Popular Cruise Myths Debunked
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“Cruises are only for old, stuffy travelers.”
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You and your friends can enjoy drinks with a view.
False. Cruises are for anyone who has the time, energy and budget to see the world — retirees just happen to have more of that to spare than most. But just because retirees enjoy cruising doesn’t mean all cruisers are retirees. Cruise lines continue to cater to their largest clientele segment — Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z — with trendy restaurants, bespoke spa treatments, Broadway-caliber entertainment and adventurous shore excursions.
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“Cruises are crowded.”
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Take this Regent Seven Seas cruise deck as a prime example of how uncrowded modern ships are.
This is a thing of the past, literally. Modern ships continue to innovate on the cruise experience, and central to that innovation is design. As ships continue to grow to accommodate more passengers, baked into the design is the implicit understanding that nothing is more luxurious than personal space: You’ll find a bevy of comfortable lounges, chic bars, swanky restaurants, serene pool decks, lush conservatories and other spaces scattered across the ship.
The luxury ships also allow for a better guest-to-staff ratio. On luxury cruises you might find one staff member to every 1.4 passengers, whereas premium is about 1 staff member to every two guests. It may not sound like much, but it makes a huge difference on board.
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“I’ll be bored and trapped on a ship.”
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Your eyes aren't playing tricks: That is a full waterpark on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
Have you seen cruise ships in the last 20 years? You’re not confined to a boat; you’re living large on board a floating five-star resort. Go-kart tracks twist and weave side by side with multi-story waterslides on some of the larger vessels. Catch a tune with a live music venue, see a movie in an onboard theater, sit in on an educational seminar, partake in a friendly trivia competition or treat yourself to some retail therapy with onboard shopping. The only limit to how you spend your time is your imagination.
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“A cruise isn't an immersive cultural experience.”
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Celukan Bawang, Indonesia is a great example of the cultural immersion you can enjoy on a cruise.
The reality is, cruises provide one of the easiest entries to other cultures you could hope to enjoy. Where else can you benefit from a curated itinerary while still enjoying luxury dining and lodging while in transit to your destination? Especially if you pair a cruise with the Distinctive Voyages program: You'll have the benefit of a Distinctive Voyages Host serving as your own personal travel guru. They'll provide you with the information you need to deep-dive into your destinations in a way that would take weeks of research to match if you were wandering about alone.
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“The cabins are too small.”
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Ocean terrace suite on Explora Journeys
These ships might as well be luxury resorts that just happen to float. You can expect your room, regardless of the cruise line or ship, to allow for you to comfortably stretch out and relax after whatever adventures you had that day.
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“I’ll gain weight.”
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Enjoy fine and healthy dining aboard any cruise line.
You’re no more likely to gain weight than you would in your everyday life. In other words: It’s entirely up to you how much you want to treat yourself while on vacation. Most ships sport a staggering slew of delectable dining options; each and every menu is bound to have a several dishes that fall within the realm of how you define “healthy.” Why, you might just even lose weight given how much energy you’ll burn exploring the ship and port cities.
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“I can’t cruise alone.”
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Oh, the places you will go when cruising by yourself.
This one doesn’t even make sense; of course you can cruise alone! You don’t need a group to savor a tasty meal, watch a good movie, admire a beautiful work of art, enjoy a walk along a pristine nature trail or listen to a moving piece of music. There has never been a mandatory group size for any of life’s pure joys; why would travel be any different? Some ships even have single-cruiser sections and activities so that you can meet other like-minded adventurers on board.
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“I have to get dressed up.”
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It's your vacation: Comfort is priority number one.
When it comes to dinnertime, most ships give the option to forgo formality by providing plenty of dining venues. And if you can’t be bothered to change out of your ever-so-soft bathrobe, there’s always room service for a pampered night in.
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“I have to eat dinner at set times and/or with people I don’t know.”
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Room service on an Azamara Cruises ship.
There’s some history to this myth: In the early days of cruising, you would’ve been assigned a specific time and table for dining, and if you didn’t have a party large enough to fill a table, then you’d be assigned a communal table. Like many things that no longer prove practical or useful, this has been left in the past.
You can easily prove these myths false by taking a cruise, but did you know the best way to cruise is through the trusted guidance of one of our travel agents? Not only will you have plenty of time to experience the sights and flavors listed above, but you’ll also reap the rewards of working with a pro — chiefly years of hard-earned wisdom and recommendations, plus exclusive perks and amenities. Our agents know the leading cruise lines well, so we can help you choose, plan and book your cruise vacation to perfection.
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We are here to help you turn your travel dreams into reality. contact us today!
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