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Post by bimse on Sept 1, 2017 14:44:18 GMT
I wouldn't agree a cruise is (for the most part) a good way of seeing places tbh, it's a good way of going PAST places very quickly. In my experience it's a frustrating experience, because you don't get the opportunity to experience a destination , a visit to Rome was incredibly frustrating for me , no chance whatsoever of taking your time to enjoy those beautiful buildings. No chance to go inside anywhere.
They are best (just my opinion) for scenic destinations or smaller ports where the town itself is the sight , such as the Greek islands .
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2017 15:11:40 GMT
I certainly agree cruising is about class, apparently on a cruise the higher up your cabin is the better class you are are and more affluent part of society, this is based that the crew sleep on the bottom, so the further away from them the better, I am obnoxious enough to want to sleep on the bottom based on this theory!!! Also on board the shipping company are always trying to get you to spend money, like enter tonight's lottery, have your picture taken, this is after you have been herded up to be on the ship by 6pm, so you spend money on there extortionate alcohol, which they pay no duty on, for me a destination comes alive at night time. I would hate all the queue also on board to get your evening meal, especially with raucous behaviour as highlighted on here and feels like some sort of Benidorm on the sea and don't ever ever get me started about that grear invitation to sit at the captain's table, how tacky and gaudy. I was reading the itinerary of a round the world cruise, 5 days at sea I would be bored out of my head, by the second day and would end up jettison myself overboard. It sounds like you need to change your source of information. Cruise cabins, like theatre tickets, vary in price to accommodate all pockets, but some of the most expensive ones can be in the middle of the ship or at the very back. Likewise, some of the cheaper cabins might be on the top deck. A bit different from the theatre, I suppose, where the cheap seats are up the top, further away from the stage, some with a restricted view. Cruises, like theatres, are a business so of course they will tempt you to spend more money once onboard on things like photographs, drinks, upscale restaurants and spa treatments. I suppose the equivalent in the theatre is some of the tat they sell as 'merchandise', and the extortionate prices they charge in theatre bars for drinks and bags of sweets. No-one has ever made me part with more money than I've wanted to, either on a cruise or in the theatre. No-one has ever herded me on a cruise either. True, some ports you visit you are asked to be back onboard for sailaway at the end of the afternoon. There's something quite romantic about sailing away from land watching all the lights fade into the distance while the ship comes alive again. However, in some ports you can enjoy an overnight stop. I've experienced this in Madeira, Reykjavik and St Petersburg. I have felt herded coming out of the theatre, where I've been funnelled in a direction I didn't want to go and found myself in some back street a good walk away from my tube stop. Queuing for dinner? No, not done that either. There are restaurants where you are served at your table. Usually by the most charming people you're likely to meet. Some even have a twinkle in their eye! You can choose to eat alone, a deux, with friends or with strangers... I've queued once or twice in the buffet where I've opted to have lunch, but that's been my choice. In the theatre I have queued for security to check my bag, for the toilet, at the bar, to get into the auditorium, to buy an ice-cream, to get out... the list goes on. I think there are some cruises where raucous behaviour can be a problem, but I reckon you can tell which ones they're likely to be from the price. Check out the Bad Behaviour at a Show thread, and you'll see plenty of evidence of anti-social behaviour going on in the theatre. Don't ever go to Jersey Boys on a Saturday night. Or Mamma Mia on a Friday. The Captain's table is a thing of the past, like Variety Shows. Many top West End theatre performers boost their incomes by coming onboard cruise ships for a day or two to perform a concert. I've seen Ruthie Henshall, who brought along her own MD to work with the ship's orchestra. She was outstanding! (The ship's entertainment manager also arranged for me to meet her afterwards so I was in double Heaven!) On a different cruise I saw Daniel Boys perform in the ship's main theatre and then a completely different set in a more intimate cabaret lounge. (I did actually stand next to him while we were helping ourselves to desserts in the buffet so I was able to tell him how much we'd enjoyed his show!) Another highlight was the Strictly cruise I went on where we had six professional dancers from the TV series all performing their shows for us, chatting around the ship, posing for photographs, and we had Arlene too, being a luvvie which was great fun. For all of this no charge; all part of the money paid for the overall cruise experience. And people falling overboard is a lot more common than we think, although I don't think it's related to the actual experience onboard! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2017 15:40:09 GMT
I hear that all meals on the cruise are going to be Musical themed. And the final night's menu will have an "Andrew Lloyd Webber" theme - all the same dishes you've had before, but warmed up with a slightly different sauce. And each course will be the best course yet, and how you always imagined a course should be. |
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Post by robertb213 on Dec 27, 2017 10:42:53 GMT
Just wondering how many people might be thinking of attending this cruise next year now that a few more acts have been confirmed?
Michael Ball
Beverley Knight
Collabro
John Owen Jones
Christina Bianco
Lee Mead
Sophie Evans
Showstopper
Arlene Philips
Don Black
I'm tempted but it is expensive and I've never been on a cruise before. I'd also be travelling alone as a 36 year old saddo!
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Post by anita on Dec 27, 2017 10:56:44 GMT
Nothing wrong with going alone. If you can afford it & you want to go - then do it.
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Post by alece10 on Dec 27, 2017 12:34:10 GMT
I would think a cruise is ideal for solo travelling plus you will be on board with all like minded people who enjoy musical theatre so I bet it will be really easy to make friends. I get very sea sick otherwise I'd love it.
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Post by theatregeek on Dec 27, 2017 14:34:24 GMT
Just wondering how many people might be thinking of attending this cruise next year now that a few more acts have been confirmed? Michael Ball Beverley Knight Collabro John Owen Jones Christina Bianco Lee Mead Sophie Evans Showstopper Arlene Philips Don Black I'm tempted but it is expensive and I've never been on a cruise before. I'd also be travelling alone as a 36 year old saddo! It is a tad expensive to be honest - I'm off this weekend on a 7 night 5 star cruise with drinks for £689 - but I suppose the fees of the entertainers will be pretty substantial. I think there are about 12 of us going from our theatre group of all ages from 20's to 60's. I don't suppose I'll see all the acts but will have to pick and choose, there may be some variety type of show also of course with a few of them on the bill. The post above about the bad side of cruising is a bit ott, I still do city breaks etc, but cruising is all about the ship for me now - yes I get off now and again but it's great when in port and most people are off sightseeing. Oh and I've been on the biggest ships with 6000 passengers - I REALLY don't know where the other 5999 are most of the time, they are built to have loads of room and entertainment for everybody. Beats a week in Tenerife any day. |
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Post by theatregeek on Dec 27, 2017 14:38:34 GMT
Damn, don't know what I did above but my rambling has intertwined with yours robertb213!
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Post by robertb213 on Dec 27, 2017 15:44:21 GMT
Damn, don't know what I did above but my rambling has intertwined with yours robertb213! Haha! Thanks for the comments though. I might hold out a bit longer longer and see if another big name hooks me in. I think I would enjoy it and I kinda want to do it as a confidence-boosting self-development sort of thing as much as for the musicals. I'd be looking at around £1500 at least though which for 5 days is pretty steep... 😲 |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 27, 2017 16:01:11 GMT
Damn, don't know what I did above but my rambling has intertwined with yours robertb213! I’ve untangled you  |
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Post by carmella1 on Dec 27, 2017 18:12:39 GMT
robertb123 if you would not mind sharing, why not give them a call and see if they have a list of people who want to share. That is pretty steep.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 27, 2017 18:18:45 GMT
Sharing in one of those teeny cabins though? I would think twice about doing that with my best friend, let alone a total stranger.
The prices for this are really very high for a 4 night cruise on the cold North Sea. When you add the single supplement you could do New York for a similar price and duration.
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Post by carmella1 on Dec 27, 2017 19:24:56 GMT
I have taken the transatlantic cruise where you fly one way and take the ship the other. The Queen Mary. Beautiful room. But it comes down to what you want on a cruise. That one was a far cry from entertainment unless you count lectures, the planitarium and afternoon tea. The actual entertainment at night was not for my taste.
The spacious rooms are 202 feet so why not see if there is anyone available you are not going to be in the room you are there for the entertainment.
I have also taken other cruises but always shared. Granted with people I know but that is why on a cruise such as this one if you thought you would be alone you book early. Would I pay 1500 for this no but if you can save 500 and really want to go investigate it. Nothing to lose but a call.
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Post by danb on Dec 27, 2017 19:29:32 GMT
Sharing in one of those teeny cabins though? I would think twice about doing that with my best friend, let alone a total stranger. The prices for this are really very high for a 4 night cruise on the cold North Sea. When you add the single supplement you could do New York for a similar price and duration. Have you lost your mind Burly? COLLABRO! Y’know off of the telly! You can be on the same boat as them for some money!! Nope? 😂🙄 |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 27, 2017 19:40:03 GMT
Sharing in one of those teeny cabins though? I would think twice about doing that with my best friend, let alone a total stranger. The prices for this are really very high for a 4 night cruise on the cold North Sea. When you add the single supplement you could do New York for a similar price and duration. Have you lost your mind Burly? COLLABRO! Y’know off of the telly! You can be on the same boat as them for some money!! Nope? 😂🙄 I was in the same room as them a couple of weeks ago and you’d have to pay ME to see that lot again! |
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Post by danb on Dec 27, 2017 19:58:42 GMT
Have you lost your mind Burly? COLLABRO! Y’know off of the telly! You can be on the same boat as them for some money!! Nope? 😂🙄 I was in the same room as them a couple of weeks ago and you’d have to pay ME to see that lot again! Did you see them on purpose or purely by accident? |
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 27, 2017 20:16:27 GMT
£1500 for a 4 day cruise with only 1 port of call seems awfully pricy to me. This summer we paid £1500 each for a 12 day cruise that visited 6 Baltic ports. Okay we didn't have the same level of entertainment but still, especially as I'm someone who doesn't enjoy actually being on cruise ships & only puts up with it for the sake of the places visited.
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Post by robertb213 on Dec 27, 2017 20:28:45 GMT
The price is definitely putting me off, especially as I've seen most of the current acts previously anyway. I might put a pin in the idea for now 😁
Thank you all for your input though!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 27, 2017 20:52:29 GMT
I was in the same room as them a couple of weeks ago and you’d have to pay ME to see that lot again! Did you see them on purpose or purely by accident? No I saw them in concert and they were pants! |
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Post by theatregeek on Dec 28, 2017 13:24:10 GMT
Damn, don't know what I did above but my rambling has intertwined with yours robertb213! Haha! Thanks for the comments though. I might hold out a bit longer longer and see if another big name hooks me in. I think I would enjoy it and I kinda want to do it as a confidence-boosting self-development sort of thing as much as for the musicals. I'd be looking at around £1500 at least though which for 5 days is pretty steep... 😲 Wow! I didn't realise the single supplement was that much! I think I'm £600 each for mine - albeit that daughter is being dragged against her will. |
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Post by shady23 on Jan 14, 2018 16:50:03 GMT
Encore Radio are doing a competition to go cruise with the stars!
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Post by theatregeek on Jan 15, 2018 12:09:04 GMT
Now THIS one is REALLY expensive. I checked it out a few months ago.
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Post by robertb213 on Jan 15, 2018 12:45:17 GMT
The only way I'd get on that ship would be to throw Alfie Boe and Katharine Jenkins off it!
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Post by anita on Jan 15, 2018 14:54:28 GMT
After hearing my sons experience of cruises- novovirus, sea sickness & ships breaking down - I don't think I would go on one even if I could afford it.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 2, 2018 17:45:25 GMT
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