If you’ve ever considered taking a cruise, now is the perfect time to begin researching your options. Cruising is not like other types of vacations for several reasons. It has a little bit of everything to satisfy even the most finicky of travelers.
Ease of Travel
Taking a cruise is like one-stop shopping. Absolutely everything you need is on board these floating cities. All you have to do is get to the port. Your luggage will magically appear in your cabin. A list of shipboard activities will be slipped under your door each morning. There are plenty of dining options from the main cafeteria to fancy chef-inspired steak or sushi eateries. Whether you choose a Caribbean cruise or one around the Greek Isles, the shore excursions are carefully curated and highly organized. Taking a cruise enables you to just enjoy your vacation.
Relaxation
Without the hassle of figuring out a currency exchange or trying to make yourself understood in a foreign language, you can concentrate on all the different ways you can relax on a cruise. Most cruises have exercise classes like yoga and Pilates. They have spas that offer massages and facials. There is plenty of space around the various swimming pools on deck to just sit in the sun and read a good book. Cruise ships usually have a library and an old-fashioned cocktail bar too, so you’re free to relax however you choose. On a cruise, you don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to.
Shipboard Excitement
Cruise ships are exciting places. There is always something going on whether it is games by the pool, trivia night at the saloon, a murder mystery party or a Broadway-quality show. There are often casinos, ship-board shopping and special lectures on topics of interest available on each cruise. You will not get bored. On the other hand, if you prefer a quiet evening watching the shoreline go by, that’s a perfectly acceptable way to spend an evening. Cruises have room service and wine delivery.
Explore Other Cultures
If you enjoy learning about other places and other cultures, taking a cruise is a great way to do that. Different from an immersive experience, shore excursions allow you to choose what part of the cultural experience you’re most interested in. There are so many types of excursions to choose from. For those who love nature, there are hikes or trips to nature preserves, jaunts to exclusive white sand beaches, snorkeling or scuba dives. For foodies, there are usually several side trips to choose from that involve a meal that focuses on local cuisine. There are winery or brewery tours. Studying the local history of the area is an option too with day trips to museums or area historical sites or ruins. At the end of your day exploring, you have your comfortable stateroom to get back to before heading on to the next port.
Enjoy the Company of Others…Or Not
One of the best features of cruising is the people you meet. It’s cruising culture to share your dinner table with other people. You can select to eat with the same people for each meal if you want to have time to really form a relationship. Another option is for random seating that will get you new tablemates for each meal. Cruises are great for family reunions too. There is plenty of time for everyone to get together and also space for each family to retire to their separate quarters. If you’re not into hanging out with other people, a big cruise ship enables you to be alone in a crowd. No one will ever notice if you don’t make new friends. You can always take meals by yourself or with your special someone. You can truly have it both ways on a cruise.
Cruising is a great option for those with differing ideas of what a vacation should look like. There is plenty to do or nothing to do. You can be among people or be alone. You can explore or relax. A cruise puts the power of what you enjoy the most about vacations in your hands.