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Are Cruises Worth it? Pros and Cons – Complete Guide

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Are you thinking about going on a cruise and wondering if cruises are worth it? As someone who loves to cruise and has a borderline cruise addiction, there are many reasons why I believe that cruises are worth it.

In fact, many people get hooked on cruising, from the very first time they try it. However, along with the great reasons to cruise, there are some negative points to be aware of.

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Are Cruise Worth it?

In short, yes cruises are worth it. Cruises have a lot to offer. They’re a fun vacation where people get to travel to multiple destinations all in one trip. Plus, they can be a great value. On a cruise, guests can expect plentiful food options, amazing entertainment and top notch service.

In this post I share the pros and cons of cruising, and share why cruises are a great value vacation.

Advantages of Going on a Cruise

As an avid cruiser, I could list the advantages of cruises for days! With that being said, here are the pros of cruising:

Affordable Vacation

Cruises are known for being an affordable vacation and a great value. While some cruise lines are pricier than others, you can certainly find some really good deals.

If it’s your first time booking a cruise, it’s a good idea to work with a travel agent. A cruise specialist or travel advisor can help find the best cruise for you , and even get some last-minute deals.

Sometimes cruise lines will throw in perks like the drink package , internet package, and even give you some onboard credit , which is a really good value.

The great thing about cruising is that it’s almost an all inclusive vacation. Your food, activities, entertainment and some drinks, are all included in your cruise fare . Drink packages are available as an add on, which can be more affordable than paying per drink once onboard.

Related: 10 Things Not included in the Price of a Cruise

Visiting Multiple Destinations

The thing that makes a cruise vacation different from other vacations, is that you get to visit multiple destinations all in one trip. Whether it’s taking a Caribbean cruise , Mediterranean cruise or a world cruise, cruising is a great way to travel.

If you’re on a limited time frame and want to travel to different places, cruising is your best option . There are so many wonderful destinations that cruises go to, that most people would be able to travel easily to otherwise.

Relaxing & Stress Free Vacation

Unless you’re doing a cruise with a ton of ports, cruising is a relaxing and stress-free vacation. Caribbean cruises are the best for relaxing and visiting some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

For many cruisers, laying out on the top deck and relaxing to the sounds of the ocean is the best feeling. Onboard a cruise, you can book spa treatments (at an additional cost), which is amazing for those who want to feel rejuvenated while being on vacation.

Meeting New People

One of the best things about cruising is that you get to meet new and interesting people. Whether it’s at the pool, at dinner, or around the ship it’s nice to talk with your fellow cruisers.

People on cruises are just so friendly and it’s a wonderful environment. After all, there’s not much to complain about when you’re on a cruise ship!

Great Service

One of the reasons cruisers love cruising, is because the service is like no other. On cruise ships, the crew members are always super friendly, helpful and kind.

If you value great service on a cruise, consider cruising on luxury cruise ships or smaller ships. Cruise lines like Azamara, Viking Ocean Cruise and Silverseas Cruises are all considered luxury lines that offer top notch service.

You may also love the romance of sailing one one of the world’s most massive ocean liners. For great service, dining, and nostalgia, consider a trans-Atlantic crossing Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 .

Celebrity Cruises is one of the major cruise lines that also offers amazing service. Whether it’s by the pool, in the dining room or at the bar, the service is consistent and great quality on Celebrity.

Fine Dining

Cruises are known for having an abundance of amazing food and plenty of different dining options. Whether you eat at the buffet, main dining room, specialty restaurants or you prefer room service, there is something for everyone.

The wonderful thing about cruise food is that you get to try food from different cultures. In the buffet, there is so much food and plenty of different options. If you have food preferences, restrictions or food allergies, cruise lines can accommodate you as well.

When it comes to the dining room, most cruise lines have a dress code . Certain cruise lines will be more lenient when it comes to the dress code and others will take it more seriously.

Specialty dining is an extra charge on many cruise ships. However, it is a completely different menu and a different experience from the main dining room. Specialty restaurants may serve Italian food, French food, steak or seafood and the quality is just amazing.

Entertainment

For many cruisers, the entertainment onboard is the best part about cruising. Cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian have some of the craziest entertainment on their huge cruise ships!

There is non-stop entertainment that is a great time for everyone. Whether it’s going on water slides, zip-lining, taking some dance lessons or watching a movie in the movie theatre, there is never a dull moment when you’re cruising.

With all the entertainment onboard these cruise ships, you will be looking forward to the sea days so you get to experience all the fun.

There are also plenty of shows onboard that are really incredible. There are all sorts of entertainers ranging from musicians and magicians to full scale production shows.

Related: 6 Best Cruise Lines For College Students – By a Recent Graduate

Great Family Vacation

Cruising is a great family vacation because there is something for everyone. For the younger ones, they will absolutely love the kid’s clubs.

In the kid’s clubs, there are always things going on and fun activities taking place. Each cruise line offers something different for the family.

Best cruise lines for Families:

Disney Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Other cruise lines will also have a children’s and teen club, but these are the most popular. Here’s more information about what you can expect on a cruise.

A Disney cruise is a Disney themed cruise filled with Disney characters. This is great for families with younger children who love Disney.

There are water slides onboard the Disney ships and the food is really good.

A Carnival cruise is known to be really affordable and fun for a family vacation . There are plenty of activities onboard the ship and tons of kids.

There are water slides, splash parks and even roller coasters on the newer carnival ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line has a super fun atmosphere that is great for teenagers and young families. They have some awesome kids clubs and there are tons of kids onboard.

There are water slides, laser tag and even Go-Karting on some Norwegian ships.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is known for having the biggest ships at sea. These cruises are amazing for families and have plenty of activities.

Onboard a Royal Caribbean ship, you can expect to find rock climbing walls, water slides, zip-lines, ice skating rinks and bumper cars. On the newer ships they even have a 10 story tall dry slide!

Tip: Newer ships and larger ships tend to have more activities and attract younger families!

Unpacking Only Once

One of the best parts about a cruise holiday is that you only need to unpack once. On the first day of your cruise, take some time to unpack so you don’t have to worry about your clothes for the rest of the cruise.

This really comes in handy on longer itineraries because it’s one less thing to worry about. When you’re on a cruise, you know that your clothes and personal items are safe and in one place.

Related: 17 Cruise Cabin Essentials Every Cruiser Needs

Loyalty Programs

One thing that’s amazing about the cruise industry is the loyalty programs. Cruise companies offer amazing discounts and perks to returning customers.

This is one of the main reasons that cruisers get hooked on cruising. As you cruise more, the better your vacations get!

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Disadvantages of Going on a Cruise

There is so many positives about cruising, but there are still a few disadvantages of going on a cruise that you should be aware of.

Here are the cons of a cruising:

Limited Time at a Port

As much as going to several destinations in one trip is amazing, this also means that your time in each cruise port of call is limited. Often, your cruise ship will be docked in a cruise port for about 8-10 hours.

When compared to a land vacation in one place, the disadvantage is that there is less time to enjoy the destination.

If you really enjoy a destination, it can be hard to get back on the ship and sail away at boarding time. Some things that can help are planning excursions and researching your cruise port before you go.

Tip: Remember that you can plan a return visit to any destination by land or on future cruise.

Extra Charges

Even though cruises are a great value vacation, there are additional costs on a cruise that you can expect. Things like wifi, excursions and even soft drinks or a drinks package usually have an extra charge over and above the cruise fare.

If you’re on a limited budget, there are definitely ways to save money on a cruise . However, one con of cruising is the fact that that you can expect some extra costs beyond the fixed price of the cruise.

At times, on a cruise you will find yourself in a really crowded part of the ship surrounded by large groups of people. This tends to happen at popular places like at the pools on a nice day or at the theatre after a show.

Generally, you will find large crowds on bigger ships, as they have more people onboard. For those who can’t stand being in crowded spaces, medium and small ships are your best option.

Expensive Excursions

On cruises, shore excursions can get quite pricey, especially when you book them through the cruise line. Doing some research on your cruise ports can save you money.

There are times when you can explore on your own easily or may want to book a shore excursion through 3rd party tour companies.

However, there are some benefits and assurances that come with booking your excursions through the cruise lines.

For example, when booking excursions with the cruise line , if your tour happens to be late when returning back to the cruise, the ship will not leave. If this same situation was to happen with a 3rd party tour company, the cruise is unlikely to wait and you can miss your ship.

When dealing with a private tour company, it’s a good idea to make sure that they are reputable and trusted. The last thing you want is to have a bad excursion, or even worse, miss your cruise!

Cancelled Ports & Itinerary Changes

When cruising, there is always the chance of having cancelled ports and itinerary changes. This doesn’t happen often, but once in a while a port will get changed or cancelled.

On the bright side, if a port does get cancelled you get an extra sea day , which is an extra day to relax and have fun.

One of the realities of cruising is that sometimes there will be rough seas. On bigger ships you will feel less movement. However, it is normal to feel some amount of movement considering you are in the middle of the ocean.

During hurricane season and on smaller ships, it can be more likely that you feel more ship movement.

If you get any seasickness , there are plenty of ways to minimize the effects and to deal with the motion of the ocean. This includes taking over the counter medications such as Bonine or Dramanine .

Expensive Internet

Nowadays, most cruisers want to use the internet so they can check emails and stay in contact with their friends and families through social media. Unfortunately, most cruise lines charge extra for internet, and wifi packages can cost a lot of money.

Some cruisers use this as an opportunity to stay off their phones and to disconnect for a few days. For others, they will bite the bullet and pay for the pricey internet package.

The Last Day!

The worst part about cruising is disembarkation day , or the last day of the cruise. Unfortunately, you will have to pack all of your belongings and say goodbye to the friends you met onboard.

Many cruisers dread the end of their cruise because it means that they have to return to their normal lives. It’s a sad feeling knowing you are getting off of the ship and your vacation is coming to an end.

On the bright side, there are always future cruises and other vacations to look forward to!

Related & Popular Posts:

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Final Thoughts on Are Cruises Worth it – Pros and Cons

There it is, the pros and cons of cruising! I’ve had the pleasure on cruising since I was very young and I just love going on cruises.

There are so many amazing reasons to cruise, but there are also few cons that new cruisers should be aware of.

What’s your favorite reason to cruise? Please let me know in the comments below.

Happy Cruising!

Author Bio: Ethan Schattauer writes about fashion, travel and college advice on the website WhatToWearMen.com . As a frequent cruiser, Ethan shares his unique perspective on what cruising is like for teens and young adults.

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Do you know of any cruises that are deaf friendly? I mean, entertainment that caters to non-hearing or that groups of deaf people tend to gravitate towards?

That’s a great question. A travel agent would likely be able to help you and let you know how cruise lines can accomodate. I would imagine that there may be group travel that may be organized as well.

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Are Cruises Worth It?

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Cruises can be a great vacation idea, especially if you’re not overly interested in trip planning.

One of the most significant benefits of a cruise is that much of the work is done for you, including the itinerary, dining and entertainment options. That convenience can sometimes come with a big price tag, so it’s normal to wonder, “Are cruises worth it?”

Let’s look at the different aspects of cruising, what’s included on a cruise and how that compares against other vacations.

What’s included on a cruise

One of the best parts about a cruise is that it's all-inclusive, at least to a certain degree.

The true extent of what’s included will depend on your cruise line and any packages that you have, but in general, here’s what's included:

Meals, including fast food, sit-down restaurants and some room service.

Other live entertainment.

Pool access and pool towels.

Water, coffee and tea.

Housekeeping.

Port taxes.

» Learn more: Smart tips for getting the best deal on your next cruise

What’s not included on a cruise

The free options are likely more than enough to keep you entertained, but if you’re interested in more, the following items typically incur additional costs:

Specialty beverages.

Specialty restaurants.

Spa treatments.

Gift shop purchases.

Excursions.

Some onboard events, such as wine tastings and cooking classes.

Gratuities.

Some cruise lines allow you to bring a limited selection of alcohol onboard.

Pros and cons of a cruise

Is a cruise worth it? It can be, though you’ll want to weigh the pros and cons of your cruise before deciding to book. Here are a few benefits and drawbacks to most cruise vacations:

As you can see, many of the positives of booking a cruise come from convenience. A cruise allows you to pay a single company, after which you’ll be able to enjoy your vacation.

Even if you spend more, you’re still only dealing with a single business and one point of sale. It’s simple and takes far less effort than researching all of your destinations, finding which activities are available, booking accommodations and figuring out where to eat.

But along with the convenience comes a lack of flexibility. Sure, you may be glad to stop at whatever port the cruise line chooses, but what if you’d like to stay overnight? What if you’ve already been to the location and prefer to go elsewhere?

As a guest aboard a ship, you have little control over where you’re going and how long you’ll be there.

And because most cruises aren’t totally all-inclusive , you may spend more than you planned once you're onboard. If you want to enjoy a few alcoholic drinks, dine at a specialty restaurant or take a guided onshore excursion, the additional costs can add up quickly.

» Learn more: Cruises where you don’t need a passport

Comparing a cruise to other vacations

So what does it look like when you compare a cruise with other vacations? A trip has many different aspects, including flights, accommodation, meals, activities and more.

Here’s a look at a five-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Carnival , which is typically a more budget-friendly cruise line.

It takes off in mid-July and makes three stops across five nights, including Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and Carnival’s private island before returning home.

When adding in taxes, fees and port expenses, you’re looking at $2,184 for two guests — and that doesn’t include tips, Wi-Fi, port excursions or alcohol. However, you get all meals, an interior stateroom, stops in two different countries and plenty of entertainment.

In contrast, here’s a look at the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach in the Bahamas:

A five-night stay here would cost $1,785 for two adults, and this beachfront resort includes all meals and drinks, even alcohol. You’ll also have access to Wi-Fi, pools, live entertainment and other activities.

Although the resort price itself is less than the cruise, this doesn’t consider the price of flights to the Bahamas, which may cost more than you’d pay when heading to Miami for a cruise.

It also doesn’t include tipping or the cost of other excursions, similar to what you’d find on a ship.

Finally, by booking with a single resort, you’re locked into one destination, which may not work for you if you’re interested in visiting more than one country.

» Learn more: The best ways to book a cruise

If you’re interested in planning a cruise

So, are cruise ships worth it? They can be, but it’s a personal decision.

Cruises aren’t right for all types of travelers, especially those who value flexibility during their vacations. However, they can present good value to guests looking for convenience, especially since so much of the effort around planning a trip is eliminated.

Before you book a cruise, compare the price of your vacation against similar options — including accommodations, transportation and meals — to decide whether it's really worth it for you.

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Pros and Cons of Cruises

If you’ve never been on a cruise you may be wondering if it’s the right type of vacation for you. And you’re not wrong to question that. While we enjoy cruising, there are aspects that can be frustrating. To help you out, we’ve compiled our pros and cons of cruises to help you understand just what you’re getting yourself into with a cruise vacation.

We’ve been on seven cruises together over the past nine years: two Alaska cruises, four Caribbean cruises and a Bahamas cruise. Prior to that, I went on a Hawaiian cruise and Grant had done two Caribbean cruises. Additionally, we have a Southern Caribbean cruise booked for 2025. I don’t know when it happened, but I think it’s safe to say that we are now “cruisers.”

After a combined 10 cruises, we’ve learned a thing or two. This means that we know what to expect and we can often find ways of making the not-so-great things at least a little bit better. So, here we go with our pros and cons of cruises.

(Disclaimer: When we link to places where you can buy our stuff or places we stayed, we are using special codes that earn us commissions on the sales at no additional cost to you. Please see our Review Policy for more information.)

The Pros of Cruising

Pro: you can easily see several cities or countries.

We always love a good road trip. And, let’s be honest, a cruise is a bit like a road trip on the water. Sitting in one place really isn’t our thing. We like staying busy and seeing as many different places as possible when we travel. That’s exactly what you get with a cruise.

Palm trees and rocks line the Atlantic coast of Barbados.

Even on just a four-night cruise, you will typically visit two or three different ports. Make it a week-long cruise and it could be up to 5 or 6 stops. For anyone looking to see several different cities or countries, a cruise is a great way to do that. In fact, we have now been to 20 countries and 10 of those were on a cruise.

Of course, for some people, that might sound overwhelming. It really isn’t too bad, though. Plus, there are a ton of cruise itinerary options. When booking your cruise, just choose an itinerary that fits your preference in terms of how many stops it has compared to the number of “at sea” days.

Check out our Comprehensive Guide to Planning a Cruise.

Pro: You only have to unpack once

While we love a good road trip, even we will admit that unpacking and repacking every day or two can get old quickly. On a cruise ship, your room moves with you so you only have to unpack one time. This really might be the biggest perk of cruising!

I’ll be honest, we often take advantage of this and pack more than usual. On non-cruise vacations, we typically try to pack into as small a bag as possible since we move around a lot. With a cruise, we feel as though we can take a bit more with us since we’re not moving often.

That is especially important on an Alaska cruise where you will need warm layers, even in the height of summer. Even on a Caribbean cruise, you’ll likely want casual clothes for sightseeing, nicer clothes for dinner, several bathing suits and maybe even workout clothes. Having room for all of this is nice!

Pro: Seemingly unlimited food and sometimes drinks

While every cruise line and even various ships are different, one thing you can almost always count on is a lot of food and drinks on a cruise. In addition to the main dining room, you’ll typically find a couple of casual options such as the buffet or maybe a pizza shop at no additional cost. You’ll also generally have two or three specialty restaurants at a small charge. Some ships even have a couple of complimentary specialty restaurants.

Regardless of whether it is included or costs extra, you certainly will not go hungry on a cruise. Additionally, you can usually get food at just about any time of the day or night. And, yes, the food is typically very good. Of course, this depends on your personal preferences and expectations. I’ll just say that we’ve never been disappointed by the food on a cruise.

When it comes to drinks, you’ll usually find a bar around just about every corner. If you know you’re going to drink a lot, check into the prepaid drink packages. These are usually available for soft drinks only, mid-level alcohol and premium alcohol. You can sometimes even get a drink package included at no additional charge. This is especially true for Norwegian Cruise Lines.

If getting unlimited drinks is important to you, be sure to look for that perk as you are booking your cruise.

Read our advice on How to Not Lose Your Waist on a Cruise.

Pro: Numerous onboard activities for cruisers of all ages

The number of onboard options definitely depends on the size of the ship. That said, even the smaller ships will do everything they can to keep you entertained, especially on days at sea.

The Norwegian Sky was probably the smallest ship we’ve been on and it had plenty to keep us busy for four nights. There was a casino, nightly shows, trivia contests, art auctions, various sports courts and special activities for kids.

Read our review of Cruising the Bahamas on the Norwegian Sky.

Larger ships will have activities such as rock climbing, mini-golf, or broadway-style shows. Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas , which is a good-sized ship but not their biggest, even had a wave/surf simulator. And the Norwegian Breakaway has a ropes course.

On at-sea days, you’ll often find games and classes throughout the day. We particularly enjoyed the martini tasting class on our Alaska cruise on the Norwegian Pearl . Similarly, we have participated in wine tastings and scotch tastings on several cruises.

Some of these activities (such as the drink tastings) will have an additional charge just to keep the number of participants reasonable. Many of them are free, though.

Pro: Easier to manage the details of the trip

Planning a trip can be overwhelming; especially a trip with several stops. That gets significantly easier on a cruise. All you have to do is book the vacation and then just get on the ship and enjoy the ride.

Granted, you’ll probably want to book a few excursions and maybe plan a dinner in one of the specialty restaurants. Still, when compared to a typical trip with three or four stops (or more), the details are much easier to manage. The itinerary is planned for you, the food is right there and you’ve got plenty of activities to keep everyone happy.

You even get to bypass immigration when getting off and on at the non-US ports you visit. Sometimes you will have to pass through an immigration area but they generally just make sure you have your cruise ID card with you. Don’t get too excited, though, you will still have to go through customs when you return to the US and disembark.

Still, with everything booked all in one place, it makes for a much easier process.

The Cons of Cruising

Con: lots of people in one place.

One of the biggest complaints about cruising is just the sheer number of people in one place. Of course, when you’re on the ship everyone is “stuck” there. And while there are some large cruise ships, that’s still a lot of people in one relatively small place.

Even when you get off the ship, almost everyone else will be getting off the ship too. There might even be a couple of other ships in port with you. Thus, even on land, it might be difficult to avoid the crowds.

Plan your activities carefully, though, and you’ll be rewarded. When we visited Nassau, there were several cruise ships in port. And, yes, right around the port was very crowded. We opted to head out to Fort Charlotte, which is a couple of miles away. Honestly, once we got a couple of blocks away from the main shopping area we immediately felt the relief from the crowds.

Check out our article on how to spend one day in Nassau.

The Spinnaker Lounge aboard the Norwegian Sky was easily our favorite bar on the boat. It's reasonably quiet and has great views.

Even on the ship, you’ll likely be able to find a quiet spot to “hide” if you explore enough. Each ship will be different, but every ship we’ve ever been on has had at least one bar that we could generally count on to be quiet with good service. That said, we had difficulty finding a “quiet bar” on the Norwegian Breakaway .

Read about our Western Caribbean cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway .

Yes, the pool and the buffet will just about always be crowded. You’ll just have to accept that. Just don’t be afraid to look around for a quiet spot. You’ll likely find it – and a lot of other interesting parts of the ship too!

Pro Tip: Spend the first afternoon of your cruise exploring the ship. That way, you don’t miss out on any hidden spots during your trip!

Con: Food can get repetitive

One of the best parts of a cruise is unlimited, free food. Unfortunately, that food can get repetitive on a long cruise. That’s why specialty restaurants are so popular now. While it can be annoying to pay more for a meal, sometimes it’s worth it by the fifth night.

Most cruise dining rooms have a set standard menu with the same classic dishes offered nightly. In addition, you’ll find “specialty” dishes that change nightly. Typically, the menu changes enough to keep it fresh. Sometimes you just want a change of scenery, though. Or, perhaps, you’re just not interested in anything on the menu one night.

Having the option of specialty dining is nice at those times. We particularly enjoyed Moderno, a Brazilian steakhouse onboard the Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Breakaway. The Italian restaurant aboard the Adventure of the Seas was so good we went twice in one week. Onboard the Regal Princess , we had some of the best pizza ever at Alfredo’s! And, sometimes, you just want something fun like Johnny Rockets, also on the Adventure of the Seas .

We have found a few complimentary specialty restaurants, others charge a flat fee and some have a la carte pricing. Yes, it’s a little annoying to pay extra for food when you could get it for free. But, sometimes it’s worth it for the variety.

Con: Additional costs can really add up

One somewhat common myth about cruising is that it’s an all-inclusive vacation. The truth is that for most ships, a lot of costs are included but there are many optional costs that can add up quickly.

In terms of food and drink, you certainly can get away without paying any additional costs. You’ll probably want to pay for at least a few drinks, though, even if that is just soda or coffee. Yep, even soft drinks often cost extra on a cruise. You can pay for drink packages ahead of time, though, which will reduce your onboard charges.

Another likely expense is excursions. In each port, you’ll have a variety of options for things to do. You can book your adventures on your own or through the ship. You can even explore the port on your own.

Exploring on your own is free, other than any shopping or museum entrance fees you might opt for. Guided tours or excursions can cost just about anything. I’d say most tours will cost at least $80 a person and can cost up to several hundred dollars, depending on the activity.

As mentioned previously, some onboard activities may cost extra as well. Even with a prepaid drink package, wine tastings usually carry a small fee.

Finally, don’t forget transportation to and from the port and possibly lodging before and/or after the cruise. The good part is that you are very much in control of these costs.

Con: Less flexibility with your itinerary

When booking your cruise, think about the itinerary carefully because you won’t have any control over it later. For instance, we have been to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and really don’t feel the need to return. It is a popular stop on many Caribbean cruises, though.

Overlooking the cruise port at St. Kitts

One cruise we’ve had our eye on is a Southern Caribbean cruise to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. This, of course, is a fairly lengthy cruise if sailing out of South Florida. Fitting it into our school breaks has proven to be difficult thus far. So, when we discovered the new Norwegian Viva would sail there from San Juan, we jumped on it! That cruise is booked for February 2025 with our friends, Dave and Jen.

Finally, be prepared that your itinerary could change for any reason. If you are traveling during hurricane season weather can always prompt a change. My feeling on this, though, is that it’s better to be on a ship that can typically avoid a storm than stuck on an island that you can’t get off.

Relaxing on the beach at Great Stirrup Cay

On our Bahamas cruise , Norwegian informed us as we boarded that the itinerary changed to include the same ports but in a different order. That really was not a big deal but we certainly would have preferred the relaxing day on the beach at the end rather than at the beginning.

The most significant change, though was our 5-night Western Caribbean cruise on the Regal Princess . It was originally supposed to be a 3-night cruise to the Bahamas. A few months before the cruise, Princess completely changed the itinerary at no additional cost. While it did require us to take a day off work, we jumped on the opportunity to see more places for the same price.

Choose an itinerary you know you will enjoy. If it changes, well, that’s just part of the adventure of travel. And, if there is a particular port you’re not excited about, know that you can stay on the ship. In fact, that is a great time to actually enjoy some peace and quiet in the main areas.

Con: Destinations are often overly touristy

Let’s be honest, most cities with a cruise port make the vast majority of their money off of tourists. They do that by offering adventure activities and shopping opportunities that may or may not be authentic to the region.

With that, it can sometimes be difficult to truly experience the local culture. We have found that exploring on our own offers the best opportunity to try the local cuisine or experience a local tradition.

When you get off a cruise ship, the vast majority of the time you’ll find the same duty-free stores at every port. You’re almost guaranteed to find stores selling perfume, jewelry, electronics and alcohol. While I love a good duty-free liquor store, I’d much prefer to visit a local distillery with a unique spirit that I can’t get at home.

Bonnie sampling some of the rum at the John Watling's Distillery.

If shopping is your thing, you’ll have plenty of opportunities on a cruise. Most cruise ships will even offer the opportunity to shop with an expert or provide shopping tips the day before each port. If you just want to find a local souvenir, you may have to get off the main drag. Most of the time you can find the local stores just a couple of blocks away from the ship.

The Final Pro: Most cruises have something for everyone

If you’re not sure you’ll enjoy cruising, I say give it a try and find out for yourself. You can start with a short and inexpensive three- or four-night cruise. See what you like and don’t like.

Party on the pool deck. The pool is often crowded on a cruise.

For those who like adventure, choose a couple of excursions that will give you the opportunity to explore and try something new. If you prefer to sit on the beach, that is almost always an option when in port. Or you can just stay on the ship. These are also great ways to save money!

If you’re traveling with a large group, there are plenty of activities for everyone. When we traveled with Grant’s family on an Alaska cruise in 2018, we enjoyed doing things all together on some days and choosing separate activities on other days.

Most ships have a kids’ activity center for those who want or need child care. Some ships have an adults-only pool and lounge area. You’ll certainly find a variety of bars on a cruise. To balance that, most ships also offer AA meetings. There really is something for just about everyone.

Final Thoughts on the Pros and Cons of Cruises

Just like any other type of travel, cruising has its pros and cons. I’m sure everyone can find something that they love and something that they hate. Don’t let someone else’s thoughts influence you if you’re never been on a cruise. In fact, I’d even say you need to take at least two cruises before you really decide if it’s for you or not. Every cruise line is different and every ship is different.

When you’re choosing your vacation, weigh the pros and cons of cruises to determine what you can and can’t live with. Really don’t like crowds? Choose a smaller ship. Want to stay busy when you’re on the ship? Choose a large ship with a good variety of activities. Want to see as much as possible? Choose an itinerary with a large number of ports.

If you’re new to cruising, do your research and don’t be afraid to ask questions. We use Cruise Critic when we are researching a particular cruise or boat. While there certainly can be frustrations when cruising, it really is a great way to travel.

Travel Resources

What do you use to find a flight.

We use Skyscanner to find deals on flights. Skyscanner has a great interface and compares tons of airlines for the best pricing and routing. That said, it does not always have every airline and some airlines will have better deals on their website. Still, Skyscanner is a great place to start. Click here to search for a flight.

What do you use to find a hotel?

We typically stay at Hilton properties , so we use the Hilton website . You can find good Hilton Honors discounts or AAA discounts for a hotel there. We make great use of our free night certificates from our Hilton Honors American Express. Click here to book a Hilton property.

If there are no Hilton properties available, we use TripAdvisor to read reviews and book the hotel. We find we can get the best price that way. Click here to search for a hotel.

We recently partnered with Stay22 to add interactive maps to each of our destination posts. This will allow you to see a plethora of hotels and vacation rentals all in one responsive map of the area.

What if I need more space than I can get at a hotel?

We use Vrbo for the times when we have rented a cabin for a weekend getaway, like this cabin in Townsend, TN , or needed to rent a house for a large family vacation. We had a great experience with them in terms of refunding deposits when COVID hit and will continue to use them. Click here to search for a vacation rental.

Who do you use for rental cars?

As a general rule, we book with Hertz for rental cars. We have had nothing but good experiences with them. Plus, we really like unlimited mileage and not worrying about crossing state lines. We have even rented from Hertz overseas in both Slovenia and Croatia . Click here to book a rental car.

How about booking a cruise?

We have found some amazing prices for booking a cruise through Cruise Direct . We have saved a lot of money on our cruises compared to what we found elsewhere, making a last-minute Bahamas cruise even cheaper. Click here to book a cruise.

What if I want to rent an RV?

We highly recommend Outdoorsy for RV rentals. We rented a camper van for a week to visit Rocky Mountain National Park for the elk rut and Custer State Park for the Buffalo Round-Up and had a blast. The program was easy to use and we really enjoyed the freedom of having a camper van for that trip. Click here to rent an RV.

What do you use for booking tours?

We don’t often book tours. Typically, we like to do stuff on our own. That said, there are some experiences you can’t have any other way. So, when we do want to book a tour, we always check Viator first. Click here to book a tour.

Do you use anything to get discounts on the road?

We make extensive use of both Good Sam and AAA on the road. Good Sam is normally regarded as a discount card for RVers at campgrounds and Camping World but anyone can use the 5 cents off a gallon at the pump at both Pilot and Flying J. Click here to get a Good Sam membership. We have had AAA as long as we have been married and it has more than paid for itself in discounts at hotels, aside from the peace of mind of having roadside assistance. Add in paper maps and the ability to get an international driver’s license and it is more than worth it for any traveler out there. Click here to get a AAA membership.

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The Vacationer • Cruises • Cruise Guides

Are Cruises Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Cruising

The upfront cost of a cruise may sometimes be a little steep. Even if you’re not booking an all-inclusive cruise , you could pay thousands of dollars per person. When you could book flights and a hotel room for less, are cruises worth it?

It depends on who you ask, and there are a lot of factors to consider. For some travelers, cruises are more than worth it and a favorite way to travel for many good reasons. For other travelers, a cruise isn’t their ideal dream vacation.

Here are all the pros and cons of cruising. They will help you decide which camp you fall into if you’ve never cruised before and are considering booking your first.

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Table of Contents

The Pros of Cruising

Short on time and just want to make a quick pros/cons list? If so, here are the pros you should consider. For more details, though, keep reading.

You really do get a lot for your money.
There’s no need for you to plan.
You can see more destinations in one trip.
Cruising appeals to a lot of people.
Cruising can take you to places you otherwise couldn’t go.
You don’t always need a passport.

You really do get a lot for your money

Don’t just take that seemingly expensive cruise fare at face value. While it may seem like a steep price for a vacation, it’s crucial to consider everything you get from a cruise.

Compare it to the cost of a bundled hotel and flight. While a bundled hotel and flight gives you literally just a place to lay your head and transportation between two destinations, the cruise fare gives you so much more.

Accommodations
Dining
Entertainment
Transportation between multiple destinations

Considering how these types of costs really add up on a traditional vacation, you might realize cruising is actually an outstanding deal .

There’s no need for you to plan

If you loathe the idea of planning an itinerary for your next vacation, you might just love cruising.

On a cruise, you never have to think about what you’ll do next. There’s always something going on, and it’s all contained within the ship, so there’s no real itinerary needed. Decide what you want to do, right now. Maybe that’s laying by the pool, heading to a bar, or checking out a workshop. Whatever it is, do it, wash, rinse, and repeat.

You can see more destinations in one trip

Again, if you want a vacation that takes you to multiple destinations, you’ll have to do a fair amount of planning on your own. But, that’s not the case with a cruise.

Whether it’s a Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Pacific, or New England cruise, you can easily see a handful of destinations in one trip. There’s no extra work. You just show up before the cruise departs, sit back, and enjoy the ride.

Cruising appeals to a lot of people

Despite the cons that do exist, cruising appeals to a lot of people. The average cruise ship offers something for just about everyone. Foodies can find world-class dining on many cruise ships. Families find tons of kid-friendly fun. Couples can enjoy adult-only spaces and spa treatments, etc. If you’re planning a family or group trip, a cruise will likely offer something for everyone.

Cruising can take you places you otherwise couldn’t go

Especially if you cruise on a small ship or with a specialty cruise line, you can find cruises that will take you to parts of the planet that you otherwise wouldn’t or couldn’t go — whether due to geography, lack of access, or just cost. From tiny islands in the Pacific to remote beaches in the Mediterranean, glaciers in Alaska, to even Antarctica, the right cruise can take you far.

You don’t always need a passport

That’s right. It is possible to see some Caribbean islands without a passport — so long as you’re on a cruise.

Cruising without a passport does require other documentation. However, if you already have that documentation, don’t have the time to wait for a new passport, and want to escape to a tropical foreign locale ASAP, a closed-loop cruise (a cruise that starts and ends in the same U.S. city) is worth considering.

Cruise Deals: Browse Ongoing Cruise Deals

The Cons of Cruising

But not everything is rosy in the world of cruising. Here are the cons that might make you change your mind about booking that cruise.

You might not get as much for your money as you expect.
This isn’t a mode of travel for the free-spirited, spur-of-the-moment traveler.
It can be difficult to really immerse yourself in a destination.
Cruise ships are crowded.
Cruising isn’t exactly sustainable.
Cruising forces you to unplug.

You might not get as much for your money as you expect

Remember how we said that cruising is an outstanding deal? Well, it definitely is. However, even though you get dining, entertainment, activities, and more included in your base cruise fare, don’t roll up to the ship expecting an all-inclusive experience (unless you book an all-inclusive cruise ). You’ll have to shell out extra for specialty dining, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments, and shore excursions (among other costs).

(Think you’ll just bring your own booze aboard the ship? You’ll need to know the rules for bringing alcohol and food on a cruise .)

This isn’t a mode of travel for the free-spirited, spur-of-the-moment traveler

If you don’t like travel schedules and prefer to just show up at a destination and see where the wind takes you, you might not like cruising. Yes, you do have your pick of cruising activities during sea days when the ship is docked. However, when you’re touring a destination, you must get off the ship at a particular time (And, that may take even longer if the port you arrive at has tendering ). You must leave the destination at a specific time. Then, it’s off to the next island (or similar destination) on the itinerary. There’s no room for flexibility.

It can be difficult to really immerse yourself in a destination

If you love to immerse yourself in a destination — get to know the locals, wander the neighborhoods, spend days soaking it all in — then cruising might not be a fit for you. With the limited hours you have on shore, you won’t get enough time during a cruise. Not to mention, most of the shore excursions that cruise lines offer center around activities that some seasoned travelers might consider tourist traps.

Cruise ships are crowded

Because cruising does appeal to so many people, cruise ships can get crowded. If you don’t like crowds, you may feel claustrophobic and frustrated on the bigger ships. And lines? Prepare for them everywhere, from the buffet to the elevators.

Cruising isn’t exactly sustainable

While, admittedly, more ships and cruise lines are switching to more sustainable fuels and eco-friendly operations as a whole, overall, the cruising industry is not kind to the environment. If you’ve been making a concentrated effort to reduce your carbon footprint or only travel in an eco-friendly manner, cruising may test your values.

Along those lines, cruises aren’t typically sustainable from a community perspective either. Since cruise lines often focus on taking cruisers to enjoy a few tourist trap activities in a destination, before heading off to the next stop, cruisers don’t necessarily benefit the local economies. If you want your travel to benefit local economies as much as possible, travel directly to a destination and then spend money with local businesses.

Cruising forces you to unplug

While most cruises offer WiFi to some degree, cruises aren’t exactly known for their stellar WiFi service. If you’re the type of traveler who absolutely must post vacay photos to their social media account as soon as possible, you’ll be frustrated. Additionally, if you’re traveling but just can’t step that far away from work for the time being, you won’t have a great time.

Cruise Deals: If the cons of cruising do not scare you, be sure to Browse Ongoing Cruise Deals .

Would a Certain Type of Cruise Be Right for Me?

Weighing the pros and cons and not sure about this whole cruising thing? All of the above cons considered, it’s worth noting that there are exceptions. Just because general, mainstream cruises on the most popular lines might not be to your liking, there could very well be more niche, specific types of cruises that you’d love.

For example, consider taking a more intimate, small-ship cruise if you’re worried about cruise crowds. Some small ships are limited to just a few hundred passengers, which is much more palatable when compared to mega ships that hold an easy 6,000 passengers.

Similarly, if you don’t like the thought of chilling by a cruise ship pool filled with screaming kiddos, opt for an adults-only cruise.

If you find cruise ship buffets and off-Broadway entertainment a bit not your style, look at luxury cruising options that focus on fine dining, immersive shore experiences, and educational seminars.

Just as a popular, major cruise line cruise ship offers something for everyone, you can find plenty of other niche-specific cruise lines and ships that cater to select audiences.

If you’ve read our above breakdown of the pros and cons and still can’t decide if you’d like a cruise, try comparing a cruise to a stay at an all-inclusive resort. The experiences are incredibly similar — except one’s on the water. If you’ve enjoyed staying at all-inclusive resorts in the past, you very well might like a cruise.

Yes, cruising is one of the safest modes of travel, much safer than train or automobile travel and comparable to air travel.

For your first cruise, opt for convenience. Choose a cruise that leaves from a port that you can access easily via either a drive or a quick flight with no layovers. Aim for a cruise that’s about a week long, which will be just long enough to allow you to visit a handful of ports, but not so long that you’ll be excessively miserable if you determine you don’t like cruising.

Instead of asking when the best time to cruise is, you should ask where’s the best place to cruise based on when you’re traveling. For example, if you want to take a summer cruise, try Alaska for the balmier temperatures and wildlife, or Bermuda, which is so far north that it’s not a great fit in the winter. If you want to cruise in the fall, try New England for the leaf-peeping. Spring cruises are popular in Europe before the summer crowds arrive. For the winter, try Southeast Asia or the Caribbean, where the weather is nicest (just be prepared for the crowds in the latter).

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

By Holly Riddle

Holly Riddle is a freelance travel, food, and lifestyle journalist who also dabbles in ghostwriting and fiction. Her work appears in publications ranging from Global Traveler to Golf Magazine, Mashed to Forbes, and Bloomberg. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring the mountains near her home in the Adirondacks. Her favorite travel destinations include Chicago and New Orleans.

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The Pros and Cons of Cruises

We often strive for premium airline cabins and posh hotels to make our experiences as comfortable and luxurious as possible.

Meanwhile, cruises offer a different type of travel experience that fuses transportation, accommodation, dining, and entertainment.

In This Post

Why consider cruising, the pros of cruising, the cons of cruising, cruise reviews.

Like many of you, I’ve often chased the travel experience more so than the destination. If you’ve been around Miles & Points for a while, you’re likely to have chosen a destination because of the airline and/or aircraft that flies there.

Cruising allows you to return your focus back to the destination, without having to sacrifice the luxurious travel we are all often in pursuit of.

Cruises are similar to an all-inclusive hotel experience, in that you’re always well-fed and watered. At the end of the day, you don’t need to venture very far to find a place to lay your head.

The key difference with cruising is that every day offers you a new destination to explore, depending on the itinerary of your cruise. Those seeking to check off a lot of countries in one trip should look to a cruise, as it often gives you the chance to explore multiple locations in one trip.

And while it’s true that you may not get the full breadth and depth of the location due to the short time of each stop, it certainly provides you with enough of a flavour and feel so that you can decide if you’d like to come back in the future.

Over the course of about 10 years, I’ve taken five Disney Cruises. I quickly fell in love with the idea of cruising, and while some of these benefits may not resonate with everyone, they certainly do for me.

In my experience, the food on cruise ships has always been a highlight. While it’s true that I’ve had some subpar meals, for the most part, the food has been excellent in the restaurants and buffets that I’ve enjoyed over the years.

Most cruise lines have long since figured out that the primary driver of many cruisers is the food. Cruise lines have made significant investments in the recent past to ensure that the food quality is consistently high.

Each cruise line will have a different focus on food, but most will have elevated cuisine to keep cruisers coming back for more.

Meals are always a part of the basic cruise package, but most cruise lines will have restaurants on board that offer an elevated culinary experience for a nominal price.

For example, on Disney Cruise Lines, depending on the ship, you can make reservations at Palo (Italian cuisine), Remy (steakhouse), or Enchanté (French cuisine). It’s not uncommon for these premium restaurants to be led by Michelin-starred chefs.

Entertainment

Many cruise lines know that after food, entertainment is what attracts cruisers. Royal Caribbean has high-flying water acts from Cirque du Soleil, while Disney features Broadway-quality musicals and fireworks at sea.

As ships are essentially floating cities, it has become commonplace to find go karts, rock climbing walls, ziplines, skating rinks, waterslides, and even indoor skydiving on some ships.

Cruise lines have made it a priority to give you numerous entertainment options as you sail to your next destination.

Family Time

In a world where families are so busy with their day-to-day activities, having a chance to reconnect is a very nice change of pace. When I look back at all the places I’ve been and the things that I have experienced, the happiest times have always been with my family.

So, being “forced” to be together isn’t a bad thing at all. Imagine going out to eat with your family, hanging out by the pool, watching a movie together, playing cards, shopping, and sometimes just relaxing in the same space with your loved ones.

Cruising gives you that, and in the event that you need a break, you can always escape and take in some of the entertainment offered by the cruise.

An Opportunity to Disconnect

One of the things that I thought that I’d hate about cruising was the fact that I’d be disconnected from the world.

Back when I started cruising, internet access on board a ship was definitely possible, but usually cost-prohibitive. That has since changed quite a bit, with access to internet being significantly cheaper, but I’ve discovered that I absolutely love being disconnected from the world.

I find that being disconnected forces me to relax and to refocus on my family. I have a teenage daughter, so it’s not uncommon for all of us to be head-down into a phone or laptop during our day-to-day interactions.

Once we’re on a cruise, our screen time diminishes to almost zero, which is refreshing for us all.

New Destinations

Cruising can open up the world for many travellers, and I am no exception. Through cruising, I’ve been to many of the Caribbean nations, and have plans to someday take a European cruise to explore the Nordic countries and the Mediterranean.

I’ve always liked the idea of falling asleep in one country and waking up in another. I’ve done it with planes, trains, buses, and cruise ships, and I can tell you that cruise ships offer one of the most comfortable and efficient way to see multiple destinations in one trip.

Depending on your personality type, many of the things I’ve listed as pros may actually be cons for you. For example, disconnecting may be a terrifying idea for some people, but I changed my mind once I experienced it for myself.

Of course, cruising isn’t perfect, so here are some of the possible negative elements about cruising.

The cost of cruising, and specifically cruising with higher-end cruise lines like Disney, can be jarring for some.

It isn’t uncommon to see prices between $200–$300 (USD) per person per day for a cruise. Of course, that price can vary greatly depending on the cabin you choose, the time of year you go, and the ports you want to visit.

Similar to airline pricing, many factors are at play, so if you’ve dug in and have a good understanding of airline economics, you should have a decent understanding of cruise pricing.

There are certainly deals to be had if you know where and when to look, but some travellers may feel that it’s yet another thing to learn about, and that they’d prefer to stick with airlines and hotels.

Limited Loyalty Programs

Unlike airline and hotel programs, cruise loyalty programs aren’t nearly as lucrative. Status is often based on how many times you embark on cruises, and there’s no other way to earn status except by cruising.

Just like with airlines or hotels, the benefits of each cruise loyalty program are different.

As an example, Disney’s Castaway Club status provides you with things like early booking windows for future cruises, preferred dining and activity reservations, and merchandise discounts while on board.

Once you hit Platinum with Disney’s Castaway Club, you’re entitled to a free meal at Palo, which on my most recent cruise on the Disney Wish, amounted to $45 (USD) per person.

This isn’t a particularly great value, considering you must have sailed 10 times with Disney to become Platinum.

Getting Sick

Remember two and a half years ago when COVID was a new word to everyone? Remember how many people got sick on cruise ships?

Well, that happened because you’re often in close quarters and indoor environments with people that may or may not make the best decisions around hygiene.

With cruise ships often housing 3,000 – 5,000 people at a time, it’s not hard to imagine how contagious people might infect others at a higher rate than in other circumstances.

Getting sick has been and always will be an issue with cruise ships, even though many cruise lines make it a practice to encourage good hygiene amongst their guests with disinfecting wipes and hand washing stations everywhere.

Even with these measures, not everyone partakes, so you can’t be sure that you won’t get sick on a cruise. If you do get sick, come prepared with a handful of over-the-counter medications to reduce the impact on your trip.

With the vast majority of Canadians being vaccinated against COVID-19, one can take solace in the idea that if you do indeed test positive while on board, your symptoms should hopefully be mild.

Ancillary Costs

Many cruise lines are excellent at separating you from your money while on board. There are various ingenious tricks that are used to get you to spend more.

One of the more interesting ones is called the “Fresh Wallet”. Once you book your cruise, you’ll be inundated with offers to pre-pay for things like tours, drink packages, upgraded dining, activities, and even gratuities.

It has been found that people who pre-pay for these items before the cruise often forget that they’ve already spent a significant amount of money. So, when they board the ship, they have a “Fresh Wallet”, and are almost 100% more likely to spend on board than those that don’t pre-pay.

The $15 martini that’s made by a robot, or that cute dress that’s only $145, are further examples of opportunities to part ways with money on board a cruise ship.

Want to add a nice bottle of Chardonnay for $89 at dinner? Why not – you’re on vacation!

If you aren’t careful, you could end up with a bill for $1,000 more than you planned when you got on your “all-inclusive” sailing, and that’s not even taking into account your casino losses. The good news is that all of this is well within your control, so just be mindful of what you buy on board.

Dining Partners

Depending on the size of your sailing party, you may be seated with strangers at dinner, and you may or may not get along with your dining partners.

We’ve mostly had good luck with our dinner partners, who have ranged from people that have become family friends to folks that we definitely didn’t exchange contact information with.

Depending on how social you are, this may be a significant downside to cruising. If your interaction goes sideways, though, you can always ask to be moved to another table.

Here at Prince of Travel, some of our writers have either taken cruises or are considering cruising in the future, with a range of interesting offerings from Disney, Ritz-Carlton, and Virgin, among other brands, on our radar.

You can look forward to upcoming reviews from the team to help you understand if cruising is for you and your family. I’ll be writing a review on our recent four-night cruise on Disney’s newest ship, the Disney Wish, that was just launched in July 2022.

Our team member Amy will be providing her thoughts on Disney’s second-newest ship, the Disney Dream, and other team members are exploring everything from Alaska cruises to river cruises in Europe.

Cruising has a lot to offer, and it can represent different things to different people. Some try cruising and say “never again”, while some become obsessed and Google phrases like “how much does it cost to live on a cruise ship in retirement?”

For my family, cruising has been a lot of fun, and it has given us some cherished memories that we wouldn’t trade for the world. Whether or not cruising is for you is going to be hard to decide until you’re on your first sailing.

We hope that this primer and our future cruise reviews arm you with enough knowledge that you can make an educated decision on your first cruise.

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Pros and Cons of a Cruise – To Cruise or Not to Cruise?

This post (probably) contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links, and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking through one. This is at no extra cost to you and allows the site to keep running! Thanks for understanding.

The pros and cons of a cruise are very personal. Asking someone whether they would enjoy a cruise holiday is a little like asking them if they like Marmite . In the vast majority of cases, people either love them or hate them.

N egative opinions often come from people who have never experienced a cruise, while the positive views come from those who are die-hard supporters of their ideal holiday.

The big question is, what’s the truth? I’m going to take you through some of the pros and cons of cruises so that you can make up your own mind.

Everyone is different and what might be a pro for some people would be a complete deal-breaker for others, so keep that in mind. This post will take you through the advantages and disadvantages of booking a cruise holiday.

The Pros and Cons of Cruises

The pros of a cruise.

pros and cons of a cruise holiday cruise pros and cons

Let’s start on a positive note. I’m going to take you through all the wonderful reasons to cruise.

pros and cons of a cruise advantages and disadvantages of cruise

They are all DIFFERENT. No cruise ship or cruise line is the same. So it’s a completely different experience every time you cruise. One year you might try one of the Bolsover Cruise Club luxury cruises down the Nile, the next you could try a more budget-conscious affair around the UK. There are cruises for different age groups, for singles and more. There’s even a DISNEY cruise !! Literally there’s something to suit all tastes.

Meeting New People. Since you’re in the same space for a set period of time you often bump into the same people. You might sit next to a couple at dinner, or during one of the shows. You might meet a friendly family at the pool. Life long friends can be made on a cruise.
Tax and duty free shopping . Depending on where you’re cruising you can take advantage of this and shop until you drop.

The Cons of Cruises

Of course, it’s not all plain sailing on a cruise – see what I did there, sorry not sorry. Here are some of the disadvantages of a cruise.

Gaining weight. Ok, so this is a risk with any holiday, but cruises are particularly bad for it, mainly because the food is so damn good and plentiful. If you want to hit the on board gym you may be able to avoid this particular con.
Extra costs. Shore excursions often cost extra and can be more expensive than if you organised them independently . Drinks packages can be pricey and not always worth it depending on how much you like to drink. However, most cruise lines have an allowance of wine and soft drinks that you can bring on board, take advantage of this to avoid extra costs. Not all on board restaurants are included in your cruise price either, though they are usually reasonably priced.
Dodgy Internet. On board Wi-Fi isn’t always great. This is fine for most leisure travellers, but if you have business to attend to or people to keep in touch with at home it can be a bit of a frustration.

Final Thoughts & Tips

As with all holiday types, what works for one person won’t always work for another. There is SO much variety in the cruise industry so the real key to enjoying your cruise is choosing the right one for you and your travel companions.

Read the brochures, take to the travel agents, read the forums and make an informed decision. There are downsides, of course, but perhaps you should try a short cruise trip one year to see if they are a good fit with your personality and holiday needs before you completely rule them out?

What do you think about cruises? Let me know in the comments!

One comment

I’ve been lucky to go on a couple of short cruises with my previous job but I’m still not entirely sure what I think of them. It’s definitely amazing that you get to see several different places but I personally love to get under the skin of a destination rather than just seeing the sights. I also felt a little trapped onboard – especially when there was a day at sea. Even though there are plenty of things to do on board I still felt like time was wasted a little. Saying that though, I did go on cruises in cooler weather so I wasn’t able to enjoy the pool or the outdoor activities on the ship very much. They also offer some cool excursions which I’d never done otherwise so that’s definitely a plus point. I wouldn’t say no to a Disney cruise though!

Which cruise brand is best for you? A guide to the most popular lines

Thinking about booking your first cruise? The sheer range of choices can be daunting. There are more than two dozen lines marketing to North Americans — no two alike.

The list of brands includes everything from giant companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, which are household names, to lesser-known small operators such as Windstar Cruises.

Some of the brands — Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, in particular — operate massive vessels that are like giant floating resorts with deck-top water parks and other over-the-top amusements . Others specialize in intimate, boutique hotel-style ships.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter.

Some lines, such as Carnival, are aimed at a budget crowd. Others operate vessels that are as luxurious as any upscale resort found on land. A few small luxury players such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises have ships with lavish suites that'll cost you as much as $11,000 a day .

Where should you start your search for the perfect cruise for you? Below, you'll find our quick guide to some of the most popular cruise brands. As you'll see, it's not meant to be an in-depth review of the lines. It's just a short overview — enough to give you a sense of which particular cruise operator might best appeal to you.

Once you've narrowed down the choices to a few brands that you think best fit your style, do a deeper dive into them and their specific ships, their itineraries and home ports and their comparable costs (either on your own or with the help of a cruise-savvy travel agent ). Note that TPG has many guides to individual lines, which you can find by clicking on our cruise line hub pages linked in each segment below.

Related: TPG's ultimate guide to picking a cruise line

With just four ships, each holding fewer than 700 passengers, Azamara is one of the smallest players in the cruise business. But it has a loyal following of travelers who appreciate the upscale ambience of its vessels, the inclusive amenities it offers (including gratuities and alcoholic drinks) and its destination focus.

The line prides itself on offering longer stays in ports, including multi-day visits. Its ships have an intimate, boutique-hotel feel. Pricing is higher than at the big, mass-market lines but not quite as high as you'll find at luxury lines.

Related: 5 things to love about Azamara's newest ship

Carnival Cruise Line

The self-described "fun ship" line is the king of short, affordable, fun-focused cruises from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Mexico and beyond.

The choice of roughly one in five cruisers, Carnival Cruise Line' s ships are notoriously lively, flashy and packed with fun features such as water parks with multiple waterslides. Just don't expect anything too fancy .

Related: The ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line

Celebrity Cruises

Designed to be a cut above mainstream options such as Carnival while remaining relatively affordable, this Miami-based "premium" line is known for some of the most stylish big ships at sea.

Expect high-end design, cutting-edge art and trendy restaurants. In short, Celebrity aims for sophisticates, not the party crowd (although it's not a luxury product).

Celebrity's four newest ships, Celebrity Edge , Celebrity Apex , Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent, feature "infinite veranda" cabins that are open to the sea in a way we haven't seen with other ocean ships. They boast a glass wall that opens from the top to create a balcony-like effect.

Crystal Cruises

This much-beloved luxury line recently restarted operations under new owners after shutting down for 18 months. For years, it was considered the ultimate luxury cruise operator, and our take after sailing on Crystal Serenity after its relaunch is that the line is even better than before. Initially, Crystal has returned to operations with just two ships. But it recently announced plans to expand rapidly with four more ships over the next six years.

A storied line with roots that go back to the 1800s, this three-ship brand is perhaps best known for its 2,695-passenger flagship, Queen Mary 2. The ship lives up to its billing as a true ocean liner with semiregular, transatlantic service between Southampton, England, and New York.

Cunard fans love the line's relatively formal vibe (including nightly dress codes) and other nods to ocean liner tradition, including evenings with ballroom dancing. A fourth Cunard ship called Queen Anne is set to debut in 2024.

Related: Why I was wrong about transatlantic cruises

Disney Cruise Line

Meet-and-greets with Disney characters, Disney-themed shows and the most extensive kiddie fun zones on the high seas are just a few of the family-friendly allures of a Disney cruise . If you're a Disney fan, nothing quite compares.

If Disney isn't your thing, well, this probably isn't the line for you. The biggest downside of the brand? As with Disney's parks on land, it doesn't come cheap.

Related: A first-look photo tour of Disney's newest ship, Disney Wish

Holland America

Tradition long has been a touchstone for this storied line, which dates to 1873 and is known for carefully crafted, globe-circling itineraries on midsize ships.

However, Holland America has been shaking things up in recent years with lively new venues such as B.B. King's Blues Club. Couples and retirees are the market for this line. Families with kids might want to look elsewhere.

MSC Cruises

A giant of cruising in Europe, Switzerland-based MSC Cruises is making a big play for North Americans with newer, bigger ships sailing year-round from Florida to the Caribbean and Bahamas. It also offers sailings from New York City.

Like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, MSC Cruises operates big, resort-like vessels that appeal to a broad audience. Among the highlight of its cruises in North America are stops at its new private island in the Bahamas, the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve .

Norwegian Cruise Line

Multistory waterslides, ropes courses and even go-kart race tracks are among the gee-whiz attractions atop Norwegian Cruise Line 's giant, resort-like ships. The vessels also are packed with eateries, bars, casinos and showrooms.

The brand is known for its entertainment, including big Broadway shows such as "Beetlejuice." If you're looking for a Las Vegas-style resort at sea, this is your line.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania has carved out a niche with relatively small, upscale ships that offer a significant upgrade from mass-market vessels but aren't quite as fancy (or pricey) as luxury offerings.

Its seven ships feature a relaxed, country club-like ambience and inspired dining that appeal to a mostly older crowd.

Itinerary-wise, Oceania is known for destination-intensive voyages that typically are 10 nights or more in length, with some globe-circling trips as long as 180 days.

Related: Take a look at Vista, Oceania's stunning new ship

This France-based line is a specialist in expedition cruising , a type of cruising that involves traveling to remote, hard-to-reach places on small, hardy vessels that carry their own landing craft.

Operating a fast-growing fleet of tough but upscale expedition ships (none carrying more than 264 passengers), Ponant is known for voyages to places like Antarctica and the Arctic.

If you're looking for waterslides and laser tag, this is not the cruise line for you.

Related: This epic Ponant trip will take you to the North Pole

Princess Cruises

Popular with middle-aged couples, retirees and multigenerational families, the "Love Boat" line's ships aren't as flashy (or big, for the most part) as those of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, and that's just the way its customers like it.

Princess Cruises ' customers also like its wide range of itineraries, including voyages in Asia and Australia, as well as closer-to-home places like the Caribbean. It's long been one of the dominant lines in the Alaska cruise market.

Related: The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

This Miami-based luxury line operates some of the most opulent vessels at sea, including three recently unveiled Explorer-class ships billed as the most expensive luxury vessels ever built on a cost-per-berth basis.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is particularly known for some of the most over-the-top suites at sea (including some bigger than the average American home ), some of the most inclusive fares in the cruise business and high levels of service. The only catch: You'll pay a pretty penny for it. Rooms on Regent ships start at around $1,000 per person per day and can cost as much as $5,500 per person per day.

Royal Caribbean

For megaresort fans, there's nothing quite like a Royal Caribbean vessel.

The line's biggest ships are more than 20% bigger than almost any others afloat (only MSC Cruises has ships that come close in size) and feature every type of amusement imaginable, from rock climbing walls and surfing pools to Broadway shows and ice skating rinks.

Families, in particular, will love this line, due to all the family-friendly activities and venues on its vessels. Royal Caribbean ships sail everywhere in the world, but the line's heaviest presence is in the Caribbean and Europe.

Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean

Another leader in luxury cruising, this seven-ship brand offers all-suite vessels, top-notch service and elegant cuisine.

As with other luxury lines, Seabourn offers a wide range of itineraries around the globe. It also recently jumped into more adventurous, expedition-style cruising with two new 264-passenger vessels designed to operate in polar regions such as Antarctica and the Arctic.

Silversea Cruises

Exquisite service, refined dining and well-appointed accommodations are hallmarks of this Monaco-based luxury line with 12 vessels. Silversea Cruises is also known for its industry-leading array of off-the-beaten-path itineraries.

Its growing fleet of small expedition ships will take you everywhere from the Arctic to Papua New Guinea in style.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Fans of upscale hotel chain Ritz-Carlton will feel at home on one of this line's yacht-like vessels. Or, at least, that's the idea.

The cruising arm of Ritz-Carlton has been in operation for just a bit over a year, and the jury still is out on where it ranks in the pantheon of luxury cruise brands. The line notably struggled to get off the ground after years of construction delays for its first and only ship.

Dubbed Evrima, the line's only operating ship is a 298-passenger vessel designed to appeal to Ritz-Carlton regulars with an elegant, residential look. A second, bigger ship called Ilma that's already open for bookings debuts later this year.

Related: The ultimate guide to the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

This fast-growing line has dominated the world of river cruising for North Americans for years, and in the last few years, it's become a significant player in upscale ocean cruising as well. Viking 's 80 river ships operate on just about every major river in the world, and its 10 ocean ships (up from just one in 2015) can be found in a growing number of destinations, too.

Viking is known for impeccably designed vessels with modern Scandinavian interiors and offering unusual, port-intensive itineraries. They also operate with a mostly all-inclusive format, as Viking long has subscribed to a "no nickel-and-diming" philosophy. Just don't bother booking the family. Kids under 18 aren't allowed on Viking.

Related: The ultimate guide to Viking cruises

Virgin Voyages

This relatively new cruise line, backed by Richard Branson's Virgin Group, is reinventing mainstream cruising with a hipper, more inclusive, younger vibe (though not too young; its ships are adults-only). Think tattoo shops, karoake booths and no upcharges for tips or eateries.

Virgin Voyages ' first three ships ( Scarlet Lady , Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady ) have suites by acclaimed designer Tom Dixon. Destinations include the Dominican Republic, Mexico and a private beach club in the Bahamas, as well as parts of Europe and Australia.

Related: I've been on more than 150 cruise ships; here's why I loved my first Virgin sailing

Windstar Cruises

If the idea of sailing on a big ship makes you cringe, small-ship specialist Windstar could be the answer.

Its six vessels carry just 148 to 342 passengers — fewer than fit on a single big-ship lifeboat — and are wonderfully intimate.

Romantic types will love Windstar's three vessels with sails — a relative rarity. Foodies can choose one of the James Beard-themed cruises, which include market tours and cooking demonstrations with a James Beard Award-winning chef.

More guides that will help you plan a cruise:

The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
15 ways cruisers waste money
15 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
What to pack for your first cruise
Guide to picking a cruise line

Cruise Advice

9 Pros & Cons of an Aft Balcony Cabin

Richard Simms

June 28, 2018
1.1K shares

One of the most important decisions you’ll make when booking your cruise is which stateroom to select, especially if you’re wanting to book a balcony stateroom. (Assuming you don’t let the cruise line pick one for you.)

This usually involves a series of questions:

What type of category do you want to book?
Where do you want to be?
Will you be spending a lot of time inside the stateroom and, therefore, want a view or a balcony?
Or will you use it as a way in which to shower and sleep between adventures?

In the past, we’ve talked a lot about staterooms, including what the different categories offer and tips on which cabins you definitely want to avoid . But today, we’re going to take a closer look at a very specific type of stateroom and determine whether or not it might be right for you.

Because while a lot of people love aft-facing balconies, some folks don’t. With that in mind, let’s look at the pros and cons of booking an aft-facing balcony.

Pros and Cons of an Aft-Facing Balcony

1. PRO: The view can’t be beaten.

There’s a reason so many ships have bars and pools that overlook the wake from the upper decks. What is it that we find so incredibly peaceful about watching the wake of the ship? Is it symbolic of leaving our problems behind, if only until the ship returns us home?

Is it that the seemingly never-ending stretch of the ocean makes us aware of just how small we are and, by extension, how insignificant even our biggest problems really are? Who knows… and honestly, who cares? It’s beautiful, and that’s what really matters.

2. CON: The view could be partially blocked.

While we’ve found that most aft-facing balconies offer incredible views, you definitely want to do a little research to find out if there are any obstructions. On some ships, the staterooms in the middle of the aft are dubbed “pole balconies” by cruisers because the flagpole bisects the view.

It didn’t seem like much of an obstruction on the ones we’ve seen where this was true. On other ships – particularly some ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet – the aft-facing balconies are set back further than you might expect and surrounded in part by structures.

These still offer great views, but they aren’t quite the same as balconies, which rest fully on the aft of the ship.

3. PRO: The size of the balcony.

In most cases, you’ll find that aft-facing balconies are larger than their port and starboard brothers. For example, while many complained about the rather small regular balconies on the Norwegian Breakaway , her aft-facing balconies were huge… in some cases, downright cavernous.

This has also held true on smaller ships, such as Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Miracle, and Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas .

It’s pretty easy to do a little bit of poking around the internet to find details about which decks offer the biggest aft-facing balconies on most ships, and you can often even find YouTube videos if you want to check them out before booking.

4. CON: You might feel vibrations.

That churning sound we mentioned a moment ago? Well, that’s caused by the propellers pushing the boat through the water… and those same propellers can cause a bit of a vibration.

How much depends entirely on the ship, how many decks above the water line you are, how fast the vessel is moving, and a host of other factors.

For a lot of people, the gentle vibration, like the sound of the wake, helps lull them to sleep at night. It’s also worth noting that when the ship goes into reverse, such as when it pulls out of a port, you will definitely feel more vibration than normal.

It can be a little bit jarring and, for some, even frightening the first time they experience it.

5. PRO: The sound of the wake.

When you’re sitting on balconies on the port or starboard, the sound you hear can best be described as the ship crashing through the waves.

It’s a very cool sound, but different from what you’ll hear when sitting on an aft-facing balcony. There, the sound is smoother than the water below churning. Like the view, the sound can be oddly hypnotic and extremely peaceful.

6. POTENTIAL CON: You could wind up beneath something loud.

We’re labeling this as a “potential” con because it proves again how important it is to make sure you know exactly where the cabin you’re booking is located. Not all aft-facing balconies are created equal!

You could be directly above a theater or nightclub that is located at the back of the ship. And if you are on one of the higher decks, you might be directly beneath a pool or entertainment area where parties are held late at night, or chairs are moved around early in the morning.

On ships like the Norwegian Breakaway, party space Spice H20 is at the back of the ship… directly above the aft-facing balconies.

7. POTENTIAL PRO: You might get a great deal.

On some ships, aft-facing balconies are the same price as – or only slightly more than – their smaller starboard or port ones. That’s not always the case, especially since cruise lines have definitely realized how popular they are.

But if you poke around a little, you might be able to find a room with a view (and a bigger balcony) at a really good price.

8. POTENTIAL PRO/POTENTIAL CON: They typically get more sun.

This will vary from ship to ship, but we’ve found that aft-facing balconies often get more sun than traditional ones. This is often because of the construction of most ships, which have slanted afts.

As a result, The deck above you can provide a bit of a shaded area, while the majority of the balcony will be directly exposed to the sun (and other elements).

It’s worth noting that on ships where this is true, that also means that people on the aft-facing balconies above you might be able to glance down at you.

9. POTENTIAL PRO/POTENTIAL CON: You’ll likely do more walking.

This could be a real pro if you’re looking for ways to work off the meals you’ll be eating. Most ships don’t have a true aft elevator, meaning you’ll have to trek to get from your cabin to pretty much anywhere on the ship if you don’t want to take the stairs.

If you have mobility issues of any sort, that might be a reason to avoid this particular type of stateroom.

As we said from the beginning, choosing a stateroom cabin is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning your cruise.

The last thing you want to do is wind up in a cabin that isn’t, for whatever reason, right for you. Hopefully, the information above will give you a little guidance when figuring out if an aft-facing balcony will be a good fit for you!

Have you ever stayed on an aft-facing balcony? Would you do it again? Why or why not?

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Sunset from Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas

What Working on Cruise Ships is Really Like: Pros & Cons

Ever wondered what cruise ship crew life is really like or if working on ships is worth it? Keep reading to find out all the good and bad that comes with living at sea!

Working on cruise ships often sounds like a dream, and it definitely can be.

But there were also many times in my three-year career at sea where it honestly felt like a living nightmare.

If you’re considering a life at sea or you’re just curious about cruise ship crew life, here’s some information about the pros and cons from my experience as a pirate seafarer for your entertainment and/or research purposes.

Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas docked in Curacao

My Experience Working on Cruise Ships

There are always advantages and disadvantages to every job and working on cruise ships is no different.

Cruise ship crew life can be intense: long hours, no days off for months, lots of rules, demanding guests, small living quarters and little to no privacy.

But working on ships also allows you to travel to places some only dream of while making some amazing connections with fellow seafarers from all over the world.

Despite all the ups and downs of ship life, I wouldn’t change a thing.

You can party all night over international waters, fall asleep to the sound of the ocean, and wake up in a completely different country.

View this post on Instagram Please, please, please don’t ever let me take this for granted: the fact that I can work in the morning, run around Saint Petersburg for a few hours, go back to work until midnight and see this amazing sunset, and then get back off the ship to see people all over the world celebrating the World Cup together in the streets before I return to the floating tin can I call home at 4am. All summer long, every single week #serenadeadventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Jul 6, 2018 at 4:43am PDT

You’ll often hear crew members joking that they’re never coming back; that this is their last contract.

But the truth is that more often than not, we somehow always come crawling back for just one more contract because once you get a taste for life at sea, living anywhere else isn’t the same.

I’ve had the chance to live on foreign land abroad in Japan and even on the ice in Antarctica .

Related: 7 Continents & 7 Seas: How I Got Paid to Travel the World

They were amazing experiences that were less physically demanding than ship life with better pay and fewer work hours.

But if given the chance to return to just one of my past lives in my journey across all seven continents and seven seas , I would go back to working on cruise ships without batting an eye.

My heart will always be at sea.

View this post on Instagram Another farewell to this floating home, although I’m sure I’ll be back soon enough ?⚓❤️ #marineradventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Sep 30, 2019 at 12:42pm PDT

The Pros of Working on Cruise Ships

1. you get paid to travel.

This is probably the biggest and most well-known perk of working on ships, and for good reason.

It is the ultimate work and travel job opportunity that has allowed me to travel to 35 countries, frolic on more Caribbean beaches than I can count, spend a month in the Mediterranean, sail through the Arctic Circle, dock in Russia all summer during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, cruise with Jazz legend Dave Koz, visit Greenland , and see endless prismatic sunsets at sea.

All while getting paid.

View this post on Instagram Day 17: Geiranger, Norway | Find the mop of hair by the cliff that just set foot on her 50th country today! ??? #serenadeadventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Jun 5, 2018 at 4:26am PDT

2. Little to no cost of living

On ships, you live where you work.

Unlike life on land, there is no rent to be paid or monthly utility bills that need to be taken care of.

All basic living expenses are covered at sea for crew members: accommodation, water, electricity, and food.

3. Free medical care

This may not seem that special for most people, but if you’re American like me, this is such a huge benefit to ship life.

When I had an infection during one contract, I was able to get an exam done and receive the necessary antibiotics all between my work shifts, and all at no cost.

Back on land, I avoid seeing my healthcare provider unless I absolutely have to because I know how much it’ll cost me.

4. Flights to and from the ship are provided

While this varies by company and possibly by job, ships generally pay for crew flights.

Perk of working on cruise ships: free flights and views of cotton candy skies

5. Easily rack up airline flight miles

Because most of the flights my company books for me tend to be with either United or American Airlines, I’ve been able to get mileage credit for all of my flights just going to and from work and have used them to fully fund my vacation flights to Mexico on multiple occasions.

6. Short work commute

Well, this is obviously after you’ve made it onto the ship.

But once onboard, your daily commute to work is just a few minutes.

I’ve had many late nights out with early morning start times where I rolled out of bed ten minutes before I had to be at work and made it to my shift on time.

7. 6-8 week vacation in between contracts

Times are changing, but typically, you can’t just take an extended multi-week long vacation from work.

One of the perks of working in Japan was that I had week-long vacations three times a year.

On ships, crew members must have a minimum of six weeks of time off between contracts, because, well you don’t have any days off for your entire contract.

While this period is unpaid, it does provide ample time to travel freely for more than just a week.

This is an aside, but for Americans to go anywhere out of the country, I personally find that one week is just not enough time to comfortably enjoy any destination abroad due to the amount of travel time that it takes to simply get out of the States and return.

With ships, I don’t need to request or arrange for extra time off.

8. Save money

If you’re smart, you can save the majority of your paycheck because there are no costs of living or large bills that need to be paid every month.

9. Crew discounts

In many ports, crew members can get discounts on nearly every service possible: taxis/shuttles, restaurants, bars, beach resorts, etc.

Lots of businesses understand that while guests are simply one-time visitors, crew members come back each time the ship returns to the area and can bring in a lot of regular business.

View this post on Instagram Day 44: Cozumel, Mexico | When things don’t go as planned, find a private beach club that doesn’t charge a cover for crew members and eat all the seafood for lunch ???? #navigatoradventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Dec 6, 2017 at 1:38pm PST

10. Escape reality

Working on cruise ships is like living in a floating metal bubble.

Because of the long work hours and limited internet access, I usually don’t have time to keep up with what’s happening back home or anywhere else in the world unless it’s major news that affects us, like a hurricane in the Bahamas or cruise ships no longer being allowed into Cuba.

Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas docked at sunset

11. International connections

While the majority of cruise guests might be primarily from one or two countries, the crew area is like a small, diverse city with people from dozens of countries.

You work and live with people from all around the world, and it’s such a unique experience to learn about their lives and country through interaction.

After three years at sea, most of my closest friends are from ships and not living in the U.S.

While I can’t just drive a few hours to see them, I have an added incentive to vacation or travel to wherever they live.

12. Charter cruises

Sometimes companies or organizations buy out the entire ship for their employees or events at sea.

The guests’ demographics and atmosphere of the ship varies dramatically compared to typical cruisers.

Charters are always exciting for crew, especially if they’re music festivals.

While your rank dictates how much of the events you can partake in (if at all and more on that later), I’d say 70% of the charter cruises I’ve worked on have been very pleasant with better-than-usual guests.

Also dependent on your job position, sometimes charters are better for you, but also sometimes they’re worse.

As a youth counselor, charters that are adults-only tend to be wilder (that’s another story that will have to wait), but it also means that I get a rare break from the typical childcare duties.

View this post on Instagram Day 3: Stockholm, Sweden | Starting off this contract with a seven day Dave Koz charter with no kids ??? #serenadeadventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on May 22, 2018 at 5:55am PDT

13. You get to be part of meaningful humanitarian work

While being able to provide a guest with an amazing and memorable vacation is of course satisfying, the proudest I’ve ever been to be a crew member working for Royal Caribbean was when we were giving back to communities in need and looking out for our neighbors.

Royal Caribbean and other major cruise lines have a history of providing aid and humanitarian relief in times of disasters, from evacuating hurricane-stricken islands like Puerto Rico and the Bahamas to supporting those affected by wild and bush fires in California and Australia .

During Hurricane Dorian, the ship that I was on ( Mariner of the Seas ) was called to provide assistance to the Bahamas.

The crew was briefed on the situation and we were informed that we’d be supplying food as well as evacuating as many Bahamians as we could.

Heartwarming: Crew members aboard @royalcaribbean ’s Mariner of the Seas are at sea preparing 20,000 meals to deliver to the people of Freeport in the Bahamas Saturday morning. Staff worked all day and prepared the meals overnight on their own time instead of sleeping. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/p8hmsGtWRW — Vic Micolucci WJXT (@WJXTvic) September 7, 2019

Even though most of the packaging of meals took place late at night after everyone had finished work, there was not one crew member complaining about the extra hours of work being put in.

While evacuees were on board, the kids’ program staff was asked to entertain the Bahamian children who were evacuating with their families.

Us staff had divided activities and games to host between us, and I got to help out with face painting the kids.

It turns out though, the children wanted to paint as well, so I ended up letting the kids use me as a human canvas and I was left with some pretty sick body art for the rest of the day.

Becoming a human canvas while working on cruise ships and getting painted by kids

Especially in a job that can get mundane and frustrating from demanding and sometimes ungrateful guests, these small opportunities where we get to actually do something meaningful makes me happy to work at sea.

14. CV/Resume boost

Working on cruise ships requires a lot of skills that make crew members some of the most eligible employment candidates : international experience and the ability to work with a diverse team; skills in customer service and crisis management; and capable of learning quickly.

Most of all, I think what makes crew members stand out is their mental strength.

It’s not easy to work long hours for months at a time, isolated from land and friends and family.

But if you can do that, there’s not much else you’re not psychologically capable of.

I know that for me, this was the biggest selling point that made me a quick hire to work and live in Antarctica .

Related: How I Got Paid to Live in Antarctica: FAQ About Working on the Ice

Cruising through Prins Christian Sund in Greenland

Related: What to Pack When Working on a Cruise Ship

The Cons of Working on Cruise Ships

1. there are no days off.

On ships, weekends and holidays don’t exist.

You work every day of your entire contract and just have hours off between shifts each day.

On land, you can go hard on a Friday night and have a couple of days to recover.

On ships, you still have to get up and go to work the next day.

Working on cruise ships as a Christmas elf

2. You work long hours

The most I ever clocked in in a day was about 13 hours, but of course this will vary according to job position and possibly whether or not it’s a busy cruise.

The majority of crew members work anywhere from 9-11+ hours every day, the average amount being on the higher end of the spectrum.

Shifts are also split, so you might start work in the morning and not finish for the day until late at night.

3. Contracts are 4-9 months long

You will get tired and you will feel overworked.

You’ll be away from home for a long while and in that time you will also miss out on a lot of life.

View this post on Instagram All’s well that ends well. 151 days, 8 countries, 1000s of little screaming rascals, and some really great new friends. Thanks for the memories, Anthem ❤⚓️ #anthemadventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Jul 20, 2017 at 10:41am PDT

4. You’re on call 24/7

Every crew member is responsible for responding to designated emergencies: medical, fire, security threat, man overboard, etc.

No matter where you are or what time it is, when the announcement is made, you have roughly seven minutes to get to your emergency station.

In the shower? Better get dressed.

On the other side of the ship? Run.

In my three years onboard, I’ve been woken four times in the early morning hours between 2-5 a.m. to my emergency call, which I then had to run up 10 decks and the entire length of the ship to reach my response station.

And once the emergency was over, I still had to go to work at the regularly scheduled time just a few hours later.

5. Small living quarters

If you think guest cabins are small, wait until you see what crew cabins look like.

Unless you’re a higher ranked staff or officer, your room will be generally small.

Most crew typically live with one other roommate in a cabin that is just large enough for the absolute basics: a bunked bed, a small table with a couple dresser drawers and shelves, two small wardrobe closets, and a restroom where you can shit, shower, and shave all at the same time.

As a 5’2″ fun-sized human who doesn’t mind confined spaces, the small cabins don’t really bother me.

I can fit comfortably on my bed with room to spare.

If you’re any taller or larger than me though, crew cabins can be claustrophobic-inducing and extremely uncomfortable.

6. No privacy

There’s nowhere to hide.

Sure, you have your room, but like I mentioned, you’ll probably have a roommate.

This can be extremely difficult for introverts such as myself especially if your job is a front of the house position.

Luckily, many crew cabins have bunked beds with curtains for each bed so you have your own personal coffin of solitude.

The crew cabin quarters you get when working on cruise ships

7. It’s like college all over again

With the confined quarters and small community of stressed out humans, you can only imagine how sloppy things get.

All those cruise ship crew hookup stories?

They’re all true and sometimes too horrifically real.

You’ve either walked in on your roommate on they’ve walked in on you.

Sometimes you wake up and your roommate is hooking up in the bunk above you.

View this post on Instagram Day 5: Villefranche-sur-Mer, Nice, France | Despite the drama I’ve had with cabins and rooming issues since I’ve gotten here, today was a good one. Now to douse my room with Oxivir (AKA super ship bleach) and hopefully get some sleep #freedomadventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Oct 2, 2017 at 1:30pm PDT

8. The food is not the same for crew and guests

Crew members have their own cafeteria (“mess”) separated from guests and even sometimes split between ranks.

Because the majority of crew members tend to be from Asian countries (the Philippines, Indonesia, and India), a lot of the food in the crew mess is catered to their cuisine.

If you’re lucky, some ships will try to include both Asian and Western food options, but it’s not always the case.

View this post on Instagram Day 18: Barcelona, Spain | When you ask the gelato lady if you can just buy a banana because this ship don’t wanna feed this girl her potassium ??‍♀️ #freedomadventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Oct 15, 2017 at 3:28am PDT

9. It’s a bit military-esque

Everything is highly regulated and there are a lot of rules: what you’re allowed to do, where you’re allowed to be, and even what you’re allowed to wear.

There’s a dress code for everything: day, night, formal, smart casual, all black.

Cabins are inspected regularly and beds must be made.

If we fail, our supervisors are notified.

Disciplinary action is super formal: verbal warnings, written warnings, hearings with the master (captain), and dismissal.

Your privileges depend on how many stripes you have (your rank).

There are typically three tiers in the ship social hierarchy: officer, staff (front of the house), and crew (back of the house).

As I mentioned above, some ships have separate messes, one for officers and staff and another for crew.

Depending on how many stripes you have, you may be allowed to be seen around the ship in the public areas such as the shops or eating at one of the restaurants.

10. Crew drills

Every cruise, crew members need to take part in mandatory emergency drills where you have to respond to a simulated incident and answer questions about crisis response protocol.

Sometimes this can last hours, especially if the crew fail to respond properly.

11. Trainings and certifications

If you’re a new hire, expect to spend the entirety of your first few weeks in training courses: basic ship safety, emergency response, evacuation protocol, lifeboat/life raft operations (aka flipping a raft in a pool with a life jacket on while guests watch you), crowd management, security certification, and more.

You’ll need to attend all of these classes in addition to working your actual ship job.

When I was a new hire, I don’t think I had time to get off the ship until the second week.

12. Crew aren’t treated the same as guests

Ever notice that crew members have to go through extra security checks when arriving back onboard, like taking their shoes off and getting a pat-down but guests don’t?

This is because crew are often targeted by locals to smuggle drugs and security is checking to see if we’ve got any contraband on us.

But it’s not just ship security that treats us differently.

Sometimes, unfortunately, local port authorities give us a hard time.

Story time .

This happened when I was in Bermuda and multiple female crew members were stopped at the port security checkpoint by staff who requested a pat-down and weird strip search.

When I was stopped, they separated me from my partner and tried to usher me into a secluded room so that I would be out of public view.

I, set on making a scene in front of everyone, including guests, asked them what they needed to check, and they said they needed me to remove my dress.

They tugged my arm and tried to pull me into the office but I insisted on taking my dress off right there since I was wearing a bikini and I didn’t want to be moved to a secondary location .

John Mulaney on secondary locations in The Comeback Kid

They kept trying to convince me to cooperate until I, like the often spiteful child that I am, finally just pulled my dress up to my head like a toddler and asked if that would suffice.

Then they yelled at me for not following directions.

Once back onboard, I’d heard several other crew ladies had refused the antics and weren’t allowed shore leave there for the next few cruises.

While this definitely isn’t the norm, instances like this do happen unfortunately.

13. You’re always “on stage”

Prepare to smile a lot and always be “on” around guests.

Even if you’re off duty and walking through public areas of the ship, you are still a working employee if guests stop you to ask you a question or need help.

14. Customer service on ships can be demanding and is often brutal

I honestly don’t know what it is that makes some cruise guests the worst types of customers I’ve ever encountered, but it’s definitely helped me build up my patience and Resting “Are You Done” Face.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been yelled at for the most trivial things.

I think some guests think that if they make enough of a fuss, they will be rewarded with some discount or compensation.

Ok, I don’t think this is the case, I know it is as I’ve heard more than a few guests laugh about this.

But us crew members build up a tolerance for poor adult behavior and find ways to cope with it, like corralling a parent into a corner akin to a farm animal after they’ve physically pushed you and barged their way into the secured kids’ facility, all while you talk to them like a child until they calm down.

Side note, if you’re a guest anywhere, please be a decent human to people providing you with services.

It’s not that difficult.

15. The seas can be rough

While guests might deal with seasickness by laying down in their cabins, crew members still need to be at their work areas operating the same as usual no matter what the weather or sea conditions are.

Freedom of the Seas cruising through a Mediterranean sunset

16. The air on ships is extremely dry

As guests, you can spend most of your day outside getting fresh air.

Most crew members work inside the ship though, and in addition to living in a floating metal can of recycled air for months on end, the dry air and dust will definitely affect your health.

After a couple of years on ships, my eyes were completely wrecked to the point that I could no longer wear contacts without my eyes turning bloodshot and I had to have laser correction to remove the chapped top layer of my cornea as well as to restore my vision.

You’ve been warned.

View this post on Instagram Day 134: Curaçao ?? | 10 days left, get me off this ship ? Side note: any recommendations on places to get LASIK done in the Bay Area would be much appreciated. Ship air has dunzo’d these eyes #navigatoradventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Mar 6, 2018 at 1:44pm PST

17. Ship life affects your hormones and health

Blame it on the recycled air, the desalinated water, the fluctuating food quality, high stress, or close living quarters, but your health may take a hit while working on ships.

Some crew members gain weight, some break out with acne, and I, unfortunately, get my period every other week.

I’ve talked about this before in my post about my experience working with Peace Boat and circumnavigating the globe on a world voyage, but basically, be prepared for your body to change.

Related: How I Cruised Around the World for Free with Peace Boat

18. Internet is limited and expensive

I’ve had so many guests ask me if crew members get free Wi-Fi and the truth is that our internet packages actually tend to be more expensive than the guests’.

On Royal Caribbean, an hour of internet for the crew is USD 4 and expires within 24 hours.

While there are other package options for more time or over an extended period, the price per hour is generally about the same.

19. You rarely have control over your assignments

For many crew positions, you won’t be able to request a specific ship or itinerary for several years.

And even then, your preference request might not be granted.

You usually stay with the same ship for the entirety of your contract but there are cases where you might be abruptly transferred to another ship and there’s nothing you can do about it.

They might not even give you 24 hours’ notice.

View this post on Instagram Day 91: Kristiansand, Norway | After a couple dramatic cruises and a near transfer with less than 24 hours’ notice, I’m grateful more than ever to call this floating tin can my home. Good days or bad, I’m not leaving ✊ #serenadeadventures #latergram A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Aug 18, 2018 at 4:44am PDT

20. Long-term relationships are difficult to sustain

Most relationships between crew members are short and limited to the length of the contract.

While it’s not impossible to get a following ship assignment together, it is very difficult and often unlikely.

This of course varies by company, but in my experience, couples need to submit official paperwork that proves they are in a formal, legally binding relationship of some sort and even then there is no guarantee that crew couples can be placed on the same ship.

It used to be easier to produce simple paperwork such as an apartment lease or utility bill with both names on the document to prove your relationship, but rules have since become stricter on many ships.

21. You’re away from family and friends for long periods of time

You end up watching life going on without you through social media: birthdays, weddings, kids growing, pet adoptions, game nights, brunch dates, etc.

Is Working on a Cruise Ship Worth It?

If you’re willing to put in the work and sacrifice the comforts of life at land, working on a cruise ship offers a lifestyle with travel opportunities you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

Of all the jobs I’ve had that paid me to travel or let me see the world for free, my time working on cruise ships is the one chapter in my journey around the world that I look back on the fondest.

There is so much pride in cruise ship crew life, both the work and lifestyle.

While it’s definitely not the easiest travel job, it is the most rewarding.

View this post on Instagram Recovering from the best 147 days I ever worked at sea #serenadeadventures A post shared by Michelle Endo (@wandereatwrite) on Oct 16, 2018 at 1:03pm PDT

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What it's really like working on cruise ships: pros & cons; background photo: pink sunset and sea from top open deck of cruise ship

Michelle is a freelance writer who has traveled to all seven continents and 60+ countries through various forms of employment. Over the last ten years, she’s worked as an ESL teacher in Japan, a youth counselor aboard cruise ships, and a hospitality manager in Antarctica.

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24 comments

I enjoyed reading this informative yet engaging post. Your mental strength is admirable and I love your honesty here. Thank you for sharing an insight into working on cruise ships.

Thanks for reading! Working on ships definitely takes some mental strength but you get used to– and addicted to– the lifestyle after a while.

Thank you for such a great and informatively written article on your experiences, and life working on a cruise ship, very helpful in my consideration. I appreciate your candor and humor as well.

Glad I could help!

A must read. Very well-written. Shared your article to my students who are cruise ship worker aspirants. 👏🏼☺️ 🛳

Wow, I’m flattered! I hope it’s helpful for them :)

Thank you for sharing your amazing journey! Your authenticity is both inspiring & appreciated.

Beautifully written. You answered many questions I had and even some I didn’t know I had :) I enjoyed your writing. I’ve applied to a few cruise ships. Wish me luck. Think we could possibly keep in touch through email?

Glad I could help and sending positive thoughts your way! Feel free to email me if you have further questions and I’ll do my best to help :)

I really enjoyed the read. I have been looking at what a day into he life would be. I wish I would have done this when I was in my 20s. This would have been perfect and to see the world.

i dont know how i got here but thank you its so informative. I have always wanted to work for cruises and I will safely say am still going to apply for it. hopefully will come back with some nice memories if I get it

Hi Michelle, it was very nice and informative to read your post! You could write novels on life on bord! Thank you for the time it took you to write it. Solange from London UK

This is extremely well written, informative, and enjoyable!

Love this because it answered questions I had and was written in a warm, relatable way. Great job and thank you.

Beautifully written, pros and cons are nicely explained, the way it is written with pictures made me to give a thoght about good and difficult times, this article can be an introduction for those who are thinking about pursuing cruise ship life. cruise ship life is really a hard nut to crack. You are a strong person, wish you happiness and more power to you. I enjoyed reading this article.

Thank you! Cruise ship life definitely has its challenges but I also found it to be a rewarding experience.

Wow. I really appreciate and admire you♥️ Im planning to apply for a cruise after experience of 5 star hotel. The disadvantage is too hard whether will i be able to fit. However, im gonna try since it’s my dream to work at cruise🙂 Thankyou so much you gave me alot knowledge about cruise♥️

I stumbled across your stories when I Googled crew life aboard a cruise ship. I will be joining the Pride of America ship with Norwegian Cruise Lines as soon as my MMC credentials have been completed. You are so detailed and the added photos have made this so enjoyable to read and your knowledge has helped me tremendously. Especially with what I need to pack, prohibited items etc. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences with all of us! I am very much looking forward to my life living and working on a cruise ship as a Bartender.

Hey!!!! This was a really great article and really helped with the questions I always had about cruise ship job. Thank you so much!

OMG I am so happy I found you. I will start my first contract in April. And this definitely helped me a lot. I wonder if you have a list of what to bring on board or some tips on what to pack. Thank you

Happy to help! Here’s an article I have for what to pack when working on a cruise ship .

Thanks for this interesting, well-written, behind-the-scenes look at working on a cruise ship!

Thoroughly enjoyed your stories and your views, great enlightenment on what to expect and what are the highlights and restrictions that you cover.

Keep writing

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First-Year Value: $1,574. Earn 80,000 MR points upon spending $15,000 in the first three months. Plus, earn 40,000 MR points upon making a purchase in months 14-17 as a cardholder. And, earn 1.25x MR points on all purchases. Also, receive a $200 annual travel credit.
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Are Cruises Worth it? Pros and Cons – Complete Guide

Are Cruise Worth it?

Advantages of Going on a Cruise

Affordable Vacation

Visiting Multiple Destinations

Relaxing & Stress Free Vacation

Meeting New People

Great Service

Fine Dining

Entertainment

Great Family Vacation

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Unpacking Only Once

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Disadvantages of Going on a Cruise

Limited Time at a Port

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Expensive Excursions

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The Pros of Cruising

Pro: You only have to unpack once

Pro: Seemingly unlimited food and sometimes drinks

Pro: Numerous onboard activities for cruisers of all ages

Pro: Easier to manage the details of the trip

The Cons of Cruising

Con: Food can get repetitive

Con: Additional costs can really add up

Con: Less flexibility with your itinerary

Con: Destinations are often overly touristy

The Final Pro: Most cruises have something for everyone

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Are Cruises Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Cruising

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The Pros of Cruising

You really do get a lot for your money

There’s no need for you to plan

You can see more destinations in one trip

Cruising appeals to a lot of people

Cruising can take you places you otherwise couldn’t go

You don’t always need a passport

The Cons of Cruising

You might not get as much for your money as you expect

This isn’t a mode of travel for the free-spirited, spur-of-the-moment traveler

It can be difficult to really immerse yourself in a destination

Cruise ships are crowded

Cruising isn’t exactly sustainable

Cruising forces you to unplug

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