Top 10 Cruise Myths Debunked
For some reason, cruising is often unfairly negatively thought of by many who haven’t experienced it but when you ask for an explanation, it often comes to down to myths that continue to prevail despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
It will come as no surprise that we here at CruiseHols love cruising and we want people to experience it as possible.
With that in mind, if you have never cruised before and are having second thoughts due to rumours you have heard, make sure you read our debunking of the top 10 cruise myths.
Our Top 10 Cruise Myths Debunked
Cruising is Boring
This is one that we often here when talking to people who have never cruised but can never quite understand why people think it.
Cruise ships are known as floating cities and that is with good reason as they have everything a city has, and most ships now offer everything you would expect from a leading tourist resort.
That means that if you can go on a land-based holiday and not get bored, you should be fine on a cruise and you have the added excitement of waking up in a whole new place most days.
Cruising is for the Retired
This myth can be possibly traced back to the early days of cruising when the target audience was certainly those of means who had plenty of time on their hands and liked a slow pace of life, but that just isn’t the case anymore.
From weekend getaways to regular 7–14 night holidays, there is a cruise getaway to fit into everybody’s timescale but more importantly cruise ships now have activities and attractions to make sure everyone is entertained.
You Don’t Have Enough Time to Explore
This is one myth that does have some merit as if you choose a more mass-market trip, such as 5000+ passenger ships sailing around the Mediterranean of the Caribbean, you will likely have short port days and it can take a while to get on and off the ship.
Those holidays are more about the ship and that is the true destination but for most getaways, it is all about the destinations and cruise lines give you plenty of time to see everything is on offer.
Many ships will dock early morning (between 6-9am) and leave late afternoon or early evening (between 4-8pm) which gives you plenty of time to see all you want to see.
Some itineraries also include overnight stays in bigger cities to give you 2 days of exploring.
Cruising is for the Rich
This is another myth that perhaps dates to the early years of cruising when the target market certainly was the wealthier but nowadays there is a cruise line for just about every budget.
If you still want ultra-luxury and have the funds to pay for it, there are plenty of options but if you just want a good value getaway, there is plenty of options for that.
To the surprise of many, if you are simply wanting a budget getaway – you guessed it- there is a line for that.
One of the best aspects of cruising in our point of view is the fact that with most cruise lines, you pay most of the cost of your holiday upfront, so you know the exact cost and you don’t need to worry about other expenses whilst away.
The Food is Naff
This is one that comes up from time to time and is often related to poor quality buffets that are found in town centres up and down the country and around the world.
Buffets are of course a huge part of the cruise experience for many but the majority of lines offer hybrid style buffets where much of what is offered is cooked fresh as you wait.
Even the regular style buffet elements are often of the highest quality and continually made around the clock to make sure everything served is fresh.
Of course, if the idea of an eating at a buffet is simply a no go and a deal breaker, you can eat in the ships main dining room for no extra cost, or for a restaurant style meal or you can visit the numerous onboard included or pay restaurants that give you the same experience you would get at any restaurant in any holiday resort.
Cruise Ships are Constantly Crowded
If you are looking at a cruise holiday and you see that your ship can have up to 5000 fellow passengers and another 2,500 crew onboard, you may think that a ship will be crowded throughout and that you will be queuing to do everything.
If that brings back memories of trying to enjoy a fun day at a theme park only to queue 3 hours for a 30 second ride, don’t worry it certainly has never been the experience when we have cruised.
To start with, those numbers are the max occupancy numbers which includes people sleeping on sofa beds or bunk beds that are aimed at families with 2-3 young children.
That means that even on the most popular routes on the most popular ships they will only ever be near max occupancy during school holidays and even if they are, there will be lots of kids onboard who will be in kids and teens clubs and away from bars, lounges, restaurants etc.
We have sailed on some of the biggest cruise ships and some of the smallest and every time we have, there are always part of the ships that remain quiet and there is always somewhere to sit and relax.
Cruising is Unhealthy
It is often the incredible food and drink offered by cruise lines that is the focus of marketing or that returning cruisers love to tell friends and family and it is probably down to those reasons that cruising is seen by many as been unhealthy.
Of course, many people will eat much more than they do at home, and they will spend lots of time sitting in a hot tub, watching shows in a theatre or just lounging around the pool but that is often the same for lots of holiday types.
If you enjoy staying healthy and don’t want to give that up whilst away, you don’t have to.
Most ships have large gyms that you can use on your own or you can enjoy group classes and even when it comes to mealtimes, most ships will have healthier options, with some even having healthy food only cafes and restaurants.
From salad bars to vegetarian/vegan meals in the buffets to healthy meals that are as scrumptious as they are low calorie in the restaurants there always a healthier option.
Cruising is too Formal
This is something that continues to put people off and is something that we understand.
Few of us want to have to worry about dressing in a suit and tie or cocktail dress whilst on holiday as getaways are supposed to be about relaxing and that is something cruise lines are starting to understand.
Some lines have gotten rid of formal nights all together, some have relaxed them to the point where it is simply an effort to dress in your best jeans or fanciest dress, but some still keep up with the full formal wear night, so you can pick the option that works for you.
Cruise Itineraries are all the Same
This is a myth that has some truth to it as the majority of cruise lines will all offer similar itineraries cruising the western or eastern Mediterranean and cruises around the Caribbean.
It is often those that feature in the marketing of the cruise companies and travel agents that sell us holidays, so it could be easy for those who have never cruised to think that that is all that is offered.
Thankfully, those of us who have cruised know that that just isn’t the case as you can set sail on a cruise to everywhere near to a coastline.
From the natural beauty of Norwegian Fjords or Alaska to the history of Greece and the Adriatic and from the different cultures and experiences of southeast Asia to the friendliness of the Caribbean, there is something for everyone.
Cruising isn’t for Families
Many people seem to think that cruising just isn’t for kids as it is all about adults enjoying bars and restaurants etc but that just isn’t the case.
Just about every ship will have kids and teen clubs with lots on offer but if you pick a family friendly ship, their will be so much to enjoy together as a family that you will be trying to come up with ways to separate and spend time apart!
Cruise ships nowadays offer everything from rollercoasters to football pitches and from waterparks to go-karts plus plenty more.
