One of our Members writes about their experiences and thoughts on cruising.
Cruises can be a lot of fun……but only if you do it right. Now a day, you can pretty much go anywhere in the world via a ship, so it’s important to plan your trip accordingly. I know there are cruises that sail from LA, New Orleans, and Miami that sail across the Atlantic Ocean and stop at either Africa or Europe. These are called Trans-Atlantic cruises. So, if you are one of those people who just want to relax, do absolutely nothing, eat lots of food, lie by the pool, and maybe see some shows at night, these types of cruises are for you. The “itinerary” mentioned in the previous sentence will last at least seven days, and unless you don’t get bored from doing nothing, it can get a bit repetitive, to say the least. These trips are good for families with little kids, as there are babysitting services available at all times of day and for large groups of people who have never cruised and want to explore the life of a sailor (joking).
A similar type of cruise involves sailing around the Bahamas or Caribbean Islands. The main difference about these cruises is you actually get to disembark at different ports, most of which are resort (beach) towns. Instead of only laying by the pool on the ship, now you can go to the beach, do a little sightseeing, maybe go on an adventure tour of the jungle, or do some casual shopping. In any case, if you are the type that wants to relax but cannot stand being on the ship 24/7, than these type of island-hopping cruises are the way to go. I’d recommend such trips for newlyweds or young couples interested in getting away from the daily work-life.
The best way to travel on a cruise, at least in my own and honest opinion is to combine relaxation and historical sightseeing. What this means is the following. Do no take a cruise from US to Europe, that’s wasting too much precious time. Instead, buy a plane ticket to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, or Turkey since these countries will most likely have embarkation ports. Then board one of the many cruise lines and embark to any place you want. Personally, I recommend sailing around the Mediterranean Sea. Why is this best way to cruise?
It’s simple. One, you get to explore one of the most beautiful marine environments in the world. The Mediterranean Sea is gorgeous, especially around Greece. Two, you still get to relax and enjoy the life aboard a beautiful ship. Chances are that you will not arrive daily at a new port so there will be some days where you just sail. This will allow you lay by the pool, read a book, play tennis, rock climb, play poker, or watch TV in your room. In the evenings, you can enjoy a variety of fabulous restaurants, shows and events. Three, you actually get to see history with your own eyes. The Mediterranean is home to some of the most famous historical sights including the Pyramids of Giza, TempleMount, Ephesus, Alexandria, Olympia, and many more. While most of historical tours in Europe involve lots of walking and driving, when you’re on a ship you stop at each port, get out, get on the bus, and voila, you are there. So you can still be fully rested and get to see everything that you wanted to see (the drawback is time: cruises often limit your time to see and explore a country or destination which can really take away from the overall experience and getting a feel for what a country is really like)
Cruising combines the pleasure of active and passive vacations into one sweet package. So pack your bags and sail away. Singles by the Bay Travel Club is doing an awesome singles cruise next March! Stay tuned for the details.
