Why do you choose to cruise?

[Travel_World]

I was wondering; why people choose a cruise vacation instead of a land based vacation?

Cost? Easy...Safe....Almost All Inclusive? Enjoy the cruise life? Physical/Medical reasons?

My husband & I have always enjoyed land vacations until my husband required a wheelchair. We prefered intensive tours of China, Egypt, Cambodia, Peru etc. to be able to really tour a country and learn the history and culture. Now we like to cruise because it is easy with a wheelchair. We only need to pack and unpack once. If we find a location is not good for touring with a wheelchair we just enjoy the ship for the day.

We love having a nice dinner, a show and the casino in addition to the other activities offered during the day.

So...Why do you choose to cruise?

[uppitycats]

For a lot of the reasons you do. I use a wheelchair. I don't have to impose on my husband to load/unload the chair multiple times in multiple different places. We don't have to look for wheelchair accessible restaurants, or bathrooms. Bathrooms are available when I need one..not "in 20 miles or 10 minutes down the road".

 

I can stay on the ship and enjoy the amenities, he's free to go off and explore and doesn't have to worry about me, whether I can get somewhere to get something to eat (there's always room service!), or have to push me around, or whatever. And yes, unpack once, see lots of different places.

 

We still do some limited land vacations, but they're much more difficult from a wheelchair.

[paul929207]

Lots of reason, including the basic price paying for most of the vacation. To see the world, we have been fortunate to sail to much of the world. To relax.

[cb at sea]

It's fun, and a bit different...and fun! We do lots of land-based vacations, because there are areas we enjoy spending alot of time..unlike a cruise where you're there usually less than 6 hours.

I guess it depends what you want from a vacation...a cruise can be a great way to relax and unwind, even if you plan on doing some active things!

[Happy ks]

We love being on the ocean, first and foremost. While I agree you don't have a lot of time in port towns, unless you spend a few days in a particular spot you don't have all that much more time in a city on a land trip either. You have travel time, check in time, unpacking time, etc...

 

Cruising is easy, simply get onboard, unpack once and then relax and enjoy the service. No wondering where to go for dinner, or finding an affordable place, or getting the whole group of us to agree on a place.

 

We do enjoy land trips as well, but always come back to cruising :)

[mr green]

Its a different way of life. Unpack once, and see different places, different cultures. After our first cruise, I heard a AT speaking on the radio, and he said that very few persons, if they have the choice, cruise only the once.

How right he was!:)

 

john

[Kim Fontaine]

Cruising is a way to see different areas without involving bigger expense! Now that we are seniors we feel safer cruising! We are not city people thus mingling with 2000 people is more like our small town.

[oncruisecontrol]

I love being at sea. I live within 10 minutes of a South Florida port; I hate to fly (used to do all-inclusives in the Caribbean and Mexico, but I needed another vacation after the flight home:eek:). Also, it's a good value for my money, and my hotel room travels with me from island to island. Did I mention that I hate to fly?

[sjcruiser]

I cruise to get what is essentially an all-inclusive rate (for the most part), that let's me unpack once while going to several destinations. I also cruise knowing that I don't have to worry about meals, or the variety being offered (there's always something for even the most picky eater). Along with the shows and entertainment, which can't be found on a land vacation, it's the best bet for my money. Oh yeah, the views also.

[JanineM]

We choose to cruise for a few reasons:

• Unpack once
  
• No one needs to drive home after having a couple of martinis with dinner
  
• No fights whilst trying to navigate through a strange town/city to the restaurant each evening
  
• Relatively "all inclusive" price
  
• DH can rest/nap/etc. and not worry about me wandering about in a strange city (just on a different deck)
  

It's just easier for us. We like a pretty laid back vacation and are not the types to be adventurous and want to strike out on our own. We get to see some different landscapes, but don't have to put the work into it. Sounds lazy, yes ... but that's what we enjoy!

[apkpcruisers]

We cruise because cell phones and internet are not part of the deal. We own our own small business and on land based vacations hubby just can't stay away from his work, on the cruise he is forced to. Also on land based vacations going home early is always an option to him, on a cruise not so much. All of that and we love to cruise, the multiple destinations all in one hotel room.

[highflyingrealtor]

I cruise because I can't see the ocean from Minnesota! ... :D

[Kutty1101]

I cruise because I can't see the ocean from Minnesota! ... :D

 

As a fellow Minnesotan, I couldn't agree more! Also, we love seeing many places in a week, and having wonderful meals everyday! (And with kids, cruises and all-inclusives are a much better deal than other Vacations.)

[Krazy Kruizers]

For years we did all those tours to various countries via plane, bus, train, car. I got sick living out of a suitcase for 3 weeks at a time and trying to hand wash items whenever I could.

 

Cruise -- you get on the ship -- unpack and see lots of ports.

[mark13]

We cruise for one reason: It is the only vacation where I don't have to think about anything!

 

My cell phone is not ringing, i can;t check my email, i can eat when/what I want, see a show or two, sing along with the piano man, have a drink on the lido deck, win and lose in the casino or just sit on my balcony read a book and watch the land get further and further from my sight.

 

HEAVEN is here on earth and it's onbaord a cruise ship!

[LoriPhil]

We thought our Alaska cruise would be our one and only cruise experience, but found we love being on the water (balcony is a "must"), the excitement of going to new places but returning "home" each day. It's also an opportunity to sample many places to determine where you may want to go for a future land vacation. It's the only time we truly relax, as once we board everything is handled and we can do as much or as little as we please, and not worry about carrying the Blackberry to be available for questions from work (that's HUGE). I LOVE researching the ports and excursions, CC message boards which really add to the experience.

[mark13]

After our first cruise, I heard a AT speaking on the radio, and he said that very few persons, if they have the choice, cruise only the once. How right he was!:) john

 

I heard once (and please don't qoute my statistics) that something like only 10% of the population has cruised before but of those people 90% take multiple cruises. Makes sense to me because once I went on my first, a year hasn't gone by without at least one.

[paul929207]

Like everything else, no one vacation is perfect for everyone. The important thing is to find the one(s) that work best for you.

 

With cruises, you usually only get about 8 or 10 hours in a port. However, you also unpack when you get on the ship and don't pack until the end of the cruise. On land tours, we often move every two days or so. This means early wake up calls, packing, sitting at an airport or a long bus ride.

[deeluvs2cruise]

I heard once (and please don't qoute my statistics) that something like only 10% of the population has cruised before but of those people 90% take multiple cruises. Makes sense to me because once I went on my first, a year hasn't gone by without at least one.

 

Same here Mark!!:D

[LindaKE]

Plus I can do as much as I feel up to, then rest knowing that tomorrow will be another opportunnity to see something new without any effort on my part getting there.

 

Also, we find it relaxing to be on the water. Once I've done the research ahead of time, all we have to do is enjoy. I enjoy doing the research also.

[Neiner]

24 hour designated driver! :D

[suezyq50]

It's so easy, unpack once, meals taken care of, can sight see as much or as little as you want. We like the idea we know about how much we will be spending.

[Taxguy77]

Travel World

Be glad you have had the chance to travel extensively in other countries, as we have. Spending 2 or 3 days, or a week, in a place is great for learning about different cultures and customs.

We have never gone all cruise or all land, heck we didn't "go" very far when the kids were growing up!

CRUISING has the advantage of no more unpacking, but if you stay in one place a few days it's almost the same.

LAND TOURS can be exhausting, and you really don't see much if you're on a big bus unless you are short and have a window seat. Better price than you can do alone if you get a good one. We had planned a trip across South America but had to cancel. Found a tour later that went even farther than we had been planning, but it was the 1st and last one we took!

DRIVING is enjoyable for some, not for others. GPS gives my DW confidence we can find our way through big cities and find a hotel. Our last vacation like that I had researched places in Green Bay and farther north, but found a wonderful place to spend a few days in Wisconsin Dells, so didn't travel farther.

ALL INCLUSIVES never been to one, and won't fly to do so.

NEVER BEEN TO New Orleans, probably next Feb we'll go and spend a few days. Also a lot of other places in the USA.

[Izzblizz]

So...Why do you choose to cruise?

 

Cause my mom bought one for all us kids (and grandkids) for Christmas!

 

Not sure if it was something I would have chosen as a vacation, but am researching a lot to know what to expect and so forth.

 

It seems to me for what my mom paid for our 5 night cruise for two of us, plus our flights and hotels before and after, it isn't that much cheaper than our 14 day trip to Spain last spring. So the "less costly" factor doesn't really make sense to me. But, I do like the idea of being able to unpack once and still move around. We packed super light for Spain (two carry-on small suitcases and two small backpacks), but still was a pain in the butt to drag luggage around from place to place.

 

I guess we will see! As cruising in 42 days!

[romnan]

I think that there are as many reasons for why one would enjoy cruises over land tours. I can remember our earlier cruises that I had to be dragged on,that is not the issue anymore.:D

 

For me it's the peace of mind, once you leave the pier,you know that you are not going to see land until your first Port of Call. Cruising in truly an escape from reality.:)