I feel like vacations are important. They are part of the well being and mental health routine; way up there in terms of a non drug treatment for common malaise and mild chronic depression. Day to day life needs adventure, leisure, and change…we’re not all rich, so what can give us all of that at a decent price? Why I think that would be a cruise. I recently came back from a 5 night vacay on a ship going to the Caribbean for the second time, and I can definitely say that I had fun, relaxation and thrills. Pretty good food and just amazing travel views. That is what is in store on a cruise on these beautiful ships. Whether it’s an old vessel or new one, big or small, the glamour of sailing the high seas is alive and well in this culture. And without trying to sound like a travel agent trying to sell cruise vacations, here are the reasons, for me, why it may be the perfect getaway from our land locked lives!

1. Value: Because cruising includes food and entertainment and lodgings, even transport between ports on the itinerary, there is no need to use our wallets that much. I’ve come back from land vacation trips where the expenses while in that destination was astronomical. (New York City, I love ya, but what gives?) While cruises do tend to have a lot of add ons and while in port there is often spending, it’s just not equal to what is doled out for land vacations where a dinner out can be hundreds and tourist sites can chart a hefty sum to visit. While it’s also expensive to book excursions with the cruise line, one can simply decide to stay on the ship, or tour ports on their own, with a bit of research. In that way, one can tailor a cruise: is the trip going to be a splurge trip with specialty dining and fancy excursions? Or a more pared down budget friendly option? It’s adjustable to each sailing.
2. Being truly removed from anywhere: “Like Robinson Caruso, it’s primitive as can be..” lyrics from the old t.v. show Gilligan’s Island, it rings true with cruises. Being on a ship in the middle of an ocean feels like a remote desert island in some way. And because we are removed from the everyday, we have time to think, time to problem solve and time to really disconnect. There are no reminders of home on land and suddenly just “existing” is at the center of it all…
3. No dishes and house chores: Let’s be honest…daily life and life chores are mundane. Going to get groceries, cooking, doing dishes, taking out garbage and such…it’s all really boring. Going to work daily…these are just boring motions of modern society. Cruises are the antithesis of that! Just show up on the ship, get taken care of daily in cabins that are cleaned and meals that are lovely…explore what new foods can tickle the tastebuds without even washing a plate! No lining up at the grocery store…everything just appears! just like that!
4. Live Entertainment is just a short walk away: On my two past cruises, I saw singers and dancers, stand up comedians, acrobatics, and live music that would get one dancing in the isles. Cruise directors and their team hosting game shows and trivia…and it was all soooo close to my stateroom cabin. All so accessible…there is no city or travel spot in the world that can give that same convenience.
5. It’s Educational: Not that one can’t learn about big tourist cities when visiting, but because cruises visit many ports during a sailing, the opportunity to get a wider scope or perspective on a larger area can be acquired. For example Caribbean cruises visit many islands, and because it’s just for one day, it can make it extra special to learn about the speific place while in port…since tomorrow, a passenger will be elsewhere. And in that sense one can get easily acquire general knowledge about a geographical region in a short time frame. Same thing goes for Alaskan or Mediterranean cruises. It’s easier to get a general view of a geographical area.

I used to relate cruising to that of a expensive luxury, a past-time for “older folks” with time and monies…but now after trying out two cruises, I can say I’m hooked. The truths about cruising for me is that I find them culturally valuable and time well spent. A vacation that is actually a thoughtful getaway from daily life. Whether lounging poolside, having an adventure on a shore excursion or playing shuffleboard on deck seaside…life is good when on the high seas. And the leisure component of vacationing is truly potent when sailing away on these big ships in the middle of the vast blue ocean.