Set sail: how much does a cruise ship cruise cost and why is this the main trend right now? True passenger stories

Traveling on cruise ships is the main discovery of the author of this text this year. Firstly, as it turned out, this is not a “retirement” vacation. On the territory of the liner there are nightclubs, spas and even a casino. Secondly, vacationing on a cruise ship is much more profitable than many other options. But more after that.

In general, it seems that everyone encounters myths about sea travel. Let’s thank the movie “Titanic” for ruining the experience. However, everyone who chose this type of recreation personally made sure that there was nothing terrible and life-threatening in it.

We talked to real cruisers about all the nuances of cruise tours: from the cost to the possible difficulties.

Where can I go on a cruise ship and how much does it cost?

Elena, traveler:

The biggest advantage of traveling by ship is that it can take you anywhere. And more importantly, for ridiculous money. For example, flying to Alaska or Easter Island is several times cheaper than by air or land.

My family and I travel in Europe on cruise tours. So the main problem is to reach EU countries. Tickets there can cost about 50 thousand rubles per person, while the tour on the ship costs 38 thousand rubles for 7 days with stops in some cities. This cost includes cabin accommodation, meals and gratuities for staff.

We are planning to go on a Mediterranean tour this year. We will board the ship from Rome and then sail to Palermo, Mallorca and Marseille.

Christina, traveler:

We went on a world tour in 2013. We were at sea for 117 days, and at that time it cost about 300 thousand rubles. During this time we were able to visit 29 countries: from France and Italy to Australia and New Zealand. It worked like this: We sail at night, on land during the day. Of course, such a trip can look very wrinkled. But trust me, it’s worth it. I have never experienced such feelings.

What to do while traveling?

Oksana, tour organizer:

It all depends on which tour you choose. For example, there is an adults-only cruise – Scarlet Lady. The trip takes about 14 days, during which time tourists sail all the Caribbean coast. There is a nightclub, a strip bar and even a tattoo parlor on board. In general, you will definitely not be bored.

There are also cruises for couples with children or the elderly. In the area there are children’s clubs, sports clubs, karaoke, theaters and the same types of recreation as in any hotel.

Emilia, an animator on cruise ships:

I’ve already gone on a few tours, but they were all two weeks old. During this time, we had two days of vacation where we could relax and feel like a tourist. Overall we have around 60 people on our team, working in shifts and each in our own region. Someone entertains children, someone adults. I can’t talk about the salary, but I will say this – we get a much higher salary for a month than most people in Turkey.

The main rule in our offshore works is that the tourist should be satisfied. Of course, we will not go beyond our duty, but sometimes we have to comfort the guests instead of entertaining them. Still, there are many who experience anxiety on the high seas. For this, we take special courses to provide psychological support to tourists.

From seasickness to storms: what are tourists most afraid of?

traveler Ivan

I didn’t know I had seasickness until I was 35. And although before that I swam short distances both on boats and on motor ships, this disease did not manifest itself in any way. And then it turned out that on the ship, as they say, I fed the fish for 20 days. So my advice is this: find out if you are prone to such ailments before you venture out to sea. Better still, take plenty of medicine to help make the journey easier.

Olga, traveler:

After watching Titanic, like many others, I was terrified of water and even of ships in the open ocean. And so on boarding the ship, he regretted a hundred times his decision to go to Australia by water. How many times we got into a storm – do not count. But the most gratifying thing for me is that the pitching on the ship is not felt at all. The lining is so big that you don’t even feel the strongest waves. And if anything is felt, it’s a slight wobble.

Lydia, traveler:

The main misconception about cruise ships is the high prices. Of course, there are excursions and luxury cabins, where the cost of a week’s rest is equal to the average annual salary of Muscovites. But most of the time, it’s totally enough money. For example, I traveled the Persian Gulf for 40 thousand rubles. I just had to spend money on the Egypt boarding tickets. And my friend went to America with the same money in 2012. I doubt you can find tickets for the same prices anymore.