So, where should I cruise?
Whether you are a first time cruiser or a veteran, there will always be a spot in the world that you haven’t been yet but is most definitely on your bucket list. To determine where to go, I feel you should ask yourself the following questions
– What season it is and do I want to go to a particular place this time of the year (i.e. it is late September and Alaska is the place I am interested in but after research I find out that the weather deteriorates after August and there is a higher chance of miserable weather, rough seas, cancelled tours and ports);
– Do I want to visit places or just want to relax on the ship? There is no point of going to Europe if you are American and all you want is to hang by the pool onboard (unless your spouse dragged you and threattened to divorce you if you refused to join) ;
– “I always wanted to see the Caribbean, everyone says it is great”. You should do your own research and decide for yourself if you want to visit a place, not go by the popular opinion. This is how I always wanted to see the Pyramids in Egypt, but once there I realized this was not exactly what I expected and regretted putting this much effort, only to be disappointed at the end.
– “I want to go to Asia, but I am on a budget and the cruises are pricey”. If you don’t have much to spare, then you should wait for the time of year when most people are at work and the destination is off season, this is when you will get special deals and more affordable prices on this particular trip;
– “I want to go to Australia/Europe/South America, but my wife hates flying”. There is no point of going on a cruise that will cost someone to suffer miserably. You either find another means of transportation (there are lots of transatlantic or repositioning cruises that cover great distances between continents) or look for a travel partner that will share your interests and goals for the trip.
– What are your interests? Do you like history and sightseeing, or you are a beach gower? Do you like outdoors or you rather stay on the ship? Are you one for extreme sports or you like organized group trips? Do you have lots of people in your party that may want different things? Don’t go to Alaska if you rather be rejuvinating on the beach, or sign up for Panama Canal when all you want is to snorkel and dive. Do your research of the itinerary, what the different ports have to offer before you make up your mind. If you are lots of people traveling together, choose an itinerary that will allow various activities that may appeal to a larger and various group of people.
Finally, wherever you decide to go, try to not create way too high expectations to avoid being disappointed and experience the proverbial anti-climax. Just relax and take in whatever the itinerary has to offer with a positive attitude and just have fun 🙂
Leave a Reply