What can I expect to do on a cruise?

That’s a question I hear from a lot of people this time of year… “What can I expect to do on a cruise?”

There are numerous other blogs and resources out there that can break down every single detail of every single ship from every single cruise line a lot better than me. All I can do is sit back and tell you my own opinion with a smile on my face and a spring in my keyboard…primarily because I’m absolutely in love with cruising.

My wife and I didn’t know what to expect the first time we went on a cruise ship. We quickly realized, however, that the cruise ship experience is really what YOU want it to be.

Listen…every cruise line has entertainment of some kind. Every cruise line has ports to visit. Every cruise line has different foods to try and sample. At the end of the day, however, it’s entirely up to you to decide what kind of cruise you end up going on.

My wife judging a hairy chest contest.

When you get on a cruise ship, you can choose to sit by the pool and drink the entire time. Honestly, though…if you are going to do that then shouldn’t you have gone to a resort instead? I mean, I enjoy laying out while at sea…don’t get me wrong. But there are a lot of people who spend a lot of money to just sit and drink and soak in the sun. I would think it’s a lot cheaper to do it at one of those all-inclusive resorts. But that’s just me.

When you get on a cruise ship, you should already have an idea of what type of food will be available. Let’s face it…you’re not going to get the same quality of food on a Carnival ship as you’re going to get on a Royal Caribbean ship. That’s not to say that one is a lot better than the other, it’s simply a matter of tastes. If you’re looking to get quality food without a ton of choices, then Carnival’s for you. If you’re looking for 4-star entrees, then maybe you need to search around for a different cruise line. At the end of the day, though, it’s entirely your choice. Don’t go on a cruise ship without doing your homework first.

Playing a game on the first night.

When you get on a cruise ship, you can choose to be bored or you can choose to do silly, fun things that maybe you wouldn’t normally do at home. Listen, the wife and I don’t hit the local pubs to sing karaoke standards every week. Hell…I don’t think we’ve gone to karaoke outside of a cruise ship since were ON a cruise ship. It’s just not something we normally do. Yet here we were, night after night, sitting back and laughing and singing along with the other folks from around the world. We don’t normally run around doing scavenger hunts or participating in movie quizzes…but on a ship, these are fun things that we decide to participate in. We chose to have fun doing those things as opposed to sitting around bored.

It’s the same thing with the casinos and the shopping on board. You can choose to walk through, spend money, or not go near these places. They’re there if you want them, but never feel obligated about going. A casino isn’t for everybody.

Ships on sticks!!!

The same thing goes for the ports that you visit. You can choose to stay on ship, if you’d like, or you can go out and explore. And if you do, you’re the one that decides what you’re going to do. Again…do your research and your homework. If you just want to shop, stay close to the ship and walk around and shop. If you want to explore, jump in a cab and tour the area. If you want to really have fun, then do an excursion…either through the cruise ship or through a local company. There is no handbook that says you have to do one thing or the other.

YOU CHOOSE!!

So what can you expect from a cruise ship? It’s whatever you want it to be. For my wife and I, it’s some of the greatest times and happiest memories we’ve ever had.

Relaxation…