BuffettNews.com

Sigh.

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/trave ... 83931.html

ugh. Can Branson be far behind?

Let me see if I've got this straight.  You sign up — and pay an exorbitant price — to take a cruise on a ship that looks more like a huge barge with a Las Vegas hotel tower, complete with shopping mall and casino, laid on its side on it; then travel to various ports of call in the islands so that you can stay on board this floating monstrosity and patronize some plastic replica of what used to be (and might even, if you look hard enough, still be) on shore; then go home and tell everybody what a great time you had on this cruise when the only water you probably saw was in the swimming pool or served in a glass with your dinner.

And they (the cruise lines) have got people literally standing in line and screaming "Take my money!!" to do this.  God, the things one can do with a good marketing department behind them!!

I lament the fact that 'Windjammer Cruises' had management/financial problems and isn't still around.  Sailing on a tall ship with only a few dozen passengers on board — now *THAT'S* the way to see the islands!!

-"BB"-

It's all about perspective.

Half full or half empty?

FinsUp6835 wrote:It's all about perspective.

Half full or half empty?

Excellent Point! While I would much rather spend a week on an island, than on a cruise ship (and would recommend such)--to each, their own.

A cruise ship makes a lot better fit for a Margaritaville, then Phoenix--or Nashville--or Connecticut

But, again--that's my opinion

We have always enjoyed cruising as our way to get away at a reasonable all inclusive price (except for the booze), visit and enjoy exotic places that we would have never seen, dine with new acquaintances that sometimes have become long time friends and relax. After 25 cruises dating back to the original Fun Ship, we have seen all the islands (some more than 4 times) in the Caribbean that a large cruise ship can port at. Now we are picking an island a year to book a week at starting this year with Angullia. When we read about NCL adding the Margaritaville themed restaurants, we thought that's a perfect match for cruisers of our age group. Not that we are going to run right out and book an NCL cruise just "because". We are going to stick with our annual island hop until we can hop no more.

catsway wrote:We have always enjoyed cruising as our way to get away at a reasonable all inclusive price (except for the booze), visit and enjoy exotic places that we would have never seen, dine with new acquaintances that sometimes have become long time friends and relax. After 25 cruises dating back to the original Fun Ship, we have seen all the islands (some more than 4 times) in the Caribbean that a large cruise ship can port at. Now we are picking an island a year to book a week at starting this year with Angullia. When we read about NCL adding the Margaritaville themed restaurants, we thought that's a perfect match for cruisers of our age group. Not that we are going to run right out and book an NCL cruise just "because". We are going to stick with our annual island hop until we can hop no more.

To be clear, I'm not putting down cruising; I've been as well and do enjoy it. I'm just pointing out that in 1979, JB put out a song that clearly cast a negative light on cruise ships, and now 35 years later, he finds himself in a business partnership with a cruise line.

PeretHed66 wrote:I'm just pointing out that in 1979, JB put out a song that clearly cast a negative light on cruise ships, and now 35 years later, he finds himself in a business partnership with a cruise line.

I guess I'm not the Parrothead I thought I was, because I'm not sure which song you are referring to there.  Could you elaborate, please?

-"BB"-

The relevant verse ...

You know people in the city got nowhere to go
They used to go to bars now they go to Discos
No, no, no disco (uh-uh, no)

They never see the sun
They hardly see the moon
They barely see the ground ’til the snow melts in June
Uptight, It’s out of sight

So they save a little money
Take a little trip
They only see the islands from a tacky cruise ship

I don't think that's so much anti-cruise ship as it is anti-some of the people who travel on them.  He could have written the same song about a four-day bus charter to Branson ("See Shoji Tabuki; have dinner at Lambert's, home of the Throwed Rolls; five other shows; and the Precious Moments gallery!!"), Nashville, Orlando, or any other major tourist destination.

But what do I know?  I wasn't even sure what song you were talking about until ten minutes ago.

-"BB"-

"Dance to the drum
Drink a lotta rum
Love to you come to a stop"

I love that song...

I lament the fact that 'Windjammer Cruises' had management/financial problems and isn't still around. Sailing on a tall ship with only a few dozen passengers on board — now *THAT'S* the way to see the islands!!

"Bicycle Bill", I agree with you.

The cruise ships depicted in Morris' Nightmare were called "foo-foo ships" by Windjammer Barefoot Cruises for good reason.

R.I.P. Windjammer Barefoot Cruises.

BUT

LONG LIVE ISLAND WINDJAMMERS !!
http://www.islandwindjammers.com/

LONG LIVE LIBERTY WINDJAMMER CRUISES !!
http://www.windjammercruises.com/

LONG LIVE SAILING SHIP ADVENTURES !!
http://www.sailingshipadventures.com/

Maybe we'll meet aboard one of them one day.

I admit I have never been on a cruise ship, have never had the desire to be that confined/contained with several thousand other people. (Unless you count a large gray Navy ship.)

I have cruised on my own "cruise ship", TRADEWIND, visited the Virgins, Montego Bay, Cayman's, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, and most ports between Pensacola and the Dry Tortugas. Never more than 4 onboard and the booze was much cheaper.