For those who have followed The Royal Tour for a while, and who are familiar with my preferred style of travel, it might come as a shock to them that I have enjoyed going on cruises. I have, in fact, been on thirteen of them, although none since I began writing. Cruises would seem to be the opposite of the slow travel I tend to pursue, full of long stays in cities that allow me to see things in reasonable half day increments.

And yet, I’ve always found cruising to be a pleasant experience, especially when it comes to destinations that are a bit harder to see by other means. An example is Alaska, where some cities are only really accessible by air or sea, and long periods in a small town like Juneau wouldn’t make a ton of sense touristically. (As I write this, I’m actually in the process of booking an Alaska cruise for 2026, which will be totally arranged by the time you read the article. It will be my third Alaska cruise, and each one will have been slightly different.)

So today, let’s talk a bit about cruises. What are the pluses and minuses of cruise travel? Where makes the most sense to see via a cruise ship? And how does one navigate finding the right cruise?

My Personal Experience

Before we really begin, I’d like to take a moment to go over my own personal cruise experience, so you can see where I’m coming from. As I mentioned, I’ve taken thirteen cruises so far. Those are: two Alaska, two New England/Canada, three Caribbean, two Mexican riviera, one Mediterranean, one Baltic, one Southeast Asia, and one Danube River.

Ships have ranged from a couple hundred guests on the Danube to thousands on megaships in Mexico or the Caribbean. And those thirteen cruises have been on nine different lines (some of which no longer exist), including the most major for American travelers: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, Celebrity, and Holland America.

I’ve traveled with just a partner, and in groups as large as eight. People in my groups have had various mobility and dietary restrictions, and a huge range of interests.

So while I’m not the definitive expert, I think I’ve seen enough in this sphere to offer some perspective.

Positives of Cruise Travel

Let’s start with the biggest benefit of a cruise: the ship itself. It is incredibly nice when your hotel comes with you, allowing you to see multiple destinations while only unpacking once. You’ll have a single room, you’ll get to know your cabin steward (please be nice to your steward; they work incredibly hard and do almost universally terrific jobs), and you’ll be able to seamlessly navigate the ship within a day or two.

And it isn’t just the hotel. Your restaurants travel with you, as does your gym. Your entertainment comes along. (What food and entertainment options there are can vary greatly depending on the size of the ship and the cruise line, but all have these aspects.) It is lovely to always have food and entertainment at your fingertips, whether you are at a tiny town in Alaska, a Mediterranean metropolis, or a beautiful luxurious Caribbean island. They don’t have to be arranged; it’s all part of the package.

Now, whether those aspects (hotel, food, entertainment) are pluses will depend on your taste and budget. The basic stateroom on a cruise ship will be on the small side, with costs widely varied depending on if you have an inside (no windows to the outside of the ship) cabin, ocean view, or a balcony. You can get a suite if you want. I find it to be uncomfortable, especially when I don’t plan to spend too much time in my room.

Likewise, food is a positive to me. It isn’t five-star gourmet, but the food is good, the menus are varied, and it is mainly included in the cost of the cruise. (Most ships have supplemental things that cost extra, ranging from intimate fine dining to alcohol options. Again, it just depends.) I enjoy getting to try things I wouldn’t otherwise, like Baked Alaska or chilled pear soup. Yes, these are two actual things I had for the first time on a cruise.

On a large ship, entertainment options will be vast. From Vegas-style shows to cooking demonstrations, movies, a casino, and lounges with music, you’ll have plenty to choose from, although it all operates on a schedule. You’ll have fitness classes, a spa, pools, talks about the ports you’ll visit, trivia, and more. You can do as much or as little as you want. On a smaller ship, those options will be more limited, but still of similar variety and quality. There might only be one lounge with music as opposed to seven, and a single pool or hot tub as opposed to nine. (The most positive aspect of so many options is that if you travel with a group, there is something for everyone, and each person is free to do their own thing when you aren’t all together.)

So let’s talk about destinations. On a cruise, you’ll see multiple places (even on a transatlantic cruise there will be a couple stops). And while you might only get several hours in a port, seeing a few over the course of a week can be exciting. I call it a sample platter trip; you’ll try different places and see where you’ll want to return for longer.

And finally, cruises tend to be a decent deal financially. If you break out all of the components (hotel, food, transportation, entertainment) that are included and try to do a trip on your own including all of these, you’ll almost invariably end up spending less on a cruise, and often by a decent margin.

Negatives of Cruise Travel

While cruises have a ton of things included, there is a rather large drawback to those: they are scheduled and don’t have a lot of flexibility. This begins with ports. You will arrive and depart at a certain time, and the ship will not wait for you if you are late getting back. Most of the time, you’ll have a single day only in a place, and will need to be back onboard before dinner time, meaning nightlife will be limited to what is on the ship itself.

Likewise, while there are always food options available, sit down meals in the restaurants will have limited hours, and on some ships, will be at a specific time. You might have your table at 6pm every night, and if you don’t want to eat at 6, you’ll have to go to the buffet (for example). This can all be frustrating for those who don’t like rigidity in their schedules. (Some cruise lines and ships just have open seating, but hours are still limited for each meal.)

Cruise ships can be crowded, and some can feel even more crowded. There can be a lot of people in a fairly small space, with the lines and claustrophobia that come with that. The largest ships can have 10,000 people on board between guests and crew. Likewise, some ports can be overrun with cruise passengers. Nassau, for instance, often has five or more ships at a time, with 30,000 or more people between them all exiting into the port during the same hours.

For me, a negative of ships is a lack of connectivity. While you can purchase internet packages (and they are free on some ships), you might not have phone coverage while away from port. If you need to be connected to friends, family, work, and news, it will be harder, although not impossible, than a trip that is solely land-based.

Finally, while I love being at sea, I recognize that life on board a ship isn’t for everyone. You are on a boat, and sometimes that means it can be a bit rough. You might feel that movement, and it might not be pleasant. Some destinations are known for being rougher than others, and some times of year, so if you have motion sensitivity, do some advance research and bring medications to help.

Destinations Where Cruising Makes More Sense

Is a cruise right for you? One of the biggest aspects of this decision is going to be your destination. With cruises mainly doing a single day in each port, the ideal cruise (to me) is one where that is a positive and not a negative. So while I have done cruises to European cities, a single day in Rome isn’t exactly a plus, especially when you consider that the port is two hours away from the city.

To me, Alaska was made for cruising. Ports are small, meaning a single day is largely enough in each. And getting between them is not really possible other than by boat. Plus you are never really out of sight of land. Those are all benefits. Likewise, the Caribbean can make a ton of sense to cruise, since you’ll get to see multiple islands without paying island resort prices. And if your plan for going to the Caribbean is mostly relaxation, doing some of that on board isn’t the drawback that the scheduling would otherwise make it.

How to Find the Right Cruise

99% of the time in my travels, I make my own arrangements. I find flights and hotels and do it on my own. Cruises are an exception, and the one time I actually recommend using a travel agent. Cruise specialists have easier ways of searching for itineraries, and can often offer better prices than you’ll find yourself online. And since they are paid by the cruise line, you won’t pay for that service.

My current cruise travel agent is Eric Fuentes, and his website is here. Tell him I sent you!

When examining options, you’ll consider a few factors. Itinerary and cost will be the biggest, obviously, but make sure you consider the size of ship, the demographic that line attracts, and even the exact ship. The exact same itinerary and price can be a completely different experience on two different lines, or even on two different ships of the same line. Your travel agent will have much better insights into those things than you’ll find elsewhere.

Conclusion

So is a cruise right for you? Only you can be the judge. But even if you are like me and prefer slower and less rigid travel, it can be a wonderful experience. I’m looking forward to my next one!