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Are you sure that cruising is what I want?
Date posted: 04/02/20
Are you sure that cruising is what I want…what I really, really want?
There are so many myths about cruising holidays and plenty of burning questions we're sure you would all like to know the answers to. Whether it be a trivial answer you're looking for or a make-or-break response; Dianne, our Copywriter, has plenty of cruising experience and is here to shed light on why she finds cruising so enjoyable...
"As an avid-cruiser, with 17 cruises under my ‘lifebelt’, I thought I’d have a go at persuading you to ‘dip your toe’ in the world of cruising..."
Cruises seem great value when you work out the cost-per-day compared to a holiday on land, but don’t they work out expensive when you’re on board?
Drinks prices compare favourably to the prices in UK pubs and nightclubs – with the average price of £4.10 for a pint of beer, £4.50 for a glass of wine, £6.15 for a cocktail, and £1.95 for a soft drink. Or perhaps make your pennies go further and take advantage of pre-bookable drinks packages or all-inclusive upgrades - available from just £133pp per week on selected cruises lines. Daily drinks specials, such as Cocktail of the Day, are usually great value too. Cruises are full-board, meaning all your meals are provided in the main restaurant and casual dining eateries; speciality venues often incur an extra fee and pre-booking of a table – but they’re more often than not worth it for the chance to sample different dining styles and cuisines served by attentive waiters.
What about tips? There seems to be very strict etiquette in place regarding those?
My advice is to accept tips as part of the cost of your cruise holiday – get them out of the way and pre-pay your tips if possible before you sail. Then you don’t have to think about them until your last night onboard, when you’re free to handover your envelope to reward the service you have received from the crew. Or alternatively, choose a cruise line such as Marella Cruises or P&O Cruises which include tips in the cost of your cruise.
Cruising is a ‘social’ holiday, but not everyone wants to mix with their fellow passengers every meal time. Fixed meal times and pre-assigned seats are, thankfully, a thing of the past on many cruise lines. Although some cruise passengers still enjoy the 1st sitting/2nd sitting Traditional Dining, many cruise lines - such as P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean, NCL, and Princess Cruises - now offer an alternative ‘freedom’ style of dining to their guests. Where you can eat where you like, when you like, sitting at a table for two or joining a larger table. There is, of course, room service if you feel like eating in your cabin after a busy day ashore.
Modern cruising isn’t about ‘ball gowns and tiaras’ anymore with Smart Casual attire the order of the day most evenings. But, if you want to go town and get dressed up to the nines on ‘Formal’ evenings; that’s your choice! You’ll find that on a week’s cruise, there are a maximum of two Formal evenings – but even on these evenings, you don’t have to wear ‘ball gowns and tuxedos’; just dress as you would for eg your Christmas Party or a night on the town. For men, this could mean a dark suit and tie as opposed to the full tuxedo etc and a dress for the ladies. Formal dress codes are usually only adhered to in the main restaurants onboard and not in the buffet and casual food outlets – so if dressing up’s not for you, choose this option for these nights.
There are casual, family-friendly cruise lines that don’t have any set dress codes – it’s dress down all the way - and also some of the luxury cruise lines don’t follow set rules of how they expect their guests to dress – but either way it’s usually no swim-wear/beach wear in the main restaurants and bars in the evening.
Days at sea are your chance to relax – cruising can be tiring you know ha ha – have a lie in, enjoy brunch, relax up on deck or on your balcony, indulge in a treatment in the spa. If relaxing is not for you, there’s usually lots of ‘active’ things to do too – there’s gyms, sporting activities, and also onboard workshops and dance classes. Not forgetting the odd climbing wall to challenge you and the odd boutique or two to treat yourself.
Modern ships are bright and airy and have lots of deck spaces, public lounges, and bars to relax in - so little chance of feeling cooped up. Granted, days at sea are not always the best times to enjoy a ‘pool day’, as this is the one area of the ship that you can guarantee will be busy, especially if the sun is shining. But even if you can’t find an empty sunbed; you can enjoy the pool, poolside activities, entertainment, and dining and bar options.
Alright, but talking about feeling cooped up, what’s it like sleeping in a cabin? Do you ever feel seasick?
You’ll soon forget about sleeping in a cabin after your first night of being calmly ‘rocked’ to sleep by the ship; inside or ocean view, cabins are all well-equipped with all modern amenities. OK, if you’re not staying in a suite, they will seem small at first in comparison to hotel rooms. But you soon get used to the limited space and, after all, you’ll probably only spend a fraction of your day in your cabin. Modern ships do have stabilisers and you soon get used to the natural sway of the ship while it’s moving. Choose a cabin mid-ship to feel less of the movement – usually the lower you are you may be aware of some engine noise and the higher you are the more movement you may feel out at sea.
What about entertainment? Is it all cabaret and glitz?
Whatever your taste for evening fun, you’ll be able to find it onboard. From Broadway-style shows, acrobats, and singers in the main theatres to comedians, live music, entertainment, and dancing in the bars, lounges, and discos – there’s always something going on in the evening. It’s not all glitz and noise, you’re sure to find a quiet spot to enjoy a cocktail and a chat.
You’re joking – boredom doesn’t come into it! Especially if you choose one of the large and child-friendly superliners, the facilities onboard are amazing. In fact, if you enrol your children in the kid’s club, as soon as you get onboard, you may not see much of them for the duration of the cruise (unless, of course you want to!) Joking aside; I have cruised with both my nine-year old nephew and teenagers too and they had a ball. Aside from the kids’ clubs, they often have their own play areas, chill-out zones, sports courts, and activity programmes too, not forgetting their own tea-time dining options, pools, night-time fun, and time ashore to enjoy. From tots to teens, cruising is the perfect choice for families.
Is there pressure to take shore excursions, or can you disembark and do your own thing?
Waking up in a different port each morning is one of the joys of cruising. Whether you’re in port for half a day or a full day – pre-booking excursions with the cruise line is ideal to ensure you get to do/see what you want ashore, with transport there and back. But it is just as easy to explore ashore under your own steam – but be sure to do a bit of research before you leave home, so you don’t miss any of the highlights of the ports you’re visiting.
You’re free to get on and off the ship at leisure when the ships at anchor, with the only restriction being that you’re back onboard by a set time, so that the ship can depart for the next destination on time. You don’t have to leave the ship at every port - there’s a chance you might have most of the ship to yourself, so what better time to grab a sunbed by the pool or enjoy an in-port reduced price treatment in the spa – the choice is yours and many of the bars, restaurants, and facilities onboard still remain open too.
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