‘You’re going on a cruise? Isn’t that a bit too passive for you as an adventurer?’
My friend, Mark, raised his eyebrow at me as we sipped our iced coffees on this hot August day in London. The sweat was evident on our brows and here I was making him jealous by telling him I would be taking a Norwegian cruise for a week along the west coast of Norway. Cool breezes, here I come!
Ah but Mark, you don’t know actually what goes on a cruise, do you? This is going to be my first time, well with my parents, BUT it’s going to be an experience to remember. Plus, I won’t have a sweaty bottom anymore…
I winked as I took another sip of ice while Mark poked out his tongue at me.
Cruise holidays used to have a reputation for being stuffy, boring and aimed at old people. With this in mind, they’re hardly the first choice holiday for adventure seekers like me. However my friends, the days of snooze fest cruises are long gone with so much to see and do on the journey. They’re now one of the most exciting types of holiday out there, so I’m told by my cruise loving friends of my age (early thirties). Here’s just a few of the best things that cruise holidays offer adventure seekers:
Variety
One of the main perks to a cruise is the variety that you get. Whether you want to see lots of the world in one go (whilst pretending to be on a magic carpet with Aladdin) or want the option to do some sun bathing and relaxing next to the swimming pools (possibly checking out the boat’s talent) alongside your bustling cities, cruises have it all. True adventure seekers will love being able to wake up in a new place every morning and head out exploring. So, on this Norwegian Cruise, I found myself excited to visit Flam, Olden, Molde and Bergen.
Excursions
Although a lot of adventure seekers love going off and doing their own thing (which there is plenty of opportunity to do on a cruise), planned excursions mean that you can get great deals on famous museums and monuments. With the opportunity to sign up to planned excursions you can be sure of going on a new adventure each day, something you can’t always guarantee with other holidays. With this in mind, I’m going to try and find a tree-climbing activity that will show off my bulging muscles… I wish.
Culinary Delights
One thing a cruise holiday definitely offers adventure holiday makers is an opportunity to experience a number of different culinary delights. From all the amazing on board restaurants to the local cuisine you’ll be able to sample every time you get off the ship, it’s a food lovers paradise. Be sure to sample the signature food in each town or city and you’ll be sure to find the very best authentic versions if you have a wander around and go off the beaten track to the back street restaurants. Three words – Bergen Fish Market. Enough said.
Opportunity
One of the key things that cruising holidays offer adventure seekers is opportunity. Head to Planet Cruise, where you’ll find a variety of different types of cruises from ships going to places like Scandinavia to the Caribbean and Alaska. Whatever corner of the planet you’re looking to explore, you’ll be sure to find a cruise heading there, giving you the opportunity to see way more than the one country which you would on a normal holiday.
With cruise holidays offering adventure seekers so much more than the standard holiday, it’s easy to see why they’re more popular than ever before.
‘Does this mean you’ll be cruising for dates on board?’
I tilted my head at Mark in annoyance.
‘Mark… shut up.’
