When deciding on the itinerary for a vacation, planning where to go and what to do can be daunting. Plans need to appeal to more than one person’s travel preference to make a memorable trip for all.
Where should you visit? Are the accommodations and food first-class? Will there be a variety of activities or experiences to keep you entertained? And, for golfers, is there quality golf courses to play. These are just some of the questions to consider when trying to select a vacation.
Enter Celebrity Cruises, a proud partner with Golf Canada, inviting you onboard a golf cruise as your next vacation experience.
I’m no stranger to cruising. My first experience with Celebrity Cruises was my 2009 honeymoon – a 10-night Eastern Mediterranean adventure with stunning ports in Italy, Greece and Turkey. It was an unforgettable experience for my wife and I, and a prelude to future Celebrity Cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska. Truth be told, I’ve cruised just about every major cruise line and visited too many ports to recall. Like many travellers with an affinity for cruises, I’m looking forward to my next adventure after the past few years of pandemic disruption to the travel industry.
I can say that playing golf while cruising is a tremendous option, one that is chalk full of advantages that you simply just don’t get from a standard golf trip.
Its more than just golf—a fabulous opportunity to see incredible destinations all in one memorable journey. Add in delectable dining experiences, award-winning theatre shows, and complete relaxation and there’s no travel golf experience quite like it.
Celebrity makes booking your cruise vacation simple—pick your ship, itinerary and cabin, and away you go. Celebrity Cruises visit more than 250 destinations in 70 countries, with a fleet of 16 relaxed luxury ships. The options are endless, including some of the golf courses and destinations listed at the end of the article.
Before the official captain’s welcome on Embarkation Day, here are 10 tips for golfing on your next cruise.
Tip #1 – The Suite Life
Standard cruise staterooms are typically tighter than home living, unless you book into a Celebrity Cruises suite. I prefer rental clubs on vacation, but if you plan on bringing your own clubs, reserve one of these luxurious spaces with plenty of room for your gear.
Tip #2 – Pack Smart
Packing lists for a cruise vacation is your friend, even when you aren’t planning a day on the course! Plan and pack smart, there is nothing worse than scrambling to find appropriate golf wear or paying for overpriced gear away from home.
Tip #3 – Arrive Early – Not Just for Your Round, But for Your Entire Trip!
Give yourself a day before and/or after the cruise to take in the local sights and get out to a local course without the restrictions of port schedule. Book with Flights by Celebrity to guarantee you make it to the ship!
Tip #4 – Plan Your Meals
Eat a hearty breakfast on board to maximize your time and energy on the course; then skip the post-round clubhouse visit – there is Michelin-star dining back on board your ship.
Tip #5 – Take Time to Recover
Celebrity Cruises on-board spas are the perfect place to get a massage, relax and unwind after a full day on the golf course.
Tip #6 – Manage Your Time Ashore
Trying to squeeze 18 into a tight window? Maybe opting for 9 holes is a better option. The Celebrity Cruises Concierge team can help secure your perfect tee-time!
Tip #7 – Keep the Family Happy
Family members bring different interests and the cruise ship is a perfect environment for guests to do their own thing. Plan to meet your family or travel partners at an agreed upon time and place to enjoy some company, if for some reason their interest isn’t golf.
Tip #8 – Confirm the Local Currency
While everything on board may be cashless, your time on the golf course won’t be. Make sure you have the appropriate currency for beverages, extra balls, caddie tips or anything else you may need while ashore.
Tip #9 – Protect Yourself from the Sun
When visiting warmer locations – especially in the Caribbean – the climate can get much hotter than what you are used to back home. Make sure to take appropriate precautions to shield from the sun and stay hydrated! Celebrity Cruises is a relaxed luxury resort at sea with many shaded venues on board!
Tip #10 – Grassy Green
Looking to spend time on the green stuff while sailing at sea? Visit the lawn club aboard many Celebrity Cruises ships. The Lawn Club is the perfect place to play outdoor games, catch a live jazz concert, or just soak up the sun.
From my experience, the most important tip for golfers is No. 6 – carefully plan out your golf experience so you can tee it up without feeling rushed back to the ship. Talk to the concierge and snag some local knowledge onboard before hitting your golf course excursion!
Visit www.celebritycruises.com or contact your travel agent to learn more
Courses Near Celebrity Ports of Call
| Aix Marseille Golf Club a 18 holes | Provence (Marseille), France | Lanzarote Golf Resort | Lanzarote, Canary Islands |
| Fregate Golf Club a 27 holes | Provence (Toulon), France | Real Golf Club Las Palmas | Gran Canaria, Canary Islands |
| Marriot Los Sueños Hotel | Puntarenas, Costa Rica | Anfi Tauro Golf | Gran Canaria, Canary Islands |
| White Witch Golf Course | Montego Bay, Jamaica | Golf Costa Adeje | Tenerife, Canary Islands |
| Golf Club Cannes Mandelieu Old Course | Cannes, France | Buenavista Golf | Tenerife, Canary Islands |
| Golf Country Club Cannes Mougins | Cannes, France | Golf du Havre | Paris (Le Havre), France |
| Club de Golf Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain | Barbados Golf Club | Orstins, Barbados |
| Club de Golf Llavaneras | Barcelona, Spain | Golf de la Prée La Rochelle | Rochelle (Bordeaux), France |
| Club Golf Son Gual | Palma de Mallorca, Spain | Batalha Golf Course | Ponta Delgada, Azores |
| Golf Torrequebrada | Malaga, Spain | Furnas Golf Course | Ponta Delgada, Azores |
| Golf Academy Novo Sancti Petri | Cadiz (Seville), Spain | GIGA GOLF | Ajaccio, Corsica |
| Golf Ibiza by azuLinehotels | Ibiza, Spain | Castel Volturno | Naples, Italy |
| Club de Golf El Bosque | Valencia, Spain | Summit Golf Course | Colon, Panama |
| Tierra Del Sol Resort & Golf | Noord, Aruba | Port Royal Golf Course | Southampton, Bermuda |
| Costa Teguise Golf Club | Lanzarote, Canary Islands |