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Waitingfordoggo · 05/05/2026 09:44

I wouldn’t go on a cruise full stop. I have been on two cruises, many years ago, and I quite enjoyed the experiences but didn’t love them. I worry about the environmental impact of cruising and feel uncomfortable about the excess (eg the amounts of food, and how much of it gets wasted). I like to be pretty active and there are very limited opportunities for that on a ship unless you just want to walk round and round the deck umpteen times or go to the gym. And the views are just ocean. I like views with other stuff in, like mountains and lakes and villages. You usually only get one day at each destination so exploring the city feels extremely rushed and stressy. I prefer city breaks where I can spend a few days somewhere and have a good look round. Something else about cruising that didn’t sit right with me was having staff make a fuss of me- especially when those people are usually from countries where life is very hard and people don’t have much in the way of money or opportunities. Yes it’s great that the person has a job to support themselves and their families but it just made me feel uncomfortable.

And yes, the worry about contagious viruses spreading quickly round a ship is another good reason not to go on cruises IMO.

So it’s a no from me although I wouldn’t necessarily rule out a river cruise on a very small vessel, provided it wasn’t ‘luxury’.

MyDuvetDay · 05/05/2026 09:53

I wouldn’t ever go on one of those mega cruise ships for a bunch of reasons

mindutopia · 05/05/2026 09:55

I also wouldn’t go on a cruise. Too many people and too boozy. 😬 But as someone with a background in infectious diseases, no, this wouldn’t put me off at all if it was something I otherwise enjoyed. There is plenty of hantavirus on land and people dying from it periodically, even in so called highly developed countries like the US. I’d be much more concerned about norovirus and influenza on a cruise personally.

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HoraceCope · 05/05/2026 09:55

they seem to be petri dishes
however aside from that
it is pretty awful for the passengers when things go wrong.

no, they are not appealing to me anyway.

OP posts:
HoraceCope · 05/05/2026 09:56

i work with people who become addicted to cruises

OP posts:
OrangeJellySnakes · 05/05/2026 10:03

I wouldn’t go on a cruise but mainly because I’m sea sick at the slightest movement so I wouldn’t cope. I can see the appeal if you have limited mobility - you can just stay on the boat while others go round the cities etc.

Miranda65 · 05/05/2026 10:07

I wouldn't go on a cruise anyway ..... being stuck in a floating multi storey car park with thousands of strangers and expected to socialise? My worst nightmare!
Calling at fabulous places but only being able to see them briefly, shuffling around in a group wearing headphones? Noooo!
Having to dress up, watch cheesy entertainment, "join in" with stuff? Nope.

Not to mention that cruises do have a reputation for being bad for the environment and fostering illness.....

I know some people love cruises, and I'm happy for them, but I can't imagine it would ever be a holiday I'd enjoy.

Ginmonkeyagain · 05/05/2026 10:09

No. I would not go on the rat plague ship.

Kaleidystopia · 05/05/2026 10:11

HoraceCope · 05/05/2026 09:56

i work with people who become addicted to cruises

Please tell us more! I've noticed a few people I've known become obsessed with cruises - lining up the next one, talking about it all the time, generally slightly losing touch with non-cruise-centred lifestyles.

Personally, they don't appeal for all the reasons already given. And I also imagine the people can be a weird mix. It wouldn't surprise me if it's swinger-heavy...

PancakeCloud · 05/05/2026 10:11

MyDuvetDay · 05/05/2026 09:53

I wouldn’t ever go on one of those mega cruise ships for a bunch of reasons

It says in the article posted almost 150 passengers were onboard … I wouldn’t call that a mega cruise ship. Sounds like a boat honestly, or a mini cruise ship at most!

DeanElderberry · 05/05/2026 10:14

Almost 150 people on board, three of them now dead, human to human transmission not ruled out.

Not an attractive holiday option.

Waitingfordoggo · 05/05/2026 12:43

HoraceCope · 05/05/2026 09:56

i work with people who become addicted to cruises

I think my ILs are in this category. At one point they were going on three or four a year (they’ve been retired since their mid 60s on very good pensions 🙄).

FIL is now 81 and despite being well enough to travel, now has quite a lot of health conditions which make travel insurance wildly expensive. He paid £1500 recently for travel insurance for a cruise! I think they are now realising it’s becoming too expensive even for them and so they’re beginning to adapt their travel plans. I think it’s going to come as a bit of a shock as they really have got used to cruises. They both love the VIP treatment whereas it makes me cringe myself inside out 😂

HoraceCope · 05/05/2026 12:58

these passengers are stuck in their cabins. like prisoners

OP posts:
WhatAMarvelousTune · 05/05/2026 13:01

Cruises really don’t appeal to me. But if they did, I’m not sure that this unusual case would put me off. Cruises sometimes have outbreaks of bugs - if it didn’t bother someone last week, it would be illogical for it to bother them now.

Timetakesacigarette · 05/05/2026 13:15

It’s a rare virus breakout. It wouldn’t put me off necessarily but I’ve never been on a cruise.

chickenandapples · 05/05/2026 13:20

I'm not interested in the hantavirus scaremongering and I will not be complying in another lockdown no matter what.

EnthusiasticDecluttering · 05/05/2026 13:20

I've been on them in the past (on the mega ships) and really enjoyed them. You don't have to socialise, dress up, get pissed, shuffle round in tour groups, join in any activities cheesy or otherwise and they do have gyms, running tracks etc as well as plenty of quiet spaces to relax. But I worry about the environmental aspect and it is a rush on shore days having to keep an eye on the clock so you get back on time and I'm not sure I'd do it again, maybe on smaller ships. The hantavirus outbreak wouldn't put me off in itself though.

Belladog1 · 05/05/2026 13:22

My parents love a cruise and go every year, but for the last 3yrs my mum has picked up norovirus and spent days being violently ill. The last time it happened mum swore she would never go again, but Dad has persuaded her to go one last time!! Rather her than me .... its awful being ill when not at home.

Bristolandlazy · 05/05/2026 13:22

You'd have to pay me to go on a cruise. I don't understand the appeal, apart from those smaller river cruises.

Maddy70 · 05/05/2026 13:23

Yes of course. Dilated incidents happen everywhere. Would you never go in a hotel? To school?

Youdontseehow · 05/05/2026 13:28

Nope- I’m on one at the moment (probably my 15th cruise) and it’s all good. Just had a lovely lunch of sea bass and salad and am now sitting in the sun reading MN.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 05/05/2026 13:29

chickenandapples · 05/05/2026 13:20

I'm not interested in the hantavirus scaremongering and I will not be complying in another lockdown no matter what.

The media like to whip things up but there is literally no one talking about a lockdown. Or even a real risk beyond the cruise ship passengers - WHO say wider risk is low. No one credible is doing any scaremongering.

Ponderingwindow · 05/05/2026 13:30

Even if I didn’t suffer from seasickness, the occasional story of things going wrong and people being stuck really turns me off the idea of cruises. Disease spread and malfunctions happen and there is no where to go. That just does not appeal to me.

i quite like an all inclusive holiday. I love nothing more than spending the day reading my book and then having a good meal. I stay land based for those.

pandora206 · 05/05/2026 13:31

MV Hondius is not a mega-ship. It's an expedition ship, designed to visit Antarctica and other remote locations, so not a typical leisure ship at all.
Hondius Cruise Ship | Editor's Review

GameOfJones · 05/05/2026 13:36

I love a cruise and admit I've become slightly addicted so I could well be a colleague of a PP 🤣. I thought I'd hate them but was persuaded to try a Norwegian fjord cruise and to my surprise I absolutely loved it! There's something about being at sea and the slower pace, waking up in different destinations that I fell in love with. They're also a great multigenerational holiday as there's something for everyone.... great for my kids that love the kids club so DH and I can actually get some time together, great for the grandparents that have limited mobility and stay on ship whilst we explore the ports.

In answer to your question and in case it wasn't already obvious.....no, this doesn't put me off.