Is western civilization crumbling?

LoL Matt!!

I was DEAD SET against cruises and after going on a 'mini' cruise from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas I can see their purpose now. Just another way to see the world. We just returned from a month in Great Britain on planes, trains and automobiles but another cruise will be in our distant future. There are a lot of different ways to travel, I just have to learn to keep my mind open to all of the options.

Well... if Rick is 'on board' I guess that means I will try it too....

What is wrong with a cruise? Just another transportation mode. We actually find cruises to be a very economical way to travel with family.

I don't understand why RS taking a cruise indicates that Western civilization is crumbling.... The man now writes a Cruise book so why shouldn't he sample the merchandise? I don't get the criticism.

This is going to raise a lot of protocol questions regarding cruises: 1. Must you take a train around the boat, or may you drive a car? 2. Must you wear your money belt in the pool? 3. What if 'purser' is another name for purse grabber? 4. Does the engine room contain ZTLs? 5. Should the boat stop in Naples, must you cower in your stateroom or can you go ashore if you 'take the usual precatuions and just be aware'? 6. Are the people traveling with you 'locals' ? If not, is it worth your time to speak to them? 7. If there are no grapes to pick on the boat, will the captain let you drive so you 'can pitch right in and help'? 8. Will the boat take travelers checks or does it have ATMs? 9. Will the chip and pin card work or do you need a stripe one? 10. Is it okay to put your passport in the boat safe? 11. etc

No real criticism. It's just for me, I liked the goofy guy stumbling through Europe in the nineties. As my wife and I get older, I wonder when my first cruise will be, and I hope there will be one.

Looks like the dogma of the church needs to be rewritten... So I'm wondering... those on this website who have stuck their noses up at the cruising crowd (don't deny it, you know who you are), what will they say now that the Leader has joined the dark side?

Coming soon to your local PBS station: "Rick Steves' Europe through the FRONT Door" : Episode 1: London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Berlin and Moscow in only nine days. Episode 2: Europe's must-sees: London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum; Paris's Moulin Rouge; and every medieval torture museum on the continent. Episode 3: Best places to obtain and cash traveler's checks. Episode 4: Best hotels with 150+ rooms and air conditioning and elevators. Episode 5: Packing what you need in only two steamer trunks. Episode 6: If the menu is in English, it must be good! Episode 7: The only way to see Europe: Leviathan cruise ships.

Ed ;-)

Careful Wayne and Matt, your prejudices are showing. Lots of young people take cruises. For some reason cruising seems to generate a lot of negative comments especially from those who have never been on a ship. A lot of stereotyping is used to justify their comments. And they will come, the day is early.

I bet you can wear shorts on a ship though, without anyone worrying if they will "blend" or not.

I had a honeymoon on a sailing ship that traveled to several islands in the Caribbean. We had a great time. Believe me, it's much easier to get to those islands by boat than by rail!

I knew this portion of Rick's trip would raise eyebrows. I have been on two overnight "cruises" as a means to get from point A to point B and enjoyed the novelty of them both a great deal. I would not enjoy having a long cruise become the focal point of the entire trip, however - no matter what amenities they managed to tack onto the floating hotel. The fact that many others enjoy them doesn't bother me at all. To each his own. I fail to see the logic in criticizing fans of a particular style of travel for favoring a particular style of travel - whether it be cruisers or blue book carrying RS fans. Criticizing either for their preferences is equally obnoxious.

I guess, after the incident with the hikers, Iran didn't pan out as his next back door find. I haven't heard yet if the rumor was true they were following the map in a blue book when they were picked up. :) I love this post! Thanks for the sense of humor. As someone who thinks certain itineraries lend themselves well to cruising, I'll now have to see what Rick is saying on his blog.

Cruises are wonderful for coming and going home but are not the way to see places in between, as there is too little time alloted to ports.We have been 3x to Europe and each time have cuised both there and back. We have never considered them a means of enjoying Europe itself. We believe that , given sufficient time and money (which many of us on this site have), that to miss out on cruising is to miss a great deal.

Cruising, just you and 4000 of your new best friends sharing a salad bar.

I'd consider a River Cruise, or a cruise on a small ship (less than 1000 pax), but not on a mega ship with 4000 passengers!! I haven't ever taken a cruise but want to go to Alaska via the Alaska State Ferries from Bellingham, WA, which are small boats that can stop in smaller harbors and have none of the kitch that the big ships have (24 hour food, etc). Rick has to expand his business so why not cruises? I like everything he talks about because he has common sense and speaks my language.

A Med or Northern Europe Cruise can be a good way for first time travelers to have a "safe" low stress way to get a short highlights tour of Europe. On the cruise they will get a taste of a couple of cities and will say "Ohhh, I want to go back to......". The fear factor is gone and they are hooked on Europe. It happened to us at St John, U.S. Virgin Islands and Alaska. We went to both places after a cruise but not on another cruise. And since they may have picked up Rick's Med Cruise Guidebook. They will pick up some of his country or city guidebooks before they go back. And they will be on their way to becoming Rick-o-philes. My guess is that next year or some time soon we will see a Rick Steves "Northern European Cruises" guidebook. Robert

Alaska and a canal cruise through France would be great.

OMG! It's the 7th Sign of the Apocalypse! He's on Royal Carribean which I do not believe qualifies as an acceptable ETBD lodging option as it's not locally owned and the interior looks exactly like (gasp!) an "American Style Hotel" right down to all those pesky things no REAL self-respecting traveler would want (air conditioning, private bathrooms, generic artwork hanging on the walls, bacon & eggs at breakfast, English speaking staff, elevators)! What's worse is he's admitted to packing deck wear, evening attire, rugged travel clothing for when he's in port and (count 'em) FOUR pairs of shoes! Now if he stuffed all that into his RS Civita Convertible Carry-On and it weighs less than 15lbs, I'll need to see video proof. But you can't blame Rick for realizing it's a great way to crank out a new guide which in turn will help him sell more of his city guides & country guides. As for me, if someone likes to travel by ship then that's their choice & their money. I went on a week long cruise in the Carribean and I can safely say never again will I spend my time that way.

If Rick is on the TOP deck, why is no one topless? That's traditionally the topless sundeck. (Must learn the name of that ship so I can avoid that one!!) A cruise is the most relaxing way to travel when you just want to get away from it all. It can be totally stress-free, if you let it be. @Brad - too too funny!!! ;-)

Another comment - I disagree with those who think Rick is deserting his niche market. At every port, most cruisers jump on the buses for the over-priced and crowded optional excursions sold by the cruise line. Smart cruisers don't sign up for these junkets and they explore the cruise ports on their own. There is a back door for cruising too, and I think Rick gets it.

Rick's been seen in jeans,too, but that's another topic!

Dave - I'm with you. A river cruise in Europe sounds wonderful - no changing hotels, no rushing for trains, and lots of time to see the sights. I took the Alaska State Ferry in mid-May 2006. It was one of the best weeks I've ever had. Since it was early in the season, the ferry had only about 1/3 occupancy and it was about half locals and half tourists. There was just about enough time in each town to see the sights. Beautiful scenery while at sea, lots of wildlife sightings, and lots of time to chat with the locals and learn more about living in Alaska. I got off in Juneau, stayed overnight (you need at least that much time there) and then got on the same ferry headed back to Bellingham.

I'm giggling at all the answers posted. Love the lists :) But, it does make sense for Rick to explore this venue personally to bring additional credibility to his new cruise guidebook. That way he can say he's been there/done that (vs. just his staff who were sent to do the research for the book). Having been on only three cruises in our lives: Western Caribbean, Alaska, and recently Greek Isles/Turkey, we enjoyed each in its own way. Last cruise was with Silversea on a high-end small ship with only 200-something people, which we found is the ONLY way to cruise, as one does not feel like one in a mass of humanity. If one is able to book a 65% off/free air deal with them, the cost is sometimes even better than on the mega ships.....dining incredible, all drinks included, butler and cabin stewart.......not a bad way to travel. Also included a private concert in an ancient outdoor theater in Ephesus, where champagne was served in glasses with silver trays of nibbles, as we sat on white leather cushions..................all included at NO extra fee. After exploring Ephesus in the daytime, it was divine returning at night to the full moon and candlelight. Yes, THAT was a moment Rick Steves would have enjoyed :) Rick is actually rather smart to include some focus on cruising, as his general target market ages....or at least a big bubble of his target market...the boomers. If you haven't cruised, give it a try. It was a wonderful way to tour the Greek Isles, without the hassle of ferries/planes, and tacking on an extra day on the front to explore Athens and then on the rear to have a second full day in Istanbul is perfect. I do think he will begin to offer some land/cruise combo packages...just a matter of working out a business deal with the "right" cruise line. I think once he discovers small ships, he will know in which direction to negotiate.

I'm not a big fan of spending my vacation time on a floating city with 4000+ other vacationers. Someone else might say it's the only way to travel. To each their own. However, this looks intriguing:
http://www.islandwindjammers.com/ Here's a thought: could there be a new RS sponsor in the near future? I can see it now..."This episode of Rick Steves' Europe Through the Porthole has been brought to this PBS station by Carnival Cruises...."

I think cruises work great when eight to twelve hours (a normal time in port) is enough to see what you want to see at the destination. IMO, that works fairly well in the Baltics, Norway, the Dalmation coast, Greece or Turkey. Most of the ports in the Mediterrainean need more than a day to see, so cruising doesn't make sense (unless you've been many times and just want a variety of day stops). I'm not sure what's up with the heavy packing? My wife and I cruise with a carry-on - even planning for dress up nights, lounging by the pool, and hiking around in port.

While I enjoy the humor of this thread. There is a valid point that his expansion into cruising is further diluting his overall philosophy. I am NOT anti-cruise. I have been on two and love both and would love to go again. I also love Disney been several times and plan to return. But neither is a "back door" approach to travel. Nor is going on a package guiding tour. Something he railed against and now profits off of.

I would agree that cruising is not a "back door" approach to travel - but there is a "back door" approach to cruising. Rick has found it and now he is exploring it and using it to expand and grow his brand. More than anything else, this man is a really good business man. If he ever takes this company public, I want to be there for the IPO.

Can you take a few extra rolls at breakfast, buy some snacks at the ship convenience store, and have an impromptu picnic on the grand staircase?

Don't know about the staircase, but we do take the rolls. some fruit, supplement with some cheese or meat in city and have a nice picnic around the town square or in a park sometimes with a bottle of wine. Some of the more enjoy moments.

Karen, how funny!!! (But seriously, the answer is that you can have all the rolls you want, delivered anywhere on ship at anytime by your personal butler, who will butter them with the butter of your personal choosing, and who will place a lovely tablecloth either on the grand staircase or elsewhere, then check to make sure all is well, while shining your shoes left in your cabin.) Seriously, the truth is that on a cruise, one has to budget eating....what I mean by that is one has to have the determination to actually skip courses, turn down additional pourings of wine, request 1/4 portions of desserts, etc. so as to avoid becoming a total miserable-feeling glutton. The flip slide is that when in port, there is great opportunity to walk off all those calories if one signs up for the most extensive, active shore excursions. When at sea, hit the upper level to walk/run laps in a very peaceful setting, at sun-rise, sunset, or under the stars. Ship shore excursions are given a bum-rap by some. I agree that in certain ports it makes no sense to pay $50PP for something you can see easily on your own, or gawd-forbid to be dropped off at a shopping area. But, some shore excursions via smaller ships offer small group, truly exceptional opportunities to visit places and see things not readily available to the masses, and the guides along on the shore excursions are generally top-notch. Same difference as opportunities available thru ETBD group tours and Tauck vs. other mass bus tours. Smaller ships also tend to pull more well-traveled individuals, which makes conversations among fellow-travelers more interesting.

I hear the passion of the responders to this thread. My sentiment is still that big ship cruises are not what Rick Steves and his company "Europe through the back door" was about. I do understand he is building a business and this cruise is essential for him to put a personal stamp on his new guidebook. If I was cruising I'd be buying.

Cruising is a little like a spectator sport!

A friend once asked me why would one spend time on a boat when one could be on land, seeing the country you want to visit?

I see the "back door" approach to cruising as not following the organized cruise line tours and activities, but using your time in port to follow your own plan. As I see it, a ship is just another form of transportation that gives you excellent food, and requires you to only pack/umpacl one time. If you don't like it, or it's not for you, then you find another form of transpoartion. It's Rick's soul to sell. You seem to be terribly let down to say that. I didn't perceive you as that much of a Ricknick.

I haven't read Rick's cruise book. I'm sure I will when it's appropriate. I can imagine it will read something like: "I always book an inside cabin, you save money, eat the same food, and your cabin arrives at port at the same time as the suites." (ala second class train tickets). Except Rick is taking video from his balcony. :)

Maybe he is cruising from a cattle boat or tramp steamer. That's more of a back door approach. That is also a book I'd want to read.

I am not a cruiser (not that there is anything wrong with it), but completely see the business opportunity with this new cruising guidebook and it completely meets his back door philosophy. Basically, don't buy the cruise ship excursions (and in turn waste your money) and follow the eight hour itinerary outlined in the guidebook complete with how to get in and out of port and into the city. People take cruises, and will purchase this book to help with their cruising. I totally get it.

Some people used to travel by ship and work their way to wherever they were going; they traveled as part of the crew. That might be considered "backdoor." Or just eat the regular food and not order the fancy French food that costs extra. Or spend days on the tour studying a blue book and practicing funny foreign words. They didn't call it a "cruise" when many of our ancestors headed for America. I think a lot of them traveled steerage and enjoyed few amenities on the trip. Now, that's BACKDOOR. Except then most of them came in thru the FRONTDOOR of immigration.

To John , who asks why would one want to cruise instead of seeing the country one is visiting. Simple. One can take a cruise and relax,, they can get a quick bite of 4 or 5 different countries in less then 7 or 10 days,, then ,, perhaps,, as we have done,, gone back for land vacations in places that especially appealed. I often wonder if those who put down cruising have ever done it,, I find it difficult to comment on things I personally haven't tried,, but apparently some feel they can make assesments based solely on conjecture, third party gossip, rumors, outdated information,, and sometimes just a bit of snobbery. I travel to Europe independently, i have gone solo and alone with a child a few times,, yet, some of you rik niks seem nervous to even venture out of rick recommended areas , or rick recommended hotels etc.. Cruising is a nice holiday,, it is very relaxing, it is not the same as a nice land trip,, but why is different automatically bad. I get we all enjoy different things,, but cruising is the one area of travel I notice many people seem to feel free to make negative comments about,, and almost always based on outdated ideas.. not often from experience. One does have to choose the type of cruising holiday one would enjoy best,, and frankly, some are too lazy but trot off to a ta who then sells them a cruise that is not a match..then they complain they were stuck on a mega tub with spring breakers ,, lol, its actually kind of funny.

Just what I was thinking Elaine!

Well put, Pat.

First of all, I myself have never been on a cruise...never was interested before. The only type of cruise that would interest me now enough to spend the money is a river cruise, such as the one departing from Passau, or along the Elbe, those types. Whether taking a cruise can be part of the RS "backdoor philosophy" on traveling is totally irrevelant. That philosophy in traveling is unimportant to me. I would not be on a RS cruise.

Can we all agree that some philosophies that seemed great when we were younger just might possibly change.... don't forget as Rick's readers get older, so does he (sorry Rick)... and the vision of schlepping backpacks through back doors may be less appealing to an older and very successful businessman, than it was to the free-spirited student traveler! Given that, there is still a way travel Europe as a thoughful and insightful tourist and not an ugly American, regardless of how you get there.

Nicely phrased Terry Kathryn. When we were on a RS Tour a few years ago, the guide commented that as Rick has aged, the comforts in the hotels in which his groups stay on the guided tours have improved. We were blown away at how wonderful our hotels were, especially the one in Florence. For any of us in our 40s/50s/60s or greater, remember our first automobile...........I'd guess even if we are living very "green" lives, we have a more comfortable vehicle now. Ditto for size of bed, etc. The key thing is to travel and go to Europe (as well as many other places) to see and understand the world, and represent your home country in a nice manner.

Rick addresses this topic in his latest newsletter... noting the concerns his fans have expressed, and even his staff

The melange of people on this website is what keeps me coming back for more. I love all the witty, cutting edge discourse and opinions. That said, bye the bye, having been on a few cruises, I did find them comfortable and relaxing at sea. But, at the ports visited, it always reminded me of herds of cattle coming down chutes when we disembarked. And we soon overwhelmed all the facilities with our numbers, and experienced nothing like traveling by yourself. And Rick....dude.....a cruise? Really? I know you probably get a lot of free cruise vouchers in your line of work, but you could have sailed under the radar on this subject. Maybe traveled incognito as Steve Ricks? But, as stated above, suum cuique pulchrum est.

I've never been on a cruise but I would be interested in a Rick Steves "land-cruise" package. I've enjoyed 3 RS tours and am signed up for #4. In an effort to "see the USA", I took a bus trip this year. Reputable, recommended company but I was pretty disappointed. I hate to waste my valuable vacation time and money sitting on a bus for a week with 43 seniors. We covered 900 miles and flew past the highlights at 60 miles per hour, stopping every 90 minutes for a rest room and gift shop. I wish Rick did tours of the US – maybe cruising is a new niche for his business.

Love this thread and the humor. I'm a guidebook junkie and appreciate Rick's opinionated advice but disagree with him frequently as well. I think part of the issue is this whole idea of "backdoor" (btw, if you are under 35 this whole "backdoor" thing sounds terrible and he really should consider a new catchphrase) travel is kind of moot anyway. I mean Rick still insists that Rothenberg is a must-see itinerary in Germany. His advice for places like Berlin and Barcelona (in terms of what neighborhoods to hang out in and which ones to avoid) are downright stodgy. I think it's kind of a generational thing. Cruising is not independent travel, but a lot of the focus in Rick's philosophy of independent (can't bring myself to say "backdoor" again) travel is kind of misguided anyway. It's silly to pretend that as a tourist you're really gonna get to know locals well or experience life like a European. Ricknicks seem to think they're getting this veneer of authenticity that isn't really valid given the advice and sights he lists. This isn't to say I don't appreciate his knowledge or tips- he's dead on usually about when to visit places, what to skip if you don't have time, and so forth. But I've learned to take his restaurant and nightlife and culture recommendations with a grain of salt because, well, he's basically my dad, except he's traveled to Europe a lot. Even if my dad was an expert on Europe, I'm not going to be interested in what my dad is going to be interested in. In short: If you thought Rick Steves was a totally edgy hip independent traveler and only NOW are you realizing he might just be a boomer who doesn't like commercial bus tours (except his own)...well you haven't been paying attention.

Rick Steves edgy? hip? LOL. I don't think that in his entire live Rick has been either. (No, offense Rick!) I admire Rick partly because he managed build a business for himself traveling to Europe year after year. I wish I had had the gumption, grit, business sense, forethought to realize that there would be money helping American travel in Europe on slightly better scale than my student travels in the 70's. Of course, he's your dad! It would be really scarey if Rick knew all the ins and outs of clubbing in Berlin. What a thought! But he has kept an open mind and I admire that. I am sure that at some point there is a cruise in my future. I just hope that I approach with same attitude that Rick as approached his two weeks in the Mediterranean. Pam

Pam - I agree, I don't think RS is trying to be edgy or hip. But I do wish people would get away from the "I'm an independent traveler because I follow RS advice to the letter" nonsense because it just really isn't true. I mean, with the cruise thing - there are many small cruises in the Med on small ships that foster a far more independent and pleasurable way of traveling than the large ships and major lines and seem to be more in line with what people refer to as RS' travel philosophy. Instead of choosing one major line and one small line, he chose two biggies, with slightly different styles. That's kind of disappointing, to be honest. There's a surprising diversity available in cruising in Europe and his focus just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I have mixed feelings on the size of ships he chose. My first thought was, "Royal Carribean? That's about as far from backdoor travel as you can get." The smaller boats have a lot more to offer but do so at a significantly higher price. For example, a search for 7-10 night Med cruises next May shows a range of $650 for a large ship to more than $6,500 for a small ship. Rick is probably reading his followers better by sticking to the budget options. I agree with what has been said about our aging population. When I was a teen, I considered electric car windows an expensive waste of money - now I wouldn't own a car without them. My travel style hasn't changed as much. I'm still happy with a hostel (or tent camping). Most of my peers, however, have long since given up camping, hosteling and even bathrooms down the hall. Rick is better off aging gracefully with his clients rather than becoming a principled dinosaur.