Typically, I’ve been a hostel and bus or train kind of girl. I take the budget airlines, I stay in the cheap motels, and I look for ways to save money whenever I can. But lately, I’ve found that I no longer want to make life more difficult for myself when I travel. I would actually rather take a shorter trip and truly enjoy it than take a long trip where I’m constantly on the move.
I’ve always hated packing and unpacking my things when I’m travelling, and this has only increased as I’ve gotten older. I’m not a light packer, and I tend to spread my things out all over the hotel or hostel so packing is time-consuming and stressful.
I also usually prefer travelling slowly, simply because while I would like to see as much as possible in a short time, I’ve learned my lesson and I hate having to constantly check in and out of hotels and hostels and then head to the airport or train or bus station.
But I’ve discovered a way I can have a nice relaxing vacation while still seeing plenty of different destinations. Best of all, I only have to unpack once. The magic solution? Cruising. It turns out that cruising is no longer for older travellers- people of all ages are taking cruises these days. I’ve been looking into cruising with Fred Olsen cruises, and there are plenty of options depending on how long you want to cruise for and the destinations you’d like to visit.
I’ve been living in Budapest for 9 months now, but due to some unrelated visa issues, I’ve barely done any travel. This year, I have a long list of places I’d like to go, but I also know that working on the road is simply no longer feasible- when I’m out seeing the sights I feel like I should be working, and when I’m working I feel like I should be out seeing the sights. This year, I’m aiming for some proper balance- and I love the idea of actually stepping away from my laptop while I truly enjoy myself and visit some new countries and cities.
Another reason I love the idea of cruising? It’s almost completely all-inclusive. When you cruise, your food, accommodation, transport, and entertainment are all paid for with your cruise fare. This makes it much easier to budget. You can often even pre-book your tours and activities and pay for any gratuities before you step onboard. This means that you don’t even need to open your wallet unless you’re out buying souvenirs or exploring a new city.
I’m also planning to work on my finances this year, and it can be difficult to balance saving with travel. That’s another reason why cruising appeals to me- it’s one of the most budget-friendly ways to travel.
Have you cruised lately? Where did you go?
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