Secrets to Planning a Fantastic Cruise Vacation: Why go on a Cruise?

A cruise vacation offers Value, freedom and options. Land vacation means additional cost of hotel stay, meals, entertainment and road transportation. Visiting multiple locations can be a nightmare as you will have to move from place to place. With a cruise, your stay, meals and most of the entertainment are all inclusive. So, want an amazing vacation on a budget? Take to the seas!

A cruise gives you freedom. Freedom to eat when you want (even at midnight); exercise when you want; and just relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It gives you the freedom to visit multiple destinations without having to pack your bags and go through traveling to another destination. If you want activity, the challenge is choosing which ones to take part in. There is never a situation where you will run out of things to do on a ship.

New ships are being built and with that, more choices. You can choose from so many activities: shopping (some duty free), casinos, pools, dancing, shore excursions, wine tasting, spa treatments, art galleries, educational events, - the list is endless! The larger the ship, the more activities they have. If you just want to relax on the deck, soak in the sun or read a book, you can do that too. Most ships have libraries also. If you are into sports and fitness you can choose from fitness centers to classes like kick-boxing, yoga, Pilates etc. There are golf simulators, and most recent ships have rock climbing and basketball courts.

A cruise is a learning experience too. You can find expert lectures onboard giving enrichment presentations on topics including history and culture of places on itinerary. Some special cruise lines focus on learning as their primary goal.
Numerous companies conduct business meetings, training sessions, retreats, or incentive events on ships. Whether you are a family group, singles, clubs, church, youth groups, elderly or sports enthusiast, there is a cruise that can fulfill your preferences.

If you are worried about activities for kids – don’t. There are age specific groups and lots of activities for your young ones or your teenagers. No one can be bored on a cruise because there is something for every one in the whole family.
Choosing when and where to eat is one of my favorite. There is food around the clock! There are buffets for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight. Your stomach will surely be pleased. If you want a quiet romantic gourmet meal, ships have several restaurants to choose from. You can never go hungry and the best part is food is inclusive in the cost (except for the gourmet meals in restaurants, alcohol and soda).

Even with all this food you can stay healthy. Check out the menu before going on a cruise and look to see which items are available in healthy options. Alcohol contains a lot of calories so you may just plan to drink a cocktail in the afternoon and wine with your dinner. If you choose the buffet, make sure your plate has a fruit and a vegetable. Eat slowly – you can always go for seconds. Burn off extra calories by dancing the night away or actually swimming in the pool instead of just floating.

Cruises are also international. You have a choice to go almost every continent, even the Antarctica! You can select from a 3 day cruise to a one week cruise and if money and time is not a problem, a world cruises for 100 days or more. A word of advice for international cruises – check with the country’s Home Office on visa requirements before going on a cruise. Do not rely on the cruise line or the agent! Even if the cruise ship is docking in a country just to refuel and no one is disembarking, you may need a visa. This is very important. Also, do not solely rely on information on-line. Some government agencies do not update their site regularly and you do not want to be stuck with the wrong information. Call the Home Office and request up to date information.