Cruises are advertised as adventurous, relaxing vacations at sea that anyone can enjoy regardless of their age and what they’re looking for in a trip. You can visit multiple countries in a short amount of time, you’ll have all of your meals included in the cost of the cruise, and you’ll never have to worry about rental cars or shuffling through the airport. As long as you’re okay being confined in a small space like a hamster, bon voyage!
Cruises definitely aren’t for everyone, and that’s why travel content creator Samantha Tatro is exposing the truth about what the experience of setting sail on a cruise is really like. Below, you’ll find a video that Samantha recently shared detailing why her first cruise was also her last, as well as conversations with Samantha and Leah Walker, former travel journalist at Leah Travels.
Cruise ships are an extremely popular mode of traveling
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
But after spending two weeks at sea, this travel content creator decided to expose the worst aspects of going on a cruise
Image credits: @undiscoveredpathhome
"No one is telling you the truth about cruises and I can't stand by anymore and just watch these happy cruise videos without saying anything so here are the terrible parts of cruises that no one really talks about.
As someone who spent two weeks on a cruise boat in Australia, I'm starting off with the most controversial take. Before I got on a cruise boat everyone told me the food was going to be amazing fine dining."
Image credits: @undiscoveredpathhome
"To that I just have one thing to say, which is lies - this is high school cafeteria food at best and it was awful. I think it's genuinely made for like the simplest of taste buds."
Image credits: @undiscoveredpathhome
"Second, ostensibly when a cruise stops at a port you're gonna wanna get off, do an excursion, do some sightseeing. The pricing of these excursions is outrageous. We easily spent like $200 per person on an excursion it lasted half a day, and I just kept thinking if I was on land I could rent like my own private boat for the day."
Image credits: @undiscoveredpathhome
"Look, these are cruise boats and they are massive. The environmental impact is simply unforgivable. If you even care one Iota about the planet, you would knock it on one of these ships. I think it says a lot about an industry that if you completely removed, it it would just immediately improve our carbon footprint. I said I wouldn't knock it till I tried it but I tried it, and I'm never doing it again for the environmental reason alone."
Image credits: @undiscoveredpathhome
"Next, if you get seasick you are going to need seasickness meds. I don't care what anyone says - you will get seasick."
Image credits: @undiscoveredpathhome
"Last but not least, getting around a cruise ship is literally hell - there is an insane amount of walking and if you're gonna take the elevator you better be prepared to wait. And that's part 1 of all the things I wish I'd known before I got on a cruise ship."
Image credits: @undiscoveredpathhome
You can hear Samantha's full explanation right here
"I personally will never go on a cruise again due to the environmental factors and labor issues"
To find out more about Samantha's experience on a cruise, we reached out to her via email. Samantha is a travel blogger, lifelong expat and journalist based in Prague, and she was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about how she ended up on a cruise ship in the first place.
"My husband and I live in the Czech Republic, and our family lives in the US. We are always looking for ways to combine our travel and seeing our family. My husband's family LOVES to cruise, and for their 10th wedding anniversary, they invited us to join them on a Princess Cruise through Australia," the content creator explained. "I personally have never wanted to go on a cruise, as I had a feeling it probably wasn't my cup of tea – but I didn't want to knock it until I tried it."
Going into the cruise, Samantha says her expectations were pretty low. "Because I knew the cruise would involve half the time on the ship (we had 6 days at sea if I remember correctly). As a foodie and passionate home cook too, I just didn't think cruise food would live up to the hype," she noted. "When my husband and I travel, we love to spend lots of time getting to know a certain place and try to travel adventurously, and I didn't think cruising would be the best fit for me."
Image credits: GEORGE DESIPRIS (not the actual photo)
It wasn't all bad though. "The best thing about our cruise was the time we got to spend with family. We were able to see my husband's family for lots of quality time," Samantha shared. "In addition, the specialty restaurants where you have to pay extra (at least the steakhouse) wasn't awful. I enjoyed all the stops, too, but I just wish we could have more time in each city. Having 7 or 8 hours at each port is simply not enough time to truly see each place."
We were also curious what type of traveling the content creator would recommend as an alternative for people who actually do enjoy cruises. "I think it depends a lot on the type of travel people value and the experiences they value. There are lots of relaxing all-inclusive options or lovely hotels in adventurous areas for people seeking out alternatives," she noted. "Our cruise was so expensive, and I often thought we could have had a really luxurious time on land for the same price – or less."
"I'm happy if people enjoy cruises, but I'd really recommend people consider the environmental impact of cruising and the labor issues around cruising, too. There are so many other ways to travel that don't have such terrible side effects," the traveler added. "Cruising is a very specific type of experience, and I know many people love it for what it is – and I don't think the intended audience for cruises wants anything to change. I personally will never go on a cruise again due to the environmental factors and labor issues."
Cruises can create up to 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every day
Image credits: Mehmet Mert Mutlu (not the actual photo)
Many people around the world seem to disagree with Samantha’s take on cruises, because millions of people set sail every year. According to Statista, 31.7 million passengers will hop on cruise ships this year, and that number is only expected to increase over the next few years. In fact, by 2027, cruises are projected to take 39.4 million passengers out to sea.
So what is it about these ships that passengers love? The Telegraph reports that cruises are particularly popular among Americans because they’re often affordable, they allow travelers to be “country collectors” without having to pack up and change accommodation multiple times, and they provide “hand-holding” for travelers who aren’t as comfortable navigating foreign countries.
However, there are certainly downsides to cruises as well. As Samantha pointed out, these massive ships certainly aren’t doing the environment any favors. In fact, Greenly reports that going on a cruise is even worse than flying, as these ships emit between 700 to 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every day. Meanwhile, there are over 450 cruise ships that could be out on the water at any given time.
Plus, CO2 emissions aren’t the only problem cruises create. They use an incredible amount of fuel and energy. Housekeeping for the rooms alone means that washing machines and dryers are constantly running on board, and passenger activities often use lots of energy as well. Then, there’s the issue of food waste. Many cruises offer all-inclusive buffets, which means leftover food is constantly being tossed out. And because of how isolated cruise ships are, this food can’t even be donated to homeless shelters or those in need.
“Some cruises can be nice, but they are generally designed for the masses, not the individual”
Image credits: Diego F. Parra (not the actual photo)
We were also lucky enough to get in touch with Leah Walker, CEO and Co-Founder of Garnier Creations and former travel journalist at Leah Travels, to hear why she’s not a fan of cruises either.
“I do not care for cruises because of the lack of control and freedom, inability to be spontaneous and explorative, and lack of cultural depth,” Leah shared. “I enjoy meticulously choosing every aspect of my trip. Yes, some cruises can be nice, but they are generally designed for the masses, not the individual.”
However, Leah does recognize that some people love cruises because they take much of the stress out of a vacation, especially for the novice traveler. “Cruises are also a good option for people with limited mobility or are in declining health. Fortunately, I am not in any of those categories,” she noted.
We were also curious to know if there’s anything cruise liners could do to change Leah’s mind. “I’ve been on five cruises, both ocean and river. I don’t think I’ll ever go on one of the stereotypical giant ocean cruise ships again,” she shared.
But Leah says she hasn’t completely sworn off all cruises. “I’d try something like a Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton Yacht or take a small ship to Antarctica.”
Finally, we wanted to know what kind of traveling Leah loves the most. “I prefer solo travel, so for me, cruising feels like a floating cattle car,” she told Bored Panda. “I travel to enrich my interests and preferences, rather than choosing from a menu of experiences designed for the masses.”
“I like being on my own schedule rather than the one slipped under my door each night. For me, a loose travel itinerary is ideal, with plenty of room for flexibility,” the travel expert added.
We would love to hear your thoughts on Samantha’s video down below, pandas. Have you ever been on a cruise? Feel free to share, and then you can read another Bored Panda article discussing cruises right here!
Viewers had mixed opinions on Samantha's video, as some agreed and others professed their love for cruises
