Curious to Know

[Julia Goolia]

I take land vacations as well as cruises. Took a 16 day land vacation to Australia in October which was fabulous. I also enjoy AIs in Mexico, land vacations throughout Europe, etc. And (when I'm not deployed to Afghanistan), I try to take a couple of cruises each year. Each vacation has benefits and drawbacks. I get 30 days of leave (vacation) a year so I try to use them where I get the most benefit and enjoyment. In addition, I use my four day weekends that we typically get once a month (again - when not deployed) to do short little road trips (or short flights) to see parts of the US. Life is short. I have to enjoy it while I can.

[rnvattes]

I vacation on land as well. I am going to Orlando this weekend to go to Universal and Seaworld. And then back again March 26th for the week to go Disney. I also like going to Bruins away games, as they are much cheaper then home games.

 

Doesn't it stink that this is the truth with Boston sports?

 

B's need to get out of the slump!

[rnvattes]

WRT the original question:

 

We do take other vacations, but truth be told other vacations are usually more expensive, overall, than cruising. For our upcoming sailing we researched a lot of different vacationing options (we are celebrating our 10yr anniversary) and we kept coming back to "we can do so much more on a cruise" for the money.

 

And, I have a love affair with the sea. Don't worry, hubby knows and he's cool with it ;)

[divingmedic]

Because it's a bargain! Cruising is so economical compared to a land vacation. I look at other options, but usually just end up booking another cruise.

 

I did spend 2 weeks in Jamaica last summer though and had a blast! I got $99 airfare and rented a cabin on the beach in Negril for around $40 a night...

I can take my family of three for 11-12 nights at a very nice all inclusive resort for the same price as a cruise. Plus I do not have to spend 8-20 dollars a drink.!:D

[divingmedic]

I am very curious to know if any of you ever go on any vacations other than cruises. I hear that some of you go on cruises several times a year and can't understand why. I like cruises, but most of my vacations are on land.

We are starting to mix it up. Land vacations (usually a all inclusive or dive resort) for two years and then cruise the next year.

[markntara]

We found that cruising gives us a way to escape, and a excuse to be "out of reach" for a few days. Our land based vacations seem to always be "connected".

 

Cruising is not the only vacations we take. We were away from home 34 Days in 2011: Boston - Chicago - Las Vegas - San Juan Porto Rico + 3 Cruises

 

In addition, this is in our back yard . . .

 

[grozas]

We have done all inclusives, Disney World, Hawaii, cabo, San Francisco, Monterey, Tahoe, Washington DC, Colorado, New Mexico, New York, Boston, south Dakota, wyoming, Charleston.

 

We also have a camper and have done a lot of the Texas state parks.

Recently we have used our vacation time to visit our first grand kid in South Carolina as much as possible.

 

My all time favorite is Yellowstone. It is a very very special place. Something you need to see before you die.

[kcdancerkc]

We love cruising of course to see where else we might want to stay longer -- now we KNOW we need to go back to PR and stay! So much variety! And we HAVE to go back to Belize because I could not snorkel there - small injury on the damn boat!

 

We LOVE Jamaica - have done all inclusive and not -- go ever 18 months or so

 

Loved cabo - cancun and cozumel -- ehhhh but me thinks that the buildings we saw going up all around cabo in 2006 probably ruined it!

 

Where we got married, the panhandle of FL - is a BIG favorite! - FL Keys good --- next goal is to go to St. Petes and the coastline there!

[summercruisin']

We are a travelling family (and we do it all budget-style)! My kids are awesome travelers, so they make it easy. We like to cruise every year or so, but we certainly don't limit ourselves to that. We go to Emerald Isle, NC, every year for July 4th (rent an oceanfront cottage for the week) and we go to the NC mountains every October (rent a mountain cabin to watch the leaves turn bright colors). We've done the Disney thing several times and are considering buying a 2nd home down there.

 

My DH can't take more than 3 weeks off, but I'm a teacher, so over the summer the kids and I keep going. Last year we took a 9 day road trip to DC, Baltimore, and New York (and then came down the coast to see a few lighthouses). This year the kids and I had planned to spend a month in the Keys but DH got too jealous, so we planned the cruise instead (I know, spoiled!). So the kids and I will drive down a week early and stay in a rental home in Orlando. DH will join us at the end of the week for the cruise. On the way back, I will visit Savannah and Charleston with the kids. Now that my littlest is getting bigger, we will plan bigger trips in the near future. We want to go to Hawaii, Europe, and drive cross country to California one summer.

[KirkWN737]

We do both. My son and I are going on a land tour in Europe this summer. And we've done 3 land tours in Alaska. Over the years. But before we found cruising, we did many week-long vacations skiing and ones at islands in the Caribbean.

 

 

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[Mumsykat]

We usuall rent a beachfront condo on St. Croix for a week when we don't cruise.

[chasinraynbowz]

We have to take short vacations due to DH's job.

His employer gets upset if he takes 7 days.

We did a 7 day cruise with two days at WDW a few years back and his supervisor complained about it and brought it up at staff meetings for over a year.

 

When the kids were little we did a lot a camping and hiking.

We took them to every historic site in driving distance.

Our first real vacation with the kids was to Chattanooga.

We took them to Ashville.

A trip to Williamsburg.

And I don't even know how many times we went to WDW.

We tried to make everything fun and educational.

 

We have taken them all on several cruises.

But with each of them having a spouse now we just can't do it very often.

They all love cruising.

 

So we're old and tired and DH has a really bad knee.

The knee has cut out hiking and any recreation that involves much walking.

Cruising is easy.

 

 

LOL I can totally relate to your hubby's job issue. I will take a full week and they don't say much but last year we, when we did our Med cruise, we took an extra couple of days and boy did I hear about it when I got back... lol. I was told 5 days, Mon thru Fri... no more.

[blondietink]

We just started cruising last year. Before that it was all land based vacations ...... mostly to Disney World. But we have been to Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Dominican Republic, Europe and just about everywhere in between. So, cruising is so new to us, that we are taking cruises as much as we can afford because we feel we missed out on this type of vacation for years. Now, we are still Disney freaks, so we are combining cruises with a trip to Disney World to get the maximum benefit from our travel expenses.

[Herfnerd]

We do both

 

Just that with cruising, you are pampered and get to see several different locations - plus, you can't beat the price for what you get!

[Billzilla66]

This will be my first cruise, but I am already planning on going to England and Japan next year. I'll probably cruise again too some time, but I don't know when yet. Lety's see how this first one goes.

[H82seaUgo]

I am very curious to know if any of you ever go on any vacations other than cruises. I hear that some of you go on cruises several times a year and can't understand why. I like cruises, but most of my vacations are on land.

 

yup.

 

1 week cruise.

 

1 week deep shore.

 

1 week local shore

 

1 week upstate mountains.

 

1 week scotland.

[kingoftheicedragons]

We generally cruise once a year (next year being an exception).

 

Yes, we do take land vacations as well. Last year, that meant going to North Carolina/Virginia and Hawaii; this year, Jacksonville. Plus our yearly jaunts to Winnipeg and Louisville. There is too much to see in the US to limit ourselves to just going on cruises, most of which is inaccessible to cruising (unless you consider the much more expensive river cruising or Great Lakes cruising).

 

But comparing land vacations to cruises....if you fly, well, that cost is going to be fairly constant (I know, different destinations cost more, but for instance, if you're going to fly to California, the cost is going to be the same whether you do a land vacation versus a cruise), so then it comes down to--which is going to be more money--a cruise (base + taxes + gratuities + excursions) or land vacation (hotel + taxes + meals + transportation + activities).

[kristi391]

I like to do both. I went on a tour of the Canadian Rockies a few years ago and it was one of the best vacations ever! I did the Imperial Cities and an ALaska cruise tour and those were the best of both worlds. I also like Disney or just doing weekends somewhere new. But cruises are a great value and you only have to unpack once.

 

 

I also like going to Bruins away games, as they are much cheaper then home games.

 

This is great! I am a Wings fan living in Massachusetts and I try to go to several games a year. I love doing weekends in new cities! Just went to Columbus a few weeks ago (very nice city and arena) and got tix for UNDER face value! It pained me to pay the crazy prices the bruins charged when the Wings played at the garden in November.

[thegreatmouton]

We go back and forth between cruising and land vacations, but we're also really close to Chicago and take weekend trips there every so often. We go also consider Gen Con a mini-vacation even if Indianapolis is only an hour away. I pretty much consider any stay in a hotel as a vacation :)

 

I also do a "haunted" road trip as soon as school is out with my sister. We're going to Gettysburg this year!

[kyrisong1]

I am very curious to know if any of you ever go on any vacations other than cruises. I hear that some of you go on cruises several times a year and can't understand why. I like cruises, but most of my vacations are on land.

To each their own. It's an individuals vacation and whatever they decide to do with it is really up to them.

FWIW I do go on land vacations too, but would be perfectly happy just going on cruises. I live in the middle of the US with no ocean in sight.

I work a very high stress job (psych nurse) and the ocean soothes me and brings me great peace.

Nothing says relax like being on my balcony at night with not a light in sight except the stars with the sound of lapping water.

[kyrisong1]

I agree. DH and I were married 5 years before kids. We traveled extensively after discovering a love for it on our honeymoon. I can't tell you how many times people told us our traveling would have to stop once we had kids...They were WRONG!! Our kids were great travelers...both of them flew for the first time at 6 months old without making any fuss on the planes and they handled car trips amazingly, better than many adults do. We have had a blast seeing the country and parts of the world with them over the last 17 years. I hope to have many more vacations with them and many more vacations with out them (DH and I love our adult only trips too). I couldn't even imagine waiting until I retire to enjoy the beautiful world God gave us.

Here is some more enticement. Mt Rushmore is not even cool compared to the Crazyhorse Sculpture in progress, it's amazing and it's not even done.

Go to the Black Hills, start at one end and work your way up, or down. It's totally worth it!!!! Summer is perfect, I believe in August they do Sturgis with all the bikers doing their yearly run. Custer State Park has lots of cabins for rent. I've been chased by buffalo while riding a horse in Custer State park!!!! Fun times.

The state sends out tourist info!!!

(can you tell I'm a fan of Black Hills???)

Carole

[SnowshoeCat]

I used to travel a lot. I'd pick a spot in Europe, buy a plane ticket, and go explore for a week or so. And I'd spend a t least a few nights in each place to really get to know it (as much as a tourist can in a few days) I'd visit cities, or hike and bike in the countryside.

 

In the past few years, though, my travel tastes have turned to the long weekend variety. Now I do long weekends, more often. Work has been tough and I enjoy more frequent breaks. I've only been on a few cruises. The first few were 7 days and I was antsy by the end. Last year I did a 4 day, which was perfect. I will probably do the same this year. I enjoy being on the water (when it's smooth ;)) and I enjoy not having to think about restaurants, menus, budgets, cleaning. Heck, I don't have to "think" about anything. And as much as I enjoy foreign travel, I don't include cruising in that experience. It's just an affordable little break. Maybe when I'm retired I'll try out the longer cruises again.

[billie5]

There always seems to be a national site we want to see and have not been enticed enough by any international site to go there over going to a national one that we haven't been to yet.

Diverging slightly from the topic, but in answer to Breezes, here is my list of the top twenty (man-made) wonders of the world:

 

1. Pyramids of Giza

2. Great Wall of China

3. Taj Mahal

4. Angkor Wat

5. Parthenon

6. Machu Picchu

7. Temple of Karnac

8. Forbidden City

9. Petra, Jordan

10. Moai of Easter Island

11. Pagodas of Bagan, Burma

12. Xi'an Terracottas, China

13. Lalibela, Ethiopia

14. Djenne Mosque, Mali

15. Cappadocia, Turkey

16. Timbuktu, Mali

17. Valley of the Kings, Egypt

18. Shwedagon Pagoda, Burma

19. Durbar Square, Nepal

20. Chichen Itza, Mexico

 

I believe few would argue with the ordering of the first half dozen. After that it becomes more subjective (Other candidates - Teotihuacan, Red Square, Grand Canal, Blue Mosque, Abu Simbal?). Natural wonders are even more difficult. I would list the top ten as:

 

1. Mt. Everest - highest mountain

2. Grand Canyon - deepest canyon

3. Iguacu Falls - largest cataract

4. Galapagos Islands - most unique ecosystem

5. Victoria Falls - 2nd largest cataract

6. Ngorongoro Crater - largest intact caldera

7. Great Barrier Reef - largest reef

8. Yellowstone - largest thermal basin

9. Sahara Desert - largest desert

10. Angel Falls - highest waterfall

 

There are obviously a lot more candidates which others might include: Ayers Rock, Dead Sea, Sognefjord, Bora Bora, Mauna Kea, Lake Baikal, Mt. Kilimanjaro, etc. Each has a claim to be the biggest or the best.

[Psych NP]

I vacation on land as well. I am going to Orlando this weekend to go to Universal and Seaworld. And then back again March 26th for the week to go Disney. I also like going to Bruins away games, as they are much cheaper then home games.

 

Go Bruins!!!

[vivavegas]

I am very curious to know if any of you ever go on any vacations other than cruises. I hear that some of you go on cruises several times a year and can't understand why. I like cruises, but most of my vacations are on land.

 

I do both land and sea vacations. I must admit that most of my land vacations are 3- 5 days as opposed to 7 day cruises.