If we could, we’d be on a cruise every single day. But since that’s not possible for most of us, we often find ourselves doing the next best thing: Heading over to Facebook to talk about cruising, post pictures of our voyages, and generally dream about our next trip. And this isn’t really surprising, because it turns out that Facebook and cruising have an awful lot in common. For example, on both…
1) We like everything!
Imagine if you could wander around your favorite ship hitting “like” buttons. We’d be liking restaurants and shows and drinks and shore excursions and, well, pretty much everything we came across!
2) We make new friends.
It is almost impossible to walk away from a cruise without having met new people. Even the most hermit-like curmudgeon inevitably winds up conversing with the person sitting on the barstool next to them while having a pre-dinner cocktail.
3) We share too much.
What is it about both Facebook and talking to strangers on a cruise that compels us to become open books? Suddenly, you’re sharing details about your brother’s failing marriage, sister’s hoarding tendencies and, in hushed tones, the fact that Aunt Gertrude’s husband might be fooling around with his secretary.
4) We regret some of those new friendships.
On Facebook, you get a friend request, accept it and only later find out that your new acquaintance tends to post about things that would make Hannibal Lecter squeamish. Quicker than you can say, “Get me outta here!”, you hit the “unfriend” button (and hope they don’t notice). But cruise ships are an enclosed environment, making it pretty tough to avoid that person you bonded with at the Three Card Poker table the night before.
5) We can be who we want to be.
We’ve all seen that person whose Facebook status updates make it look like their life is perfect, even if we know that their daughter’s failing Flute 101 and that vacation they posted happy, smiling pictures of devolved into an insult-flinging, food-slinging fight on the last night. On the high seas, we can make ourselves into whomever we want to be for the duration of the sailing. Just make sure everyone you’re traveling with knows that for the next 7-days, you’re not Rob from accounting, but Rob, president & CEO of a Fortune 500 company!
6) We can fade into the woodwork.
We’ve all rolled our eyes at the friend who dramatically posts a status update informing everyone that they’re leaving Facebook for a while, because they Just. Can’t. Deal. On a cruise, you can check out of the rat race for a while without the dramatics. Simply head to your cabin, close the door and order room service until you’re feeling human again.
7) We can’t give either up.
Both are ridiculously addictive, each for their own reasons. Better still, they go together like peanut butter and jelly, Netflix and binging, or beaches and beer!
