Rebuttal: The Many Reasons Why You Should Cruise

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An article on msn.com offered 11 Reasons Why You Should Never, Ever Take A Cruise. I offer this rebuttal to what was clearly a rather biased point of view written by someone who has never cruised on a more upscale cruise line. I thought the article was detrimental to those cruise lines that provide for passenger comfort, health and security.

Cruising is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable vacations you can take. But choosing the cruise line is the key to having a safe and healthy holiday at sea. Since 2006, I have spent about 750 days on board ship, thus I can speak with confidence about the joys of cruising, and yes even of the so-called dangers. There is the old expression, “You get what you pay for.” And that applies to choosing a cruise. Many of the bargain cruises on board mega ships that carry thousands of passengers can be fraught with such problems as:

  • Staff not trained to handle emergencies
  • Poorly trained medical personnel
  • Less than sanitary conditions in both cabins and public rooms
  • The dangers of food poisoning
  • Crimes of property or violence on board

The quality cruise lines offer you well trained personnel, high safety and security standards, excellent medical staff, a high degree of cleanliness and well-prepared food that is served under hygienic conditions.

So the bottom line is which cruise lines to choose from. With my years of experience, I recommend the following:

Mid Price Range

Upper Price Range

Choose from one of the six lines I have recommended and you will enjoy your cruise in an atmosphere of security, comfort and cleanliness. Here are my reasons to cruise:

  • You only unpack once for the whole journey
  • The ship is your floating hotel taking you to new destinations
  • You can have as much relaxation or excitement as you wish
  • The air at sea is the purest air on the planet
  • There will be presentations to inform you about the ports you are visiting with regard to what to see and what precautions you may need
  • You can be part of a group on a guided tour, have a private excursion or go onshore by yourself.
  • There is a great variety of food from which to choose, but you must be sensible and not over indulge
  • You can be pampered with room service, spa treatments, cooking classes and other forms of entertainment both day and night
  • You will meet a variety of interesting people and can develop lasting friendships

The article on the 11 reasons why you should never take a cruise is a classic example of scare tactics designed to discourage you from traveling. Yes bad experiences can and do occur, but they are the result of choosing bargain cruises on ships that cater to a mass audience that is there to party and save money in the process. The mid range and up market cruise lines are NOT in the same league. The companies that operate the better ships are very aware of your safety, security and comfort. My answer is simply choose wisely and you will find dozens of reasons why you will want to cruise again.

Submitted by, Dr. Lew Deitch www.www.doctorlew.com