Cruises and R.V.s :)

[TexasPhotoBooth]

I figured I was surrounded by some "experts" in these areas, so figured this would be a great place to post these questions. Any recommendations/advice/experiences on or with:

Cruises - preferably out of Galveston, if they do that..
Lynn (my hubby) has been wanting for us to go on a cruise, so I was wondering what/when is BEST (most efficient, etc.)

Class C R.V.s (motor homes)
We're shopping around for one.



Thank you!
You can post here or send me a message...either way, THANKS!

[HeatherLou]

Serena....I'm not sure what exactly your asking??

Personally, I would choose a cruise over RVing. I work in an RV park, and the biggest thing is that RV's can break down....and if your between Abilene and Odessa, your in big trouble LOL. To me, a cruise would be more relaxing, less stress, and you still get to go somewhere cool!

[toverman]

My parents had a class C motorhome growing up. We had bunk beds in the back, the gigantor bed over the cab and the dinette also turned into a queen sleeper. It was a fantastic experience. Passengers got up while we were moving and used the bathroom when necessary. Ours was a Travelcraft, which is no longer made. Get one with a generator for when you're stopped somewhere briefly and want the A/C or microwave working, or when there's no electrical hookup where you're staying.

Possibly annoying things about any motorhome:
• If rattles or squeaks bother you at all in a car, prepare for a symphony of them in an RV. All the attached stuff and your stuff tends to move around a little.
• Depending on the style of roof, don't be surprised if it leaks at some point. My parents' RV had an aluminum roof that was heavily caulked where it met the fiberglass cabin. Worked for awhile, but not forever. Also, skylights can be victims of hail, but they are an important and useful feature otherwise.
• Follow the rules when the sewer tank is dumped. Use chemicals to cut down smell in the summer and freezing in the winter.

Don't know if you're looking to rent or buy, but I would recommend renting an RV for a long weekend to see if it's something you actually like.

Never been on a cruise, but there are lines that sail out of Galveston.

[groovyone]

My parents used to drag us everywhere in the acr. Never flew until I was 22. I think that got the need to drive everywhere out of my system.

As for cruises, I felt kind of restricted by the cruise schedule. I did excursions every day that were usually long (1 motorcycle ride, 3 days kayaking), so I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to just cruise around the ports. I also went to Alaska, which is more my thing than tropical.

I know, that was pretty useless.

[johnastovall]

Avoid Cruise ships like the plague. Take a freighter cruise and really see the world.

Here's one Jeanne and I had wanted to take, M.V. Aurora Explorer.

Aren't RV's what we are trying get away from?

[TexasPhotoBooth]

Thanks for the info (so far!).... :)

Why are we trying to get away from RV's?

Freighter cruise? Interesting suggestion!

And, we, too, had an RV when my sis & I were growing up. It was GREAT.
We had a VW to tow.
I like the idea of us being able to GET UP & move around, fix lunch, use the restroom, lay down, etc WHILE travelling :)

The reason I DON'T like travelling far right now is that I get uncomfortable QUICK. Lower back problems.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by Serena Nekoti

Thanks for the info (so far!).... :)

Why are we trying to get away from RV's?
(snipped)

The smell of Snow Birds, KOA campgrounds, Good Sam club, WalMart parking lots.....

A little piece of home when traveling one should leave home behind.

“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu

[toverman]

RVs are great for families, though, Wal-Mart parking lots and all. Snow Birds usually have the nicest rigs these days.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

If it is just the two of you look into a tear drop that can be pulled by a car, basically it is a dry place to sleep with a back panel that is opened to reveal a small kitchen style set up. (met a guy pulling one with a volkswagen passat diesel a couple weeks ago-he had pulled it over 1400 miles down to New Orleans). Cost is pretty low for them (a couple grand for a fancy one), actual plans can be found on the internet to build your own. (he had built his own)
http://www.teardrops.net/whatis01.html

[Tom]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

Avoid Cruise ships like the plague. Take a freighter cruise and really see the world.

Here's one Jeanne and I had wanted to take, M.V. Aurora Explorer.

Aren't RV's what we are trying get away from?

Man, I gotta disagree. A cruise can be great.

When my grandma was 90, she decided she couldn't live forever and she couldn't take her money with her, so she took the entire family on a cruise. 26 of us in 13 double cabins with a balcony in a row. It was amazing. One of the best vacations of my life, and I have had quite a few great ones.

[jeffkohn]

Cruises don't appeal to me at all, I want to to avoid crowds on vacation and the fixed itinerary would be limiting. Cruises seems to be more about food, entertainment, and social activities rather than actual travel. Which is fine if that's what you want, it's just not what I want.

I can definitely see the appeal of a small RV or trailer though. Not to stay in Walmart parking lots, but to stay in state/national parks or wilderness areas rather than nearby hotels. I like to camp, but I'm old enough that sleeping in a tent on the ground isn't much fun so the idea of having a trailer to sleep in is great. I'm interested in the smaller pop-up or fiber-glass trailers that can be pulled by a car or SUV; the only reason we don't have one is because most of the places we would want to take it are too far away to drive, and we end up flying. But if we move out west eventually I definitely plan to get some sort of small RV or trailer.

We've looked into renting RV's at our destination, but they're very expensive - often much more than a decent hotel would run you.

jeffkohn added 2 Minutes and 14 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu

Not very good advice in this day and age if you're traveling anywhere remotely popular, unless you want to end up staying in some dump. You've got to make reservations and plans well ahead of time. An RV would actually give you more freedom in that regard.

[billseye]

I haven't been on a cruise yet, but I've been talking to alot of people that have. Sounds to me like the best way to go is the cruise that does not schedule your activities. I know everybody has diferent likes and needs, but my desire is to wake up early (if I feel like it) or sleep in. If I want to take a nap in lounge chair or stay in and watch a movie, or well, hey this stop looks like fun, lets go do that...
I plan to do this as soon as we get over my daughters wedding. (gasp)

The most fun time I've had was in our converted school bus/RV. It was as much fun driving it down the road as it was camping out. We sold it to keep the college tuition flowing, but I hope to do it again.

[Steelsun]

I've taken a couple of cruises out of Galv on Carnival - best bang for your buck. Watch their site and join their mailing list for specials. If you can find a good travel agent, try them also as they can do real good deals sometimes. Our last cruise in early Feb cost us about $300 a head for window cabins and was a blast.

We did the Cozumel & Progresso trip
In Progresso we did the Chichen Itza (mayan pyramid) excursion - nice but you spend more time on the bus to/from the place than you do at it. Still was worth it for me (bring american dollars with you to score some great souvenirs from natives - was offered things for $1 there that were being sold for $15-20 in the gift shops on shore).
Cozumel we did the "Race Fantastique" aka "Amazing Race Cozumel" great fun and plenty of time later to shop/drink/etc. Tell them team "Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza" sent you. This was probably the funnest excursions we have ever done.

Steelsun added 3 Minutes and 22 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

As for camping/RV. I used to be an avid tent camper, but I got old.
Now I have a pop-up Jayco and love it - you can pick up used ones for $1000 or less, tow behind your car. Depending on the setup you can get some with toilets & showers.
Mine is simple - Stove, sink, port a potty (but no privacy - added later), and the all important AC. Taking it out next week for a 5 day hill country adventure, then columbus day for a trip to northern Louisiana. Also thinking of a road trip for mid summer to the smokies or Missouri . It's a great way to travel since you set it up and then take your car/truck out for sighseeing.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

Cruises don't appeal to me at all, I want to to avoid crowds on vacation and the fixed itinerary would be limiting. Cruises seems to be more about food, entertainment, and social activities rather than actual travel. Which is fine if that's what you want, it's just not what I want.

I can definitely see the appeal of a small RV or trailer though. Not to stay in Walmart parking lots, but to stay in state/national parks or wilderness areas rather than nearby hotels. I like to camp, but I'm old enough that sleeping in a tent on the ground isn't much fun so the idea of having a trailer to sleep in is great. I'm interested in the smaller pop-up or fiber-glass trailers that can be pulled by a car or SUV; the only reason we don't have one is because most of the places we would want to take it are too far away to drive, and we end up flying. But if we move out west eventually I definitely plan to get some sort of small RV or trailer.

We've looked into renting RV's at our destination, but they're very expensive - often much more than a decent hotel would run you.

jeffkohn added 2 Minutes and 14 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Not very good advice in this day and age if you're traveling anywhere remotely popular, unless you want to end up staying in some dump. You've got to make reservations and plans well ahead of time. An RV would actually give you more freedom in that regard.

Never go to to popular places, rule one of travelers.

"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." - G.K. Chesterton

[toverman]

I'd really like to get into bicycle touring, camping or staying in nice, secluded inns along the way. If only I had the time ...