Getting Away From It All - On A Cruise Ship!

There are many reasons why people choose to cruise on the high seas, one of which is that it provides you with a great opportunity to truly get away from it all. However, when you’re sharing a floating resort with a large number of other holidaymakers, sometimes many more than at a land based resort, finding a quiet space in while to enjoy yourself can be a challenge. So what can you do? Our first recommendation is to book a stateroom with a private balcony, as it gives you an outdoor space of your own in which to enjoy your own company along with some fresh air. Another tip is to head for the library; most medium to large ships have one, which is an ideal place to spend some quiet time. Also, if it has one, another quiet spot on board a cruise ship can be the promenade deck which circles the entire vessel and often has nooks and crannies where you can sit by yourself and enjoy the view or a good book. You can also book yourself onto a smaller, luxury ship with fewer guests, which makes public areas a lot less busy. Another popular choice in modern cruising is to spent time in adult-only areas on bigger ships, such as The Sanctuary on Princess, although most charge for entry and restrict how long you can remain there. Cruise ship spas can also be quiet havens as well as places to enjoy some pampering, or to relax in a sauna or relaxation room. On port days consider staying on board, which offers you the opportunity enjoying the ship as if it is your own. As a bonus, some facilities such as the spa will often have special deals to take advantage of. 

If you decide to go ashore ahead, and your itinerary features ports of call which are easy to explore without an organised tour, you can also go it alone. Or, if you want to tour and your wallet can stretch to it, hire a private guide and car or taxi, rent a car, or join a limited numbers tour group. And if your ship’s itinerary includes a stop at a private island, rent a cabana if available to get away from the crowds. Things to remember overall include choosing your itinerary carefully. A busy schedule with many port days in a row means that you won’t be on the ship that much unless you opt to stay aboard, however, the port itself will also likely be busy with guests from your ship and any others which have docked on the same day. In ports such as Santorini, for example, that can include three or more ships and over 5,000 additional visitors on a single day. And finally, some bigger ships have operate class systems of sorts, with certain facilities exclusively reserved for those who are prepared to splash their cash. Guests of MSC’s Yacht Club for example, which is available on selected ships, can enjoy a ship-within-a-ship concept, with access to a separate Concierge Reception, a private lounge, an exclusive swimming pool and other amenities including round-the-clock butler service. Other similar concepts such as this include guests of Haven by Norwegian, and Queen’s Grill guests on Cunard ships.