Can cruise vacations contribute to well-being?

A new International Journal of Tourism Research study indicates that cruise vacations are not only for fun but can also be beneficial for individuals' happiness and well-being.

The study identified three dimensions of cruise experience: emotional experience, relational experience, and thinking experience. In the short term, happiness from cruise travel is created mainly through emotional and relational experiences. Conversely, the long-term perceived happiness of cruising is largely derived from thinking experience.

When considering emotional experience, relaxing and simply ''doing nothing'' is of great importance for many vacationers. The relational experience dimension refers to the social interactions with family, friends, staff, and other vacationers on a cruise. Thinking experience consists of the opportunities that people can experience different places and cultures and broaden horizons, as well as contemplative activities that involve introspection and meditation.