11 Reasons Why It’s Better to Travel Around the World By Sea

If you’re wondering if you should travel by boat, I hope to show you exactly why you should!

When it comes to travel plans, people usually consider airplanes and cars as their top options for transportation. After all, these methods are convenient for quick trips because they can get you to your destination in a matter of hours.

However, trips don’t have to be quick and compressed all the time.

In fact, more people are starting to seek slow travel experiences so that they can take in the views, immerse themselves in a different culture, and simply unwind as they make their way to their destination.

In contrast to today’s fast-paced culture, more travelers are opting to go for slow and soothing trips.

With more people on the lookout for slower experiences, ship journeys like Oceania Cruises are experiencing record-high bookings for voyages that last as long as 180 days. Additionally, a survey found that as many as 59% of respondents are willing to retire by the sea, or at least experience the ocean life for a couple of years.

So if you want to explore the world at a slower pace, here’s why traveling by sea might be the best option:

1. Ocean trips are more relaxed and slow

Tired of the fast pace of city life? Then it might be time to try a slower mode of travel.

Typically, options like cars and airplanes can help you get to your destination in less than two days. Meanwhile, ships can take weeks or even months to cross from country to country. As such, ships are often the preferred mode of transportation for travelers who simply want to get away from their usual busy lives.

There’s no rush in getting to the next destination, so you won’t have to worry about making too many plans and arranging your documents right away.

Given that these trips tend to be more drawn out, you can let go of your worries for a while and take your time to appreciate the fresh sea breeze, and the rest of the experiences available onboard.

Plus, thanks to the Blue Health phenomenon, we now know that being near water is naturally calming. What better way to do that than by taking an ocean journey?

2. You can enjoy more experiences during the trip

It’s not every day that you get to take a pause from your busy life. Since you have more time to spare when traveling by sea, you can try to maximize your trip by immersing yourself in special experiences.

If you’ve got a lot of time on your hands, Explora Cruises demonstrates how you can deepen your travel experience by immersing yourself in onboard activities that you rarely get to try on land. You can start by treating yourself to distinct culinary experiences so that you can sample various cuisines as you travel from one port to another.

You can also spend your mornings and afternoons participating in onboard well-being programs that can help you get more relaxed, or even get your blood pumping.

Some ships even offer fitness facilities, which you can use to kickstart your fitness plans.

3. It can be easier to keep yourself active when you travel by boat

Unfortunately, fitness enthusiasts usually find it difficult to continue their diet and fitness programs while they’re traveling. This can be particularly difficult when you’re making long journeys by car or airplane, as the space is limited and there aren’t always opportunities to exercise.

Luckily, this isn’t the case for a lot of boat travel. Ferries and yachts typically make stops near the shore, thus giving you enough time to swim on the water and burn a few calories.

On the other hand, dedicated lines like MSC Cruises can partner up with fitness equipment manufacturer Technogym. As such, travelers onboard can use high-tech weight machines, resistance equipment, and cardio machines to resume their regular fitness programs.

But even if you’re not into exercising, you can still burn tons of calories by walking around the ship itself!

4. Kids can find numerous entertainment options

Now that we have a baby, I expect we’ll be traveling on cruises more and more. Because the adults aren’t the only ones who get to have lots of fun! Though some kids might be overwhelmed by the big blue sea, you can expect to see those smiles come back up once they get a glimpse of all the entertainment options available on deck.

Kids who are Disney fans would particularly love boarding one of the Disney Cruise Lines. One of their options, the Disney Magic, offers the Aquaduck Water Slide, which spans across four decks and splashes into an onboard river.

Meanwhile, tweens and teens can look forward to a wider range of entertainment options, especially now that more ships are offering special shows, movie screenings, and even fun games.

My family went on a lot of cruises when I was a teenager and I have a lot of fond memories of making friends and having the freedom to roam the ship with them!

So if you’re planning to go as a family, a ship journey may be the perfect option to keep your children occupied as you travel.

5. You can stay connected during the trip

While the kids are out playing on the ship or swimming in the pools, busy parents can attend important meetings and get their work done.

This is possible on yachts and bigger ships that offer various Wi-Fi packages or cellular data systems.

Those who plan to travel via yacht can generally try to set up multiple Wi-Fi zones across the boat to get a strong signal wherever you want to work.

On the other hand, most of the bigger ships offer a range of Wi-Fi packages, with prices that vary depending on the speed and data usage that you need.

As such, you can invest in a higher package if you need to do video meetings, and you can get a lower one if you’re simply doing some writing and researching.

6. You can explore multiple ports and countries

This is a huge perk of boat travel for those with wanderlust!

If you’re planning to visit multiple countries, you can tick off several spots in your bucket list by simply boarding a ship.

Ships have to make stops at multiple ports, which means passengers can take the opportunity to visit various places of interest in every port of call.

Marine Insight explains that ships must conduct a port of call so that they can unload passengers and cargo, as well as stock up on fuel.

While the ship is refueling, passengers are given a chance to roam around the port area, shop in the local stores, and enjoy authentic culinary experiences for a few hours or even days.

Ships typically stop by multiple ports, so you’ll have the chance to explore different countries and maybe even continents during your trip.

Some of my favorite cruises have allowed me to explore multiple countries in one trip. An Asian cruise I went on stopped in Singapore and multiple cities in Malaysia. A European cruise stopped in Spain, Italy, and Malta. A Central American cruise allowed me to explore Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

7. Boat trips allow you to get closer to marine wildlife

For many people, marine wildlife is a rare sight to behold.

After all, boats and ships often travel far away from coastlines, so even tourists who live by the sea may have few opportunities to come across dolphins and whales in their natural habitats.

As such, it’s much more appealing to travel by sea because this gives you enough time to spot wildlife that you don’t normally encounter. If you do a cruise that stops in Iceland or explores Alaska, whales might be a regular occurrence!

Even smaller-scale boat tours can offer some great wildlife encounters.

For example, when we did a week-long catamaran trip around the Exumas in the Bahamas, our ship enabled us to get close to the dolphins in the area. We also got to see nurse sharks, swimming pigs, igunas, sea turtles, and more!

You can also do a short excursion on a boat tour to see wildlife. One of my favorite wildlife encounters was swimming with manta rays on the Big Island of Hawaii!

8. Boat tours allow you to reach remote islands

On that note, we really wouldn’t have been able to see as much of the Exumas without the use of boat travel! Traveling by sea allowed us to do all the island hopping we could want!

These once-in-a-lifetime interactions with the pigs, dolphins, and other sea creatures were so incredibly memorable.

If you’ve been to the Bahamas, you might see exactly why boats are necessary- there are about 700 coral islands and about 2,400 cays in the Bahamas!

Traveling via sea makes these experiences accessible, which is something many nature and animal lovers can appreciate.

And this doesn’t just apply to tropical destinations.

One of my bucket list items is to do a cruise around Southeast Alaska. We already completed an epic road trip in Alaska, but the southeastern part of the state is essentially impossible to road trip. Even if you flew by plane, your schedule would be so complicated. A boat tour is basically the only way to see as much of Southeast Alaska as possible.

9. Boat travel allows you to see landmarks inaccessible by car

Speaking of my Alaskan road trip, even though the emphasis is on driving around Alaska, boat tours enhance the itinerary even more.

How so?

Well, sometimes boat travel is required to see some notable geographical features such as glaciers, national parks like Kenai Fjord National Park, waterfalls, and more.

Some examples of natural features I wouldn’t have been able to see up close without a tour include:

• the famous arch in Cabo San Lucas
• Thunderball Grotto in the Exumas (a cave that has been featured in two of the more famous James Bond films: Thunderball and Never Say Never Again)
• the outskirts of Lord Howe Island, Australia
• the Na’Pali Coast in Kauai

10. You have a range of options for your budget and plans

This is a no-brainer, but it’s important to point out because the shape and size of your boat can affect the overall experience of your trip.

To illustrate, ferries tend to be much smaller, which is why they’re one of the best options for travelers who want to get closer to the sea.

However, if you want something more exclusive, you can hop aboard the North America Luxury Yacht Charters to get a bit of privacy as you explore the sea. These yachts can only cater to a limited group of people, which is why they’re a good option for travelers who want more personal experiences with their family and friends.

On the other hand, those who are in the mood for socializing can book trips on bigger passenger ship lines that can accommodate thousands of people. Boarding these massive ships allows particularly extroverted travelers to meet more people and make lasting memories with newfound friends.

11. It’s less complicated to plan a vacation onboard a ship

If planning isn’t your forte, you should consider booking a spot on an ocean liner for your vacation.

Typically, you’ll have to consider your flight schedule, your hotel accommodation, your itinerary, and your mode of transportation on a regular trip.

On the other hand, ocean-liner vacations are less complicated because most companies can arrange these things for you. The ship will serve as your mode of transportation as you travel to different destinations. You also don’t have to worry about booking hotels because these ships have comfortable rooms that can accommodate solo travelers, couples, and even families.

If you want to take your trip to another level, most passenger lines also offer experiences and organized tours at each destination. This way, you can minimize any pressure from organizing a travel plan and look forward to a seamless, hassle-free travel experience.

In conclusion…

I hope you can see why boat travel is a great way to see the world!

Unless you’re on a boat excursion, it often takes longer to travel by sea, which means you’ll have enough time to explore new places and go on multiple experiences.

If you want to know where you should travel to, check out my articles on my destinations page here. I cover multiple destinations, which I hope makes it easier for you to plan your next trip!

Safe travels!

Jasmine