5 Reasons Why You Should Go On A Cruise

Here I am, thinking about booking another cruise, again. I’ve only been on two cruises so far, but I absolutely loved them! The first was with Royal Caribbean in 2022, where I saw seven different southern Caribbean islands in seven days. It was pure magic and I didn’t want to leave. I remember wanting to pretend I had covid just so I could stay on the ship for an extra week! The second cruise was with Celebrity Cruises where I went to four more Caribbean islands in seven days. I experienced sea days with this cruise, which is where you spend the whole day on the cruise whilst it sails to the next country. That was a nice chance to reset and just laze around in luxury.

Anyway, I could go on for another ten minutes reminiscing about speeding through the clear blue sea…but I’m going to snap out of it and tell you why you should seriously consider going on a cruise in the near future!

If you don't have much time, make sure you save this article and scroll right to the bottom to see a baby monkey in a nappy in St Kitts!

1 - They are not all extremely expensive

Firstly, they are not all as expensive as you might think. People often think you must be rich to go on a cruise, or it’s something you have to save for over a number of years, but there are often really good deals. I brought mine during the black friday sales and in January when there are sales galore. I haven’t paid more than £550 per person for a 7 night full board cruise, which includes all meals and some non-alcoholic drinks. Of course, there are different room types, such as balcony rooms, which cost more and you have the option to upgrade and buy drink packages so you don’t have to spend extra money on board, but all of that is optional. It’s considerably cheaper sharing a room than having a single room, so another thing to keep in mind.

The killer is often the flight/s to get to the cruise starting point. If you’re lucky and the cruise is starting in the same country that you’re in, you’re golden, but if it’s not, that’s where the expense might hit you. I had to fly from London to Barbados and London to Fort Lauderdale to start my cruises and those flights were both more expensive than the cruises. Seems crazy when a flight only gets you from A to B, whereas a cruise takes you from A to B and provides accommodation!

When visiting the different countries, you have the option to book excursions with the cruise ship, such as going on a tour or water rafting. If you do this for every country, that will definitely get expensive, because each excursion is priced per person and is typically $30 cheapest. They can be very exciting, but make sure you factor that into the cost if it is something you want to do.

The last thing to note here is WiFi is not included for free on the ship. There is no phone service out at sea, so if you want to stay connected you have to pay for the daily WiFi, which can be around $20 a day (everything was in dollars on my cruises). Be sure to budget for that if it’s important to you. I stayed offline and used it as time to reset, but connected to public WiFi when I was visiting each country so my family knew I was alive.

2 - Every part of the cruise is an experience

You may have already realised this, a cruise is a unique experience! From the moment you step onto the ship to the moment you leave, it’s like no other holiday (other than an all inclusive resort arguably). The ship is massive! There is so much to see and do, you’ll likely be blown away.

There are loads of activities and things to keep you entertained on board. Both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises had evening entertainment every night where talented people would put on great performances, all for free! There were singers, dancers, magicians, acrobatics, the list goes on. We were also able to be the stars with karaoke nights, game shows and trivia quizzes. There are plenty of daytime activities too, such as learning a new craft and exciting things for the kids.

As well as the activities, there is always at least one pool and jacuzzi, a gym, a club/lounge and other free fun things to occupy yourself. Royal Caribbean had a climbing wall that overlooked the ocean (absolutely terrifying!) and I was introduced to shuffleboarding, which I was surprisingly good at. There’s usually a spa and plenty of shops on board, and although they aren’t free, they often hold events and talks where you get good advice and if you’re lucky, a few freebies.

If you’re a foodie like me, you get to experience a range of exciting new foods and flavours. I tried a dessert that can best be described as a carrot rice pudding. It was nice! There is always something new, but the question is, will you dive into the unknown?

3 - You can do a lot in a short space of time

This leads on from my last point, you can fit so much into a short space of time. A week off work? Perfect, you can see 7 different countries, learn a new style of dance and be disconnected from the internet for that break you likely need. Or you can just take it easy. Relax by the pool, enjoy the lovely waiters bringing your drinks to you, then party in the club. Whatever takes your fancy.

If it’s a cruise where you go to several different countries or cities, you are picked up and dropped off in each place with very little effort on your part. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of flying. Luckily with a cruise, you go through a quick security check every time you go on and off the ship and you can get fresh air on the top deck whenever you want. I’d take that any day!

4 - It’s five star luxury

This is the perfect kind of holiday to make you feel like a VIP and give you the break you deserve. Every single person on board is treated like they’re worth the world and I don’t say that lightly. The customer service was amazing on both of my cruises and it made me question if I’d ever experience that kind of service again. I felt special, really special.

You’ll walk on to the ship and not be able to stop that gasp that escapes, because wow. Most cruise ships are stunning! They are designed to impress. Picture pure opulence from the ceiling to the floor, on every deck. It’s the type of place you’d maybe spend a night at most because the price is eye-watering, but not this time. That’s you for the duration of your cruise, holidaying in luxury, looking and feeling all expensive. Tell me you don’t want to experience that at least once?

There are usually different restaurants on cruises, some you have to pay for, but there is always a free buffet and a free fine dining restaurant. The fine dining restaurants are divine; the staff greet you, pull out your chairs for you and take care of your every need. It’s five-star dining, michelin style, every time.

Also, there are often formal nights where you can dazzle in your finest attire (that could fit into your luggage) and walk around the ship like royalty. Yes, I took full advantage of this and had my red carpet moment.

5 - It’s unforgettable and a talking point

Lastly, this isn’t the kind of holiday you’re going to forget in a rush and I’m sure other people won’t forget about it either because you’ll be talking about it so much! Holidays are expensive so they should be memorable and filled with whatever you want to do, whether that’s relaxing by a beach or hiking up a mountain. You can do it all on a cruise holiday!

So bringing this article to a close, make sure you budget for more than you expect to spend. You don’t want to get caught out with any additional expenses (such as gratituitues) and you want to be able to enjoy the holiday as much as you can. It can end up expensive, like any other holiday, but it doesn’t have to be break-the-bank expensive. I did a few free alcohol tasting sessions on the cruise ship and that meant I didn’t have to buy any alcohol those days. Cheapskate? Nah, I say that’s smart!

Cruises are truly unforgettable, unique and pure magic on a ship. So, have I got you wanting to go on a cruise? I hope so because they’re awesome! I’m going to post another article about the things to know before booking your cruise next week.

Have you already been on a cruise? If so, what’s your verdict?

If you have any questions or anything you want to add/dispute, please do drop it in the comments below.

TTFN (Ta-ta for now),

Shanice x