greenery

If you do not mind cruising during the off season, the cost of cruising has got almost to cheap. I see cruises going for as little as $169 for a short cruise and $379 for a seven day sailing. This allows just about anyone to go on a cruise ship.

Twenty years ago cruises were basically for older people who had a healthy bank account. The result was a certain class and style to the experience. Now days the local garbage man and dishwasher can afford to cruise. While these people may be nice people and great family men, they also bring in a certain set of behaviors and subculture into the cruise ship that is strange and foreign to veteran upper class cruisers. Cruising has become so cheap that it is less expensive than eating out at an all you can eat buffet.

Does anyone else miss the good old days of cruising?

DJ_Iceman

You could ask the same thing about air travel? It's certainly true that these experiences were more exclusive when they were out of financial reach of more people. But I personally think the benefits of democratization of these experiences has been far more positive.

You can certainly still experience upper-crust cruising through careful selection of cruise line, itinerary, length, and cabin.

BiziBB

It must be possible to find a ship with almost the same regular passengers, crew and culture which you appreciate from the 1980s. It would certainly be different from the scenario you describe! Thanks for the humorous anecdote

P.S. Grammar check your posts to avoid embarrassment!

sadiqhassan

If you look at the more upmarket lines, it's not cheap at all. A friend of mine paid $15,000 / pax for 10 nights in Scandavia (Suite.)

Cheers

Globaliser

You can still have them. Funnily enough, it tends to be on ships of the same sort of size as those operated during those good old days.

But you probably won't get that experience on today's mega-liners.

oldpenny16

I'm old enough to have traveled by ship in the old days and recently. For an entertainment experience I some times have chosen the mega-liners. Good entertainment value, but not good food. Just a lot of it. I've traveled on ships that had 'classes' of service. You knew things were going on 'upstairs' but you had your own good time.

SRQ Guy

Oh, Heaven forfend! Not poor people cruising! They just don't know their place any more.

Seriously, though, if it bothers you to rub elbows with the masses, just stick to the so-called 5-star lines and you'll never be aggravated by average people.

Personally I can think of very few things I'd enjoy less than being buttoned up on a ship with a bunch of snobs.

Kagehitokiri

if you want a higher quality cruise, go on seabourn, silversea, seadream, or regent.

rstidolph

There are all categorys of ships out there. When traveling you have choices. For hotels you can stay in a one star or a five. The same is true of ships.

greenery

Yes, there are cruises that are quite expensive and deluxe and the cost eliminates most of the poor people-- but these are all on smaller ships. It has got to the point that all large cruise ships have been invaded by working class and poor people. In many cases, these are the same people that made the Motel 6 experience one of complete misery and fear!

Is there a large ship cruise experience out there for elites?

justhere

Apparently you didn't like my other post as it was removed so let me put it another way. It's fine that you want the 5* experience and good for you if you can afford it, but there's no need to demean or belittle those people who cannot afford it. It makes you sound like a snob. Not saying you are, but it sounds that way.

karenkay

(emphasis mine)


the more you spend on your cruise, the less likely it is to be 'invaded by working class and poor people.' if you buy on a mass market line, you're going to get a mass market experience. if you bargain hunt, you're not going to be among the elites.

Globaliser

In the "golden age" that you're thinking of, cruises were that expensive and ships were that small.

You can't demand all the benefits of being on a big ship without taking the disadvantages of the market changes that have created them.

Have you looked at Oceania, for a possible compromise?

Kagehitokiri

http://www.cunard.com/OurShips/defau...in=acc&sub=qgr

is what youre looking for then

or The World, that one poster mentioned. the prices I was seeing were fairly high. and a lot of people own.

Flyingmama

Yes, and sometimes the fun was sneaking "upstairs" to see how the richer half lived - and particularly how they ate! Afternoon tea on deck in first class was an incredible experience not to be missed, particularly if you didn't belong there and weren't caught.