It’s around that time of year when everyone is getting a little sick of winter.
While it may have been fun to cozy up next to the fire or have the occasional snowfall for the past few weeks, day after day of dark skies and freezing temperatures makes it easy to wonder if spring will ever return.
In these dark moments, one may wish for a Caribbean vacation. Lucky for those people, cruise ships are lining up right now, ready to take you to a sunny paradise. However, there’s a catch.
What’s Wrong With Taking A Cruise Ship In Winter?
In a video with over 347,000 views, TikTok user Amy Kennedy (@amyykennedyyy) shows a cruise ship covered in snow and ice.
“The reality of taking a cruise out of NY in January,” she writes in the text overlay, following it up with a crying laughing emoji.
Additional videos on her page show some of the not-so-tropical reality of boarding a cruise ship in New York. One video shows her bundling up in warm clothes to survive the initial travel days. Another shows a person trudging through snow on the ship’s deck.
Still, Kennedy insists in the video’s caption that it’s “still worth it though.”
The ship in question appears to be the MSC Meraviglia, which is operated by MSC Cruises.
Are Winter Cruises Worth It?
Some may watch these videos and wonder why anyone would decide to take a cruise in winter—especially one that picks up from a cold location like New York.
There are a few reasons for this. To start, traveling on a cruise can be pretty budget-friendly. A 7-night cruise on MSC Cruises leaving in early February can be purchased for less than $600. This includes dining and onboard entertainment.
If one were to get a direct round trip flight, they would pay about the same amount of money. Furthermore, this fee would not include checked bags, lodging, or food.
Discussions about winter cruises on sites like Reddit point out other advantages.
“Cruises during the winter are the best. Kids are in school, so lower demand is likely since families are less likely to take vacations, meaning better prices,” wrote a user. “The weather in the Caribbean is still usually 80s, which is nice because it breaks up the long stretch of winter months.”
“We do the week after Christmas frequently out of Bayonne,” added another. “Sure, you lose the first day and a half waiting for warmer weather, but we figure we have the rest of the ship to enjoy.”
For Kennedy, she says that the ice and cold temperatures disappeared after 2 to 3 days of travel. Not only that, but she says that there were plenty of activities to enjoy on the ship in the meantime. Finally, she writes in a comment that it was simply “nice to be off work.”
@amyykennedyyy Still worth it though #msc #cruise #cruiseship #bahamas #newyork
Commenters Aren’t Convinced
In the comments section, users weren’t sure that taking a cruise in winter was the best idea.
“Cruising out of ny during winter months is a waste. You’re not getting warm weather until you’re turning around in the Bahamas,” said a commenter.
“Took a December cruise out of NY…never again,” declared another.
That said, others countered that, if you know what you’re getting into, a winter cruise can be a great experience.
“People act like it’s the end of the world. It’s cold for a day and a half, then it’s 80 and amazing for 6,” shared a user.
“That snow on the ship is gonna melt faster than the snow on my porch lol. Enjoy!” offered a second.
BroBible reached out to Kennedy via TikTok direct message and comment and MSC cruises via email.