If You Were to Take a Cruise Which CompanyShip Would You Choose

[Beverly J. Crowder]

Ok, here is the ultimate question from someone who is a landlubber and doesn't really know much about the sea and ships and sea travel.

I want to take a cruise. I am having a HARD time convincing any of my family to go, but I WANT to go.

Which ship/company would you choose and where would you like to go most?

Thank you for all your advice because I am having a hard time making up my mind right now.

Capt. Erik, your feedback is required please!!!

Cheerio!

Beverly

 

[Dave Hudson]

Beverly,

Is your family younger with a party mindset or more reserved and looking to relax? If looking for a party, I'd go with Carnival. I've been on a number of their ships and never had a disappointed. But then again, I'm a teen so I'm going to be a bit bias. If you're looking for a more relaxing and quieter vacation, Princess is nice, as is Holland America. Royal Caribbean is a good halfway point between these two different types of cruise ships. Of course, if you have A LOT of money to burn, you could always go transatlantic with Cunard!

My only cruising regret is that I never made it on the Norway. I had always wanted to make a pilgrimage to the last superliner still in service. She was withdrawn last fall. Though isn't going to be scrapped, her fate is almost as gruesome. She's being gutted and entirely rebuilt into an ultramodern cruise ship. Her new name will be the "Superstar Leo" or something terrible like that.

GRRRR!!!!

David

 

[Michael H. Standart]

As of right now, the Norway is still active as the Norway and is operating out of Miami. She'll start a schedule of seven day cruises beginning on the 15th of December. (Information gleaned from the Maritime Matters website.)

As to which line I'd take, it would be Carnival or Cunard...and I'd try to hold out for whatever ship Erik is going to be skippering.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Sam Brannigan]

I would have to agree with Michael. If and when I decide to go on a cruise, I shall follow the time-honoured tradition of sailing with ones favourite captain.
Erik, prepare to be pestered on the bridge non stop!

Regards

Sam

 

[Erik Wood]

Well rest assured if I know that you are on board you will be treated....."well". You will have very intimate knowledge of steerage and the slop they serve down there. Just kidding.

Contrary to what folks think I am going to say I would say it would depend on what type of cruise you want.

Say you want a relaxing not high paced cruise I would go with either NCL, Cunard, or RCL. Keep in mind that Cunard and NCL are a little more pricy then RCL but well worth the extra money.

If you want a more high paced cruise go with Carnival. However make sure you get a ocean view room cause if you haven't been underway before you may end up spending most of your time worshiping the porcelin god.

If money is no object go with Cunard or NCL. I know several Captains at NCL and it is a good company. Holland America is another good company but the crowd is more Dutch.

I would stay away from Costa and P&O. P&O has a stealing problem and most of the Coasta crowd are from Greece and Italy and that is a different culture.

Beware that if I catch you on one of my ships you may be expected to appear at cocktail parties, dinner parties and in photographs. I may not let you stay on the bridge all that much because I don't want everybody to see my "captain" said. As my wife says those who don't know you would think you are mean. Mainly because very rarely do I ask for something. I may even let you put on my Captains hat and have a picture taken behind the wheel. Unless it is Mike then he could get his picture taken like Leo on the bow.

I hope that this helps. I would be more then happy to answer any other questions.

Erik

P.S. Oh, it'll be awhile before I am back out there so I hope you haven't bought your ticket yet.

 

[David G. Brown]

Captain's hat-- I do not wear a "regulation" captain's hat, but rather a white crushable pseudo-Greek fisherman's cap. It is purely functional--keeps the sun out of my eyes and I can jam it in a pocket indoors. However, that damned hat gets into more photographs..usually on female heads. They want pictures wearing "the captain's hat."

--David G. Brown

 

[Erik Wood]

I usually wear a replica of the hat worn by Captain Smith the black one for informal times and the white one for formal times. Occaisionly I wear the company hat but they don't have one that fits me right.

Erik

 

[Colleen Collier]

WOW... No one has said a word about QE2 here either. I asked the travel agency and they said that it was "just an old ship with small rooms".

.

Cap'n Wood... (1) Since you are a relief captain, will you get aboard the new QM when she is completed, or is that not your company? Do you have one ship that you would like to be on that you not yet have had the chance to command?

I'd be happy to just go on whatever ship doesn't serve lobscouse with hard tack, spotted di.. um, I mean dog, make you shake a leg, walk the plank, or help row. However, tipping the chink, is a must, so I am not forced to bleed the monkey. I heard the punishment is marrying the gunners daughter and that doesn't sound like fun!
Colleen

 

[Erik Wood]

I am sure before it is all said and done I will be on the QM2. Cunard is a part of Carnival and I have been relief for Holland America ships when needed. I think if I had the chance I would love to be the permant captain of either the QE2 or the Norway. But I doubt that will happen.

I have served as Staff Captain on the QE2 and a long long long long long time ago as 4th officer for a trip.

Erik

 

[Colleen Collier]

Captain Wood. I truly could not think of a better captain to care for and appreciate the QE2!!!!!!! One of my husbands treasured tapes is National Geographic "The Great Liners".(Warning)... You wouldn't have to worry about asking us to be around if you were on QE2. (You should have seen us touching the panels and ceiling on the QM in a true touristy, kidlike, awestruck style.)
In the world of ships captains, is the QE2 a sought after ship to serve on, or is she difficult to work? (Is it considered a unique and historic honor, or do they really care?)
Thank you for the chance at 1,000 questions.
Colleen

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Well, seriously, I wouldn't bug the C.O. on the bridge, nor would I step inside unless invited as they do some pretty serious work there. And if Erik is sharp with some of the people there, you can bet it's for a damn good reason. Anything less and a pleasure cruise turns into a nightmare from Hell! (Although I have to wonder about that noose dangling from the yardarm. I've heard about tough captains, but yikes!

)

I wouldn't mind a tour of the entire ship though, particularly of the working space the passengers never see and don't want to see.

Erik said; "If you want a more high paced cruise go with Carnival. However make sure you get a ocean view room cause if you haven't been underway before you may end up spending most of your time worshiping the porcelin god."

Take that one seriously! The ship's motion wouldn't bother me in the least, but then I am and always will be a sailor. I can bolt down greasy burgers in a raging gale when everyone else is blowing chunks. (Hell, I've done it!) For the unexperienced, the sensation of the ship moving up, down and side to side for no visually obvious reason would be more then enough to have you paying homage to the Porcelein Idol.

Colleen, the QE2 having small rooms isn't much of a shock, but I think you'll find that this is the norm, especially on older ships. They have to balance acceptable accomadations on the one hand with getting as many fare paying passengers in the least amount of space on the other.

Erik; No problemo with attending coctail parties...and if you want to bow out fast, we can always start telling horror stories which will make us instant outcasts with people who really don't want to hear about typhoons, engine room fires, collisions, etc.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Erik Wood]

The QE2 is a pretty sought after ship. It is considered to be reserved for Brits in the Royal Naval Reserve. Most of the officers who work for soley Cunard are members of the Naval Reserve. My chances (seeing as I am niether British or in the Royal Navy Reserve) are pretty slim. The QE2 is getting old. She is a gallant lady but has problems of old age that are begining to show in her interiors which in some cases (in my opinion) show the decade of in which she was born. I would have loved to been an officer on the orginal Queen Mary. My wife and I plan to visit her for the third or fourth time this year.

Commanding a historic ship is always considered an honor.

Mike: Don't worry you are always welcome on my bridge. I know that you would know when to leave and when to stay. Most of the officers in the company know me and have learned what I expect so I really have to say very little. But now I get the chance to be mentor plus drive 80,000 ton ships which not many get to do.

Cocktails parties are always both a drag (depending on the passengers and the way the trip is going) and a blast. You get to meet some interesting people and sometimes stars. I have met the Governer of Florida, Christina Ricci just to name a few. The job isn't always fun and games as the horror stories that both Michael and I can attest to.

Erik

 

[Colleen Collier]

PLEASE PLEASE let me know when you and your wife will be out here in California. I would love to meet you both if you will be there long enough and have time. (Hey, I've never had a "Captains tour" through Queen Mary!)
Sincerely:
Colleen

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Hmmmmmm...my bet is that the QE2 is having hull problems of some kind or another, (Have any hull plates had to be replaced?) and possibley electrical problems as well. On an old ship, these things tend to pile up. Spares are likely a problem as well as some of the equipment came from manufacturers that have gone out of business.

Glad to know I'd be welcome on the bridge BTW!

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Tracy Smith]

I'd love to do a cruise one day, but I'm afraid I'd have to ditch the cocktail party...