#thatcruiselife. Before my most recent cruise, I was talking about my upcoming trip to various people, and the consensus from people who had never cruised before was, “I’m just not sure I will like it.” I am here to give you some great reasons to take a cruise as your next vacation, and even better: why you should cruise with Norwegian Cruise line.
If you have never been on a cruise before or are worried that it’s not that fun…you are WRONG! When you go on a cruise, you are essentially on a walking resort taking you to different destinations. Here are 5 reasons why I think cruises are a great way to vacation:
1. Food & Drinks
Norwegian Cruise line is known for their freestyle cruising. That means you can eat any time you want and vacation on your own schedule. Between my last cruise and most recent was about 3.5 years, so I could really tell some differences. There are less complimentary restaurants and more “sur charge” restaurants. The difference in quality between the two levels is night and day. I had some of the most amazing meals when I paid a bit more to eat there. They have every type of food you can think of! Having the unlimited drink package on the cruise was something I didn’t realize ended up being a must have. Being able to lay by the pool and have an endless amount of drinks coming without having to worry about the cost was amazing. I enjoyed being able to have a drink with all of my meals as well.
Travel Tip: Book a cruise when NCL is offering great booking bonuses. We booked on the “pick two” promotion where you pick 3 upgraded meals, WIFI, excursion discounts, or unlimited drinks. We chose upgraded meals and unlimited drinks on board. This is a savings of almost $1000!
2. Entertainment
Cruise ships do a great job of providing 18 hours of entertainment (you still need those 6 hours to sleep!). Each day, NCL will provide you will the following day’s list of activities and restaurant hours. This is a great way for you to be able to plan out your day! Here are some examples of entertainment NCL has on their cruises:
- Pool activities: “sexy leg competition,” belly flop contest, DJ’s and singers
- Evening entertainment: Musicals, Deal or No Deal, Karaoke, themed dance parties each night
- Wine Tasting
- Pub Crawl
- Art walk
- Spa
Travel Tip: Book a spa appointment when in port. It is cheaper then when you are on the boat for a full day at sea.
3. Visit multiple destinations
Probably the biggest reason I enjoy cruising is because of the type of traveler I am. I have come to the conclusion that there are too many destinations I want to see in my lifetime so in order to try and see as many places as I can, I like that a cruise will take me to 2-5 countries within my trip. I am the type of traveler that if I am in one location for just a day, I am satisfied. Chances are, I will probably never be back again and I am okay with just being there for a day. If you are like me, then cruises will help you knock sever places off your long list. Some places I have visited while cruising are:
- Juneau, Alaska
- Prince Rupert, British Columbia
- Skagway, Alaska
- Ketchikan, Alaska
- Oahu, Hawaii
- Kauai, Hawaii
- Maui, Hawaii
- Kona, Hawaii
- Hilo, Hawaii
- Acupulco, Mexico
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Ixtapa, Mexico
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Freeport, Bahamas
- St. Thomas, USVI
- Tortola, BVI
- Grand Stirrup Cay, Bahamas
4. Private Island
Bahamas cruise bonus: Grand Stirrup Cay is owned by Norwegian Cruise line, so the other cruise lines have their own private islands you may visit depending on your itinerary. We were informed that the previous two cruises were not able to visit this island because the water was too choppy to get the tenders over to the island. We had a paddle board excursion planned which I had never done before and was super excited about. We weren’t able to do it because the water was too rough so that was disappointing. The island made up for it though! The view is just like a postcard! We wandered further down the beach away from the crowd and discovered a lagoon that no one was swimming in yet. The cruise line also set up a BBQ on the beach with tons of food. They had a place you could buy drinks as well as beach volleyball. Other excursion options include: Wave runner, water slide, snorkel, and kayaking.
5. Rooms
Depending on your budget, there are different room levels! I have now been on 5 cruises and have stayed in a balcony room every time. I don’t think I can ever cruise without staying in a balcony room. Just being able to relax in your room while getting ready for dinner with the sliding door open and the ocean breeze through your room is unbeatable! Another perk to having a balcony room are the views you will have when you are arriving or are in port! Different room types include:
- Inside Stateroom: Room with no window and no balcony
- Stateroom with Window: Room with just a window, no balcony
- Balcony Stateroom: Room with a balcony
- Penthouse: Larger stateroom, typically will have multiple rooms and a balcony
- President Suite: Larger stateroom, typically will have multiple rooms and be located at the end of the ship. This room will also have a larger balcony, sometimes a hot tub as well.
Have you all ever cruised? Please tell me your favorite cruise line and favorite destination! I would love to know.
Do you love cruising? What is your favorite cruse line and what destination is your favorite?
#cruise #norwegiancruiseline #ncl #travel #tropical #alaska #hawaii #mexico #bahamas
