A cruise can be a phenomenal vacation, but once you’ve been on one, you’ve been on them all, right? Wrong! Many cruise passengers find themselves returning again and again to their favorite cruise lines, ports of call and even specific ships. But why do people keep cruising?
1. Great Value for the Getaway
A cruise vacation, with included transportation, accommodations, dining and entertainment, is a great value and can be much more affordable than a land-based getaway.
By investigating sales or taking advantage of deals, it is possible to book a cruise for less than just a hotel room on land – and that hotel room doesn’t include free room service, professional revue shows and different countries!
2. The Convenience of Cruise Travel
A typical land-based vacation can be a tremendous hassle of driving, choosing what to do each day, arranging attraction tickets, picking where to eat, getting lost in traffic, missing out on reservations and other irritations.
A cruise, however, is amazingly convenient as passengers only need to unpack once and can quickly learn their way around even the largest cruise ship so no time is wasted going from one activity to another.
Dining reservations are already set, there’s plenty of room in the show lounges and there’s always more to do without resorting to cruise guidebooks. For passengers who enjoy a few drinks, there’s no worry about driving afterwards, and parents can be assured their children are well looked after in dedicated youth programs.
3. The Cruise Experience
A cruise ship is the ultimate floating resort, with both gourmet and casual dining options, luxury spas, multiple pools, comedy shows, fun games, casinos and other entertainment that are all part of the experience, along with spectacular sunrises and sunsets, gym facilities and superior service.
As an added bonus, a cruise ship also takes passengers to different destinations, something a land-based resort can never do.
4. New Destinations to Visit
There are dozens and dozens of ports of call around the world, and it is possible to take a cruise to all seven continents while still enjoying the amazing experience of being on board no matter what the itinerary or destination.
From the tropics of the Caribbean to the history and culture of the Mediterranean, the amazing wilderness of Alaska, the beauty of Hawaii, the vibrance of South America, the hospitality of Australia, the wildlife of Antarctica and more, there is always a new place to explore on a cruise.
5. Something for Everyone
A cruise ship truly offers something for everyone, of all ages and interests. Kids and teens will love the youth programs on board with dedicated counselors who can adapt programs to different interests, while parents will love the relaxation of adults-only areas such as dedicated lounges or pools.
Like sports? You can play basketball or mini-golf on board, or try golfing, snorkeling, sport fishing and more at different ports. How about shopping? There are different stores on board and new shopping experiences in every port of call.
Foodies will love the gourmet dining and extensive wine cellars on cruise ships, history buffs will enjoy the chance to visit top historical sites in different destinations and passengers who enjoy gambling will love the casinos, slot tournaments and bingo games on board.
6. New Ships and New Features
New cruise ships are being launched all the time, each one with new and distinct features that cruise passengers can enjoy.
While miniature golf courses, dedicated spas, whirlpools, and waterslides are found on nearly every ship, popular options appearing on only the newest, most updated vessels include water coasters, indoor skydiving, ropes courses, park-like promenades, surf machines, thalassotherapy pools, bumper cars, 3D movie theaters, robot bartenders, onboard celebrity concerts, sushi bars, burger joints and mixology bars. To experience them all, cruisers have to keep on cruising.
7. Elegance and Romance at Sea
At its heart, cruising is a romantic, luxurious getaway that includes an air of elegance. From formal nights to professional portraits to romantic dinners-for-two overlooking the ocean sunset, there are many options that harken back to the golden age of cruising.
While formal dress codes are typically voluntary, many cruise passengers enjoy the opportunity to get bedecked, bejeweled and coiffed to the nines for a very special cruise evening.
8. The Easy Ability to Unplug
If electronics rule your work life and your ultimate vacation is to unplug, cruising is the answer. Internet service on board ships is notoriously slow and can be unreliable, and paying for the service can be expensive.
Instead, many cruisers use their vacation as an opportunity to truly get unplugged, leaving tablets, laptops and cell phones at home or securely put away in their cabin without guilt. When it is necessary to stay in touch, there are social media packages that make it easy to update friends and family without feeling obligated to spend the vacation online.
Also Read:Â 10 Items You Never Thought To Take on a Cruise
9. Unbeatable Staff and Service
Cruise ships pride themselves on providing superior guest service and returning passengers know just how true that is, unlike many land-based resorts where staff is frequently invisible, no matter how well done their jobs may be.
Frequent cruisers often choose their next voyage based on where their favorite crew members, such as a popular cruise director, are assigned. Furthermore, even cabin stewards, dining staff and cruise photographers will remember and recognize frequent passengers, and those relationships can grow to true friendships.
10. Loyalty From One Cruise to the Next
The more passengers cruise, the more they are recognized by the cruise line and the more benefits they can enjoy from being a frequent passenger. From priority boarding and debarkation to special upgrades and discounts, free commemorative gifts, past passenger parties, guaranteed reservations and more, there are definite benefits to being a repeat cruiser with the same cruise line.
While those benefits do not usually transfer between cruise lines even in the same corporation, it is worthwhile to be loyal to a favorite cruise line, and the more passengers cruise, the more they can enjoy that recognition.
With so many reasons to keep on cruising, why not book your next cruise today?
