Why cruising is my favorite way to vacation

By John Toth

The Bulletin

Let’s go somewhere we can watch theatrical shows most nights, follow up with a concert, parties, eat anything we want and gamble a little, if we want.

Oh, yes, and I want to go swimming and snorkeling in the ocean, so the place has to be near water and somewhere warm, like summer warm.

How about not just near the ocean, but on it?

I can find all these things in one place - on a cruise ship; this time it was on the Regal Princess. This was the first time we sailed on a Princess cruise ship, and it did not disappoint, but more on that in another column.

We embarked on the ship in Galveston and right away made our way to the buffet for lunch. It’s included in the cost of the cruise, as are all other meals, unless you wish to pay extra for specialty dining. We never do.

I loaded my plate up with a variety of vegetarian foods that would have probably cost at least $20 in a restaurant. Then I treated myself to some no-sugar-added dessert and walked away without paying anything.

By 1 o’clock, our cabin was ready. We then unpacked our suitcases and proceeded to check out the ship before the sail-away party started.

The ship began slowly moving while the party was in progress. Most people didn’t notice or didn’t care, because they were too busy dancing, soaking in a hot tub or ordering another drink from the bar.

Our floating resort was on its way to the Western Caribbean, with the first stop in Cozumel, Mexico. But before we got there, we had some partying to do at night, and we took full advantage, getting back to our room around midnight.

How much would it have cost had we pieced together all these events individually? On the ship, it cost nothing extra. Sure, you can spend a lot of money on the ship gambling and shopping, but it’s not required. We didn’t gamble, but did shop a little.

We sailed along in total safety. The same process used to screen passengers at airports is used to screen passengers and their luggage before they board the ship.

 I have never felt safer on vacation than on a cruise. Sure, there are some cruisers who cannot handle their drink packages and get aggressive. But after eight cruises, I have yet to see a fight onboard.

After Cozumel, we reached the port of Costa Maya, Mexico, and proceeded to Roatan, Honduras. We got there without daily expenses, such as hotels, dining out and flights between cities or countries. That by itself resulted in significant savings compared to traditional land-based trips.

In Roatan, we enjoyed a private beach owned by Carnival Corp., which owns the Carnival and Princess cruise lines, along with others. The cost of going to the beach was zero.

Add it all up - the entertainment, room, food, flights between destinations for a seven-night vacation. I think you’re looking at probably between $6,000 to $8,000 for the two of us. When I flew with my daughter to different countries in Europe for nine days, I think I spent over $11,000, and that was in 2011.

The entire cruise cost around $2,700 for both of us, but we indulged in the ship’s gift shop, ordered photos and bought a photo frame, or it would have been less. Also, we cruised during Spring Break and booked at the last minute, so we probably paid more for the cruise than someone who booked it a half-year in advance. We did get a $50 on-board credit.

That’s why I like cruising so much. It is the easiest, most pleasant and most cost-effective and safest vacationing I have found. And, for a week, all I was breathing was sea air. That by itself was worth the price of the cruise - and the Led Zeppelin tribute concert by musicians who weren’t even born when the group was famous.

They were great, and the cost of attending the concert and every other entertainment onboard was included in the price of our ticket. I felt like I just bought a stairway to heaven.

(Write John at john.bulletin@gmail.com and share your favorite cruising story with our readers.)