Carnival's in the news again. Why do people go on cruises?

[Honeycombe8]

You go on this big ship...what's to do there? A nightclub act, some shuffleboard, a pool (how ironic), eating eating and more eating. Walk around the walkabout. Then go sleep in your little cabin. Sounds so boring to me. What's the attraction? I just don't get it. They'd have to pay ME to go sit on one of those cruises.

[In_The_Wind]

1. It is very romantic.

The attraction for me: A cruise is like being on a small island with someone I love.
Only the scenery is always changing.

[union_maid]

18. Ah, that must be what's wrong with me

I could not do sustained romance for a solid week. At least not by the time I'd known someone long enough to book a cruise with him. This could explain a lot.

[In_The_Wind]

20. Back in the day ... mr. rightnow lasted from a week to 4 years.

imo: the cruise could have been better with anyone else.

[pinboy3niner]

2. For recreation, to socialize and be surrounded by lots of smiling, happy feces

Er...faces. I meant FACES.

[MiddleFingerMom]

4. Smiling feces... sometimes... sometimes... they don't tell the truth.

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Who knew Billy Preston's grandparents had a band back then?
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[In_The_Wind]

11. !

[pinboy3niner]

27. When feces smile and lie to me, it may be time for detox

I could be wrong but as far as I know, feces don't usually smile and lie. Or even talk. But if you pay a little extra on Carnival, maybe you'l find some weird bennies included?

[Honeycombe8]

7. :) good one. nt

[darkangel218]

30. Ahahahahahahaha!!

+1000

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. I'm disappointed that I never went on an Alaskan cruise.

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Everyone I know absolutely loved the experience -- which can't be said for the Caribbean, etc. cruises.
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Of course, everyone I know who traveled to and through Alaska in any form has absolutely loved the
experience. Even in the service, where you find people who hated and people who loved every duty
station you can think of (even Hawaii)... EVERYONE I knew who had been stationed in Alaska had
loved it.
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There are all sorts of activities on cruises... including entertainers (I think almost always "B-list" or
below), dancing -- and there are ports-of-call to visit... though that's NOTHING like actually travelling
TO a country. And I think one of the main draws is that you can do as much... or as little... as you
feel like.
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Except for the Alaskan cruise, I would personally much rather vacation/travel differently -- but I can
certainly see the attraction for many.
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[In_The_Wind]

10. I missed Alaska. We did a cruise to the Bahamas.

[Earth_First]

5. Of all the petty things to keep one up at night...

You might want to take a sleep aide tonight.

[NickB79]

6. Buffet, baby!

When my sister described her Caribbean cruise, the main thing I focused in on and wanted more details about was the food.

"You're telling me I could have a steak and lobster buffet at midnight if I wanted?!?! Flame-broiled triple-cheeseburgers for breakfast?!"

Oh, and there was a bunch of other little shit, like seeing beautiful cities, swimming with dolphins, sandy beaches, palm trees, comedians, etc, but BUFFET!!!!!!

[Honeycombe8]

8. I can get eat in the comfort of my home! W/o paying for a cruise.

Changing scenery? You mean as you pass by other places? I don't see that as any more interesting than watching the travel channel.

I'd rather go camping and fishing. Or go see Maine or the northwest...or Ireland. Yeah, Ireland.

[NightWatcher]

9. Every morning your resort is at another Caribbean Island

It's why I did a 7 day cruise. Your hotel takes you somewhere nice while you sleep. I don't know if I'd cruise again because I'd go straight to my fav islands and not waste time on others.

[spinbaby]

12. I didn't much care for the experience

We probably won't do the big cruise ship thing again. The European river cruises are intriguing, though.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

13. Carnival? No. European river cruises? Oh, yes. (n/t)

[Paladin]

23. Agreed. (nt)

[olddots]

14. i would rather go to klan meeting dressed in drag than get on a Carnival garbage scow

The Alaska cruise is supposed to be great along with river cruises and most smaller ships but these top heavy Wal-Mart mini cities are hell on water.

[Kali]

15. I don't really get it either

if I wanted to stay in a resort setting I would just go do that, with smaller crowds.

having said that, a friend of mine went up the Amazon on a big cruize ship last year and there were lots of side excursions. Being of a certain age and health condition, she said it did beat sleeping in hammocks but she really hated the crowds and not being in real contact with locals and the environment, except for day trips. (with 200 other passangers)

[avebury]

16. I love cruising.

There are so many Caribbean islands and a cruise to several islands can help you to decide where to go back for a longer stay if you just want to visit one island. Living in a land locked state I love the Caribbean water, the beaches, snorkeling, etc. I can totally understand why people move to one of the Caribbean islands. So what if there are Hurricanes, we have tornadoes where I live. It would be amazing to live someplace where winter doesn't really exist.

[Honeycombe8]

26. I'm from the deep south where there's no winter to speak of.

Having no seasons is sooooo boring. Christmas in short sleeves? Doesn't seem right. Sweating at Thanksgiving dinner? Not if the a/c is on. The a/c is on from March to October. Sometimes longer.

No beautiful wool coats, no boots, no warm hats, no snow....ever. You have two seasons: hot and cool.

OTOH, it's great for gardening, if that's your hobby. I moved to where I'd have snow at least once a year, and fall colored leaves. Not like the north, but a semblance of four seasons.

[Denis 11]

17. Carnival = Fung Wah bus of the cruise ship industry

Fung Wah is a Boston Bus company the feds recently shut down for unsafe practices,

[union_maid]

19. I haven't been on one, but it does sound that way to me

Both my adult kids were enamored of cruises for a while. Might still be, but I don't think there's room in their budgets now. Anyway, they'd come home and tell me that we'd love it and there was something for everyone on them. I looked diligently through brochures and didn't find a damned thing I was really interested in that required the cruise part. There are probably some specialty cruises that could be fun - like famous author cruises or special music things or that sort of thing. Vacations aren't in the budget for me either these days, so I don't really know. I've been on cruise ships while they were in port fairly recently and I can tell you that no matter how enormous they are I'd feel claustrophobic by the end of the week.

[In_The_Wind]

21. There are so many beautiful places to visit on dry land.

I'm just waiting for warmer days to visit some of my favorite mountain tops in New York.

[pipi_k]

22. Beats me...

I've been on some smaller river cruises but that's it.

On a related note...I got to thinking the other day about how ironic it would be if some of the passengers who got stuck on that "Triumph" cruise who maybe got a pass for free or reduced fare on another future cruise, and then got on one of these recent cruises from hell.

I mean, how horrible would that be...

If that happened to me I would tell them to stick their free/reduced fare "Sorry we fucked up your vacation" vouchers up their asses.

[sharp_stick]

24. These are fun and informative

They actually give you a recommended reading list before you head out so you can brush up on the stuff you're going to see.

The excursions are incredible

http://us.voyagestoantiquity.com/

[Sekhmets Daughter]

25. The Ports of call....

usually provide great fun and a wide variety of activities.

[darkangel218]

28. IMHO,

Sheeple mentality. Why would anyone want to get stuck on a floating hotel, when they could have the same ameneties safe on land? People go on cruises because is the hip thing to do, everyone else does it, so they have to do it too. Kind of the same as Disney world.

[olddots]

29. I would love to go on a Scientific American Cruise

They have them in Europe and you get to attend talks by scientists.......I am a nerd at 65 and this sounds like more fun than line dancing to K.C. & the sunshine boys at 3 a.m plastered on drinks with umbrellas .