Pros and Cons of Traveling By Water

The Water Way Is the Best Way

There is no better way to travel than by ship. This writer has been fortunate to cross the Atlantic Ocean twice by ship. Once in the luxurious accommodations of a cruise ship, and the other time by Ocean Liner. Not very long ago the ocean liner was the only way to travel from America to England and Europe and beyond. Travel by water is not fast, in fact it allows the traveler the extreme pleasure of enjoying his or her passage. It allows for an entirely different perspective that is only allowed when traveling by boat.

One instance when I was flying south down the Florida East Coast and casually watching the landscape along the Intercoastal Waterway. It was then that I recalled that I had travelled this very same route when repositioning a pleasure yacht, and I should be able to remember the geography. Yes, in fact, I did recall the area just to the North of the Matanzas Inlet where in a state of peaceful revelry I drifted from the charted course, and was rudely awakened by having my keel bump on the treacherous shoals. I was then awoken, and had to use my nautical experience to get back on a safe course without further mishap.

Some fortunate people travel the world via ocean routes. Others rely on the cruise ship industry for this water world. A select group of people buy a condominium concept of owning a unit in a cruise ship. Some people have the great experience of learning on board while enjoying a semester at sea. Boating on local waters is, and always will be, a popular pastime. Very few of the individually owned boats leave the marina, but a night sleeping onboard a moored power or sailboat that is gently drifting on the water is an unforgettable experience.

The Modern World Has Made a Drastic Impact on Travel

In our modern world, time restraints have affected travel by water. But the reigning travel choice, the airline industry, has been rightly criticized about flight delays, over-bookings, and the sometimes disgusting handling of passengers. The rail lines, Amtrak in America is offering safe, unhurried alternatives to air travel. For many of us riding the rails is a pleasurable alternative. But water travel remains to many of us as the ultimate way to transverse any distance at all.

Cruise lines offer luxurious accommodation, and world class dining experience, and the dedication and service given by the crew is enormous. Once a person experiences the joys of water travel, the necessity exists to travel again, and again. There is no greater thrill than seeing the lines cast off the boat, and hearing the sounds of the powerful diesel engines come to life. I was never so happy as when I lived that situation on the way to a great trans-Atlantic adventure.

Traveling has Changed for the Worse

One forgotten aspect of travel is the possibility for interactions with fellow passengers. While plane and bus travel affords little opportunity for such exchanges, the opposite situation exists when traveling by sea. At dinner, shared tables is the rule of the day on cruise ships, and people from different countries, classes, and occupations come together in leisure to exchange identifications and pleasantries. This conviviality exists during the entire cruise, and new found friends assemble together for theater events, lectures, and even gambling excursions. It doesn't matter what age you are on a cruise ship, but being able to tell a good story, and to have multiple interests is very engaging to your fellow passengers. You don't need to try to enjoy yourself when traveling on the water. It comes naturally.