Do you enjoy land vacations as much as cruising or is it a toss up

[iancal]

We are nearing the end of four weeks of independent land travel in the Ionian Islands of Greece and two weeks in Cyprus.

 

We are glad we decided on a land vacation in preference to a Med cruise.

[trummy]

We like both. We usually cruise once or twice, take a week long land vacation and several 3-4 day jaunts within a year time frame.

 

 

[SRF]

We do a mix, but more land.

 

Cruises are too short to really see a place.  Even small islands.  We spent a week on Sicily and a different week on Mykonos.  We barely scratched Sicily.  And are ready for more time on Mykonos.

 

We are doing about 1 cruise per year, and that seems good.  We do like the total disconnect, and the ability to do nothing or do something, as we fell at that moment.

[Northumberland]

When we were working, we would plan a 7 day cruise and another week exploring Florida. Now that we're retired, we like to drive to the port and explore along the way. We're about 2000 miles from either Florida or California. So, instead  we take our time driving to and from the cruise port we are sailing from. We did that early this year as we sailed from Fort Lauderdale on a 21 day land/cruise adventure. We planned different routes down and back in order to see more on our road trip and we will be doing another trip at the end of March on a 28 day trip driving to Los Angeles and sailing to Hawaii.  

[cruznjan]

I enjoy both, but I prefer cruising.

[SmoothFlying]

3 hours ago, Northumberland said:

When we were working, we would plan a 7 day cruise and another week exploring Florida. Now that we're retired, we like to drive to the port and explore along the way. We're about 2000 miles from either Florida or California. So, instead  we take our time driving to and from the cruise port we are sailing from. We did that early this year as we sailed from Fort Lauderdale on a 21 day land/cruise adventure. We planned different routes down and back in order to see more on our road trip and we will be doing another trip at the end of March on a 28 day trip driving to Los Angeles and sailing to Hawaii.  

Wow !!! Talk about the BEST of both worlds !!😀

Mac

[iancal]

Our first trip post retirement was a 7 month land trip.  We did four cruises, one of them a TA during the trip.   Three were last minute...anywhere from three days out to four weeks out.  Saw the opportunity for some great cruises at great prices and we took advantage of it.

[Oakman58]

I think the only land vacations that would compare to a cruise for relaxation would be an all-inclusive resort.  I like both equally and they both have their pluses and minuses.  One of the main things I like about all-inclusive vacations is the room, bathroom, and balcony are much larger than what you have in a standard balcony cabin.  The pools are much better at an AI too.

Me having fun with some of the entertainment staff at a recent AI vacation.

 

[iancal]

I think it really depends on why you travel.  We do it for relaxation and for general interest.  Prior to retiring cruises and AI's were for crashing and relaxation were top of mind.  Especially AI's since they included flights to the destination.   We did not have to arrange air to the port or a precruise hotel.  No thought required and no special clothing.  Shorts, bathing suits and we were good to go.  Especially good for last minute.  

 

Retirement changed all that and eliminated time and place constraints.

 

We enjoy cruises.  We enjoy AI's.  We enjoy independent travel.  It is all good!

Edited November 7, 2019 by iancal

[SmoothFlying]

2 hours ago, iancal said:

Retirement changed all that and eliminated time and place constraints.

 

We enjoy cruises.  We enjoy AI's.  We enjoy independent travel.  It is all good

A BIG amen!! Which we all enjoy as long as this OLD broken down body will and can carry us ! An old sage once said, Something like, 'It is sad, that youth is wasted on the young'. I heard it in Jr. High when I was fifteen but it never meant anything till I got much older. 😥 I sadly thought, 'How totally true'. Then I realized that there's nothing we humans can do about it but GO as long as we can.

 

Mac

[crystalspin]

Just back from a 12-day (10 nights on the ground) bus-mobile tour of Central Europe. Two nights in each of five cities. It was exhausting!!! and the bus was quite high-end and relatively comfortable at that. Gotta say that a river cruise was looking darn good by half-way through the trip...

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Just back from a 12-day (10 nights on the ground) bus-mobile tour of Central Europe. Two nights in each of five cities. It was exhausting!!! and the bus was quite high-end and relatively comfortable at that. Gotta say that a river cruise was looking darn good by half-way through the trip...

WOW....sounds exhausting to me...…..maybe I was born to be a cruiser.  But 2 nights in a different place.....

for 10 nights.....hotel, tour, hotel, tour...……..etc......I would rather unpack ONCE and I am taking my

3rd river cruise in the spring!

[Roz]

Agree with you 100%, Lois.  I did a trip like Crystalspin described in the mid 80s', my first trip to Europe.  Interesting, fun, but exhausting, and I was still in my 30s!  Love cruising, both river and ocean.

 

I'm looking at taking some trips with Road Scholar.  Most of their land trips involve staying in one hotel for the duration of the program.  They also offer trips on ships and barges.    

[iancal]

We have not done any escorted land tours.  Not that interested in a night or two in one place and then up at 7 in order to get on the bus.   Usually our stays are minimum of three nights, more often five to seven nights.  We have become slow travelers.

[crystalspin]

On 11/9/2019 at 4:56 AM, Roz said:

I'm looking at taking some trips with Road Scholar.  Most of their land trips involve staying in one hotel for the duration of the program.  They also offer trips on ships and barges.    

That sounds very interesting! Staying in one place or at least unpacking only once, is an ingredient in my favorite vacations: Cruises, staying in one place (Barcelona, Moscow, Copenhagen, Beijing) and exploring, or travelling not-too-far in any day then staying three days or more in the travel trailer.

 

The whirlwind escorted tours (and for that matter the whirlwind Mediterranean cruises) have so far been good for pinpointing where to come back for a separate visit.