Are you a Tourist or a Traveler on your cruise?

[CoachTerry14]

A Tourist wants to take America along on a trip. A Traveler wants to experience something different (use their money, try to speak their language, eat local food, etc.)

[98Charlie]

DW & I are definately tourists.

 

We prefer going out on our own, meet locals, check out the food (cautiously - don't need a case of Montezuma's Revenge for the rest of the trip).

 

We visit small shops (not on the ships recommended list), grocery stores (one in Roatan sells hip boots and new in the box treadle sewing machines), small taverns frequented by the locals, etc.

 

To each their own but, I did feel sorry for one lady we encountered on a cruise. Her diet consisted of chicken, pizza, and baked potatoes. Don't know if she even got off the ship.

[serene56]

On a cruise I like trying new and different. When traveling with my kids we ordered something we never tried for the table. We would pass it around and everyone will have a taste. We do this with appetizers, soups and desserts. This is how we were able to try the strawberry soup. pumpkin soup even pheasant.

[Beffy1167]

DH and I are both tourist and travellers. We tend to avoid (like the plague) the ship's recoommended shops--and have often found better bargains elsewhere. We also enjoy the 'off the beaten trail' shops, dining establishments, etc. But I've no doubt that we stick out like sore thumbs--hence, we're also tourists! Camera around neck is dead giveaway!:D

[Vicar]

I would say we are a little bit of both.

 

Some places it is hard not to look like atourist.

 

But we do like to try different things that we don't or can't do at home.

 

We are always up to trying a new food( Ex Caviar, Escargot ETC.) We tend more to go to the little local haunts, although we will try the big touristy places, just to say we were there.(EX. Carlos & Charlies)

 

GF is big on trying things , for the fun of it of course, but also "just so one day you can say you did it" EX. Jet skiing, swimming with stingrays.

 

Quite a bit of that has rubbed off on me :) Within reason *LOL*

[98Charlie]

Camera around neck is dead giveaway!

The big thing in the water and speaking with a bad accent are other hints to the locals that you might not be from around these parts :D

[hdawson]

I guess I'm more a traveler. Anxious to experience new cultures, but still with the camera around the neck. If I wasn't a traveler by your definition, I would never have discovered the delightful city of Merida when porting in

Progreso. The idea of just finding a place to party and and drink seems like

a total waste while visiting different countries/islands. Yes I do drink but

I can do that anytime at home with old friends.

[Cotton]

I am most definitely a 'traveler', if that means trying new and different foods, seeking out the local hangouts, and checking out whatever we don't have in the USA.

 

When in Cozumel, as an example - when I go into San Miguel, it's not to shop, but to sit around the Plaza Sol to watch the MX entertainers and the locals going about their everyday business, and then find an out-of-the-way restaurant where locals eat. I never go to Carlos & Charlies - or any of the party places. I want to experience the culture, not the cocktails.;)

[cmez]

I'm about 1/4 of a traveler and about 3/4 of a tour tourister. I'm not afraid of trying something different as long as I know what it is that I'm eating. Unlike a my best friend that thought she was ordering something really exotic and it was a crawfish on rice! Ewwwwww!

[jemingway]

Our family is all travellers. We experiment with the local flavor.

[hstrybuf]

I'm a little bit tourist and a lot traveler. I love seeing new places by getting away from the port area. It gives you a much better idea of how people really live and what the area looks like away from shore. I also enjoy trying the local foods and buying local crafts. My French stinks, but it got big smiles and good responses when I at least attempted to use it on Martinique.

[SallyMay]

Traveler - we both like to try something new where ever we go. Like to try different food and experience the different cultures.

 

Tourist - we very much enjoyed going to Tulem this past April. Where in my area would I get a chance to see that?:rolleyes:

[marcyjane]

We a little of both.

[Host Caroline]

I guess I'm more a traveler. Anxious to experience new cultures, but still with the camera around the neck. If I wasn't a traveler by your definition, I would never have discovered the delightful city of Merida when porting in

Progreso. The idea of just finding a place to party and and drink seems like

a total waste while visiting different countries/islands. Yes I do drink but

I can do that anytime at home with old friends.

Amen to that!! I do admit to spending some bar time in Cozumel and other ports I've been to a gazillion times but was amazed in Europe how many spent the entire afternnoon we had in Santorini in a local bar... :rolleyes: So I'm definitely a "Traveler">>

[judyf]

I like to try everything new!!! Food, stores, the people and the bars.

[Cathys Cruising]

I guess we're a bit of both. We like our comforts on the ship but want to see more than the "touristy" areas when we travel. Trying local food is a must!

[WazAnOkie]

Definately a little of both. One of the best things of cruising is being able to experience a little bit of other cultures through meeting folks both on and off the ship, and the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, etc. Also, a little tourist cause we too will be seen with camera's and such, to try and capture a brief glimpse in order to preserve it for us.

[teedee]

I choose traveler, but I am guilty of the camera around the neck thing so I guess some tourist as well. I love exploring new places and learning about their culture. I always try to learn at least a few words or phrases from places I will be visiting, and I like finding the out of the way places to eat. I would just save the money and stay home if I didn't want to check out what other places are like.

Terri

[Saymyname]

American travelers!

Every one knows we are Americans, but we do experiment with their food and currency.

[tjevans]

I'm a proud tourist!

 

I don't have an adventurous bone in my body. I like to see new things (and very rarely, try them), but I want the comforts of home when I do so. I've never liked trying new foods (to this day, I'm extremely picky), even when in the "good ole U.S. of A."

 

When I was in the Navy, I was the only tourist among my group of friends; they were all travellers. I eventually got to where I wouldn't get off the ship with them because I was nervous the entire time.

[palmtre2]

My DH and I are definitely travelers, but the DD is a tourist - she's only 9 though, we'll get her to change her mind!!!

[98Charlie]

Think DH spoke before putting brain in gear regarding his response to Host Terry's original question. DH and I are both tourists and travelers as we hop on cruise ships to see parts of the world we've never seen and click photos from the camera around my neck to show people at home what we saw.

 

We began traveling together about four decades ago knowing there was more to the world than what we learned in chool geography and history books.

 

We lived in West Berlin two years BEFORE before the wall fell and have traveled Europe by car three times since. Took our two daughters with us on our last trip prior to 911 where we visited historical sites like Bergen Belsen that can only be understood by one who walked the hallowed grounds where thousands are interned.

 

We have thousands of photos of all of our travels we share with anyone who wants a view. But inside our memories and hearts, far from a camera's eye, are thoughts and ideas we gleaned from our travels, either by car, air or ship.

 

What's not captured in the eye of a camera but locked forever inside our brains or hearts, makes us a traveler. The camera around my neck targets us as tourists, but what the heck. Tourist or traveler, we're there to learn something and what we learn from our limited time in port is up to us.

[tlmlb]

come on a mainstream cruise???? everyone is a tourist.... no way you can be deemed a traveler on a cruise stop.. not even on an exotic itinerary....

[rduke]

We are definately travelers. We have traveled to various places in the World and usually will give the local foods a try...Thats not to say, of course, we actually liked everything we tried but ,at least, we gave it a try. Once we were on a bus tour

in Paris. It was lunch time and the bus stopped and we were given ample time to enjoy lunch at a fair number of eaterys in the area. I was amazed at the number who chose the nearby McDonald's and they were not only the ones with kids!! Go figure!:rolleyes:

[spence731cruise]

I am both because I like to experiment with their food and I like to shop.I have been around the world too so I like to experiment.