I’ve heard both sides of the argument.
Why people love them and why they hate them. The ease and adventure of being out in the middle of the ocean, swimming in a pool while you cruise from island to island, in addition to the green travelers who swear off the waste of food, petroleum and resources.
I understand and respect both arguments.
So why do we cruise?
To shut down
Our first cruise started as a way to shut down from the 9 – 5.
We were (and are) both attached to our phones, computers and inboxes. The only way Josh and I are able to completely unplug is put ourselves in the middle of the ocean where wi-fi and cell service doesn’t reach.
You might say “just leave your phones at home, or turn them off” – this might be easy for some, but like an addict, we will find a business center or wifi cafe with a computer to “just jump on quick and check our mail…to make sure there aren’t any emergencies” (which there never is!)
To do easy
Cruises are easy. You pre-pay and don’t have to worry about pulling out your credit card for meals and entertainment. You can fill your schedule with the shows every night, spend your days at the pool and find food whenever you need something in multiple locations around the boat.
No one will be bored, there is something for everyone. You don’t have to worry about transportation from attraction to attraction on vacation. You’re on that boat in the middle of the ocean and you aren’t going anywhere.
To go further
Day trips can only get you so far. We spent a week in the Galapagos Islands and explored each island in more detail and cruised further than we could have if we had stayed on land.
We did the research prior to boarding and picked a sustainable company that cared about the environment and doing their part to protect it…but it is still a cruise. There were still buffets for dinner with a large amount of food, but it was locally grown!
Do I think cruises are wasteful?
Yes, I do (most of them). And I do hate thinking about the amount of food and supplies that are wasted. But there are companies working to change that and I think they should be recognized and supported. If you want an example of a great sustainable cruise that supports the local environment read about Ecoventura’s commitment to the Galapagos Islands!
What are your thoughts? Do you cruise? Why or why not?
Caroline —
Another recommended small cruise, if you can call it that, is a BnB barge trip in France with an owner-operator.
I am in agreement with your cruising post. My main objections to large line cruising include yours and a strong offense taken to their overall business model. The negative effects that large cruising lines have on small communities is amazing.
For years, I have been a regular traveler to Cozumel in the Mexican Yucatan and have seen, much to my distress, the impact of 22 cruise ships a week on that community.
Cozumel (like other destinations) is really helpless to say no to their berthing requirements and optional tour sales practices as they often threatn to take their ships elsehere.
I have seen a small, laid back, diving and fishing resort community turned into a day trippers traffic jam that reverts to empty each night when the ships leave. Somw locals do well with this large cruise business model, but far more do not.
I’v emove don to Isla Mujeres, even htough it has some Cancun day tripper problems, but mostly because the shoreline there is too shallow for cruise ships.
Keep up the good comments. I hope this serious comment does not harm the regular, joyful traveller vibe I love to get on the posts from you and Josh.
Tom
Tom, great points! It is tough to see it first hand as locations change to accommodate the influx of travelers! I do believe the more we acknowledge the impact on our environment, the more the cruises are working to adjust their model.
If the traveler demands a certain level of attention to the environment, than the cruise operators will want to stay competitive and create more of a focus on sustainability!
I am not a big fan of cruises to be honest. I just don’t like the thought of being surrounded by the same people all the time and having to dress up when you want to grab dinner. I am a simple girl from a working class family, so I don’t think I would mix very well with the typical cruise passenger. In fact seeing them waste money and food would probably make me angry all the time. 🙂 I don’t judge people who like cruises, it is just not my cup of tea.
Totally understand your concerns! A lot of them are the same for us – it’s frustrating to see the waste of food for me – and the constant, all the time food available is just way too much!
I’ve been on three cruises in my lifetime, and the one I enjoyed immensely was the small ship cruise through the Galapagos Islands. I traveled on Lindblad and got a great special. The Galapagos cruises generally are very ecologically focused and the tours are all about the unique natural world you are encountering. I loved that.
The first cruise I took was over 25 years ago. Back then, ships weren’t as large as they are now, although my Caribbean cruise was still packed with about 1,000 passengers. I thought the cruise was OK. It was a novelty and great luxury for me, and I enjoyed visiting so many different islands.
The second cruise I took was around the Hawaiian islands about 12 years ago on a 2,500+ passenger ship. It was a horrible experience for me. I hated being on such a huge ship and the experience of the “land excursions” was a huge disappointment. Getting on and off meant long lines and I had a panic attack trying to get back on from our first excursion.
I disagree that “No one will get bored” and “there is something for everyone.” I didn’t recall my first cruise being all about shopping, yet that was what the Hawaiian cruise was about, apparently. None of the port talks were about history, culture or nature; they were all about where to shop. We had a couple days at sea and I was vastly bored. I didn’t want to lay by a pool and drink all day, or watch fashion shows (trying to sell me things), or play bingo. I do not like “shows,” either.
To me, most large cruises seem like trips to Vegas. Some people may like that, but it is not for me.
Great point Linda! When we go on the bigger cruise ships we do typically feel it is all about laying by the pool, drinking and eating.. which isn’t all bad 🙂
But, we definitely have appreciated the cruises where we get off and interact with nature, not just port cities built for tourist to spend money! Also, a lot of it depends on our mind set as to what we want to get out of the trip.
I’m surprised with the Hawaiian cruise. When we go there we typically stay on the islands, but there is so much beautiful nature and history to explore i’m surprised that they didn’t build the land excursions around more activities!
So yes, I agree with you in that if you get on the wrong cruise you can be bored! 🙂 I think it’s about knowing your travel style and if you do cruise, know what you are walking into and sign up for one that will keep you engaged with the destination not just ship you around.
I personally prefer the smaller ships also!