5 Reasons To Choose A Caribbean Cruise Holiday Getaway Instead Of Presents This Year

A Rule To Live By: Experiences Over Material Items Always. Right? Right. For us anyway. And if you’re not living this way, I’d consider the idea for sure. I mean, I don’t mean to be bossy by any means, but you gain so much by investing in travel. And unfortunately for this fast-paced consumer-based world, you don’t gain that much from most material things. But with travel?! You gain the world… or at least amazing experiences in part of it 😉  So today I’m partnering with Carnival Cruise Line^® to give you guys 5 reasons why you should choose a tropical vacation instead of presents for your family this year!

1. Your Kids Will Love You

I’d be very surprised to find a kid that would be disappointed hearing, “We’re not wrapping gifts this year—we’re going to go on endless waterslides, play as much mini golf as we want, explore beaches and rainforests, and basically have a warm weather free-for-all at sea and on amazing islands!” Kids have it made on cruises. Endless games and kid-geared shows, kids camp for young kids and teens too, and much more.

2. You’ll Love Your Self

Let’s be honest, investing in a cruise is not just about the kids, but it’s a vacation bonus for you too. Take time off of your responsibilities, cooking, cleaning, whatever. Run around and adventure with your kids, or let them enjoy kids camp while you just BREATHE. Ten bucks says you deserve a break, so take one! You can also give yourself a pat on the back knowing that you’re not just blowing money on cheap short-lived gifts. Cruises are extremely economical for big (or small) families on a budget. You’ll spend much less than on a lot of other vacation options and get to explore more. Oh, and who doesn’t feel great after sunshine and a tan? Go and enjoy. The open sunsets are a dream, try one.

3. Adventure!

Sure, you can spend your hard-earned money on gifts that your kid will play with for a hot minute… ORRRR you can spend your money to get out and visit and adventure through a ton of amazing islands. And thennnn on these said islands you can choose from a ton of awesome excursions for adventure lovers, thrill seekers, history and culture nerds, whatever! I’m pretty sure any kid would love to head back to school and share with all their friends about their zip-lining experience through the rain-forest or snorkeling through schools of fish. And while you’re at sea? You can adventure there, too. Cruise ships these days are an overload (in a good way) of exciting things to do. Rock walls, waterslides, everything! I always choose travel over material things, so I’m biased, but I think giving the gift of adventure far from home (or not that far if you live an hour from the port like us) is wayyyyy cooler than toys, electronics, or anything else you could put under a tree.

4. You’re Still Celebrating Christmas, Just In A More Meaningful Way

You’re not missing out on Christmas by going on a cruise! We’ve cruised during the holidays before and loveddd getting away from the traditional holiday while celebrating the true reason for the season: FAMILY. Last year, we went during Thanksgiving and saw Carnival setting up a GIANT tree, getting ready for the next set of travelers to board. And we all agreed, that’s a great idea for a holiday getaway! You guys know that I think the holiday season escapes peoples’ minds all too often. But going on a cruise is not only a gift in the present sense but also in the presence sense. Does that make sense? You get to enjoy the holiday decorations, fancy holiday dinners (all catered to your particular needs) and more without the holiday stress. In fact, you’ll probably end up with less stress than ever before after that week… all while spending loads of time with your family.

5. Memories To Last A Lifetime

Traveling with my family is by far my favorite thing in the world. I wouldn’t trade my experiences with them for anything. Getting to relax, enjoy the sunshine, experience new cultures, try new foods, and more. Sure, it’s not free, but it’s worth every penny spent. It’s a magical gift to not only experience everything that travel brings, but also to look back and enjoy those memories with my family. And I know they love it, too. Material items only last so long, but your travel adventures will last a lifetime… and you can take them with you everywhere you go.

This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind.

Note: Onboard activities, shore excursions, and dining options may vary by ship and destination.