You don’t cruise, you lose!
Cruises have undergone a major regeneration recently. Whereas once upon a time they were something you only did if you were rich, nowadays there are massively affordable cruises available to different parts of the world, meaning more and more of us can see several destinations all within the space of a week or two. For someone who enjoys snippets of places, maybe trying a few out before going back for a longer period of time, this is the perfect choice. 
Where would you choose to cruise? Personally I’d go Caribbean, yet there are many other routes available, including Far East, Norwegian Fjords, Mediterranean, Transatlantic, Canary Islands – you name it. Of course, if you’re feeling flush and you have time to spare, you could go around the world!
The good thing about cruising is that you don’t have a luggage allowance restriction, so you can take whatever you want, however bear in mind that if you’re having to fly to get to your ship, you will be subject to airline allowances. A good way to get around this is to board your ship at Southampton. This is a good option if you want more time to explore your ship too, as the onboard facilities are like a holiday in themselves.
The next decision after which route do you take, which cruise liner company do you choose, which date do you go on, is what kind of room do you opt for? You could go for balcony, meaning you wake to the sea every day, however I wouldn’t spend that kind of money, and instead use my room as a base and get out and about as much as possible, spending time on the deck, checking out the scenery and also the huge swimming pool. 
The next poser is excursions. Once you have your itinerary in place, it’s time to decide where you want to visit when you hit shore. Your cruise company will no doubt have lots of suggestions, and will have their own excursions to sell you, however there are many street vendor companies when you get to your destinations that will show you the sights, probably for a fraction of the price. What is worth remembering however is if for whatever reason you’re late back to the ship, when it is due to set sail again, it’s your own responsibility and they will leave without you. Simply factor in plenty of time and you’ll be fine.
Seeing so many places in such a short space of time will no doubt leave you awe-struck and a little exhausted but it’s worth it for the memories you’ll make. It’s all about being organized before you go, making sure you’re in the right frame of mind to enjoy your time away. Whenever I fly anywhere, I always check out airport and real time information before I leave the house, especially to see if my flight is still scheduled on time. I recently went to Paris and I checked out Manchester Airport departures before I left the house, for all the up to date information. No matter where you’re flying from, be sure to do this, as you’ll also get information on the airport itself, meaning you don’t miss out on any facilities or special things to see. I’m flying from London next week and I’ll be checking out all the information on Heathrow departures with Holiday Extras in good time, so I’m well prepared.
A cruise truly is one of the best ways to see a lot, in a short space of time – remember that camera!
About the Author: Craig is a traveler from the United Kingdom who loves to take cruises from around the world.
Note: The pictures in this post do not belong to beontheroad.com and have been borrowed from wikipedia creative commons by the author of this post.
