You’ve finally convinced your girlfriends to take a girls’ only trip. What could be better than hitting the road with your besties, laughing yourselves silly and making unforgettable memories? It’s a fabulous idea — except for the figuring out where to go and what to do part. You love to lie on the beach and soak up the sun. One friend loves to shop until she drops, while another friend is a culture vulture who is happiest when traipsing around a museum. You all love to eat, though, and none of you will ever turn down time at the spa.

While there are plenty of destinations that will make all of you happy, one option that you need to seriously consider is a cruise. There are several reasons that it’s the perfect girls’ getaway — not the least of which is that cruises are among the most affordable vacations that anyone can take. Even a cruise to Hawaii can be had for a fraction of the price of a resort vacation, with all of the same amenities and luxuries.

Even if price isn’t a concern, here are five more reasons that a cruise is a perfect girls trip.

1. Cruises Offer Something for Every Travel Style

One of the greatest appeals of taking a cruise is that you can do as much or as little as you want. Most modern cruise ships are jam packed with activities from morning until night, but it’s also completely acceptable to spend most of every day simply relaxing in a deck chair. And since most ships visit several ports of call, the scenery is always changing. For the members of your group who like to be on the go, they can fill every day with adventures and activities, while others can explore at a more leisurely pace. In short, everyone can do the things they like even when it comes to eating. Most cruise ships offer a variety of dining options, making it easy for everyone to find food that they like.

2. Cruises Are Affordable

As previously mentioned, cruises are a great travel bargain. While you can easily drop thousands on a luxury cruise, you can also spend far less and still have a great time. Cruise line promotions, onboard credits, and package deals can offer further savings, making it a viable option if not everyone in your group has a lot to spend on a vacation. Shore excursions and other “extras” can drive up the bill, but you can save money by exploring ports on your own. Bottom line? Unlike some other vacations, a cruise won’t leave you with a huge bill when you get home, since almost everything is paid in advance.

3. Cruises Are Safe

No one likes to think about the potential for things to go wrong while traveling, but the fact is that it’s always a possibility. Common sense goes a long way, but for a group of women traveling to foreign countries, a cruise does offer some level of peace of mind. Most popular ports are relatively safe, and joining organized tours and shore excursions limit the likelihood of something going wrong.

4. Cruises Offer a Wide Variety of Activities

Depending on the cruise line and ship you choose, you will have a seemingly endless array of options to choose from when it comes to spending your time, both on and off the ship. You can get your beach time, while your friend can get her shopping fix in an exotic port. Cruise directors carefully design activities to appeal to every kind of traveler, so in the same vacation you can see a Broadway show, hike in a rainforest, and get a great tan — and more.

5. Cruises Allow for an Ideal Mix of Together and Alone Time

There are plenty of reasons that traveling with friends is the best. Even if things go horribly wrong, there’s usually something to laugh about. But let’s face it: There is such a thing as too much togetherness. Even the best of friends can get on each others’ nerves when they spend too much time together, and all too often, friends feel like they have to spend every waking moment together while on vacation.
On a cruise, though, there are so many things to do that it’s easy to “take a break” from each other. You’ll still want to set expectations before you leave home, but know that if your girlfriend launches into yet another tirade about the slacker her daughter married, you can usually escape to another part of the ship, something that’s harder to do when you rent a vacation house or share a block of hotel rooms together.

So if you’re planning a trip with your best girlfriends, consider a cruise. With the best of all possible worlds, you have nothing to lose.