Riding the shuttle to the cruise port last week I struck up a conversation with an elderly couple. I asked the husband how many cruises they had been on to which he replied “this will be our 72nd cruise”.” I was a little taken aback. That was dedicated cruising!
I was about to board the Majestic Princess for a cruise to the ABC Islands. For those of you unfamiliar, that’s the islands of Bonaire, Curacao, and Aruba in the Caribbean. Compared to that couple I met, I was an infant in the cruising world, having been on only one cruise with my husband many years prior.
While I don’t dislike cruises, this form of travel is not necessarily my favorite. I decided to give cruising another chance after some traveling friends included me- and because I love spending time with my traveling friends, and it fit into my travel budget, I eagerly said yes to the cruise. Of course spending a week’s escape from the dull gray of winter in Wisconsin also played a significant roll. A tropical getaway this time of the year has become a requirement for my sanity.
What I do enjoy about cruising is sipping fruity drinks while lounging around the pool, the endless optional activities, and the service is usually divine.
For this cruise aboard the Majestic Princess I reserved an inside cabin to save some money. I figured I would spend more time on deck and lounging with my friends than in my room. While I was apprehensive about feeling claustrophobic, I had no issues and my cabin was perfect for me as I roomed by myself. I rather enjoyed having my own cool sanctuary for an afternoon nap, or just when I wanted some quiet time. My favorite was to enjoy morning coffee and a croissant delivered to my cabin everyday. I had upgraded to the Princess Plus Package and it included free room service. Also covered was up to 15 drinks per day, WIFI for one device and all gratuities, among other things. Was the plus package worth it? To me it was, but it is always a matter of personal preference.
I really enjoyed each island we visited. For two of them I booked excursions through the cruise. Both were hurried and unremarkable. For the first island of Bonaire, I broke from the group and booked a golf cart rental through Bonaire Cruisers. I Absolutely would do that again in a heartbeat. Even though I only had a few hours with the cart due to late arrival in port, I enjoyed stopping for as long as I wish along the road. I took lots of pictures, and found a flat sandy stretch of beach where I got my feet wet. Bonaire is famous for diving and snorkeling due to the abundance of reefs just off the rocky shoreline.
I realized these tiny bite sized samples of the islands were too brief for me.
While I was not a great judge of onboard cruise entertainment options, I heard a lot of people saying the shows were good. I went to see a comedian one night and he was hilarious. Other than that, I played some Queen trivia, and danced a bit on Silent Disco Night. I opted to spend most of my time with a book or getting caught up with my friends.
Cruises are famous for its 24 hour access to food. The endless food on the buffets, easy access to pizza, ice cream, and drinks is a hard temptation to avoid. Some people love the easy access to great food. Personally I have little restraint when it comes to food. It’s the reason I cannot handle eating every meal in a restaurant when I am traveling. I prefer a refrigerator and preferably a kitchen so I can limit the food I have in front of me. Since there was so much variety and the veggies and salads were in abundance, I really did okay. I did utilize the gym nearly every day we were at sea. You cannot beat the view from the treadmill. I was pretty proud of myself for this.
All in all this trip was about the sun, sea, and relaxation. This cruise delivered all that in aces. I decided I definitely wanted to return to the ABC islands for a longer stay to explore more.
But the answer to the real question, “did I change my mind about cruises?” is not really. I wouldn’t make cruising my main way to vacation and could not image going on 72 of them. While it served its purpose for a fun in the sun vacation, and I loved getting a taste of the islands, I still prefer to have my feet firmly planted on the ground. I love to immerse myself into a place. Experience culture. Dig into history. If I can combine that with the sun, sea, and a little relaxation interwoven through, I’m on the perfect vacation.
