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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Ultra-luxe Regent Seven Seas says its less expensive than premium lines
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Last-minute cancellations – what you’ll pay
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Popular Destinations
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Ports: Thailand
PHUKET Who goes there: Crystal Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean. Cruisers like: Phuket Town with its shop-houses, cafes and temples is interesting, but many guests head across the island to take a kayak or speedboat tour among the stunning Phi Phi limestone islands and caves. Or you can stay on shore and enjoy the long…
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Ports: South Korea
BUSAN Who goes there: Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, P&O Cruises, Phoenix Reisen, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Silversea. Cruisers like: Busan is South Korea’s second-largest city and the country’s largest seaport. Beomeo-sa Temple is one of Korea’s five great temples and this complex is located up in the mountains. One of…
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Destination: South Korea
It is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations with cruise lines such as Cunard, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises calling at destinations in South Korea. The capital, Seoul, is a sprawling metropolis with hyper-modern skyscrapers and high-tech subways where pop culture meets Buddhist temples, palaces and street markets.…
