Listen, I love cruising!
The ocean, the food, waking up somewhere new without having to repack my suitcase every two days? Sign me up.
But the longer I’m around cruising, the more I realize people have some VERY strong opinions about it.
And apparently, so do I. 😂
So grab your coffee, because we’re getting into a few cruise opinions that might have somebody clutching their drink package.
1. You Do NOT Need a Balcony to Have a Great Cruise
There. I said it.
Do I love a balcony? Absolutely.
There’s something about sitting outside with your coffee, watching the ocean go by, and pretending you don’t have responsibilities waiting for you back home.
But can we talk about how ridiculously GOOD I sleep in an interior cabin?!
I’m serious. 😂
No windows. No sunlight sneaking through the curtains at 6 a.m. Just a dark little cave, the gentle movement of the ship, and some of the best sleep of my life.
Apparently, all I need to function as a well-rested human being is to be shut in a windowless room somewhere in the middle of the ocean.
Who knew? ☠️
And honestly, if choosing an interior cabin means saving money for excursions, specialty dining, or even another cruise? I’m not complaining.
You’re still on the same ship, eating the same food, watching the same shows, and visiting the same ports.
Now, if you’re someone who loves quiet mornings on your own balcony, absolutely book one!
My opinion? Don’t overlook interior cabins just because they’re the cheaper option. Sometimes that little floating cave is exactly what you need.
2. Specialty Dining Can Be Worth Every Penny
“But there’s already food included!”
I KNOW. 😂
And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with eating every meal at the included restaurants.
But sometimes I want something different.
I’ve talked about this before, but I genuinely enjoyed Izumi on Royal Caribbean. The sushi was good, the experience was enjoyable, and I’d happily pay for it again.
Do I think everyone needs a specialty dining package?
Absolutely not.
But do I think paying for one really good dinner can be worth it?
Yep.
It’s your vacation. If an extra dinner experience is something you’ll enjoy, I say go for it.
3. You Don’t Have to Get Off the Ship at Every Port
I feel like this one might upset some people.
But hear me out.
You paid for this beautiful floating resort with pools, restaurants, entertainment, and a ridiculous number of places to sit with a drink.
And sometimes the best time to enjoy all of that is when half the ship is on land.
Less crowded pools? Yes.
Easier time finding a lounge chair? Also yes.
A peaceful afternoon without feeling like you need to be somewhere?
Beautiful.
Now, I’m not saying skip a destination you’ve been dreaming about visiting.
But if you’ve been to a port before, or nothing there particularly interests you, you are absolutely allowed to stay onboard.
You don’t have to turn every vacation day into an itinerary.
4. The Drink Package Is NOT Automatically a Good Deal
I know. The unlimited drinks sound wonderful.
But before you start imagining yourself sipping cocktails by the pool from sunrise to sunset, we need to do a little math.
Because depending on the cruise line, ship, and sailing, those packages can get expensive.
And here’s the thing.
You might drink more on vacation than you do at home, but are you really going to drink enough every single day to make the package worth it?
Especially on port days when you’re spending hours off the ship?
For some people, absolutely!
For others, buying drinks individually makes a lot more sense.
And don’t forget that some cruise lines have rules about everyone of drinking age in the same stateroom purchasing a package, with certain exceptions.
My opinion? Don’t buy a drink package just because everyone in your cruise Facebook group says it’s a must-have.
Figure out what you’d realistically drink first.
Your wallet will appreciate it.
5. Sea Days Are NOT Wasted Vacation Days
I have seen people complain about itineraries having too many sea days.
Meanwhile, I’m over here thinking that sounds lovely. 😂
Don’t get me wrong, I love exploring new places.
But there’s something wonderful about waking up and knowing you don’t have to rush off the ship, meet a tour guide, or be anywhere at a specific time.
You can sleep in.
Get breakfast.
Read a book.
Go to the pool.
Take a nap.
Eat again.
Honestly, it’s a pretty solid schedule.
Sometimes the entire point of a vacation is to do absolutely nothing productive.
And I support that.
6. The Biggest Ship Isn’t Always the Best Ship
Listen, I love seeing what cruise lines come up with.
Waterslides, surf simulators, neighborhoods, massive entertainment venues.
Some of these ships are practically floating cities.
And they’re incredible!
But bigger doesn’t automatically mean better.
Sometimes a smaller ship with fewer bells and whistles is exactly what someone needs.
Maybe you don’t care about having 15 different activities happening at once.
Maybe you’d rather have a quieter atmosphere.
Maybe the itinerary matters more to you than how many waterslides are onboard.
That’s the beauty of cruising. There are so many different ships and experiences to choose from.
The trick is finding the one that actually fits you.
7. You Don’t Have to Do EVERYTHING to Get Your Money’s Worth
This might be my biggest one.
Cruises have so much going on.
Shows, games, trivia, parties, activities, excursions, restaurants.
And it’s very easy to start feeling like you’re missing out if you’re not doing something every waking minute.
But here’s your reminder:
You are allowed to relax on your vacation.
You don’t have to attend every show.
You don’t have to wake up at 7 a.m. to claim a pool chair.
You don’t have to schedule every hour.
And you definitely don’t need to come home needing another vacation to recover from the one you just took.
If you spent an entire afternoon sitting somewhere beautiful, enjoying the ocean and doing absolutely nothing?
Sounds like money well spent to me.
So, What’s My Point?
Cruising isn’t one-size-fits-all.
What one person considers a complete waste of money might be someone else’s favorite part of their vacation.
And that’s okay!
The goal isn’t to cruise the way somebody on the internet tells you to.
It’s to find the ship, itinerary, and experiences that make YOU happy.
That’s also one of my favorite parts of being a travel agent. Helping people sort through all the options and figure out what actually makes sense for them.
Because the best cruise isn’t necessarily the biggest, fanciest, or most expensive.
It’s the one you actually enjoy.
Now I want to hear from you! 👀
What’s your unpopular cruise opinion?
Are balconies overrated? Are sea days the best days? Is there a cruise activity everyone seems to love that you could happily skip?
Tell me in the comments. I want to know what cruise hill you’re willing to die on. 😂
And if you’re trying to figure out which cruise actually fits your vacation style, I’d love to help you sort through the options.
Happy travels!
