
How To Pick The Best 1st Cruise?
There is nothing quite as exciting about booking, planning and getting onboard your first cruise vacation. The first sighting of your ship, the first “ping” of your sailcard as you pass through security, the walk through into the atrium – all something you will never forget regardless of how many further cruises you take. My first cruise trip was on a very small ship called “Ocean Village 2” which sadly no longer exists. It was what is known as a “back-to-back” and is in effect two one week itineraries rolled together. I learned quite a lot on this trip about the vagaries of cruise travel, and to be honest I have continued to learn new things as I continue to travel on different ships to different locations.

So, sit back and read some handy hints that I hope will make choosing your first trip less of a minefield!
Choose the right cruise for you
I honestly believe cruising is for everybody, but that does not mean to say every ship and every itinerary is for everybody. Look closely at the itinerary. Do you want to see a variety of ports? Do you want more sea days? Do you want bells and whistles or are you looking for more of a laid back vibe. There are a lot of variables to consider. What time of year are you travelling? Something to remember may be very large ships in school holiday time will have a lot of children onboard. Perfect for those with children, not so for those who are looking for a quieter time? Generally speaking, the longer the cruise the less busy it will be. Conversely, if you go on a longer cruise on a quieter ship, you may find it’s too quiet for you. So be honest with yourself about what you want before you start looking. Think about whether you want to dress up or not. Cruise lines have different levels of dress requirements, some expect more formal attire than others. I LOVE dressing up, but my husband – not so much.
Consider the full costs
Think about your budget. Remember the price advertised may not be the final price. Service charges may be added and as they can be $15-$20 per person per day, that can soon add up. Over a fortnight you may find your 4 person inside cabin is costing a further $800 or so. Some companies will say “no tips”, but really all they mean is this service charge is included in your base fare. Personally I prefer if the charges are included in the cost of the fare. Why should staff wages be seen as a “tip”? I’ve never understood that one!
Drinks package
May or may not be a good idea, depending on how much you drink or how long you will be off the ship in ports. I don’t think you need to be a particularly heavy drinker to get a package, but if you really are only going to have one or two drinks a day, it may not be a good idea for you. All the lines have different pricing and different packages, they also have wildly different ideas about what should be included in a drinks package. . Have a proper look at what the package on offer is, and make a decision dependent on your own requirements. Generally speaking the best time to buy a drinks package is when you are making your booking. If you leave it until you get onboard you will pay more for it.
Daily expenses – Getting around
Ships often have to dock a long way from where you think you are going, so you need to account for this. You may have to pay for a ships shuttle into the nearest town, you may wish to get a train into the nearest city, this all costs! If you are out all day, you will need money for lunch or incidentals such as souvenirs. Ships will also have their own tours on offer. These can be very expensive, but they can also be a perfect solution e.g . a solo cruiser on their first trip may like the security of being taken somewhere and shown around by a guide.
Specialty restaurants, Spa
Not something I bother with but they may be important to you. When you see the adverts on TV and they show the food, be aware what they are showing is most likely a specialty restaurant, and it will cost you to go there, same for the Spas. You can get your couples massage, or your hair done but it’s likely to cost a lot more than your salon at home.
How cabins are allocated
You will find a lot of the sticker prices are for what is known as a “guarantee cabin”. In basic terms that means your cabin could be absolutely anywhere on that ship on any deck (within the category you have picked, that is). For example, you decide you want the cheapest cabin possible under the “guarantee”. Just know this will be an inside cabin on one of the lowest decks. It will bear little resemblance to the pictures you see when you are booking. Inside cabins are small, and obviously very dark. I have stayed in one once, and actually enjoyed it very much for the great sleep in this pitch black and silent room. OK, now let’s look at “guarantee balcony”, the cheapest of these will have some sort of obstruction, perhaps a lifeboat or some of the superstructure of the ship. Again, most likely not an issue, so long as you expect it. I have gone for “guarantee balcony” lots of times and have always been happy with my room – because I knew what I may get. I would not book a guarantee room if I had any specific requirements.
Why you may prefer to pay more to book a specific cabin
These ships can be very long. You may be placed in a cabin at the very front or the very back of the ship, which could mean a lot of walking to get to wherever you want to be. I absolutely love what are known as “aft” cabins, which are at the very back of the ship and look out onto the wake. However, you get your steps in very easily when you are in one of these! The same goes for when you are at the front of the ship, you may have a very long walk to the buffet.
All decks are not equal. Are you a light sleeper? You may not wish to be on a deck that is directly underneath the pool, because you may find the placing of pool chairs very early in the morning detrimental to your sleep. Other cabins may be directly above or below a bar or a theater. Do you think you may suffer from seasickness? The very front of the ship will feel movement a lot more than a cabin mid-ship would.
I hope this little guide on how to book the right ship for you helps some way.
Your first cruise should be an amazing experience!
Stay tuned for more helpful tips!