This is proof that I have been to the Pyramids of Giza. And it’s just as well that I have the photo. 16 years on, and I have little other recollection of that day. An early arrival at Port Said; a long bus trip (escorted by police) into Cairo; 40 minutes in the National Museum (40 minutes!!!!); 25 minutes at the Pyramids and less at the Sphynx; and then of course one whole hour at the souvenir emporium.
That is the total of my time in Egypt to date; a fascinating country that deserves, and will get, much more of my attention. Israel was done in a similarly crazy fashion the day before, as part of our 3 night/2 day Thomson cruise from Cyprus.
This is my experience of cruising. I know many people who love this method of travel. Having worked in travel for some years I attended many conferences and presentations from cruise companies who sold the virtues of their particular style; some even marketed the concept of “cruises for those who don’t do cruises”. When I expressed my personal doubts I was given many assurances that I needed to try another one. I wasn’t convinced. I have several issues with this mode of holiday.
1. Being stuck in a confined space. Yes, it is big and no different from a hotel. But when we stay in hotels, even large resorts, it is nice to go for a walk before or after dinner. A walk for us is normally one to two hours, and we will wander around streets and houses and observe the lives of people around us. Who do you see on a boat other than your fellow cruisers?
2. Inability to explore places. My exposure to cruising in Israel/ Egypt was similar to that which I observe at many popular tourist spots. Being herded from boat to bus, whizzing around attractions at breakneck speed, being fed standard bland tourist meals in bland restaurants (for which you’ve already paid) and always squeezing in the trip to the gift emporium; not my idea of fun. How easy is it to break away from the group and do your own thing, eat in your own choice of restaurant, and venture away from the set itinerary? I don’t know, but I imagine it’s not what the tour companies want you to do. Of course there is free time in places, but this again needs to be strictly timetabled.
3. Lack of flexibility. Some of the best things we have done on a trip have been decided at the spur of the moment. Walking past an attraction and deciding it warrants a closer look; driving past an amazing view and stopping the car to take a hike there; eating at the place from where fantastic aromas eminate as we walk past. All pleasures that I cannot imagine a cruise allowing us to do.
4. Difficulty of encountering local people. Apart from in the gift emporium, there is little opportunity to interact with people at a port of call. It would be frustrating to visit a place and miss this chance for what is often the highlight of a trip. The reality will be that most of your interactions will be with fellow cruisers. While there is no doubt that I would find many fascinating people on a cruise who I could learn a huge amount from and who would be entertaining company, experiencing other cultures, however superficially, is a major part of the travel experience.
5. A final word on cruises for people who don’t do cruises. You can now rock-climb, mountain bike and even surf (yes!) on a cruiseboat. My question is “Why?” If you want to do those things, surely you would do them out in the open air and not on a boat.
My message to cruise companies is this: you have millions of potential customers who love to cruise, and who enjoy the comfort of the ship, the food, the entertainment, and the ability to visit so many places in such a short time. I understand that repeat trade is particularly strong in the cruise industry. But maybe you do have to accept that some people just aren’t cut out for cruises. I am fairly sure that I fall firmly into that camp.
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Yes: Cruising isn't for everyone. I personally love to cruise but I rarely take a ship's excursion and do my off ship exploring on my own. I also look for cruises that have overnights in ports so I can do more and see more without rushing back to the ship. I went to Egypt earlier this year on a cruise and spent hours at the museum and a couple of hours at the pyramids. I saw the light show at the Sphinx and had dinner at an out of the way restaurant that was recommended by a cab driver and did a two hour Nile cruise. The only two things on my agenda were the museum and the pyramids. The rest were spur of the moment ideas. I did stay at the Sofitel hotel in Cairo for the one night.I like a cruise because it is a floating hotel where I can go back to after a long day or two and enjoy myself. There is nothing worse than the feeling of being herded like a common cow but it doesn't have to be that way. It's easy to break away from the herd, especially if you have a travel, not tourist, background.Take care,Mike
Thanks for stopping by Mike, and for sharing your experiences. It's good to hear that you have enjoyed flexibility and adventure while on a cruise. As someone who works with the industry (your website is great by the way) do you see any move within the industry to attract adventure travellers into cruising? I hear that most cruise companies are holding up their business well this year, compared to other tour operators.
Great post! We are cruise haters as well. Case in point. We were taking a tour of Ephesus, Turkey, and for over an hour we had the entire place to ourselves. (Took some great pics!). Enter the buses from the ship. The entire place is overrun with people for about an hour. Then they all disappeared. How can you take in a place with that many people that fast?