Are you thinking about taking a cruise and wondering if they’re as good as you’ve heard and read? For a first-time cruiser, a cruise vacation is both exciting and scary. With so many options, you can quickly find yourself going down a rabbit hole of research, trying to figure out if it’s the right kind of vacation for you.
To help you with this, I’m sharing the top reasons people love to cruise and why you should consider one for your next vacation. Deciding which type of vacation you’re spending your PTO and budget on is important in the post-COVID world. We are all ready to get away for a while.
Pre-COVID cruise vacations were seeing a record number of passengers each year. In 2019 alone, 30 million travelers sailed on a cruise ship. Of those travelers, nearly half (13.8 million) embarked on their vacation from a United States port. In the post-COVID world, cruising is expected to rebound with 2022 and beyond exceeding 30 million passengers.
Top Five Reasons You Should Consider A Cruise Vacation
1. Cruise vacations are one of the best ways to maximize your vacation time. On a cruise, you unpack once and get to visit multiple destinations. This allows you to be in vacation mode as soon as you step on the ship. You don’t need to worry about transferring hotels, worrying about a lost reservation at the next destination, or if the hotel will meet your expectations.
2. Cruising gives one of the best returns on investment for your travel budget. When you’re on a cruise, you don’t have to worry about spending any additional money unless you want to. Your cruise fare will include meals in the main dining room(s), basic drinks, just about all the activities on the ship, and of course, the ports of call.
How much you get with your cruise fare will vary depending on which cruise line you travel with. Generally speaking, the more budget a cruise line has, the less that is included. Carnival and Norwegian are considered by most to be the most economical cruise lines. Onboard you’ll find plenty of opportunities to spend more of your travel budget. In comparison, Celebrity Cruises includes a drink package, tips, and WIFI in the cabin price.
3. Cruising has World-class dining. Every cruise line prides itself on the meals served across their ships. This means you’ll have the opportunity to not only experience amazing dinner service, but you’ll also be able to explore new foods that you wouldn’t normally want to order at home. I’ve tried plenty of new things on past cruises with no risk if I don’t like it. Beyond trying new things, having a full dinner service is unique to most travelers and is something that you should experience. Take the time to fully enjoy dinner from the bread basket to an after dessert cocktail.
4. Cruise to explore new ports of call. As I pointed out in my first reason to cruise, a cruise allows you to visit multiple ports of call in one vacation. Each port will have its own history, flare, and activities that you don’t want to miss. And because there’s so much to do, there’s something for every type of traveler. If you’re an adventure seeker, there will be options to go zip-lining or trekking across the landscape on an ATV. If you’re more interested in culture, take a bus tour around the city to see the most notable locations or participate in a cooking class to learn how to prepare a favorite dish of the locals.
And of course, you can’t forget about the shopping! I don’t mean shopping at the chains that you’ll see at every port. I mean shopping at locally owned stores that sell locally made items. These make the best souvenirs and gifts to give to your friends when you get back home.
5. Cruising has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking to relax by the pool the entire week, go clubbing each evening, destress in the thermal suite, or a mix of any of the activities, cruising has something for you. Just like in the dining room, you can explore new activities that you wouldn’t normally consider at home. The largest cruise ships have artificial surfing, skydiving, multi-story waterslides, roller coasters, and more. Looking for a more sedate vacation, smaller ships have plenty of spaces to unwind. Because of the variety of activities, cruises have become very popular for multi-generation family reunions. There are activities for every age group and enough space that large families can spend time together when they want.
In all honesty, limiting the top reasons to cruise to five is super difficult. Cruising is one of my favorite ways to travel, and I could keep listing out reasons. But the reason each person cruises is different, and your reason for wanting to try one may be different than anything I list out.
Want to talk about your family’s needs and if a cruise vacation would be right for you? Schedule an initial consultation with me to tell me what you want to get out of your vacation. I’ll match you with the perfect vacation for your travel personality, and if it’s a cruise, the perfect cruise line.
Rainbow Getaways proudly help travelers of the LGBTQ community (and our allies) research, plan, and book incredible vacations where you feel confident and comfortable enjoying and exploring your destination. We plan each vacation to meet your specific needs, so you’ll have an experience just as unique as yours.
If you haven’t already, be sure to request your free copy of The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide to the Caribbean at the bottom of the page.