Thinking of taking a cruise vacation? Read this first!

Cruise ships are the preferred travel vessel for my family: it’s a floating hotel that arrives at a new location every day, plus your food and entertainment are also included! It gives the feeling of traveling the world without ever leaving your hotel –the perfect way for ‘homebodies’ to travel! After 10+ cruises on 4 cruise lines, I’ve gathered a good summary of how they work and why I like them so much:

Rooms – Everyone gets the same sized room, all you have to do is decide what type of window you would like (large suites are also available, but definitely expensive). There are 3 types of rooms: Inside cabin, Ocean view & Veranda. Inside cabins have absolutely no windows – perfect for students or anyone else who loves saving money and sleeping (like me!). Ocean view rooms have an airplane-like window, so you won’t be able to open it, but you will still have a great view! Last, and most expensive, is the Veranda room. It comes with an amazing balcony furnished with 2 chairs, a table and endless ocean views. I usually choose the inside cabin, it frees up more money to spend on excursions and experiences. My mom, on the other hand, never gets off the ship and loves sitting on the balcony with a good book, so she opts for the private veranda instead!

Food – Yes, the food is both free and unlimited, but because of those 2 attributes, the quality can suffer. But fear not my friends, by knowing where to eat you can avoid these lower-quality options, which are usually found at the buffets. The general rule of thumb is as long as you have a waiter, your food will be good quality. The formal dining room is always my recommended dining location: though hours are limited, the service and food are spot on!

Beverages – Drinks are not included and alcohol is a huge source of revenue for the ships, so be cautious. And because they profit so much, you are technically not supposed to bring outside liquor, though bottles of wine are sometimes allowed. Again, fear not! There are plenty of techniques for hiding liquor in your suitcase if you’re willing to break some rules in order to save money. Google is your best source for advice on this!

Entertainment – There are 1-2 shows per night featuring comedians, magicians, singers & dancers or even game shows starring fellow vacationers. The upscale family ships (Royal Caribbean, Disney, etc.) also offer condensed versions of big-production musicals with amazing sets, singers and dancers. There is also a daily schedule of countless activities: crafts, art auctions, dance lessons, fitness classes, pool-side contests, live bands, shopping seminars, wine tastings and more! All of this is included with your cruise, which is what makes it so fun – you have nothing to lose by trying something new!

Safety – The ship is under 24-hour video surveillance, the crew and security are constantly monitoring the public areas and you can’t get off the boat. Day or night, my parents felt comfortable with me roaming the ship on my own, which was not a freedom I was able to enjoy at a normal resort. They even have babysitters, “kid camps” and teen clubs to keep the younger ones entertained & safe while the parents enjoy some well-deserved tranquility.

Excursions – This is the only thing you have to plan for your whole vacation! Why? You generally only have 6-12 hours in each location, so you will need an excursion to make the best use of that time. In some destinations, you can step right off the boat into a resort town with amazing restaurants and shops. But in most places, you arrive in an industrial/grungy area so you will need a taxi or excursion to get to the picturesque parts. You can book excursions directly through your cruise line, or you can do the research on your own and save a lot of money, just make sure it’s a reputable company. As a professional vacation planner, I love saving money and doing the research myself but it doesn’t get any easier than booking through the ship directly.

Cruises provide my family with clean & updated accommodations, endless entertainment and gorgeous ocean views, but my favorite part is waking up in a new port every day. It’s like Christmas morning, running to the nearest window to see where in the world we woke up today! Plus all you have to plan is what you want to do off the boat. So relax, eat lobster tails, take a martini class, see a show and go dancing! All while the kids are having a blast in their kids camps and teen clubs! With so little to plan, these are the perfect last-minute vacations to book, so get out there and set sail!

Bon voyage!