Cruises: Good Value Vacation or White Trash Rafts?

Jysin said:

Again, look at clientele. To the average mass cruise ship patron, a night out at Applebee's or Outback is a special occasion.

Cruise ship meals are "great"? It's all relative.

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Ah, no. I have dined at the finest restaurants in the US and also in some other countries. With RCI for example, Chopps Grille and their Italian Place blow away 90% of the best steak / Italian places I have been too. This includes Manny's, R.C, Pittsburgh Blue... There is a $20 extra charge to dine at these places while on the cruise ship. The only one that beats it so far is a place called 6Smith in Wayzata MN which, hands down, destroys everywhere in the US to this point. Only other place I have had better Italian food is a place called Yarusso's here in St. Paul, MN. Owned by the mafia.

Again, it's the idiots choice on if they eat buffet all day long.

And hell, the other people on the cruise ship rock. Had one guy on the last one who called me "Skol" the whole trip. And we heard a story about the dude's dad who created his own excursion in Belize. It was hilarious.

All these folks are great people enjoying a vacation from all walks of life, and shit, I usually end up knowing 75% of the ship by the time I am done. 25% I met, and yell out my name, then I look to my wife and ask.. "Hey who was that?" "Oh, that was your bass singer when you yelled you needed one when the crowd demanded you sing "Longest Time".

Jysin said:

Again, look at clientele. To the average mass cruise ship patron, a night out at Applebee's or Outback is a special occasion.

Cruise ship meals are "great"? It's all relative.

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Cruise packages are pretty spendy, the Trailer Park crowd is hitting 6 flags or a water park, not going on ocean voyages.

Anyone who wants to try a cruise and 1) Hasn't been on one but heard bad things so they steer clear never having experienced one 2) Went on one with Carnival or some ghetto cruise line; needs to hop a cruise with my wife and I. I guarantee you by the time it's over with, you will have had so much fun you'll have already booked 2 more before you get off the ship.

kegkilla said:

sounds gay

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yeah by *might* i mean after ive seen like 60 other countries and am running out of shit to do and dont feel like going to Dindu-Land

Jysin said:

Spendy? $680 bucks on a Royal Caribbean 7 day East Caribbean cruise on the "Oasis of the Seas" as recommended by someone earlier.

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So, a little thing about the cruise ship prices. 1) 680 a person. 2) Doesn't include flights obviously. 3) Doesn't include any drink package. 4) Doesn't include the fine dining restaurants. 5) Doesn't include any excursions. So, if people are making the mistake of equating dollars with "Status" of a vacation, it will be more like this:

1) $3,000 for a good room, not some piece of garbage on the 2nd deck without a window.
2) $450 per person for an all you can drink pass so you do not have to worry about booze at all.
3) $200 per person or the fine dining options.
4) $800 for excursions.

$5,100 to actually have a fantastic experience.

Utnayan said:

Ah, no. I have dined at the finest restaurants in the US and also in some other countries. With RCI for example, Chopps Grille and their Italian Place blow away 90% of the best steak / Italian places I have been too. This includes Manny's, R.C, Pittsburgh Blue... There is a $20 extra charge to dine at these places while on the cruise ship. The only one that beats it so far is a place called 6Smith in Wayzata MN which, hands down, destroys everywhere in the US to this point. Only other place I have had better Italian food is a place called Yarusso's here in St. Paul, MN. Owned by the mafia.

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I looked up Pittsburgh Blue online because the other 2 dont even show up. Its a steakhouse in minneapolis that has 3.5 stars on yelp. I'm not trying to be a dick, but this isnt "the finest restaurants in US". I dont expect the cruise ship cuisine to be Alinea, Eleven Madison Park or French Laundry - but the dude who compared cruise ship cuisine to Outback Steakhouse, etc. was right.

I was at an all inclusive once (like 6 years ago), the first and last time. It was an Iberostar in Riviera Maya so I assume the food is comparable to cruise ships, it was nothing to rave about.

Dont forget the added roulette surprise of the infamous Cruise Ship Norovirus to keep things spicy.

Zapatta said:

Cruise packages are pretty spendy, the Trailer Park crowd is hitting 6 flags or a water park, not going on ocean voyages.

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You can take a 5 day cruise for $200-300 on RC or Carnival

Araysar said:

I looked up Pittsburgh Blue online because the other 2 dont even show up. Its a steakhouse in minneapolis that has 3.5 stars on yelp. I'm not trying to be a dick, but this isnt "the finest restaurants in US". I dont expect the cruise ship cuisine to be Alinea, Eleven Madison Park of French Laundry - but the dude who compared cruise ship cuisine to Outback Steakhouse, etc. was right.

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Manny's and 6Smith are two of the best known steakhouses in the midwest, Manny's is top ten in the US.

I was at an all inclusive once (like 6 years ago), the first and last time. It was an Iberostar in Riviera Maya so I assume the food is comparable to cruise ships, it was nothing to rave about.

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Food in all inclusives in Mexico is completely hit or miss. For example, Secrets Capri in Playa Del Carmen was absolutely awesome. In Cabo, at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica? It was absolutely disgusting.

Utnayan said:

So, a little thing about the cruise ship prices. 1) 680 a person. 2) Doesn't include flights obviously. 3) Doesn't include any drink package. 4) Doesn't include the fine dining restaurants. 5) Doesn't include any excursions. So, if people are making the mistake of equating dollars with "Status" of a vacation, it will be more like this:

1) $3,000 for a good room, not some piece of garbage on the 2nd deck without a window.
2) $450 per person for an all you can drink pass so you do not have to worry about booze at all.
3) $200 per person or the fine dining options.
4) $800 for excursions.

$5,100 to actually have a fantastic experience.

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$5,100 to sit on a boat with a bunch of white trash in Caribbean?

I could backpack across entire Europe for a whole summer on $5,100 or go see China, or Thailand or Japan.

dafuq.