You can read all the tourist guide books you like, but until you visit a place, you don’t really know it.

You can never be sure whether spending 24 hours there will feel like one day in paradise or a fortnight in hell. Which brings me back to my opening question. When is a cruise not a cruise? Well the answer is . . .

When it’s a reconnaissance mission. Strictly speaking, of course, it’s still a cruise with all the multiple benefits you would expect from that kind of holiday. But, as we shall see, sometimes a cruise can be a whole lot more besides.

Romantic name

What I’m talking about is one of the great advantages of cruise holidays that is often overlooked.

Yes, first and foremost cruising is about chilling out and having a great time. But while you’re doing all that, you can check out the places you stop at to see if any are worth a second visit.

Perhaps you are drawn to a destination because its name sounds exotic or romantic. Perhaps friends have sung its praises. But unless you’ve spent time there yourself, you cannot be certain it will be right for you.

Mingling with the natives

The only way to be sure is to go and experience it at first hand.

Using your cruise holiday in this way can save a lot of frustration and unnecessary expense for years to come. Future holidays abroad can be booked with greater confidence.

Naturally, you don’t want to turn cruising into a chore. But simply by taking advantage of shore trips and mingling with the natives – like any other holidaymaker – you can pick up a lot of useful information.

Vital questions

What’s the food like? How friendly are the locals? Can you get by on just one language and frantic gestures?

And what about travel facilities? Would it be safe to hire a car and explore surrounding areas? Or do the locals drive like maniacs possessed?

Could you hire a few bikes perhaps and cycle everywhere? Or might you be setting yourself up to be an organ donor?

Nightlife

Most importantly, is there much to see and do? Or is it a one-attraction resort? Does the place have a buzz about it and a good nightlife? Or come 6pm is it deadly quiet with all the atmosphere of a lunar mountain range?

Many of these questions can be answered quickly and easily from the comfort of a shore excursion. Instead of relying on second hand accounts from guide books, you can see the reality for yourself.

After all, what makes a place really great for a holiday is a highly personal matter. Just because a travel journalist raves about it, doesn’t mean you are going to react in the same way.

Unfamiliar cities

On a typical cruise lasting 7 days or more you’ll have the chance to review a number of unfamiliar cities and countries. You can get a taste of several far-off destinations without incurring undue expense.

Then, if you like what you see, you can always return for a longer stay.

All of which adds a further dimension to your cruising. You stop being just another tourist without an agenda and become more like a spy on an intelligence-gathering mission.

Eastern Mediterranean

So what are the options for carrying out a recce or two on a cruise holiday? Actually they’re pretty good, with so many cruises delivering a string of interesting destinations and plenty of good deals to be found.

For instance, if you’re looking for suitable spots to investigate in the Eastern Med, you might like to try this 7-night Ocean Village fly cruise.

Setting off from Crete on 20 May 2010, you get to check out Port Said in Egypt, Limassol in Cyprus and Ephesus in Turkey as well as Rhodes and Piraeus in Greece. Prices start from just £679 per person.

Far East

But maybe that’s not east enough for you. If so, here’s a cruise deal that might offer more interesting data-gathering opportunities.

With prices starting at just £1,199 per person, this 14 night Hong Kong cruise on the Costa Romantica could be worth considering.

Your holiday kicks off in Singapore on 1 May 2010, taking you on to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei, before bringing you full circle to Singapore. Any one of these locations could be a great holiday option in its own right.

Caribbean

And the same is true for many of the Caribbean cruise deals currently available, with each port of call making a brilliant base for a future holiday.

Take a look at this 15-night Caribbean cruise on the Azura, which sets out on 12 November 2010 and costs just £1,449 per person.

Its itinerary reads like a directory of Caribbean islands with visits to Barbados, Curacao, Aruba, Catalina Island, Tortola, St Maarten, St Kitts, St Lucia and Grenada. Enough holiday options there for practically the next decade.

Next time

So next time you see a distant location that takes your fancy, why not eliminate the element of risk by taking a cruise first. It could be the reconnaissance mission of a lifetime.

For more destinations to investigate at special prices cast your eye over these cruise deals.

Bruce Beckett

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