Foolproof Cruise Arguments for Non-Cruisers

We all know many people, for one reason or another, will stubbornly refuse not to go on a cruise any time the topic comes up. We admit that cruising may not be a suitable vacation for anyone with a fear of open water, but if their reasons are a fear of subpar food, lackluster service, or a general lack of things to do, we have the perfect antidote for the most common excuses:

1. For Picky Eaters: The Food is Way Better Than You Think

Reason For Not Cruising: “Cruise ship food is terrible. It’s just endless buffets and barely edible entrees.”

What We Say: Cruise ship dining is way more than just buffets. Even if some of the options aren’t great, ships can have up to 20 unique specialty restaurants serving up every type of cuisine imaginable.

If All Else Fails: We resort to shameless name-dropping. Even the most hardcore foodies will start involuntarily salivating when we mention the names Jamie Oliver, Roy Yamaguchi, Curtis Stone, Thomas Keller, Guy Fieri, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, and Michael Schwartz, all of whom have launched a celebrity chef restaurant on a major cruise line.



2. For the Busy Parents: Kids Activities and Childcare Options

Reason For Not Cruising: “My kids will get bored” or “I don’t want to deal with keeping track of them on a huge cruise ship but I can’t leave them at home.”

What We Say: Families are among the most coveted demographics by the major cruise lines, and they will move mountains to get them on board and keep them happy. Newer ships come fully equipped with onboard water parks, age-appropriate kids clubs, onboard activities from go-karts to ropes courses, and character partnerships with kids brands like Dr. Seuss.

If All Else Fails: Onboard babysitting. Parents can’t resist the idea of having time away from their kids (whether they admit it or not), and most cruise lines have group babysitting in the youth club spaces at night.


3. For the Easily Overwhelmed: Cruise Ships Come in All Sizes

Reason For Not Cruising: “Cruise ships nowadays are too big and crowded.”

What We Say It’s true that the newest ships are enormous, but they’re also designed in such a way to spread these crowds out across the ship, avoiding bottlenecks and human traffic jams. We regularly see reviews from first-time cruisers expressing their surprise that the ship never felt like there were 4,000+ passengers on board.

If All Else Fails: While they may not have all the new bells and whistles, older ships (which tend to be much smaller) actually have some advantages over newer ships. And if even they seem like too much to handle, there are always river cruises.


4. For the Easily Bored: There’s Always Something to Do

Reason For Not Cruising: “I’ll get bored on the ship” or some variation of “Cruising is for old people”.

What We Say: If you find yourself getting bored on a ship, you really have no one to blame but yourself. Between the constant activities, shows, and parties, plus four square meals a day followed by napping on the lido deck, you’ll be lucky to experience half of what a cruise ship has to offer on a seven-day cruise.

If All Else Fails: Would cruise ships add features like rock walls, go-karts, surf simulators, ropes courses, and bumper cars if they really were just for elderly vacationers? If they did, we can only hope we're that cool when we retire.



5. For the Spoiled: There’s Nothing Like Cruise Ship Service

Reason For Not Cruising: “I’d rather just go to a resort for the excellent service.”

What We Say: Working in the travel industry means we read a lot of reviews. We regularly see crew members being complimented by name, along with plenty of stories of these hardworking staff going above and beyond their job description to make passengers feel at home. And just to prove we’re not cherry-picking the best examples, when we compile the data, the average scores for service are ALWAYS the highest among any other category (dining, entertainment, cabins, etc.).

If All Else Fails:  You will love the new ship-within-a-ship concepts like Norwegian’s Haven, Celebrity’s Retreat, or the MSC Yacht Club, where they’ll have access to private pools, lounges, and concierge services.


Dream Vacations - The Operach Team is a travel agency based in Overland Park, Kansas. We take pride in working with clients across the country who love to travel. We build vacation experiences that will create memories to last a lifetime.  Our team has specialties across a wide range of vacation options; custom Europe itineraries, Alaska, escorted tours, all-inclusive resorts, Disney, Caribbean, Hawaii, South Pacific, cruise holidays, and river cruises.   

We look forward to making your dream vacations come true!!