12 Reasons to Try a Cruise in your 20’s and 30’s

Cruising has long been associated with travellers of an older generation, but as millennial who has enjoyed 3 cruises now, I am here to challenge that stereotype. Mainly because it’s such a beautiful way to travel and I don’t want you to miss out.

Let me start by acknowledging there is some truth to it all. I noticed that all 3 of my cruises had an older demographic on board. But there were also young couples, honeymooners and families on board. Heck – on my latest cruise I even brought my three year old son along with me. There are kids clubs, cinemas, assault courses, waterslides, state-of-the-art gyms and even zip lines on board cruise ships, so all ages are entertained and catered for.

Do you know why I think cruising attracts an older demographic? Because cruising is the most relaxing, comfortable and convenient way to see the world, and older people are wise. But guess what, so am I! Cruising may not be for everyone, but for people who love to travel, it’s definitely something you need to experience at least once. It’s time to start thinking outside the box, so here are 12 reasons to try a cruise in your 20’s and 30’s. 

Reasons to try a cruise - The Travelista

12 Reasons to Try a Cruise in your 20’s and 30’s

1. Its an amazing way visit multiple countries in one trip

Going on a cruise is definitely the most stylish, luxurious and stress-free ways to visit multiple countries on one trip. Forget the taxis, trains and planes of a typical multi-stop trip. Once you’re on board, the cruise ship is your constant base and your safe haven whilst you explore the world. You only need to unpack your suitcase once, but you’ll get to see so many incredible places. Your journey time becomes leisure time so you can sit back with your favourite cocktail as the crew sail you to the next destination.

2. Nothing beats that magical feeling of waking up in a new country every day

Waking up in a new country every morning is nothing short of magical. I loved opening my curtains to new landscapes and vistas every morning. Starting your day with breakfast on the balcony and taking in your new sea view has to be one of the best reasons to try a cruise. Every day is exciting with just the right amount of ‘the unknown’.

Reasons to try a cruise

3. The photo opportunities are endless

If you’re a keen photographer or you’re simply doing it for the ‘gram, you will have endless photo opportunities on a cruise. As well as all of the beautiful destinations, you’ll be able to shoot the spectacular ocean sunsets and epic sail-ins. Our sail-in to Oslo through the Oslo Fjords was an incredible experience I will never forget.

4. It’s a great way to explore a more intrepid corner of the world

If you’re a seasoned traveller and the typical cruise routes of The Med and The Caribbean don’t get your juices flowing, why not try a cruise to explore a more intrepid corner of the world? You could voyage through Alaska, South America, Japan or South East Asia. Take advantage of a cruise to scratch the surface of places that you might not necessarily plan a holiday to.

Reasons to try a cruise

5. It’s a chance to give yourself a digital detox

I was amazed to find how great the Wi-Fi connection was on board Regal Princess, and I loved that use of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger was complimentary to all guests. But beyond that, the cost of Wi-FI isn’t cheap on a cruise so it’s a great chance to give yourself a digital detox.  Forget the Wi-Fi all together and see the cruise as an opportunity to re-connect with your loved ones and give your time to people that really matter to you the most.

6. You Don’t (Necessarily) have to get on a flight

For those with a fear of flying or families with young children, a huge benefit of a cruise is that you don’t need to get on a flight. Princess Cruises have voyage starting points all over the world including Southampton in the UK, Fort Lauderdale in the US, Copenhagen in Denmark and Singapore for Asian routes. But keep in mind that you may have to fly to your starting point if you want to cruise long-haul destinations.

7. They can be great value for money

Once on board the cruise ship, you could technically enjoy the whole holiday without having to spend an extra penny on food or drink . Most cruise lines off all-inclusive dining and some non-alcoholic drinks are also all-inclusive. On land, all of the cruise tours are optional and you can explore each destination independently (and probably for a lot less). Cruise companies often release some amazing deals so going on a cruise is probably more affordable than you think (especially if you consider how much it would cost to reach all the places on your cruise with other modes of transport).

8. It’s a haven for foodies

I’m not going to lie, a cruise is an incredibly indulgent experience (another reason why they’re so wonderful). From gelato by the pool to afternoon tea, and all the multiple-course meals, there are endless excuses to…well…eat! The food on board Regal Princess was at an incredibly high standard and whilst there was a buffet restaurant, many of the a la carte restaurants were also part of the all-inclusive food package. There were a handful of premium restaurants on board which guests can enjoy 5 course meals for a small surcharge of around $35. The waiters are passionate about food and the way they presented the menu to us every evening made the dinners feel like real foodie experiences.

Burrata fine dining - reasons to try a cruise

9. Families and children are very well-catered for

Whilst it might not be the first type of family holiday you’d consider, cruise ships are actually incredibly family and child-friendly. Princess Cruises have a dedicated kids club, teen club and even a secret society for young adults aged 18-20. All of the clubs and activities are inclusive of the price, and parents can choose to leave their kids onboard in the hands of trained child carers whilst they they get off the ship to explore. There’s also late-night group kid-sitting so you can head out for a romantic meal whilst the kids are entertained. Having kids actually adds tonnes more reasons to try a cruise. 

10. It’s an incredibly sociable and fun experience

On the whole I would say that cruising is an incredibly sociable way to travel. I was amazed at how friendly everyone was on the ship and it was rare that I would get into a lift without a conversation striking up with an interesting person. As a group of 10 bloggers in our 20’s and 30’s we did stick out like a sore thumb, but I noticed how the other guests interacted with each other and it was 100% inclusive and welcoming. Our cruise ship, Regal Princess, organised daily meet ups on the ship for single travellers. You could also choose to have dinner with a new table of people every night, which I think is common on all cruises. There are endless bars and a night club on board the ship, so early nights definitely aren’t the only option. 

UK Bloggers The Travelista - reasons to try a cruise

11. Cruises are a cultural melting pot from people all over the world

I loved how international and multi-cultural everyone was on the cruise. The crew were from all over the world, and I loved reading where everyone was from on their name tags. I met crew members from Vietnam, The Philippines, Canada and Colombia and it really felt like could have been someone from each country around the world on the ship. I chatted to guests from America, Canada, Spain and China and it felt like everyone was united over a common love of cruising.

12. There are also Adult-Only areas for total relaxation

As someone without kids, I really appreciated The Retreat and The Sanctuary, Regal Princess’ adult only areas of the ship. The Retreat sun deck has a bar, cabanas, a pool and two hot tubs that all adults are welcome to use and for an extra fee you can check in to The Sanctuary, an exclusive relaxation area at the front of the ship. There are super luxe sun loungers, private gazebos and even a massage room, all with the most amazing ocean views. This is definitely the place to be for those days at sea.

Regal Princess Sanctuary - reasons to try a cruise

I hope that these 11 reasons to try a cruise in your 20’s and 30’s have opened your eyes to the possibilities of cruising. I think going on a cruise is an amazing way to see the world with tonnes of benefits that millennials would love, if only they dared to try it.

Find out what it’s like to explore the Baltic capitals by cruise ship in my destination blog post

Watch my cruise vlog to find out what it’s really like to go on a cruise

Would you consider trying a cruise? Has my cruise experience and blog post made you think differently about cruising? I’d love to hear your opinion, so please leave a comment in the box below.

This post has been created as part of a sponsored collaboration with Princess Cruises. All views are my own.

Jessica Ruth Gibson is the Founder and Editor of Travelista and an award-winning travel content creator of 10 years. She lives in York, UK with her son and has travelled to over 50 countries; her favourites being Italy, Canada and Vietnam.

18 Comments

  • It makes sense that in theory, you could spend the whole vacation aboard the cruise ship without spending a dime on additional food or beverages. I needed this because my husband and I are on the hunt for a travel company that offers comparisons of European cruise lines because we’ve been hearing mixed reviews from friends who’ve recently gone on European cruises. With so many options out there, we want to make sure we choose the best one for our upcoming vacation.

  • Thanks for sharing this article with us.

  • Thanks for sharing this article with us. I would like to say please share this type of informative article with us. Thank you

  • A lovely blog, I loved reading it, you described it in a manner even I am planning to make a cruise trip to a fine country, maybe on my birthday. It could be the best birthday ever. Thanks to the author for sharing this.

  • Last time I was on a cruise it was the same with the demographic…so I really don’t think I would personally want to go again but I totally agree with your reasons and think it looks like you had a fab time. I think if you are scared of flying it’s a lovely way to relax while you see the world and you don’t get the same culture shock because you always get to regroup and take stock back in your room.

    http://www.jettravels.co.uk
    j
    x

    • Hi Jet, thanks for your comment! Cruising definitely still has an older demographic but this blog post is to show younger people that there are sooo many travel benefits of going on a cruise. At least if everyone is older you always feel young 😀 haha x

  • I would love to go on a cruise but get super sea sick! would you recommend anyway??

    • Hey lovely! Personally I don’t get sea sick but the ships are so huge that you can barely feel any movement when you are sailing. The lower down you are the more you feel it so if you were ever to try one I would recommend requesting a cabin as high as possible. There are some great 2-3 day sails you could try from the UK to quite literally ‘test the water’, before comitting to a longer cruise 🙂 Of course there are also sea sickness tables and pressure point bands to help if you do feel a bit queezy. But I can’t say for sure whether you’d feel anything or not xx

  • It really looked like so much fun!! I used to go as a teenager with my parents but it might be time to give it another try!

    • Oh that’s interesting Angie! I think you’d have a totally different experience now compared to when you were a teenager 🙂

  • Sounds like an incredible experience. I’ve yet to go on a cruise but would love to sail around Europe or Asia one day x

  • Yes! I agree with all of these points! I’ve already said it but I’m so glad you enjoyed your cruise, we fell in love with cruising, we will always do other holidays but cruising will always be up there!

    • Thanks for your comment Laura. Love to hear you’re a cruiser. I think it’s nice to mix up the ways that you travel and cruising is definitely a great way to do it. x

  • Thanks so much for sharing!

    I love your summary, as I’ve recently embarked on my first cruise and loved it. Much more fun than I had imagined before 🙂

    I’ve shared my experiences here, if you’d like to see: https://www.passportandpalmtree.com/review-carribean-cruise-with-silversea/

    Have lovely day and keep up the great work,
    Lea

    • Thanks for your comment Lea! Glad you enjoyed this post. Oh wow Silversea are amazing! I actually used to manage their social media accounts in my old job – small world! Will go and read your post now 🙂

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