Do Best Cruise Lines Offer Fake Experiences

I’ve been delayed with my planned discussion of the best cruise lines for short 2 or 3-night cruises from Florida in the winter (slim, very slim choices this year for those of us who would like a quick getaway from cold, sleet and snow…) by the onset of cold weather in the NorthEast and all the related winter-preparation activities…. stacking logs for the wood stove, sending the porch furniture into cold storage, replacing the window screens with storm windows.

Then, while following a website link in an article last night, I came upon an entry in Arthur Frommer’s (founder of the popular Frommer’s Travel Guides) blog that I found disturbingly one-sided and biased.

Do you think we’re wasting our vacations with "safe," " fake" experiences on Vegas-style mega-cruise trips?

In Frommer’s October 23rd entry, he posted a reader’s comment to an earlier discussion questioning why anyone would chose to vacation on one of the mega-cruise ships, which remind him of “giant Las Vegas casino-hotels.” The reader agreed with his viewpoint by stating: “Why would someone spend money to be on a boat so vast that you don't even feel like you're at sea--and in fact, with so many amenities, activities and perks that are similar to what you could get in Vegas or at an all-inclusive land resort?”

They seem to be missing the point that if you’re in Las Vegas or an “all-inclusive land resort,” you’re in one place – not moving effortlessly from city to city / country to country. (And as another note, every mega-cruise is not “all-inclusive” – far from it: tipping is not only expected, it is required; drinks are an additional charge and often seriously over-priced; fees are charged for “premium” dining, water sports and many activities onboard the ship.)

The reader went on to say she wants “… travel to be an EXPERIENCE of something new, daring, unfamiliar and completely different from what I know... and I want to be THRUST into it! What's the point of traveling, be it by land or sea, if you're going to be involved in the fake, safe, dare I say, near Disneylandian version of another country or region?”

It’s great that some people want a travel experience to be an adventure, incorporating mingling with local people, venturing into new terrains, and throwing in a bit of “danger” to add to the sense of excitement. Not everyone wants that.

Cruising is a great way to experience somewhere new – or even somewhere familiar – and not have to worry about how you’re going to get there, where you’re going to eat, whether the bed in the hotel will be comfortable, and so on and so on. I’ve just returned from a 3-week adventure through eastern and northern Australia. My experiences were fantastic, but packing and unpacking almost every night and rising in the wee hours of each morning to board a tour bus to travel hours to reach the next destination or sit in the next airport got to be a bit much.

Additionally, on a cruise, most of your mandatory costs are paid before you set foot in your cabin. As the value of the US dollar continues to erode, the real cost of comparable hotels and food in Europe and even Asia and the South Pacific is much higher than the cost of a cabin with 3-4 meals per day on a cruise ship.

One of the super benefits of cruising is about choice – do you prefer a big ship with all the “bells and whistles” and 3,000+ people or small cruise ships, focused on experience / adventure and highly personalized service or something in-between? Perhaps a relaxing river cruise that meanders along the great rivers of Europe, with stops in charming villages and historical sites? It’s a shame Mr. Frommer and his reader chose to ignore the benefits and many choices in cruise vacations. For the most part, the world’s best cruise lines offer value for our travel dollars and provide experiences we enjoy.