A year has passed since I first sailed on Royal Caribbean's massive Wonder of the Seas.
Cruise Ships Have Become a Destination All Their Own
07.11.2023 - 21:47 / travelpulse.com / Rich Thomaselli
The demand for travel is best exemplified by the popularity of taking a cruise right now.
Cruising has never been more popular.
What makes them so attractive is that they are no longer just a means to an end. They are no longer just a vestibule to take you from one island to the next.
Cruise ships have become a destination unto themselves.
Oh, there’s still something to be said for taking a multi-night cruise and getting off at ports in Europe or the Caribbean and exploring. That kind of wanderlust will never dampen and never change.
But cruise companies have made it so you never have to get off the ship if you don’t want to.
On some ships, there are ice skating rinks, water slides, race tracks, games, activities, concerts and even Broadway shows.
And the food, of course, is to die for, with 24-hour service and even some ships with five-star and signature restaurants. You don’t want anything you can't get while taking a cruise.
For those who want to get off the ship and lie on a beach and enjoy the ocean, some cruise lines even have their own private islands.
Naturally, nothing will ever replace seeing Buckingham Palace, the Roman Colosseum, or the Eiffel Tower, up close and personal. But the cruise lines are making it so that some of their ships are just as much of a destination as one of those landmarks.
Travelers no longer say, ‘I am taking a cruise,’ and leave it at that. Now, they identify the ship and all of its amenities. It’s almost mythical in nature. You don’t just travel to the port of Miami or Port Canaveral as part of the transportation process.
You arrive there.
Even better, cruising gives you a bang for your buck. Sure, you could fly to the Caribbean, for instance, and get there quicker. But for what you would pay in airfare, lodging, and meals, a cruise can sometimes make it more beneficial.
You might see a sporting event on a plane when a fistfight breaks out over a reclining seat. But when was the last time you also saw a Broadway production?
No, cruises are now making their ships a destination.
Go and visit!
Make a cruise the end of your journey, not just a part of it.
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