this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2025
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Apart from the terrible environmental effects, they're a blast. I'm not in for slides and shit, but the full experience is generally really enjoyable. If you like to travel, it's also a good way to trial destinations before committing to a long vacation somewhere.
Trial what destinations exactly? Arrive at Island port. Hecklers everywhere. Arrive at next Island. More hecklers. Rinse and repeat.
"Damn, I had a blast!"
I'm telling you, a Euro-trip on rail will net you more adventure and better pacing with vastly more interesting destination. Possibly even comfort, if you take sleeper trains.
I'm hoping they'll ban these cruise ships from the Mediterranean altogether.
What you explained is what I'd expect someone who's never been on a cruise before to describe a cruise. Sure, there's hecklers at the port immediately off the boat. Walk out of that area and it goes away, like every tourist destination.
Most cruise stops that I've been on have been around 8 hours, which is ample time to experience a bit of a location. I have only been on two cruises, so I'm by no means a seasoned traveler.
Unfortunately, the Caribbean doesn't have a rail system between the islands, so boating is the main option. While most cruises aren't luxury, and to get a suite is $$$, they are comfortable rides, almost assuredly more comfortable than a train, barring rough seas, which I've experienced once, and it wasn't that bad. They are slower than trains, but they have a dozen floors, 100 bars, pools, live entertainment, and a plethora of other things. I have enjoyed some of my at seas days more than some stops. Finally, vastly more interesting destinations is extremely subjective. There are cruises that go all over the world, so the number and choices of destinations is huge.
I'm not going to argue you least point. Like I first mentioned, they're terrible for the environment. All of my words above are just in response to, "why would anyone get one one of these", not to defend the existence of cruises.
Sure, but cruises are limited to basically just coastline and port cities, whereas literally any other mode of transportation can get you to all of those places too, plus all the other 90% of land on the planet. Saying "the number and choices of destinations is huge" is technically correct, but basically meaningless when you compare it with all other modes of transportation.
Really the only places cruises can go that other modes maybe can't is:
I can kinda see why someone would take a cruise to the first item, but I can't bring myself to understand the second. Like, cruising around the empty ocean for days/weeks on end sounds so boring that you'd need "12 floors, 100 bars, live entertainment, and a plethora of other things" to make it even bearable. They created their own problem (finding entertainment in the middle of empty ocean) and solved it in the most brute force, environmentally unsustainable, and legally sketchy way possible.
When you port somewhere, you can rent a vehicle or take a taxi to places not in the port town. If you want to travel to various tropical islands, you can fly or float, it's not like there are a bunch of transportation options that can take you everywhere.
I'm not saying that rail is a worse option, I'm saying that cruises are fun, and that's why people go on them, which was the initial question I responded to.
Clearly you've never experienced what a cruise is like. You're coming to these conclusions that just aren't based on reality. A cruise ship is a small town full of entertainment. If there were no entertainment, yea, floating in the ocean would get boring after a few hours, unless you're into that kind of thing. They are mobile resorts, and when you wake up, you're in a new location. They aren't over crowded, except when everyone is boarding and leaving, but that's true with literally every form of mass transportation.
Some people take cruises and never leave the boat. They like to relax by the pool, enjoy the spa, partake in on board activities, gamble in the casino, eat all of the included free food or drinks, or whatever.
I'm not defending the environment part, or the legally sketchy stuff, but they're entertaining.
I'm sharing subjective opinions based on my own preferences and lived experiences. Sorry they don't match up with yours, but we're having a disagreement about big boats, not a crisis of reality.
Correct, because they don't interest me, and I'm not convinced enough by the people that like cruises to warrant spending the money on them.
There are thousands of existing "small towns full of entertainment" I'd rather go to than a cruise. I don't need my resort to be mobile, and if I want to end up in a new location, I'll book travel to that location. I don't need to go on a cruise to relax by a pool, or enjoy a spa, or partake in any of the mundane activities offered on board, or gamble in a casino, or eat food and drink drinks. Cruises don't offer anything unique that I can't find somewhere else, other than the novelty of being a cruise, and that novelty just doesn't interest me.
I'm saying the conclusions you're coming to that are wrong are things like, your stuck in a port town, or there's nothing to do out at sea. That's it. I'm not trying to convince you to go on a cruise, I'm still in reference to the OG question, why would anyone get on a cruise. You provided counter points that I'm refuting as not factual. You've not experienced a cruise, and you shouldn't based on your feelings towards boats, but you speak as though you have and are providing anecdotes.
Cruises aren't for everyone, but they are entertaining, that's the whole point I'm trying to make.
I said you're basically limited to coastline and port cities to point out the contrast to other modes of travel that aren't nearly as restricted. You either missed that point, or you're being pedantic.
My point was that without cruise ships, there would be nothing to do out at sea. Cruise ships solve the problem of "there's nothing to do or at sea", but in an unnecessary and dumb way, in my opinion. So again, I think you missed the point of what I was trying to say.
Ultimately I don't really care what anyone's opinion on cruises are. What I do care about is making sure I'm understood correctly, hopefully this helps.
Just being out on the sea is by itself a worthwhile experience, in my opinion. At least the first time. like flying, it is super boring sitting in a plane for multiple hours. But the first time being above the clouds is cool.
It’s all about the attitude you have going into the trip, my friend. There will be hecklers wherever you go, if you set your mind to look for them.
Including Lemmy.
What is a heckler? Like the people who interrupt stand ups? I went on two cruises with my family when I was a kid. And I can assure you the only stand-up anyone experiences is on the ship in between ports.
I think they're referring to hawkers, or people on the streets harassing you to buy something. I don't know why everyone here is calling them hecklers and not confused by that.
And coming from a well off family, why is it wrong for me to buy stuff?
Not saying that is the argument you're making/defending. Just don't see a problem with helping people out.
I was just explaining a misunderstanding, that being heckler vs hawker... I think you've replied to the wrong comment?
I think I did too. Please accept my apologies!
It's not wrong, but a lot of people hate being harassed until they buy something.
No disagreement here.
Dunno what you mean with hecklers but you arrive at a part, tour the city, go eat somewhere, you know, spend time in the destination city and then you move on.
You don't have time though. They typically only stay there for a day.
That's plenty of time for a quick visit though?
I don't know. When I go to a city as a tourist, I typically stay for 4 to 7 days before moving elsewhere, so that I at least have a very vague idea of what the place is like. One afternoon isn't enough time to do anything, you can see a museum and have a coffee, which is nice, but doesn't tell you much about the place.
I suppose it's another way to visit, but it's odd to me.
Sometimes it's not about the city you port in. I've been to St. Kitts a couple of times and have kayaked, snorkelled, toured, and chilled on a beach. I've gone SCUBA diving during a stop in Puerto Rico, and horseback riding in St Maarten. I mentioned it in another post, but now I would be willing to book a week long trip in some of the destinations I've been to with a confidence that I'll enjoy it.
Most of my vacations are to single destinations, but the sampler platter that is a cruise is fun too, just for different reasons.
You're there to visit it, you don't need to learn the whole city lol
You haven't seen anything of a city in a week.
You're not mapping the whole city, you're giving it a quick visit
What is enjoyable about a floating, overcrowded shopping center that makes you seasick?
What's wrong with floating? The boats are huge. Unless it's rough seas, you don't know that you're on water.
All of the shipping centers are in lower floors dedicated to shopping. Don't want to buy anything? Just don't go to floor 7, it's that easy to avoid. If you get seasick, then maybe cruises aren't for you, but motion sickness medicine is available for those that do have the ailment. If pulled off the side of a catamaran in Hawaii, which is when I found out that I do get motion sickness. That's never been an issue in a cruise for me. Again, they are so large, it's like not being on a boat at all.
All of you arguments stem down to, "why would someone go on a trip that they don't want to go on?" The answer is, don't, but there are a ton of reasons that people do. I don't go to casinos and gamble, because they're dirty and I don't like gambling.
Skill issue
I'd be concerned about the tusks, myself
you guys can afford these things?
A week long cruise can be had all in for less than a couple thousand bucks. Not the cheapest vacation, but not the most expensive. One can spend way more depending on the room and any extras spent.
To crowded for me.