A new year is a great time for reexamining what one wants to do differently or change in the coming year, to improve one’s quality of life, happiness, and fulfillment. Cruise travelers are fortunate that their lifestyle involves such fabulous vacations, but there are great resolutions that can be made to make cruising even better!
Whether you’ve been on many cruises or may just be planning your first oceangoing getaway, these goals can help you make the most of cruising in the new year.
1. Try a New Cruise Line
While maintaining cruise line loyalty can have great benefits, you might be missing out if you never try what another line has to offer. Consider comparing another major cruise line to your favorite line, or opt for a boutique cruise line offering adventure sailings, river cruises, quick getaways or other new options.
2. Cruise to a New Destination
There’s no time like a new year to plan a cruise to that destination you’ve always wanted to visit. Whether it is a sailing in the Mediterranean, exploring Alaska’s Inside Passage, cruising to Hawaii, visiting Australia, or any other destination, find a new port to try for the new year.
3. Be Adventurous Onboard
Today’s cruise ships are much more than dining rooms and show lounges, and offer a wide range of amazing activities. Explore onboard and try something new. Whether it is finally joining a slot tournament, tackling a surfing simulator, or indulging in a massage, try something new for a new year.
4. Take a Last-Minute Cruise
While planning a cruise months in advance can lead to great anticipation, you can find amazing bargains if you book a last-minute sailing, especially if you can drive to a cruise port. You can’t be picky on a cabin category, but you will still get a great, spur-of-the-moment cruise vacation for amazing relaxation.
5. Cruise With Someone New
Introduce someone new to cruising or join up with friends you’ve always wanted to travel with in the new year. Bring along a family member who’s never cruised before, plan a big family cruise, or join in a group cruise or theme cruise to make new friends with shared interests onboard.
6. Consider a New Cabin Category
If you’ve always gotten an ocean view or balcony cabin, splurge on a suite, try a ship-in-a-ship retreat, or even go for a great bargain with an interior stateroom. Or try a new cabin location, such as an aft-facing cabin or a cove-style balcony or ocean view on a lower deck for a new experience.
7. Upgrade Your Luggage and Accessories
Upgrading to sturdier luggage or designs with better wheels can make all the difference for cruising. Also consider new upgrades on cruise accessories, such as a small fan for white noise, magnetic hooks for extra storage, a night light for the bathroom, or better adapter plugs for charging devices in your stateroom.
8. Join a Beach or Marine Cleanup
Help preserve the type of vacation you love by joining in a local beach or marine cleanup to remove litter and debris from the ocean environment. Some cruise lines even offer local excursions in ports of call to participate in cleanups or other “give back” volunteer opportunities to help local communities.
9. Be Kind to Crew Members
Kindness is a great new year’s resolution for everyone, and being kind to crew members will really touch individuals who are far from their families and friends for months at a time. Offer a sincere “thank you” for the service they provide, or consider an extra gratuity if possible to thank them for their hard work.
10. Take a New Year’s Cruise
There’s nothing like ringing in the new year at a midnight deck party with thousands of other passengers, the ship’s horn sounding, and amazing revelry to celebrate. Make it your best near year’s resolution to book a New Year’s cruise and bring in the new year in style, either this year or next!
What are your New Year’s resolutions related to cruising? Share in the Cruise Hive boards and let’s all make the new year our best cruising year ever!
