Five Alternative Cruises With the Same Relaxing Vibe
If you are thinking about your next vacation, you might consider booking a cruise. Cruise ship horrors of the early pandemic aside, cruises remain popular for many reasons – they offer all-inclusive holidays that travel to a range of exotic destinations, avoid bad weather by simply changing course, and offer seemingly like, endless rest. range of activities.
On the other hand, cruises suck . They are environmentally destructive , crowd you with thousands of other people with different health and safety attitudes, and are rarely as inclusive as you would like them to be.
But we get it — the relaxing simplicity of cruising is a powerful draw. So why not replicate most of this experience with a little creativity? Here are some of the best alternative vacations that are just as relaxing as a cruise.
Land cruises
A land cruise, also known as an all-inclusive resort, takes many of the things you love about a cruise (all-inclusive food and entertainment, luxury accommodations) and wraps them up in a great resort. While resorts tend to be more expensive in terms of initial bookings, they also tend to include more in the all-inclusive portion than your average cruise line. Plus, not only can you really explore and get to know a place, rather than running from place to place in a grueling race, you often won’t even need a passport to get to some of the best vacation spots.
Being on land immeasurably reduces your vacation’s environmental impact, and you’ll likely find that sitting by the pool with a drink in hand is the same whether you’re doing it in the middle of the ocean or on a beautiful Caribbean island.
Tours
If your cruising life is all about adventure and variety of places, consider taking a guided tour to an exotic destination. These vacations, sometimes referred to as “sightseeing tours”, take care of everything for you – accommodation, food and activities – and pair you with an expert who organizes trips around the region, ensuring you see all the places of historical, ecological or aesthetic interest. . . At the same time, a guided tour is often the best way to have a more localized and authentic experience because the person(s) who accompanies you know the area well and can direct you to unusual restaurants. , shops, and natural wonders that you would 100% miss while racing through a cruise port of call.
hotel stay
If you care about the luxury amenities of a cruise, consider booking a luxury hotel in a nearby metropolis and splurge on everything from gourmet dining, in-room spa treatments, and an Olympic-sized pool. If you’re itching to stay at a hotel, the concierge will be your best friend and help you organize any activity you want to do in the area, or you can just take a nap, try all the brunch options, and head to the restaurant. bar at night to lock up that lazy luxury.
Book a cargo ship
If you want the experience of being on the water without the guilt of taking on a cruise that pollutes the oceans and pushes the local environment to its limits, consider a cargo ship. That’s right, a cargo ship – almost all cargo ships have accommodations for large companies that they can use when they need to travel with the ships, and when these accommodations (usually quite plush) are not in use, tourists can book them .
Cargo ships travel all over the world, so you won’t be short of destinations, and crews are usually happy to have company on their travels. You will not further contribute to environmental pollution or engage in mindless consumerism, because boats will sail with or without you and will be engaged in the vital business of transporting goods around the world. This is very different from a hectic, action-packed cruise, but can be ideal for people who want an adventure without the crowds and noise.
Circumnavigation
To enjoy a luxury cruise with a much lower environmental impact, you can go sailing. Sailing boat cruises combine all the food, mobility and outdoor activities of a traditional cruise with a more eco-friendly tall ship that is powered by nothing less than the wind. Oh, and backup engines in case of bad weather, but you can rest easy knowing that most of the time you don’t pollute the oceans.
Also, sailboat cruises tend to have far fewer passengers, just a few hundred or even a few dozen, so they are less tiring and more sedate than your typical mega cruise. And sailboats, being small ships, can visit ports of call, which these huge cruise ships simply cannot. This means you have a lot more options in terms of destinations and things to do upon arrival. Have a good trip!