You snooze; you cruise.

You've probably heard the phrase "you snooze, you lose." Well, I just coined a new one - you snooze, you cruise. Last night I went to bed in Quetzal, Guatemala and this morning I woke up in Acajutla, El Salvador. And I slept my way here. I mean, seriously!

How else can you take a 180 day trip, sail to 96 destinations in 33 countries across four continents and only have to unpack your suitcase one time? Where else could you be a total recluse or a social butterfly or anything in between? Where else can someone do all the work while you have all the fun?

It's true that there are some who like to cruise and some who don't. If you enjoy travel (as I do) then it's definitely the way to go. I can see why some older folks decide to actually live out their final years on a cruise ship and yes, there really are some who do just that! It might even make good economic sense, when you add up all it costs to live on land? At least some people think so.

If you're a person who really enjoys travel, what other mode of transportation requires the least amount of effort/energy? Let's face it - travel can be exhausting. Trying to sleep upright on an airplane with people having to crawl over you to the bathroom, or you having to crawl over someone else? Someone leaning their seat back into your lap? Think cancelled or missed flights, crying babies, weather delays, lost luggage and airline food (I won't even go there).

Of course different kinds of cruise ships cater to different kinds of people. Disney can't be beat if you're cruising with kids. Talk about entertainment - it's top notch!! Kids won't experience a more magical place than Disney's Wonder, Magic, Dream or Fantasy. Between the deck parties, pirate nights, nightly fireworks and animated characters roaming the ship, it's hard to find a more fun place to be with the kids. Disney will even entertain the kids in highly supervised activities while allowing the parents a chance to kick back without them for a few hours. And where else besides a Disney ship can your table waiter do magic tricks? Or can the kids watch cartoons on giant screens during dinner and the animated characters on the screen actually call the kids by name? And it's not only kids who enjoy it - we know folks our age and older who choose Disney cruises for themselves long after their grand kids are grown simply because they are so well done.

And of course there are the "party ship" type cruise lines which appeal to teens and twenty-somethings where the fun extends into the wee hours of the morning. And then there are cruise lines who appeal more to people like us who don't need their photo taken at every mealtime (or at any other time) and prefer a more relaxed type of entertainment.

I confess that I could get used to never having to do housework again, not having to grocery shop, cook my own meals, do my own laundry, etc. I could get used to 24 hour a day room service or leaving a card on my door when I'd rather not be disturbed. 

I could also get used to having someone else make my bed in the morning and turn it back down in the evening (oh yes, and the chocolate on my pillow)! And don't forget the clean/pressed or dry cleaned laundry delivery each day. And who doesn't want the end of the toilet paper roll folded into a "v" twice a day when the room is set in order?😂

So cruise lines cater to different ages/stages. Otherwise you wouldn't see as many senior travelers on some ships. Where else is it possible for someone with a disability to travel comfortably? It's not at all uncommon to see people with walkers or even wheelchairs on board. Ronnie has already met a very interesting guy who is completely blind. They have a lot in common due to their technical backgrounds so I could see a friendship budding there.

One can be totally energetic or completely lazy while cruising. There are plenty of exercise opportunities onboard with the fitness area (weights, exercise classes, machines, swimming, etc) or one can read books, watch movies or pamper oneself in the spa. And any time of day, anything you want (with exception of some good Texmex) is available literally 24/7 so there is never a shortage of something good to eat. Of course there are lots of healthy options (fresh fruits, veggies and salads) to choose from, but there are also no shortage of sweets and those homemade sticky buns that seem to constantly call my name. 

Basically, you can do just about anything you want to do on a cruise ship and "leave the driving" to someone else. But as they say, different strokes for different folks.