For many years, taking a cruise for a family vacation was considered an expensive luxury that few people could afford. Most people hardly ever considered a vacation cruise as an option for themselves. Times have changed, though, as more and more people are discovering that cruising is a great value for a family vacation.
1. What you get
The price you pay for your cruise includes a huge number of things. It covers your accommodations (cabin) for the duration of the cruise, all of the food you can eat, and a huge variety of shipboard amenities and activities. A good way to see the value of what you get for yourself is to compare the direct costs of a cruise with the direct costs of a typical vacation. Add up the cost of comparable travel, hotel, food, and activities, you will quickly see that the price of a cruise is indeed a bargain when you take into consideration everything that you get.
2. Shipboard amenities
Modern cruise ships have an amazing array of amenities. Nearly all ships have the expected swimming pools, restaurants, bars, and other common attractions. More and more, though, cruise ships offer other amenities that may surprise you. These may include:
Wine, cigar and specialty bars
Ice skating rink
Rock climbing wall
Luxury spa
Modern fitness facility
Jogging track
Game room
Broadway entertainment
Multi-room staterooms
Specialty facilities for special needs
Miniature golf
Each ship is different, so find out the amenities on whatever ship you are considering and select the one that best matches your wants and needs.
3. Shipboard activities
Activities abound on a cruise ship, and it is the rare person indeed who can manage to take part in all of them. There is literally something for everyone to do on a cruise ship, so you can be assured you will always be occupied and entertained.
The list of shipboard activities will vary, but these items are some typical examples:
Dance lessons
Swimming pool games
Shuffleboard
Ping pong
Skeet shooting
Lectures and workshops
History and culture of ports of call
Arts and crafts
Photography classes
Sports and game competitions
Scavenger hunts
Discussion groups
Mix and mingle hour
Wine tasting
Painting lessons
Clay and pottery lessons
The list goes on and on, and changes regularly. Some cruises are even considered