It's a marketing thing. If you say something is for 50+, you'll find mostly people 60+. If he's saying 40+, the 55+ demographic gets to feel like they are 10 years younger.
@@kerisf Worse. Most 50+ establishments are full of 70+ people. We are early 60s but stay well away from the likes of Cunard which is full of geriatrics. We both go to the gym, swim and walk up all the stairways on board.
@@stephanguitar9778 I’m always disappointed in the music played on cruise ships. This piano classical stuff gets bloody annoying. And it’s obvious when the house band ,in atriums and lounge areas, start to play more modern stuff - that people enjoy this. They all get up and dance - and sit back down when the classical stuff starts again.. I’m in my early 60’s and hubby in his early 70’s … we grew up with led zeppelin, David Bowie, Elton John etc etc. I’m not interested in frank sinatra and 40’s and 50’s stuff. Cruise companies need to update their music - even its background music. There’s plenty of wonderful softer modern music.
@@happytraveller2122 I sort of agree, but if they play the wrong sort of modern music like they do at my gym, we would need to take drugs to appreciate it.
At 67 with grand-kids in their 20's, I've outgrown the desire to listen to somebody else's kids running and screaming. I'm looking for a cruise line with no kids. Does one exist like that?
We went on Viking when they started doing the Caribbean after doing a river cruise of China which impressed us and when we did the sea cruise to the Caribbean they had maintained this lovely way to cruise with no kids but not too formal with a better ratio of staff to guests than most other lines. The lounges are very modern and extremely comfortable with sea viewing in mind and the evening club Torshavn is relaxed with nice entertainment and great drink selection, also don’t miss Mamsens for a little bit of a treat not to mention the daily afternoon cream teas absolutely delicious 😋,having tried most cruise lines l would return to Viking anytime without question .
interesting points ,if anyone else is searching for Finding Quality Men try - Mahorrla Successful Couple Method - (do a google search ) ? Ive heard some interesting things about it and my m8 got great success with it.
My wife and I are in our mid 50’s. We want to enjoy our vacation. HAL and Cunard are fine but we prefer Royal. We aren’t dead yet. I still like to get out and shake my butt occasionally. Traditional cruises are good occasionally but I really love the resort style cruises. I enjoy your videos but you definitely skew to a certain type cruise experience. When we do river cruises I prefer a little more luxury and quiet. However on the sea I want a choice. I enjoy the robots. I enjoy the skydive. . Give me Viking and Royal. My two favorite lines.
We also love Royal Caribbean, but we love HAL and we choose different cruises depending on how we feel. I don't have a preference for either - I just love them both.
Who put someone 40 or over in a older bucket? I want to go to have the fun I wanted to have in my 20's and 30's but couldn't afford it bc I had kids when I turned 20....now they are raised, I want to enjoy the activities that were stolen from me by finances and commitments.
I'm over 70. I want a cruise line where things are going on. That's why I wouldn't go on one of the cruise lines you just mentioned. They sound boring. I've been on five cruises and I enjoy on board activities as well as excursions. I want something that's fun. After all I'm on vacation. And by the way. 40? Really? You make it sound like these people are getting ready for the retirement home. I guess different strokes for different folks.
I was going on my first cruise this year for my 40th birthday. It's so sad that it can't happen but watching these videos keep me excited for when I can eventually cruise
I am over 70 and am in a wheelchair and i love Princess. We have been on Princess several times and have got 2 bookings for next year. We went on Cunard last year and was very disappointed it was not wheelchair friendly and we had some bad experiences with Cunard so will never go with them again.
First and foremost, I LOVE your videos. I get 95% of my cruising info from you, so thank you for your insight, knowledge and experience! Second...40-45 yr olds at the time of this video are Gen Xers, not Boomers. ;-) Sorry. I'm 45 and am years away from the Boomer title. Regardless, I truly do appreciate you. You give me the courage to go on a non-military cruise (I'm retired US Navy.). ❤
You never will have the "Boomer" title. These designations come from birthdate, not from your current age. If you were born after 1964, you'll never be a Baby Boomer. (You poor thing.)
@@ValerieJNorse no shit, they knew that. And no one wants to be a boomer. It’s like saying you’re a self righteous prick. It applies to you, so I can see why you said this.
@@ValerieJNorse Yeah, just reread my comment. My wording was off. Im aware Im not nor ever will be a Boomer. Boomers are cool in a way Millennials and Gen Zers will never understand, but I kinda like my Gen X group of misfits.
I would like to point out that the space-per-passernger ratio on Cunard is higher than many cruise lines. It was one of the reasons I chose Cunard for my 2019 cruise. I've found it can be rather unpleasant to be squashed in with a crowd at some locations on a ship that has a lower ratio.
I agreed with all except your last one, Princess. Cruise with them a lot (12 cruises at least). The service food quality and experience became worse and worse with each cruise. We will never cruise with Princess again
I've been cruising for 30 years have been disappointed with the general direction many of the cruise lines have taken. Cunard, Holland America, Celebrity have been slipping in hotel department standards(food, service, cleanliness of ships). I'm surprised you haven't mentioned Viking Ocean! They are my new favorite cruise line. Gorgeous modern ships, excellent food, service, atmosphere.
I will never sail Princess again. Blocked my 19 year old daughter from the teen room (16-18 year olds) for a one week cruise. As an only child, shy and well behaved (with DS) she was considered an adult at 18 Smh. Excuses given: what about other parents, insurance liability etc. Yuck! She had been 19 for 10 days.
Highly recommended! You are in for an experience of a life time. My self and my wife did it last year, Cannot wait to do it again! Most classy, memorable and romantic! You are in for a great treat! Enjoy!!!
@cleo patra Yes you can. Many people do it that way. I fully agree the flight is a put off. Check the Cunard website for details of return sailings. Planet Cruise and other operators also have details. QM2 does not do an overnight in New York which mean you have only a day trip there. However, you could spend a holiday in the US and catch the QM2 when it is back to make the return trip. It has regular return voyages from Southampton the New York. Whichever you decide you will not be disappointed! Should be done at least once in your lifetime. Enjoy!!!
How can you mention Oceania and not discuss their culinary superlatives? You merely said they have fewer dining choices ... But you can have lobster or Dover doke, or fine steaks or French cuisine- your choice and every night if you wish. No food surcharges. None.
Great video, as always. But, I'm over 50 years old and can't help thinking that those are the cruise lines that fun goes to die. I guess if I needed a whole lot of sleep, then they would be good for that.
Hi Gary Thanks! Once again, another video packed with a mass of good advice and tips. I have been a big fan of Celebrity but must say that I have been hugely disappointed in the way they are moving away in their newer ships - like Edge - from some of the traditional cruising experience I’ve been accustomed to enjoying, to a more raucous, noisy and less relaxing on-board experience. On my last trip on the Edge, I found it almost impossible to find a place where I could have a quiet drink and unwind. Ken
Nice reviews, Gary, but I’m 47 and these sound like cruises for old people to me. I’m most excited to try Virgin Voyages and get some dance music that isn’t just the same set of 70’s and 80’s hits on repeat.
I am looking forward to reviewing them in service, I did a short one-night review on board in February when Scarlett Lady came out of the shipyard and was due to cruise in April. I have booked Scarlett Lady (Caribbean) and Valiant Lady (Med) both for next year so will be able to properly review. I may do a first impressions and thoughts video actually now as will be a while......
Excellent video. I would add two other lines for consideration if you are a middle aged adult looking for a primarily adult cruise. First consider Saga which is 50+ age restricted. They have a great reputation centered on classic cruising. The ambiance is very British. The second one is good for people who are more oriented on destinations and want to go to places that are often skipped by the larger cruise ships. This would be Windstar. They run classic sail powered cruise ships which are also quite small. They are very port intensive and do tend to go to places that normal sized ships don't stop in. However, being smaller ships they don't have quite the same level of onboard entertainment, so its a bit old fashioned in that high maintenance passengers in constant need of shipboard diversions might not be a good fit. Also these ships do not have a lot of facilities for kids. Lastly they are also extremely informal. Their idea of a dress code is a sign asking passengers not to wear wet bathing suits into the main dining room.
Gary.... Please mention the relative prices of the great ships like Oceania and Seabourn vs good ships like Princess and Holland. Is the premium price worth it? Not to me. I consider Princess to be the best VALUE.
Cunard is my favourite line and QM2 is my favourite ship it is so elegant. I love the dress up code and the afternoon tea dances. I should have been cruising to Hamburg in May but sadly it was not to be. Hope next year's one goes ahead.
Funny that he keeps saying 'baby boomers'. When at the time of this release in 2020. The youngest baby boomer would have been 55. The 40-55 are all Gen X.
I want an excellent meal that’s included in my cruise price, a flexible dress code, no kids, lots of included entertainment options, and solo rooms at a reduced cost (less than what I would pay for a double occupancy on the same ship). And I like options to be active and options to relax. I super enjoyed my very first NCL experience. The musicians on board were amazing and acoustic. They played in their own venues and also improvised at times and played together- spur of the moment- in the lounges. The specialty dinning was great, but I’m already paying a lot as a single cruiser, so shouldn’t have to pay more for a great meal. Carnival was tacky. Celebrity was a bit too elitist at times. Anyone have other recommendations? No water slides, climbing walls or go carts needed.
It's hard we cruise every 2-3 years.we don't spend hardly any money on the ship and pick up tours in port.we still spend about $3000-3500 from the time we leave until we get back home.we drive to port.
@@vittoriovuocolo2438 How does that work? Curious. I know gratuity is heavily hinted at, but other than that, what else do you spend money on? Souvenirs?
You should watch Emma also; she is your age and does lots of videos on cruising. Many ships cater very much for the young; anyway, you are mostly in a port during the day. Cruising is definitely for all ages.
Just a quick mention, those of us older than 40, but younger than 50, are Gen Xers, not Boomers... We may have slightly different preferences from one another..
A funny thing is that Hurtigruten has started to focus so much on their arctic cruises now that there has come a new competitor for their traditional business model of running the Norwegian coastal express from Bergen to Kirkenes.
What about Saga? I know you have been on Saga ships ships, but you were quick to say that they don’t have a casino. This might be important to you, but it isn’t always important to everyone. I think they, particularly because of their amazing staff, deserve a mention.
I highly recommend Star Clippers. I’ve done two of their Indonesian cruises and had a blast. Scheduled to sail this year on one of their trans-Atlantic cruises in November, so I’ve got my fingers crossed.
I hav been lookin for a vid lik this. Im not into party ships. I lik a more mature crowd...less water slides with kids...more lounging in the jacuzzi with mature adults...less yelling & screaming college kids....more piano playing...lol just my preference
These are definitely the lines for you! Been on the 1st 3 numerous times, as well as some of the others for group cruises. Whenever, I book myself, I chose Holland.
Oh wow great! I had a holland america cruise to alaska for this September but thats out of the question now. I hav only done royal carribean many yrs ago when i was younger, i liked it but now im lookin for something with less kids, a more mature crowd, etc. If i was going to Mexico then i wouldnt mind being on a "party" ship but i just want to soak in all that beautiful nature in alaska without all the noise from the younger crowd. Im hesitant on booking a cruise for next year cuz who knows what the future holds
I really appreciated this as I'm kind of starting to plan a cruise for our 25th in 5 years. I've sailed twice on Carnival and thought it was well, meh. I loved my first cruise on Disney in 2015. Never saw a kid except a few at dinner. (We ate late).
We are in this demographic and new to cruising. We have booked two cruises so far after much research. Our first cruise will be a Viking Mediterranean Cruise. Our second will be on the Celebrity Flora to the Galápagos Islands. We also find Silversea (Alaska?) and Crystal (Croatia?) appealing. I would be interested to hear more about these four choices. Smaller ships that offer some luxury, personal attention and space on cruises that focus heavily on the destinations are most appealing to us. We find your videos very informative and entertaining. Thank you very much.
I have not liked cruising since Ocean Village was closed down. I like informal cruising where I can eat when I want to eat, what I want to eat and sit where I like to sit. Are there ANY such cruise ship today?
My daughter and I are hoping to go on the Queen Mary 2 with my mother at sometime in the futures. My husband is very casual, so this would not suite his personality at all. I have watched one of your QM2 videos and it looked lovely.
Have you cruised via Crystal Cruises? QUESTION: How does Crystal Cruises compare with Viking, Seabourn and Oceania? I would appreciate your thoughts on Crystal Cruise Line. BTW, I am new to your channel and I have subscribed to your channel via RU-vid on my TV. Thank you for your consideration!
I have never taken a cruise before. I have done a little research on cruise lines and I, being over 50, would like a transatlantic cruise (New York City to London or the reverse). Celebrity and Holland America sound like winners. The Oceania line sounds promising because of the ships being smaller than the larger ships.
I was born in 1980 (I am 40 y.o), the last year of generation X, two months away from 1981 which is the beginning of generation Y... I am definitely not a baby boomer! and can hardly be called generation X, both of my parents are baby boomers though... and they are in their mid 60's. Great video nevertheless, I love your content.
Hi Gary, why do you never talk about Saga? I am traveling with them for the first time this year (October 2020🤞🏻). I have cruised many many times with Crystal and Regent but I’m not sure Crystal is what it once was and I don’t like the dark decor of Regent, so I thought I would try Saga. What is your opinion please?
Saga is great at what they do. This video should help: Saga Cruises. What Do Better And Worse Than Other Cruise Lines? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TPwY0UeV3IY.html
Would we really like Cunard as we do not like dressing up, or formality, but we do like fine dining and a classy experience. I know you said HAL was traditional but less formal, and we have tried them 3 times, love the look of the ships, but we did not find the food that good, or even hot. I enjoy more European staff as we can converse with them better and they have the same sense of humour.
Actually, Cunard are only really formal after 18:00 hours. Then there's "informal" most nights and "formal" wear on only 2 out of 7 nights. Informal would mean suits for men but no tie necessary, ladies something equivalent to that. Ball gowns, tuxes etc. are for formal nights, which can be themed ( black and whiteball). If you're not into that and like to stay in jeans and shirt it's the buffet restaurant for you. Which does not mean that the food's bad. Or cold. You just have to get it yourself. On the Queen Victoria you had all fresco dining with a view . If you're booked in a suite you can have food brought to your suite... During the day it's wear what you like, as long as it's not ripped Jean's or sportswear. Cunard isn't formal 24/7. Have not much experience with other lines except AIDA. Hope you found this a bit helpful.
Our sentiments exactly. We did HAL once and that was surely enough, so we are looking for something as you said - fine dining, refined behavior, but not formal attire.
@@co7580 thank you. I do not wear jeans, but wondering if nice pants and a pretty top would be ok for formal, we just do not have or need otherwise, gowns and tuxes. Plus travelling from Vancouver and combining other forms of travel plus taking my walker, we just do not have the suitcase space for finery.
@@chriswilliams6568 at Cunard nice top and good pants with jacket for the gents would be considered informal. That would be most nights after 6 PM. Per 7 day cruise you can expect 2 formal nights. Ball gowns, tuxes. You'd be confined to the buffet which isn't that bad, but that may not be what you're looking for. You're paying , so you would expect to be able to enjoy as you please. Cunard may then not be the line for you, especially if you're combining the cruise with further travels.
Great info, thank you Gary. My husband and I are in this age group. With 2 older teenagers, we’ve been loyal to Celebrity for years as we found it to be a great fit for us all - dining options are impressive, esp at Blu, and my kids actually prefer the calmer Teen Center atmosphere on board Celebrity. Holland America is one that we’ve been considering trying out while kids are still at home, and Oceania is on our bucket list when we are empty nesters.
We found Holland America abysmal for an Alaska cruise in June, 2019. Food was really, really terrible, entertainment was amateurish and cabins old. Ship was Oosterdam.
Sorry, but I HATE formal cruise lines. NOT only do I dislike dressing up ,but with the luggage limitations on airlines, I don't really have much room for formal attire.
Plus, who has a tux anyway? When I think of formal attire for anything other than a wedding, I think of a bunch of phony people pretending to be someone or something they are not.
Gary, I thoroughly enjoyed your video. It had lots of useful information as all your videos have! I am glad that Cunard is in there as it is my favorite! What I cannot understand is why in this modern age most cruise lines charge for WiFi? Go to any hotel and it is free! Is there an unavoidable compelling cost to them that they cannot ignore? I cannot understand this, It sounds like a 'rip off'. If it is, that annoys me. I don not mind paying value for money, but I do not like being 'ripped off' (excuse the language) Putting that aside, the cruise lines you have mentioned are fantastic! Hope to get around them all some day!!!
I agree that as lines try and attract a broader audience and more generally new to cruise, people see Wi-Fi as standard. It is starting to be included more and more like Virgin Voyages, Oceania, Ponant, Saga - but still the more costly lines..
I had a "second dinner" in The Haven dining room with a lovely couple over 40 (I am only 36 myself). A shame NCL didn't make the list. I haven't cruised on any other line yet so I am also clueless.
Having sailed often on Holland and NCL, NCL doesn’t come close to Holland. NCL is fine; but, whenever I am booking my own cruise (not a group cruise where the organizer has chosen the cruise line) I book in Holland. I’ve also sailed on Cunard which is a wonderful experience; but, as noted in the video, doesn’t sail to the range of ports as Holland (Holland is often the first cruise line into a new port). And, I’ve sailed Celebrity a few times. It is also superior to NCL in my opinion. I think Gary got it exactly right for the point he was making regarding he “older” generation.
So glad you put out this video. I was wondering which cruise line would be best for me. The only multi-day cruise I've been on is a river cruise in Europe on Uniworld's S.S. Antoinette, which I loved, and was all-inclusive. It sounds like Oceania or Holland-America are the lines that I would like the best. Thanks for the info!
I personally think that Crystal Cruises are the best option in the ultra-luxury category! I'm in my 20's and I've sailed on them with my 50-year-old parents over three times. The food, service, and overall "non-stuffy" makes for an unparalleled experience in my book!
Now Crystal have gone out of business, so Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania would be your best bets, if you have the coin. Very expensive, but so was Crystal.
There are a lot of big fans of the line and will only cruise with them. They are greta of you like a very UK-centric cruise with mostly Brits and very traditional cruise experience. The ships are quite old / dated but well maintained
This is by far the best analysis of the attractions or otherwise of the main cruise lines. You have addressed what you think is good and what might be considered bad. My personal favorite is Celebrity but after watching this I would certainly consider either Cunard or Princess. What would be brilliant would be a direct comparison of the three lines using the same guidelines as here. Maybe food,entertainment, cabin quality all the normal things but also maybe one thing each line excels in. For example you said about music variety aboard Holland America and the Poshness aboard Cunard, anything you feel Celebrity or Princess are particularly well known for?
HAH! Pretty much anyone between the ages of 40 up to pretty much 60 are Gen Xers (the early 40s could be more along the line of "Xennials"), so PLEASE don't identify us as "baby boomers." 60 and over are the "boomers." We identify closer to Nirvana than we do to the Eagles (for example). ; D Nevertheless, I find your videos quite informative and helpful as I look into the cruise industry.
M 55 trying to find a cruise to Bahamas? No interest in the spring break booze cruises nor the bingo crowd. Any recommendations? Singles type cruise would begreat. ..I only wear suits to weddings and funerals which I avoid. lol
Gary..... I booked a surprise second cruise for my wife and I on Oceania Vista (our first) in there penthouse suite on deck 11 mid ship for 12-30-23 thru 1-9-24 10 days and i'm going to surprise my wife with it on Christmas day. We have never sailed on Oceania or in a suite before but they had a nice sale going on thru the end of June with the O life promotion with airfare and other perks saved some dollars despite it being over new years and btw we took the ship board credit. Lol. The fun part is my wife and i are already booked on a cruise in October on Celebrity Equinox 8 days to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary but this cruise at the end of December will be a extension of our celebration of 30yrs of marriage. We are both 55 i think we picked the correct cruises with a two month break in between lol i appreciate your analysis and expertise on the cruise industry as i subscribed some time ago. Thank you!
Have sailed on Cunard. Historical cruise line. Food isn't always good, service is pretty good. Only cruise line that has a planetarium. Their Hight Tea iv very good. Made casino smaller and took out craps tables. Went on one cruise with Holland America to Bermuda. The ship was small and we got to dock in downtown Hamilton which provided a different experience. Holland America has a good enrichment program and the food is good. Drawback is I have to travel to get to their departure ports. Celebrity used to be good. They are trying to appeal to a younger crowd. Best to make Moussaka. Decent Casino. Never went on Oceania. I like smaller ships, but, Oceania has a small casino and no craps table. Seabourn, very small casino with no craps table. Might consider Seabourn if they have round trips. Don't want to fly back from another place.
Why would you assume 40 year olds would enjoy these? These scream boring. I’ve dailed on many of them and it was a snooze fest. These lines are catering to mid 50’s and above. Retirees, we call them the newlywed and nearly dead ships. Baby boomers aren’t even 40-45, that’s gen x. Boomers are 50-60, who will enjoy these lines. No wonder the recommendations are off, you don’t know the age group you’re making recommendations for.
You do realise that people 40 years old are Millennials, right? Boomers are aged 57 and older, born in 1945-1964. GenX is 1965-1980. 40 years ago is 1981, the first year of the Millennial generation.
I am a younger millenial and i dream of formal cruising that reminds me of that show "Love Boat" with the gorgeous captain stubing!! I am saving up for the cunard, i actually love that romantic aspect of cruising!
Very helpful, thank you, Gary. I like Holland America because they are the only line that has a priest aboard for Catholics. We also love the classical musicians of Lincoln Center Stage, and are not really interested in loud, big shows.
NCL caters to more families with all the amusements on board. I think what he means by over 40, cruise lines that don't cater to families with go cart tracks, etc.
For service & quality, NCL doesn’t compare to Cunard, Holland or Celebrity (I haven’t been on the other two lines.). Holland & Celebrity offer options other than the traditional “set seating” dinner option. Although, I always chose the set seating option when on those lines - over the years, I have gotten to know many wonderful people at those dinners.
@@bridgetleary1183 For me personally I did Celebrity now to be "fair" I haven't done the other 4 cruise lines. Maybe they different than NCL but at the moment I would have to disagree when comes to service as not sure what you mean by quality you mean as food wise for example? Activities? Types of excursion? The list goes on. For me myself I found service and quality top notice along with Freestyle as I do have to admit bonus points for their solo program and prices. Out of the few celebrity cruises wasn't my cup of tea in many ways. Now would I go back sure if price was right as ports I would like to see. But at the moment I would take NCL over Celebrity.
We sailed on Silversae‘s a couple years ago and it was a great experience. There were less than 300 people on the ship so we really got to know people from all over the world! The service was outstanding .
Celebrity are pretty good all round. The only things that people don't like about them are the only entertainment is musical, no films or lectures. There is no passenger laundry and exorbitant charges if you pay them to do your washing for you and sometimes they can be a bit over the top "loud and American". But the balcony cabins are really nice and the food is excellent.
Celebrity has never let us down. The food in the main dining room has always been exquisite, and the service all over the ship is impeccable. Celebrity do not gear toward young kids like their counterpart,, Royal Caribbean. This suits us fine, as we now have a 16 year old. There are no rock climbing walls or roller coasters at sea. Celebrity is a more serene, elevated experience.
