Busting the myths of cruising
1) “Cruises are expensive”
This may have been true once but with more competition in the cruise market, cruise lines have had to dramatically reduce their prices. They now offer unbelievable value, and remember the cost of your cruise includes: • Your travel to all the different ports of call • Gourmet dining with competitively priced drinks packages and All-Inclusive options • Luxurious accommodation • Fantastic world-class entertainment and an extensive range of activities and sports
And if you take a cruise from a UK port, you do not even have to think about the extra cost of international flights. Just drive down, park up and off you go!
2) “I’ll be bored”
How can you be bored when nearly every day you pull back the curtains and there is a new exciting destination to explore?
Onboard cruise ships there is always something going on. The bigger cruise ships, such as Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, offer rock climbing, miniature golf, or even a Flow-Rider surf simulator. On smaller ships there will always be activities arranged, gyms to work out in, spa treatments and interesting educational lectures and classes to absorb yourself in.
Azamara offer cruises built around the destinations they visit. Their ‘Cruise Global, Eat Local’ initiative takes you to the restaurants where the locals eat, and then on to some amazing nocturnal treats. What's better than listening to a performance by three Italian tenors whilst relaxing in Tuscany?
Why not sail on a Hurtigruten cruise up and down the Norwegian coastline, where you will stop at isolated towns and villages, with the breath-taking backdrop of the fjords and the possibility of a sighting of the Northern Lights.
At night you can experience amazing entertainment options, from robots serving your cocktails, to circus-style dinner theatres, evening parties, Broadway shows and chart-topping singers. We loved a nightly sing-a-long with Robbie Williams tribute Tony Lewis on board the Crown Princess.
3) “Cruises are not for young people, family and children”
In the last few years, cruise lines have totally revamped their ships to offer amazing family-friendly holidays. Ships now have everything, from water parks, ice-rinks, zip-lines and sky-diving, to children’s parades and parties. And whilst the children play, the parents are free to go off and pursue their own activities. Most cruise ships now offer babysitting services, a range of clubs and programmes aimed at the different age groups.
Disney Cruise Line for example has Disney characters on board and Disney-themed productions whilst offering adults-exclusive areas. Royal Caribbean include a fantastic range of both onboard and off-board activities aimed at all the family, such as DJ classes, hiking, kayaking and snorkelling.
From the family fun cruises mentioned above, to romantic honeymooners enjoying the luxury vibe on Celebrity, to those with a sense of adventure and exploration heading to the South Pole or Arctic Circle. There is something for every age group on a cruise, catering for all sorts of tastes and desires.
And you get to meet all kinds of people from different countries, cultures and age-groups. On my cruises, I’ve laughed the evening away with newly-weds, exchanged stories with people who had remarkable life-changing experiences, and even had dinner with the man who wrote the TV show, Cagney and Lacey!
4) “I’ll always have to dress up for dinner”
Cruise lines have moved with the times to attract more guests, and ‘freestyle cruising’ has grown in popularity, offering more casual cruising including what to wear for dinner. NCL, for example, have optional formal nights and no strict dress codes. Even on the more traditional cruise lines, like Cunard and Silversea, the dress-codes have become more relaxed allowing men to wear a casual suit, and the ladies less-formal cocktail dresses. And most ships, even on formal nights, will have somewhere to grab a dressed-down casual bite to eat.
Saying that, it is quite nice to get dressed up like James Bond or a Hollywood film-star every now and again, so never say never.
5) “It’ll feel claustrophobic”
Okay, some ships can take over 5,000 guests at any one time, but when the same ship has over 20 decks, dozens of restaurants, bars, shops, swimming pools, sports areas and entertainment facilities, you will not notice any crowds. If you really want some peace and quiet, there are adult-only pools, libraries and always your own spacious stateroom to relax and kick-back in.
Fundamentally, I believe there is a cruise experience out there for everyone. I went on board for the first time and doubted that it would be my kind of holiday, but it was. I have visited ports and destinations that I had never been to, gorged on superb food and wine, relaxed and had countless enjoyable experiences and adventures, from wine tasting in Bordeaux to white-water rafting in Croatia.
The best thing to do, if still unsure, is to try a short-break cruise out of a UK port such as Southampton. Here you can experience the many elements of a longer voyage without blowing your wallet. For example, in May 2019 these cruises are available:
P&O Cruise on board Arcadia – 2 nights to Guernsey from Southampton – from £259 per person Celebrity Silhouette – 3 nights to Amsterdam from Southampton – from £349 per person Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas – 3 nights to Cork from Southampton – from £439 per person
There are many, many more ways to enjoy this great way to holiday, so please get in touch and I’ll help you sail away!