Cruising isn't for everyone so I've learned. I really do not get why not. To me cruising is the best way to vacation and get the most out of my hard earned vacation money.
What is not to Love about Cruising? Once your on the ship you unpack once and they take you to many countries, feed you and entertain you. Try doing a vacation on your own to several Countries on your own and you'll spend most of your trip in airports.
Way back I took my first cruise on the Carnival Glory. I too thought I would feel bored, trapped, seasick, or just like one of a mass of people shuffled from place to place. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Good thing for me I like adventure!
"What is not to Love about Cruising?"
My husband is also an explorer of sorts and he had taken a cruise just before we met. I still wonder why we didn't meet 6 months sooner I could have gone too!!! He convinced me to go on a cruise with him.
I also am a very detailed planner and I love to keep a Journal of planning and while on vacation. So I do not forget anything. It's the best souvenir I can get for a vacation. How many vacations have you taken where you can not remember what you did...and not because of alcohol amnesia either!!
I planned for 4 months before the cruise. I researched ships, ports and cost. I had to coordinate airfare, pre- cruise hotels, transfers, and excursions.
I never thought about using a travel agent. I seriously thought they would be more expensive. Now that I'm a travel agent I realize I was wrong. How much money I could have saved I will never know.
Counting down to a cruise now has become an agony!! I really could cruise every month and never get bored. I get seriously broke though! I live in the mid Northern US and no where near the ports some lucky people live by. If I lived near a port I would cruise literally every 3-4 months. I wouldn't even need to get off the ship and I would have a grand time.
So, Cruise day finally arrives and we are sailing out of Port Canaveral. We flew into Orlando and stayed in a Hotel near the airport. I remember we had the best time there! We met a group of people cruising the next day as well on a Disney Cruise and partied in the hotel pool in a monsoon rain!! Yup! That was a great memory!!
Image from Carnival.com
Image from Carnival.com
Driving the next day to the port we used the cruise ship transfers from the airport. That part I really don't care for as you wait for eternity for the bus to fill. I much rather get a shuttle!! When we got to the port I could see the ship up close and HOLY COW!!! it was massive! I could not believe how huge it was! Now I was beside myself with excitement! Like a puppy waiting for a new toy!!
I wish I had pictures to show you from our trip, but this was back when I was using film! Digital wasn't being sold in the stores yet!!
My advise for all those wanting to try a cruise is to first think about what you really like to do on vacation.
Budget is one of the very first things you need to figure out. I cruise can easily run about $1500 a person for a 7 day cruise and up. One of the really nice things is that you don't have to pay extra for food or entertainment onboard the ship. You do, however, need to factor in Gratuities for the staff, shore excursions, drink packages, specialty Dining, Casino Gambling, and shopping.
I look at the date range I want to sail in next. Usually I like sailing in April when the risk of snow storms to impact my travel is lower. I really think snow storms wait for my travel days to really hit hard!! Caribbean weather is pretty much the same year round. Mid 80's, humid and chance of rain any day. There are rainy seasons in parts of the Caribbean, and Hurricane seasons. Prices change seasonally and tend to be higher around holidays and less during Hurricane season.
Ship is a very important decision. Ships range from holding about 200 passengers up to about 4000 passengers. Small ships offer the same great ports. They tend not to feel as crowded to some and have fewer lines for everything. The new mega ships, I feel, seem more open and I feel like they have just as much personal space as the smaller ships. It's a matter of personal taste. The larger ships I notice that I do not feel motion as much.
"What do you like to do on vacation"
Itinerary is really important and goes back to "What do you like to do on vacation" Western Caribbean is amazing for people who like History and Mayan Ruins. Eastern and Southern Itineraries have incredible islands with different cultures. Many are formed by Volcano and they make for incredible photos. Every Island offers water excursions, great beaches, snorkeling, shopping, city and land tours, zip-lining, and so much more. Shopping is also a kind of perk on the Islands and Ports. I never leave Mexico without Vanilla. St Maarten has incredible spices. Bonaire has the best bath salts. I could go on forever.
Once you have picked a ship and sail date lets choose a cabin category!! This is a very personal choice. The cabins are small and not at all like a Hotel room. The barely have room to walk around the beds in some cabins. Yet if you book a suite you will feel like the Captain of the ship. It has the ultimate in amenities and pampering by the staff. Cabin category is closely tied to price. The cheapest cabins are lower in the ship and either in the Forward(front) of the ship or Aft(back) of the ship. If you even think you may get seasick the lower cabins are pretty good, but aim for mid ship. Some cabins are in noisy areas. I do not recommend to my clients any cabins in the "noisy areas" This choice is critical for a restful nights sleep!
A good travel agent like myself can help you along in this process and make sure you make decisions you will fit you best.
So, if you haven't cruise before .... I say why not give it a try. Compare the price of a cruise to a land based vacation and you will see the amazing price difference. The cruise also comes with a lot more variety of things to do and see.
Happy Cruising!
- Sunrise near the port of Panama
FantaSea Travel - my website my facebook page-like my page
