I consider myself a pretty experienced cruiser after going on board over 25 voyages. The itineraries have ranged from a quick three day getaway where guests can not wait to start the party and sippy cups are filled with their favorite libation to splendid voyages where nothing is overlooked in luxurious and memorable ships. After all the experiences and memories, I still look forward to the next cruise and here are a few reasons why I love cruising!
YOUR MONEY GOES FURTHER
The days when cruising was an experience reserved only for the wealthy are long gone. Cruise lines have made voyages more accessible with a quite a number of embarkation ports around the world and more affordable by offering great deals on all inclusive vacations.
The all inclusive nature of most cruises give guests tremendous deals and piece of mind as you will know exactly how much your vacation will cost you. There are various options available for drink packages, some include alcohol and others that are designed for non-alcoholic drinkers. These come handy especially if you have kids joining your vacation as there is no need for you to sign for everything they order at any point of the trip. Some of the more exclusive cruise lines offer alcoholic beverages on the all inclusive rate and the option to upgrade to a higher tier of liquor packages is always available.
Land excursions are not included for most cruises but they offer an array of options and prices range depending on the excursion. If you opt to not book through the cruise line, you can research tours online for the different destinations and for the most part, once you disembark at the scheduled port there are tour companies and taxis that you can hire onsite. I have booked excursions on board and on port depending on the day schedule. If the visit to the port is a bit short I prefer to book on board as I know the ship schedule will be followed and I don't have to stress over getting back too late.
START THE EXCITEMENT AS SOON AS YOU ARE BOOKED
Once the destination adventure is chosen, I can not wait to start planning our trip. For me, this means looking up the different ports and finding out what that particular destination is known for or what is the most famous dish of the area. This is exciting for me and gives me the opportunity to learn about the destination, the culture, the people and the must see attractions.
Another exciting opportunity is visiting the cruise website where you will register your personal information and once this is done, you will have access to the online cruise planner where you can reserve excursions, spa treatments, specialty dinning and excursions. Most cruise lines make this planner easy to navigate and it provides information of different activities planned on board, embarkation and disembarkation schedule, deck plans and special guest lecturers featured on your voyage.
EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS
Cruising is an excellent way to experience different destinations on one vacation. Most of us have limited time to travel and if you are like me, a long list of "Places I Want to Visit". This is an excellent way to get your "sneak peek" into different locations and decide if it is a place you would like to re-visit and spend more time on land.
Instead of worrying about planes, trains and automobiles you can leave the stress behind as you are transported in style to your next destination. There will be ample time for experiencing the different ports with lots of options as to what activities you can engage in while on port. Different cruise lines offer different types of vacations. For example, if you are traveling with children, Disney Cruises https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ caters to all ages by offering unforgettable excursions that allow guests to experience the Disney magic at each port. Award winning Crystal Cruises https://www.crystalcruises.com/ offers luxurious voyages with smaller ships that offer late departures and overnight stays at port of calls where cruisers can experience each port to its fullest.
UNPACK ONCE AND DONE
If there is something that I absolutely dread is having to drag heavy luggage while traveling and having to find places to store the luggage while you do a little exploration. Cruises eliminate that stress!
Once you book your cruises, luggage tags will be provided for you and on embarkation day you can drop off your luggage at port. There will be plenty of porters there to efficiently lug your checked bags into the ship to be placed in your stateroom.
For me, once we are able to access the stateroom and our luggage is delivered I get to organize my wardrove so that I get that out of the way and get started with enjoying my stay. Staterooms have plenty of storage where you can hang and place your personal items while cruising. Do it once and done!
DISCONNECT AND CONECT IN PERSON
Once I get on board I truly disconnect from my phone. I do carry my phone to take pics while enjoying my vacation but I stay away from the daily feeds. Instead I opt to meet new and fun people from around the world on board and in person.
It is not a requirement to be social but the option is there if you like to give it a try. People are in a great mood and just like you they are excited to be sailing to the new destinations. I love hearing about the different places people come from and there is always a new or many cruise tips to learn from experienced cruisers.
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