I’ve been fortunate to venture on two Carnival cruises in the past year or so, but at first I didn’t know what to expect. Would it be weird to be on a ship for such a long time? How would it compare to a traditional vacation?
I’m sure some of you reading this never experienced cruising before and wonder if it would be a good vacation option. As far as I’m concerned, the short answer is “absolutely yes.”
But I know you probably will need more convincing than that, so here are a few quick reasons why I believe that your next vacation should be a cruise.
#1 – Forget the rental cars, hotels, and searching for food: In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not a fan of renting cars and installing car seats for the kiddos — especially when I’m trying to relax on vacation. When you cruise, it’s a simple process:
1) Fly to the port. 2) Take a shuttle to the ship. 3) Get on the ship.
That’s it.
Hotel? C’mon.
There is no need to find a hotel because the ship is the hotel!
What about eating?
Have you ever visited a foreign country, traveled 10 miles to a restaurant, and realized that your kids weren’t interested in the food? Not a problem on a cruise, because Carnival has food options onboard to please the pickiest of eaters.
Needless to say, cruising absolutely simplifies the vacation process.
#2 – There is SO much to do!: Ever go on a traditional vacation and find yourself driving around aimlessly looking for something fun to do? Well, it happened to me plenty of times and I was never happy about it. That’s where cruising saves the day because the ship is like a big floating city.
Want entertainment? There are bars, comedy shows, a spa, live music, dance clubs, karaoke, gourmet restaurants, and stage shows, just to name a few. Again, Carnival comes through with diverse entertainment choices to please every grown up on the ship.
And if you want to enjoy grown up fun without the kids, many Carnival ships have built-in childcare services. You seriously cannot beat that.
Speaking of the kiddos, what can they do for fun?
Many Carnival ships have video game arcades, amazing waterparks, a Seuss At Sea breakfast where their favorite Dr. Seuss characters came to life, interactive game shows, and 24-hour ice cream and pizza.
There is nonstop fun for all ages.
#3 – The people are great: Oftentimes it’s a mixed bag when you go on a traditional vacation. You never know if the people you’ll meet will be friendly or not. My experience was totally different when I cruised with my family. Everyone I met was extremely nice. No joke – the customer service I received while on the Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Freedom was the best I’ve ever received anywhere. The crew members knew my name (and how to pronounce it properly, which adds extra bonus points), they knew my family members’ names, they were attentive and timely whenever we had an issue that needed to be addressed, and they even displayed a sense of humor by creating little frog towels and leaving them in my room. The word “epic” wouldn’t even begin to describe how amazing these folks were.
But that’s only half of it, because the guests were amazing, too. Meeting great people who want to share their happiness with you is probably one of the coolest parts of cruising. It doesn’t matter what the color of your skin is, your political affiliations, or any of the other noise – everyone comes together for one singular goal, which is to have a good time.
These are just a few reasons why cruising is really the only way I choose to vacation with my family. If you’re considering going on a cruise, definitely go for it. You won’t regret it.
This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind.
