You have certainly noticed the many large advertising posters that show huge pictures of cruise ships everywhere. There is a good reason for this: cruises are absolutely on trend. And be honest, you have certainly thought about how nice it would be to let the fresh wind on deck on high seas blow through your hair. Or have you already spent a holiday on a cruise ship? Then you can certainly understand why this type of travel is so trendy!

It is a real boom and the fastest growing type of travel. The trend towards cruise tourism is mainly due to the lower prices of the shipping companies. A few years ago, cruises were still regarded as a luxury that only the upper class could afford. Thanks to today’s average prices, these have now also become attractive for ordinary earners and have developed into an alternative to beach and party holidays.

DEEP SEA, RIVER, MINI, SAILING AND EXPEDITION CRUISES

The high demand is leading to an ever-increasing supply of cruises on oceans, seas and rivers around the world. As a result, the choice of cruise ships and routes is greater than ever. You can choose between ocean, river, mini, sailing and expedition cruises.

Ocean Cruises

Ocean cruises can be found on all the world’s oceans. For example, you can travel to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, by flight or with your own journey, with a pre-program or without. But it also goes to more unusual target areas. Asia, Alaska, South America, a large transatlantic or even Pacific crossing – the offer is incredibly diverse. The duration of cruises also ranges from classic 7-night tours to entire world tours with over 100 days.

 

River Cruises

River cruises have a very special flair and take place on rivers such as the Amazon and the Nile or, of course, on the Danube or the Seine. You will see cities and landscapes passing very close to you while enjoying your wine on the sun deck. No infinite expanses of the ocean, but close-up experiences – almost to touch. Here, too, various ports are approached for land crossings. In order to be able to sail on the rivers, the ships are much smaller than for ocean voyages and thus also the sports and leisure facilities on board are greatly reduced. The focus is on the land crossings, not the ship itself. Boat & Bike tours are also very popular. You can be active in sport. While your ship travels on the river to the nearest berth, you cycle through the imposing landscapes on a rental bike.

Mini-Cruises

The word mini-cruise does not refer to the number of passengers, but to the period of the journey. A mini-cruise has one or two nights, if any. They are ferries that take you from A to B, for example, from Kiel to Oslo. But that doesn’t mean you have to do without entertainment, comfort and entertainment these days. The ferries are often used as an alternative way to get to the holiday destination. You stay on the ship, enjoy an extensive dinner in the on-board restaurant and enjoy an evening show before you arrive in Klaipeda the next day .B and go on a bus tour through the Baltics. Or you can use the ferry as a way to get to your city break and even take your own car with you to be flexible on site.

Sailing Cruises

On a sailing cruise, for example, you sail from one North Sea island to another with a sailing ship instead of a typical cruise ship only to the big cities. You explore many small hot spots, but the experience of sailing is of course in the foreground. The sailing ships are very comfortable nowadays and offer a great combination of cruise feeling and sailing ambience.

Expedition Cruises

Are you hungry for knowledge and/or interested in different cultures? During expedition cruises, you will take part in scientific lectures as well as guided excursions on land. You will get a lot of information about the nature, landscape and wildlife of the destinations. These are often destinations that are described as “extreme” due to their location and climatic conditions, such as Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica, or even the Galapagos Islands. However, the famous Hurtigruten with their post ships can also be classified in this category – even if they are not real expedition cruises. But nature, land and people are also in the foreground on these Norway cruises.

In general, the ships differ in terms of catering, cabins in size and equipment, their internationally oriented offers and the size of the ship. Cruise ships are divided into three sizes: small cruise ships with up to approx. 1,000, medium-sized ones with approx. 2,000 and large ones with up to 5,400 passengers. But mainly they differentiate themselves by their offers. Are you looking for a holiday for the whole family? There are some shipping companies with first-class discounts for children, varied animation programs for different age groups and adventure pools with water slides.