The very thought of going on a cruise with your family members
may be enough to shell-shock your wallet. In this day and age,
every household understands the value of a hard-earned dollar.
Vacation planners also know that if the trip is not properly
worked out and budgeted, chances are that they will come home
even more stressed than when they left.
Cruises are surprisingly an extremely affordable way to take the
family on a vacation – especially if you’re going away for an entire
week. Put it this way: the entrance fees at Disney World alone
range in the realm of $1,000 for a family of four but you can get
four nights on a cruise for as little as $300 (meals included). Let’s
see which is the more appealing option?
Families love cruises also because they have everything under
the sun: a daycare center, unlimited meals, highchairs, ice cream
parties to satisfy the pickiest sweet-tooths and nightclubs to
satisfy the party-oriented mom when the kids are fast asleep.
Even if you were to find the best city in the entire world, chances
are that all these establishments would not be within such a
small radius as they are on a cruise ship.
There are so many cruise lines that sail the sea today how do
you know which ones are inexpensive and which are truly family
friendly? We pare down the choices so you don’t have to:
Carnival Cruise Lines (www.carnival.com): This selection has long
since been thought of as the “fun ship” and the perfect selection
for couples, teenagers and those seeking a little bit more
adventure than a tame ride. Their motto, Fun for All, All for Fun
essentially tells the message. You’ll get the typical cruise luxuries
like Karaoke, night clubs, swimming pool and fine dining, but the
emphasis of this cruise line is definitely inexpensive fun, ranging
from $300 per person for three nights.
Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Miami, Carnival now has
increased the quality of their culinary offerings, invested in a
top-notch children’s program and offers a completely smoke-free
cruise ship. What is particularly attractive about the cruise line
is that they really specialize in three-day cruises and visit several
sought after and affordable destinations.
Disney Cruise Line (disneycruise.disney.go.com): This cruise line
is a more luxurious experience that has the emphasis on the
family and kids. There are three different restaurants that offer a
“Rotational Dining” experience (meaning, you can dine from one
restaurant to another), see original Disney musicals, and a stop
at Castaway Cay (which is a Disney island paradise specifically
reserved for cruise vacationers). While this cruise line offers
several gold-plated services, especially for families and kids, this
is definitely a pricey cruise line, with three night cruises ranging
around $1,200 per person.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (www.royalcaribbean.com): The
largest cruise operator also may well be the best value for money.
The cruise lines are extremely affordable (in the $200-$400 per
person for three to four nights) and the amenities are top notch.
Plus, the destinations are impressive, ranging from the Bahamas
to the Caribbean.
Princess Cruises (www.princess.com): These cruise lines offer
you several choices, from ports of call to ships (you can choose
from larger vessels to more intimate cruises). You can even travel
in a vessel that only hosts around 680 passengers, which is half
the number of people you’d expect to find in a small Ivy League
school or around the size of a small American town. Princess
cruises are quite affordable and have 120 itineraries to over
330 destinations.
Crystal Cruises (www.crystalcruises.com): This cruise line is more
synonymous with luxury than it is with economy, and parents
who want to splurge a little more than the norm will like the
options aboard. Crystal ships are large, and carry north of 900
passengers. The upside to traveling in a Montana-sized vessel?
A lot more leg room and real estate in your cabin. The cruise
line is very empathetic to women who are traveling solo, with
its Ambassador Host Program that brings cultured gentlemen to
wine and dine with the ladies.
Holland America Line (www.hollandamerica.com): These cruises
are designed for class and comfort and even though there are a
lot of youngsters on board, the cruise line offers real world-class
entertainment for excellent prices. The entertainment on board
the ship is one of the highlights; if you’re into Broadway style
performances and cabaret dances, including seeing comedians,
jugglers and magicians, you will enjoy this cruise line. As for
prices, they are as competitive as those of Carnival or Royal
Caribbean, so you’re in good hands when it comes to real value
for money.
Whichever cruise line you choose to gravitate toward, keep in
mind that the cheapest option may not always be the best option
for your family. You’ll want to take into consideration the size of
the ship, the dining options and the activities; also look at the
privacy options as well because if you want to really get away
from it all, you’ll want total peace and quiet.
The best part of any cruise is the value for your dollar. For most
vacations, you can end up spending north of $500 for the airfare
alone: with cruises, you’ll get the complete value – from lodging
to meals for three days – for that same price, or less. So what’s
not to love about cruises?
Tips on Having the Best Cruise
Given the unlimited supply of food, you and the family
may feel tempted to indulge. If you’re prone to motion
sickness, this may not be the best idea. Instead of going
to the breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets with an
empty stomach, consider snacking on healthy fruit and
nuts prior to going to dinner, and you’ll be more apt to
eat smaller portions.
Keep some TUMS® handy at all times. Most people do
not experience any significant motion sickness while on
a cruise, you want something handy if you do.
Take advantage of all the activities on board. Refrain
from spending too much time in “trap” activities like
watching the Shopping Show, or spending all your
evening hours in the casino. The advantage clearly
belongs to the house and just because you are in a
no-zip code zone with free alcoholic beverages does not
mean that the laws of probability will change. Instead,
try visiting and enjoying several venues, including the
night club, the gym, the shopping area etc. and truly
appreciate the cruising creature comforts.
Get a full night’s rest, and set your alarm or request a
wakeup call. If you happen to have cabins without a
porthole, then anticipate your space to be extremely
dark. Chances are that you will have no idea what day
or time it is when you wake up. So do the responsible
thing and request a wakeup call, and make sure you
clock a decent eight hours of sleep.
