Pretty bold title, eh? I considered toning it down a bit but I didn’t feel that reflected the truth. You see, as I outlined in my last post, I was a bit leery of the whole cruising thing. Then I went on one, and another, and another (you get the idea) and I truly believe they are the ultimate vacation for me and my family and can be for you as well. Why? Let’s take a look!
1) Destination Sampling
Cruises can take you all over the world! In addition to the Caribbean you can also go to the Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal, Europe, Australia and New Zealand...shall I continue?
You often have most of the day at a location, so they amount you can do in each port is really quite exhaustive. For example, we had one day in Florence this past summer and we were able to see:
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
The David (and everything else the museum had to offer)
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo)
Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence - the burial site of many renaissance contributors such as Michelangelo and Galileo
We also did some shopping, ate at an incredible restaurant and just wandered the streets.
Now imagine doing this for 4-5 different cities...simply incredible!
2) Cost per night
Considering a cruise includes food, lodging, entertainment AND transportation between locations, it is very difficult to beat the cost per night. A real-time search of a Norwegian 7-day Caribbean cruise in September for a family of 4 resulted in a cost $342 per night TOTAL for a balcony room ($86 per person). This specific cruise also includes specialty dining on 3 nights and unlimited beverage package!! I mean, seriously, where can you get a deal like that.
3) Shows and entertainment
The shows and entertainment on some of these ships is seriously world class. In fact, many ships have full fledged broadway shows (think Grease, Mama Mia and Hairspray). Many also feature comedians you may have seen on comedy central, incredible musical talent and world class dancers from around the world.
In addition to the shows there are tons of activities to do throughout the day with something for everyone. You can play trivia, learn how to salsa dance, do a family scavenger hunt, join a dance party, and more.
4) Wake up in a new city
One of the coolest things about a cruise is that you explore a location during the day, and, while you are enjoying everything the ship has to offer and getting a good night’s rest, the ship is “cruising” ahead. This means you get to wake up every morning to a completely different city or even country!!
5) Food
The food on these ships is not only amazing, but it is plentiful! Hungry for breakfast? Try a sit down in the dining room or load up at the main cafe. Having lunch on the ship? Try one of the sandwich or pub options. Need a snack? Grab a soft serve or something from 24-hour pizza place! At dinner you can order as much as you want from any section of the menu. Love crab cakes? Get a few of the appetizer plates in addition to your dinner. One night our table couldn’t decide which desserts to get so we got them all!
6) Drink Package
A number of cruise lines, including Norwegian and Celebrity, offer up an unlimited drink package as a perk for booking a room. This is awesome for a couple of reasons:
You don’t need to worry about paying as you go and “accidently” rack up a pretty large stateroom bill.
You can try new things! Always wanted to try a Bahama Mama...in the Bahamas? Go for it! Never had a mudslide? Make it your afternoon (or in my father-in-law’s case, late morning) drink of choice!
7) Spa
As if all of the above wasn’t enough, pretty much every cruise ship out there has a spa that offers numerous services from massage to facials to acupuncture to hair cuts. These bring the cruise experience to a whole new level of luxury and relaxation.
Oh, and the spa area also typically includes a full gym. I mention this in passing because many people think exercise and vacation are two words that should not be used in the same sentence. However, for those that do enjoy a little balance (or just want to make room for the three desserts you plan to get at dinner), the gyms are very nice and offer a number of classes.
Bonus reasons: Different cruise lines offer different experiences
Ok, I realize I said “7 Reason” but I wanted to throw this one in because it brings us full circle. Because there are so many cruise lines out there these days, you can choose the type of ship experience you want and find the right cruise line/ship to match (that is where I can help!). Are you a retired couple looking for a bit more of a pampered, quiet experience? Go for an Aqua Class suite on the Celebrity Edge. Are you a family of 4 looking for an all around great, affordable cruise with fun for every age? The Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas would be a great choice. Organizing a 40th birthday party for you and 20 of your closest friends? One of the new Carnival ships would be perfect.
To sum up, with a can’t-beat cost per night, world class shows, entertainment and dining, included drink packages (on some ships), relaxing spa options and the opportunity to find a ship that matches your vacation desires, a cruise truly is the ULTIMATE vacation!