Vacationers these days have a wide variety of travel options to choose from. While planning a holiday, one of the first decisions you need to make is whether it’s best to explore the destinations on land or by cruise, or a combination of both. With the number of innovative and exciting cruise liners and packages available today, it can be exciting and rewarding to combine a cruise with a land holiday.

A cruise is a truly memorable experience. Nothing conveys the pleasure of a sea voyage more than being on a cruise ship, soaking in the vastness of the ocean and experiencing majestic sunsets. You get a great opportunity to explore some of the finest and most exotic destinations across the world, all in a single cruise package. You can choose a cruise depending on your budget, destination and preference. You can take a family cruise across the oceans, luxurious river cruises or even intimate yacht cruises that meander through tiny islands. Some of the newest cruise ships include MSC World Europa, Wonder Of The Seas and Celebrity Beyond.

If you are still in two minds, here are a few compelling reasons that add a cruising experience to your land holiday.

Hassle-free Vacationing
Land holidays usually involve moving from one city to another. You end up constantly packing and unpacking as you move from city to city and hotel to hotel. You need to embark and disembark from flights at multiple airports or take trains between cities. You may also end up with different levels of service & food at different locations.

On a cruise vacation, once you have unpacked at the beginning of the cruise, you do not need to do any more packing or unpacking throughout the cruise. Do more and see more, instead of spending your time transporting yourself from one city to another.

All-in-One Package
Cruise packages generally include, or can be customized to give you, a complete set of entertainment, sightseeing and cuisine options. All leading cruise lines offer great experiences onboard their ships including multiple pools, water parks, spas and wellness treatments, shopping centers, gaming, adventure-sports, fine-dining options, amphitheatres, karaoke bars and discotheques.

From lone adventurers and couples on a romantic getaway, to families with kids, cruises liners offer something for everyone.

Unmatched Luxury
Many cruise liners offer luxury packages that include special suites with spectacular views, personalized service, priority luggage transfers, private spas, custom menus and 24 hour butler service. On land holidays, the price you would pay for this kind of a luxury experience would generally be many times the cost of a cruise package with a similar quality of service.

Different cruise ships provide a varying luxury experiences, such as specialty gourmet cuisine, wine tasting workshops and exquisite lounges.

Shore Excursions
Exploring a destination starting from the shoreline is much more exciting that starting at an airport. Shore excursions usually come at an additional cost, but are a truly exhilarating experience. Aided by professional tour guides, passengers have the opportunity to experience great history, wonderful cuisine and unique local cultures at various ports of call.

Many cruise packages from India can include shore excursions at each port that can be booked in advance well before you board your cruise. These planned excursions include transportation to and from the cruise ship, along with privileged access to specific tourist spots. Or, you could take tips from the ship crew and explore places on your own.

Great Value for Money
Cruise packages are designed to give you a fixed itinerary of destinations and ports of call, as well a host of entertainment options on-board, in a single, all-inclusive price. There are no hidden fees. However, cruise packages are usually not inclusive of staff gratuities.

Cruises are available in a range of budgets. The price of a cruise package depends on many factors including the cruise line, itinerary, season, type of cabin, cruise duration and the type of activities included.

Prices for a 2-night cruise in Australia begin from $178 per person while 5-night Mediterranean MSC cruises cost upwards of $449 per person. Considering that the price generally includes meals, accommodation and transportation, the ‘per person, per night’ cost on a cruise often comes out to be equal to or less than a hotel.

Booking an Extended Cruise Holiday
For a complete holiday experience that allows you to experience the best of both worlds, combine a land holiday with a cruise holiday. If your cruise offers a round trip, spend a few days exploring the home port before or after the cruise. If you’re booking a one-way cruise, you can spend a few days at both ends of your cruise exploring the port cities your cruise begins and ends at.

At Cruisebay we can help you plan such a holiday. We’ll customize a cruise tour with a curated itinerary for your time at the port cities and provide all the logistical support needed. Get in touch to start planning.