The Saturday Seven: Best Reasons to Take a Cruise

With my 18 day Panama cruise nearly over, I can’t help but think about how much I have enjoyed this vacation. It certainly provided plenty of material for me to publish a daily travel blog. My goal was to provide a glimpse into the experience, from my personal perspective. I have no connection to the travel industry at all, and I am certainly not getting paid by anyone to be blogging about cruises. But since I’ve been on this cruise for the past three weekends, I’ve carried that theme to these past few Saturday Seven posts. This brings me to this week’s edition of The Saturday Seven: Best Reasons to Take a Cruise

1. Hassle free travel- Once you check in, they handle everything for you. You prepay for the cruise. On board you charge any extras using your room card, so you never deal with cash or need a wallet. Depending on the cruise line, all you need to pay for is the daily automatic gratuity fee and anything you purchase (alcohol, photos, gift shops, spa services, etc).
2. Personal Room Steward- Twice per day room service, from someone with a vested interest in making you happy. Tip a little up front and you are well taken care of. Tip well at the end to show your gratitude.
3. Excellent Food- Whether you prefer being in the dining room or going to the buffet, it’s a great deal if you enjoy eating. Free room service 24 hours a day, and dine outside on your private balcony if you like.
4. Great Entertainment- Nightly live stage shows, comedians, singers, movies, dancing, lounges, DJs/nightclubs and more. A great place to meet interesting people and make new friends.
5. Exciting Ports of Call- Depending on what you book, cruises are a great way to see the world. Think of it as a way to “sample” different places to decide if you ever want to go back.
6. Activities on Board- No matter what your interests are, there is something for everyone: Casino, Fitness center, Spa, Boutiques, lectures, games, trivia, group activities, sports and all kinds of traditional corny cruise stuff too.
7. Relaxation- Most cruise ships have multiple pools, hot tubs, saunas, poolside bars, and lots of places to sneak off and relax with a good book.

Bonus reason: Great, Personalized Service- The ship’s crew are usually all very eager to please. Most receive a very modest salary or none at all, so they rely on tips from passengers. I’ve found everyone to be very pleasant, attentive and willing to do whatever it takes to make your experience enjoyable.
-Rick Rockhill