Planes, trains, cars, trams, and of course, ships can all be part of a traveller’s itinerary.
Cruising, however, is something I really love. Whether for two days, ten days or 243 days, there’s a cruise to a destination to suit everyone.
Short cruises of two, three, four, or five days are a fantastic way to take a quick break from work and your everyday life. You can leave on Monday and be back by Saturday, in time for another weekend! You can be spoiled, have fun, and forget about everything and everyone that may be stressing you out.
Relaxation is the captain’s order as soon as you step on board.
Every day is a new adventure on a cruise, whether it’s a day at sea where you can explore the ship and its amenities or laze by the pool and work on your holiday suntan. Of course, a day at sea can also be spent chatting with friends and people-watching (and there are all sorts of people on a cruise)!
Suppose you take an excursion organised by your cruise company. In that case, you are taken to your destination, guided around the significant sights that are a must-see and then delivered back to your ship in plenty of time for departure. There’s no fussing with unknown tour operators and no uncertainties.
On a ship, you don’t need to cook. You don’t need to clean, and you don’t need to make your bed ever!
The cabin crew do their best to ensure you have everything you need, and once they get to know you, even on a short cruise, they will ensure your wants are catered for even before you need to ask.
In fact, the ships are spotless. The crew work hard to keep all the public spaces immaculate. There is never an empty dish or cup left unattended.
Every question you ask of any crew member is answered first with a big smile and then a detailed answer. We even had an off-duty crew member escort us to our restaurant one night because we were so hopelessly lost (and frustrated). This was above and beyond the call of duty, but we appreciated his assistance!
Want to eat a burger and fries for breakfast, lunch and dinner? That can be arranged! There are many places to eat on every cruise, from the informal poolside snack stops to the buffet area and, of course, the more formal dining rooms. Every ship will also have an exclusive restaurant where you can dine sumptuously from an a la carte menu designed specifically for that ship.
One of the highlights of my last cruise was an afternoon High Tea on the High Seas. Decorated like a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, the individual cakes and quarter sandwiches were yum, yum, yummy! The Wait Staff did an excellent job in serving this High Tea.
There are plenty of bars, so you can never go thirsty, whether for a cocktail, beer or mocktail. There are plenty of water stations around the food areas, so you can always be well-hydrated.
Are you worried you’ll be bored? I’ve been on quite a few cruises and have loved the entertainment on each one. Of course, every cruise offers something (and someone) different.
Don’t be surprised to see well-known comedians turn up on short cruises! There are cabaret shows with fabulous professional singers and dancers. On my last cruise, one night, the cabaret show was 70s-themed, and the other night it was the 1980s. Both nights were great fun, with audiences singing and dancing along.
But that’s not all. There were musicians in the main areas to entertain guests every afternoon and evening, and every day was different. We didn’t have enough time to see and do everything!
For more active guests, there are games like mini-golf, and some ships have magnificent slides into their pools. These will keep children (and adults) amused for hours.
I can talk for ages about why you should try a cruise for your next short (or even long break). The beauty is that you can try a short cruise close to home before you venture on a more extended cruise to more exotic destinations to see whether you will like it.
Let me tell you this; I took a friend with me on my last cruise. (I hope she doesn’t read this!) Before we had finished the cruise, we were already planning our next cruise just six weeks later!
Try one cruise, and I bet you will get hooked too!
