The Less Expensive Route To A Perfect Vacation

Traveling in 2012 is currently held by monopolies, controlling everything from skyrocketing airline fares to expensive gas prices. It's no wonder that many avid travelers this new year are reluctant to travel due to a tight budget in their wallets.

Many travelers are naive when it comes to cruise ships and their so called "perks". There are benefits prominent, but they are overridden by hidden costs. Most travelers think they are saving money and time by purchasing cruise tickets, for the food and activities will be paid for already. Yet little do they know, cruise ships are a huge mistake and cause more financial stress on the traveler than just booking a hotel and airline flight.

When you enter a cruise ship, your essentially trapped and stuck on the ship for 3 days until you dock at the destination. In that three day time span, there is not much to do except spend money in the overpriced gift shops or the overpriced bars, and lounge at the pool. While lounging at the pool may be relaxing to some, it gets tiring sitting on furniture of terrible quality after 3 days. In her article, Myths About Cruise Ships and Cruising, Linda Garrison herself writes, "Most cruises are not all-inclusive. In an effort to keep the basic price low, most mainstream cruise lines charge for everything that could be considered "extra", from wine to bottled water."

Most travelers want to explore a mountain, hike a canyon or take a romantic walk on the beach during a beautiful sunset. On a cruise ship, you are limited to what activities you can do. One might argue that that's what the destination docking point is for. Well, what the cruise ship does not tell you is you have around 6 hours of the boat to do whatever you want. By the time you get off the ship and get to your activity, it will be time to turn around and go back to docking on the ship.

Cruise ships portray the customers to be having the time of their life with no worries and exerting no energy. That may be the case in 10% of the customers, but the other 90% deal with privacy problems such as thin walls in their rooms, and having to eat with 10 other random people at the same cramped table.

When it comes to a hotel vacation, you can be as exclusive or inclusive as you want to be. You have the freedom to do whatever you please, with no hassles or hidden fees. Everything is laid out on the table before hand, and you'll have more than just 6 hours to enjoy the beautiful islands of Hawaii or the amazing beaches of the Bahamas. Hotels are the more reasonable, and cheaper choice out of the two. Staying in a hotel in a beautiful destination is worthwhile and affordable. If you are looking for a romantic getaway, having that privacy of a hotel suite you and your loved one have been craving might even lead to an engagement or fuel passions of desire.