I went on a Disney cruise. They wouldn't let me drink at 18 but gambling was good to go. So my brother just bought everything and handed it to me. Cruises are quite hedonistic, lots of drunk fuckery going on. I'd say it's cramming Las Vegas into a floating city. The good and the bad.
I've done a few cruises, and they've been great. Did Alaska 3 times, and Hawaii once. If you pick the non-trashy cruise lines (like Holland America, my personal preference), it's a great fucking time. Great food, great/cheap booze/wine, phenomenal service, and when you spend the bucks to get an outside cabin with a balcony, it rocks. If you don't like cruising, you haven't done it right. "I don't like travelling around North America"... "then stop taking Greyhound."
Why's everybody sick? Know who's not sick? Me. So you guys just stay in your corner of the world and I'll stay in mine. I had delicious cheese fries tonight. If I could take one food item with me on a deserted island, I might choose these. I was still hungry after eating them and debated ordering another plate, but thought that'd be gross and overdoing it. So I went with the nachos from hell instead. That's much better right? Extra sour cream. Yummy. Sort of. But I really wanted the fries. Stupid funball.
In the same vein, I really had a blast on the cruise I went on. I spent more in drinks than what my cabin cost but it was a blast. We did carnival and it was an old boat but we met a ton of fun people. I think as long as you are willing to go for it and have a blast it can be a great time.
IM ON A BOAT! I've been on two cruises and had a great time on both. One was about a week after high school graduation, with most of my class and the Seniors from another school in town. I wasn't 18 yet, but did not get checked for ID on the boat or in any of the shops where I bought booze. There were a number of bars and clubs and lounges scattered around the boat. One of them was a really small bar, where the bar itself was shaped like the front of an old Pirate ship, and the room would probably hold 20-25 people. There was never anybody in there. A buddy and I made that our go-to pregame and postgame destination the whole trip. We kept calling the bartender Isaac, which he was a good sport about. We would sit there and just order everything that idiot high school kids who'd never been in bars would do. "Ohkay, now we want to stry a White Russsshian." and so no. Woo. Drunk. Like, real drunk. A few months after we came back, that ship was in the news for having an explosion and catching fire. I think it sailed for another 10-12 years before they scrapped it. The other cruise I went on with a group of friends for NYE about 10 years ago. More drinking. But as Nett said, lots of really good food and personal service. We saw a couple shows and enjoyed the house band in one of the bars. All that was on the boat, and didn't even include the excursion stuff we did. If you're really skinny and don't drink, I think cruises wouldn't be that fun.
Know whats better than a cruise? An airplane. If you're going to get somewhere, get there fast. And I get its about chilling on the boat in the open ocean, but still, I'm sure some of you love it, but I can't see myself ever doing one.
I've never been on a cruise. I've also never heard anyone say that they had a bad time while on a cruise. That weirds me out. I would worry about the cost of booze, and being cooped up in a confined space with a casino. I feel like that is a recipe for the greatest trip ever, or the most expensive trip ever. I do know I could easily handle the eating part. I agree with Toddamus on the airplane thing. There is nothing better than getting on a plane, drinking, reading a book, taking a nap or whatever and landing 2000 miles away four hour later. Then half of your vacation is not spent driving somewhere.
Once upon a time there was a cruise/ferry boat that ran between Bar Harbor and Nova Scotia. It was like a combination of a plane and a cruise ship - it got you from point A to point B in a hurry, and had airline style seating. One section had a large projection screen TV, and there was duty free shop, gambling (video poker and slot machines), food, and a bar. It was pretty cool, and the trip was, from what I remember, about 2 hours each way. That route has been canceled, but it still runs form Portland to Nova Scotia
The only time I've had what I'd consider a "bad time" was on a cruise in Hawaii, because the staff was American. Due to some legislation, any cruise ship operating from Hawaii had to staff with Americans, and it was the worst service ever. There was a ton of "don't bother me" and "fuck you" kind of mentality around the lower staff, and it was fucking annoying. The restaurants were dirty and not clean, wait staff service sucked, and the only good thing I can say is the bartenders rocked. Lesson learned... never again will I go on an American-staffed cruise. The other cruises I've been on use international staff, ones from poorer places in the world, where they are making killer bank and are happy to be of service... the end-of-cruise tip is like winning the lottery for them, so they work hard for it, it shows, and is greatly appreciated. You would not believe the difference it makes. I also prefer to stay on the smaller ships, as that also makes a huge difference.
If I won a free cruise trip, I would absolutely take it with a big smile. But if I do ever have enough money for a tropical vacation, I want to go to an all-inclusive resort.
Re: IM ON A BOAT! Because I was getting rep . . . Isaac. From the Love Boat. And it was funny because the bartender was white. And the ship was the SS Emerald Seas. Also, I drank so much. So much. I threw up on the shoes of one girl that I had a crush on, while chatting with her and one of the chaperones (who was also drunk). I tried to apologize to her and sat next to her on the bus back from Miami. I was still very drunk, and I think I fell asleep while I was talking to her. When I woke up, she had moved seats. When I got home, my dad sent me out to mow the lawn; my sweat smelled liked a homeless wino and my mouth tasted like I'd been eating from a litter box, if someone had emptied an ashtray in it. So proud.
The Wire marathon has pretty much fucked my planned day of productivity. On the upside, it's my favorite season, and it is by far the best show of all time.
Pfff you must have missed Breaking Bad and The Sopranos. The Wire is okay, but not definitely not top 10.