Other cruise lines are available

This post is especially for Volvo Cruiser, who specifically requested another article about our recent cruise. This post sort of is, as it is based on observations made whilst cruising around the western Mediterranean, back in June, but it also looks to the future, particularly as Mrs PBT’s and I contemplate where to ail to next year, and which cruise line we should choose.

If my sums are correct, we’ve clocked up six cruises since metaphorically dipping our toes in the water, on a three-day return voyage to Zeebrugge, at the tail end of October 2019. That was a “taster” cruise that we undertook, in the company of Eileen’s sister and her late husband, both of whom were seasoned cruisers. The pair showed us the ropes, so to speak, and having enjoyed the experience, we booked a slightly longer cruise to Hamburg, for the following May.

That, of course, never materialised – thanks to COVID, but the following year, when some virus restrictions were still in place, we booked a four-day, British Isles cruise, to Liverpool and back. This was on our own, as Eileen’s brother-in-law sadly passed away, right at the start of the pandemic. COVID wasn’t the cause of his passing, instead an aggressive brain tumour was behind his premature demise. Eileen and I had already decided that any future cruises should just involve the pair of us, rather than extended family, although we remain open to son Matthew joining us. That might sound a little selfish but that first cruise, along with previous experiences of going away as part of a group, was sufficient to confirm, what we both already knew that two’s company, whilst three or more is a crowd.

So far, we have only cruised with Cunard, a well-known and long-established shipping line who are considered top of the chain when it comes to luxury and sophistication. Combine that with a little glamour and elegance, and it’s easy to see why Cunard are held in such high regard. Mrs PBT’s can be a little conservative in her tastes, and by that, I mean she prefers what she is familiar with. I on the other hand wouldn’t mind a change and to this end we have both been looking at other cruise lines.

That isn’t quite as easy as it sounds because in common with Cunard and P&O, who are the other home-grown “British” cruise line they, like other operators such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Holland America, are all part of the American-owned, Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise operator. Interestingly, all 12 operators within the group, retain a fair degree of autonomy, when it comes to branding, with each major cruise line maintaining separate sales, marketing and reservation offices, as well as heading up the industry’s most intensive shipbuilding programs.

Before looking further afield, let’s take a more detailed look at Cunard to find out why I, at least, am looking to book a voyage with a different cruise line. Personally, I find Cunard too formal and too stuffy, with customs and traditions seemingly hanging on since the last days of Empire. The formal dress code that is expected of guess wishing to dine in the Britannia Restaurant really gets me goat. It’s like being back at work, although my company doesn’t really operate under such formality, apart from at trade shows or the occasional business dinner.

When on holiday, I really don’t want to dress like a stuffed penguin, any more than Mrs PBT’s wants to parade around in her glad rags. That’s not strictly true, because prior to every cruise she has brought herself a new "posh frock”, even though it will only be worn a couple of times, and there’s nothing wrong with the dress she bought for the previous cruise, or even the one before that! My point that fellow passengers won’t know that her frock isn’t a new one, is normally countered with the quip, “They might not, but I WILL!”

When push comes to shove, she often can’t be bothered to dress up, and it’s me who pushes for the occasional posh dinner – but only because I’ve gone to the trouble of packing a suit! The other issue about dining in the posh restaurant, are the set meal times, and these are 5.30pm and 9pm. 

On our first cruise, Eileen and I were very disappointed at her sister plus husband’s choice of the first sitting, as it meant missing the traditional “sail away”, which is the moment the ship weighs anchor, cast off her ropes, and slips away from the quayside. So, on our first cruise, and Queen Elizabeth beginning her departure down Southampton Water, and out into the Solent, and there we were trying to make polite conversation with a group of people we’d never met and were unlikely to meet again.

We soon got wise to this, and now opt for “open dining” which allows us to choose which, if any sitting, we prefer (nearly always the 8.30 option). This brings me to the second point about the posh restaurant, which is people like to sit on the same table, with the same people, every evening. They usually have the same waiter as well.  I’m sure they all have a jolly good time, but it’s not for us, as particularly when on holiday, it’s nice not to be bound by time restrictions or by dress ones, for that matter. I noticed how certain people become quite anxious about dining times, as on the Rome excursion I went on, there were people on the coach becoming quite fretful as to whether or not they would be back onboard ship, for their 5.30pm dining slot!

For a substantial number of people though, dressing up each evening, for a formal dinner, is part and parcel of the cruise, and it probably on equal, or indeed higher footing, to that of the destinations visited and even the sights seen. Other formalities, extend to the casino, and to some of the posher bars- Commodore Club, Churchill Cigar Lounge, Gin Bar etc, but fortunately are not applied in the pub – always called the Golden Lion, on Cunard ships. 

Regular pub quizzes though, take place in the pub, as do certain entertainment acts, which brings me on to the theatre, cabaret, plus other singing and dancing activities, plus of course, the popularity of ballroom dancing, something that is taken extremely seriously by the participants – most of whom seem to be northerners! That’s just about exhausted Cunard, although I trust I haven’t painted too negative a picture. There is always the buffet, or some of the poolside dining options that are open during the day, and don’t forget, there is no requirement to dress for breakfast or lunch in the posh restaurant, either. The latter, along with the pub, provide the best option on embarkation day, when the majority of passengers cram into the buffet.

So, what about the alternatives? P&O, Fred Olsen and Saga are looking like the favourites at the moment, and I have received good reports from a couple of work colleagues about the former. Less formal, but still with a “British” feel to them. Norwegian-owned Fred Olsen would be my choice. Smaller and more personal ships, able to access smaller ports that the larger vessels are excluded from. 

Some of their destinations also look interesting – Scandinavia (obviously), the Baltic, and the British Isles, but also Croatia, and some of the smaller Greek islands. Some Fred Olsen cruises, depart from other UK ports, such as Dover, Liverpool or Newcastle, instead of Southampton, and Dover is also the embarkation point for Saga Cruises. The latter seem expensive, but you have to weigh the higher cost against an inclusive drinks package, plus collection from your house and return drop off, by taxi, that will take you directly to and from the cruise terminal.

We have ruled out Princess, Holland-America, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, as many of these are party ships, geared up to a younger audience. The size of some of these vessels can be rather off-putting as well. One of these leviathans followed our ship into harbour, at the Majorcan capital, Palma.  I forget the number of passengers the boat was carrying, but it was probably double Queen Anne’s complement of 3,000 cruisers. Once ashore, the noisy and excitable, mainly American passengers, were all over the seafront, although it was quite amusing watching some of them getting taken in by the looky-looky men. Fake Gucci and Yves St Lauren handbags, and equally fake Swiss watches, at knock-down prices, I don’t think so.

Even more entertaining was watching these hawkers scoop up the blankets in which these items were laid, and then scarper at the first hint of a person in uniform. In a bid to stamp out this trade in dodgy goods, the Spanish authorities have started issuing substantial fines to any tourists caught buying these items, so be warned! I’ve gone slightly off-piste here, so I shall draw things to a close, and in the meantime, do my best to persuade Mrs PBT’s to try a different cruise line, and see how we get on.