For first time cruisers, choosing your first cruise can make or break whether you love this holiday style. If you decide to go down the travel agent route, they’ll give you a list of questions to determine the cruise line, fit for the destination.
But there are many other factors to consider for your first cruise: the cabin, the itinerary, the shore excursions, and even the additional packages.
Lucky for you, we’ve put together a handy guide to ensure your first cruise goes without any hiccups.
As the cruise industry has grown, so have the offerings. There is something to suit everyone’s taste – whether you’re travelling with the kids, grandma, and grandpa, if you’re on a budget, or if you want something super opulent.
Make sure you do your research – whether it be speaking to friends or family members who have cruised or speaking to a travel agent to navigate through the options.
When first time cruisers do their research, make sure you understand the demographics of each cruise line, during the year as well as the itinerary. It comes as no surprise that, for obvious reasons, during the school holidays, you’ll find more kids sailing.
If you are looking for a destination-specific cruise, like if you want to explore the Arctic or Antarctica, then it is also important to pick the right cruise line for your budget, and the differences between each line.
But perhaps if seasickness and the number of people are issues, consider taking a river cruise where you are always close to land and these ships won’t have more than 180 people onboard.
Find out more information in our guide to first-time cruisers.
First Time Cruisers Tips
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Cruise Insurance: Is covering a senior to cruise like insuring an 18-year-old to drive?
Forcing insurance companies to lower the cost of travel insurance for older cruisers was not a good idea, according to the country’s leading not-for-profit advocacy organisation for seniors. National Seniors Australia general manager Chris Grice says that he understands and appreciates the concerns expressed in regards to the issue of affordability of travel insurance for…
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Cruise insurance: Australian Finance Complaints Authority issues warning
The Australian Finance Complaints Authority has issued a warning to travellers to carefully read the terms and conditions of credit card insurance after stories from Cruise Passenger readers revealed widespread confusion about what they covered. Dozens of readers have contacted our site claiming they can’t work out if they are covered or not – leading the AFCA…
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Best cruise activities for kids onboard
Dance contests, toys, books, movies, arts & crafts, sports competitions, special pools, water slides – there are practically endless options onboard to keep the little ones entertained.Â
Popular Destinations
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Singapore – The cruise gateway to Asia
[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content”][vc_column width=”2/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”8/12″][vc_column_text] Singapore is fast becoming the cruising hub of Asia. And Australians are discovering how the island state provides them with a very special bonus: the best pre- and post-cruise holiday in the region. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]With an unbeatable location, two world-class cruise terminals and some of the best ships basing themselves there, many…
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China’s love of cruising
China’s love of cruising is growing, but to entice travellers cruise lines must adapt, writes Lucy Jones. They came. They saw. And now they are conquering. Between 2012 and 2014, the number of Chinese cruisers grew by 79 per cent. In 2016 there will be more than one million cruise passengers from China – and…
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Cruise line scouts to buy private island
One of the world’ major cruise lines has approached the Philippines Government to buy a private island for its passengers. The move would be a first for the region – though it is not unusual in mature cruise areas of the Caribbean, where Royal Caribbean, MSC, Disney and others have bought properties so their passengers…
Recommended Cruise Lines for First-Time Cruisers
Read Reviews from First-Time Cruisers
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True North – Ship Review
Expedition cruising is great fun and a growing segment of the cruising market but not everyone wants to give up creature comforts in return for venturing to far flung parts of the globe. With True North, however, you don’t have to…..
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Seven Seas Voyager – Ship Review
Spacious and elegant, Seven Seas Voyager brought new meaning to the phrase “luxury at sea”……
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Queen Mary 2 – Ship Review
In almost every detail, Queen Mary 2 pays tribute to the golden age of ocean travel while being one of the most modern of cruise ships…….
