Cruising is becoming a very popular method of travel lately and honestly, we are not surprised to say the least! Here at Target Tours we love to take cruises of any kind, which is why we offer so many different varieties of cruising. We most commonly cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL). They are the youngest fleet at sea and currently have 16 ships. Some of their well-known ships include the Norwegian Gem, Pride of America, Dawn, and Epic. There are many benefits to cruising with NCL which we will discuss later on in this post.

Some of the cruises we offer are called “No-Fly” which means that we take a motorcoach down to New York City (most common) and board the ship. The ship returns back to the same port, and we take the motorcoach back home. Many travelers prefer not to fly, so these types of cruises are a perfect fit! We also offer a variety of cruises where flights are involved. Some of our popular destinations are Hawaii, Western Mediterranean, Italy and Greek Isles, Southern Caribbean, and more. On these cruises, the group will fly from the Maritimes and have a few days to relax at the destination before boarding the ship to begin their cruise of a lifetime.

For those of you who have cruised before, you will likely agree with us that taking a cruise is a great way to see various different destinations without the stress of constantly packing/unpacking, trying to navigate in areas you are unfamiliar with, and having difficulty finding affordable meals. There are so many advantages to cruising that we can’t talk about them all. We have selected some of the big ones to talk about in depth:

• Some destinations are best seen by cruise – Hawaii and Alaska are great examples. On our Hawaii Cruise, you visit a different island every single day with the sailing done at night while you sleep. It doesn’t get much better than waking up to a new tropical paradise every morning.

• Taking a cruise is a great value – This is especially true when you compare the price of seeing various destinations on your own. If you think about a destination like Europe, when exploring on your own you would likely need to rent a car, pay for gas, buy auto insurance, stay in multiple accommodations, etc. When on a cruise, these costs are non-existent.
• The cruise ship is a destination in itself – Cruise ships are called floating resorts by many and for good reason. There is so much to do on a cruise that you will be hard-pressed to find time to do everything! We guarantee you won’t be bored on an NCL cruise.
• Cruises are affordable for everyone – With the different types of staterooms available, you can choose the best fit for your price point. There are up to 45 different categories of rooms on NCL ships but for simplicity we offer 3 types: inside cabins, ocean view cabins, and balcony cabins. We will talk about these more later on.

A big part of cruising with NCL is what they like to call “Freestyle Cruising”. On their cruise ships, passengers can design their own vacation. You can do what you want, eat when you want, wear what you want, and live by your own schedule! Say goodbye to being told what time to eat, what you have to wear, what time you have to get off the ship, what activities you have to do, etc. NCL ships have up to 29 dining options onboard so that you will be satisfied no matter what you are in the mood to eat. There is also so many activities and entertainment to take part in when you aren’t busy eating to your heart’s content. From Broadway shows, physical activities such as swimming and rock climbing, relaxing at the spa, or taking your shot at the Casino, an NCL cruise is where you want to be!

One of the first things you need to decide when booking a cruise, aside from the destination of course, is what type of stateroom you want. At Target Tours we typically offer three types of cabins:

• Inside Cabins – Generally located toward the middle of the ship and are fitted with two beds that can also be converted to one queen size bed. As the name implies the cabins are situated on the inside of the ship and do not have a window view to the outside. They are suited for 2 passengers and are the lowest price of the categories we offer.
• Ocean View Cabins – These cabins are located along the outside of the ship and offer a picture window view of the outside. They are fitted with two beds that can also be converted to one queen size bed.
• Balcony Cabins – These are the largest of the cabins that we offer and are located on the outside of the ship. Like the inside and ocean view cabins, they have two beds that can be converted to a queen size and in addition they have a sofa and desk area. The biggest perk to a balcony cabin is you guessed it, a balcony! Guests can sit on their private balcony and watch the beautiful scenery as you enter or exit port. These rooms are suited for 2-4 passengers.

Have we convinced you to give cruising a try? Or for you experienced cruisers, have we reminded you why you love to cruise? We have several upcoming cruises in our 2020 tour lineup, click here to read about the destinations and itineraries we are offering! We hope to cruise with you soon!