I recently had a friend ask me if he thought he’d enjoy the cruise his wife had booked for the family. I honestly think for the majority of people out there, cruising is one of the best vacations you can take. Maybe you are still on the fence though. Let’s talk about what cruise ships are really like to help you get a sense on if cruising is for you.
For the most part, cruise ships are like resorts that move from location to location. And just like resorts on land, there are all kinds of cruise ships from small luxury ships to large family ships with theme park rides. This makes it impossible to describe what every ship will be like in just one video. Instead we have to work in generalities.
There are a lot of obvious things that you can expect on a cruise ship: staterooms, dining rooms, theaters, and of course bars. While these things may be obvious, they definitely won’t all be the same and will instead be based on your choice of line and ship.
Even the basic cabin will provide you a bed, tv, storage, and a small bathroom. Unless you have sprung for a suite, don’t expect a lot of luxury in your cabin though. Even the larger cabins will be smaller than the average hotel room of the same category. There won’t be A LOT of room, but there will be ENOUGH room. Just remember, that the goal is to spend your time outside your cabin, not in it! While some cabins do boast of a tub in the bathroom, it is definitely not standard. Showers are often small and can be a challenge for larger people, both in height and weight! Don’t freak out when you flush the toilet either! Their suction design means they really make some noise. I mean, it is almost impossible to not wake up your cabin mate if you use the toilet in the middle of the night!
The two main places available to eat on a cruise ship will be the main dining room and the buffet. The Main Dining Room, or MDR is similar to a sit down restaurant on land except there is no bill at the end of the night! MDRs are often very large and may even take up two levels. You can expect to be seated with other guests unless you specifically ask for a private table, and even that depends on availability. Dress requirements will vary based on the cruise line, but usually you will be fine with at least jeans and a knit top, just check with the cruise line first. While the MDR is open for dinner every evening, it will depend on the ship if it is open for breakfast or lunch. If the MDR isn’t available, or maybe you don’t feel like a sit-down dinner, your other main option is the buffet. A buffet is a buffet, so there probably won’t be any surprises when opting to eat at a cruise ship buffet. Most lines have their buffet available for all meals although you will want to check the schedule as they often shut down between meals to reset. Buffets are a good way to grab food quickly and from a large variety. You can choose to eat in the buffet or take your food to go. Many lines will also have specialty dining restaurants with upscale dining at an extra cost, and usually some quick eat options that are included. It’s like having a choice between free fast food or paying extra for a 4-star restaurant.
You have a place to sleep and food to eat, but how are you going to occupy your time while onboard a cruise ship? While the type and levels of entertainment will vary from line to line and ship to ship, there are some things that you can expect.
Theater/comedy shows
Every major cruise line has a theater where they will have various entertainment available to guests. Depending on the line you can find everything from a solo artist to a full-blown broadway-style musical. Some people even book specific ships based on what is being performed in the theater. If musical theater and variety shows with song and dance aren’t your thing, many lines will also have comedians performing. Carnival even has a comedy club specifically for their comedians.
Music venues/bars
If you like music, you will be able to find a lot of it onboard a ship. Whether it is piped in or live, most bars and venues have music. Many times ships will book multiple singers and musical groups to play in different venues throughout your cruise. Ships might have a cover band of your favorite artist playing in the atrium one night and a trio of rock violinists the next night. Head on out poolside and you might be treated to someone playing Caribbean music on a steel drum. Be sure to check your ship’s daily schedule to see if there is an act you would like to see!
Trivia/gameshows/classes/talks
Throughout your cruise you will find various trivia games, gameshows, classes, demonstrations and sometimes even educational talks. Often there will be multiple chances to play trivia during your cruise, often even multiple times a day, especially on sea days: general trivia, pop culture, geography, history, and more. Sometimes you can even earn a prize! Many lines will have gameshows with audience participation. Whether you want to try your hand on the stage or watch, these can be a lot of fun and some are standing room only. Maybe you want to see how sushi is made or take a line dancing class. There are often class and demonstrations available for those with various interests, especially on sea days. Some lines will even provide guests with informative and educational talks by experts, usually on a topic that has to do with the port stops on your cruise.
Relaxing
Maybe all you want to do while on your cruise is relax. Well, there are plenty of opportunities for that! Cruise ships have lots of places designed for relaxation. Perhaps you want to take a dip in the pool or get some sun on an open deck. There are also tucked away areas on both the open decks and inside that you can find if you want to get away from the crowds, maybe read a book or even catch up on some emails.
I mentioned at the beginning that there are people out there who think that cruise ships are just floating petri dishes, and to be honest, the outbreak of covid on cruise ships early on didn’t help those opinions out any. However, cruise ships are honestly some of the cleanest places you can ever be, and they have only gotten better since the shutdown. Crew have upped their game when it comes to keeping public places on ships clean. Even before the shutdown you would see crew going around wiping down surfaces, but there seems to be even more of that now. New hand washing stations have been created for those coming into the buffet, which is the most likely place for contamination. There is no land-based comparison for how much cleaning is done on cruise ships, especially in public spaces. Maybe hospitals? Maybe?
Another thing that you hear people bring up, and I guarantee these are people who have never been on a cruise ship, is that being on a cruise ship is too crowded and is like sardines packed into a tin can. If ships were really like that, there would be very little recidivism. People would go on one cruise and never book another vacation on a cruise ship again. Are there certain events and venues that get crowded? For sure. The more popular something is, the more people will try to get in to experience it. However, lines work hard to offer all kinds of events in various venues scattered around the ship which helps keep most events from being overly packed. Various ships also have different space ratios. The more luxurious a line is, the more space per passenger there will be. If you are interested in finding that information out, go to CruiseDeckPlans.com and you can find the space ratio for each ship. If you are an introvert like me, you might be worried that a cruise ship is just too crowded for you, well you might be surprised to find out that many cruisers are introverts.
While you are going to be “stuck” on the ship when it is out to sea, it is highly unlikely you will feel trapped in any way. Cruise ships, especially the larger ones, are basically little cities at sea. There is just so much to do with pools, bars, restaurants, theaters, casinos, arcades, coffee shops, and even game rooms and libraries! I highly recommend that anyone hesitant about getting on a cruise ship look for ship tours on YouTube and see what all is actually available. There are some great content creators out there that make some really in-depth ship tours. One of my favorites is Harr Travel, and I always go there first to see if they have a tour of my next ship! My other suggestion is to make sure to really explore the ship once you get on it. Don’t miss out on something you might like by not looking at the daily schedule and getting out there for some exploration!
If you have never been on a cruise ship before, is there something I missed that you’d like to hear about? Let me know
Cruising From The Ozarks 