What is the advantage of a cruise?

Cruises offer great value for your vacation dollar because the fares include nearly everything you'll need for a fantastic trip: food, accommodations, daytime and evening entertainment and transportation between destinations.



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Cruises can be a great vacation idea, especially if you're not overly interested in trip planning. One of the most significant benefits of a cruise is that much of the work is done for you, including the itinerary, dining and entertainment options.

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Cruise ships often offer some of the unhealthiest foods to their guests. From burgers and fries to doughnuts, cakes and entire buffets, you're very likely to overeat. With all kinds of drinks and cocktails on board, you'll also be likely to imbibe plenty of harmful alcohol.

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Hurricane Season For these reasons, September is the worst month of the year to take a cruise. April and May are excellent times to go because they are outside of the hurricane season, although some Caribbean destinations see more rainfall than normal in May.

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According to the CLIA survey, 88% of cruisers say cruises are better for relaxation than other vacations. The moment you step aboard a Windstar ship, your worries will slip away. You only need to unpack once, and you can make your private cabin feel like a cozy home away from home.

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What Kinds of People Go On a Cruise?
  • GLOBAL EXPLORERS.
  • RELAXATION SEEKERS.
  • HOPELESS ROMANTICS.
  • WORKAHOLICS.
  • SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES.
  • THE OPEN-MINDED.


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Do I need a passport? We recommend that everyone taking a cruise from the United States have a passport book. Though some “closed-loop” cruises may not require a U.S. passport, we recommend bringing yours in case of an emergency, such as an unexpected medical air evacuation or the ship docking at an alternate port.

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“Americans are a little more afraid of the world than people from some other cultures, such as Europeans,” Gene Sloan reckons. “They like to have familiarity and a little hand-holding when they travel – and cruise ships make this easy.”

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If you're bringing the whole family, a 5 or 7 day cruise might be the best way to make sure everyone has an awesome getaway. And for those lucky folks with even more time to spare, a cruise of 10 days or more will give you an incredible experience of all the best things a cruise has to offer.

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So how much money do you need? The answer to this question varies a lot by person, their travel habits, spending preferences, length of the cruise and destination. Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences, but there are a lot of variables to consider.

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As a general rule, plan to have $50 to $100 each day in the local currency. Also, you may want to bring an extra $20 a day for tipping crew members. Make sure to include smaller bills for tips. Fifty to a hundred dollars a day should be enough to cover small purchases, tips and snacks at each port.

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Unfortunately, despite all the precautions that cruise lines claim to take, it happens. Just as nasty viruses can spread like wildfire amid crowded cruise ships, so can bed bugs. While ship-wide infestations are rare, they're becoming less so.

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Slip and fall accidents can result in broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or even brain damage. Illness Outbreak: the outbreak of serious illnesses, such as the norovirus, is a serious cause for concern on cruise ships, particularly because the confined spaces can easily allow these types of diseases to spread.

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First and foremost, if a United States citizen chooses to do a closed-loop cruise without a passport, they'll still be required to show a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license) and proof of citizenship (a certified copy of your birth certificate).

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U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where he or she was born) or passport, and if 16 or older, a government ...

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Hang Out By the Pools Sunbathing, of course! While every major cruise ship has the requisite pool, hot tub and rows of lounge chairs, some take pool time to new heights. Many Royal Caribbean ships sport surf pools, interactive water parks for kids and zero-entry pools for wading.

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Most of the cruise activities and tours are geared toward adventurous, active adults, with lots of walking/hiking. Mobility | Many of the tours are interactive, with lots of brisk walking, so I recommend guests have a certain level of mobility available.

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A 7-day cruise will typically have one or two sea days when the ship is at sea sailing between two distant ports. During port days there are shore excursions you can take to visit places or do activities like museums, shopping, beach, outdoor sports or even you can go on your own.

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Pools are typically small and no deeper than 5 or 6 feet. Diving and jumping is not permitted; you are welcome to swim laps, but each lap will be short, and the pools will likely be crowded at peak hours.

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There's a fine line between relaxation and boredom, and cruisers on long itineraries might find themselves dangerously close to that line at some point during their vacation. The more sea days there are, the harder cruisers often have to work to fill all those hours with activities that keep them engaged.

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The reasons people say they hate cruising:
  • It'll be too claustrophobic with all those people around.
  • I'll get sea sick.
  • Everyone will probably come down with norovirus or some other shocking illness we've all read about.
  • The food won't be very good. ...
  • I hate long lines and crowds.
  • I'll get bored.


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