“A cruise has been proven to be good for your health,” announces
the captain on the RCI at the end of the cruise.” I am nodding
my happy and relaxed head in agreement.
Many of us who take cruises think that’s true. I haven’t been
able to find any documentation, but ocean passage has long been
considered the traditional cure for anything from heartbreak to
consumption.
There’s something about staring at the ocean, and being rocked
to sleep at night (barely noticeable with today’s stabilizers,
but it’s happening), and the xtreme quietude of the well-chosen
inside cabin. If you’ve never cruised, you’ve probably heard
lots of rumors. Here are some myths about cruising, and the
facts. 1. It's too expensive. How about 4 days from Galveston to
the Caribbean for $299? And because it's a package, you can
budget. Included in the base price are all meals, your room, and
all activities on board, and you can calculate the tips (and to
me, the recommended gratuity is at least half what they should
get). It is NOT cheap to drink and gamble (that's how they make
their money - doh) and expenditures on shore excursion and
personal services such as massages can mount. You can find
cheaper shore excursions negotiating yourself with the cab
drivers who line the ports waiting to offer you a better deal.
There are also “serendipities” such as massages for $20 an hour
on a Russian River Cruise (Uniworld). Cheapest rates BTW are
between the end of August and up to Christmas, but also many
“last minute” deals. Get your passport ready so you can take
dvantage of these specials. 2. Takes too long. Cruises come in
all lengths, frm 2 days (the Cruise to Nowhere) to months. 3.
They don't go anywhere I'd want to go.
That's hard to believe. According to ACLI, cruises visit 1,800
ports worldwide and go practically everywhere accessible by
water. The Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Bermuda, Europe, Hawaii,
Tahiti, the Orient and more. And don’t forget the River cruises
– the Volga, the Danube, the Mississippi… 4. I'm not free during
the month of ____. Cruises go out all the time! The Caribbean is
wonderful year ‘round, but some locations have restrictions.
According to the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA),
you can only cruise Alaska between May and September; to Europe
between April and November; to Bermuda between April and
October; the Panama Canal, between September and April.
Don't miss local specialties such as the famous White Nights in
Russia - end of summer. 5. It's too risky because of hurricanes.
Official Hurricane Season is June 1 – November 31st. That’s half
the year. The CLIA states that “ships are equipped with
state-of-the-art weather equipment that keeps the crew fully
aware of a storm’s position and if there’s any danger, they
simply change course.” Personally, I cruised during Isabel, and
it was safer than being anywhere on land in the vicinity. We
changed course and outran it.
My friend Ken, who “cruised” during Vietnam says they would dip
in and out of a hurricane in order to wash the ship.
Your Captain knows what he’s doing and, you know how it goes,
with a trillion dollar ship at stake … Of course you may end up
in Belize instead of Grand Cayman, but you'll be out of harm's
way. 6. I'm not sure I'll choose the best cruiseline. Having
cruised on several lines, I’ll tell you they were all good
experiences and each had its plusses and minuses. Go online and
look around. Consider price, ports, ships (size, age,
accommodations), and passengers (number, interests, ages, etc.)
I’ve never spoken with anyone who’d been on more than one line
who had a “favorite”. 7. Those ships are too big oo small, the
atmosphere is too casual oo fancy, it's all boozing and
gambling/all high brow culture and museums. Cruise ships come in
all sizes, from under 220’ to over 1000’, carrying anywhere from
100 to over 2600 cruisers. Some are casual, some old-world
luxury. Some have endless activities like at a resort, while
others focus on culture. Many offer enrichment lectures (I have
served as one many times) with topics from Renaissance art, to
self improvement, to strategic financial planning. 8. You get
treated differenty if you can't afford 'first class.' Doesn't
exist any more. All passengers can use all facilities. The price
of the cruise is based primarily on the cabin size and location,
and no one knows which is yours when you’re out and about.
Dining is the same, and all services just as courteous no matter
where your cabin is. 9. It's too complicated. Ask someone who’s
actually cruised to explain to you what it’s like in reality.
For instance, dress is mostly casual, shore excursions are easy
to set up, there are multiple dining options (you can even avoid
“formal night” if you like and still eat!, you can get laundry
and dry cleaning, there are activities for your children, your
bags are delivered to your cabin door … to me, cruising has all
the benefits of a trip without about 90% of the hassle – no
parking problems, no need to pack and unpack, lots of guidance
and people to help you, and you can always drink because the
Captain is always driving. On our recent River Cruise in Russia
(Uniworld), we were absolutely “pampered.” Everything was taken
care of; no stress. For instance at the Hermitage, with the
lines stretching to eternity, we were ushered in a side door.
Also incredibly healthy meals. 10. All you do on a cruise is
eat. The “average" weight gain on a cruise is 8 lbs., but I have
lost weight on some cruises. It’s a matter of choice because
there are more healthy food options available than you’d find in
an onshore restaurant, exercise programs and equipment, and
rigorous excursion options. Mark smart choices and you can come
back more fit than when you left, both physically and mentally.
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