A New Year, and a Whole New Cruising Season

So I am sitting in a hotel room in Tuscon (Arizona in case you weren't sure where that is), and I am sitting here thinking about everything that has happened in the last 365 days that have passed. Its truly been an interesting year, both for myself and the cruising industry. I expect a lot more news (hopefully good) out of the industry in the next year. I hope to be able to upkeep this blog a lot better than I have been doing (1 post a month is not enough by my standards). I will be adding on news headlines from the cruising industry (as soon as I find the time do add them on; should be soon). New Year's is not only a time for reflection, but for celebration as well, and I can almost guarantee that there will be a huge amount of people onboard ships when midnight comes around tonight. The New Year is definitely having effects on cruising as well; tonight is generally one of those rare "stay up all night and party" nights (on a 7 day trip; the one I usually do is the last night). In any case, I wish you a happy new year and hope for many exciting things in the near future.

Cruising over Christmas; Yay or Nay?

So I realized I hadn't kept this blog up in a while, so here is the special Christmas Day edition...

Christmas, for many is a time to sit back at home in front of the fireplace, maybe roast a marshmallow, and spend some time with the family; however, more recently, it has started to become a popular trend to cruise over Christmas. Cruising adds a whole new dimension to Christmas, as one is no longer at home, but instead is on a boat with new acquaintances and your family (if you so choose). Ships generally plan something special for Christmas (usually on a 7 day ride, one of the two gala nights occurs on Christmas), also, one is also receiving a higher degree of relaxation than if one were to be staying at home in front of a fireplace. Taking note of tradition, and of rapidly changing norms, the quintessential question presents itself: Is Christmas on a cruise ship any better than Christmas at home?

To address the question directly, Christmas on a cruise ship can definitely be better than spending Christmas at home. My reasoning is simple. At home, Christmas is one day, a day in a pool of many days, nothing around you changes, save maybe the mood of Christmas. On a ship, everything around you is constantly undergoing change (whether it be Christmas or not). Another pro to Christmas onboard is no cooking; most of Christmas Day or Eve (depending on your heritage) is spent laboring over a hot stove or cleaning up afterwards. On a cruise ship, no cleaning is required, a worriless care-free Christmas if you will. Also, a cruise can be a gift itself, so no need to be shopping around for weeks trying to find that perfect gift.

The downside to all this? Probably less tradition, but if you are willing to give up tradition for a fun vacation and a perfect Christmas gift, then cruising during Christmastime is probably for you. Be forewarned that Christmas cruises can be expensive when you look last minute, so give at least six months difference if you're looking to get one cheap.

Merry Christmas to all.