Travel Tuesday: Take a Cruise!
Going on a cruise is a great option especially if you are on a budget. You get to see a few different places in the world along with having a floating resort all at your finger tips. A lot of cruise lines run specials too which can save you money. I would recommend a week long cruise. That usually means you get to see about 2-3 cities, a private island and then a few days on the boat. I’ve been on a few different cruises so it pays to do some research about what you’re looking for. Some cruises are geared towards families, or younger people. Some have better food but not as good excursions (activities.)
I’ve found that going through a travel agent can be very helpful as well because they tend to know more about the ships than I ever could. We always opted for a room with a balcony so you could sit out and watch the world go by. Generally you get an option for anytime dining or a specific time. We always went with the any time dining because it allows you to sit with other people and make new friends. Ships usually have two formal nights which I particularly enjoy because it allows you to wear something nice and show everyone how good you look. Some cruise lines have drink packages such as all you can drink soda, or a booze card. Take advantage of this because drinks tend to be expensive.
If you’re of age you can try to sneak a bottle on in your luggage, just know they have the right to take it and not allow it (so I wouldn’t bring the 30 year old scotch.) Cruises are particularly nice because there is no set schedule. If you want to go ashore to a port you can but if you want to hang out by the pool and just get sun all day you can do that too. One of my favorite parts about cruising is that the rest of the world disappears, cell phones don’t work you’re basically untouchable.
Helpful Tips:
Research your cruise line so you know what to expect (old crowd, young crowd, good food, etc)
Figure out which ship you’d like – Some of the newer ships are huge, like shopping mall big. While that can be awesome it can also be overwhelming. Know how big the ship is and how many people.
Book your excursions early – If you want to go jet skiing or snorkeling or horseback riding make sure to book it early as they are a first come first serve adventure.
Be outgoing – Most of these people you will never see again so say hi, maybe make some friends for the week.
Try new things at dinner – cruises are pretty much all you can eat so order something you normally wouldn’t. If it sucks order something else!
I hope these tips help and maybe we can go on vacation together sometime.
If you’ve been on a cruise before how did you like it?
