Cruising
Cruising was once described as a pastime of the idle rich. How wrong that is now! The modern day cruise market offers fantastic value for money opportunities for the whole family and is growing at a staggering rate. From small, intimate and luxurious yachts, to awesome, magnificent holiday resorts, there is something for all tastes and budgets.
So many misconceptions about cruising are probably the reason why cruising remains one of travel's best kept secrets! One thing is for sure , after experiencing their first cruise, almost 75% of people go back again...and again! All preconceived ideas fade away and the cruiser becomes a passionate ambassador, wondering why they did not try this earlier!
So why are there so many misconceptions and what are they?
Boredom
Cruising is not what it used to be. unless that's what you choose to make of it. Choose between a fun filled party with your every waking hour on the go, to a sedate and comfortable voyage of complete relaxation and discovery. You can even use the cruise as a base to learn about a new hobby, brush up on your computer skills or discover new interests.
During the day you'll find all sorts of things to keep you occupied and amused, such as lectures on topics such as art collecting, ports of call, politics, computers, world affairs and investing; there are excercise classes, wine tastings, cooking classes, shuffleboard, card tournaments and when you are worn out, you can relax by the pool or in one of the comfortable lounges and watch the world go by.
On some ships you will find golf simulators, miniature golf courses, putting greens, skeet shooting, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts. You can treat yourself to a day in the spa or in session in the state-of-the-art fitness center; pamper yourself with massages, facials, hair and nail salons, a sauna or a session with a personal trainer on the state-of-the-art exercise equipment.
Many ships now cater for families and offer an enormous array of children's facilities including their own special age grouped activity clubs, specially trained social hosts and daily programmes. Large swimming pools, waterslides, climbing walls an other facilities complete the picture.
In the evenings you have all of the bars and lounges at your disposal for mixing, mingling, dancing or people watching. There are lavish production shows and cabaret acts, comedians and the late night disco to keep you going into the wee hours.
All this and then there are the ports of call, offering a huge diversity of pre-arranged shore excursions and expeditions, do-it-yourself options and shopping.
I'll Get Seasick
Occasionally people do suffer from motion sickness and this is a valid concern. However, today's modern ships are all stabilized to reduce movement and there are many remedies to prevent and minimize the discomfort. "Sea Bands", Dramamine, Quells are favoured by many but you could see the doctor on board for one of their very effective special shots.
Too Regimented
Naturally there has to be some degree of regimentation in any hotel environment, large or small, however, cruise lines realized many years ago, that today's passengers do not want to be told what to do on their holiday...they get enough of that in their daily lives! The whole cruise concept now, is about choice. When, where and with whom to dine; what type of accommodation is prefered; what to wear; ports of call; shore excursions; entertainment and more. The emphasis these days is on passenger comfort and the right ambiance.
Generally speaking a more loosely structured environment has been adopted on the larger cruise ships to encourage choice and informality, however if your choice is for the more formal "traditional" style of cruising it is still there. Seeking expert advice form your cruise specialist will help you identify these ships.
What to Wear.
One of the most frequently asked questions for new cruisiers is what to wear. The answer these days is "what you feel comfortable in". Cruise Ship fashion has changed dramatically over the years, into that of comfort by day and casual by night. Yes, there are formal nights for those who wish it so, but with one or two exceptions, informality has become the norm. The more traditional ships tend to be more dressy and you will find thast more people will want to put on their best in accordance with the occasion, such as the Captains cocktail party or private celebration. Overall fly-cruises are more informal than UK-UK cruises, in part dictated by luggage allowances on aircraft. ONe thing is for sure you must never let what to wear deter you froom booking and then enjoying your cruising.
Food Glorious Food!
Cruise Ship food has always been legendry. Early riser's coffee and pastries, al fresco breakfast on deck, full breakfast in the dining room, mid-morning snacks, buffet lunch on deck, hamburgers from the grill, full lunch in the dining room, afternoon snacks, ice cream and cookies, afternoon tea with pastries, hors d'ouvres, dinner, the midnight buffet and late night snacks served every day. Phew!
With such culinary delights on offer at all times, it is no wonder that cruise lines have adopted a more health conscious attitude toward its offerings by introducing "lighter options" and special measures to help in the battle of the bulge, such calorie controlled meals and nutritional information on menus. Then of course they have built state-of-the-art fitmess centres and gyms to allow more active of us to work off some of our indulgances.
Tipping.
The age old dread. Next to what do I wear, this is another of the most frequesntly asked questions about cruising. Tipping once meant "To Insure Prompt Service" these days it has become synonymous with the catering industry to augment lower paid wage earners and as such is part of the budget to consider when cruising. However it is not something to be frightened of. Many cruise lines offer a pre-paid gratuities option to save from any possible embarrasment and some cruise ships include tips in ther cruise fare. Whatever the option, do consult with you cruise professional who will guide you.
Bargain Travel Bureau's staff have personal experience of over 150 cruise ships and are ready to help you onto your cruise whether you be an old hand or a first timer. Bon Voyage!
