I'm in love with Cruising! No, this is not an exaggeration! I have been on about 5 cruises and every vacation was action packed, good food overload, white sandy beaches of perfection and just plain fun! I look at videos and pictures and I'm instantly taken back to those fond memories. Cruises have changed my standard of what quality service is and what I want while vacationing. I’ve been on enough cruises (Jamaica, Alaska, Aruba&Curacao etc) to know why its the best bang for your buck. This article is for first timers or maybe you haven't experienced a cruise in many, many years.
1. ALL YOU CAN EAT. It's very easy to over indulge when on a cruise but especially when it comes to food. It seems like everywhere you turn, you have an opportunity to eat. You have the dining room, the Lido Deck Buffet and specialty restaurants shattered throughout the boat. Disclaimer: Some of the restaurants do come with additional $$.
The food selection is what sets cruising apart from other vacations. You get the opportunity to stretch your palette and try new foods. Exotic foods. The cruise I recently took served frog legs, duck, mango soup, alligator fritters. . . .and the list goes on. Carnival makes sure all ethic foods are represented.
Bon Appetite!
2. CUSTOMER SERVICE. I have had wonderful experiences and interactions with crew members on cruises. The staff is very friendly and accommodating to the customer. I truly felt like I was special and low key famous! They always wanted to take pictures of me. They always pulled out my seat and placed my napkin in my lap. I was always greeted with a smile and a good attitude.
I can't move on without complimenting the quality of cleanliness. Your cabin steward cleans, replaces linens and creates towel art in your cabin each day. They also provide a schedule and a boat load of activities. Which leads me to my next point.
SIDE-NOTE: Carnival hooked me up for my birthday while cruising. They gave me a gift card for a free picture in the photo gallery, a $25 gift card for a bottle of wine and a discount for a spa item! Isn't that NICE? That's just another reason why I'm a cruise addict!
4. MEETING PEOPLE. I love the atmosphere that Carnival cultivates. If you like meeting new people, Cruises are for you. You will meet people from all over the world with different backgrounds and interesting life stories. I have heard the love story of a couple married for 66 years. I met a good friend of mine on a cruise. Even if the friendships don't go passed the cruise, you start to enjoy peoples company. I'm proof that many long-term relationships begin during a vacation at sea.
5. AFFORDABLE! Cruises are affordable people. Cruise Lines (Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line) are always having specials and using popular online travel websites to gain customers. The average SANDALS vacation (bucket list add on), while doable, is approximately $4,500. Now, compare that to the $1000 my hubby spent with parasailing. Pictures here.
Are you ready to book your next vacation by SEA? Do you have questions about the realities of cruising? Check out my thoughts here. Let me know if you have anymore questions. Oh, don't forget my invite!!
