You’ll often hear fans of cruise holidays say that they would never go back to a standard holiday now they’ve experienced a cruise. And, if you’ve never been on a cruise before, you might be wondering why. Below we reveal the top 5 benefits that make cruises so irresistible, and so much better than land-based holidays:
Diverse destinations
When you’re booking your holiday, it can often be tricky to decide where you want to go. If you’re using a week or two of your leave, you want it to be worth it. On a land-based holiday, if it’s not so good, there’s little you can do. But, on a cruise, you don’t have to settle for one destination. A cruise takes you to multiple places, often in different countries and sometimes even different continents!
The most comfortable (and exciting) mode of transport will take you in luxury to all these fantastic destinations, and when you get there, you’ll have the option to explore by yourself or take an organised tour. And for those of you who prefer holidays by the pool, you can do that too, staying on the ship, soaking up the sun with a cocktail in hand!
Fabulous facilities
In recent years, the creativity and innovation of cruise lines have been incredible, with today’s ships designed to offer you as much luxury, adventure or intrigue as you desire. There’s something on board for everyone to enjoy, from indulgent spas with blissful treatments and thermal suites to dare-devil skydiving, surf simulations and rock climbing or art galleries and inspirational talks.
Take time to review what each ship offers. Some cruise lines are more geared towards family fun, such as Royal Caribbean and Disney, while others focus on top-level luxury experiences, like Silversea and Cunard. Virgin Voyages are aimed at the younger adult market, while Saga is focused on the over 50’s.
The cabins may be smaller than your average hotel room to maximise the space for all these amazing activities. However, modern cruise ships have been cleverly designed to optimise the cabin space, so you don’t feel like you’re having to compromise. And, with so much to see and do, whether it’s in a new destination or enjoying the ship’s activities, it’s unlikely you’ll want to spend much time in your cabin anyway!
Decadent dining
Cruise ship dining has gone through a revolution over the last few years, with many cruise lines moving away from the formal evenings and buffets to offer a much more eclectic experience.
If you’re a foodie, then you’ll be in heaven. Most cruise lines have speciality restaurants with gourmet menus and experiential dining, developed by Michelin-starred chefs, which rival many land-based options. Cruise lines, such as Cunard, even offer culinary-focused cruises.
If you prefer your dining to be more relaxed, plenty of casual eateries are also available on the ships. As well as the main dining rooms offering a great variety of international dishes, there are snack options, such as Street Eats on Carnival Cruises, which serves everything from bao buns and potstickers to kebabs and burgers.
Exceptional entertainment
Cruise holidays have always had a reputation for providing excellent entertainment, and today cruise lines are more than living up to this notion. As well as Broadway-style shows, traditional ballroom dances and incredible acrobatics, there are remakes of the latest game shows, headline comedy acts and musicians from every genre.
For those that like a more interactive experience, there are classes and workshops on everything from cooking, photography and dancing to fencing, scuba diving and glass-blowing.
Ultimate ease
One of the best things about cruises is the ease. You get to see and do all these amazing things without the hassle of organising every little detail. If these options are not already included in your cruise package, they can be easy add-ons.
When travelling from country to county, the cruise lines will help you with the paperwork that’s needed and tell you about the best places to go. You’ll have apps you can download to book their entertainment or a table at a restaurant, and with the guest to crew ratio often not much more than 1:1, you can be assured that they’ll be someone ready to help you with any query you have.
If we’ve convinced you and you’d like to speak to our cruise specialists about the options for your next cruise, please contact our team.
