Why Do I Cruise? An Insight To Young People & Cruising

Our guest blogger, Victoria from Lost Ashore, tells Ocean World Travel how she got into cruising at a young age, and how it is still her holiday of choice at the age of 22.

–

We’re going on a cruise… These days I LIVE for those words! But as an 18-year-old fresh from my first year of University, I dreaded them… My parents had been debating the idea of cruising for years and when they finally bit the bullet I was dragged along for the ride. Now no sane 18-year-old would say no to a free trip to the Bahamas. But I was not exactly thrilled about the mode of transport…

Like most people, I assumed that cruising was only for people of, well, let’s say a certain age. Okay. Okay. If we’re honest I thought, it was God’s waiting room at sea. It only took two days on board for me to eat my words (and everything else in sight! Cruise food is both delicious and bountiful but that’s a point for later)

Cut to four years later – I have now been on 7 cruises and have spent 73 days at sea, that’s over two months of my life! So, what converted me? Pretty much everything! If you’re like I was and you think a cruise ship is God’s waiting room bobbing on the ocean with one restaurant and lame entertainment. Then get ready to throw those pre-conceived notions out of the port hole.

If I was to sell you a holiday resort that had: 4 pools, 8 hot tubs, a spa, 3 water slides, 18 restaurants serving free 5-star quality food 24 hours a day, 10 bars including an ice bar, sports facilities, a climbing wall, an art gallery, a shopping mall, a casino, the ability to watch movies under the stars and entertainment to rival the West End. Then you would think I was offering you heaven on this earth.

Now to add to the image of heaven I have conjured in your mind. Imagine, that as you’re sleeping that resort magically transports itself to a new destination EVERY NIGHT! Never mind the traditional means of travel, those are dead to us. Throw that backpack in the bin, rip up that interrail pass and spare yourself those hostel horror stories. On the average cruise, you visit three countries and you get to explore multiple places in those countries. It is time you embraced that five-star luxury bubble and don’t worry luxury and snobby do not come hand in hand. It may be silver service but just be you! And if you spot someone in the dining room in shorts, that’s probably me, those dress codes are not at all what you think.

It is not uncommon in your twenties to be consumed by wanderlust. Believe me when I say, that cruising is the answer, it has taken me to over 40 places in the short span of four years. I personally have felt the itch of wanderlust all my life. But it has now been joined by a desire that is just as strong – A desire to lose sight of the shore. Once you cruise you never go back! There is no better way to see the world.

I continue to cruise for one simple reason. It is addictive. That strong urge for vitamin sea will keep me racking up the sea days for years to come! It’s a good job really because my cruise wish list is extravagantly long. I dream of: Hawaii, Mexico, The Caribbean, California, New Orleans, Canada, New England, The Baltic, Croatia and Montenegro. I’m already a Platinum member with Princess Cruise Line but with a headful of dreams, I should make it to Elite by the time I reach middle age, right?

Feel free to ask me anything about my adventures at sea! There are no stupid questions, we’re all first timers to start with, I know that when I was a first timer I was under the impression that to board a tender boat you had to climb down a rope ladder…