Oct 6, 2015 | Travel
If you've got a reason why you couldn't possibly like cruising, I can guarantee I've heard it before. From Arthur Frommer's rants that cruise travel is not a "genuine" way to travel to my mother-in-law's fears of nonstop bouts of seasickness, I've heard every excuse in the book. And while I agree that not every cruise ship or type of cruise will suit every vacationer out there, the explanations people give for why they'd dislike a vacation at sea are generally unfounded.
In fact, I'd bet that for every excuse out there, a cruise line exists that proves the stereotype wrong.
That's because cruise ships and vacation experiences come in all shapes and sizes. Vessels like Royal Caribbean's mammoth Oasis of the Seas are like floating cities or Vegas casinos with every possible activity onboard. Some cruise lines focus on enrichment, nature and culture, while others strive to create fun atmospheres that entertain kids, couples and seniors all looking for a respite from the daily grind. Itineraries can be port-intensive, visiting a different destination each day, or utterly relaxing, offering strings of consecutive days at sea.
Here are some of the most common fears about cruising and a sample of the lines where those concerns never come into play. So if you're hemming and hawing about booking a cruise, or have been a stalwart naysayer, I invite you to read this story with an open mind. Whatever you're looking for in a vacation, you'll likely find a cruise line that offers it.
Imagine a ship that's so big that it has neighborhoods within it. Onboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever built, passengers can rock climb, play miniature golf, try surfing, learn to decorate cupcakes, ride a carousel, enjoy a spa treatment, work out in a full-size gym, lie by a "beach" pool or in a hot tub, go for a ride on a zip-line, go ice skating, watch a variety of live entertainment (including comedy shows, Broadway musicals, parades and acrobatic shows), learn to scuba dive, go shopping, watch the game in a bar and sing karaoke. Bored yet? I didn't think so.
Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas isn't the only ship, mind you, to offer a plethora of options to keep boredom at bay; its Voyager- and Freedom-class ships are also dedicated to active travelers. Plus, in addition to the ship's amenities and the onboard programming, you can always bring a book, deck of cards or portable video game to entertain yourself on your own.
And don't forget -- you'll typically be in port for half the days on your cruise, if not more, where you'll have plenty of options to keep yourself entertained.
Just because you're prone to seasickness does not mean you can never go on a cruise. It may just mean that the best cruise for you is a river cruise. Riverboats cruise the rivers of the world including across Europe (think the Danube, Rhine, Mosel, Seine, etc.) and along Egypt's Nile River and China's Yangtze. Itineraries include visits to wine countries, historic city centers, Christmas markets, pyramids and ancient tombs, and beautiful countryside. Plus, river cruises are so destination-focused that you'll spend much of your time onshore -- exploring by foot, bus or even borrowed bicycle from the riverboat -- and when you're onboard, you don't have to worry about waves or high seas that could make you sick.
Even better, river cruise lines are quickly catching up to ocean-going vessels in levels of luxury and onboard amenities. You'll now find balconies, larger cabins, alternative restaurants and spas onboard. Try lines like Uniworld.
Another note to the seasick-prone: Just because you go green around the gills on a tiny motorboat in choppy waters does not mean you'll suffer from mal de mer on a cruise ship. The bigger the ship, the less you feel the motion of the ocean (think about the difference in turbulence between a tiny prop plane and a 747), and modern ships are built with stabilizers to minimize rocking. Choose your itinerary well -- the Mediterranean is a lot rougher after October than it is in the summer; Alaska's Inside Passage is quite calm though the open sea up north gets rougher in September; and the Caribbean can get choppy during hurricane season (June 1 - November 30, officially) if a storm is present. Plus, medications and natural remedies can help for some, including ginger candies, medicated patches and pressure bands. You may find that after a few hours onboard, you forget that you're on a ship at all.
Sure you will -- if you charter a catamaran where your cabin fits a rough bunk and nothing else or if you squeeze a family of four in the smallest inside cabin. But most cruise ships are like floating hotels, with plenty of space -- even if your cabin is much smaller than the typical hotel room.
Luxury line Regent Seven Seas, for example, has two all-suite, all-balcony ships in its fleet. That means that the smallest cabin onboard is a 252-square-foot suite with separate sitting and sleeping areas, a 49-square-foot teak balcony, walk-in closets and an en-suite marble bathroom. If you're truly worried about feeling confined, book the largest suites, measuring 1,204 square feet with two balconies (the biggest is 727 square feet), two bedrooms, and a large living and dining area. That's larger than the apartment I live in -- and my apartment definitely does not come with butler service, as this suite does.
Can't afford all that space? Royal Caribbean's aforementioned large ships are so big that first-time visitors to Oasis of the Seas have claimed they forgot they were on a ship. In fact, the designers of that ship put an emphasis on outdoor space, essentially carving out the middle of the ship to create an open-air midsection. So not only can you get fresh air on the top-of-ship pool decks, but the Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods are open to the sky. If the walls are closing in, simply walk to the nearest elevator, push the button with the highest number and -- voila! -- all is well.
Even more affordable, Princess Cruises' newest ships (Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess) are also quite spacious. Expansive sun decks include a pool with a movie screen that shows first-run flicks and concerts day and night, as well as a quieter, adults-only spa sun deck called the Sanctuary. The three-deck high Piazza is an airy gathering place offering entertainment and snacks. If you need room to stretch in your living quarters, book a mini-suite or suite for separate living and sleeping areas, as well as an exterior balcony for easy access to fresh air
If nothing else, the name Disney Cruise Line alone should prove to you that cruises are not just for old people. That line is built on the premise that cruises can be fun for the whole family. Its ships feature expansive kids' play areas with separate hangouts for kids, tweens and teens (and a nursery for the littlest cruisers); a kiddie pool and waterslide; Disney-themed musical productions; and meet-n-greets with the Disney characters onboard.
Royal Caribbean also caters to young people with its many active pursuits onboard. It's not that retirees don't like rock-climbing, surfing, ice skating, learning to DJ and watching parades, but that these activities attract a younger clientele onboard as well. Plus, active shore excursions like kayaking, hiking, cycling, snorkeling and diving call to the younger set, perhaps more than old-school sedentary bus tours.
Carnival, too, gets a wide variety of ages onboard with its top-notch kids program -- featuring separate teen and tween hangouts with soda bars, video games and a dance floor -- and a festive onboard atmosphere. Its standard cabins tend to run large and are affordably priced, which attracts families and younger travelers without huge vacation budgets. Plus, Carnival offers a wide selection of shorter three- and four-night cruises that are ideal for busy professionals with limited vacation time or friend groups looking for a long weekend of relaxation and fun.
Cruise ships typically offer round-the-clock dining, but no one is forcing you to pile the bacon on your breakfast tray, eat dessert at every meal, order both the prime rib and the lobster for dinner, and call room service for cheeseburgers at 2 a.m. In fact, these days many cruise lines are trading in their midnight chocolate buffets for spa cafes and sushi bars.
Celebrity Cruises has led the healthy dining effort among cruise lines. Its Millennium-class ships have spa cafes as part of an indoor pool complex, while Celebrity Century, Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox all feature stand-alone spa restaurants. Menu items include plenty of veggies, salads, poached fish and sushi. On all ships, you can order "spa" options off the main dining room's menu -- calorie, fat, cholesterol and sodium breakdowns are listed on the back.
Luxury line Crystal Cruises was a trend-setter when it removed all trans-fats from its onboard menus -- several other lines quickly followed suit. Fish fiends will love the offerings at The Sushi Bar and Silk Road onboard its ships -- the menus are designed by world class master chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
Did we change your minds?
To find out more information on cruising and to answer any questions you may have about cruising, contact your local AAA Travel Agency at 1-888-577-9222 or stop by your local AAA office.