These days it’s not necessarily all about finding a holiday destination and going directly there. How you get there and the exploration involved along the way is often half the fun and adventure of the trip and certainly worth giving some thought to.

Have you ever considered cruising?

If you’re conjuring up thoughts of aged pensioners and Saga cruises, then stop right there! Where have you been for the last five years?! Cruising is the new black, with seriously swanky cruise-liners offering every kind of entertainment and culinary option you could ever want, on-board night-clubs, amazing itineraries taking in some of the most glittering destinations, oh and your food and some of your drinks are included in the price.

Tempted?

There is a lot of travel involved with cruising, that’s a given, but half the time you don’t even realize you’re traveling, because you’re too busy enjoying what’s going on. Cruises can be tiring, but there are ways to reduce pre-departure tiredness which will then give you a fresh foundation to build on. Staying the night before at the airport can help e.g some people book Manchester Airport hotels to do just that. This is generally a service you’ll find at most large UK airports, so you can take advantage of the benefits no matter where you’re heading from. Combining a hotel with airport parking using a service like Airparks will save you money, which is always a positive!

You’ll find a huge range of different age groups and nationalities on-board, which is a fantastic way to meet new people, and totally puts to rest the idea that cruising is only for the elderly generations! The facilities on-board may even make you wonder why you would ever want to leave for land excursions, with swimming pools, spas, Jacuzzis, gyms, games rooms, restaurants, clubs, bars, shops … the list goes on.

Choosing your itinerary is probably going to be the most difficult choice you have to make when it comes to your cruise, and you have a list to pick from. The Caribbean is most people’s dream, and this is certainly a fantastic idea, with the chance to check out several different sun-drenched islands during the space of a week, two weeks, or just a few days. There is also the option of a cruise and stay holiday, with a few days in maybe Orlando or Miami, before setting sail.

If the Caribbean isn’t your thing, then Med cruises are hugely popular. Be warned that this is probably the most tiring option when it comes to itineraries, because you will be seeing so many landmarks and places during your time that you will wonder where you are on any given day! For anyone into culture and history then this is a fantastic choice.

Want to head further afield? Far East cruises are once in a lifetime things, or even take it a huge step further and go around the world! For something smaller, but completely jaw-dropping, then a Norwegian fjord cruise could seriously open up your eyes.

Sailing the oceans opens up the world in ways you may never have imagined, and the only question you have to ask yourself is which direction do you want to explore?

Photo Credit: bvi4092 under Creative Commons license.