Why do you Cruise?

[leerathje]

I'm sitting here on a Saturday morning in BC, waiting for Ft Lauderdale sail aways!  lol...  

 

I'm curious as to why you all cruise?  Do you do it so you can see different places?  Do you just want a whole bunch of days doing nothing but being fed and pampered?  Combination of both?  Is cruising how yo do most of your vacations, or do you travel elsewhere?

 

For DH and myself, new to cruising, but discovered DH loves it!  (he's not a crowd person, so I'm surprised!) Times have changed for us....we used to do a lat of summer travel, but our vacations are now in the winter. Not a lay on the beach kind of person, so enjoy seeing different places and ports.  

 

What about you?

 

L.

 

[DaveOKC]

I can easily answer for my DW - "No cooking, cleaning nor laundry!!"  She does not care where and when we go!

 

[Mickb]

Just love being at sea on a ship!

[qoap24]

I cruise for all of the above. I love sitting on my balcony and everyday having a different view. I LOVE being pampered and knowing that almost everything is included.We really like being in the dining room and getting up and not having to worry about the check. I could go on and on and on. 

[portofrome]

6 minutes ago, Mickb said:

Just love being at sea on a ship!

Same here!

[cruisemom42]

I cruise for the travel opportunities and cruising isn't my sole way of travel -- but it's one I enjoy. I've cruised since childhood and associate cruising with vacations and happy memories; I enjoy being at sea. 

 

However, I find if I do too much cruising I start to get annoyed by the shortcomings of not being able to spend enough time ashore to really get to know a place.

 

[doone]

11 minutes ago, Mickb said:

Just love being at sea on a ship!

Me too

[ellbelle]

Unpacking once 
Waking up in a new port

Any sea day is an excuse to sleep in

Not having to make the bed

Not having to decide where to go for dinner

Doing as much or as little as you wish

Feeling the kids were safe to roam around the ship (age appropriate) and get ice cream or cookies when they wanted

[VTcruisenut]

It is our opportunity to get out of Vermont in the winter for some sea, sand and sun!  The rest of the year, the weather in Vermont is just beautiful, but winters do get to me.  DH & I went on our  first cruise with HAL on the Veendam in 2005 and we are hooked!  We have gotten to see many places we never would have gotten to see, met people we still stay in contact with and for a wonderful price!  All lodging and meals included, and we know what we are spending ahead of time!  My cruise this February is a casino deal I was offered and DH didn't want to go, so  a friend of mine who has NEVER cruised is going along!  We are on the Veendam, so it will be an awesome time!   Someday, I hope to take each of my grandchildren on a cruise, one by one, to spend some special time with them and show them other parts of the world. 

[Sun&Sand52]

35 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

"No cooking, cleaning nor laundry!!"

 

I'll 2nd the above statement!  For me it is the ability to not have to make any decisions.  A menu is in my hand every night and I don't have to think about what restaurant to go to, as one would have to do in a new city on vacation. It is my DH and my time to relax and decompress.  Not have to worry about anything other than relaxing and enjoying our time together with no stresses. No decisions about what shows or plays to see, as they are here on the ship for your to do if you want to or not. As opposed to a land vacation where you have to decide where and what to do and see.  So for me it is all about R&R.  😁

 

[Alberta Quilter]

I travel with my mother so cruising is one way where we are both entertained as much as we want to be, even though we have different entertainment preferences.  I only have to schlep luggage once each way instead of every day or two if on a road trip.  it's just easier.  Plus we get a taste of places.  Yes, it's often too short of a taste but sometimes that's all one needs.  A longer stay (land trip) can be arranged if one so desires.

[Tom O.]

We love being at sea, the ports are secondary. We love the luxurious accommodations and meals.

We have considered river cruises, but have always nixed them, because the ships are too small to offer the same  level of luxury, and we prefer the sea.

Forgot to mention we do land trips too. We love to fly in, rent a car, and stay in B&B's.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tom O.

[MISTER 67]

For us, who are coming up on our mid 70s, the ship is the destination, enjoy days at sea, they are very relaxing while reading a good book, some Blackjack, fine dining and good entertainment in the evenings, all while being pampered with great service. What more can you ask for especially when you find deals that are too good to pass up.

Edited January 4, 2020 by MISTER 67

[daisy-mae]

Most of the above, plus not having to carry a purse around with me (unless I go ashore). I'm sure that most women will understand...

[leerathje]

7 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

Most of the above, plus not having to carry a purse around with me (unless I go ashore). I'm sure that most women will understand...

 

Indeed!

 

L.

 

[Vic The Parrot]

To get away ... period.  🍹🌴

[luvteaching]

For us there are several reasons. DH has some mobility and cognitive issues so doesn't drive anymore. Therefore, on land trips, I do all the driving, luggage, etc. It's fine but not much of a vacation for me. On a cruise we both get a vacation! I know he's happy and secure when we cruise. Until this point all our cruises have been out of Seattle to Alaska so we're old hands at the port sand love just getting off, taking his scooter and wandering and exploring. I love laundry done, meals cooked, room cleaned, and towel animals! 

Karen

(A BC transplant to the US)

[1ANGELCAT]

The open sea , especially on a crossing. It makes me realize how vast the world is. 

[leerathje]

13 minutes ago, luvteaching said:

For us there are several reasons. DH has some mobility and cognitive issues so doesn't drive anymore. Therefore, on land trips, I do all the driving, luggage, etc. It's fine but not much of a vacation for me. On a cruise we both get a vacation! I know he's happy and secure when we cruise. Until this point all our cruises have been out of Seattle to Alaska so we're old hands at the port sand love just getting off, taking his scooter and wandering and exploring. I love laundry done, meals cooked, room cleaned, and towel animals! 

Karen

(A BC transplant to the US)

 

Sedro-Wooley?  Not that far of a transplant! 😊

 

L.

 

[luvteaching]

Born in Kamloops, raised in Coquitlam, married an American. First 5 years we were married lived in San Diego, El Centro California, Flagstaff Arizona, and Mount Vernon, WA. People wrote our address in pencil for those years! 

 

Karen

[mamaofami]

We love being on the water and watching the world go by. It’s an easy way to travel from place to place. No cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. 

[stratixman]

Ok. Vacation value.

Living in the frigid north lands we look to get to someplace warm, real warm in the winter; the farther south the better. Plus we love the ocean and like access to fresh seafood. So, southern Florida and the Caribbean tend to float to the top of our destination choice in January and February. Will it be a resort, an Airbnb, VRBO, or cruise? Pretty simple; a cruise! There is no way we can stay in Florida over a similar length stay for the cost of a decent cruise when all costs are properly assessed. So, we would say cruising for us represents the best value proposition for a warm weather vacation. We sail mainly Celebrity and HAL and have never had a bad cruise. Our next cruise is three weeks on the Kdam at the end of this month; cost with taxes and with signature beverage package for each of us,  gratuities not included, is $275 per night for both of us - food, drinks, entertainment and lots of island stops and beach time.  Plus we got a sizeable OBC from the travel agent. A no brainer. 

[TriumphGuy]

I enjoy being at sea. I love sea days, to me there is nothing quite as relaxing. Ports are secondary to me, I view ports as a"preview" to places I may want to come back to and spend some time at. 

Our other mode of recreational travel is with our RV, we tend to travel long distances and spend time in quiet places far from home. 

Vacations are different for everyone.

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by TriumphGuy

[mcrcruiser]

We are retired & live in one of the best climates in the world ,coastal San Diego . We live in a  55 & over planed community  & have no exterior maintenance  on our home ,. We have 87 cruises behind us & 5 more planed  to do .

  

our preference is to do 14 day or longer cruises  because of many of the reasons already said on prior posts . Yet ,we also like to  go places on land & we own a time share for that purpose   .Thus ,we get the best of both types of get aways 

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, ellbelle said:

Unpacking once 

This is a bigger thing than it might seem. My favorite THREE ways to travel/vacation are cruising, RVing with several day stops, and renting an apartment or staying in a guesthome-type hotel. What do they all have in common? Unpacking once!

 

My husband -- after besieging me for years to go on cruises -- is now all about doing at least as many escorted tours. We did a Gate1 tour in central Europe, twelve days in October. Essentially two nights in five different cities, two days going there and back. It was EXHAUSTING for me. Although, I did hone the process with packing cubes. We're off in two weeks for two weeks mostly plane-hopping in So.America. 

 

"Being forced to do nothing" is the next aspect that favors cruises. I stole the phrase from an article by a travel professional who had never cruised, on his first cruise. I like to knit, read on my Kindle, and look out the window. At home, there are always chores and tasks to do calling me away from these leisure pursuits.

 

It's still "necessary" for us, to have interesting itineraries or at least end-points for a cruise, but having significant seadays is gaining in importance.