Reason 4: Destination Times

Most of the destinations we visited had an allotted time window of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Also, keep in mind that it takes almost an hour to get off the boat, and up to an hour to get back on, especially when the destination is one requiring a boat to ferry you from the docks.

This short period of time is just enough to get around to the dockside shops, eat lunch, and either purchase an excursion or spend a short time at the beach. This brief passage does not allow the visitor to really visit the country.

I like Margaritaville as much as anyone else, but if you only visit Margaritaville at each stop have you really visited the country? Do you really have a sense of the people and culture of the country by riding ATV's through the jungle? Have you become enriched by your experiences of shopping at Guess?

Out of the three destinations on the cruise: Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, and Cozumel, I feel I only know the Mexican culture, having spent several weeks there. Its almost as if I never visited Jamaica or Grand Cayman Island.

Many people are scared to travel. They go and they can't wait to return home. They expect to see the things they see everyday: McDonald's, Margaritaville, KFC, Starbucks and the ubiquitous outlet shops. Outside of that comfort zone, people become frightened. They become pretentious over what they see as cultural inferiority, i.e. "They served me water, and it didn't even have ice. It was ridiculous;" "I'm American, you can't talk to me that way;" "If it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking German right now;" "Why can't you just speak English?"

I have heard their comments and seen the look on their faces. That is unfortunate, because for the rest of us, the ones with true wanderlust know that it is only outside this comfort zone that you can be rewarded and enriched through your travels.

In my opinion, there is little, if any time to venture outside the comfort zone on a cruise, and for that reason, I opine it is not real travel. It is not a real event. It is almost as vicarious as watching T.V. It is sterile; It is bland.