Traveling via cruise liners is one of the most popular vacationing activities at the moment. Many middle and upper-class families who can afford to sail out for several weeks are opting for it due to some obvious benefits. However, there is a flipside to every coin. What is a dream vacation for one person can be a drawn-out borefest for the other. If you want to find out whether cruising is the best way to spend your precious vacation days, you need to know the pros and cons of cruise travel.
Pro: Less Packing and Unpacking
One of the lauded pros of cruise vacations is that you do not have to pack as much as you would for your regular vacation. This is due to the fact cruise liner functions as something between a hotel and a small tourist town on water. Once you settle into your cabin, you will only need to unpack once and keep your entire luggage in a single location as the location itself will be moving around and taking you to a variety of landmarks. It is like a lazy man’s dream-come-true road trip.
Con: Bad internet Connection
Unfortunately, cruise liners have to rely on satellites for the internet connection, which means the Wi-Fi runs a lot slower than what you are used to. Some would argue this is a perfect excuse to “unplug” and enjoy your vacation to the fullest, but the truth is we all need to be in touch with important people in case of an emergency.
Pro: Cover More Destinations at Once
Since cruise vacations are well organized and thought out, you will get a chance to visit more cities than you otherwise would on your regular vacation when you need to drive around. It would be nigh impossible to cover these ports in any other format because a lot of them can be accessed only via air or sea.
Con: Short Port times
You will visit incredibly beautiful ports and soak in everything a place has to offer and return every night to a familiar bed in your cabin – and this is where both the pro and the con lie – you will have a very limited time window to enjoy a particular port. If you perchance fell in love with a rustic seaside city and only scratched the surface of everything it has to offer, you will have to suck it up and return to the ship before it departs.
Pro: Plenty of Varied Cruise Choices
Fortunately, there is an huge array of cruises to choose from. Agencies will have different programs on offer, and some of these can focus on a specific theme – entertainment-oriented Disney and Caribbean cruise, tropical island adventures, exciting cruises, etc. If you are in love with a certain theme or a part of the world (for example – some cruises focus on South Pacific ports), you will have a chance to experience it to the fullest.
Con: Not Much Wiggle Room
However, there is a downside to this. Once you have made the deal, you are locked into a very strict schedule without much wiggle room. This means you will not be able to change the rhythm of your vacation if your mood suddenly changes along the way.
Pro: Activities on Board
Every cruise ship is a playground. With bars, restaurants, pool areas, tennis courts, arcades, casinos, shopping malls, rich entertainment programs, you are bound to find a thing you can enjoy on a cruise ship. The crew is very professional and they will do everything they can to accommodate you.
Con: Drinks Are Pricey
However, everything that is out of the already set arrangement will cost you a lot. Alcoholic beverages tend to come with pretty big price tags and many activities are significantly more expensive. There is a selection of drink packages onboard, which are expensive but somewhat reasonable option if you plan to drink a lot on a cruise.
This list of pros and cons might appear biased, since there are certainly yet more arguments in favor of cruise vacations. However, it should be noted that such traveling frameworks are usually arranged with maximum customer enjoyment in mind. There is no such thing as a perfect vacation. However, if the arrangement befits your sensibilities, you will have no problems accepting a few downsides and will still fully enjoy your cruise.
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