Let’s wander where the WIFI is weak…
This time last year, I went on my first cruise and I had a ball. Taking a cruise is an excellent way to relax and explore new places without spending a fortune. The accommodation is of a good standard, the ships are luxurious, the entertainment incredible and the food is usually fantastic. When you step onto a luxury cruise ship you are transported to another place. You enter a world where you are cocooned and pampered, safe from the stresses and strains of everyday life. It is an unbeatable way to relax and unwind. You can read my post about cruise tips for first timers here but I thought I’d give you a few tips on how to make the most of your cruise experience.
Book the right cruise
You will get the most benefit if you take the time to do a little research. Review websites like the one you can find here make this easy to do.
Once you have browsed through the cruise websites and found a couple you think may suit you, take the time to see what others thought of that ship. Reading through the reviews will help you to spot issues and allow you to learn more about what to expect on that particular cruise.
Check out the itinerary and facilities
You’ll be spending a lot of time on board, so take a look at the itinerary and list of onboard facilities and ask yourself if there will be enough for you to do. Look at the excursions you think you may want to take in more detail. Some of them involve a long coach journey and you may not be able to spend long in the place you are visiting. If you really want to explore a specific city it may be better for you to book yourself a long-weekend there and fly there directly. In which case, you could choose another cruise or opt to explore the port rather than go on that particular excursion.
Consider pre-booking some activities
If there are things that you desperately want to do while on your cruise, pre-book them. It is far better to pay a deposit upfront than it is to discover that the excursion you want to go on is fully booked. Or, that you cannot dine in your preferred restaurant for your special birthday or anniversary meal. The food is good wherever you eat onboard ship, but the ambiance and style of cuisine served varies greatly between the restaurants. So, pre-booking at least some of your meals makes a lot of sense.
Understand the costs
Pre-booking will also help you to budget for your holiday. It is important to understand what the extras are and how much they cost. This article about the hidden cost of cruises will help you to do this. It also includes tips on how to avoid some of them, so is well worth a read.
Pack wisely
The luggage allowance for most cruises is very generous. This is great because it means that you have the space to be able to pack a glamorous evening dress. Although, if you are flying to the departure country or are taking a flight home you will have to use the airlines´ smaller luggage allowance as your guide when you pack. In which case, you will not be able to take as much with you.
It is worth packing carefully because it is not as easy to pick up anything that you forget as it is when you go on a normal holiday. You need to make sure that you take what you need for every activity you are planning to enjoy. If you want to know more about packing for a cruise, you can read my packing guide here.
