Does cruising stop some from trying land vacations?

[iancal]

Prior to retirement we often scheduled lant trips around cruises-pre and/or post.

 

 Post retirement we schedule cruises around land trips.  Not so much schedule since we typically buy them inside the final payment window, and quite often when we are well into a land trip.  If we know we will be in the area of an embarkation port for a cruise the interests us then we start shopping to understand the ships and pricing on the route.  If something comes up that is attractive to us we book.  Could be a few days out, could be a month or more out.

Edited December 1, 2018 by iancal

[calliopecruiser]

5 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I've noticed that land vacations seem to be more of a bragging topic of superiority over cruises more often than the other way around.

 

I think it has more to do with the idea that a land trip can allow one to experience the real environment and flavour of a different place and/or culture - unlike cruising - but the reality is that many people do land trips and still don't get that experience.  I'm not saying that it's wrong to not have that experience (it's your vacation, it should be the experience you want, not what others expect), but I think that's the reason some people think it's a "better" vacation. 

[davekathy]

Nope. For us it's two different types and experiences of vacations. 

[MicCanberra]

Everyone has differing tastes and budgets and as such some prefer one way of travel over another. Others have reasons why they cannot do a particular form of transport for travel, i.e they cannot cruise due to sea sickness or they cannot fly to a destination due to other health reasons, etc.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I do think that cruising has replaced land vacations for us; not totally, but quite a bit.  We have toured all over the US on our own and quite a few tours to other places in the world, but it has mostly been cruises lately.

 

We just find it to be a better value, and much, much easier; no constant packing and repacking, driving in difficult areas, or finding local transportation, hunting up places to eat (this is often fun!) every day and night, lugging suitcases around on buses, trains, etc.  Some built in entertainment, etc.

 

We still do land tours, just not as frequently.  We are from Nebraska too, and definitely cruise to escape winter; have done the Caribbean so often we are actually tired of it, but no where else is within (kind of) easy flying distance and usually nice and warm.

 

Age probably makes a difference too; now in our early 70's, we are still adventurous but not quite to the extent that we once were.  

[GUT2407]

For us cruising is perfect.

 

mrs Gut was told flying could kill her (since then I can’t get her on a plane no matter how hard I try).

 

get on, unpack, different Port each day or two, if I’m crook she can still enjoy herself.

[MicCanberra]

Friends of ours did one cruise and on their return, sold their caravan and booked more cruises.

[GUT2407]

1 minute ago, MicCanberra said:

Friends of ours did one cruise and on their return, sold their caravan and booked more cruises.

But I also know those who say, never again after one cruise.

 

Mrs Gut and I are thinking of hiring a motor home next year to see how that fits with our situation.

[MicCanberra]

I also know people who have done one caravan trip and said never again but then they don't cruise either. Different strokes for different folks

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I also know people who have done one caravan trip and said never again but then they don't cruise either. Different strokes for different folks

 

Huh, we were thinking of doing an RV trip just for the fun of it.  Doubt we would get hooked to the point of purchasing an RV, but think it would be fun once in a while.  Our only concern is if they will allow us to pull our boat with the rental RV.  Kind of a deal breaker if they won't.   Anyway, another one of those things on the list.  

[MicCanberra]

 A good idea to rent one first to see if you like it, of course some don't.

[lenquixote66]

On ‎11‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 8:56 PM, Mike981 said:

Your cabin, food/drink, entertainment, and so on are included/available and you feel safe and secure. Oh and they clean up after you. You also have someone drive for you to see new amazing places.
We have done done several cruises, along with all-inclusives and rented a few homes. But nothing to adventurous. For example flying to XYZ with a hotel for the first couple of nights and then figuring it out as you go from there.

I never feel safe on a vacation ,however,rather than opt to stay home and never leave I take chances.For me,cruising is the only option

[MicCanberra]

Cruising sure does a great job in allowing people to travel when they wouldn't otherwise.

[MicCanberra]

We will continue to do a mix of travel types but when I retire that may well change to more land trips/stays in amongst the cruises.

[iancal]

Absolutely not.  If anything, it provides the impetus for land trips to places that had previously not considered.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

Absolutely not.  If anything, it provides the impetus for land trips to places that had previously not considered.

Yep, many places to go back to for more than just one day.

[Mike981]

We started cruising many years ago with the thought of using it to help us find places we would like to stay locally, it didn't work. Strange as it may sound, we have never had a port stop in Jamaica, but have stayed at resorts there many times. We rented a house in the Keys, but not because we had one brief stop there on a cruise (had a lot of fun and I fit right in with the crazy locals). We rented a house south of Ixtapa Mexico and had never heard of Ixtapa. It was wonderful for my kids to see true real life Mexico. One of their favorite trips, including cruising and Disney.

The places we would love to try cruise or land vacations are just so darn expensive to fly to. So currently we stick with the Caribbean. I understand that a resort is not the same as a land vacation we are talking about. But we were fortunate enough to have a strange event at a new Sandals resort in Jamaica (White House) years ago where they were having issues and not everything was ready at their opening. So if we agreed to still take our vacation, we would receive a free vacation of the same category room at any other Sandals resort. So our next trip was to Sandals St. Lucia, because the flight is so dang expensive. It was very nice, BUT, the flight was kind of a bummer.

Australia is on our bucket list and our daughter is talking about moving there for a year and that would make it very fun to try.

[iancal]

We had not considered Malta prior to a port stop a few years ago.  That port stop was the impetus for us to spend 10 days there and then go on to Sicily for three weeks..  Same reason for Sicily. We stopped two times on different cruises and wanted to see/experience so much more of it.

 

In  both instances we realized that we did not really experience all that we wanted to in a short port stop.  The land trip was a completely different experience.

 

There are some countries where we would not consider a cruise after spending time on land trips and gaining an understanding of where the ports are.  Thailand,  Vietnam and Cambodia are three of those countries in one region.  Plus a few in Europe.

Edited December 24, 2018 by iancal

[ldubs]

On 12/1/2018 at 9:01 PM, MicCanberra said:

 A good idea to rent one first to see if you like it, of course some don't.

 

Oh heck no.  No way I would purchase one.  Hence my concern that a rental agreement might not allow us to tow a boat.  Anyway, just one of those blue sky things.  Probably easier to rent a cabin at a place we want to go than rent an RV.   

[Flatbush Flyer]

23 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

We started cruising many years ago with the thought of using it to help us find places we would like to stay locally, it didn't work. Strange as it may sound, we have never had a port stop in Jamaica, but have stayed at resorts there many times. We rented a house in the Keys, but not because we had one brief stop there on a cruise (had a lot of fun and I fit right in with the crazy locals). We rented a house south of Ixtapa Mexico and had never heard of Ixtapa. It was wonderful for my kids to see true real life Mexico. One of their favorite trips, including cruising and Disney.

The places we would love to try cruise or land vacations are just so darn expensive to fly to. So currently we stick with the Caribbean. I understand that a resort is not the same as a land vacation we are talking about. But we were fortunate enough to have a strange event at a new Sandals resort in Jamaica (White House) years ago where they were having issues and not everything was ready at their opening. So if we agreed to still take our vacation, we would receive a free vacation of the same category room at any other Sandals resort. So our next trip was to Sandals St. Lucia, because the flight is so dang expensive. It was very nice, BUT, the flight was kind of a bummer.

Australia is on our bucket list and our daughter is talking about moving there for a year and that would make it very fun to try.

With kid headed to Oz, why not book flight to Sydney and do transpacific back to California?

Or fly direct to Sydney from California and do the long layover on a flight back through Tahiti. Now that United is flying direct to Papeete, competitive prices are more attractive.

Once you've visited Polynesia, the Caribbean will become a distant memory.

[Velvetwater]

We do it mostly as we can never decide which country to go to.

 

Now we have done a few cruised we see it as a taster experience....the tapas of holidays if you will.

 

There a few places we have vowed to go back to as a full holiday also and we have mini breaks inbetween cruises.

 

If you spin it the other way round there are always people with holiday habits who go to the same holiday home/hotel/resort/campsite each year. Are they missing on other trips?

Edited December 24, 2018 by Velvetwater

[K32682]

55 minutes ago, iancal said:

There are some countries where we would not consider a cruise after spending time on land trips and gaining an understanding of where the ports are.  Thailand,  Vietnam and Cambodia are three of those countries in one region.  Plus a few in Europe.

Of the countries I've visited on land trips where it would be possible there might only be one I'd take a cruise to.  I would feel cheated taking a cruise to the rest knowing what was there and that I couldn't see it.    

[iancal]

We feel the same about most of Europe and especially Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

 

We are fortunate.  We have the physical ability to do land trips, the time, and we are not in the least bit intimidated by foreign travel.    Others are not as fortunate or simply do not have the same preferences as we do.   That is why it is good that there are so many travel options....cruises, AI's, guided tours, independent travel, whatever.  There is no right answer, just what is right and/or comfortable for you.

Edited December 24, 2018 by iancal

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, Mike981 said:

Australia is on our bucket list and our daughter is talking about moving there for a year and that would make it very fun to try.

Come any time, we aren't going anywhere soon.

[MicCanberra]

 

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

With kid headed to Oz, why not book flight to Sydney and do transpacific back to California?

Or fly direct to Sydney from California and do the long layover on a flight back through Tahiti. Now that United is flying direct to Papeete, competitive prices are more attractive.

Once you've visited Polynesia, the Caribbean will become a distant memory.

Great plan, fly and cruise to break the trips, transpacific cruises come here in Oct/Nov and depart March/April.