Sure, we’ve all seen the brochures, television commercials, and mailings sent to our homes about how great cruises are. Chef-prepared meals, long walks on sandy beaches, and luxury accommodations do make cruising sound pretty good. But it’s the unexpected benefits of cruising that will stay with you long after the trip is over and the suitcases are unpacked. Read on to learn more.
1. Practice a capsule wardrobe. Whether you’re actively interested in downsizing the contents of your closet or are just interested in this hot new trend in personal style, going on a cruise can be a great way to test how well a capsule wardrobe might work for you. Building a week’s worth of looks with a limited number of mix and match pieces is supposed to be easy on your budget but is it a style choice you can maintain? This is a good way to see how you feel about that.
2. Wish up on a star, literally. When your cruise ship is at sea, you’re plenty far from shore so the night sky isn’t polluted by bright lights from streetlamps, shopping plazas, and highways common in highly developed areas. There’s nothing quite like stargazing on the open ocean, looking at the stars through as natural a view as you can probably get. You won’t believe how many more stars there are than you can see from home!
3. Watch your children blossom. It really turns the tables in a family to be outside the country in a place where you don’t speak the language and your child does, but in a good way! Perhaps your excursion didn’t turn out as planned or maybe you’re just lost. Either way, when your teenager gets a chance to use that foreign language study they’ve undertaken since middle school and can communicate effectively with the locals, let them step up to the plate and save the day. It’s a strong source of pride for both of you.
4. Reclaim family time. Sure, family activities may be pretty common for you at home. But family activities while aboard a cruise, where there are no friends, neighbors or family to see or judge can be really freeing. No need to worry about being embarrassed when trying something new. No concerns about who saw you take a chance or take a fall. Yes, you’re aboard a full ship but what are the chances you’ll see any of these people ever again after you return to your home port? Allow yourselves the freedom to reconnect without pressure and expectations; just enjoy each others’ company.
People generally assume that cruises are full of lively entertainment, exciting excursions, and pampering services – and they are! But there are some smaller unexpected benefits to cruising that can really make it a vacation to remember.
