If you are an experienced backpacker who has explored off-the-beaten track destinations such as Rangoon in Burma or Hanoi in Vietnam, the mere mention of an organized cruise might sound alien to you. But hang on: a cruise could be a surprisingly affordable way of getting from point A to point B while having a lot of fun on the way.
The keyword here is ‘inclusive’. You might think staying in hostels, eating local food every day and sticking to public transport as far as possible is cheap, but what about this challenge: Add up all your accommodation costs and what you spend on food, entertainment and transport for a whole month and then work out the average daily amount. You might be surprised to see that with all the inclusions that come with a cruise the latter might suddenly start to look much more attractive.
Not only will you get three full meals every day, onboard entertainment is also included in the tour price. Apart from that the latest range of cruise ships has an exciting range of amenities such as rock climbing walls, zip lines, pools, casinos and much more. Of course you will also get from point A to point B without having to pay a cent extra for transport, and on top of that you will do that in comfort and style – which can certainly not be said of most 24-hour bus journeys!
And when it comes to off-the-beaten-track destinations, how does a voyage to Antarctica or the North Pole sound? You’re not going to get there easily using public transport, that’s for sure.
Asia has for decades been a favorite destination of many backpackers and with most of today’s Far East cruises it’s possible to explore just about every popular destination in this region – from Rangoon to Bangkok and from Ha Long Bay to Sihanoukville in Cambodia.
Don’t think you’re only going to run into scary old ladies (and gents) with walking sticks on the average cruise ship either: there are nowadays many cruises which are specifically aimed at the younger crowd, with amenities and entertainment to match. In fact, you might just meet the perfect travel partner for your next backpacking trip while on a cruise, because there’s lot of time for mingling with other guests.
And if you hate flying, a transatlantic cruise is of course the perfect way to get between the US and Europe, or vice versa.
While on a cruise those ‘hidden extras’ can certainly become expensive, so as a backpacker you will have to steer clear of expensive alcoholic drinks, unless you opt for one of the beverage packages offered nowadays by many cruise lines that include unlimited beer, wine and other drinks.
And when the ship arrives at a specific port of call there’s no need to go on an organized excursion. You are free to hop into a taxi and explore the city on your own. If the city has a subway or public bus system, just get the taxi to drop you off at the nearest station or bus stop.
Note: This is a guest post by Dave Stephenson.
