Why cruising in your 20’s and 30’s is awesome

I was 26, homeless and unemployed in London when my boyfriend at the time spotted a last-minute cruise deal around the Mediterranean in 2012. My eyes were opened: I absolutely loved the cruise travel lifestyle.

I took my second cruise alone before I found two friends were also keen to travel in this manner. The three of us explored more of the Mediterranean five years ago, and most recently the Pacific.

Groups of young people on cruise ships are rare – the average passenger age would easily be over 50. Most of our fellow passengers tend to be retirees, extended families, and couples with young children for whom a moving hotel room would no doubt make travelling immensely easier.

But I can think of many good reasons why more young people should give it a go.

READ MORE:
* 20 reasons to book a cruise
* Nine things cruise newbies need to know
* Cruise ship tips and advice: 25 insider secrets

It’s not as expensive as you might think

Sharing a room between three of us my last cruise cost us each $166 per day. This includes hotel-style accommodation, transport and all meals and entertainment which could include mini-golf, rock-climbing, theatre shows, ice skating or a surf machine.

Shore excursions can be costly, but you can navigate this with a little effort by booking with local tour providers once onshore, or just doing a bit of old fashioned research and organising your own day out in port.

Cruising removes a heck of a lot of travel hassle

Effectively your hotel room moves so you can visit five destinations in five days yet sleep in the same bed.

All the pain points of transiting from one place to the next is eliminated. You wake up in a new port ready to explore for the day and active days on shore are interspersed with days at sea where you can laze by the pool all day or take part in the many activities available on the ship.

The food is amazing

You’re fed a lot, and it’s of a very quality which is mindblowing when you consider the kitchen is feeding several thousand people each day. You can choose between a huge casual buffet, to order from an a la carte menu and be waited on in a dining room, to grab snacks from a cafe. Room service or quieter speciality dining restaurants are also available but may cost a little extra.

For some choosing places to eat might be a favourite part of travel but personally, I find searching for supermarkets and cheap vegetarian eats can be a somewhat stressful element.

There are plenty of bars (and probably a nightclub)

Having a glass of wine with dinner or sipping cocktails by the pool can still be part of your holiday. Alcoholic drinks are not included in a standard cruise package so if you intend to drink half a dozen drinks per day a drinks package might be just up your alley.

We took the (Royal Caribbean) maximum of two bottles of duty-free wine onboard, the result of which was the minor hassle of collecting my bag from quarantine rather than it being delivered to the stateroom.

Cruise ships aren’t party central

I’ve done the travel rites of youth including shared dorms in hostel accommodation, a Contiki tour around Europe and a party week on a yacht in Greece. All of these tend to be centred on late nights, alcohol and mingling while spending as little as possible. I’m past that.

On a cruise ship, you have your own space and choose how much or how little you do while effectively being on an organised tour route.

You’re forced to switch off

In the modern world, there are few chances to switch off completely. My cellphone is basically embedded in the palm of my hand but when the Wi-Fi can cost close to $30 per day even the most internet obsessed millennial will adapt and relish in a forced disconnection for a few days.

I didn’t really know myself without starting my day in bed checking my emails and social media and end it in bed on my laptop. But I sure slept a lot better, completely forgot about work and disregarded what anyone else was ‘gramming.

You meet people you’d never otherwise talk to

The international crew are super friendly, and we were fascinated by their lives and jobs.

Being seated at mealtimes with “future us”: groups of retired women who regularly cruise together became our preference as they have the best stories to share and advice on routes to take.

It’s thanks to the enthusiasm of one of these groups I’m now saving to visit Alaska on a cruise ship.

Sarah Kennerley is a Wellington-based travel blogger.

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