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I know many folks look down on cruises, and I can understand why. The amount of food and booze that’s consumed is a wonder to behold, the casino is a smoke-filled den of desperation, and the behavior of fellow passengers can be a tad off-putting.
Still, Elaine and I have taken three cruises in the past four years, including one last week, and we thoroughly enjoyed all three. Why? Here are five reasons.
Few hassles. From Philadelphia, we can hop the train to New York City and take a cruise from there. That means no airports and long flights—always a plus. Once we’re on the ship, everything is taken care of, including housekeeping and all meals.
Paid in advance. Given that the price includes accommodation, food, entertainment and travel to exotic locales, cruises strike me as good value. But what I especially like is that pretty much the entire cost is paid before you get on the ship (assuming, of course, that you don’t carry the expense as a large credit-card balance). That means Elaine and I are free to enjoy ourselves without worrying about, say, the cost of each meal or about getting hit with a big bill at the end.
Disconnecting. We pay for unlimited internet on cruises—got to keep HumbleDollar humming along—but only for one device each: our laptops. Meanwhile, our cell phones, with no internet connection and no cell signal, are useless except for checking the time and taking photos. That removes the endless temptation to glance at our phones, which is initially disconcerting but soon feels liberating.
Less choice. How do we spend our days while at sea? We might take a walk around the deck, head to the gym, or sit on our balcony reading and writing. In other words, there’s a limit to what we can do. The slower pace is refreshing.
Pampering. We should design a life for ourselves where we enjoy a gradually rising standard of living, so we truly appreciate each improvement that comes our way.
That brings me to an admission that might earn tut-tutting from some in the HumbleDollar community: When we take cruises, we’ve lately taken to paying for the highest class of service. That gives us a larger cabin and access to a part of the ship with its own pool, restaurant and lounge. This might not seem luxurious to those who spent their lives flying business class and going to high-end resorts. But after a lifetime of frugality, it feels like a real treat.
I agree totally with Jonathan’s view. Just returned from an 8 day catamaran cruise through the Galapagos Islands. As a biologist, I’ve had a passion for evolutionary biology theory for nearly 4 decades. Disconnecting from the world and traveling the path (and thoughts) of one of my heroes was an experience of a lifetime. Bucket list item, and worth every penny!
Cruises are a treat. You unpack once. You don’t have to shlep your bags from place to place. A great cruise line (there are only about a half dozen) gives you excellent quarters, service, food and activity options. A good cruise schedule puts you in port at times you can spend a full day on land. You do pay a bit of a premium for a good cruise line, but I agree that it is a pleasure to move up a class or two. If you are on a ship for a week or more, it is well worth it to have a big window or balcony, and a midship location away from the dance floor and other noisy activities. Every year, we look for cruise options that spend less time “at sea’, and that take us almost daily to locations we have never visited. With a cruise, you can’t get a “deep dive” into the culture or character of a country or city, but with most places, you don’t need that. I’d save the long stays and non-cruise travel for locations where there are many compelling attractions and you really want to have a more complete experience. The best cruises of the six or eight we’ve had so far, IMHO: Australia and New Zealand, and the Greek islands (eastern Mediterranean).
Good for you, Jonathan. Good for you. When my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2013, we started dipping into my 401k to travel, including some longer cruises on upscale lines (Cunard, Oceania). The long expanses of uninterrupted time together watching the ocean without worrying about cooking, cleaning or working (me!) was restorative. After 5 years, I told him we’d better die or we would go broke! Best money we ever spent.
I was/am a veteran cruiser due to being a single mom of a teenager in Florida. It was a great way to spend time with my son. My husband, having defied the survival odds and then some, and I are full-time travelers. We focus on 1-way (repositioning) cruises and have 1 world cruise under our belts with a second one booked for 2027. And, yes, we will spend a little more for upgrades. I’m taking my first river cruise (with a girlfriend) this December.
We joke that as long as I have a cruise booked, he can’t die. We are both on-board (literally) with having our ashes spread at sea—which some lines will do at no charge.
Live your life. Live your life.
Did Viking River Cruise in southern France. It was great. 150 or so people. Nothing like the huge ships. Big advantage is they dock right near small towns, as opposed to tourist traps looking to sell junky trinkets.
I couldn’t agree more. Heading out this week on our 6th Viking cruise ( 4th ocean, 2 rivers). No kids, no casinos, no pressure to overeat or drink. Love the guest lecturers and historical presentations. Well worth the money!
Your final admittance is why you enjoy cruising, but the average cruiser is stuck with the problems you mention in your first paragraph. Also, imagine being stuck on a ship with any kind of norovirus? No thanks
I did until I took one. Now I kick myself for not cruising sooner.
Has anyone tried Windstar? By Xanterra they provide unique experiences. I have read that they are smaller ships and can go into smaller ports.
My impression was that they used be fairly bare bones ships with sails, probably targeting a younger demographic. Some of the ships still have sails but they seem to have been refurbished and gone more upmarket, and there are now ships without sails as well. If you’re interested you might spend some time on the Windstar board on Cruise Critic.
So happy to hear of your fun cruise. Yes, it is OKAY to spend a little beyond your frugal habits of your life. If I do take another cruise it will be similar to the one you took.
Keep enjoying your time with Elaine, and allow yourself to be high end, you deserve the best!
Jonathan, which cruise line did you take that has “access to a part of the ship with its own pool, restaurant and lounge”? We have never wanted to take a cruise, but this option might change the dynamics for us.
It was a Norwegian cruise. Its ships have a separate section known as the Haven.
I’m with Jonathan re: the reasons for how easy and fun cruises can be. I’ve done only three cruises—a “sample” one that stopped in various fun ports up the northeast coast from NY to Halifax; a wonderful one to coastal Alaska from Vancouver; and a 5-dayer from Fort Lauderdale through the Caribbean, including a last stop at Cozumel, where we chose to take a tour bus to see the well-preserved Chichen Itza Mayan ruins.
Each of these cruises were on medium-large Holland American ships, which seem to be geared more to adults and had a nice variety of fun things for us to do, both on and off the ships.
The last cruise, on a brand-new ship that had a “music” theme (you’d come around a corner and a live jazz quartet would be playing), I did with a friend instead of my husband. She and I booked side-by-side interior cabins. We had great sleeps in those cozy little windowless cabins (although apparently she gave into spending hours watching free movies every night), and every morning we’d pop out of our little “time capsules” and meet in the hallway to head out for a fresh-fruit breakfast and another fun day of local excursions. We didn’t miss having a balcony or even a window since we were very rarely in our rooms during daylight, and IMO all the views and breezes are the best up on the wonderful ship decks. Someday I’ll book a “deluxe” cruise suite like Jonathan and see what I’ve been missing!
Jonathan, So glad to hear that you and Elaine are spending this precious time together. Enjoy your days as often as possible.
Big ships are not for me. I don’t need to deal with 3,000+ people. However, we’ve taken several Viking river cruises in Europe, and had an excellent experience. Our boat only had about 150 people, and had an experience of a lifetime. We’ve scheduled another, and plan to see the Great Lakes! Canada & US! Should be an adventure with only 300 people on an Explorer ship. That’s the new market Viking now pursues. Old people looking to learn and have some fun. Submarine, kayaks, and more. I’m in. I’m taking my cue from Jonathan and now in spending mode of my filthy lucre. Kids have enough, and will figure things out.
Highly recommend the Viking Great Lakes trip, my wife and I said no way we would get into the submarine but once on board and seeing the support and preparation of the crew it was an easy decision to make and a very memorable experience. Just booked a Viking river cruise to go up the Mississippi from New Orleans to Memphis.
We have done all the river cruises in Europe plus Russia and Ukraine. Great way to see countries, not luxury, but very nice.
You couldn’t pay me to get on one of the big ships – Carnival, Norwegian, etc. I could see doing Alaska (on a small ship), Antarctica, or one of those expensive barge cruises in France. I’ve been in places like Dubrovnik and Rhodes when the cruise ships dock, and it’s a completely different experience. That said, I would recommend cruising with Hurtigruten up the Norwegian cost, but those are working boats as well as cruise ships (ditto Navimag off Chile, that was really bare bones but I see they have a new vessel).
I suppose if I get more decrepit, and still want to travel I might consider Viking, with no kids and no casinos, or go really high end, but I might not mesh with my fellow travelers if I tried that.
This post is most welcome this morning. My wife and have booked passage to Southampton later this spring on the Queen Mary 2. That was an uncharacteristic big ticket action, so of course I wonder if I will judge it money wisely spent.
Reading Jonathan Clements’s take on water travel reassures me.
We will be taking our 4th “crossing” on the QM2 in August (this one via Norway). As full-time travelers in retirement, we will cruise rather than fly whenever possible. Cunard is among our favorite cruiselines. So much so that we have booked a world cruise on Queen Victoria for 2027.
We find it elegant without being stuffy. The food is terrific and the library unparalleled among ships. Queen Mary 2 and QM2 have brilliant histories which they showcase in the ship.
The North Atlantic can be unpredictable so get scopolamine patches from your doctor before you go.
My wife and I did that 10 years ago and found it very enjoyable and relaxing. At the time it didn’t seem expensive, not that much more than flying. And you arrive the UK without jet lag!
We’ve taken two cruises, both prior to Covid. One to the western Caribbean over Christmas and another to Alaska. We enjoyed both thoroughly. We take a cabin mid-ship to minimize the up and down motion in the event of rougher seas. I agree that a balcony is a must.
We took a lot of excursions and that really made a difference, too. Well worth the money for these. One was crewing on an America’s Cup boat during a friendly race. I’m a sailor and really enjoyed it as did G. G took scuba lesson, too; she had never done that. Other memorable highlights included a nature excursion on an “Deadliest Catch” trawler and a trip on the White Pass Railway into BC. We avoided the casinos on land, etc. and anything we can do at any time elsewhere.
I made videos and added the adventures to my blog. We took G’s parents on the Alaska cruise. Both had varying health issues at the time. We generously tipped the porter who assisted us on keeping track of them. They enjoyed the freedom to roam on the ship and explore together or individually. There was a lot to do, including an Iditarod race presentation by a woman who had done it.
I love that you’ve given yourself permission to spend.
Sarah has two big issues with cruising — the limited quality and variety of the vegetarian dining options, and the conspicuous consumption on display. But I love it, because it’s traveling without the irritants of repacking/unpacking and making transport connections. That’s the #1 benefit for me — I hate being on a bus with a suitcase. On a cruise, the scene changes but my clothes stay in the same place.
We’ve done cruises to the Adriatic and Alaska, and next March we’re doing my dream trip, New Zealand. We’re going with Wilderness Travel, an all-inclusive small ship with few fancy frills, lots of nature photography and, they promise, plenty of local veggie dishes for Sarah. And the trip is surprisingly affordable for a couple of cheapskates.
River cruises in Europe worked well for my Dad when my Mom was earlier in her Alzheimer’s years. They didn’t have to pack and unpack, and if Mom was having a bad day they could just stay on the barge that day and take in the scenery.
We’ve taken two cruises with Viking, one river and one ocean, both in Europe. We enjoyed both very much. Viking boats are smaller (around 200 passengers on river cruises and 900 on ocean cruises) and don’t have either casinos or children. They’re lower-key in terms of programming—no Broadway-style shows, for example—but do a nice job of providing lectures and films about the places we’re visiting.
We like cruising for certain things, most notably visiting a bunch of places in a short period of time that we wouldn’t plan a whole trip around—think Croatia or Budapest. I wouldn’t do it for Hawaii or the Caribbean because I’d rather just settle into a beach resort and enjoy being there for a week.
I don’t think I’d ever enjoy one of those huge ships with thousands of people—the crowds and the hassles just sound stressful to me. But I know with the larger ships you get more bells and whistles, so it’s a trade-off. Different things please different people.
Doug and I took two cruises, both of which were delightful. There was no casino on the small (350 passengers) ship but there were guest lecturers who were experts on the ancient sites where we docked for guided tours. Though the company and ship are no longer in business, I look forward to joining the Road Scholar organization for more Mediterranean cruises, which always have a few relaxing days at sea. We discovered that people who book this type of cruise have a lot in common including, sometimes, amazing coincidences of acquaintances in common or direct knowledge of obscure villages in rural PA (a woman from the U. K.).
First wife and I did a cruise 35 years ago with friends and neighbors. It was alright, but money was tight back then, so we had a lower room with a porthole view of the ocean.
I met Chris in 2002, and except for a trip to London to visit her niece, she had never been outside the country. Both her and I love sunshine, and began spending weeks at a time on various Caribbean islands. Being on the same island for a week or more gave us the opportunity to thoroughly explore our surroundings, which I found superior to the hectic one day visits offered by a cruise.
Fast forward 23 years, Chris has some feet issues and can’t walk great distances. I beginning to give more thought to cruises. These days we can afford better accommodations. If we choose to drive or fly to NYC, we could spend some time there, maybe take in a play or 2.
Jonathan, you present a good argument for a cruise. Hanging out on the balcony with a good book sounds kind of appealing, and I bet there’s nice mojito bar within a short walking distance from the room.
Jonathan, like you, I’ve always been very frugal. But, once in a while, I will splurge on something I really want. For instance, I bought nice prints at very reasonable prices to decorate our walls. But, I always wanted an original painting. When I saw one that I loved in an art gallery window, I bought it. It’s been hanging in our living room for around ten years.
The point of frugality in my opinion is not to deprive yourself but instead it’s to enable you to live the life you want – including the occasional indulgence. My husband and I were recently discussing some of our past vacations. Usually, we stay at moderately priced hotels. But, there were a few times that we treated ourselves to a nice resort. Our memories of those trips are priceless!
Despite’s having a harrowing experience on a long cruise during COVID, I fully agree. I’d do it again tomorrow. We too pay for a larger room and always with a balcony. NEVER EVER get an inside cabin, even if it’s free😱
We were in the Queens Grill on the Queen Mary a few years ago. Quite a posh experience, but a bit too formal to be called fun.
I just wish cruises out of NYC or Jersey went to other than the Caribbean. Can’t get Connie to agree to transatlantic cruise.
Dick – your link to a harrowing experience does not work for me. Is that a HD article?
It is. Didn’t work for me either, but Jonathan added the working links.
Here are some of Dick’s pieces from that trip:
https://humbledollar.com/2020/03/at-sea/
https://humbledollar.com/2020/03/seasick/
https://humbledollar.com/2020/03/barely-afloat/
Agreed, a cruise without a balcony to enjoy the views just isn’t a cruise.
Especially when confined to your cabin for two weeks as we were.
Out of NYC, you can head north to Canada — not bad if you want to escape the summer heat.
My wife and I highly recommend the ~2-week Celebrity New England round-trip cruise from NJ, up the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City, with several stops along the way at other interesting ports. Quebec City is certainly the main attraction, though. Very fun!
I once flew to Quebec City and Montreal to escape the NC summer heat, only to encounter a heat wave. It wasn’t as bad as NC, but definitely hotter than I expected.
That’s funny because one summer when my children were young teenagers they saw an add for Six Flags in NJ. My wife and I had lived outside of Philly for a few years when we were first married, so I said no way, instead we’ll go to Laronde amusement park in Montreal. When we went it was about 90 and humid.
I am from Montreal. Despite being part of The Great White North, Montreal can be exceptionally hot and humid in the summer. BTW, I grew up, though well before climate change, with air conditioning in our home – and we were definitely not rich.
It is amazing that in 2025, most of Europe remains without AC. We were in London last summer. The day prior to our arrival the temp had been 90 F. The tube stations were unbearable. First world problem ?
I think it was Scott Galloway, though i could be mistaken, who recently proposed that a possible contributing factor to Europe being so far behind the US economically is the lack of AC. Hard to be productive when your are so uncomfortable.
I once had a debate on a travel board about whether I would need AC in Germany in the summer. It turned out that the person adamantly opposed to AC slept in his basement when it got hot. Hard to do that in a hotel. (It was a hot summer and I was glad I had mostly arranged for AC.)
About 4 years ago we visited Alberta, Canada. Homes eg Airbnbs, do not have AC. It was bloody hot and not very comfortable.
We are going to the south of France at the beginning of May. Although not a major determinant of which properties we chose, it turns out that both of the Airbnbs do have AC, which in retrospect, I’m sort of pleased about, in an insurance kind of way.
I’ve twice spent time in Toulouse, in the south of France, during the summer. This was two decades ago. Both times it was extremely hot. Fortunately, the apartment we rented had AC. But it was sufficiently hot that AC also became a key criteria in picking restaurants.
We are leaving in early May, so hopefully before the significantly heat arrives. By coincidence, we will be in Toulouse for one week and Bordeaux for week two. Jonathan, despite the passage of time, any suggestions ?
It’s been too long to mention any specific places, But from Toulouse, it’s worth visiting Carcassone and Albi. Toulouse-Lautrec was born in Albi, and there’s a museum devoted to him.
Input appreciated ! I did my research on “Day Trips” this past week and decided we will go to Albi as well as nearby Cordes-Sur-Ciel.
Both Albi and Carcassone are reachable by train. So, too, is Luchon, if you have a desire to spend the day in the Pyrenees.
Yeah, that’s what we did in the QE2
A digression: Like many immigrants from Europe, I arrived in the U.S. on a boat into New York harbor. It was 1966. The boat, however, was the QE2….
My error. Ours was the Queen Mary.
Hi Jonathan, we have been on 2 cruises and really enjoyed them, for the reasons you mentioned. I didn’t know about the pampering suites, but will look into them the next time we go. The balcony rooms have been good so far. Chris
I love cruising for all the reasons you have outlined. I am not yet retired but we have already upped out game. We are taking our 25th anniversary cruise in July and we ditched balconies for full suites. I can’t wait!
No tut-tutting from me Jonathan. As I have posted many times, and recently, my wife and our families are quite surprised when I retired that I’m more willing to spend then when we were in our earning years. But this retirement lifestyle, al though not luxurious, is what all the saving was for. We now know where we stand financially, and I do keep an eye on our investment balance, but it’s time to enjoy the fruits of our frugality.
As for your personal situation you know that your time is limited, and that Elaine will have the sufficient funds to be comfortable when you are gone, so enjoy some pampering while you can.