For those of you that know me well, you've likely come to learn that earlier in my life, I spent my 20s sailing (1993 - 2003) on the cruise ships of Holland America Line as a singer/dancer.
Back in the 1990s, when the cruise ship industry was rapidly growing, I landed a great job out of college that delivered an array of great life experiences for me sailing the globe with Holland America Line.
For ten years, I sailed and entertained approx. 1250 new guests cruise after cruise after cruise aboard the ss Rotterdam, ms Westerdam, Noordam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Statendam, Maasdam, and Prinsendam.
Today, the "dam" ships still sail the high seas and still deliver some incredible experiences to travelers and visitors, and I am grateful to have had some time when I worked on board. Thank you, Holland America Line.
My Favorite Port of Call: Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Often times, when I meet people visiting our beloved Eureka Springs, I explain the experience to them giving them my personal perspective as a resident along with what I believe is one of the most compelling comparative considerations. In social situations in and around our community, you might often observe me being a good ambassador in conversation with visitors that are enamored by Eureka Springs. It's not uncommon to hear me say...
"I believe that part of the allure of living here in Eureka Springs, for me personally, has been that life here reminds me of my life on board the cruise ships of Holland America Line."
This is when the conversation usually perks up and shifts. Next, I often then ask them if they've "ever sailed on a cruise ship", and it's no surprise, given the veritable surge of cruise ships that hit the scene in the 1990s, for all the big-branded fleets out there, many people usually answer yes, nowadays.
This is when I explain my comparison even further...
See, when I was an entertainer on cruise ships, I recall working a 7-day itinerary out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida to some islands in the Caribbean and then back to Fort Lauderdale, at the end. Essentially, for a full winter season, each Saturday morning we would say farewell to 1250 passengers and then at 3pm, that same Saturday afternoon, we would welcome 1250 new passengers and set sail to do it all over again, until we returned the following Saturday to repeat the cycle for the entire season. (Nowadays, these ships are so big, they welcome 3000 passengers.)
Life here in Eureka Springs, weekend after weekend after weekend is not too different. Traffic comes in on Wednesdays and Thursdays and people usually depart on Sunday afternoons.
Consider this ... here's my side-by-side comparison, highlighting the key features of both a 7-day cruise experience and a week-long visit to Eureka Springs, Arkansas:
Category | Cruise Ship | Eureka Springs |
Accommodations | Luxurious staterooms with ocean views or balconies, private concierge suites and large penthouses | Treehouse Resorts, VRBO rentals, AirBnB rentals, lakeside retreats, quaint B&Bs with balconies, porches, firepits, courtyards and common spaces, historic (haunted) hotels like Crescent Hotel and the Palace Hotel and Spa |
Dining Options | All-inclusive buffets, specialty restaurants, fine dining, international foods | Unique local restaurants (some with buffets), farm-to-table dining, mom/pop cafes, local chef steakhouse (Grotto) and Local Flavor Cafe |
Water Activities | Pools, water slides, Sea-Doo, snorkeling, scuba diving | Beaver Lake: boating, swimming, fishing, kayaking, jet-skiing |
Adventure Activities | Rock climbing walls, ziplining from the ship, surfing simulators | ATV tours, Scooter and Electric Bikes, downhill mountain bike trails, ghost tours, ziplining in the Ozarks, cave exploration (Onyx Cave, Cosmic Cavern) and Turpentine Creek |
Live Entertainment | Broadway-style shows, live music, comedy and magic acts | Local music scene, live bands at Basin Park, outdoor concerts, theme weekends, Music Festivals, Car Shows, Diversity Weekends, The Auditorium, The Intrigue Theater, Melonlight Theater & Opera of the Ozarks |
Theme Events | Charter Cruises (Jazz/Blues Cruise, Gay/Drag Cruises, etc.) | Christmastime in the Ozarks, car shows, Zombie Crawl Weekend, Volkswagen Weekend, St. Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras Celebrations, local charity events, Diversity Weekends, Drag shows, live entertainment at The Auditorium and Basin Park |
Scenic Views | Endless ocean horizons, sunsets from the deck | Mountain and lakeside vistas, Ozark vistas, forest trails, scenic lookouts, Inspiration Point, Beaver Lake, Holiday Island, Table Rock Lake |
Local Exploration | Shore excursions when visiting ports of call | Walking tours, tram tours, private tours, bike trails, hiking trails, historical landmarks and sites, hidden springs. Thorncrown Chapel, Christ of the Ozarks, Passion Play. |
Spa & Relaxation | Full-service spas, hot tubs, saunas | Natural springs, spa treatments at local hotels, yoga, meditation, forest-bathing, lake tours, floating the White River |
Nightlife | Nightclubs, late-night shows, theater | Cozy pubs, lots of live music, drag shows, programmed entertainment at local breweries, theme weekends, Melonlight Theatre and other theatre groups, parades, celebrity visits, wine tastings at Keels' Creek Winery or Railway Winery, Chelsea's, The Quarter, Missy's White Rabbit Lounge, The Rowdy Beaver Den and Wanderoo Lodge and Gravel Bar and The Farm. |
Shopping | Duty-free shops, boutiques, local craft shops (while in ports) and art auctions and galleries | Local artisan shops, antiques, boutiques and local art galleries. Three times a year: www.yardsyards.com |
Nature Experience | Flora and fauna, ocean and sea wildlife (dolphin spotting, sea turtles) | In Eureka Springs, we experience four distinct seasons with our weather. Hiking, wildlife sightings (bald eagles, a wide variety of birds, butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, botanical and city gardens, natural springs. Blue Spring Heritage Center |
Historical Experience | 2 or 3 ports with historical significance | One port: Eureka Springs but you could venture off to Branson, Fayetteville, Rogers, and other cool "day trip" excursions in and around Arkansas and the neighboring states. Eureka Springs offers Victorian architecture, ghost tours, Basin Park Hotel, Grand Central Hotel, Trail of Tears, Cresent Hotel and Spa, Palace Hotel and Spa, The New Orleans Hotel, Eureka Springs Historical Museum |
Fitness & Wellness | Fitness centers, group exercise classes, jogging tracks, on-board spa | Hiking trails, independent and hotel spas, salons, outdoor yoga, organized tours to the lake, tarot, aura-readings, wellness retreats and a large community center with gym, pickleball, and other activities |
Family Activities | Kids’ clubs, water parks, mini-golf | Family-friendly hiking, horseback riding, outdoor adventures, lakeside fun, day-trippin', trivia events. Note: Silver Dollar City is a popular day trip for families. |
Cultural Experiences | International cuisine, cultural performances | Local artisans, Ozark and Arkansas culture, regional cuisine, Southern fare, History, Hillbilly, Ozark cultural experiences. Haunted tours and history. Eureka Springs Historical Museum |
Casino | Yes | No. Well, not in Eureka Springs. For this, you'll need to drive to Hot Springs, or neighboring Oklahoma. |
Crowds |  |  |
The one thing we do not have in Eureka Springs is a casino and we're ok with that because, for the most part, both journeys are (side-by-side) quite similar in offerings as well as with the in/out cadence of visitors, week after week.
There’s no right or wrong way to go — just two ways to escape the everyday. Some of the most delightful aspects of both trips come from the unexpected moments that define them.
On a cruise, the unexpected might come in the form of an impromptu 80s dance party by the pool or walking on the deck and seeing dolphins, waking up early to catch a sunrise over the ocean, the horizon painted in brilliant colors as far as the eye can see. There’s a different kind of magic in the fleeting nature of these moments — knowing that you’re in the middle of the ocean, far from the world you know.
In Eureka Springs, it might be the kindness of a local who offers a personal recommendation, leading you to an undiscovered gem of a restaurant. Or perhaps it’s stumbling upon a hidden spring with a charming busker playing guitar for passersby. There’s a different kind of magic in the fleeting nature of these moments — knowing that you’re in the middle of the Ozarks, far from the world you know.❤️
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