If you’ve never been on a cruise before, you’re really missing out. It’s such a great way to travel and you get a very different experience to what you would if you just flew somewhere. When you take a cruise, you get to enjoy the journey and relax along the way, taking in the sights as you go. Even though it takes longer, it’s a lot nicer than being stuck on a plane for hours on end with nowhere to go and nothing to see. Cruises have lots of great activities along the way so you’ll never be bored between stops and travel doesn’t feel like a chore. They’re also way more sociable because people are together on the boat for a while and they have the freedom to move about, which means that they’re far more likely to get to know one another. If you’re travelling solo, a cruise is a great option because you can meet people along the way.
If you think that a cruise might be a good choice for your next trip, you need to start thinking about what type of cruise you want to take. Most people don’t realise that there are a lot of different options and if you haven’t been on one before, you might not know where to start. These are the different types of cruises that are available to you.
River Cruise
A river cruise is one of the best ways to see a continent, especially Europe. There are some popular cruise routes along the Danube that take you through Budapest, Vienna, and Bratislava, so you get the chance to visit 3 cities in 3 different countries, all in one trip. There are some beautiful river cruises through France as well. When you are on a river cruise, you will only spend a day or so on the boat at a time, and then disembark when you reach your destination. Most of the travel will be done overnight. You won’t usually get a huge cruise ship with swimming pools etc. but you will still get the luxury that you expect from a cruise and there will be some entertainment. River cruises are ideal if you want to visit a few different places and you want to take a leisurely pace and travel in style between your destinations.
Ocean Cruise
When most people picture a cruise, they’re thinking of an ocean cruise. These are the big cruise ships that are kitted out with all sorts of restaurants, bars, and swimming pools, and take large numbers of passengers. You will spend a lot of time on the boat when you take an ocean cruise, so there is plenty to keep you entertained. You will stop off at multiple destinations along the way, but there are longer periods spent on the boat as you get from place to place. Areas like the Caribbean are very popular for ocean cruises but if you look around, you should be able to find trips to almost anywhere that has a port. The benefit of an ocean cruise is that you get to see far-flung destinations but you don’t have to deal with the nightmare of a long haul flight. Instead, you can put your feet up and relax, or go for a swim, and enjoy yourself until you arrive at your destination.
Tall Ship Cruise
Tall ship cruises are less common but if you get the chance to go on one, you should take it because it’s an amazing experience. These cruise ships are more like a traditional sailing ship, and they only take very small groups. It’s a far more intimate cruise experience and you get a more personalised service because there are not as many people on the cruise with you. The passengers will get to see first hand how the crew operate the ship, so if you’re interested in sailing, it’s a great experience. The groups are usually smaller than 30 so it’s a very intimate setting and it tends to be a lot more social than other types of cruises because you are in a much smaller space as well. If you like the idea of a cruise but you want something more relaxed and personal, a tall ship cruise is ideal for you. There are some great tall ship cruises around Portugal and Spain and a lot of places do food cruises where you will be served lots of local food along the way. Some of the cruises are only a day, but there are also some that run overnight.
These are some of the main types of cruises that are available to you. If you have never tried one before, you should experience it at least once.
