My Grandmother was a woman set in her ways, she liked her routine and rarely travelled. I remember as a child taking a family holiday to what was then known as Yugoslavia and I think that was her one and only time outside of the UK.
If there’s one thing I wish I had been given the opportunity to do, it would have been to take my Grandma on a cruise. It certainly would have been an experience that’s for sure! I am confident at first she would probably have hated 95% of it. The biggest challenge would have been the actual ship itself. I can hear her now “you’ve got another thing coming if you think I’m going on that” but, I am sure after some gentle persuasion she would have agreed. So long as you made sure, ten times over, that everything was definitely booked and arranged. I know I get my “stress head” from my Grandma.
Once onboard she would temporarily be pre-occupied with the ship’s enormous size and sheer beauty. I can see her now wandering around something like P&O Cruises, Oceana. The atrium would be a place she would have been amazed by, the kids playing in the pool would have made her smile and a venue like the Yacht and Compass would have been just enough for her. She liked her dancing though so I am sure the theatre would be visited every evening.
Port days she would have hated going too far, I know she would have preferred to stay within sight of the ship, but that’s OK. She would have been happy doing that because she would have felt more comfortable, and if she felt comfortable she would have enjoyed her day no matter what she was doing. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons why she never travelled, she was worried because she didn’t know what to expect, she was happy in her home routine.
I think if I had cruised with my Grandma it would have to have been with P&O Cruises. When it comes to food she too was a picky eater 
and if she didn’t recognise it from her childhood or the local fish and chip shop then believe me when I tell you she wasn’t touching it let alone eating it. I tried to get her to eat Spaghetti Bolognese one day, she just wouldn’t entertain it at all. So at least if I had taken her with P&O Cruises I know she would have eaten thanks to the many British dishes served onboard. I think her favourite would have been afternoon tea. She would have thoroughly enjoyed the tea cakes, little sandwiches, sausage rolls and the little cakes too.
Sadly my Grandma passed away several years ago, but I was thinking about her this morning and thought I would share those thoughts with you. It’s nice to reminisce about loved ones lost when you can smile and look back with happy memories. I know it would have grown on her and after giving in and letting herself just enjoy it she would have played with the idea of doing it again, I hope she would have anyway!
Author: Danielle
CruiseMiss.com 
Nice story……I worked on these ships for many years and the best cruise I ever had was when I had my parents sail with me. I felt so happy that they got to see me doing something I loved and I got to see them enjoying themselves and watching my colleagues make a fuss over them and treating them like rock stars. It was not their first cruise nor the last they have been on but for them it was the best because they were sharing an experience with family.
I got to take my mother and father on Boudicca m y mothers 80th birthday , dad did not want to go as, “the last ship he had been on was a troup carrier in the war” his words not mine ,
We’ll we talked him round and after the cruise they both said that was better than anything they could of imagined. Happy says
My story is almost the exact opposite, it was my grandmother who introduced me to cruising back in 1979, she loved to cruise and loved the old P & O Arcadia. She passed away a couple of years ago and to remember her I went on my first cruise since 1979 last year.
Next week I am taking my nieces and nephews ( her great grandkids ) on their first cruise to share with them the joy and memories of cruising and I plan on taking them on a few more in the coming years.
I now do cruises to remember and celebrate those who are gone and I plan on making sure that others don’t miss out on experiencing the pleasure and joy of a cruise.
Thank you for your story, I’m sure your your Grandma would have loved cruising.