CRUISE TRAVEL: More than one flavor

If you think cruising is all giant party boats or endlessly boring days at sea, you’re in for some pleasant surprises. Today’s cruise lines cover the world’s oceans with a diverse range of tantalizing options.

People are passionate when it comes to cruising. Its enthusiasts love it. its detractors love making fun of it. But if you’re looking to get the most bang for your travel buck, cruise travel is hard to top — transportation, hotel, meals, entertainment, recreation, all for a singe fare.

The price you pay for a cruise can range from entry-level cheap to 5-star-and-then-some. The question is, what kind of value are you getting for your money. The answer, usually, is…a LOT.

These days, the cruise industry is dominated by gigantic floating mega resorts plying the Caribbean or the Mediterranean seas, packed with dining options, shows and shopping, even bars that travel up and down multiple drinks while robot bartenders mix your drinks.

Are you first-time cruisers (especially young ones looking for that giant party-boat vibe), or families with children who need near-constant distractions, or anyone looking for a cruise ship that’s a destination in its own right, cruise lines like Carnival, Norwegian, Princess and above all, Royal Caribbean have got you covered.

Those lines offer plenty with relatively short, convenient and well-priced sailings around the Gulf of Mexico, including Central and South American destination as well as the Caribbean islands. .

These days, however, cruising has grown and evolved far beyond the Caribbean party cruise.

For the more curious or adventurous cruise traveler, expedition cruising is coming into its own. Smaller, specialized vessels designed specifically to take passengers into more isolated settings, where the environment, the flora and fauna are the major sources of entertainment, are turning up in growing numbers from the tropics to the frozen poles.

You can also find four-masted sailing ships fitted out as large luxury yachts.

At the opposite end of the luxury scale are passenger-carrying freighters. For the truly adventurous and minimalist self-contained traveler, these offer minimal creature comforts and absolutely zero pampering, but can take you to almost any seaport in the world.

The coastal seas of Northern Europe and the to the south in the Mediterranean are home to ocean-going ferries — cruise ships big enough to carry everything from motorcycles to earthmovers as well as passengers. Book your cabin and passage for your rental car, and not only sail from one country to another, but arrive with your own wheels.

Themed cruises, with itineraries built around almost any topic you can think of — including almost every musical genre on Earth — can be yours from many of the world’s major ports. You can even take educational classes at sea, for academic credit.

Then, there are river cruises, which are a world unto themselves.

So if you think cruising is boring or one-dimensional, you need to dive into it a little deeper. You might just decide to do your next road trip without the road. Get in touch with us at Trips by Greg to help you sail off into that vacation sunset.