Is cruising really a great value travel option?

[ducklite]

I'll add that my last holiday was eight days in Northern Ireland with a couple at the end in Dublin and the total cost including airfare, transfers, airport parking, accommodation, surface transit, admissions, a few very nice meals out, etc. was a modest $3200 for two people.  Tourism to Northern Ireland in early December is not a big thing, so accommodation and airfare was beyond reasonable and took up about 50% of the budget.  

This year we're headed to Eastern Europe for 16 days and it will cost about $350 per day for the two of us including airfare, accommodations, airfare and train between countries in Europe, meals, admissions, etc.  The same trip in London would be about $800 per day.  It's the same reason a Caribbean cruise is less than 1/2 the cost of a French Polynesian cruise, or Barcelona to Rome is less than half the cost of the Baltics.  One of the biggest variables in any type of holiday is where you go and when you go there. 

[iancal]

We find that we get tired of cruising after ten days or two weeks.  Tired of the same antiseptic cabin.  The food all starts to taste the same and we eat too much of it.   We very much prefer the change of independent travel and staying in hotels, B&B;s that do not remind us of business travel or the standard Marriott or Hilton room.  Same with the food.

 

 

We find the costs average out.  Last winter we had a month in Thailand and a month in Australia.  Two very different cost areas.  But it is not about cost for us.  It is more about where we want to go, how we want to travel, and for how long.  Visiting a foreign port for a few hours and then coming back to the ship for our roast beef dinner and cabin is not our preference from a travel perspective.  We travel for a different experience than a cruise ship can offer.  We do cruise, but as a break from independent travel.   The decision factors were very different when we traveled as a family.  Traveling as unencumbered seniors is a very different situation-financial and otherwise.

[clo]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

We find that we get tired of cruising after ten days or two weeks.  Tired of the same antiseptic cabin.  The food all starts to taste the same and we eat too much of it.   We very much prefer the change of independent travel and staying in hotels, B&B;s that do not remind us of business travel or the standard Marriott or Hilton room.  Same with the food.

 

 

We find the costs average out.  Last winter we had a month in Thailand and a month in Australia.  Two very different cost areas.  But it is not about cost for us.  It is more about where we want to go, how we want to travel, and for how long.  Visiting a foreign port for a few hours and then coming back to the ship for our roast beef dinner and cabin is not our preference from a travel perspective.  We travel for a different experience than a cruise ship can offer.  We do cruise, but as a break from independent travel.   The decision factors were very different when we traveled as a family.  Traveling as unencumbered seniors is a very different situation-financial and otherwise.

Great write-up!!!!! We did maybe a half dozen cruises up to about fewer than ten years ago.  Our return was due to our long held desire to go to Antarctica and that's the only way to do it.  That was on a small ship (400 pax).  We loved it so much we booked their (Hurtigruten) Norwegian coast cruise for this past spring.  We used to have an apt. in Rio and wondered how to do Rio and Buenos Aires and found the Oceania cruise.  There's only one at-sea day and you're in ports for eight to ten hours.  And like you, we LOVE DIY travel, airbnb-equivalent, cooking some meals, shopping at local markets.  An example of how we'll do that S. America cruise.  We'll embark and then immediately leave the ship for a fave Brazilian lunch at a fave place.  (We spend two days in Rio.) The next day we'll also leave the ship and go to a Sunday arts fair that we always went to when we were there.  And lunch at a locals place.  Thanks for explaining your rationale so I could say "me too." 🙂

[iancal]

We did the same for a South American cruise.  Spent two weeks in Uruguay, BA, and  Igouazu prior to boarding the cruise.  Spent time in Chile post cruise, then on to a month of independent travel in Panama and Costa Rica while we were 'in the area'

 

We either build a longer land trip around a cruise or we take a last minute cruise part way through a longer independent land trip.

Edited June 18, 2019 by iancal

[momofmeg]

It depends on what you want out of your trip. For example, if you want to see Paris or Rome extensively,  or any other big city for that matter. A few hours there on a cruise is not going to allow you to see much. Especially Paris which is a 3 hour train ride from cruise port.

 

But if you want to see several areas  within a week, like we did in our cruise of Italy. We went to Pompeii, the  Leaning Tower of Pisa, ST. Marks square, The Trevi fountain  all within a week. I do feel doing it by cruise ship was the less exhausting than by coach or train. We loved it and honestly the only place I would really like to go back  to spend more is Venice and   Tuscany. I would love to go back to Italy for a week and spend 3 days in  Venice and 3 days in Tuscany/Florence.

[Gwendy]

Best value?  Is that monetary or culture or time or relaxation?  Depends what you are looking for.  For me it’s good value, I get on, unpack, get to see different countries in a snapshot.  In July I am cruising from Dover to Brisbane 52 days.  I shudder to think of arranging flights and hotels to all those destinations.  Worse still packing and unpacking and for an elderly lady with a wonky knee, on my own, wrangling said luggage from place to place.

I still do land holidays, eg China and India recently, but the convenience of cruising wins me.

[clo]

24 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

Best value?  Is that monetary or culture or time or relaxation?  Depends what you are looking for.  For me it’s good value, I get on, unpack, get to see different countries in a snapshot.  In July I am cruising from Dover to Brisbane 52 days.  I shudder to think of arranging flights and hotels to all those destinations.  Worse still packing and unpacking and for an elderly lady with a wonky knee, on my own, wrangling said luggage from place to place.

I still do land holidays, eg China and India recently, but the convenience of cruising wins me.

Gwendy, I'm 72 and am wondering if our recent cruises are portending something going forward.  We'd definitely be more destination-intensive and smaller ships.  But I can't see that translating to continuing our five or so years of escorted tours (land).  While their website would talk about plenty of free time, it wasn't.  It meant 'okay, we're stopping here for an hour and you can do whatever you want but then have to get back on the coach for the next stop."  We're liking this upcoming S. American one because, as I've mentioned, all but one day is a port and those days are 8 to 10 hours.  Time to actually do something.  And begin and end with two days in Rio and BA.  When we gave up on cruising it was with the idea of 'well, when we get older perhaps.'  Perhaps that day is here.  But we know the huge ships aren't for us.  Thanks for your thoughts.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We've done land trips, a couple of which were quite extensive including seven weeks touring Ireland and the UK. We travelled by plane, ferry, train, and rental car. We stayed in five star hotels and simple B&Bs. We saw as many of our bucket list places as we could in that time. But I needed another holiday once we got home, it was exhausting!

 

In the main, I agree that extended stays in places do give you a better experience of that place. But cruising offers the chance to sample different places, without losing too much time travelling from one to another as the ship travels throughout the nights, and without having to pack and unpack. Already in under five years of cruising we've seen far more places than we ever would have attempted to see by land. Some, like Papua New Guinea, wouldn't even have been on our radar for land travel.

 

As well as the convenience of not having to unpack more than once on a cruise, there is another factor that makes cruising easier - you don't have to go out looking for restaurants, cafes, supermarkets to buy food etc. You just have to decide which of the ship's restaurants to eat in, and you don't have to walk far to get to them which is a blessing after a solid day of sightseeing.

 

So to me the value in cruising isn't just the cost, it's also the convenience and the ease of getting from place to place. We've done some very cheap cruises and some more expensive ones and we've enjoyed each and every one of them. I am noticing cutbacks on Princess and Celebrity which concern me for future cruises. I guess there may come a time when we say these lines are not worth the cost, and the luxury lines may be too expensive. Then, I guess, we'll go back to land travel or stay at home.

[clo]

24 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

you don't have to go out looking for restaurants, cafes, supermarkets to buy food etc.

And, for me, that's a HUGE drawback.  But I'm really into food.  Cooking it as well as eating it.  I like going to local markets to buy and cook the local food.  When we've done cruises and escorted land tours, by the end, I'm just dying to get home and cook.

 

"we've seen far more places than we ever would have attempted to see by land."

 

But, again just for us, seeing a place isn't 'experiencing' it.  We're more into the back streets, hanging with the locals, etc.

 

But that's just us and I'm glad we have so many ways to travel, eh?  

[OzKiwiJJ]

I agree that seeing isn't always as good as experiencing, but it beats not seeing at all. 😉

 

Also there are places where the view from the ship is a major highlight in it's own right. For example Kotor. The sheer grandeur of the fjord, and the transit in and out of it by ship, was incredibly beautiful. Being able to go ashore and explore the old town was merely the icing on the cake. Going through the Panama Canal is another example.

 

Luckily we're all not restricted to one type of travel or the other, we can do both or either when it suits us. That makes life very good. 😊 

[adelaidefc]

5 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

 

Luckily we're all not restricted to one type of travel or the other, we can do both or either when it suits us. That makes life very good. 😊 

 

That pretty much sums it up for me now that I've 'discovered' cruising! Also agree the view can be a highlight in itself, and is often a really unique perspective you couldn't get any other way. 

 

Much like @clo above - I'm very much usually in the 'go to markets and eat the most local stuff I can find' as much as possible camp. So on the few times we did get off the ship in the 7 days, that's exactly what we did. Sure it wasn't quite the experience of hitting some tapas and vermut bars on Calle de la Cava Baja in Madrid that we'd done a couple of weeks earlier, but still good. 

[ducklite]

8 hours ago, clo said:

And, for me, that's a HUGE drawback.  But I'm really into food.  Cooking it as well as eating it.  I like going to local markets to buy and cook the local food.  When we've done cruises and escorted land tours, by the end, I'm just dying to get home and cook.

 

"we've seen far more places than we ever would have attempted to see by land."

 

But, again just for us, seeing a place isn't 'experiencing' it.  We're more into the back streets, hanging with the locals, etc.

 

But that's just us and I'm glad we have so many ways to travel, eh?  

I agree that there is a huge difference between being disgorged from a cruise ship for a day and going native--settling into a city or town for a longer stay--particularly if you rent a flat or house.  You get to take the time to really get to know the nooks and crannies, and be delighted by the unexpected finds you'd never experience otherwise.

 

But sometimes it's nice to have all the planning done for you.  One of the reasons we booked a cruise next year is that this year we have a very complex land based itinerary through three countries, five cities, six accommodations, three currencies, eight flight segments on six different carriers through five different countries (not including the US).  I just needed a break and a less complex trip to plan.  🙂 

[ducklite]

I think one of the reasons some people find cruising to be a great "value" is that they can plan out every dime of expenses in advance, prepay most, and come home without a credit card bill.  I know a number of people who do this.  Cruising takes away a lot of the budget variables.  Some people find a lot of "value" in that.

[Joebucks]

Value is largely an opinion. Sometimes basing it off of limited experience. Sometimes comparing things that don't even make sense. We can talk round and round, but it comes largely down to opinions and preferences.

 

I do know a few things for sure. I can travel to a lot of points in the US for about $200 pp and many other Caribbean or other foreign countries, I'm lucky to for $500 pp. I know you can get some good deals on AIs in places like Mexico. People will tell you how cheap it can be to go there, but neglect to tell you the flight was almost the same price, and the entertainment options are fewer.

 

Nothing wrong with either choice though. Variety keeps vacationing exciting. I'm currently planning a Hilton Head trip. I dare someone to tell me how much cheaper it is than cruising.

[kira5]

23 hours ago, iancal said:

We find that we get tired of cruising after ten days or two weeks.  Tired of the same antiseptic cabin.  The food all starts to taste the same and we eat too much of it.   We very much prefer the change of independent travel and staying in hotels, B&B;s that do not remind us of business travel or the standard Marriott or Hilton room.  Same with the food.

 

 

We find the costs average out.  Last winter we had a month in Thailand and a month in Australia.  Two very different cost areas.  But it is not about cost for us.  It is more about where we want to go, how we want to travel, and for how long.  Visiting a foreign port for a few hours and then coming back to the ship for our roast beef dinner and cabin is not our preference from a travel perspective.  We travel for a different experience than a cruise ship can offer.  We do cruise, but as a break from independent travel.   The decision factors were very different when we traveled as a family.  Traveling as unencumbered seniors is a very different situation-financial and otherwise.

How mobile (and fit)  you are is a factor. (I'm mid sixties)   I spent 2 1/2 weeks last summer in London, Rome and Athens with my daughter, independent travel.   Europe requires a lot of walking which I found  onerous at times but was determined to keep up.    I do recall thinking that that trip would have to be the last for that kind of travel.   Tours are easier as are cruises.   This summer's two week cruise around Japan will be manageable I hope.   We do have some 12 day in port (there are about 8 ports, I believe).    

[Mike981]

*side note, it's been a few years since we have done an all-inclusive*

My wife and I have done several all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica and I can tell you that many people who complain about cruise food, would be appalled at what they serve in Jamaica. Most people are just trying to catch some sun and a buzz. And then the entertainment was um...pretty bad. Every once in a while they might have a decent act, but it was rare.

[nyllrap]

We usually cruise on the cheap. I try to do $100 per night, often below. We don't do drink packages or internet, book excursions independently, and overall spend very little on board. We also live in Florida so usually do not have much in the way of travel expenses. We are Diamond level on Royal Caribbean now, so I do get some drink and internet perks. Cruising can be very economical or not, depending on how much one splurges. 

[SimplyMarvie]

(deleted because I realized I was being a jerk. Sorry, ya'll.)

Edited June 19, 2019 by SimplyMarvie

[clo]

2 minutes ago, SimplyMarvie said:

 

This attitude bothers the crap out of me -- especially the lines about the "less adventuresome". It's akin to that annoying neologism about "be a traveler and not a tourist", which also gets my dander up -- it reeks of privilege and snobbery, and creates a duality that doesn't have to exist. There are some days when I want to be a traveler and hitchhike with my backpack through places I have no business being, and eat fermented mare's milk, and wash my undies in the sink and the whole nine yards... but there are other times when I want to pay someone else to make the arrangements, sip champagne on the balcony and take it easy while taking in the established sights and not worrying about getting from place A to B. Both of these are valid ways to travel, and honestly are good tools to have in everyone's tool-kit.

 

Being "an independent traveler" doesn't make you a better person. If you really believe that travel and exploration are expand people's minds and perceptions and ideas about the world, be excited that anyone is getting out there and traveling, rather than judging them about how they handle those choices.

 

I hear you but I KNOW people who describe themselves as "less adventuresome."  And they are more comfortable on escorted tours and cruises.  And there's not a dang thing wrong with that.  I don't think anyone was saying otherwise.  And perhaps take a deep breath 🙂

[SimplyMarvie]

2 minutes ago, clo said:

I hear you but I KNOW people who describe themselves as "less adventuresome."  And they are more comfortable on escorted tours and cruises.  And there's not a dang thing wrong with that.  I don't think anyone was saying otherwise.  And perhaps take a deep breath 🙂

 

I realized that, which is why I deleted the post. 🙂

 

But you know, I LOVE that there are people who describe themselves as "less adventuresome" and still have options to stick a toe outside their comfort zone and experience things that they wouldn't see otherwise -- I think that's fantastic. And I hate for people who feel that way to be shamed for the way they travel. Maybe that's a stepping stone to developing more confidence, which is great... maybe the most adventure they'll ever be comfortable with is driving to the next state over, which is also fine. But they shouldn't be made to feel bad or judged for it. That's what bothers me. 

[clo]

8 minutes ago, SimplyMarvie said:

 

I realized that, which is why I deleted the post. 🙂

 

But you know, I LOVE that there are people who describe themselves as "less adventuresome" and still have options to stick a toe outside their comfort zone and experience things that they wouldn't see otherwise -- I think that's fantastic. And I hate for people who feel that way to be shamed for the way they travel. Maybe that's a stepping stone to developing more confidence, which is great... maybe the most adventure they'll ever be comfortable with is driving to the next state over, which is also fine. But they shouldn't be made to feel bad or judged for it. That's what bothers me. 

Bless your heart and I mean that in the kind, non-Southern way 🙂

 

We did part of SE Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam) on an escorted tour because we knew the language would be a true barrier.  But there were some that you could just tell would have been out of their comfort zone on their own even without a language/alphabet issue.  And, she-god, yes, get out there.  Well, and if you don't want to then don't.  LOL.

[ducklite]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I hear you but I KNOW people who describe themselves as "less adventuresome."  And they are more comfortable on escorted tours and cruises.  And there's not a dang thing wrong with that.  I don't think anyone was saying otherwise.  And perhaps take a deep breath 🙂

We have neighbors who still travel quite a bit.  But they are pushing 80 and although they are both still very mobile, they don't want to have to move their luggage, they find safety in numbers, and they are very social and enjoy meeting new friends.  Taking pre-packaged tours and river cruises is a perfect solution that fires on every cylinder for them.  I'm glad they can still enjoy traveling, and hope to be in the same position when I'm their age.  

[iancal]

The one issue for us has been luggage.   We are in our late 60's.  We solved that a long time ago by migrating to carry on only.  We each only  take a 20" carry on roller.  It is all that we can physically handle given that we may find ourselves on a cruise, on a ferry, going up three flights of stairs in a small hotel,, hoisting the bag up to a train luggage rack, or lifting in up on on to a longtail boat in Thailand.

 

We have never found a language or custom issue that we could not overcome.  Travel has changed our eating habits for the better since early retirement.  When we travel we eat the local food.  Last winter in Thailand we had one 'western' meal in 30 plus days.   We find it much healthier and we feel better for it.  Same in other countries like Italy and Greece.

 

The only right mode of travel is the one that you feel comfortable with.  We have met the odd travel snob who likes to infer that they are travelers not tourists or cruisers.  It is a little silly to us.  Just get out and do your own thing whatever it is.  And don't be afraid to think out of the box.  Our impression is that the cruise lines, when it comes to excursions, absolutely take advantage of people's fear of a foreign language or a foreign country.  We have seen some ridiculously priced mediocre excursion offerings

that we shake our heads at.  The excursion desks seem to trade in fear, uncertainty, and doubt when it comes to certain foreign countries.

Edited June 19, 2019 by iancal

[ducklite]

12 minutes ago, iancal said:

And don't be afraid to think out of the box.  Our impression is that the cruise lines, when it comes to excursions, absolutely take advantage of people's fear of a foreign language or a foreign country.  We have seen some ridiculously priced mediocre excursion offerings

that we shake our heads at.  The excursion desks seem to trade in fear, uncertainty, and doubt when it comes to certain foreign countries.

 

I think the worst one I’ve seen is in Santorini going from Fira to Oia.  A couple bucks for the funicular and the another couple bucks r/t on the public transit bus to Oia.  Total cost for two was less than a third of what the cruise lines want for one.  

[clo]

45 minutes ago, iancal said:

The one issue for us has been luggage.   We are in our late 60's.  We solved that a long time ago by migrating to carry on only.  We each only  take a 20" carry on roller.  It is all that we can physically handle given that we may find ourselves on a cruise, on a ferry, going up three flights of stairs in a small hotel,, hoisting the bag up to a train luggage rack, or lifting in up on on to a longtail boat in Thailand.

 

We have never found a language or custom issue that we could not overcome.  Travel has changed our eating habits for the better since early retirement.  When we travel we eat the local food.  Last winter in Thailand we had one 'western' meal in 30 plus days.   We find it much healthier and we feel better for it.  Same in other countries like Italy and Greece.

 

The only right mode of travel is the one that you feel comfortable with.  We have met the odd travel snob who likes to infer that they are travelers not tourists or cruisers.  It is a little silly to us.  Just get out and do your own thing whatever it is.  And don't be afraid to think out of the box.  Our impression is that the cruise lines, when it comes to excursions, absolutely take advantage of people's fear of a foreign language or a foreign country.  We have seen some ridiculously priced mediocre excursion offerings

that we shake our heads at.  The excursion desks seem to trade in fear, uncertainty, and doubt when it comes to certain foreign countries.

GREAT write up!  Thanks for sharing.  My only question is why don't you check that carry on bag?  I'm trying to think if we've had to pay for any checked bags but don't remember having to.  We have both UA and Alaska CCs and with their various partners we seem to be fine.

 

Your mention of eating the local food in Thailand brought back a memory.  Like you, we LOVE that.  But on the SE Asia escorted trip there was one man, probably our age early 70s, and he would eat nothing but 'Murican food.  Even to the point that our group got to go to this woman's stunning home where her 'staff' fixed us a wonderful dinner and tour and the ceremony of releasing the lanterns.  He didn't go.  I spent a long time silently criticizing him until I finally accepted that, yes, we travel for different reasons.

 

Again, thanks for making great points.  Happy trails 🙂