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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Is a specialty dining package worth it?
When it comes to dining at sea, the options are many. So when you’re adding up the advantages of purchasing a dining package, is it worth it compared to paying as you go? When a handful of the larger cruise lines offer up to 15 (and sometimes more) different dining venues at sea, they want…
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HAL vs Princess – onboard: which is the best line in Alaska?
Holland America Line and Princess Cruises are two of the biggest lines in Alaska, both with a long history of bringing cruisers to see and explore Alaska. But who is the best? While both lines are sister brands under Carnival Corporation, each has a distinct flair and identity, which in turn have dedicated cruisers that…
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The brand new cruise itineraries of 2020
New year, new cruise. Cruise lines are creating fresh itineraries to take cruisers on different routes around Australia and further afield. Cruisers have their pick of never-sailed-before itineraries, some of which includes some maiden ports, as well as plenty of old favourites in 2020. P&O Cruises has added new itineraries to its Polynesian destinations, plus…
Popular Destinations
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Destination: Greece
Combining the best of the Mediterranean beaches with history and culture, ports around Greece are popular destinations for cruise lines to visit. The capital of Greece, Athens has a huge number of ancient buildings and relics still in tact. Cruisers who call at Athens should visit the Parthenon, the Archaeological Museum where you can see…
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Destination: United Kingdom
The United Kingdom (UK) is one of the most visited parts of the world. The UK is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are lots of different places to visit, from London, the capital of the UK, which is a hotspot for fine food, great shopping and a bustling night life,…
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Destination: Germany
Since World War II, Germany has transformed itself into one of the world’s great holiday destinations, especially for cruisers. There are lots of ocean cruise destinations and beautiful river ports. One of the ocean-port highlights is Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city. It was one of the major medieval cities in Europe and now the city…
