Cruise Giants of today

[Robert M Hughes]

Sailed on the Highland Monarch on the S.American run - a fairly standard passenger liner of the fifties - looking at todays massive floating hotels I keep wondering how safe can they be in a disastrous situation? Passenger management must be a nightmare. Like to hear knowledgeable views on this.
Frankly I'm apprehensive about this type of cruise, there's also very many leisure staff on board and I don't see that they have the sea experience to assist in trouble.
Perhaps I'm wrong?
Bob

[Johnny Kieran]

Sailed on the Highland Monarch on the S.American run - a fairly standard passenger liner of the fifties - looking at todays massive floating hotels I keep wondering how safe can they be in a disastrous situation? Passenger management must be a nightmare. Like to hear knowledgeable views on this.
Frankly I'm apprehensive about this type of cruise, there's also very many leisure staff on board and I don't see that they have the sea experience to assist in trouble.
Perhaps I'm wrong?
Bob

You're not wrong, horrible things these days, and getting worse. Just look at the adverts for cruises, all the sunbeds touching each other, and nowhere to lounge on deck with a bit of space. Butlins is a better option.

[James Curry]

I would not like to be the tish house engineer when 6000 passengers end up with Delhi belly after a dodgy prawn curry.
Number of times you hear about.
An old post from 2023 but!!!

Holland America's the Nieuw Amsterdam, which set sail on May 6, is among a string of 11 cruise ships to report gastrointestinal illness onboard this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 213, or over 10%, of passengers and 35, or 4%, of crew on the Nieuw Amsterdam have been reported sick during the voyage that lasts until May 21, mostly with diarrhea and vomiting.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Robert.
I would never go on a cruise on one of those monstrosities, I often wonder if the crews are trained as we were in lifeboat safety.
Saw an add for a cruise on TV, the ship had a bow like a first war battle cruiser, sloping forwards, looked odd.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Yes and no, it all depends on tow factors, which company and where they go.

If you want to be on a ship with 7,000 others then Roay Caribbean is for you.
If you want a more relaxed number, say about 2,500 to 3,00 then maybe princess is for you.

If you want a personal butler at all times on call and you have a lot of money then Silver Seas is for you.

As to gastro on board.
The ship goes to some wonderful island where hygiene is only a secondary consideration.
Passengers go ashore, eat and drink at some very dodgy places and bring back a bug with them, that then gets passed around.

As to safety, when in port and at sea there are crew training sessions on safety, far better than any we ever had in our time.

Having now done some 31 cruises I am fully aware of the shortcomings there may be.
But if you chose wisely which company and where to go ashore you will be fine.

[Johnny Kieran]

I think cruising as we know it, is finished. It's all about fun and entertainment now, nothing to do with relaxing on endless days at sea and fine dining. I introduced my Mrs to cruising, after her wanting to see life at sea for herself, and after me always telling her how great it was. Then my Daughter and family wanted some of it, but they like the elbow touching life around the pool, and the fun and games, plus the nightclubs and great fun.
None of that for me, the miserable old ex sailor, who just wants to laze around all day in the quiet, and a few beers in the evening.
I look forward to the ports now, only coz everyone buggers of ashore and leaves me loadsa space for bronzying on deck in the quiet, without the elbow hand jive thing.
I'm such fun to be on a cruise with.

[James Curry]

A friend lost her husband about 4 years ago now to Cancer. We all grieve differently. After a month she got fed up with people and sympathy. She booked herself a trip to Australia and came back 6 weeks later. We love her to bits but let her open up to us about her feelings and how her trip went. She booked her daughter and herself on a small Turkish motor sailer with 6 other complete strangers as fellow passengers. She really enjoyed that , good company and fine food. Island hopping around the Agean sea. Then she tried a larger cruiseline doing the Medi ports supposed to be 2 weeks. She jumped ship in Barcelona. Had had enough of the hoardes and flew home. She is down again for another motor sailer cruise doing the Greek Islands , max passengers 10.
She is a good looking woman and got fedup with getting hit on by dirty old men recently widowed

[Doug Hardie]

I took my wife on a cruise to Alaska with Holland America for our 40th wedding anniversary, it was great. I told her the thing I wanted to do was wait at the top of the Engine room and have a Laugh at the Engineers coming off Watch . Never got to do that because of security reasons. They probably came up from an air conditioned engine control room anyway and would have thought me some kind of Nut Job anyway.
The cruise was very well managed the food service was great and great lengths were made to avoid food poisoning .We were on the Volendam which only had a relatively small guest capacity. Would recommend it to anyone.
Doug

[James Curry]

I do remember Captain Kong (Brian) said he preferred Holland American Line cruises. Several hundred passengers not thousands.
Been a while since he has posted , hope he is keeping well.

[Johnny Kieran]

Our first cruise was on the Thompson Dream. Had a fire first night out, but the crew dealing with every aspect of the occasion were pretty useless. They all wore yellow caps, but that seemed to be the only thing to do with emergencies they were aware of. A girl in charge of our lifeboat had no idea what to do, "I think I have to take your names" she said, with a pen in her hand.
During the whole thing, everything was broadcast around the ship, including all the screaming from the engine room and bridge. They obviously left the mikes on after the first warning to the crew.
Apologies if I've related this before.