Earlier this year, I went on my first-ever major cruise. In my late 40’s, I finally gave in and did the style of vacationing that millions (and millions!) of Americans love. So: as an avid traveler, a mom to two, a wife (to one), a daughter and a sibling and a friend… would I recommend a cruise? How can you tell if a cruise is the right fit for you? I am here to walk through some of the pros and cons to help you decide if spending the money on a cruise is a good use of your resources.
The Celebrity Reflection was the cruise boat that took us to Fort Lauderdale, Bimini in the Bahamas, and Key West. My mom, who had made it through chemo and radiation, wanted to rebook a former girls’ weekend trip for her, my sister, and me, which we had canceled. Given we really only had a weekend to spare and limited financial resources, we picked this because we got a REALLY good deal. Plus, the entire cruise was three nights on board – pretty short. It felt like a good introduction to something I was hesitant about.
Why haven’t I been on a cruise before? It honestly wasn’t appealing. A lot of families in my demographic and orbit do Disney cruises, but as I confessed years ago, we’re NDPs (non-Disney people). I also like as much control over my itinerary as I can have. Further, OF COURSE I was wary given all of the infectious diseases that spread quickly and easily around cruise boats.
But since I am nearly always up for an adventure (and managed to navigate a global pandemic anyhow), when this option came my way, I obviously said “yes.” And now I get to process it with you.
This post will be super-honest. Take what resonates with you and leave the rest.
Is a Cruise the Right Fit For Me? The Pros and Cons of Cruising
Why Pick a Cruise - the Good Things
The top reasons people pick cruises, which I also appreciated, are:
1- They are super easy to book. And, once booked, most of the work is done. The company will recommend excursions with preferred vendors you can book with one click. Really, at the bare minimum, all you have to do is get to the boat on time.
2- You don’t have to pack and unpack and repack and keep moving to see different cities and/or countries.
3- It can be a great fit for multigenerational gatherings. There is a bit of something for everyone to explore, but people can still come back together to share meals and see shows.
4- Entertainment! Right there, nearly all the time! We had a lot of fun at the theater show, the singalongs, the bartending performances, the trivia games… always something to do.
5- For the most part, your fellow travelers are happy (everyone’s on vacation) and just looking to have a good time. It can be a fun way to meet people and have interesting conversations.
6- The food and beverages you want and need are at your fingertips all the time. No need, for example, to hit a grocery store and make sure you have a fridge or worry about which street the tucked-away restaurant in the city is on and if you have reservations. Whatever you want, you can get when it comes to consumption. (This is especially nice if, again, you’re on an intergenerational trip.)
7- You don’t have to get off the boat if you don’t want to. A lot of people travel just to experience the boat; they don’t care about the ports. The boat in and of itself can be the thing.
Why Avoid a Cruise - the Bad Things
Here are the things I did not enjoy about a cruise:
1 – It is going to be crowded. No matter how big or small the ship is, it’s simply a lot of people in a contained space, more or less on the same schedule.
2- You have very little control over your itinerary. You arrive at a port at a set time, and then you have a time to be back. There are dining times and entertainment times. In the port, you get the time they give you to explore, and that’s it. (Wanted to have dinner in Key West? Too bad, boat’s leaving.)
3- You will race off the boat with hundreds of other people, all heading out to the same excursions in the same city, then all coming back at the same time. It is a very short, crowded, and fairly inauthentic way to see a place. (Relatedly, there are questions about the ethical nature of this and the effect it has on cities, like Barcelona.)
4- Diseases. Obviously, most cruises do NOT end up in some raging infectious disease spreading. But it happens.
5- There is very little quiet time on a major cruise ship. There will be people around all the time.
6- It is easy to get bored with the amenities and restaurant choices depending on how long you stay on the ship. This didn’t happen to us as we weren’t on the ship long enough and actually didn’t have enough time to try all the restaurants (although we ate at all the ones included in our package, not any that were additional fees).
A Review of the Celebrity Reflection Boat
The Celebrity Reflection launched in 2012. It holds over just over 3,000 passengers – today’s mega ships hold over 5,000 people, and Disney ships usually hold over 4,000 people (by way of comparison). Reflection is the 6th largest ship for Celebrity, out of 15 (source).
What I Liked About Celebrity Reflection
As I’ve mentioned, I’ve never actually been on a major cruise boat before, so I don’t have much to compare this to. But I can tell you what I liked about The Celebrity Reflection:
1- The design of the spaces was fun to see. There were some aesthetically pretty tucked-away spaces, all different. We particularly enjoyed the wine “library.” (There was also a beautiful lounge/bar near it, but it was always packed, we believe with a wedding party.) We also enjoyed the sunset bar upstairs on the back of the boat.
2- The layout was easy to navigate and optimized the space while making things feel unique.
3- I don’t need many amenities, so this worked for me. There is a casino (which, as you all know, I could take or leave), a large pool area, an upstairs deck, a large workout room/gym, a spa (for additional charges), and more.
4- The large cafe with an all-hours buffet was a great place to visit, and yummy!
5- Our room was well laid out, clean and well-maintained, and comfortable for us. We also really appreciated our attendant and the service we received.
6- The large atrium in the middle of the boat kept a lovely party atmosphere going that we enjoyed. There was entertainment throughout peak times…and you should have seen that boat come alive during the ABBA singalong!
7- We got a great deal. This was certainly worth the money we spent.
8- We did not have to go to any special “cruise ship” island (which, speaking of inauthentic, I was desperate to avoid). The Celebrity Reflection took us to real cities and real ports, not cruise ship company-created islands.
9- The theater was large and accommodating. We attended the Broadway revue, which was great fun (although the late-night comedian was terrible and a lot of the audience left).
What I Didn't Like About Celebrity Reflection
Here is what I felt didn’t really work on The Celebrity Reflection:
1- The pool area was way, way too small. Maybe this is the case with every boat, but it was always uncomfortably packed. (And that makes it feel kind of gross. Even in the “adults only” pool and solarium.)
2- The main dining/ restaurant wasn’t that great food-wise. Service was lovely, and the menu was appealing, but execution wasn’t great.
3- The upstairs area wth hammocks, a green, and a large outdoor movie screen felt like wasted space. We were up there a lot, and it was never utilized.
4- The game tables didn’t work. Or, at least, we couldn’t figure out how ot get them to work. That was a bummer.
Overall Thoughts on the Pros and Cons of a Cruise as a Way to Travel
I get why people pick cruises as their primary form of vacation. The ease of the situation makes it a low-stakes and low-stress situation. For those traveling in large groups, everyone can find something they like. Also, it is true that not having to unpack, repack, and relocate to see things is very appealing.
Will I go on a cruise again? When it comes to these large-scale, massive ones, I am not eager to sign up again. Certainly not as a way to see countries and cities. It is very “check-in-the-box” travel, to me. It isn’t a great way to experience a new culture or place, given you have such limited time in a place, and are experiencing it at the same time as 3,000 other tourists (at least!).
But if a group of people I love are going and ask me to go, I wouldn’t say “no.” I’d focus on the experience of being with them, on an adventure, rather than seeing the ports of call. I’d enjoy a silent disco in the atrium and the all-night pizza buffet. (And I’d be sure to pass out hand sanitizer.)
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