Set Sail for a Cruise Holiday

A holiday on a cruise ship is like being on a floating resort city. You can travel to several exotic destinations and yet enjoy comfortable sleep at night, relish delicious freshly prepared food and enjoy live entertainment on board. 

Checking in is a smooth process at the reception area. While on board, you do not have to carry a wad of cash around. The cabin room cards double up as purchase cards so you can run up a tab. Transactions at retail, food and entertainment points are recorded on the card and the overall bill can be cleared when you check out. 

Cruise holidays are gaining popularity as they are becoming affordable. All meals, entertainment and the use of various amenities are already factored into the price you pay, making it a value for money proposition. However, you do have to tally additional highlights such as shore excursions, special meals and certain on-board facilities that cost extra.

Cruising is a great option for the whole family since cruise ships usually include suitable programmes for families. Young children can be taken care of by trained staff members leaving parents free to explore and enjoy the facilities the ship has to offer. You also have the assurance of knowing there is a medical centre on board with a doctor on hand to treat minor illness or injuries.  

With a cruise vacation, you only need to unpack and pack at the beginning and end of the journey. It is possible to enjoy a vacation simply floating out at sea or with stopovers at several interesting port cities without the need to check in and out of airports and hotels. Immigration procedures are usually processed on board and done painlessly. 

Shore excursions are well organised with transport provided to ferry passengers to and from the port of call to the city or destination proper. As a rule, a local guide accompanies the tour to give insight into the various stops on the outing.  

When you’re not on-shore on an excursion, you can simply kick off your heels and relax at a leisurely pace while enjoying the view of the sea, passing ships and surrounding islands. Or your cruise experience can be packed with a variety of programmes available on board.  

Some of the activities you can join include aerobics and circuit training at the fitness centre, language and art classes, enter a shuffleboard competition or learn ballroom dancing. The pool deck is a great place for fun and frolic under the sun so be sure to pack your swimming gear. For children and teens, the action usually revolves around the video arcade, play area and games room equipped with card and board games. 

When the sun goes down, it is time to roll out a line up of evening entertainment. You can spend the evening watching a live band perform, learn Latin dance moves or dance under the stars. At the end of each day, you simply retire to your designated cabin to stretch out and sleep on a comfortable bed.

Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that there is a growing number of families, retirees, honeymooners and young people who are opting for cruise holidays in regional and international circuits. 

Article writtern for www.natastravel.com