drrich2
Contributor
Since the hecticness while one can find cruising has been brought up by a number of people, this is worth expanding on a bit.If I do another cruise it will be something like a transatlantic, where we just cruise and don't stop.
1.) In order to be treated as a foreign-flagged vessel and avoid U.S. labor laws (e.g.: minimum wage), a cruise ship based out of the U.S. must visit at least one foreign port. So there are essentially no 'cruises to nowhere.'
Note: It's my understanding there's competition for those cruise ship jobs, so evidently the amount of money they make is meaningful back home for these folks, and I suspect they have a lower cost of living than many in the U.S.
2.) Just because the ship docks at a port doesn't mean you have to get off. While some things close onboard while in port, some things don't, and if you care little for ports and want a much less populated ship experience, when many people head into port, stay onboard.
3.) Not all cruises are the same. The 'mega-ships' like the Voyager, Freedom, and especially Oasis (and I suspect Quantum) class ships of Royal Caribbean are enormous and cater to families, so the term 'floating amusement park' comes to mind.
But you can have a far different cruise experience on a smaller ship and/or a different cruise line targeting a different demographic.
Our one Celebrity cruise was on the Constellation, way back in '08 IIRC, a line known for an older clientele (a buddy looked at the other passengers and told my wife "I told you he booked us on the Constipation!" It was an 11-day cruise (most U.S. families don't take over a week's vacation, from what I understand) in February (when kids are in school, and just had a big Christmas break), and I recall seeing one little kid that week, in an adult's arms, and it felt like I was looking at someone's pet monkey. No rock climbing walls or flow rider.
Some people love the floating amusement park experience, like the Royal Promenade on Royal Caribbean's big ships where it's like you're walking on a city street surrounded by shops. Some like the classic 'at sea' experience where they feel more connected to the sea, like with the smaller Radiance class ships.
And that's not even getting into the luxury lines, or the smaller 'expedition' type cruises - such as might hit the Galapagos Islands.
Cruising is not for everyone, but there are a variety of cruises for a variety of people.