WHY DO YOU CRUISE? WHAT IS THE DRAW?

[Moby Dick]

For me, it's easy:

 

[leesam82]

I specifically cruise for two reasons. 1) I love the fact that I do not need to plan too many things in additional to the cruise itself. I don't need to call and figure out what restaurants to eat at etc. I don't need to worry if the restaurant is accessible. For me cruising is very convenient. Everything is right there. Essentially its a traveling all inclusive resort that moves to different ports. 2) I love the mulit-generational activities on board. I do a lot of traveling with grand parents, kids, other parents. It is nice knowing that there is something for everyone no matter the age. I personally think RCL has done a pretty good job of emphasizing this. I have family members that want to just do nothing and enjoy the sea breeze and read, while others want to go to the casino, and others who love the onboard shows. Cruises have a good mix of things for everyone in the family. 

[Jolly Ogre]

Nobody asks me any questions other than what would I like and would I like any more and they do it with a smile.

[jabberwk]

The water brings me peace.

[Moby Dick]

Seriously, and that's hard for me to do, I cruise for the SHIP and the ocean.  I grew up in S. Florida, (Dania, FL) about a mile from the ocean, so I love the ocean.  The cruise ship's are amazing to me, especially the super huge Oasis Class ships.  So, I cruise for those two things, the ship and the ocean, I really don't care if I actually go to a Port of Call, I'm as happy as can be just watching the ocean go by and exploring the ship.  

[Sweety]

8 minutes ago, jabberwk said:

The water brings me peace.

We will be on the Grandeur 4/2-4/7/2023. 

[Neesa]

I like to escape reality for a bit. We keep the news off. We wake up in new location's and share family time making memories. It's a great mix of quiet reflection on the mornings balcony to celebrating milestones in our lives. We choose joy, sailing gives us joy. Time is something I cherish, can't get it back. I hope my daughter has lifetime memories of our time at sea. That's why we love it.

[OCSC Mike]

The (mostly) all-inclusive nature that includes food, beverage, entertainment, and travel... plus I only have to drive an hour to my home port.

[Vancity Cruiser]

I love the open ocean! For this reason river cruising is not appealing to me. The open ocean helps me feel disconnected. Ports of call are secondary to me. I love that the room, activities, dining, and entertainment is all within easy distance. There are not a lot of decisions to be made once on board.

[Moby Dick]

19 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

The (mostly) all-inclusive nature that includes food, beverage, entertainment, and travel... plus I only have to drive an hour to my home port.

As stated above, I grew up in Dania, FL (it's now officially called Dania Beach), the Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Port Everglades are, at least partially, in Dania.  After retiring from the U.S. Army, and doing a few other things, I went to work at FLL managing the parking facilities, eventually moved over to Port Everglades managing the parking facilities there, where I retired in 2005.  I never wanted to cruise.  I was retired from Port Everglades for several years and living in Indiana before I decided it was time to cruise, thanks to my wife.  It took me moving several hundreds of miles away from a port to get interested in cruising.  You're the lucky one, you're only an about an hour away.  I'm now in Oxford, AL and even to get to Canaveral, it's about a 9 hour drives, Port Everglades is about a 12 hour drive. 

[CruizIan]

Definitely everyone has mentioned the All-inclusive nature of cruising. Additionally I love that you can do the multigeneration while appealing to different family members budgets. When we do land based vacations with 20+ family members and get like a big beach house or something I know that it can put a strain on a lot of people that attend and the additional dining costs and entertainment. Not to mention that we are all usually under one roof so you tend to get a bit too close for comfort.

[Traveling Mike]

I do not have to make plans or decisions.  The cruise ship gives me lots of things to do and if I feel like it I do them.  If I do not feel like it I don't.  When doing a vacation on land I am stuck to planning everything and need to stick with the plan.  On a cruise ship I can do anything that I feel like doing.  

[Moby Dick]

24 minutes ago, CruizIan said:

Definitely everyone has mentioned the All-inclusive nature of cruising. Additionally I love that you can do the multigeneration while appealing to different family members budgets. When we do land based vacations with 20+ family members and get like a big beach house or something I know that it can put a strain on a lot of people that attend and the additional dining costs and entertainment. Not to mention that we are all usually under one roof so you tend to get a bit too close for comfort.

Okay, now I'm pissed.  You are from Foley, AL.  You are close to Lambert's.  Nothing beats their potatoes and the rolls they throw at you, the rolls that is.   I love that place.  I think my wife and I are going to have to take a day trip to go there again, real soon.  Also, just down the street about a half mile, Culver's.  Love that fast food place too, their frozen custard is the best and they, at least my experience, know how to hire young people that actually care and do a great job.  

[CrznTxn]

Wake up when I want .... sleep when I want .... lay out by the pool when I want .... eat when I want. Hmmmm I think I see a trend here. Vacations before I was the elected "activities" director and had to plan for everyone else with no one being happy about the choices. Now my wife is happy she can do the things she wants to do, so am I, and I can go off and do what I want to do. We still do a lot together but having choices with no pressure of time is what keeps us coming back, plus the free Diamond+ drinks.

[CrimsonCruiser]

1. Gives me a chance to visit places in an "appetizer" fashion that I might have otherwise not have gone to.
2. All-inclusive.
3. Pretty pretty sea.

[ChessE4]

Similar to others, for us it is the total value proposition - all the things we like to do with great service, and we more or less just choose from a vacation menu.  I will call out two particular items important to me:  live music and dancing.  Cruising lacks the intensity of a week-long land trip to a foreign country, but it offers variety; you aren't betting all of your vacation dollars on a single experience.

[FireFishII]

I like it to test out the waters. With the shore excursions, I can just get a taste of what a country is like.  If I enjoyed my time, I will look into doing a land vacation in that country.  But I relax better on a cruise than anywhere else. No worries!

 

[Srp431]

No driving anywhere . I drive 1 hour each way to work and look forward to no time behind the wheel. Also, I do all the menu planning and cooking, so it's nice to not worry about meals for a change.

[AandD]

2 hours ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

1. Gives me a chance to visit places in an "appetizer" fashion that I might have otherwise not have gone to.
2. All-inclusive.
3. Pretty pretty sea.

I like how you said number 1. We have been to a lot of places as an appetizer while cruising. We would have never thought about spending a vacation in Puerta Rico or even Panama. But we are talking about it now.

[FoxboroCruiser]

I can pay for the vacation over time. I can pay almost 100% of what it will cost me ahead of time so don’t have to count every dollar for the duration of the vacation.  The service is better than most resorts, the ocean is great, entertainment is included, and I unpack once to visit multiple places. Most of that stuff is unique to cruising (most). Royal has a lot of ships in multiple ports, there’s always a new experience to be had.

[HeWhoWaits]

Cruising appeals to us for the following reasons (in order):

1 - Sea Days - nothing is more relaxing than just watching the water, especially in an aft-facing stateroom

2 - Multiple places to visit while only unpacking/repacking once

3 - We can each do as much or as little as we want, and there's no concern about whether we do it together or not

[SPS]

I don't even know where to start, but all of the reasons above and more.

1. We like the ability to book well in advance and pay over time before the cruise. It's nice after a great vacation to not have large credit card bill or have a considerably lower bank balance.
2. It's much less stressful than a typical land vacation. I don't have to rent a car and get us from place to place on a daily basis. Our "Hotel" takes us from place to place with spectacular views along the way.
3. Other than the occasional specialty dining experience, we don't have to worry about shelling out money for restaurant food several times each day. And where else am I going to be able to try caviar and escargot for no additional charge?
4. So many activities that would cost so much extra on land that are included; Entertainers, Theater shows, Flowrider, iFly Skydiving sim, the North Star, and so much more.
5. We have been able to visit destinations that we had never even thought we would be able to see.
6. We like being able to do "as much" or "as little" as we want. Particularly on sea days. Nothing better than having a cocktail out on the deck while the waves roll by OR while soaking in the hot tub in the Solarium.
7. SERVICE: Sometime during the first day of each cruise, I'm reminded of just how much the crew and staff spoil us! They crew on each ship we've sailed on aims to please.
8. The chance to "unplug".  We purposely do NOT buy internet service so we can get away from the usual noise of our daily lives and live more in the moment.

THERE'S MORE BUT THIS POST IS GETTING TOO LONG! 

[PatsFanBrian]

For all the reasons already mentioned.  Not sure how many more I could add.

Cruising is definitely not for everyone.  We took our first cruise back in '06 and fell in love with it.  Others we know have been on one and told us that once was enough.  There's a vacation style for everyone, this is the one that works for us.

[Funeegal]

We cruise because we get assistance with our special needs kids/teens.  We travel with Autism on the Seas (AOTS) and they provide volunteers to provide assistance with our kids so we can enjoy and have a vacation.  It can be difficult traveling with special needs guests and parents need a break, too!  Cruising gives us a chance to travel safely and be able to relax.  RCL staff is fantastic with our kiddos and it provides the kids with opportunities to see the world and experience things they may not have a chance to do.

If you ever see a bunch or orange shirts that say STAFF on the back, pop on over and say hi!  That is what we call TeamOrange and they are the amazing volunteers that help families.

AOTS doesn't just help those who have autism or are autistic.  They deal with all specials needs individuals needing assistance from age 3 to adult.

[LovetoCruise87]

Do what ever I want, or do nothing. Sleep in. Sit on the balcony on sea days and enjoy the view. Spend great time with my wife. Enjoy great food and amazing shows. Disconnect from the world for a week. 

[Shari]

The first time sitting on the balcony by myself and watching the ocean roll by all of my stress just drains out of me. 

[BrianB]

All of the above…plus;

I usually sail solo. At first I planned cruises with others…and then tried cruising solo. Changed my life. Living in the northeast the winters can be annoyingly dull…short days with cold, wet weather. No outside activities for me…I don’t do winter sports. So I sail to summer. I love cruising out of the Hudson River in winter, usually on the Anthem in the fully enclosed, heated Solarium with the full glass forward view. And then, seeing how the temperature warms up virtually by the hour as we sail south. I’ll usually cruise from September to May. I love staying aboard at the ports (been there done that) and enjoying the near empty ship…although it seems a lot more passengers are opting to stay aboard. Port Liberty is a short drive. I love everything from planning, packing and driving to the port…and, after the cruise, I can’t wait to go back. I now do primarily b2bs. It’s a great feeling when seeing the luggage in the halls on the last night knowing I’m staying aboard. Being solo, I do what I want, when I want. I can meet people…or not. I can remain gloriously anonymous or join a conversation. I find cruisers are always welcoming and pleasant…heck, they’re on vacation. 
It’s a great lifestyle and I know that I am lucky to be able to do it…and grateful. Enjoy!

[whitsmom]

20 minutes ago, Shari said:

The first time sitting on the balcony by myself and watching the ocean roll by all of my stress just drains out of me. 

This is me!!  I love peaceful I feel just sitting there even when it is totally dark outside and listen to the ocean.  I love that I can see lots of places and sleep in the same bed every night and not pack and unpack each night.  Sometimes we cruise with just the two of us, sometimes with our kids/grands, and sometimes with our friends.  We really enjoy seeing places we have never been, especially this coming August when we cruise the British Isles (Bucket List).  It will be port intensive and we have excursions booked to all the places.  We haven't retired yet but we are close.  We want to see and do while we are healthy. 

[D Alt]

I love cruising for the ship, the open water, the views and the convenience and practicality of it all.  Even with today's fuel costs and rising cruise costs, it's still reasonable. You get a week's worth of travel in one place!  Imagine trying to book a regular trip nowadays that includes food, nice hotel and entertainment plus travel costs all under $1500 pp.?  

[TravisMA81]

1.  I get way more bang for my buck compared to staying in a hotel and finding food.

2.  The warm weather.  I am from Iowa and try to escape some of the winter weather. 

3.  I like all the different live music/bars and getting some Sorrento's late at night.

[Ampurp85]

I cruise because I like the tranquility of the water. Nothing like reading a nice book and occasionally looking out at the vast sea. Plus, you can do whatever: meet new friends, scavenger hunt/trivia, watch shows, and eat like kings.

Even when I take a primarily land vacation, I end up cursing; whether it's a day cruise or a river cruise. 

The cost is a boon to. We spent almost as much on 4 days at WDW/Universal than a 7-day sky class cruise.

[smost]

The ease of it all. Once you’re on the ship, all you really need to worry about is having a good time.

With a land based vacation there’s usually a lot of coordinating between parties and vehicles and activities. On the ship, the activities are planned. You simply show up.

The fact that there’s always something going on at all times. I know you can get that an an all inclusive resort but not for the same price.

Being out on the open water and the calm that comes with that.

[Done]

I like unpacking once and having the "hotel" transport me to new places. 

 

[jabberwk]

4 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

Cruising appeals to us for the following reasons (in order):

1 - Sea Days - nothing is more relaxing than just watching the water, especially in an aft-facing stateroom

2 - Multiple places to visit while only unpacking/repacking once

3 - We can each do as much or as little as we want, and there's no concern about whether we do it together or not

I always shoot for an aft-facing cabin if possible. My favorite view.....

[Michael Young]

We have cruised with RCI for over 25 years now. We are Diamond members, but that is not why we cruise.  We cruise with RCI because we know what to expect in terms of experience and service whenever we cruise. It is not the only means of travel, but because of its "familiarity" we know what to expect. We have now experienced two cruises post covid and even with RCI's health mandates, we continue to enjoy the experience. We recently completely a 7-day Alaska Cruise on Radiance of the Seas with a post bus and train tour.  Our next cruise will be this coming October, 2022 with Harmony of the Seas.  With cruising you can elect to take it easy and enjoy the ship and ports of call, or you can book a myriad of shore excursions and wear yourself out.  The choice is yours and that's why we enjoy cruising.

 

[HeWhoWaits]

59 minutes ago, jabberwk said:

I always shoot for an aft-facing cabin if possible. My favorite view.....

My wife's favorite tee shirt (not just cruise-related, but favorite in general) says "Wake view is the best view."

[tonyfsu21]

We have been cruisers since I was a kid in the 1980’s in Fort Lauderdale. I am well traveled and have yet to find a land based vacation that was a better experience then a cruise vacation. The all inclusive (not referring to cost just amenities) aspect of the Oasis class ships is my families favorite vacation. Taking it one step further, Deck 17 makes cruising even that much better! The pool, the food & drinks, the balcony, the casino, the shows, the activities makes for an endless list of fun for everyone in my family. Can’t wait to get back on another ship very soon! 

[D Alt]

5 hours ago, BrianB said:

All of the above…plus;

I usually sail solo. At first I planned cruises with others…and then tried cruising solo. Changed my life. Living in the northeast the winters can be annoyingly dull…short days with cold, wet weather. No outside activities for me…I don’t do winter sports. So I sail to summer. I love cruising out of the Hudson River in winter, usually on the Anthem in the fully enclosed, heated Solarium with the full glass forward view. And then, seeing how the temperature warms up virtually by the hour as we sail south. I’ll usually cruise from September to May. I love staying aboard at the ports (been there done that) and enjoying the near empty ship…although it seems a lot more passengers are opting to stay aboard. Port Liberty is a short drive. I love everything from planning, packing and driving to the port…and, after the cruise, I can’t wait to go back. I now do primarily b2bs. It’s a great feeling when seeing the luggage in the halls on the last night knowing I’m staying aboard. Being solo, I do what I want, when I want. I can meet people…or not. I can remain gloriously anonymous or join a conversation. I find cruisers are always welcoming and pleasant…heck, they’re on vacation. 
It’s a great lifestyle and I know that I am lucky to be able to do it…and grateful. Enjoy!

agreed.  although i can't do b2bs.  

[FSUFAN]

I don't have to do jack squat.  Last cruise we went on a 5-day Bahama deal, I didn't even get off of the boat.  

Next cruise is just me and Mrs Fan. 

The cruise after that is with my grown kids and their spouses to Alaska (R/T Seattle on the Quantum).  We tried the "rent a large house" thing and we were still falling all over each other.  With the cruise, the only interaction that is somewhat mandatory is dinner. We are mostly on different floors. They may want to party late into the night, and I am ready for bed. I get up early and my daughter is an early riser (her hubby is a sleep-in guy) and she will meet me for coffee on deck somewhere (she is shipping her kdis off to her MILs for the week - she tells me "I need a vacation too dad" - LOL). Mrs Fan wants her tea in the room on the balcony and wants to be left alone to wake up. It works for the family as we can interact as much or as little as we want.

[tonyfsu21]

1 hour ago, FSUFAN said:

I don't have to do jack squat.  Last cruise we went on a 5-day Bahama deal, I didn't even get off of the boat.  

Next cruise is just me and Mrs Fan. 

The cruise after that is with my grown kids and their spouses to Alaska (R/T Seattle on the Quantum).  We tried the "rent a large house" thing and we were still falling all over each other.  With the cruise, the only interaction that is somewhat mandatory is dinner. We are mostly on different floors. They may want to party late into the night, and I am ready for bed. I get up early and my daughter is an early riser (her hubby is a sleep-in guy) and she will meet me for coffee on deck somewhere (she is shipping her kdis off to her MILs for the week - she tells me "I need a vacation too dad" - LOL). Mrs Fan wants her tea in the room on the balcony and wants to be left alone to wake up. It works for the family as we can interact as much or as little as we want.

This ^^^^^^^