Why A Cruise Is Such A Great Value, What's Included and What's Not?

Cruising is about nothing if it's not about having choices: sleeping in from a late night disco party or savoring a cup of latte as the sun rises over your balcony; dressing up for a formal night or lacing up for a run around an inline skating track. And every cruise line out there is competing for your attention, doing everything thing they can to lure you onboard.

You can have the vacation of a lifetime, see the world, completely unwind, take a walk on the wild side, dance the night away, feast on fabulous cuisine, learn something new, make friends, bond with your family, and steal quiet moments with your spouse. Whatever your heart desires, is yours, when you choose to cruise.

Cruising offers the best travel buy you can get for your money. It includes your meals, your cabin, you're out onboard activities, nighttime parties and all sponsored entertainment. Each ship is a complete resort and destination unto itself.

Cruise ships and holidays are a natural match: Both are in the good-times business. And when you sail during the holiday season you get the fun of built-in parties and feast-quality meals plus someone else to cook them, someone else to do the decorating and entertaining, and someone else to clean up the mess afterward. The only thing they don't do is write out your Christmas cards.

A cruise vacation removes 90% of the hassle of a land-based vacation. Your ship is your floating hotel, restaurant, resort, nightclub, tour office, and health club. You spend time enjoying your vacation, not waiting in hotel or rental car check-in lines.

On a traditional Vacation, the Family is pretty much stuck together, on a Cruise they are not. Each individual can pursue his or her interests and rejoin the Family at some prearranged time. Cruising is wonderful for Family Reunions because there is something for each generation to enjoy.

Expect to be pampered, massaged, and stuffed with culinary delights. Expect your imagination to wander, thinking of the ships of old. Expect to feel incredibly relaxed, exhilarated, caressed by sun, sand and wind; expect the unexpected.' In short....RELAX and ENJOY!

Whether it's a small family of 10 or a large group of 100, a cruise ship may be the best place for a reunion. Family reunion members seek accommodations they can use as a base for dining, sightseeing and socializing together. They want good children's programs, entertainment and activities. But they also want to make sure'everyone in the group has personal time to pursue their own interests.

You are generally going to know what the cost of your vacation well be before you go. Your extra costs will be shore excursions, cocktails, spa treatments, beauty shop and casino gambling.

You can look at it as a prepaid vacation with extras of your choosing. Knowing what's included and what's not included allows you to budget your vacation spending more closely.

The cost of your cruise will depend on your choice of accommodations. These accommodations range from an inside Stateroom to a Suite with a Private Balcony overlooking the sea. Each Stateroom includes two twin beds or queen-size bed, bathroom, shower, TV and makeup table/desk.

When comparing the price of a cruise vacation versus a land-based holiday, consider that transportation, hotel, meals, entertainment and most activities are included. Even an all-inclusive land resort package can not top that (it doesn't go anywhere).

Cruising is the best way to experience a number of destinations that you may want to revisit for a longer period of time later.

Today's ships offer rock climbing, basketball, video arcades, swimming pools, spas, huge gyms with yoga and spinning classes, an indoor ice-skating rink and, yes, even mini-golf.

Remember, you only unpack once, no matter how many ports of call you visit. No checking in, or checking out and no running to make plane connections in order to get the next port. You'll be sleeping while the ship takes you to a new destination. Fall asleep in one place and awake to a new one and you're already unpacked.

All your movies, shows and lounge entertainment are included.

You already have a seat at the best restaurant in town.

You have many choices for shopping, touring, entertainment and sports activities.

Cruise travel is for everyone who wants to have the best possible vacation at the best possible price.

Choose to cruise for CUISINE. Tantalize your taste buds with gourmet fare that showcases exotic ingredients, old standbys like pizza and ice cream or spa cuisine for a healthy alternative. Depending on your mood, dine in a traditional ballroom setting, a small bistro or a casual eatery.

Carbohydrate Counter Menus are the latest rage among the Cruise Lines.

Don't forget the 24-hour room service, which is also free.

Here's a cruise tip: Choose to cruise for ROMANCE. Secluded beaches, in suite dining on a balcony overlooking the ocean and spa services for two are just some of the romantic pursuits available.

In many cruise reviews, cruising routinely earned the highest ratings in customer satisfaction among all vacation categories.

When you try cruising for the first time, you will be hooked. The one major complaint the Cruise lines hear over and over again, is that cruises end far too soon!

What's not included in your cruise?

Typically those items and services there are of a personal nature are extra. Most alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, the salon services, shore excursions, shipboard gift and sundries purchases, Internet usage, long-distance phone calls, tips, casino gaming and your transportation to and from your cruise, are extra cost.

So what are you waiting for? Set Sail!

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com or contact her at mhanna@cruisepublishing