What Do You Like Best About A Cruise

After booking our 1st cruise almost a year ago, the countdown is on for later this summer. Because it's drawing nearer, I'm thinking things through and making mental notes about the tips I'm reading here. After the 4th of July, I plan to make my lists on paper and start gathering things together.

One of my favorite parts about this vacation is the ease of making travel plans. It's always been up to me to research, plan and organize vacations for hubby, son and I from where to go, what to see, where to stay, how to get there, how long to go, and so on.

What I love about this vacation is so much has already been taken care of without my having to do muc research at all. We will get a charter bus to Baltimore to board a ship. No airline scheduling or hassles. No hotel arrangements required. No having to drive ourselves other than one hour to get the bus. The ship will have all kinds of activities and I've booked excursions for the ports. I am looking forward to one whole week of complete leisure. Maybe I will feel like one of the upperclass people in Downton Abbey!

What do I like best?

Well, in no particular order . . .

Being with my best friend, companion and keeper. The food (Hey, I paid for 18 meals a day and I'm gonna eat 18 meals per day!). No cell phones. No phone calls. No texts. No e-mail. No IM's. No "Boob-Tube". Trying new foods (especially the one's I can't pronounce). The passenger participation shows. The production shows. The cabin steward/stewardess. Bumping into old friends. Making new friends. Our waiter. No alarm clocks. Seeing the sparkle in my wife's eyes as we dance under the stars. Dressing up for dinner. Our table mates. Getting away from all the melodrama of the workplace. Free champagne at the 'art' auctons. Spotting whales. Visiting new places. Having a designated driver (the Captain & Captain. Getting my 'sea-legs'. Doing "nothing". Doing "everything". No chores (cutting the grass, vaccuming, dusting, taking out the garbage, washing the car, ... ). No TV. No commercials. No telemarketers. Finally finishing that book I've been working on for the last year. Rainbows dropping out of a passing squall. Being waited on. No dishes! Meeting "strange" people. Meeting wonderful people. Meeting strange AND wonderful people. Sunrises. Sunsets. The "EMERALD FLASH". Watching porpoises jumping in front of the ship as we pull into harbor. Warm doughnuts and cappuccino on deck, as the ship wakes up for the day. M.U.T.S. (Movies Under The Stars). Couple's massage. Getting a steak sandwich, onion rings and a milkshake delivered to me, while I'm on the treadmill, in the gym. The billions and billions of stars that you can't see when you're at home. Breakfast in bed. Being "On-Deck For The Cure". Booking the next cruise while we're still onboard.

And . . . Watching first-timers 'discover' cruising. Welcome aboard, Mrs M!

I love the relaxed feeling of a cruise. The sounds of the water, the ease of doing things to occupy your time. Most of all, I love the fact that I have no phone, no internet etc. We own a business and our phones go off 24/7 and for those few days, they are off. Whoo hoo

We have only been on two cruises so far, but......

The sea.

Having our transportation/hotel/restaurants/entertainment all together with little effort from us.

The sea.

One way transportation there or home without another long plane ride.

The sea.

Oh, and then....The day after we arrived back home from a 3 1/2 month trip last year it dawned on me that I was the one who had to make the bed every day now.

Going to places sometimes that we probably would not have gone on a plane/land trip.

The sea.

Generally more economical then the same trip would be with planes/hotels/restaurants/entertainment.

The sea.

I spent most of my life where I saw the Gulf of Mexico every day, so definitely the sea.

I love the relaxed feeling of a cruise. The sounds of the water, the ease of doing things to occupy your time. Most of all, I love the fact that I have no phone, no internet etc. We own a business and our phones go off 24/7 and for those few days, they are off. Whoo hoo

Side note - deladypilot.. does that name stem from you being a pilot? Maybe I'm not alone in the pilot club here in CC after all ;)

As for what I like most about cruising... where to start??

The sea is my first reason... based off my username I spend my entire life at sea, and when I'm not at sea for work, I go to sea for fun. It's an unhealthy obsession.

Meeting new people.

I love bringing friends with me on cruises and many of them have never cruised before so introducing them to it is so fun! Heck, many of them become regulars!

The convenience. Everything you could possibly need is literally always steps away.

Getting to be away from hectic life at home and just escape and relax.

Something I look forward to most is laying in the sun by the pool a few drinks in, putting on an album I've been wanting to listen to for a while and just dozing into another world. It's bliss.

So many things about cruising just help it add up to the perfect vacation.

A cruise isn't as "luxurious" as it used to be for the "common" folk....but it's a nice vacation. I like to vacation in HOT weather spots, so a cruise (to the Caribbean) pretty much assures you of decent weather.

After years of coach tours the idea of only unpacking once on my floating hotel and visiting amazing ports is a wonderful thing.

My wife and I like the fact that once we are on the ship we don't have to think about where we will eat, where we will go, what we will do and we are all unpacked and settled in and we can see so much more in a short time frame compared to any other form of travel.

Keith

Getting on the ship, unpacking and seeing so many amazing places and not having to live out of 1 suitcase per person, flying, driving, taking buses, etc. from city to city.

Planning and getting excited about the cruise before it actually start is half the fun.

The cruise itself is 100% fun! Every moment of it!

Writing reviews after the cruise, distributing souvenirs, browsing photos, reading other's reviews, and doing Cruise Critic keeps me on the high. And preparing for the next cruise... ... ....

Cruise is a never ending fun for me! :D

Having so many choices. From different cruise lines, ships, cabins and itineraries to so much to do on board, we love it all. And the best part is that it is all a short walk away, just outside your door.

EVERYTHING!!! What more can you say?:D

I like the fact that I don't have to do much planning. I'm usually the one that does it for my family and friends (planning, hotels, train transfers, even where we should eat when we get there). This year I used a TA, I'm a little nervous still because I'm the one that takes care of everything so HOPEFULLY it works out ok :confused: (Phew!!). Although, the excursions will be my thing( I can't leave everything up in the air right?). But once I get to my cruise, I will Chillax and enjoy the sea and what it has to offer, Relax, and probably use the majority of their amenities which I didn't use on my last cruise 3 yrs ago.

Standing on deck at sunrise.

At sea.

No land in sight and watching that sun rise, the dawn of a great day, and just thinking how wonderful this day is going to be.

Repeat often.

I love sitting in my lounge chair being surrounded by gorgeous blue water!

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After booking our 1st cruise almost a year ago, the countdown is on for later this summer. Because it's drawing nearer, I'm thinking things through and making mental notes about the tips I'm reading here. After the 4th of July, I plan to make my lists on paper and start gathering things together.

 

One of my favorite parts about this vacation is the ease of making travel plans. It's always been up to me to research, plan and organize vacations for hubby, son and I from where to go, what to see, where to stay, how to get there, how long to go, and so on.

 

What I love about this vacation is so much has already been taken care of without my having to do muc research at all. We will get a charter bus to Baltimore to board a ship. No airline scheduling or hassles. No hotel arrangements required. No having to drive ourselves other than one hour to get the bus. The ship will have all kinds of activities and I've booked excursions for the ports. I am looking forward to one whole week of complete leisure. Maybe I will feel like one of the upperclass people in Downton Abbey!

I like everything, no dishes,laundry, make beds , live shows, dancing, food, & fun.

My most favorite thing is: I actually had a vacation too! I'm also the researcher, planner & executor of our family vacations & by the end of them I feel like I need a vacation to recover from our vacation, lol! Wish I'd discovered cruising years ago!!

Kris, I'm "all that" when it comes to family vacations, too. A cruise simplifies the process.

" Happy Sails!"

What do I like best?

Well, in no particular order . . .

Being with my best friend, companion and keeper. The food (Hey, I paid for 18 meals a day and I'm gonna eat 18 meals per day!). No cell phones. No phone calls. No texts. No e-mail. No IM's. No "Boob-Tube". Trying new foods (especially the one's I can't pronounce). The passenger participation shows. The production shows. The cabin steward/stewardess. Bumping into old friends. Making new friends. Our waiter. No alarm clocks. Seeing the sparkle in my wife's eyes as we dance under the stars. Dressing up for dinner. Our table mates. Getting away from all the melodrama of the workplace. Free champagne at the 'art' auctons. Spotting whales. Visiting new places. Having a designated driver (the Captain & Captain. Getting my 'sea-legs'. Doing "nothing". Doing "everything". No chores (cutting the grass, vaccuming, dusting, taking out the garbage, washing the car, ... ). No TV. No commercials. No telemarketers. Finally finishing that book I've been working on for the last year. Rainbows dropping out of a passing squall. Being waited on. No dishes! Meeting "strange" people. Meeting wonderful people. Meeting strange AND wonderful people. Sunrises. Sunsets. The "EMERALD FLASH". Watching porpoises jumping in front of the ship as we pull into harbor. Warm doughnuts and cappuccino on deck, as the ship wakes up for the day. M.U.T.S. (Movies Under The Stars). Couple's massage. Getting a steak sandwich, onion rings and a milkshake delivered to me, while I'm on the treadmill, in the gym. The billions and billions of stars that you can't see when you're at home. Breakfast in bed. Being "On-Deck For The Cure". Booking the next cruise while we're still onboard.

 

And . . . Watching first-timers 'discover' cruising. Welcome aboard, Mrs M!

I couldn't have said it any better.

Absolutely brilliant!

Absolutely Everything!!

I love dancing and water / boats so get that in cruises

Plus it is so relaxing even as a work environment

Also almost every friend I have is from cruising

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As soon as you stroll up the gangway you're on vacation. We always meet a lot of great people, we love the ease of visiting new countries, the simplicity of arriving in different ports every day or so.

There is always plenty to do aboard ship. It's exciting, soothing and relaxing to travel by ship, it's a perfect holiday.

Jonathan

I rarely sleep well the first night in a new bed. On a cruise I get to see lots of places but only ever have a new bed once.

Now that sitting is so difficult for me, cruising is really the only way I can travel far. All I have to do is tolerate the 45 minutes to Southampton, the rest of the travelling can be done from my bed if necessary :)

no cell phone and since I refuse to pay for internet, no internet for the week. this part is VERY relaxing.

I love having a wonderful dinner, ordering what I want w/o looking at prices, no haggling with friends over the bill, how much to leave for a tip, etc.