After taking my first cruise in 1995, it was love at first sailing for me! Since then I’ve been fortunate enough to have cruised all over the world. When I board a ship I still get childlike excitement!I could easily list a gazillion reasons you should take a cruise for your next vacation, but I’ve narrowed it down to my top ten for you. 😉
1. Room With a View
With the majority of staterooms offering a balcony (IMHO that’s a must for your cruise!), you have ever changing views. Take in a sunset, watch for whales breaching, and enjoy the port/island views from your own slice of deck space!
2. Unpack One Time
One of the not so fun parts of most vacations is living out of a suitcase. With a cruise you only need to unpack once (and if you splurge on a suite with a private butler – you won’t even have to do that! 😉 ). Most cruise cabins are not as large as hotel rooms, but they do come with ample storage to unpack all your luggage – even if traveling with family.
3. Unique Destinations
It’s hard to think of a destination that cruises don’t travel to! In some parts of the world – such as the Inside Passage of Alaska or the Norwegian Fjords; a cruise really is the best and easiest way to travel to these areas. In some regions, a pre or post city stay complements a cruise vacation nicely as well.
4. Entertainment Choices
The entertainment choices on board cruise ships only keeps getting better! Each day and evening you’ll choose from an abundance of broadway style reviews, comedians, ice skating shows, a jazz quartet, gambling in the casino, dancing in the disco… to name just a few of the options.
5. Calling All Foodies
Cruises have a plethora of food choices! With many of the cruise lines collaborating with famous chefs – they have been upping their game in this area as well. Along with the main dining room meals you can also choose from various specialty restaurants (such as a new “farm to ship” choice on Royal Caribbean), casual dining, buffets, and room service. Many lines also offer cooking demonstrations (in state of the art kitchens), hands on workshops, and galley tours. Some also offer cooking programs for the kids!
6. Wine Tasting or Craft Brews
You’ve probably noticed from my previous writings I love craft beer! While at sea you can lift a pint in Celebrity Cruises Craft Beer Social bar and many of the other lines are now serving more craft beer choices. If wine is more to your taste – many cruise lines offer interactive tastings with expert sommeliers. Some shore excursions center around wine tasting and visits to local vineyards. There are also theme cruises centered around beer and wine lovers.
7. Multigenerational Travel
A cruise is one of the best vacations for family travel! No matter what your age, there is certain to be something that interests everyone in your group. There’s no hassle of cooking for a large group or deciding where to eat. Everyone has their own cabin space when some alone time is needed. The kids are entertained with the kids’ center and programs (babysitting also available). It’s a wonderful way of travel to create those cherished family memories!
8. Active/Adventure Travelers
I know some have a difficult time getting past the stigma of overeating and lying in a deck chair on a cruise. It’s just not the case anymore with the choices of activities on modern ships and the port tours offered! I have raced an America’s cup yacht (not just passengers – we all had jobs!), drove an ATV and snorkeled on shore excursions. You don’t even have to disembark the ship to stay active… I’ve rock climbed and zip lined on one of my cruises (learning to surf is next on the list!). Not to mention there are sports courts (tennis, basketball, etc…) and fitness centers on most ships.
9. Safety at Sea
Cruise lines are consistently rated as one of the safest modes of travel! The kitchen/food areas are frequently monitored with health inspections, the crew is highly trained in case of emergencies and passengers are drilled with safety measures upon boarding. Yes, we’ve all seen the news reporting the illnesses at sea, but those instances are truly few and far between. Another great benefit of a cruise is they are mobile when bad weather occurs. I have been on cruises where our itinerary was altered due to storms… but we were still able to enjoy a nice vacation.
10. Value
With so many things included on a cruise, it continues to be one of the best vacation values. Every cruise is different on it’s extra costs, what’s included/not included; luckily you have me to help you sort those details out! 🙂
Cruising really does offer something for everyone! With the choices of ship sizes, destinations and itinerary lengths there is one right for you. If you are looking for a quiet escape, a romantic trip, a family vacation or active adventure I can match you to the perfect ship and itinerary. When thinking of your next vacation – put a cruise on the short list!
Until the next adventure – bon voyage!
Kris
