To Cruise or Not to Cruise?

In my experience, you either love or hate cruising.  There’s so much to do, on and off the ship, but in a staged and confined environment.  You can cross multiple places off your bucket list and have good fun with no worries in the world.  However, you have a limited time in each destination and there isn’t a real opportunity to experience the true culture of the place you’re visiting.  Since there are pros and cons to choosing to go on a cruise or not, you have to decide what is most important to you.

CRUISE

YOU CAN VISIT MULTIPLE PLACES

This is probably the biggest pro for going on a cruise.  Not all cruises go to multiple destinations, but the ones that do give you an opportunity to get a taste of each city or country.

THE FOOD

Cruises are known for their amazing food. There are usually many types of cuisine and options for you to choose from for each meal.  Just be sure not to overdo it!

LOTS OF AMENITIES 

The beauty of cruising is that everything’s already done for you.  You want to go jet skiing? Go see the activities desk.  You feel like playing blackjack? Go to the casino.  You feel like lounging poolside with a cocktail?  Go to the pool deck.  There is literally something for everyone on a cruise.  And you’re able to enjoy all the amenities while sailing to your next destination.

THE PEOPLE

There are usually people from all walks of life on cruises.  If you’re in a couple or with a group of friends, expand the party and meet new people!  You never know, they may become friends and you can cruise the world together again.

NOT TO CRUISE

CAN BE EXPENSIVE

While the cost of your cruise has already been paid, you still have to pay for the little extras, which most of the time includes drinks.  These little costs can add up, whereas if you were go to an all-inclusive resort, you already know that most costs are included.

NOT MUCH TIME TO EXPLORE THE DESTINATION

Depending on the length of your cruise, you may not have that long to explore the city or country.  For example, a 4 or 5 day cruise going to 3 destinations, will only allow you to be in each destination from about 7 am to 5 pm.  Not a long time, right?  As I mentioned before, cruises are good for getting a taste of the port, but if you like to explore place in-depth, don’t look for that on a cruise.

MOTION SICKNESS

Not everyone gets motion sickness, but if you do, going on a cruise may not be the best vacation option for you.  You’ll spend most of your time in your room or in the infirmary.  There are medications you can bring with you to ease the sickness, but only risk it if you’re not risk averse.

LIMITED SPACE

No matter if you get a cabin or a suite with a balcony, there is still limited space on cruise ships.  If you’re claustrophobic, I’d think twice before booking.

As you can see, there are benefits to going on a cruise but they’re definitely not for everyone.  My advice would be to go on a 3-5 day cruise to for a trial run.  If you find that it was an enjoyable experience, you may have found a new way to vacation!

Photo Credit: Ashlee Tuck

Why I Prefer Long Plane Rides Over Short Ones

I know what you’re thinking.  I’m insane.  Who enjoys sitting on a plane for 8 hours or more?  There’s hardly any space, you’re possibly subjected to sitting next to someone you don’t know who could be the rudest person you’ve ever met, you don’t have a ton of options for food, you have to use a bathroom with barely enough space to turn around, and you’re just simply…stuck.  Sounds delightful, right? Hear me out.

YOU HAVE MORE LEISURE TIME.

I hate being rushed any time in life.  Whether I’m getting dressed, finishing an important task at work, or crossing the street, I hate feeling like I don’t have enough time to do what I need to do.  The same applies when flying.  I enjoy knowing that I will have time to do all the things I need to do while in flight.  I’m almost always tired when I’m flying.  Blame my horrible ability to procrastinate. I know that I’ll be able to secure solid sleep when flying.  Don’t hate me because I’m able to sleep anywhere!  When I take long flights, I know I’ll have time to watch that movie I was too busy to catch in the theater or read that book I’ve been trying not so diligently to finish.  Short flights don’t give me the same freedom.

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ARE NICER.

If you’re a flight attendant reading this, don’t be offended.  It’s just that in my experience, flight attendants tend to be a bit more cheerful when they aren’t rushed for time either.

THE FOOD TASTES BETTER.

We’ve all taken a domestic flight where we’re barely served a soft drink, given a bag a peanuts and then told to go about our merry way.  When you take longer flights, you’re usually served gourmet (ish) food that makes for a much more delightful in flight experience.  On my way to Tanzania, KLM served chicken teriyaki, a warm roll, yogurt parfait, cheese and crackers, and an egg soufflé.  This sounds like it could be a bit dicey, but I was pleasantly surprised by how satisfied I was.  And the food is usually better on European and Asian airlines, but that’s a different post for a different day.

THE BOOZE IS USUALLY FREE.

Let’s not forget the name of this blog!  I enjoy a good cocktail any day of the week, especially when it’s free.  If you’re flying for more than 8 hours, you’re most likely crossing continents.  This probably means that the booze is free and you’re able to enjoy some of your favorite cocktails, at no extra cost.  WIN, WIN.

Am I alone?  Let me know if you think I’m completely off-base and comment below!