I have heard so many people say they would never take a cruise vacation…insert whatever reason here: they cost too much. What do you do on a ship all day or I’d be bored on sea days. It’s full of germs. It’s for a bunch of drunk party people – and the list goes on and on. As you will see, I’ve found nothing could be further from the truth. If you’ve often wondered about cruising but haven’t tried it yet because of reasons like these, I’ll share my experiences here so you can use them to decide if cruising might be right for you.
But is it affordable…really?
Instead of costing too much – it’s actually an economical way to travel. Imagine you’re planning to take a week-long vacation, just think about all the elements (and the math) that go into planning. First, you need to figure out where you’re going. Once you narrow that down, where do you plan on staying? Are you going to a hotel, renting a condo, cabin, airbnb, etc.? Will the place you stay be equipped with a kitchen or will you dine out for all your meals? Next, what will be your entertainment? Travel costs to get there and to get around? Is there something for everyone in your travel group? It’s exhausting just thinking about all the components that go into making a great vacation!
When you book a cruise, you can go on the cheap or you can deluxe it all the way. It’s possible to take a week-long cruise for just a few hundred dollars or a few thousand…and then some! There truly is something for everyone’s taste and style of travel from an interior or economy cabin all the way to the suite life. Me, personally, I prefer to stick to balcony or veranda cabins – so most (if not all) of my posts will feature that style of cruise cabin. The major cruise lines also offer payment plans, which means you can book a cruise simply by making a down payment. Then you can just pay as you go or set up a monthly payment plan and by the time you cruise, your vacation is already paid for. There are even specials during parts of the year where you’ll find down payments as low as only $50 per person to lock in that dream vacation. When you book a cruise, you can also prepay all gratuities before you even board the ship. Once you add up all the costs included in a cruise vacation compared to booking at a hotel, etc., you will easily see the savings.
So what can you look forward to?
So the second you book that cruise, you have just taken care of most of the elements needed for a true vacation escape. You have a place to stay, your mode of transportation, entertainment for all, from young to old – and you have all your meals taken care of too! Your biggest issue will be getting to the cruise ship, and your cruise line or travel agent (if you use one) can even take care of all of that for you. So you now have a stress-free vacation where even busy moms can sit back and finally relax! Hooray!
You’ll also have options to upgrade your experience such as purchasing drink packages, specialty dining, spa extras like a massage. There are shops onboard, casinos, waterslides, live theatre shows, comedy acts…and plenty of live music to choose from. Have kids? No worries, there are even supervised programs for kids of all ages to meet up where they can make friends and participate in groups specific to them…leaving you a bit of time to enjoy whatever you choose on your own. You can also purchase tour packages (shore excursions) for when you pull into port. We like to buy our excursions and anything extra before we even get to the ship. Knowing everything is taken care of, I can finally relax and not have to worry about making sure we still have money for food or entertainment.
What’s my favorite thing about cruising?
Relaxation…relaxation…relaxation! Did I say relaxation? Seriously though, I have yet to take another vacation where I get to truly relax. There is not a single worry because everything…and I mean EVERYTHING is taken care of already. I don’t have to cook or clean or do any meal planning or meal preps. Hungry? just go grab something when you’re ready. Thirsty? plenty to choose from there too. Hanging out by the pool, sipping a cocktail while reading a book – yes, please! Evenings under the stars watching a movie while snacking on freshly popped popcorn, count me in. Dance parties and piano bars and comedy clubs – what’s there not to like!
I also love – absolutely LOVE having a balcony cabin where I can just sit in peace while I watch the waves go by. It’s the perfect way to start my day and also end my day. I appreciate the moonlight at sea just as much as a sunrise or sunset! And cruising you get all three! I’m also an early riser, so I especially enjoy going to watch the ships wake while enjoying that first cup of coffee when the ship is quiet and there’s a lot less people around.
So what’s your favorite thing about cruising? What’s holding you back from booking your first cruise vacation? I’d love to hear from you, just leave a comment below!
