7 Ways to Convince a “Non-Cruiser” to Take a Cruise

We all know one.

No matter how much fun you tell them they would have on a cruise… or how much pleading you do to get them to take a trip with you… they always find ways to shoot down the idea.

Maybe it’s your spouse, or another family member. Or maybe it’s friends you’ve wanted to cruise with for a fun vacation. The bottom line is we all know someone who has needed a little “convincing” to take a cruise.

But for some people, begging and pleading simply doesn’t work. For those more difficult cases, here are some suggestions on how you can get them to finally book that cruise and realize what they’ve been missing. These suggestions are based on some of the most common reasons we’ve heard for people not wanting to take a cruise…

“I don’t want to be herded around like cattle.”

Cruise ships are big. Real big. Some of the largest can hold 6,000 passengers, while it’s common for most ships to hold around 3,000-4,000 passengers. No matter how you slice it, that sounds like a lot for any single ship.

However, most non-cruisers don’t realize how vast the ships really are. They can be around 1,000 feet long and have 14 decks (sometimes more). In other words, yes there are a lot of people, but there is also a lot of space. Going on a cruise is no more crowded than going to Las Vegas and staying at a large resort. Meanwhile, there are always spots such as the spa or the adults-only areas where crowds are even thinner.

You can always find a quiet, peaceful place that’s out of the way.

“I don’t have a passport.”

If you are an American sailing from the United States, then odds are that you don’t need a passport. Cruises that depart and return to the same U.S. port are called “closed-loop” cruises. In these cases, passengers need only a birth certificate and government-issued ID (driver’s license) to return to the port.

It’s still a good idea to get a passport anyway, but not having one is no excuse not to take a cruise.

“I’m not going to Mexico. It’s dangerous!”

There’s no arguing that some part of Mexico (and other countries popular with cruises) have their dangers. However, the headlines may overblow how bad things are. Tourist areas like Cozumel and Cancun are the lifeblood of tourist dollars to Mexico. The government goes to great lengths to ensure that things are safe for tourists and cruise lines.

Truth is, about 4 million people visit Cozumel each year, with the vast majority arriving on cruise ships. The vast majority of those people have no problems at all with crime.

“I don’t like being on a schedule.”

If you’ve taken a cruise, you know that one of the biggest misconceptions is that you’re always on a schedule. In reality, there’s only one timeline to meet — be back on the ship when you’re told. Everything else you do is completely up to you.

Sure, things are scheduled throughout the day, but you don’t have to go to them. If you want to spend all day at the pool, you can do that. If you want to eat at 10 o’clock at night, you can find plenty to eat. If you want to just hang out on your balcony sipping margaritas, then by all means enjoy your vacation.

“I get seasick. I’m not going.”

One of the biggest fears when taking a cruise is that you’ll get seasick. And yes, it does happen. However, it’s a lot less common than you’d think.

First, cruise lines do their best to avoid stormy weather. They know that guess don’t like to feel the ship rock and roll. In cases where you can’t be avoided, you should know that modern cruise ships are surprisingly stable. Stabilizing features of the ship help to minimize the rocking. As well, seasickness pills, patches, and remedies are widely available and a smart item to pack.

If someone gets serious motion sickness, then a cruise likely isn’t for them. However, anyone who thinks that the ship will be constantly rocking is wrong.

“I don’t want to eat the same thing for a week straight.”

Let’s be honest. Even if you dined at a restaurant you love, you likely wouldn’t want to eat it for every single meal. Any food gets tiresome when you eat it again and again.

Cruise ships know this and keep it in mind. That’s why the ships have tons of eating options to help people get some variety. For example, Carnival Valor — a mid-tier ship in Carnival’s fleet — offers nearly 20 different places to eat, including everything from a burger joint to a high-end steakhouse.

In addition, a number of cruise lines partner with world-renowned chefs to create menus for their guests.

Eating is one of the biggest draws to to cruising. The cruise lines do everything they can to make sure you are well-fed no matter how long your cruise.

“You only get a few hours in port. No thanks!”

In our recent survey of cruisers, the limited time in port was listed as one of the biggest complaints. It’s true that most ships allow just about eight hours in port before heading back to sea.

If this is a sticking point with someone that keeps them from taking a cruise, there are a few options you can use to calm their complaint. First, one reason many people love cruising is that it gives them a chance to visit several different ports in one vacation, without even having to pack and unpack suitcases over and over again. This is also nice because it gives you the chance to experience different ports to see where you’d really like to visit again. Find a port you like on a cruise? Then you can always return on another trip for a traditional vacation. In this way, cruises are like a sampler of ports.

As well, many cruise lines are now offering overnight stops in some ports. This allows not only more time in port, but a chance to experience a city’s nightlife and evening dining.

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