13 Most Overrated Cruise Experiences that Disappoint Cruisers

[@LifeWellCruised]

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[@wstlndiesel]

I still believe this is the best cruise channel on KZbin. Keep up the great work!❤

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@wstlndieselawe thanks!! I love being a part of this community & appreciate your kind words

[@mthoward95954]

On our princess Alaska cruise they did the baked Alaska processional

[@deborahengram5144]

I love having a balcony for relaxing without the crowd.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Me too 😊

[@annastory349]

I've only been on two cruises but I'd be hard pressed now to give up that balcony.

[@JoeOh100]

Same same. We only book the infinite veranda. She’s always been like “ this is sooo controversial “. lol. It’s actually the best in celebrity.

[@alexurn2843]

Me too, I always get a balcony, that way I don’t have to fight folks on the top deck for chairs.

[@stevebyrne5048]

Nothing like sailing into a port early in the morning, enjoying breakfast delivered to your room and sitting on your balcony as the port wakes up.

[@donbarron5349]

Pool chair hogs should be shown the plank.

[@jal316]

The most overrated cruising experience is by far disembarkation. I don't like it at all and can do without it altogether.

[@VickiGreen-s7y]

Agreed! Hate for it to end!

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@jal316 haha we can all agree

[@lisasnyder555]

Facts!! Lol

[@barryhaley7430]

What cruise lines are you on? We just disembarked from Celebrity Summit in Fort Lauderdale.We left our cabin at 6:25 and were in a taxi by 6:40. We do walk off.

[@craigwalz6508]

I enjoy the later disembarkation that Virgin Voyages does, Instead of being rushed out of my room at 7 am I can enjoy my last night, sleep in a bit and still have time for a sit-down brunch, then stroll off the shop at 10:30 feeling refreshed instead of evicted.

[@lauriestrong9972]

I don’t get off the ship with HAL until after I’ve enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the MDR. Usually around 9:15 I vacate my cabin before breakfast and then walk off the ship and collect my luggage. Never book a return flight before noon

[@dawnpowers7626]

I don't know how well this is going to go over, but I'm over cruise ports that are two hours away from the actual city advertised. Looking at you, Paris and Rome. I don't want to spend half of my excursion on a bus. Go some place where the towns are cute.

[@deepshotone]

Same with embarkation ports. I've sailed out of Galveston once and I refuse to sail out that port again. Way to far from the airport

[@laurie3753]

Most small port cities/towns typically don’t have marinas/docks that can accommodate large ships. Smaller ships that are say 300 passengers plus crew, with various smaller cruise lines, offer access to interesting ports and unique experiences.

[@susansmith864]

For Rome there's a cheap rail link from Civitavecchia to the city - takes about 50 minutes and costs

[@dawnpowers7626]

@@laurie3753 That would be more my speed. I was lucky that Bermuda accepts ships of around 2,300 passengers. Could get off the ship and walk right to relevant areas or buses.

[@veeda67]

I 100% agree!! If that’s the case then it should be an overnight at that port-of-call. I didn’t enjoy my only time in Paris due to the 3hr down and back😢

[@what_is_life_t]

I’m on vacation, it’s for me to relax and be comfortable. I’m not going to dress up and be uncomfortable.

[@alwilliams64964]

Thanks Illana - great video (as always). I was disappointed that "Dancing Waiters" were included. Not because I disagree - but because I was ready to add it to the "what did I miss?" list. Nobody likes it. The waiters are working tirelessly to get food delivered in a timely manner - it only slows them down. Customers feel trapped to sit and wait for them to finish. These folks are incredibly hard working, great people and great waiters. They are not great dancers - so why do the cruise lines force the fake enthusiasm?

[@LifeWellCruised]

Omg too funny! I am going to have to remember the “what did I miss list” next time. I agree with you 😬

[@melodeekistner2936]

And yes, Princess still does this. We sailed last month and it was so pointless. It wasn't even the night when they served the baked Alaska for dessert!?! Our first cruise was in 1976 - to Alaska - and the parade was with real Baked Alaskas with real sparklers and it was fun but now it's just a waste of everyone's time.

[@aacannon1ify]

I agree with the mega cruise ship complaint. I with they’d just modernize the smaller ones.

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@aacannon1ify yes 🙌

[@williamdelmar3964]

After a certain minimum size, as the ships get larger my enjoyment of the ship declines.

[@CYCO1631]

Agreed (in part at least)... Looking forward to Royal actually getting the Discovery of the Seas up and running. Will be among the first to sail on it.

[@gwcrispi]

You got to bring all that formal wear. Suit, tie, belt, shoes. It takes up too much space in the luggage for one night.

[@deborahengram5144]

Everyone likes different experiences. That's what makes cruising fun. Some times I just want to relax,and sometimes I want to join in the fun. On a cruise I can have the best of both worlds.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Well said 👏

[@jollyrob]

I like that the formal night is a lot more flexible, at least on most cruise lines, than it used to be. I like to 'dress up' some nights personally, but I'm glad that being forced to wear a tux is more or less a thing of the past.

[@LifeWellCruised]

I think there are a lot of people who agree! Thanks for sharing

[@jodiburchard2993]

The problem with formal night is that formal wear weighs too much and when your limited on the weight of your luggage, formal wear needs to go. We still like to dress up just not formal.

[@cindygriffiths5917]

Exactly

[@trbstang]

Agree. We try to just each have a carry on size suitcase and backpack for a personal item. Formal wear complicates things so we do business casual. I ended up wearing my dress pants and a blazer on the plane there! 😂

[@LifeWellCruised]

Makes sense

[@sarahruiz1215]

That's one concern I have. I have a beautiful emerald green dress for a formal night on an upcoming cruise. We have 2 formal nights so I'm probably going to use a lighter weighted dress for the 2nd formal night. The weight is the main issue besides the space in luggage 😂

[@CarboneCat]

HAL have a dressy night and it’s much more relaxed than formal. But I get your point though.

[@patchayko721]

We general travel of the smaller class of ships because as seniors we would use very few of the attractions. Our point of cruising is to see the attactions at the ports. We use our money for excursions instead of on board activities.

[@craighutcherson420]

Love balcony just looking out over endless water is great!

[@erniesimmons4452]

I believe many things depend on the cruiser likes and dislikes. I love sail away because of the music and the feeling that the cruise is starting. I am easily satisfied with the MDR so I haven't had the need for specialty dining. I live for the shows and enjoying the cruise experience.

[@LifeWellCruised]

I think sailaway is fun too 🎉😂

[@bkmartin1958]

My problem with sail away party is the same problem I have with everything else that takes place by the pool. TOO LOUD. It is also the reason my wife and I try to get into MDR early. The loud music and flashing lights give me a migraine and can trigger my wife's PTSD.

[@erniesimmons4452]

@@bkmartin1958 that's what I love about cruises we do what suits us and that's ok. Everyday there's a list of events but we determine how we spend our time. My main goal is spending quality time with friends and family.

[@CherieMabrey]

I like the small HAL ships best.

[@lisaperry2029]

I totally agree. Mega Ship = No (in my book).

[@brianscovern68]

Photo ops by the crew and then seeing how much they want for those photos....insane.

[@glfarwell]

Build the Mega ships for the families and entertain the kids. That said I will sail the smaller, less than 3000, where the kids are bored. Sounds as close to a "win - win" as I can imagine.

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@glfarwell haha best way to think about it

[@tpchai8685]

I’m over 60 and I was bored on a small ship. Not that I want to go on the water slides or climb rock walls but I do like lots of entertainment and exploring different areas of the ship

[@nancyruckman5875]

That's why I stick to Princess. They cater to an older crowd and don't have a deck full of things that would attract kids. I also sail when kids are usually in school, avoiding summer sailing completely. I LOVE a larger ship as I want endless things to do. Leaving on another cruise next month!!

[@charlescarpenter3758]

Smaller to me means about 750 guests. But even this size is not allowed in Venice now.

[@janicestewart7546]

I hate smaller, dull ships and I am 77 years old!

[@irvinjones531]

Mega ship "No" to many people. Especially first timers.

[@FredVance-v1x]

We hate the dancing and singing waiters!!!! We would prefer to quietly dine without the loud distraction.

[@monicadepoy5157]

They are awkward for both of us

[@cijmo]

I won't call it a 'disappointment' because it was everything I expected to be, I just want people to know that it's okay to bow out of the sail-away party or just pop in for a sec. then go on your own. It was great seeing everyone having a great time but then I'd had enough noise. I used the time to explore the ship while everyone was up on the Lido. Basically, we sailed away without my knowing it! LOL.

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@cijmo lol that’s actually a good tip

[@edwesby5752]

1. Formal night I always liked because it gave me/us the opportunity to "dress up" like we never did at home, when not on a cruise. Plus we always got a great photo of us all dressed up to put in a frame and hang on the wall at home. 2. Short 3 or 4 hour shore excursions are fine with me; I don't need to see everything. I have been on all day excursions and after them I need a full day of rest. 3. we only do specialty restaurants maybe once or twice and usually only when we get a 2 for 1 deal. 4. We are not a fan of pool decks at all; prefer the solarium or better yet a spot on the open promenade deck down close to the sea and away from all of the noise. 5. an infinite balcony is NOT really a balcony. 6. agree spa and massage are very overrated. 7. have been on several mega ships and they were OK, never felt crowded. 8. usually spend sail away on our balcony with a glass of wine.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Thanks for sharing this!!

[@nancyruckman5875]

As a person who hates the cold, I think an infinite balcony sounds perfect if going to Alaska or some other cooler cruise. But, I'll never find out as I only sail Princess who is known for their Alaska cruises.

[@brandywinetyson8115]

The problem with the theme parties is that you don’t know ahead of time what they are going to be. I would love to participate in the team parties, but if I don’t know ahead of time, I can’t plan for what to bring.

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@brandywinetyson8115 great point

[@msmich1868]

Most websites list the theme nights

[@robertb7864]

I agree. The cruise lines should let people know before they leave for the ship. That way they can bring appropriate clothing. We didn't know there was a "White Night".

[@brandywinetyson8115]

@@msmich1868 They have a list of potential parties. But I can’t/won’t bring something for EVERY potential party.

[@JennyLaureys]

To ease the pain of debarcation a bit, we book an hotel for a couple of nights in the debarcation port.

[@lindabradford9591]

We do that before and after the cruise. I hate having to rush anytime.

[@spacepilot12]

I was on Norwegian last week and they have eliminated all formal nights, singing waiters, and the special foods like Lobster and Prime rib that are served on those nights. They comped everyone a specialty dining night and the food was so much better- included steak, 2 appetizers, 2 great sides, dessert and a glass of house wine. I don’t like the mega ships…too crowded and impersonal. I hope they never phase out the smaller ships as they are so much better and more personal. I enjoy shore excursions but try to avoid ones with a lot of shopping on the descri

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@spacepilot12 very interesting. NCL has been Freestyle (relaxed) for a few years now

[@wstlndiesel]

I still believe this is the best cruise channel on KZbin. Keep up the great work! ❤

[@ricosantos6249]

Hello, my wife, son, and I just came back from a Princess Cruise to Alaska, and the waiters did the Baked Alaska dance during our last dinner. It was a nice end to our cruise. Thanks for the great videos

[@nancyruckman5875]

I've been cruising long enough to remember when the baked Alaska were actually flaming! Now, due to fire risks, they use the little votive battery operated candles. I do understand the change but it is far less impressive and dramatic.

[@RogerBaumgarten]

Specialty Dining is our #1 cruise add-on. Love it!!

[@sarasue56]

I absolutely love the Caribbean Princess sail away. So much energy and this 68yr old is not embarrassed to say so. Others, not so much.

[@nancyruckman5875]

Was on the Caribbean Princess for my birthday and had a blast! The cruise director and her staff where SO good. What a fin 7 days!!

[@shirleymcnickle4281]

I love the sail away parties

[@lindabradford9591]

Us too

[@Draylis64]

Aside from Viking, any other cruise line, I'd be perfectly happy cruising a week out to sea with no stops and a week cruising back.

[@nancyruckman5875]

I don't know why cruise ships don't offer a "cruise to nowhere". No more port fees, no excursion planning, no waiting in line to get on/off the ship day after day, etc. On my cruise to Hawaii that left from LA, I got a taste of that as it was 4 days sailing to get to Hawaii and 4 days back. Lovely sea days!!

[@vgrhbg]

Why is Viking different that you don’t enjoy their sea days?

[@Draylis64]

@@vgrhbg Only because I don't cruise through Europe often. I look forward to the stops there. Anywhere else, been there done that. I'd rather just have sea days.

[@marciaclark7619]

We have taken two 3-week cruises. We love the sea days, too! In January we're sailing from San Diego to Hawaii and back. It's only 17 days, and we've been to all but one of the islands we're visiting, but the sea days will be great.

[@bkmartin1958]

​@nancyruckman5875 unless the ship is registered in the USA, it is required to make a foreign port of call. The former cruises to nowhere were three day cruises and no one wanted to spend one of those days at a port instead of at sea.

[@cruisingismylife63]

I agree that I have been SO disappointed in many expensive cruise-sponsored excursions! Way too much time at shopping centers and not enough at the attractions!! I love to shop but I can shop at home. Also, the food on these excursions is usually subpar and generally disappointing. I have cruised enough now to figure out that using Uber/taxi to go where I want to go or a local tour guide is better and cheaper, you just have to stay very aware of time!!

[@dianawiggins3791]

My husband loved the snow room after being in the steam room. We are cruising NCL Encore again to enjoy the thermal suite.

[@FrancesBaranowski]

I love sail away and themed night

[@danjessee]

Yes, princess does the baked Alaska parade on the last night 6:30 PM for the 5 o’clock dining here you get to thank the waiters head, waiters and junior waiters with your applause and towel waving of your napkins

[@maureenlenehan77]

I did a baked Alaska presentation when I studied culinary in college. Loved it.

[@RaeanneRivard-et1hr]

Mega ship… YES! We just disembarked the Wonder of the Seas and loved it! Previously we have only sailed on smaller Disney ships and we were wowed by all the amenities of the Wonder. Yes, there’s more people. The service wasn’t quite Disney standards but the amount of activities, food options and “neighbourhoods” onboard, made the ship a destination in itself.

[@mrlogboy]

I guess I’m going to go against the grain lolol. I like embarkation day. Explanation I like planning for the trip as much of the trip and I like traveling for the trip as much of the trip so stage one for me is planning and doing all the research, stage two is traveling to the cruise port, stage three is on the cruise, stage four is traveling home. And between stage two and stage four, we have stage five, which is planning your next adventure. Lolol

[@heathersmith8549]

I love formal nights. But we always like to dress up when eating in the dining room. It’s part of the whole cruise experience for us. We cruised last week on carnival. And yes we had “Showtime!!!!” and baked Alaska on the final night. Love them both. It’s called “fun”. People should try it sometime.

[@georgiabeck3904]

I loved the Icon!! Yes, it is big but the lay out is great . Very well played out!!

[@dkozakohoh]

We were on the Beyond last month and really enjoyed the infinite balcony. Made the room feel much larger.

[@joanshortall7333]

I like the infinite balcony. I also love Oasis class huge ships. I am going on Icon on Saturday!! So excited. When I first started started cruising 40 years ago the singing waiters along with the midnight buffet were all the rage. The midnight buffet disappeared. The singing wait staff needs to go away too. The dining room can sometimes be loud and busy. I don't need that extra distraction from my meal

[@LifeWellCruised]

Very interesting!! Thanks for sharing

[@designdoctor247]

you NAILED it! Agree w each one!!! Remy's on Disney my MOST OVER RATED meal of my life!

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@designdoctor247 interesting one

[@shamas.7823]

And we loved the spa on Celebrity Reflection - the ice room was great! And I love the Oasis class ships.

[@Anne-dc2fp]

When you say about the disappointing spas I totally agree, for most of them, however, the Spa on the MSC Vituosa is AMAZING! Absolutely amazing, so worth a visit 😃

[@MitchenerHalferty]

The variety of textures in the kislux pack is impressive. From smooth leather to textured suede, there's something for everyone.

[@robertfoerster566]

On the excursion front, I've given up on any beach break one. Always subpar after a long bus ride. Do one yourself that is close to the cruise port either walking or a short cab ride. ;) Thank you for the video!

[@janicestewart7546]

Love the festivities of the waiters in MDR.

[@jeffreywagner5234]

I would like to see a video on which Cruiselines you can bring wine on or not and how many bottles, etc….

[@BeefromSC]

I love the 80’s and white night! I usually bring an outfit for both. I also enjoy dressing up for the 2 formal nights, and wear something dressy each night in the MDR. It’s the norm for me to start my cruise at the sail away party!! I’ll probably start cutting the attendant short because it’s hard to find a spot to set, so were standing for like two hours, then before you know it, we’re expected in the dining room. I love the waitress/waiters dancing! They work to come up with a routine, but if they don’t want to participate, I prefer those ones step back, and support their coworkers. I don’t like when it appears some really don’t want to be involved. The spa is just too expensive!!!!

[@michaelbaca4126]

Highly overrated is the mega ship experience. It is like going toa carnival, clouded, pushy, and on top of that you have to sign up for everything. And yes, I miss a real formal night.

[@Cruise-hair-why-care]

I LOVE the mega ships. I was on Icon in July and loved it. We cruise three to four times a year and try a smaller ship at least once a year but still love the Oasis class or larger best. No problem with kids on Icon for us, there were 6 of us and had no children along. We had plenty of places to go where there were no children. I love kids, but I get it if you go on vacation and don’t want children around. We had a great time with 6 adults. My favorite ship is still Wonder of the Seas. As always, thank you so much for your wonderful videos!

[@irenehawkins7011]

Disembarkation plus on Holland America cruise last month….being able to send luggage to airport and be checked thru to destination. In Seattle, it was a huge help!

[@selmasalmons7291]

AGREE --- THAT WAS TRULY A BLESSING.

[@cyoohoos]

Truth is….Air Plane travel used to be a dress up affair. Now, even the flight attendant uniforms are more casual. Life evolves and though people love nostalgia…. Times have changed.

[@sweetpea1989]

My first flight in 1984 at age 18, I wore a white dress and fancy shoes. My only knowledge of flying was from tv and everyone looked so nice. Now people show up in bathing suits, pajamas and reeking of BO or Avon perfume.

[@dchenkin02]

Many of my friends love Norwegian because they completely eliminated Formal Nights, fixed dining times, and dancing waiters. Having rules simply requiring you wear better than a bathing suit in certain parts of the ship should be sufficient on mass market cruise lines. Also, eliminating dinner showtime and having multiple including dining rooms with different menus improves service allowing more time for other activities in the evening. As for Sailaway party, I always miss the party because it is not announced. I'm usually in my stateroom unpacking and getting changed for dinner. If your not allowed into your room until 2pm and have a 6pm dinner time it is impossible to attend a 5pm Sailaway party.

[@donnaclancy3731]

Disembarkation from our recent HAL cruise was amazing. I felt they did a great job with it. Way better than Carnival or Princess.

[@sylviaschneider9724]

Yes last week Royal Princess had the Baked Alaska walk-through celebration at Main Dining room.

[@osgoodehuskies1]

No to the Mega ships. I don't mind a few extras but do we really need bumper cars and roller skating? Plus with these huge ships come huge crowds. I still consider myself a "traditional" cruises as I've been cruising for so long so I like dressing for dinner because, to me, that's what makes going on a cruise special. I think the drink packages are also over-rated. It's just too bad that the cruise lines are nickle and diming everyone now

[@DavidKim-rs3fp]

I used NCL several times and enjoyed their free-style cruises. My first seven-night MSC cruise will be coming Sunday, and its main dining room requires formal clothes, so I need bigger luggage.

[@kimberlyquinn2496]

I truly LOVE formal night. I still get very dressed up!

[@LifeWellCruised]

Love that!

[@CruisN-Steve]

Yeah, I'm kind of starting to agree that the dining room dancing should phase out. But it was fun seeing that years back. 🎉

[@barryhaley7430]

The Infinity balcony has its place. We would prefer it in colder climates like the Baltic or North Sea. But the regular balcony is preferred for warmer climates like the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

[@kevwwong]

Definitely with shore excursions. The only time I'd take an excursion through a cruise now is basically anything that requires a ferry from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen, because that's two transportation variables where you, the traveller, have no control over when it departs and when it arrives. Dancing waiters is just a weird concept. I'm not really enthused about it outside of a cruise ship, and I'm unsurprisingly not enthused about it on a cruise ship either. Personally I'm a fan of the megaships, but everyone's mileage will vary, and there's no real way of knowing whether you'll like it or not until you try one. But that's the great thing about cruising, right? You'll almost certainly find a ship type and cruise line that's right for you.

[@ninerjen1]

Princess did the “Baked Alaska” dance on my Recent Sept cruise to Alaska. This was a very good topic! Thanks Alana.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this. I think I missed it on my last Princess cruise

[@JB-armybrby7]

Thanks for the insight I actually have a cruise coming up and I made different choices about the spa and some short excursions

[@LindaK-v3j]

Most of the things that you named is why I go on cruises. I absolutely love formal nights. Hubby and I dress every night for dinner in the dining room. The dancing waiters are the best!!

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@LindaK-v3j love that!! Shows we all enjoy different things, but I’m with you on Sailaway 👏

[@gailmueller174]

We just returned from a Disney Cruise this past Saturday. We had so much fun with the theme nights. It was a Halloween on the High Seas cruise. You can see and feel the Disney difference. My big disappointment was the spa. They hook you on the first day. I decided to do a bamboo massage. It started out fine and then she got to my shoulders. I told her that it was starting to really hurt. She said that she needed to break down the calcium deposits in my shoulders. She did the usual upsale as well. When I got back to my cabin, my shoulders were black and blue. My husband couldn't believe how much bruising she caused. I learned my lesson.

[@janiceyasuda9155]

Try getting a message on one of the beaches." Krazy Lobster" on Costa MAYA. Get a taxi, to take you there. Free little margarita, set you up at a table in the shade. You can order food if you want, don't have to. It's very good and fresh. you're on the beach. Swim, little boats to use and you can see your ship from there. There are ladies that do messages right there on the beach. Very good, not much english but that's OK! Very reasonable, 20-30 $$ Nice live music playing. A real treat!! highly recommend!

[@GayesyJ]

Omg the snow room would definitely be a hard no from me Ilana! 😳😂

[@nikstorm594]

There are times when each of these functions are an absolute blast, and then occasionally those activities are just too much. Sometimes the vibe of the cruise is to participate in all of these options and be loud and about; and sometimes you want to sit and float in peace. That is the beauty of a cruise, there are so many options available, and each guest is enjoying their own experience. However, it is wonderful to have all of these choices...

[@ruthhawkins26]

I love the infinite verandas!

[@matthewdenham7398]

Thanks for the heads up Illana

[@ginnyjacques6533]

LOVE the mega-ships! More space so I don't feel as crowded as on the mid-size ship.

[@BostonHeather]

Agree with so much of this. Thank you! I love sail away….. on my own balcony 😂😂

[@LifeWellCruised]

Haha I can understand!! I still like a good sailaway party 🎉

[@bookmagnet24]

I didnt know about the glow party for ncl until ur video so definetly packing white

[@jeanettehill1526]

Definitely the art auctions are overrated!!! Most of the art is abstract and seems to be extremely colorful. I never saw anything that was appealing on four cruises. The prices were ridiculous!!! I don't care for the evening dress up because I have to pack additional clothes and worry about wrinkled clothes. I think it should be optional. Some of the excursions were really lame. Only one Caribbean excursion wasn't cheesy and I booked it with my travel agency. Alaskan excursions were pretty good. On Celebrity, Le Petite was really fun and the Tuscan Grill was fabulous. I was really surprised that the food in the dining room on Princess was very good, beautifully presented, and large portions. Great service on all four cruises, so far. Next cruise will have the infinite veranda and I will miss the open ocean breeze.

[@nancyruckman5875]

Formal dining is optional. You've got many other places to eat dinner on formal nights. And on most ships, "formal" is not enforced at all. A nice polo and dress pants for the guy and a little black dress for the ladies is fine.

[@clyster3000]

I always book the thermal spa on ncl. Love it and well worth it.

[@johnrlaw1]

Hi, really enjoy your channel, happy I subscribed. First of all, just got off the Grand Princess 4 day cruise from Vancouver to LA. Yes they dancing waiters with baked Alaska on the last night. Did not expect that . I agree with all your thoughts, my wife and did most of cruising on Celebrity and enjoyed their true formal nights years ago. My hot button today is dress in the dinning room, flip flops NO, wish the cruise lines would not allow. We booked the Princess Reserve and premier collection. John L.

[@heatherqualy9143]

I haven’t done it, but I feel like a mega ship would be fantastic for a transatlantic cruise. 1) because there’s so much to do on board, and you would have time to do it 2) very few families with small children do these cruises, and they are a lot less crowded

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@heatherqualy9143 you might be right

[@jenniferfuchs4949]

I agree, the dancing waiters should go. I don't want to wait for them to finish to get my dessert or to get to the real show in the theater.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Seems many people agree with you

[@designdoctor247]

agree and i feel sorry for them...they have TOoooo much to do already! IMO

[@dchenkin02]

My first cruise on Norwegian the service in dining rooms was pretty fast compared to Carnival thanks to not having the dancing waiters and different included restaurants having different menus. Our favorite was the included Chinese restaurant; smallest included restaurant with great food and service.

[@penelope5500]

@@designdoctor247 Agree. I find it kind of offensive that as hard as they work they are then expected to do the silly dancing for our "entertainment".

[@DrMagic77]

Disagree- On MSC they danced and even had a great singer over the speakers, and it was alot of fun and you can tell that the waiters were enjoying it.

[@christinemarino5732]

Love the oasis class ships. Sailing on Utopia this month. We are older and have 20 + cruises over the years. There are enough adult areas and activities the children are not an issue for us. Mostly Loyal to Royal!!!🎉🎉

[@rachelstout466]

Carnival does baked Alaska as of last November.

[@KC2DC]

I'm all in on soecialty dining and find specialty restaurants are infinitely better than the MDR and buffet. On my last 12 night cruise, the UDP was the best money I spent, second only to monry spent in the spa. 100% agree on the dancing waitstaff. I think it is demeaning to force the food professionals to perform in this way.

[@jrtmanmd]

Yes on the Mega ships, medium is better!

[@ReneeLakes]

I love you so much! I recently just found your kislux and i’m in love!! Your videos are so fun and you energy is just MWAH! keep living your life

[@rockdefdiva]

I enjoyed the art auctions couldnt buy anything but it was fun seeing the paintings and the staff was very informative we got a free glass of champagne and piece of art too

[@donnahoffman8973]

We were on Discovery over New Years, loved formal night. We did dress up and had a wonderful time, seated with another couple from the UK. I am thinking that as long as people are comfortable and dressed smart casual is fine for "formal night", no cover ups and flip flops. Another thing is wearing pajamas to breakfast, I try not judge people but for me, I am just not comfortable with people seeing me in pajamas that are obviously pajamas. There are cute pajamas out there but, just not for me. They did the baked Alaska dance in the main dinning room and we had never heard of it, loved it.

[@JuneRaeder-MacKinnon]

I love the infinite veranda. I seldom use a regular balcony.

[@Rhyonized]

Definitely wish the newer ships included the complimentary saunas/steam rooms like the old ones. It’s so nice to detox after all the indulging or relax during colder sailings.

[@barryhaley7430]

Celebrity runs excellent embarkation and disembarkation. We just disembarked from the Summit in Fort Lauderdale walk off. 15 minutes from cabin to the taxi.

[@FrancesErickson]

I enjoyed formal nights, but my husband did not because he is 6’6” tall and wears size 15 shoes therefore the luggage weighs a ton. He made me promise not to make him do formal nights anymore. I agreed because I would rather go cruising and give up formal nights -lol. We actually prefer smaller shifts with less people, but of course were over 60 and been there done that.

[@jessicakilburn]

To be honest I plan on dressing extra formal!! and I can’t wait for it.

[@maureenlenehan77]

I love getting dressed up for the evening.

[@peggywillis554]

I have never attended the sail away parties in 5 cruises. Guess I am busy unpacking

[@lindabradford9591]

What? You gotta go once. I don't do the dance part but it's fun to see everyone having a good time. I stand by the outside wall and wave bye to all of the people at the port and on other ships. I can unpack when I get ready for bed.

[@tomkile295]

We're in our mid-70s and sailed on the Icon during spring break in April. It was packed with kids. We had a wonderful time and loved the ship. We were able to find places to hide from the kids when we wanted to. The shows on the ship were worth putting up with a lot of kids. We would do it again. (Maybe not at Spring Break.)

[@sassycat0222]

Im a newbie to cruising. Just got off my 2nd one a couple weeks ago. With that being said, with limited suitcase space, for my husband and me, formal wear, costumes, etc is not happening. Formal night in the dining room - no worries, Ill find something else to eat or do. Parties that are themed - just go have fun. Where what you want

[@marybright9112]

Love the waiters singing

[@rhondalyn100]

Love Sail Away parties, hate mega ships. 🙂

[@OmegaBahn]

I agree with formal night. I've gone to apex dining (Rmey, Palo and Enchante) in DCL and expecting something better as jeans, rubber shoes and some collared shirt is GTG. So basically anything that doesn't look like park or swimming pool clothes.

[@tracisnow4897]

Husband and I are going on our first cruise the week of Thanksgiving for 8 days. Super excited. I am so excited for formal nights because we never dress up that much at home. I am totally psyched about a couple of the parties - 70s & Motown and 80s Rock & Glow. I've got most everything for my costumes except I want an 80s wig. Lol. For my husband, I've had a terrible time finding something for him to wear to the 70s party. (He's 6'7.) I think I've finally decided to just have a pair of jeans altered into bellbottoms. If anyone else has suggestions, lmk. Haha!

[@mjandres4451]

You can order a cheap wig from Temu. We ordered orange for the Holland orange party. Best of luck

[@j.m.7056]

Get him a shirt with a wild 70s type print.