If you’re reading this within a week of release I’m currently on a cruise ship and hopefully enjoying the Norwegian Fjords. I say hopefully because travel is well and truly screwed. There are rumours of a rail strike as I write this (update: my train was cancelled). I may fail my COVID-19 test before I can get on board (update: they removed testing). But with a good headwind, I’m relaxing, eating food and enjoying the scenery.
The question is why risk a cruise?
Risking a cruise
Why am I risking a cruise? And, yes, I still call it a risk. I wouldn’t normally think twice about getting ill while on holiday but now you do, as you may well end up confined to a room in quarantine. The reason are listed below: –
People are enjoying themselves. The return to cruising is in full swing and loads of people are enjoying themselves and having fun with no issue. I started to want to get in on the action. It’s a bit strange that cruising is so popular post-pandemic, but it seems to be the case.
You have to take risks eventually. Some say you don’t, but since COVID-19 isn’t going away you have to start making sensible and assessed risks. That appetite for risk will be different for each individual. I’ve already started face-to-face gaming again. I’ve decided going on a cruise falls into that bracket. Yeah, there is a small concern I’ll end up in a quarantined room or a strange foreign hotel but it is small. You do make strange decisions like I’d not go to a packed convention but I will go on a cruise? Yeah, weird times, go figure.
It reduces some risks. While some might suggest a cruise is a heightened risk, in some ways, it’s a reduced risk. I am embarking and disembarking in Southampton and Norway has no COVID-19 restrictions. I’m not risking airport disruption which may disrupt the journey in both directions. I’m not sitting on a plane for 7+ hours. I don’t have a multiple COVID-19 test situation. One test the day before I embark and then I am good for the whole experience. It seemed simpler with fewer’ risk points’.
Great way to experience the Fjords. I was thinking of going to Norway and travelling around by train, but after doing some reading and researching visiting the Fjords via cruise ship is a good way to do it. It’s not like you’re losing out by taking a vastly inferior option. It’s also cheaper as cruise ship economics is better than Norway economics.
I am taking a risk. If I get COVD-19, end up locked in quarantine and then experience long-COVID symptoms I’ll be metaphorically punching myself in the balls. The trouble is not doing it will leave me with a different lingering feeling of annoyance.
P&O Cruises, really?
Yeah, it’s a strange choice. As a cruise line, they do everything that would guarantee I’d not be a customer. They like their formal nights. They do set dining. They do assigned dining with you having to suffer the same people every night. It’s also very British. I’m not sure what the last one means, I assume there aren’t many international travellers.
I can’t do much about the very British nature of the cruise, but you can avoid the rest by cruising on Iona.
Iona is the 8th largest cruise ship in the world and it follows completely different rules from the rest of the P&O cruise ships. Basically, they looked at what competitors like Norwegian Cruise Line were doing and decided they wanted some of that. The ship has one formal night and the dining is select dining. Go when you want just like you would in a city.
It’s an attempt to attract new and younger cruisers, a suggestion itself P&O may normally have a traditional set of customers. Basically, I’d not be going on a P&O cruise if it wasn’t possible to do that more unique Iona cruise.
It might not work out
It’s possible I’ve got on the cruise and even now I am not enjoying it. That’s because there are a few potential irritations.
So British it’s annoying. That sounds terrible, but it’s possible. I’m used to an International feel when I travel, not being surrounded by the type of people who pack everything British in their suitcase and raise a Brish bubble around their experience. I might feel I’m surrounded by people like that.
The experience might be cut back. If it happens it’ll be a mixture of things like long queues at restaurants. Staff who are a bit abrupt due to being stressed out. Possibly the odd missed port (update: they did change a port). Hopefully, it’ll not be too disruptive.
It might not be warm. It not being warm means I may be stuck inside when I’m on the ship. This isn’t something I’ve experienced. I’m used to spending a good amount of time outside. This will come down to the environment of the ship and whether I can find somewhere suitably zen. Cross fingers.
No drinks package. I went for the drinks package on Norwegian Cruise Line because it was included as part of a Free at Sea deal which made it worth it. I don’t drink alcohol, but on the cruise ship I enjoyed having the cocktails while sitting out in the sun. I could also have soft drinks. I have no drinks package on Iona so that’s going to be a bit, interesting. Yet to see if it annoys me. The drinks packages on Iona just aren’t worth it.
You have to navigate these things as if the cruise works out it does give me some potential options for future cruises from a UK port. They’re not as cost-effective as other options, but neither am I flying to my cruise port.
It’s not very adventurous?
You’re right, it isn’t. What happened to the idea of driving the road circling Iceland? Flying into Anchorage, Alaska and getting trains to the west coast and then cruising back to the US and home? Hitting up Singapore and using that as a hub to see some of South East Asia?
Times have changed, and those ideas seem to incur the feeling of arduous effort rather than an exciting adventure. The whole psychology of travel seems to have changed for me over the two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
I’m still processing that, but I can’t be the only one?
And, Finally…
The cruise is a test case to find another cruise line and one that sails from the UK. As pointed out there are risks, the economics of a P&O Cruise aren’t as suitable to me as NCL, but they do fall into my range. If it goes well I may consider a winter cruise to the Canary Islands, but that’s two weeks so I’d have to really like Iona.
The funny thing is, if you follow me on Twitter you may already know how it’s going!