Cruising is My Happy Place

Castaway Cay - Disney Island

My love for cruising began in 2000, on my honeymoon aboard the Disney Wonder. The moment I stepped on that ship, I was hooked. The smell of the sea air, the endless views of the ocean, and let’s not forget the never-ending supply of food and drinks—cruising quickly became the ultimate relaxing vacation for me.

Since then, we’ve sailed on over 20 cruises across four different cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. While we definitely have our favorites (ask me, and I’ll happily share!), each cruise line offers its own unique charm. They all provide a fantastic family experience in their own way.

One of the things we love most about trying different cruise lines is the variety—marvelous entertainment, delicious food included the main dining rooms and taco bars to specialty restaurants, and an ever-growing list of exciting ports. Some of our family favorites include Alaska, Port Canaveral, and St. Thomas.

Cruising also makes it easy to travel with all generations of our family. From my in-laws who need accessible options to the youngest kids who love splash pads and pools, there’s something for everyone. The beauty of a cruise is that families can do everything together—or split off and explore their own interests—then reconnect over dinner to share the day’s adventures. Those dinner conversations are always my favorite part.

One moment that really stuck with me happened in 2010. We had just gotten off a cruise when my 5-year-old son looked at me and said, “I love cruises… because mommy is so much fun and she isn’t stressed out.” That moment still brings tears to my eyes. If that’s not the best reason to cruise, I don’t know what is.