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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Carnival Cruise Line Very Important Fun Person
Enrolment is automatic for Carnival’s VIFP Club but you need to activate your membership online. If you’re a past passenger, the line will recognise how many cruises you’ve taken with the line. Even if you haven’t cruised with Carnival, you can join. The tiers range from your first sailing starting with a Blue Card with…
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Azamara Club Cruises Le Club Voyage
The premium cruise line has a five-tiered loyalty program for its past passengers and points are earned on the category of cabin booked as well as the length of the cruise. Solo travellers earn double the number of points. The points are awarded for each cruise night for these categories: Inside cabin: 2 points Outside…
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Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club Cruise Loyalty Program
The cruise line has a six-tiered loyalty program for past passengers and points, like Azamara, are based on your cabin category and length of cruise. Solo travellers get double the number of points. Classic (2-149 points) Access to Captain’s Club Newsletter Online Access to Loyalty Desk between cruises (Specialty Dining reservations and more…) Eligibility for…
