THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION
The Middle ….
For many cruise lovers, perhaps the medium ships (1001 – 2200 guests) are the best bet. They do not have ALL the bells and whistles of the mega-ship. However, that might be perfect for you.
The UP Side.
One of the highlights of the medium ships is the getting to know people. You are a fish in a medium-sized pond. You start to “recognize” people. They sat next to you at a show, or at the same table for lunch in the dining room. Not everyone is a stranger.
Your ship can call on ports the large (moving islands) ships cannot call on. Not the nooks and crannies the smaller vessels find. On the positive side, undoubtedly many more ports that are not teeming with mobs. Remember why you are booking a cruise over a resort hotel.
There are still many ways to part with your money, but at a higher quality level than the large ships.
The medium ships have kid programs, but they are not as extensive as the large ships. The medium boats seem to attract more of the Baby boomer crowd. They have kids who are in college or have graduated, leaving some money for the parents to spend on themselves.
You will find higher quality food, wine tastings, and port immersion. Depending on the cruise line, you may also find longer stays in the ports of call. Rooms tend to be better appointed, staff to guest ratios seem to be higher. They are the 4-star hotels of the cruise industry.
The DOWN Side.
Earlier I said, medium ships do not have all the bells and whistles… what I was referring to is the water parks, ice skating rinks, and bumper cars. The shows will not have as many special effects. There are not 20 extra-charge dining rooms to try.
In fact, many medium ships still include two seatings for dinner in the main dining room. They usually have 2-3 options for the main dining room.
What they DO have are better dining, quality shopping and more intimate shows, lounges and pool areas.
Also, they MAY include water, soft drink or cocktail packages. This addition pushes the cruise experience closer to the “all-inclusive” of a small cruise ship.
For those who have done the mega-ship, the medium is a logical “next level.” Once again, it depends on doing your homework and comparing apples to apples, not oranges.
Planning for Medium Ships.
If you are looking at medium ships, hopefully, itinerary means more than the vessel itself. If that is the case, then that’s where to start. Where do you want to go? Once that’s clear, who is going there, and for how long??
Make sure you are going WHERE you want to go. Also, make sure you are there long enough to experience the destination.
Once you have the itinerary chosen, then start to compare the ships. You are going “for” the destinations, THEN the vessel.
The medium-size WILL be more expensive than the BIG ship. What you pay for, you get. Depending on the region of the world, and the time of year, rates will vary.
Sales and local specials and which agency you book through will affect the per day rate.
Unfortunately, these ships have the WiFi and the daily news faxes and marine phones, etc. The point of a vacation is to get AWAY from these things but alas, can you?
Keep in mind; you have to study all parts and make sure you have ALL the details. Choosing a cruise can be as difficult as choosing a car. Where does it go? Whats included? How is the room, food, entertainment???
Do I care about how much meeting space the boat has? Size of the spa? The number of treadmills? Size of the kid’s program?
To make the most of your cruise, make a list of what’s on YOUR need list.
There is a ship out there matching it.