In my opinion, cruising isn't for everybody. However, it's an extremely popular way to go on a vacation. It's essentially an all-inclusive, a floating hotel, and an airplane/train/car all in one. Whether you choose a Mediterranean cruise, a Caribbean cruise, a Hawaiian cruise, etc... the options are endless. I remember as a kid, I thought a cruise ship was the greatest thing and I was dying to go on a cruise. Living in Puerto Rico I knew so many people who always went on cruises, and I always felt like I needed to go on one badly.
I think the experience will vary greatly, on how enjoyable the cruise is or isn't, based on many factors. The biggest factor in my opinion is the port of calls. Secondly, how many nights and the cruise line itself will change how your cruising experience is. Age, your sense of adventure and other small factors will hinder or better your cruising experience too. Budget is important too. I find cruising to be one of the most budget friendly vacations you can take - however, cruise cabins (Balcony, Ocean View, Inside Cabin, etc) and tours you take at each port of call will affect that. Sometimes it might not be that much more of a cheaper option so always weigh your options.
On our first cruise, we went on a 4-night cruise with only one stop: Cozumel, Mexico. It was a great price and I couldn't resist it so I booked it for Jesse and I as our Christmas presents to one another. There were good things and bad things of going on a cruise, we realized. We had an inside cabin, while they're small and many may feel confined in the small space, there are also pros to being in an inside cabin and that is no light. You literally have no sense of time when you're inside the cabin, as there is no outside light coming through anywhere. You can wake up at 12pm and it'll feel like 2am. For those purposes, it is great - you sleep like a baby. Also, it does have a cozy feel to it, and I do think all cruise cabins are great in that sense.
I can only comment on the cruise we went on, and the fact that it only had one stop is quite possibly the reason we felt so negatively about it. I think if a cruise has a lot of different stops, it's a more enjoyable experience. Jesse didn't particularly care for cruising, and aside from our honeymoon - we will probably limit the amount of cruising we do in our lifetime. Although who knows... enticing port of calls might change that. :) **This is the reason I rate the port of calls as the highest priority on a cruise.
Another thing I think is important to discuss is that the port you leave from is also something to consider. I cannot comment too much here, as I have only been to one Port, but the Tampa port is extremely narrow and leaving the port and arriving on port takes about 2 hours! Furthermore, we experienced FOG and this delayed our cruise in docking for an entire 8 hours! We were supposed to have arrived back at 8am, however, due to fog, the Tampa port "shuts down" and we didn't get in until 3pm. Boy were people frustrated. It was to be somewhat expected however, as boarding the cruise on the first day was ALSO another huge delay due to fog. I think a port like Miami would experience less of this, so if you can, look for other options!!! While I agree that this is an unforeseeable thing, it's just a little side note. We were told that this "rarely" happens!... Mmmhmm.
Food: There are lots of food options on a cruise. First of all, you can order room service and it is included at any hour of the day. A great perk. I do believe you might have to tip for room service separately, as it's not included in the general gratuities of the ship. There are always many restaurants on board including buffet style places and sit down places. Most nights you will do the sit-down dining and I love dressing up so this is a great time to do so. One of the things we didn't care for was being seated with strangers. Just something to keep in mind, but you become friendly quickly. But again, there is no shortage of food... Some good, some bad... It just depends. Cruises make everything in bulk so this affects the quality- kind of like an all-inclusive can be...
Entertainment: For a cruise which has a lot of "At Sea" Days, entertainment is important... Aside from laying out by the pools or on the sun decks, you want things to entertain you - especially at night. There are a lot of "Las Vegas" style shows that occur nightly after dinner, and your cruise will let you know of this on their daily itineraries. Otherwise often times they hire comedians and will put on different kinds of shows. There is always something going on. We don't care for many days at seas, as we're adventurous types, but for some, that's the best part (seems odd to me, but to each their own!).
Now onto the port: The port of Cozumel is very pretty, lots of shops and restaurants, however, very touristy. The town of Cozumel is quaint, with lots of shops as well and again, full of tourists. Cozumel is probably one of the most touristy points of Mexico, as there are plenty of All-Inclusive options as well as the obvious popular cruise port. For our tour in Cozumel we rented a speedboat.
For those of you thinking of vacationing in Cozumel, the beach is not as nice. **I believe for nice beaches, the Caribbean is the place to go. While Cozumel is located on the Caribbean Sea side of Mexico, the beaches are darker and the sand is ok. But overall, Cozumel is friendly and very toursity and an enjoyable place. If you have any further questions about Cozumel, feel free to ask.
http://www.cruisecritic.com/ (My Favorite)
Visit the destinations of your dreams. Stop resisting. Take the plunge and GO. Your mind and your life will be enriched by the experience. For now, truly, the world is your oyster.♥
