first ever cruise. It was WONDERFUL!!! In the past I have always suffered motion sickness. Took Bonine---never a bad day. I must confess that the weather was perfect --the sea like glass. The experience was so relaxing. We booked a 7 day for the West Coast Magic in July. Have to start a new countdown !!!

 

[gratefulone]

My friends and family went on the cruise not knowing what to expect, but having vacationed at countless resorts wanted to try something different. We all had a blast. Everyone in our group stayed healthy and there were no disasters. It was my best vacation ever and can't wait to do another.

Good luck

 

[drumflower]

Peer pressure is really working! lol I guess I need to look more into this. It sounds like a great way to relax after doing Disney! But I think I would start out with a 3 day cruise to make sure! Thanks everyone for your replies, I have really enjoyed reading them and all the tips sound like they would work for me. Maybe I should bet some brocheres or something! lol

 

[Cricket538]

Be sure to pick up a Passporter's Guide to DCL. Very helpful in combination with this amazing board.

As for seasickness (been there - done that - never again!), sea bands have worked great for me on on my past two cruises. I'm cruising again in two weeks and have ordered GINGER GUM from the Sea-Bands website. The bands and gum should do the trick w/o the unwanted side effects.

I think you should go for it drumflower!