I have a friend that owns a business in Texas that goes by Ed and we always seem to meet up at his corporate office located near the airport. We recently had a long discussion on whether cruising is real travel and we reached a conclusion that cruising is actually authentic travel. Here are some of the reasons that made us reach this conclusion.
Sea and land
When cruising, you don’t spend time on water only. You make pre- and post-cruise tours on land. In some cases, you stay in hotels and go sightseeing on land. You also get an opportunity to explore coastal cities. Thus, cruising gives you a chance to blend sea and land excursions. Clearly, this is the best travel experience.
Off-the-beaten-path Itineraries
While cruising, you see different places that you may not have a chance to see while traveling on land. You make stops at islands that may be difficult to land by plane. Basically, you to travel to places that many people don’t go when they use planes, cars, and trains while cruising.
Overnight Travels
Cruising, gives you a chance to stop at some of the grandest cities. It gives you an opportunity to tour some of the best cities at night and cruise during the day. Essentially, cruising enables you to enjoy nighttime travel activities on the basis of the local culture.
Destination Immersion
Whether you opt to cruise or travel on land, you get an opportunity to immerse in the new culture of your destination. You get authentic experiences that are characterized by participating in the cultural performances of your hosts. In some cases, cruise directors hold briefs on the highlights and history of the next port. This makes passengers aware of what to expect from their next destination.
Seeing the World
Cruising gives you a chance to see the world without facing logistical challenges that are associated with land transportation. That’s because you don’t have to move from one ship to another like you would move from one bus to another while traveling on land. Onboard atmosphere becomes your home. You know crewmembers and make overland tours thereby having an opportunity to see inland places. Typically, a world cruise itinerary can span up to four months. During this period, you make stops to ports, cities, and islands. Thus, you end up seeing more places than you would when traveling on land.
Basically, cruising is real traveling. Nevertheless, you should compare the benefits of cruising to those of traveling on land to make a more informed travel decision.