Seven Reasons to Take a Short Cruise

I’m excited to be sailing on Golden Princess this afternoon out of Los Angeles.  This will be a quick three-day cruise to Ensenada and back.  While three days is definitely not enough time to take advantage of every feature the ship has, it will still be a fun journey.

This will be the shortest cruise I’ve taken to date.  Some of my friends (the ones who travel less frequently) have suggested that taking a short cruise isn’t worth the hassle.  But I disagree and I’ve come up with seven good reasons to take a short cruise!

1. Try out cruising for the first time – A short cruise is a great introduction to what cruises are like.  If you’ve been apprehensive about cruising, it is a great introduction.  You can try out all the features.  If you try a short cruise, you can see for yourself if you like it before committing to a longer trip.

2. Accrue credits in a cruise line’s frequent guest program – Many cruise lines offer loyalty programs.  In some programs, the benefits begin on the second cruise.  For that reason, taking a short cruise is a way to accrue status quickly.  On some lines perks add up by the number of sailings, regardless of length.  Princess is one program that counts each cruise, no matter how short, as a credit toward program status.  A short cruise allows for status runs over consecutive weekends.  For those trying to achieve a milestone in advance of a longer vacation, that can help.

3. Enjoy a mini getaway that requires little planning – The beautiful thing about cruising is that you really CAN wing it if you like.  Sure, some people do plan out each day in advance.  They figure it all out – the shows, the various restaurants, the shore excursions.  But that isn’t really conducive to the way that I like to sometimes travel.  I sometimes need a short getaway with no agenda and no solid commitments.  A short cruise fits the bill for a minimalist escape.

4. Try out a new cruise line – I’ll be using this cruise to try out Princess for the first time since I’ve only cruised on Seabourn and NCL.  Those lines are at opposite ends of the cruising spectrum in terms of cruise style so I needed a short cruise to balance out my experiences.  Because of that, I’ll now have another data point as to what I like or dislike.  Three days is plenty of time to get a feel for the atmosphere and features of a line.  That will make it easier for my travel agent to help me select other voyages in the future.

5. Check out a new ship – When new ships come online, some lines will offer a handful of shorter cruises to help build a passenger base.  A short cruise can be a great way to check out features on a on a specific ship before committing to a longer cruise.

6. You can sample the suite life – If you have wondered whether it’s worth the money to splurge on a suite for your next cruise, a shorter cruise may be a great opportunity to sample the upgrade for less.

7. Go with a group and please everyone – Sometimes friends or family with a range of budgets, interests, or ages still want to travel together.  A short cruise can be a great way to accommodate those variances.  Everyone can still have an enjoyable vacation on their own terms.  And you as the planner won’t go crazy trying to please everyone!

I could easily come up with several more reasons if I only had the time.  But Julie McCoy is paging me to the Lido Deck as it is time to start my own short cruise soon.