First impressions at sea…Cruise Ship Surprises
Posted on 26. Sep, 2011 by jess in Europe, Europe, Travel Reflections, Travel Tips
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One day in to our week-long Royal Caribbean Mediterranean cruise this summer, and we found ourselves in the midst of an identity crisis. We loved cruising…and this went against everything we thought we were!
We’re nomads, world travelers…we live out of backpacks! We can’t love cruising. Normally we are slow travelers who prefer to delve deeply in to each travel destination and absorb as much of local life and customs as we can. But we had decided to jump on a seven-day Med cruise with my parents as a part of a spring European family vacation. And so, there we were, back in port from our first day, loving every minute of our dinner, enjoying the sunset from the safety and comfort of our home for the week.
Loved the cruise ship
Except for the day trips in port, the entire experience hinges on the ship, so it’s a good thing we loved being on board so much – but it is also no big surprise. These massive cruise ships are designed to cater to everyone’s wishlist. Our main goal while on board was to catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation, so we spent some quality time in the fully-equipped gym, which also had a sauna, steam room and a jacuzzi. Had we wanted to learn to cook, perfect our jumpshot or spend our time shopping, we could have done any of that, too. Our ship – the Adventure of the Seas – had a full basketball court, mini-golf course, a rollerblading area, a pool, a kiddie pool, three more jacuzzis, countless bars, a casino, an outdoor climbing wall (pictured below), a library full of interesting books, even an ice skating rink (where we not only watched a great dancing on ice show, but ice skated ourselves the next day), plus a games room, a cafe, a movie theater and a 500-seat theater and hang-out rooms for various other activities. This was all spread out over 14 floors, and it was not only the variety of activities but the massive scale of this floating city that fascinated us so much.
Loved the cruise food
Each time we hit a port, enough supplies were brought on board to serve up food in the main dining room, a massive buffet, a Johnny Rockets restaurant, plus smaller eateries throughout the ship for when 3,000 people feel peckish outside of meal times. We only ate in the dining room once, as it was the buffet we enjoyed, not because we could stuff ourselves silly, but more because the formality of the dining room seemed silly, at least to us. Why should we sit down to be served almost exactly the same food as is available in the buffet, but have our dining times dictated to us (9:30pm) when we could take as much of the fresh fruit, salads, soups, fresh orange juice and bottomless coffee as we wanted in the buffet? However, as cruises cater to everyone’s tastes, you could clearly see by the fancy dresses, suits and ties that plenty of our fellow cruisers loved to get fancy for their food.
Stability for nomads like us
Having slept in over 100 beds in our first year on the road, sleeping in one bed for seven nights is some serious stability – even if we wake up in a different destination each morning! We hung our clothes in the closet, knew where we would be eating dinner and breakfast each day and made plans for theater and other activities for the whole week in advance. Although rooms on board are small, the size was comfortable, and bigger than plenty of rooms we stayed in while traveling. Plus, rooms are only used to sleep, shower and wind down, while everything else is done outside in this massive floating city. The key was that we had hot water and our bed was definitely comfortable enough to sink into each night.
Cruising is a viable budget travel option (as long as you know what you are in for)
The cruising industry has exploded in recent years, both in the number of ships and the number of passengers on each ship (new mega-ships hold up to 6,000 passengers). This increased supply means lower rates, opening cruising up to travelers of almost all budget ranges. In fact we found booking a cruise to be a smart, economical travel option with the various cruise deals available year round. For $500 per person (always based on two sharing an inside cabin), vacationers can easily find a seven-day cruise in the Mediterranean or Caribbean which includes all of the recreation and amenities listed above, food and non-alcoholic drinks, and of course accommodation is also included. What is not included is airfare to and from the departure port, so finding great flight deals is essential to keep costs down.
Aside from possibly being a great vacation deal, what we really loved is that a cruise is essentially a travel buffet. We don’t say this because we love buffets (although, it must be clear by now that we do!). You can sample several new locations, dipping in and out in a day. For example, we sampled Italy, Spain and Corsica, France, and though we had been to two of the three already, the quick trip to Corsica had us thinking about returning for a longer period of time. Had we taken a cruise in a completely unfamiliar part of the world, this would have been a great to way to sample many places, with no long-term commitment necessary unless we decided to return on our own time.
Two major downsides: Endless up-sale and cultural disconnect
As independent travelers, we do not rely on tours to get us around a city, but are more likely to consider the option in a place where we do not speak the language and have limited knowledge of the culture. However, some of the tours cost half the price of the cruise itself, completely negating the great travel deal on the one hand, and on the other, we felt that these cruise tours were not justified in terms of value for money. Comparing the tour agenda with the same stops done independently, we were able to spend a tiny fraction of the cost of what Royal Caribbean offered as a package tour. Back on board, we found the prices of alcohol, and even soda, to be just plain silly. We felt that Royal Caribbean was taking advantage of our being ‘stuck’ on the ship, charging $8 a beer or $7 for Coke. California wines started at $32. Local Spanish, Italian and French wines were available in port for less than $5 a bottle, but we had to either down a bottle each day at lunch or declare the bottles when coming back on board, and the wine was returned to us at the end of the week-long cruise.
Alcohol, shopping and extra restaurant charges (not to mention tips) could really have added up for us on board. However, while so many others were settling massive bills at the end of the cruise, we realized something important…
We are not like other cruisers
We have no problem spending money when it is worth it, but we insist on value for money. We can’t speak for other cruise lines, but it seemed that Royal Caribbean is stuck in a travel industry time-warp that should no longer exist. Whether short-term or long-term, luxury or budget, in our experience we see that consumers today want honesty, up- front pricing, and value for money. While many can rationalize themselves into accepting the $8 beers, what about the astronomical wi-fi prices? In our opinion, Royal Caribbean is actually losing money for setting their on-board internet and wi-fi fees so high. On our ship, it would have cost us over $55 per hour to use the wireless internet, and a shade less had we used one of their ten computers. As location independent workers, we would have been willing to pay a high price for on-board access if that meant that pounding out some work during the at-sea days, but at $55 an hour we could have hired business consultants, drunk seven beers each or, after a few hours a day throughout the cruise, bought a plane ticket to Bangkok. Realistic pricing would mean that hundreds, if not thousands, of passengers would actually pay to sneak peeks at work emails (we’re all guilty of it). These prices are a barrier that few are willing to jump.
The other major issue we had with the cruise was the disconnect to the local culture at each port. Each evening, passengers receive a newsletter filled with information on several available excursions, arrival and de-boarding times, but this information is the abridged version of the Wikipedia cliff notes. Where were ‘hot tips’, ‘hidden gems’, some ‘local shops or sights not to miss’. While the rest of the travel industry has gone ‘social’, there was no sign of past cruisers recommendations or tips. The newsletter also had vocabulary tips, but they were all related to shopping, much less so food, and almost unrelated to the actual culture of each country. The newsletters, along with the self-produced travel programs shown throughout the cruise, are treated only as part of a sales funnel to market available products, not to actually connect cruisers to locals once in port.
Specialty cruises
Some would argue that there are plenty of specialty cruises, one to float everyone’s boat. The industry is so varied, that there are cruises tailored to the most specific of tastes – Technology cruises, Star Trek cruises and even within the LGBT cruise market, it is split between singles cruises and those for gay families. In the future, we will be checking out cruises more related to our specific interests, although we might be found on a cruise ship in a different form…as a member of staff?
Working on a cruise
We are long-term travelers, and the staff on a cruise gets to see much of the world, meet countless interesting people and work with like-minded co-workers with a love of trail. As we settled in to life on board (and for us, seven days is a long time to settle in!), we honestly started considering the option. It certainly didn’t help that we had literally just finished reading Wandering Earl’s excellent e-book on How to get a job on a cruise ship.
The book breaks down step-by-step how to get a job on a cruise ship and what life is like once you’re working on board, including detailed tips like where and to whom to send resumes, with links to full names and addresses online. If we actually decide to try out life working on a cruise, this book is the step-by-step guide to getting a job on a cruise ship!
We’ll do another cruise for sure – we loved it!
Even if we don’t go and work on a cruise just yet, we are keeping our eyes peeled for deals on cruising websites out there, and in every cruise newsletter we find another great deal and toss around the idea when and how to get back on a cruise ship in the near future. We’re headed to Asia next and might cruise there, or maybe head back west for a Caribbean cruise in the summer? Who knows!
Have you been on a cruise? What cruise lines or specialty cruises would you recommend (we’re looking for the next one!!)? We would love to hear your recommendations. Have you worked on a cruise? What were your experiences and would you recommend it to other readers who might be considering it as a way to see the world?
Some of the above links are affiliate links, awarding GlobetrotterGirls a percentage of the sale should you purchase items recommended here.
What is your opinion on cruising – have you been on a cruise, and if so, did you enjoy it? Are you an avid cruiser, or is this kind of travel not for you at all? Join the discussion in the comments below!
22 Responses to “First impressions at sea…Cruise Ship Surprises”
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Pippa
26. Sep, 2011
I love this post! I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise but I’ve been nervous about the value for money, and a few years ago my friend was one the disastrous P & O cruise that crashed (she ended up with a broken collarbone and three broken ribs). But your positive experiences have definitely given me something to think about! It would be a great way to begin/end a holiday.
Pippa recently posted..Inspiration
jess
27. Sep, 2011
First of all – so sorry to hear about that accident! I hope your friend recovered just fine in the end?! Glad you like the post and hopefully find it useful. As long as you do the research, find good deals both for the cruises and the airfare to get the first port and don’t get sucked in to on-board spending, cruises today can be a part of a shoestring travel budget, for sure. Cruising can also be as luxurious as you’d like, as there are so many fun things to do both on board and in port. Hope that helps, and get in touch if you want to bounce rates or ideas off us!
Alex
26. Sep, 2011
I love that we’re both doing cruise posts right now. My ship was a different set up where it was MUCH pricier (Thanks, Mom!) but airfare, alcohol, tipping, laundry, and in-room movies were all included. It was nice to not have to pull out the wallet every time and also just to let yourself enjoy a drink because “it’s already paid for.”
But still, the internet charges were INSANE!
Alex recently posted..Reflections of A First Time Cruiser
jess
27. Sep, 2011
Hi Alex- we really like the all-inclusive idea, and for an absolute vacation getaway can totally justify the upfront costs to take advantage of all on-board services. The internet charges are unjustified, aren’t they? We were once out in the middle of nowhere in the mountains of Guatemala, and used free satellite wi-fi at a hostel out there – so we know it’s possible and there are cost-effective solutions. Ah well – funny that we all liked cruising so much, even as independent travelers!
Julie Hayes
27. Sep, 2011
How much do this cruise cost? I would like to try it but I have less knowledge about it. can anyone point me where I can find the price list and schedules of cruise? Thanks
Julie Hayes recently posted..mark nason
John D. Wilson
27. Sep, 2011
Nope, just ain’t my style.
Though I would love to pig out at the buffets.
Redundancy – no probs – I go back to what I like.
Good article and great pics.
Cheers,
John D. Wilson
John D. Wilson recently posted..There’s more to Orlando than Disney World and Epcot Center!
jess
27. Sep, 2011
Hey John, thanks for commenting – and it’s alright – cruising isn’t for everyone. But we’d encourage people to give it a try if they’re curious as you don’t get what you might expect – it can be a lot of fun! Thanks for the compliments on the article/pics – we always appreciate that!
Nicole
27. Sep, 2011
Wow! That picture of the pool looked busy! We’ve been on a cruise and although we wouldn’t do it every time we travel, we did enjoy it.
Nicole recently posted..Calm Before the Storm on Galiano Island, British Columbia
jess
27. Sep, 2011
Exactly! We’re not talking about becoming long-term cruisers, but it definitely makes for a great travel experience every so often. The pool was actually really busy some days – it was the start of summer and I think everyone wanted to work on their tans!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Kent @ No Vacation Required
27. Sep, 2011
Well… you already no what we think based on our current post
Sounds like we’re pretty much on the same page and that – like us – you made it work for you (and managed to enjoy a lot!).
Isn’t the food a nice surprise?
Kent @ No Vacation Required recently posted..Overcome Your Fear of Cruising
jess
27. Sep, 2011
The food is the best bonus for sure. There might be a lot of up-selling going on in other areas, but the food is plentiful, delicious, and fun! And you’re right, you make the cruise work for you – it’s a definite option for many different types of travelers, just look at all of us out there blogging about it right now!
Kent @ No Vacation Required
28. Sep, 2011
I know… I think we all deserve a free cruise
Kent @ No Vacation Required recently posted..Overcome Your Fear of Cruising
Andrea
28. Sep, 2011
Excellent piece! I think a lot of travellers will be able to relate to these ups and downs of cruising. While I didn’t love the last cruise I went on, I won’t totally rule them out. For me, I like to be able to sleep in the places I travel to and I have no will-power against the constant food that you get on the cruise ships. So my last cruise experience left me bloated and unsatisfied with the amount of time I got in the destinations. That said, I’ve heard you can see so many different countries and islands that would cost a fortune to get to individually. They’re great value. I think I will save them for when I’m an older traveller though =)
Andrea recently posted..Where to Book Your Next European City Break
Camella
28. Sep, 2011
It’s great to read your thoughts and impressions of your cruise as we seem to share travel philosophies. Although I’ve traveled long-term and on 5 different continents, I’ve never taken a cruise!
I have avoided cruises for many reasons, but largely because of the environmental impact of cruise ships, and also the effects cruise ships have on local ports.
I’m pretty militant about not cruising, though. When I spent a week in the Galapagos Islands with my extended family and wife in 2007, we actually didn’t meet any other travelers on our home base island NOT taking a cruise (we did do one 8-hour day trip on a boat). We had a much different, and, I think, MUCH more rewarding experience because we didn’t cruise in the Galapagos.
Your post is the first I’ve read that would make me reconsider my anti-cruise stance! Though $8 for a beer would make me reconsider that reconsideration!
I agree cruises can be cheap, but, just like cheap food, there are big consequences to that cheapness.
Nicole - Living In London Guide
29. Sep, 2011
Sounds great! I’ve always wondered what a cruise ship would be like but disregarded it as ‘un-cool’, but from what I’m reading recently, it sounds like something that must be tried! Thanks for the honest review!
Nicole – Living In London Guide recently posted..What’s On In London This October
jess
29. Sep, 2011
Hi Nicole – look, there are aspects of our cruise that were very un-cool. The night of the ‘Main Street’ Parade, for example, I was embarrassed for the workers!
But on the one hand you can actually go on cruises which tailor to very specific interests to assure that it’s only un-cool stuff YOU love, and second, you take the good with the bad. yes, there are people on the cruises that aren’t the people you may normally travel with, and yes, there are *cringeworthy* moments, but the hassle-free aspect (ur hotel & itinerary are pre-set), plus being out at sea, waking up in a different port each day, and the great service are worth it, in our opinions. Plus, if you go with friends or family, it can be as good of a time as you make it- at least we think so.
Jason Castellani
29. Sep, 2011
I struggle with the idea of taking a cruise, but the truth is, I haven’t been offered one yet. I don’t think I will ever take one on my own dollar, and I may never take one, but I am honest enough to say that I shouldn’t ever say never.
The biggest obstacle in overcoming my abolishment of cruises is the environmental aspect. They really are an absolute mess when it comes to caring for the seas. However, I do fly, and I do drive, so I am no saint. But, we do take stands on certain things and so far cruising has been one of them for me personally. I also don’t bash people who take cruises.
I think you guys did a great job summing up your experiences on the cruise, and especially the fact that you include the good with the bad in the article. Ya know, that isn’t done a lot today.
jess
29. Sep, 2011
Hi Jason – we definitely know what you mean about the environmental impact, and something that we didn’t necessarily address this time, but could easily talk about too. However, while Dani and I do minimize our carbon footprint by staying in small local spots and even couch surf, the truth is, environmental un-friendliness is a black cloud hanging over the entire travel industry – and something that we wrestle with morally every day. In fact, we nearly lost our minds here in the U.S. at the various 2 star highway hotel chains on our road trip that use copious amounts of Styrofoam for everything – when we think about how much we were forced to use (or not), and then scale that to the number of guests per day, per hotel chain across all of America…mind-boggling. Not to turn attention away from cruising – if there were an eco-friendly ship, we’d be the first ones on board testing it out! Thanks for stopping by and the food for thought!
Jason Castellani
30. Sep, 2011
You are absolutely right. Travel is a definitely a strain on our environment and we can only do so much, otherwise we would find ourselves locked in our homes with no lives.
Lauren
01. Oct, 2011
I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise but I get SO travel sick that I don’t think it would ever be possible… (It’s so bad that I’ve been travel sick after being in a swimming pool!)
Lauren recently posted..A Thousand Golden Domes: Exploring The Churches of Kiev
jess
01. Oct, 2011
Hi Lauren, that is definitely a good point – we didn’t address that at all! So, I (Jess) have motion sickness – not always, but sometimes really bad, and boats are the worst for me. There was only one moment on the cruise where I even felt slightly sick, but I think three factors influenced that – the seas were calm for our seven days, the ship was very large, and I had a patch behind my ear the whole trip, too, just in case. Talk to a doctor about it, but I think the patches really work! If not, no worries, you’ll manage get around the world no matter what!
Paul@thebestworkoutdvd
11. Oct, 2011
I’ve always dreamed at a cruise! You’re article definitely convinced me! Thanks for sharing!