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It’s a debate that’s been around for decades. A topic that not only has the country divided, but many families and friends. Of course I’m talking about cruise ships. There’s such a rift between the “pro-cruisers” and “anti-cruisers”, that when the two sides happen to meet, the tension can be cut with a butter knife. Yes, I’m being melodramatic. Look, the truth is cruising is not for everyone, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t break down some of the common misnomers about cruising, and highlight some of the truths. Hopefully this blog will cross the isle and challenge the issues that the “anti-cruise” peeps say keep them from taking a vacation on the open sea.
First, let’s look at the numbers. According to a study done by the Statistic Brain Research Institute, when it comes to vacationing – and I just took summer vacations – 46% of Americans go on a Summer Vacation. 46% seems really low, but that’s a topic for another blog. Of that 46% of Summer vacationers, the most popular destinations are as follows:
Beach / Ocean | 45 % |
City | 42 % |
National Parks | 21 % |
Lake | 17 % |
Resort | 14 % |
And the most popular things to do on Summer Vacation are:
Shopping | 54 % |
Visiting Historical Sights | 49 % |
Swimming / Water sports | 49 % |
Going to a Park or National Park | 46 % |
Sightseeing Tours | 46 % |
So, if you trust what the research shows, the places we go and the things we do can all be accomplished cruising. From beaches to sightseeing, the cruise industry understands these numbers and in my opinion, is the best way to find more of what you want, in a fraction of the time. When my wife and I went on our Norwegian Adventure Cruise on Royal Caribbean, we hit cities and saw Fjords that are very difficult to reach without some sort of water transport and significant time. I don’t know about you, but when I travel I want to do and see the as much as I can in the allotted that I have. Transportation is just the very last thing I want to worry about while on vacation, and that goes double when we’re travelling with our kids.
If you’re like me, then you don’t enjoy capitulating your vacation desires, because someone else wants to do something else. And it’s not fair for other peeps to surrender their vacation expectations. For instance, I don’t like to swim and I’m not a beach guy, but I enjoy playing games, watching movies, trying new food and beer, and getting to know new people. My wife and kids are more into the pools and water fun. When we cruise, there’s a better chance we find something for all of us. Especially on some of the big boys like Royal Caribbean’s Allure of The Seas or Norwegian’s Escape. We’re talking indoor rock climbing walls and zip lines, massive wave pools, movie theaters, live entertainment, tap houses, fine dining restaurants, the list goes on and on.
Now, I understand that there are a lot arguments about cruising. I’m going to delve into 5 of the most common reasons I’ve heard from the “anti-cruisers”, and hopefully alleviate some of these misconceptions.
Cruises tend to be smeared by the ‘real’ travel community as floating malls.
–Robert Reid, Lonely Planet
I don’t have time to go over all the “anti-cruising” propaganda, but if you want to read more about it, I highly recommend reading the article written by Cruise Expert Linda Garrison of About Travel.
In closing – I know that cruises aren’t for everyone, and that’s fine. But if you’re making your decision not to go on a family cruise because of something someone else said, or an experience you had back in 1992, I strongly suggest you try a cruise on today’s ships. Even if it’s a 3 day Caribbean cruise, just to get a small taste. No matter how you take your vacation, Vacation with family and Vacation often.
Please share in the comments below. Check out other posts about cruising – 9 Reasons Why Formal Night Needs to Go, 20 Unexpected Costs of Cruising, 10 Best Reason to Cruise, 5 Tips to Consider before Cruising, 10 Tips to Save Money on Your Next Cruise, and 8 Reason to Cruise with Kids
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This is a really great article. I recently went on my first cruise with a girlfriend of mine last October and I thought it was amazing. I came home and told my husband how I can't wait for us to take a family cruise. It's the all in one vacation. I know it's not for everyone, but people should really take a look at what an advantage it can be for vacationing. I'm glad your article shows that.
Thanks you for the kind words, and understanding what I was trying to say. There is a huge group of people hating on cruising, when they've never been on a cruise themselves. I'm glad to hear you had an awesome trip, and cheers on your next!
This is a really great article. I recently went on my first cruise with a girlfriend of mine last October and I thought it was amazing. I came home and told my husband how I can't wait for us to take a family cruise. It's the all in one vacation. I know it's not for everyone, but people should really take a look at what an advantage it can be for vacationing. I'm glad your article shows that.
Thanks you for the kind words, and understanding what I was trying to say. There is a huge group of people hating on cruising, when they've never been on a cruise themselves. I'm glad to hear you had an awesome trip, and cheers on your next!