Taking a cruise on your own rather than booking passage on a cruise ship requires access to a boat – and at least one person who knows how to operate it. Owning your own boat is of course the easiest way if you happen to have one, and boat rentals are available for those who don’t have any boat, the right sort of boat, or a boat available in the location where they want to cruise. Once boat access is secured, the cruise is yours to plan.

Advantages of cruising on your own

You can plan your own itinerary. You can stay as long as you like in each stop and the boat will never leave without you. You can choose your own food and eat it whenever you like so long as the boat you are on has a sufficient means of storing and cooking the food. There’s nobody on board but you and your own party of people so you can do what you want when you want. You can wear what you want and don’t need a variety of clothes for attending different events. You can bring your pets along if you want to. You never have to wait in line for anything.

Advantages of booking passage on a cruise ship

Cruises of various lengths are available from many ports with stops in many places. You aren’t responsible for any work throughout the voyage. If you want something to eat or drink you just go get it. There’s lots to do onboard too since cruise ships are basically floating resorts. Cruise ships have a much broader range of places they can go and can get there more quickly than smaller boats. Somebody else does all the cooking and cleaning and entertainment is provided for you in a variety of forms. The ship is large enough that there are a variety of places to go.

Disadvantages of cruising on your own

You have to do all the work yourself. There’s nobody to make your meals or do the cleaning for you. Somebody has to drive the boat. Smaller boats don’t generally have much to do while underway other than just sit. Nobody plans entertainment for you. Unless you have a big yacht, there’s not a lot of space to put things so there’s a limit to what you can bring.

Disadvantages of booking passage on a cruise ship

Port stays are limited to the amount of time scheduled by the cruise line. If you don’t make it back to the ship on time it will leave without you. Itineraries are determined by someone else. There are a lot of strangers on the ship with you. Some places can get crowded and you may have to wait in line for some things – like getting on and off the ship. Onboard events you may wish to attend are per the ship’s schedule rather than at your convenience. You have to leave your pets at home.

Overall, while it’s fun to go out in a smaller boat on your own, you can see and do a lot more and travel greater distances on a cruise ship.

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