The demand for travel is best exemplified by the popularity
of taking a cruise right now.
Cruising has never been more popular.
What makes them so attractive is that they are no longer
just a means to an end. They are no longer just a vestibule to take you from
one island to the next.
Cruise ships have become a destination unto themselves.
Oh, there’s still something to be said for taking a multi-night
cruise and getting off at ports in Europe or the Caribbean and exploring. That
kind of wanderlust will never dampen and never change.
But cruise companies have made it so you never have to get
off the ship if you don’t want to.
On some ships, there are ice skating rinks, water slides,
race tracks, games, activities, concerts and even Broadway shows.
And the food, of course, is to die for, with 24-hour service
and even some ships with five-star and signature restaurants. You don’t want
anything you can't get while taking a cruise.
For those who want to get off the ship and lie on a beach
and enjoy the ocean, some cruise lines even have their own private islands.
Naturally, nothing will ever replace seeing Buckingham
Palace, the Roman Colosseum, or the Eiffel Tower, up close and personal. But
the cruise lines are making it so that some of their ships are just as much of
a destination as one of those landmarks.
Travelers no longer say, ‘I am taking a cruise,’ and leave
it at that. Now, they identify the ship and all of its amenities. It’s almost
mythical in nature. You don’t just travel to the port of Miami or Port
Canaveral as part of the transportation process.
You arrive there.
Even better, cruising gives you a bang for your buck. Sure,
you could fly to the Caribbean, for instance, and get there quicker. But for
what you would pay in airfare, lodging, and meals, a cruise can sometimes make
it more beneficial.
You might see a sporting event on a plane when a fistfight
breaks out over a reclining seat. But when was the last time you also saw a
Broadway production?
No, cruises are now making their ships a destination.
Go and visit!
Make a cruise the end of your journey, not just a part of
it.
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