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When people think of "tourist" as an insult, they think of cruise ship passengers. Loud, obnoxious, ""worldly"" people who only visit propped-up, expensive port cities and experience no culture or unsanitized perspective of the places they visit. Especially during slow seasons, they lower their cabin rates and the antichrist may call your name but they nickel and dime you to death no matter what. Soda, alcohol, any excursions, most dining, internet, all of that costs extra per day. Mandatory "gratuity" charges. The industry is propped up by third worlders who hate you and expect your tip money. Cruise ships are literally all about endless consumerism and this is made clear by the LCD people who enjoy them. It's unironically goyslop: the vacation. In line with going to Disney.

>>2842865
Why did you go on so many cruises? Or are you an expert from reading incel blogs?

>>2842874
I worked in a hotel for 4 years in college. After I graduated and passed the FE I said fuck it and wanted a change of scenery for a bit before I locked myself into my career. I did two 10 month contracts working in the hotel/general maintenance department of a RC ship

>>2842877
Oh, so you are a bitter wagie who has never been on a cruise lmao

>>2842881
Neither have you, Rajeev. Post skin (you won't).

My budget is $10k. What cruise should I go on?

>>2842882
Lmao you are saying cruises are shit, the employees are shit (including yourself) they are expensive etc now you are crying I've never been on one? Lmao i avoid people like you not got pay your wage Ramesh or eat anything you touched

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>>2842894
>not got pay your wage

I went on a cruise once when I was 13. I suspect my grandfather wanted to go himself on an Alaskan cruise, and took us along. This was years and years ago. He's gone now. He got us all suites which was nice - we used our room to host the other teens on the ship.

The cruise itself was fine, seeing the glacier was cool, I skipped the helicopter sightseeing to socialize with the teens.

I read cruisecritic regularly since 2007, not cuz I want to take cruises, but I find the micro-blogging aspect interesting.
The basics:
Cruise lines want to pack as many people on at once, and if you take a large ship you will be waiting for them all to get on and off. If there are delays, rough weather, you will miss your destinations. I recommend figuring out which port cities you want to see, and just taking normal ferries or buses or trains or flights between them.

Also, people don't generally want to live on a ship - so most ships are staffed by third worlders who resent your existence and it's awkward. There are a few American-staffed ships but the reviews for them are generally dismal. The people who run cruise ships tend to be greedy shylocks.

If you insist, I recommend picking the smallest newest ship you can afford. Older ships tend to be smaller, but taking one risks your AC breaking, toilet breaking, ship engine problems, etc.

>>2842890
Swan Hellenic or Atlas Voyages. They seem to have the best reviews. As far as I can tell Swan Hellenic got bought out by Russians and their clientele is Russian too, who knows for sure. But they have small newish ships. Atlas Voyages is Portugese-owned and the reviews are good - but, there was one particularly damning review, the owners of the cruise ships came aboard with their family for a cruise and monopolized the ships's features and staff, ate better food, and were loud and disruptive, and the company didn't really respond or apologize for this.
Again, people who get into owning cruise ships are just not good people.

>>2842902

>are staffed by third worlders who resent your existence and it's awkward.

Kek, like this guy
>>2842897

>>2842860
They are boring, only fun if you are a raging alcoholic looking to escape cold weather. Your on a giant floating resort with a bunch of stupid people, not really experiencing any culture any time you stop. You have a possible chance at getting food poisoning or vomiting from being seasick. The entertainment is mediocre at best. Cruise ships are giant floating shit tanks that are also awful for the environment. I say skip it, go on a sail boat if you want to experience the ocean.

>>2842860
They're floating resort / amusement park things. If you like that kind of environment and are looking for a travel experience that is mostly that punctuated by brief excursions to do some touristy stuff as day trips, then a cruise might be a good choice for you.

I went on a bunch of cruises for family vacations back when I was underage. Had a good time, but now that I'm an adult I don't I would ever willingly take a cruise. I consider coming back to a mcmansion resort at the end of each day to be a negative not a positive.

>>2842913
>They're floating resort / amusement park things
depends
small expedition-style cruise ships also exist, but are twice the price

>>2842860
If you can't just charter an 80+ foot boat, don't bother with a cruise instead. Frequently, people will split the charter cost, and it's easier and less full of assholes than a commercial cruise

>>2842902
lmao some egotistical retard gets offended that the owner eats better than him on his tendie vacay and that's a "damning review"
this place is full of whiny wannabe trustfund babbys
you are too poor to be such a pretentious dickwad

>>2843037
Qrd on chartering a luxury boat?

>>2842860
i mean there are legit cruises

did an Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia cruise a few years ago
and it was awesome
but also the only way to see these places, so I didn't have a choice
like 10y ago I did a diving / exploration cruise to Galapagos
which was also absolutely spectacular and I'd recommend
though was on a tiny ship with only 30 or so other guests, so not a traditional cruise either

the generic gigantic consoom cruises are terrible though
resort towns were literally invented for this exact type of vacation
and are better in any imaginable way

i can somewhat understand river cruises, although I personally find them boring

It's like living in a mall with hundreds of tiny hotel rooms attached to it and each day you go out and see the same people and it sucks.

>>2843056
>the owner eats better than him on his tendie vacay
well its more than that the owners were making noise and hogging the facilities on a small ship and it wasn't a cheap cruise - people paid 4k + per person to be there only to be ignored in favor of the owners who didn't really make any effort to behave, you would have to read the actual review itself, I'm not doing it justice as to how skeezy the owners came off

whenever I read negative reviews unless they are the "I am going to complain about everything" kind, I always assume the reality is worse and the people are trying to be gentle about it since that's been my experience writing reviews.

>>2843086
fair enough, fuck cruise ship owners, charter a boat. This thread was truly enlightening and has permanently changed my worldview

>>2843066
European 60-70ft charters can be had for like 20k per week, including crew. Get 4-8 people and you'll have a tour that goes where you want, when you want, doing what you want to focus on. Yes it's more expensive than carnival, yes there are fewer fistfights to watch

>>2843089
In Split, Croatia, there's a huge yachting scene. Think it was going to work out at like £1k/person/week for some proper luxury.

>>2843089
I found the actual review:

The cruise line owner was onboard with his family and family friends. It put a real damper on many aspects of the trip. They were given special treatment to the point where many of us felt like we were intruding on THEIR vacation.

- Their teen kids were in the pool splashing and yelling to the point we all left

- When disembarking at ports they pushed ahead to the front (there are only 185 passengers, it doesn't take that long to get on a tender or disembark at ports)

- The night at the medici fort, the food was not good, we noticed they had a special table in the front being served by a whole waitstaff and we were in the back eating bowtie pasta with red sauce.

- They took the crew's karaoke machine for the main entertainment and this group did the majority of the singing

>>2843089
- Late night - they took over the piano in the only late night venue and just played around on it - making every one leave

- Circus night - we had multiple courses of hotdogs/chicken nuggets/sliders in various shapes FOR DINNER in the main dining room (folks were very upset) - the owner and his friends sat at the head table and were served other food. No other dining options that night! We couldn't even order off the always available menu and they closed the steakhouse- it was horrible, we left halfway through.

>>2843103
>- The night at the medici fort, the food was not good, we noticed they had a special table in the front being served by a whole waitstaff and we were in the back eating bowtie pasta with red sauce.
...so it's exactly like I said other than the minor rudeness
this person would've been eating shitty pasta either way

>>2843105
To me, it's more about how they made noise and were rude when they had paying customers of the brand they are representing aboard. It makes them look tacky and myopic. Keep in mind these are very small ships.

>>2843106
>it's more about how they made noise and were rude
yeah that's a little trashy but ultimately not a big deal

>>2843107
these are not cheap cruises, and it shows the mindset of the owners that they are not attentive to the needs of others - something you want in you know a company providing hospitality and services
it's not very friendly
as I said, the kind of people who get into owning boats they rent out are like airbnb hosts - it attracts a weird bunch and they tend to be a bit shylocky

from what I've read, ponant is really nice, but the rooms are tiny, most people speak french and the word is mixed on if those people are snooty to Americans, and the prices are among the highest in the industry

>>2843108
>like airbnb hosts - it attracts a weird bunch and they tend to be a bit shylocky
kek, I guess that's true

>>2843110
>>2843108
>the kind of people who get into owning boats they rent out are like airbnb hosts - it attracts a weird bunch and they tend to be a bit shylocky
Why are they like this?

>>2843112
unchecked capitalist greed

>>2843114
yes, but why does it attract such an odd and specifically neurotic type of "shylocky" person

>>2843115
well because really it should be government run and the people should be vetted but its venture capitalist run and they are a shitty pseudo government and they don't really care what you do so people who most want money and least care about doing a good job dominate

the government doesn't seek to make a profit

>>2843119
>it should be government run
kek, gtfo retard

>>2843119
>the government doesn't seek to make a profit
Weak b8 m8

>>2843120
the government should represent the communal will and needs of the people
hospitality lodging shouldn't just be about profit

>>2843078
>It's like living in a mall with hundreds of tiny hotel rooms attached to it and each day you go out and see the same people and it sucks.
that sounds pretty comfy though

is there a better way to get an extended 'beachside' experience for less?

>>2843127
>is there a better way to get an extended 'beachside' experience for less?
Go to one of the literally thousands of cheap beachside towns in America. You know you can go to the beach and walk the boardwalk and wear hawaiian shirts without spending $300 a night in Miami right?

>>2843132
>Go to one of the literally thousands of cheap beachside towns in America.
Why are you so mean? There are like 3 that I can find using AI that have average temps above 65F and sun more than 1/3 of the days in December. Can you make a recommendation? It doesn't seem as simple as you make it sound.

>>2843134
>>2843132
It's $100/night in Key West btw. Is that my best option? Hawaii seems too expensive and last time I went there it was full of homeless drug addicts and criminals.

I worked as a chef on cruise ship. 10 months total. It was really safe, drug free, and let me save money. They work you 12-14 hours a day no days off. Really hard work but you get used to it somehow. One thing that is red pill is that the majority of employees are phillipinos and Indonesians...those mofos only need like 4 hours of sleep a day. It's probably genetic. So the working environment is built for them and its hard for anyone that needs the regular 8-10 to survive in that job even if they want too. Contrary to what other posters have said employees dont hates the guests. Alot aim to please genuinely. As far as a lazy person can. As a worker on a cruise ship there's upper management everywhere and they are usually Indians or Phillipinos and they are so annoying whatever you do as a guest is polite and straightforward by comparison. Alot of cruise ship staff their entire life is spent working on Cruise ship and they even go on cruises themselves. They aren't exploited victims. Alot of coworkers were super gay, pinoys especially. Mofo's are queer af. Got one normal fb and one gay femboy alt. The sheer amount of work keeps the drama down but it's still a bunch of queers so you can just imagine. Personally, I went to Asian massage parlor for massage and fuck every other week. Alot of coworkers did same as well.

Cruises are not for everyone. Backpacking isn't for everyone. Road trips aren't for everyone. Even a poor can save 500 a month and go on a cruise once a year, alot do. But maybe it is for you and i think you should find out. I think it's a super enjoyable experience just staring at the moon lit water going past at night. I've did that for hours. The cruise ships, they are fancy and the boat doesn't rock with the waves like regular boats. Some guests get drunk and gamble, some stay to themselves and use the time to get some thinking done. Do what you want.

>>2843886
>work on a boat
>now ur gay
many such cases

Going on one in the next couple of weeks with family because another family member works on one so the whole thing is cheaper on relative travel. I've only ever cruised in the Caribbean (this next one will be the third) but these are my general thoughts.


You can visit a lot of different places in a short period of time, including some which you'd rarely ever travel to individually
You get to go back to a nicely furnished room each night, eat at nice restaurants and enjoy whatever faggy entertainment they have on if that's something that pleases you. This is definitely not a pro for everyone as it's by no means an authentic experience of visiting a country or place
Like an another anon says it's like being in a floating mall and the general cruise clientel mostly consists of boomers, retired couples and the odd family with kids
Sea days are boring as fuck, it's llike being stuck in a massive hotel without much to do and I always feel like I'm sat wasting time

I've done plenty of "regular" travel and crusing and I much prefer the freedom of having a hotel somewhere and exploring or having the freedom to travel around as you please and not being a slave to the ship's itinerary. But since I can get these trips a bit cheaper by cruising with family it's better than nothing so I just think fuck it and go. This is going to be the last one for a long time though, hopefully until I retire.

tldr it's fine, perfectly enjoyable but extremely sanitized and gay and doesn't feel like authentic travel (if you're younger than 50)

>>2842877
passing the FE only to spend 2 years on a cruise ship is wild, i know some engineers who would think its a cool story but i know some who would say it was really irresponsible.

>>2842860
The first day everything is a new experience, you're exploring the ship for the first time, finding all the different amenities and bars, planning out the week etc. the days stuck on the ship going to your destination aren't bad but get boring fast, usually people resort to eating and gambling because thats all there is to do. its on these days you should really try to mingle and meet people to do stuff with, drunk girls on cruises at 3pm are usually down to mess around if you're decently attractive. the destination days are always fun because the islands are built as small amusement parks/zoos/party areas designed for you to have fun in, but its always better to do stuff with the people you've met. the days back are a nice way to recover from partying.

its really only worth it if you like to eat a ton and think you can laid with the help of the environment

you're trapped in a tiny space and forced to listen to their speeches about how you should give them even more money aka tips. so that's a plus

>>2844479
there's no way to travel and not be trapped in a tiny space unless ur like an ultra richfag and can afford an RV
even then ur limited to the width of the highway

>>2843132
>Go to one of the literally thousands of cheap beachside towns in America.
/r/ing literally 5 examples where the temperature doesn't drop below 65 degrees Fahrenheit in January and it's not rainy for 6/7 days/week

Just got back from a 12 day Carribean Cruise and I liked a lot of aspects of it but there are some major drawbacks. It probably isn't the REAL TRAVRLER expierence some on here are looking for but it is the best way to see multiple countries and islands you couldn't easily or pay to go. The itineraries are either great or lets go to the Bahamas again #345. Get a cruise with a good or interesting port itineraries because that's the one things cruises have over everything else is convience.
Like others said its a floating hotel in the water so you're left to your own devices on to how you spend your time on the boat. I usually just sleep and rest by the pool but the entertainment is either okay or lame as fuck. You got shitty standup comics, trivia or mediocre broadway musicals. Just get the drink package (which doubles the cruise price) because being sober here is torture and not reccomended.
A major drawback is that everyone on cruises is old as fuck and that demographic influences pretty much how that whole expierence will go. Rude, annoying, and oblivious old people will block and push you every which way. I swear half the time on cruises is spent shuffling around all these old bastards. It makes any shore excursion feel like a school trip for dumb people who never left their home town. It's a very safe and curated way to travel the world because its designed for people in walkers to travel. Not my personal favorite way to travel but the best one to people watch on and the best passive way to travel if you can deal with the all the negatives.

>>2844484
I mean do you NEED to go swimming in the ocean in the winter?

Many of those beach towns are small and cheap because they have no economy outside of the summer

how do i find cheap solo cruises that include alcohol? what are the best websites for cruise shopping?