Keep an open mind
When we tell people that we just booked another cruise we get strange looks and raised eyebrows. So many people still believe the many myths of cruising – that it’s boring, that it’s crowded, that it’s for old people. But there are many reasons that you should keep an open mind and consider a cruise for your next vacation.
Why we cruise
We wrote a blog three years ago after we had cruised three times. Our reasons then included:
Staying in the same floating hotel for a week (no packing); The food options to suit both our tastes (no need to choose); The array of good cocktail and wine choices (and the beverage package); The staff and the service; And finally being unplugged.
Since then we have cruised twice more and have another cruise booked for January 2019. This will be our fourth cruise with the same cruise line – NCL or Norwegian. Some of the reasons that we have stuck with NCL are also some of the reasons that we continue to like cruising.
Flexibility – from what time you get up to how much (or little) you want to do in a day, every person on the same ship can plan a perfectly customized itinerary (or no itinerary at all) to suit themselves. What we like about NCL specifically is that there is no dinner time! Many other lines still make you choose a set time (the same every day) if you want to dine in the main dining room. With NCL we walk up to the desk, grab a pager, sit in the bar and enjoy a cocktail until a table is ready, Then carry a cocktail into the dining room (or order another ;).
Activity – not once on a cruise have either of us gained weight (another old myth about cruising). A promenade deck is one of the best places you could ever take a walk. While Vancouver’s Sea Wall is always a pleasure the walking deck on a ship is at a different port daily or even has an ever changing and always gorgeous view when at sea. Cruise ships also have state of the art gyms for those who would choose to stay inside. Plus, you don’t always have to board a bus in port. Some ports are terrific for just getting off and walking around. It is rare that a cruise day is less than at 15,000 step day.
Location(s) – how else can you set foot in 5 different countries in 9 days ( like our 9 day cruise from New Orleans). Yes we agree you do not get an in-depth look into a new place but you certainly can get the most out of 8 or 10 hours at port and you can decide if it is a place that you would like to visit again, or not.
Sea Days – this one has become even more important to us since we wrote about being unplugged in a past blog. Sea days are the only time we do not actually answer an email. Yes that is right, send us an email on Christmas day and you will get a reply. But when we are on a cruise ship, at sea, there is no way to respond. We need this break. Sea days are a time to actually sit and talk, no agenda, no to do list for CK Golf or a client, the days’ choices are to sleep, read, walk, decide what wines to taste and when to eat.
Our next cruise is actually 12 days with 4 days at sea. This will be our longest cruise and also has the most sea days. So if you can’t reach us at the end of January, you know why.
Another reason that people choose not to cruise is because of their health concerns. Yes, there is always a chance of getting sick – motion or otherwise. But with some planning and some diligence it can usually be avoided. We have not caught any cruise ship bugs yet. If you think you might get sea sick travel with Gravol and either wrist bands or a patch. Always bring your own hand sanitizer and take every advantage to use the multitude of wash stations on any ship. You might get tired of the staff offering but always take them up on it.
Oh yeah, one more reason to cruise…the sunsets are amazing!
We, Jeff and Tara Ciecko of CK Golf write two blogs, one is our 19th Hole Blog where we share personal experiences and the other an Industry Blog where we comment on general business and internet marketing best practices, sales strategies and give golf industry related opinions. We have owned CK Golf for 9 years and provide marketing, social media and business services to the golf and other industries. As of August 2016 our life and our business will be ‘location independent’. Our 19th Hole Blog is about the places we visit and the things we do. If you have any questions or comments, or happen to be in the same location as us please reach out and contact us anytime.
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