And my worst cruise nightmare (as well as hilarious) was having packed ALL my clothes the night of departure. That’s right… I had NOTHING to wear but a Royal Caribbean bath robe off the ship, on the bus from the ship, and onto the cruise terminal (and waited 45 minute in my robe for our luggage to be sorted before my luggage section was ready for me to collect). At least I have a picture for memories and laughs!
If it makes you feel better, I saw where a husband had packed up all the clothes trying to be helpful while his wife was showering recently and she also had nothing to wear but the cruise's bathrobe out lol!
Really? I won't go on a cruise that has more sea days than port days. Boring, boring, boring...I guess each to their own. I travel to explore, not vegetate...maybe my curse, but my preference.
As an ex Shore Excursions Manger for P&O Cruises I'm so glad you included the warning about the ship not waiting for guests. Seen that happen far too many often with independent explorers. 👍👍
The fact some people are so entitled that a ship with 500-6000 passengers and 600-2500 crew would wait on them is beyond me. An airline doesn't wait so why do they expect a cruise ship to do so?🤦♂️
All true! First cruise on Carnival, never again. Love smaller ships, less party types so cruise Holland America and some NCL now. Don’t understand all the roller coasters, water slides etc. can do all that at theme parks. I want to relax, quiet ship with great ports. Save the partying and excitement for ports, that’s me
The entertainment ships are geared for families with kids primarily. Parents can relax, while their kids are entertained. Win win for that category of cruiser.
I think I just want to do nothing, but read a book and sit and look out on the sea. I'm leaning to being one of the very few freighter ship passengers. I don't care to constantly be "on" and be witty and amusing to scores of people from New Jersey and the outer boroughs. I live in Manhattan; I'm not a foodie. I have plenty of theater and film and great food here. I really just want to do nothing. And no evening clothes and not even a jacket and tie.
My first cruise was in 2005 and I lucked out - I had access to a travel agent through work. I wanted to take my mom to Alaska but she gets motion sickness easily so I wasn't sure about cruising. They asked me where we typically ate out (standard fare franchise restaurants) and where we typically went on vacations (we're Floridians so typically Orlando theme parks at the time) and she advised me to book a cruise on one of the bigger lines and to get an inside cabin as low and to the middle as I could get and to pick one of the 7 day ones in and out of Vancouver (common at the time). She also recommended sticking to the cruise excursions as not to worry about the times as well. I listened and we ended up on Norwegian as Mom despises formal dress and I figured their "freestyle" dining would appeal and booked all the excursions through the cruise. We had a BLAST. We were quite surprised when we found people who weren't enjoying it and looking back I realize that agent basically walked me through this vid - to be honest, I'd forgotten she asked me about eating out and vacations until I watched this! The ones that weren't enjoying it were folks that were not on the right type of cruise or the right kind of cabin. I hope first timers see this prior to booking. These things really do make all the difference.
Took my first cruise in August, Holland America to Alaska, and was helped immeasurably by your videos. And I turned many of my fellow cruisers on to your site. Good info needs to be shared!
@@heathertirak6051 Best tip I can give you is watch Gary's channel before you go, both with regard to Alaska and cruising in general. I thought Holland America was first rate, by the way.
I took a 14 night Norwegian cruise (a last minute cruise) and right above my cabin was the teen club and the good news was there was only one teen on board that cruise so it was quiet…the cabin was chosen for me and it was a cabin for the hearing impaired.. it was large as well, and was the best cruise ever👍🏻! Once mask conditions are removed we will cruise again. ..we might be senior citizens by then.
I did a 7 day MSC Cruise in the Baltic Sea last month and the only requirement for masks were in the Theater and medical room. The ship was 1/3rd full. Definitely the best of the 4 cruises I've been on!
I LOVE long cruise days out at sea!! We used to sail will my dad...he was a master mariner on cargo ships. Our longest sea voyage without touching shore was 30 days!!! It was AMAZING. 🇮🇳
What a wonderful way to present such a wide range of choices without letting your personal prefs clouding every statement. Very helpful! I love the lack of drama in your videos, you just get on with it.
Our first cruise was a family reunion cruise to Alaska, sponsored by my mom. She said it was the only way to get us all together in one place at one time. 😊 We learned a lot about how to choose a cruise from that experience. Bless you, Mom!
@@TarenaD Do it. The inside passage is stunning. We had a balcony cabin and every time we were out on the balcony, we saw sea otters, dolphins and whales (twice). The view is so beautiful.
On my first cruise. I sailed with carnival. I love this Cruise line. I also learned, before I went . I would plan everything out. I pre booked those items, that I wanted to do or not. I would then, included them in my booking and paid for the shore actives. I wanted to do then added in my booking. I also booked my sailing a year inadvance. I do the deposit. Then paid threw out the year on my sailing. And then watched the fair. And if it dropped. I call and request a price adjustment. And saved me over 200 on my first sailing. I planned a set Budget to spend and stuck to it. If I go on a 4 day sailing. I plan on saving a extra 200 for drinks and on ship actives. I never pay extra for the pay dinning restaurants. I stick to the buffets,free dinning offering and dinning room. It made me more relaxed and stress free. I also never just give them a credit card or debit card. I set up on board cash account. I put the 200 in and that's all I spent. On my cabins I always book a middle deck and middle of the ship cabin. I never book a cabin by a gym , spa ,dinning room,night club or elevator or Lobby.. Inside cabins are very quite and dark and I never have a issue with noise or disturbing my sleep. When I'm on the ship. I always walking around the ship and exploring it. I also never do long sailing. I stay with a 4 to 5 day sailing or mist 7 days. I also look at how the sea days on the sailing are on the internery. I sail to the Bahamas, western or southern Caribbean sailing. I been on 7 sailing and only had one sailing that was not so enjoyble. But all my others were relaxing and stress free . And loved them learned that when I booked to check the fair. to always book a middle ship inside cabin. I'm a ac
The thing I'm most excited for believe it or not, is being able to look at the night sky without all that ambiant light around. I grew up in a city where there's streetlights and 24 hour stores everywhere. I feel like I'm misding out on so many stars up there.
@@kirbrit1 I had heard that as well, but I think it depends on the ship for sure. On the Disney magic I was able to see quite a few stars, saw orions belt and such. Definitely couldn't see the whole band of the milky way though, but it's certainly a LOT more stars than what I see in the city
Your best bet for seeing the stars in all their beauty is a night trip into a desert. We went into the Sahara whilst visiting Egypt. It was breathtaking. Black velvet liberally studded with diamonds is how I described it.
Thank you so much for your guidance 🙏🏽 I've recently booked our first cruise with P&O, departing from Auckland NZ & visiting the South Pacific (New Caledonia, Vanuatu etc.). I didn't book the balcony room I wanted, Instead settled with the Oceanview room - to allow for the $ difference for a few excursions. I'm very grateful P&O have gifted a complimentary birthday cake & have waitlisted us for a room upgrade (if possible).
My first cruise was a theme one on RC Explorer of the Seas, so even though there were too many kids, I had a good time with the people in my group. I am planning a transatlantic QM2 one in 2023, and hope it is mainly kid free.
On my first cruise I discovered the extremely rare Other People’s Screaming Children. Not only do they scream endlessly, they also touch food and plates on the buffet line when they had no intention of using the plate or eating the food they put back on the buffet with their hand that’s dripping pool water into the rest of the food. Lesson learned.
My cruisemate and I book our cruise through Yankee Trails. We get bused directly to the port, Luggage is handled and loaded on board. Prices are great, don't have parking fees, no crazy traffic, no luggage to pull along. For first timers, We recommend you carry sunscreen and a few necessities on your person. Luggage takes a few hours to arrive to your stateroom
Our first cruise was 10 nights on the Dawn Princess in the Caribbean and it hooked us into cruising. We booked all our shore excursions with the cruise line as recommended by our travel agent. Our port stop at the Isla de Margarita was cancelled due to a port strike so we had an extra sea day.
Gary, thank you for the greatest informative videos…EVER! My wife and I learn so much about cruises thanks to you! We’re part-time tracer agents, and when we do ship inspections, we don’t get this kind of information to pass on to our clients! I understand now why you’re the top cruise TH-camr out there!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
1) all excursions and exclusive on board restaurants are bookable in advance. If you wait til you board you will be disappointed. 2)look at the ship’s itinerary and where the afternoon sun will be: most cruises are N/W, W/N , W/E, E/W so if you want to sip sundowners on your own balcony, work out whet.her you want port or starboard.
I totally agree with the cabin selection point - I was on a ship (which I'll not name and shame here) that had a horrendous creak outside my room, and I had 7 nights of AWFUL sleep. Had I planned better, I'd just have packed ear plugs and been absolutely fine!
I will say - we listened to a coworker who cruises a lot and selected a cabin with large porthole window on the second deck, and we loved it, having grown up sailing it was great reconnecting with the see and I spent an hour every morning just drinking my coffee and watching the sea/wake, later we did a cruise with a balcony and enjoyed it much less. One cruise they moved our cabin from the second deck to being above the theater, and the noise was unbelievable and we had no choice to complain.
Thanks for a very informative video. One little correction should be made at 6:08--the more luxurious cruises have a higher CREW to PASSENGER ratio, and NOT the reverse as stated in the video. This may sound like an stupid question, but as they say, the only stupid question is the one that's not asked, so here goes: Is there such as thing as an alcohol-free cruise? I don't drink, so I don't want to pay for something I don't use, and in addition it avoids having to be around or bothered by drunk people.
Another good video. I would vary your first tip. Decide first if you are travelling for the cruise experience or the destination. If the destination, pick somewhere you would go whether or or not on a cruise. So for example the Caribbean doesn’t interest me at all. Our first cruise that we chose was to Tasmania, because we wanted to see it.
Just got back from a cruise on Royal Carribeans Ovation of the Seas, a beautiful experience on every level. The staff and food were wonderful. Its a massive ship so lots of walking and beautiful New Zealand tour . If youre not too fit I recommend Radiance of the Seas, smaller but had an incredible vacation at Vanuatu
For my first cruise ever solo Oct 1-9, I sailed on Royal Caribbean to the ABC islands. It was the best experience I've had in my life up unto this point and I met so many different people. The buffet was awesome and it was such a relaxing feeling knowing I was in full control of what I wanted to do at any moment :)
Update: Just finished my second cruise this time taking my mom. She had an amazing time and we got to explore Costa Maya, Harvest Caye, Roatan bay, and Cozumel.. This has been my favorite cruise by far. Went on the Norwegian Breakaway
I went into my first cruise completely blind. I started watching cruise vlogs after booking. I got lucky. Went with P&O Aust. The ship was huge to me but was, in fact, smaller. I was blown away by the buffet. The entertainment was good, the itinerary was beautiful. The cabin (guaranteed balcony) was awesome. My travel companion left much to be desired. It ended a 25 year friendship. I regret she ever said yes. But I’m super excited for my Covid-delayed cruise which will now take place in 2023. I can’t wait. I’ll certainly know a lot more about cruising by then and will have 4 years of videos behind me. I might still be a green (new) cruiser but I’ll certainly be more prepared.
I had a driving holiday ruined by my 2 companions so, when I went on my first cruise with two other friends, I subtly laid down some ground rules. As we liked different activities, we only met up for evening meal, evening entertainment and some ashore excursions as a general rule. It worked perfectly, no one was pushy or needy. My second cruise was with a group of 5 others and two of them were the most horrible people I have met. They ruined it for everyone. To me, the thing that makes or breaks any holiday is the companions. I would rather be alone than with a difficult person.
@@PetroicaRodinogaster264 we had ground rules too - every base was covered. Unfortunately it was my snoring that did it and i really tried to stay awake until like between 1-2am to give her some sleep without my snoring but apparently that wasn’t good enough. My sleep was then interrupted with the tv, chip eating, having things thrown at me and culminated with (joking? 🤨) death threats? When we got back she ghosted me for 2 months. By the time she decided to talk to me again I was all ‘Nope, I’m done!’ She basically wrecked my first vacation in 20 years and I still cannot bring myself to stay overnight at other friend’s place in their spare room. It just makes me so scared and anxious.
@@andreagriffiths3512 Oh, my. You can stay in a spare room. Sharing rooms is what you can’t do. Lol I don’t like sharing rooms. I need my privacy or I feel bristly and resentful. My friend gave me a graceful excuse. I can tell prospective travel companions that I have poor sleep habits and have to have the TV on, so I need my own room.
We went on our first cruise in January 2020. Boy, was our timing good. I watched a number of your videos, and talked to others who had been on many cruises, do we were better prepared for the experience. Our Travel Agent was very good at making recommendation and plans. This was especially true for a first-timer. Can't wait to go on another cruise in the future.
And then...there are those of us surprised by what we discover we like. I would count myself as the opposite of a Carnival-type cruiser. But I booked my first cruise on Carnival because it was so inexpensive (10 years ago). I found out that I love the Carnival vibe. Before my first cruise I thought I didn't like ships, being out of sight of land, or crowds--what could go wrong on a Carnival cruise? But as we pulled away from port, I discovered my favorite way to vacation.
We learned this some 15 tears ago after two cruises two on HollandAmerica. Since then we have sailed 20 times with NCL all over the world and have four more booked. You have to determine what is right for you.
A southeast Asia Celebrity cruise 5 years ago had to skip my most anticipated port due to bad weather. Tough. Suck it up. A couple years later on a Viking Med cruise, my first with them, one port was skipped due to weather, another in North Africa for security reasons. As both ports were why I booked that particular cruise, I let Viking know I was disappointed but still really enjoyed sailing with them. They contacted me and issued a future cruise voucher that was for considerably more than I would have asked or expected. Several cruises later, I'd be hard pressed to cruise with another line.
My first cruise was on Soviet time cruiseship, at Black Sea only, and yes, first timers mistakes are very common. Thank you Gary for making that useful video for newcomers.
Don't forget that for many people there is no "first cruise" implying that there will be many more. For some, a cruise will be a once in a lifetime thing.
Very valid point, and well said. I thought the same thing regarding those who save up that money to only cruise once. Saying, well I've been on 18 cruises, etc. shows a serious lack of empathy. Yes. One might as well be educated for one's first or 18th cruise, so good point, thus the need for the video.
Great point. For most bang for the buck, when planned properly, cruises are the best value. If you drink alcohol. Pay for the package. Don’t mess that up. For the most part. The regular dining is good enough. In my opinion. We go carnival because of the resort style feel. So. If we don’t want o go on excusrsions, there’s plenty on board to do. Great video by the way.
This video should be on every first-time cruiser's most frequently played videos! Gold dust advice, particularly the categorisation of the different lines.
I want to take a cruise vacation some day. pretty high on my bucket list. I want one of these cruises thats spends days on the sea. Would absolutely love it
In re: cruise line offered excursions. Amen! Our first cruise we booked one at every port. The train was an hour late getting back and our ship (NCL) had a list of passengers to expect back from the train and it waited for us. We were so scared our ship was gone.
Check out the food. I was about to join a family friend on a Jazz cruise they do yearly. They told me the food was wonderful and anything was available in the buffets and off the buffet was not in the price which is fine. I contacted the cruise line and the buffet was set dishes rotated over the trip between the various dining areas. If I wanted to have healthy or vegan or vegetarian or low sodium or anything like that it would be USD10 more per person per meal even if I notified them in advance. I didn't go.
QM2 Transatlantic....Boring? Not in the least. I found the ship was the destination. It never even occurred to me that we never set foot on a port or island the whole 7-days. One of the most memorable cruise ship experiences my wife and I ever took. And we have been to a lot of cruises including river cruising. Thank you for a video well done. First time cruisers take heed.
I am not new to cruising but, I must say, this is one of the most informative videos I have ever watched on this topic. Learned several things I didn't previously know. Thank you!
Never went on a cruise. Well, did with the US Navy twice, but that's not the same. You are making me very excited to book one in the next year or so! Thinking 5-6 days, Caribbean, a suite and a line that is upscale but still likes to party. Don't want to be surrounded by people much older than us.
You are so right about choosing the correct line, we were lucky in that we chose Cunard in the Caribbean for our first few cruises and then on to Princess for the Caribbean, UK and Alaska. Both were just right for us and then we moved on to Viking and Celebrity and those are now our favorites. We will do our first Oceania cruise at Christmas and New Years in the Caribbean and it is a 12 day cruise and I am certain that we will love them as well. We know we like smaller luxury ships with great food, wonderful destinations and excursions and excellent service. I booked an inside cabin on my very first cruise and learned quickly that was not for me so from that point on it was either ocean view or balcony. We always do balcony now and also choose out own cabin so we are on the ship where we want to be. I also want to cruise with all inclusive lines so that I am not getting nickled and dimed on board. I will never be on an MSC or Carnival line ever, and not likely on an RCL or NCL unless one of the smaller ones. I always do ship excursions for my own peace of mind knowing that I will never miss the ship and the tours are managed quite well by the lines so you have reputable guides.
...once you go balcony ... it is hard to ever not have one ...go for the assigned cabin every time to avoid noisy ones ...and don't forget to pack sunscreen ...that Caribbean sun can get awful bright when you haven't seen it in a while ...
You will be so spoiled on Oceania. Returned from 14 day Mediterranean cruise Oct/Nov 2021. Over the top service, exquisite food (and I have a fine dining group), O Life choice worked well. Travel Agent said would get more value by choosing the tours vs credit on the ship. She was correct. Also loved Viking on a 2 week Grand European Trip arranged with a few others from my Travel Meet Up group. Also excellent service, food, service, tours. Wonderful. Before those lines Celebrity and Holland American were also good, with no negative experiences. So happy to be cruising again
My husband and I prefer not having a lot of kids around, and are not party animals. So we started on Regent. But when we found we loved cruising, but don't like flying off to different places to cruise. So Regent was just too limited for us. Eventually we found that in spite of not wanting a lot of kids around and not wanting a party feeling, we've loved the Royal Caribbean mega ships, because they also have, what you didn't mention, many places where you can find quiet and privacy AND they have great people watching, which for us. And choosing a suite on a mega ship gave us the best of both worlds.
Even though I probably won‘t ever go on a cruise I still watched the video from start to finish and found it very interesting! The personal experiences and the good story-telling / editing made the difference I guess. Well done!
A very basic symbol piece of advice is to take some earplugs for a sound generator with you on your cruise. Any cabin can be noisy because of its location or the time of day or night. You might get noisy neighbors you might have a dance hall above you so just bring some earplugs or music and relax.
Agree whole-heartedly with your strategy regarding excursions on first cruise/cruises. Get to understand how all the parties behave and the timing of port departures before taking more risk yourself. Some of the first excursions we took on our own were to beaches on fairly simple routes out of the port. Get info from the seminars on board the day before arrival on places to eat, drink, connect to Wi-Fi, etc. You’re there to relax and have a good time, not burden yourself with stresses!
My first cruise was on Carnival. I think it was a good choice for a first cruise. There were numerous announcements throughout the day to keep you updated on what is going on. We got a kind of newsletter slid under our door early every morning outlining the daily activities and any important information. Of course, there were a lot of silly activities around the pool every day which doesn’t really appeal to me, but I know lots of people like that. And there was another pool, an adult pool, where it was quieter and more relaxing. There were plenty of excursions to choose from, and it was easy to get signed up for them. And the food was good! Also, the service was great. There was ALWAYS a crew member close by to get you a drink when you wanted one, and the dinner service was great! Unlike some other cruises I’ve been on where you’re lucky if you can find a crew member!
I was lucky that I was with my future wife on my first cruise and she had already cruised a half dozen times since she was in high school. I generally recommend short 3-5 day cruises for newbies, so they get a taste but aren't 'stuck' in a situation they don't enjoy. I'm a Platinum member on Carnival, but have also done Princess, Celebrity & Holland America. You're right in saying they all have very different vibes. Never even heard of a few of the high-scale lines you mention. Way out of my range, for sure. Our one and only 'guarantee' cabin gave us an obstructed view balcony. Never again for that price.
The premium cruise lines have sales. Viking river cruise in August was half price. The Oceania cruise this Oct/Nov 2021 was a great price also--O Life included free air, credit on the ship, no charge specialty restaurants, no charge wi fi, etc. Just need to look for the prices. Highly recommend.
My brother travels on cruises all the time and loves it. I understand why now after watching a few of these videos. He's really outgoing and loves being around people so he fits right in. Me? Not so much. For me, a cruise means being around people with no escape except sure death overboard.
Went with Marella, all inclusive. Flight, shuttle, food, drinks etc.. Adults only. Was great to see if we liked cruise ships. Mapped our own way at all the ports, lots to do close by. Though we prefer to travel and stay in countries, taking it all in, hoping on a no frills flight to another place for a bit, we will be doing TUI or P&O Mediterranean soon.
Dear Gary I would like to thank you for your wonderful, detailed and practical videos!! I have close to 10 cruises under my belt but your videos have taught me so much more that I did not know. I am loyal to one cruise line and thus they have given me quite a few perks but you opened my eyes to many more. Thanks so much for everything!
We have been cruising for thirty years. Now, we always select our cabin. A few years ago, neighbors told us they were going on their first cruise. We asked them about it and they told us they were going on the same cruise as us. Unfortunately, they selected guaranteed cabin. They ended up with a balcony cabin, but close to the main show lounge. Of course, it was noisy at times. It was annoying for them, but generally ok. Unlike Jeremy, we book a veranda cabin under the Lido deck, which he says is a poor choice. But our cabin is high and almost as furthest cabin forward. Neither of us is affected by motion, so we are ok with high and forward cabin. Also, being far forward, we are on a short corridor going nowhere. So, virtually no all night drunk passengers yelling, etc. As far as under the Lido deck, ours is far enough forward that is under the spa area, which is closed at night. Also, the spa rooms above our cabin are for massage that is a very quiet activity. So, while Jeremy is generally correct, there are exceptions.
Here's my 2 cents on the subject for beginners and experienced cruisers: Avoid Carnival and Norwegian. Pay a little more but get better quality, whether you are a party person or the quiet type. OH! And whatever you do, DO NOT BUY STUFF ONBOARD. The biggest ripoffs are there, particularly jewelry and art.
Agree on Carnival, but disagree about Norwegian (NCL). NCL offers the “Haven”, an exclusive premium area within their ships. Book that, and you can enjoy both the quieter, more upscale area and venture out into the livelier big venues. I very much like the variety possible on NCL.
@@lindasirmeyer3228 NCL was the first cruise line to offer single cabins without any surcharge for solo travelers. I'm not even sure any other major cruise lines offer that deal.
That's so true. I bought a wristwatch marked 70% off original price on a cruise ship only to come home and find it cost way cheaper on the company's website.
I did the Caribbean cruise as my first, it was fantastic. I went through a travel agency and asked a lot o questions. I was going solo and I wanted an experience that didn’t have set meal times with the same people. Norwegian cruise line was awesome for my needs, I didn’t realize how the excursions worked but got into it right away and ended up enjoying everything. They even had gatherings for single people to meet people who are doing the same thing, it was a good opportunity to network and find people to go on excursions and join for meals. My regret was not reading the ships event papers from the start. I missed out on a few things I would have like to participate in on board. Going through an agency may not be the cheapest method, but they are pretty knowledgeable on what type of trip you might be expecting and they make all the arrangements so you don’t have to think about all the different stuff like: cruise tickets, plane tickets, insurance, gratuities, transportation to and from air port. Everything is discussed and worked out upon your interview with agency, makes for smooth sailing as first timers.
All those fees, restrictions, among other things makes going on a cruise seem like a big hassle. I would enjoy very little of the cruise experience. It would be cool to take a tour of a modern cruise ship while at port.
Our only mistake on our first cruise (CMV) was to take an inside cabin, we found it claustrophobic and I packed too much, but we found we were quite happy to just take it easy and enjoyed dressing up for formal nights, so over the years we have found that Cunard and P&O are our favourite cruise lines. We did have a lovely couple of days with RC and have done two cruises with MSC - one to the Med from Genoa which was a bit too much partying and small children and the other one from Southampton to Northern Europe which was a lot more us. We have just done a seven all sea day cruise with P&O which was great. I limit myself to one excursion per cruise at the most and never pay for extras. The Caribbean and Alaska, along with the small luxury cruise lines, are outside our budget unfortunately.
Hi We done the Mediterranean with MSC from Rome to Rome . One to two speaking English people on board. We found out it was a milk run for the Mediterranean. We were in the yacht club and first time for breakfast, we had smoking in side and outside. Not again!
I love Celebrity Cruise Line. You feel so spoiled from the instant you step on board. And you’re right about having a nice room. There’s nothing better than sitting on your balcony enjoying the view with a loved one drinking coffee,,tea, beer, whatever.
I've been on 3 cruise ships: Thomson Majesty - Eastern Med. P&O Aurora - North Sea. TUI Discovery - Western Med. All three were very different in size, style and formality and the cruises themselves were very very different. I had a different kind of room on each ship too - window, inside and balcony. To be honest I enjoyed them all and had a fabulous time. We are booked next year onto Icon of the Seas for a Western Bahamas cruise. It's going to be a wild departure from any cruise we've been on previously but the wife and I, and the kids are really looking forward to it. My random cruise tip - if the ship you are on has decent water based facilities (nice pools, slides etc) then pack your swimmers in your carry-on luggage so you can head straight to the water before it starts to get busy on the first day.
My first cruise was to Mexico, on the Sapphire Princess. It was easier to get to the port in LA than have to travel cross country to Florida for the Caribbean cruises.
All great info which boils down to - do your research and practice patience and kindness. There will be crowds and line ups, waiting, changes and some mistakes but it can all be sorted with a more friendly approach. Focus on the positive as much as possible.
I tried getting a credit because the fare was lower. This was on Norwegian. All they did for me was offer a $50 credit off my next cruise. My daughter was refunded the fare. She is booked on Royal Caribbean. WTH?? She checked the prices throughout the year and ended up paying half of what she was originally charged. Next time I'll book Royal Caribbean for sure!
We’ve only been able to go on one cruise but we booked excursions with ShipMate and had excellent experiences with their tours. They have lowest price and ship return guarantees and will pay for any costs if you miss the ship from one of their tours.
I went on royal Caribbean and lugged our dive gear. Had a dive at each stop. Customs loved the smelly gear coming back. But we had a great trip. Did another one with gear and arranged dive boats while on board. Cancun, cozumel and Grand Cayman was cool back on ship by 2pm cleaned up ate a nice lunch and beautiful evening dancing.
Traveling is best and most memorable when you get out of your comfort zone. I thoroughly enjoyed and vividly remember getting lost in the Tokyo subway.
Hi! Former Disney Cruise Line Technician here. Let me disagree with you on the "smaller productions". The theater on board DCL ships is without hesitation, the biggest thing I've seen in my life. The production display on these ships is simply amazing.
Instead of going on a cruise and taking an excursion when docked in Barcelona, how about just going on your own to Barcelona? The cruise ride almost seems like a hassle. If I’m there, I want to see the city on my own terms and schedule and not have to worry about the ship leaving.
In Alaska, We had both self researched and paid excursions and ship arranged excursions. We planned it so there was ample time to have plenty of free time. It would have been way to costly and take a lot of calls and research to do them all apart from the cruise line and it would be extremely hard to see the cities, food and glaciers on our own. Juneau doesn't have a road going there from the mainland. Being disabled, we were able to see many cities and have varied experiences only available on a cruise and my wife didn't need to pack and unpack every night. That was a big cruise line. Our next was an Ultra-luxury which was incredible. I would do it again, but Karen would like a little larger. I think Viking would be perfect, which we had planned, but the pandemic changed that. Now my ALS has progressed that we won't fly to a port, but may try a cruise on a "premium" line out of LA or SD. Cruising is a great option and I wish we had gone on a couple before. Either way, no regrets. Take a cruise and see what you think. I like both and will do both untilI die (not to far off, but we all die, don't we).
excursions are interesting. I prefer organising them myself and not using the ships excursions which are usually double the price and more crowded. If the next day or 2 are sea days and impossible to catch up, I'd be tempted to get a ship organised excursion. St Petersburg was a classic. we did a tour with 16 of us through Alla tours. It was half the price of the ship one and they were very committed to getting back to the ship on time. The tour was 5 star too but that's just an example. Other tours we have taken have also been committed to get back to the ship on time. Most of them also don't require payment unless you use them. If ship doesn't dock, then no charge. That does require a bit of research though.
You are good and informative but in the same time your very good information just justified my feelings. Nobody can convince me to go on a cruise! Maybe on a boat for 10-20 ppl max!
I went on a MSC all inclusive cruise from Venice round to Santorini, and had a huge bill at the end of it. Even sitting down in the restaurant came with a daily surcharge, all the smokers headed for the casino, and my clothes stank. My room was next to a lift shaft, and the room had a drone all day and night. There was little to do on board The show was the same people pretending to be someone else each night. The excursions were not very cheap. Getting back to the UK it took hours to find a contact address , MSC were not interested in my feedback at all.
On my first ever cruise, I was once part of a group, that was the cause for the ship to wait for almost 2H after departing time, because we were in the middle of a traffic jam in Penang. Some people, we meet that evening told us, the cruise director had to make multiple announcements, because other guest got nervous for not departing. It was quite funny, but the excursion also opened my eye: If you book/plan an excursion at a destination, LOOK UP LOCAL HOLIDAYS! We went up Penang Hill on a national Holiday, and it was not fun.
Sea days are fun. It’s like a mobile beach. The shows, the food, the onboard nightclub, and the pools and hot tubs are fun. Don’t discount sea days. If you know the events on sea days, you will have a good time.
Vegetating, YES...If you have lived on a Pacific Island for 40 years as I have, swimming, surfing, diving, and snorkeling weekly, then yes...especially when you are not really looking at the sea, but sitting around an over crowded pool, with people who often have drunk too much and ate too much for the last five years of their life. It is just my view on the experience, if you enjoy it then go for it! As emphasized before, different strokes, different folks...I was just giving balance to a lopsided love fest for sea days. Obviously a majority of guest take advantage of (sometimes) exciting visits to ancient ruins, world famous museums, trekking or zip lining through primitive forests, etc. on shore excursions, people go on different cruises to different locations to see those sites, not sit on the boat for a week.
So true! I cruised in an inside one out of 14 cruises. Then went to Balcony's on the 2nd cruise and for us, that was like going from economy seats to 1st class!!
Fantastic tips! Thank you. I was totally unaware about the strict cancellation policies and how the cruise line can change their itinerary at will, and you still sometimes can’t cancel once that happens, even if it’s before the cruise starts.
For our family our goal for a cruise is being together as in a regular land vacation in summer. We usually stay in the pool with no water slides, in the hot tub or if there is a Finnish sauna...not a lot of noise or just watching the flying fish while reclining on deck. For the ports of call, we go to an art or history museum or historical sites. We choose medium sized ships with about 1ooo to 2000 passengers.Even when our children we're young, we didn't go to a Disney cruise so that the trip is a learning experience for all of us.
My hubs was on the water for 20 years, more or less, he's not enthusiastic. Lol I on the other hand have never been on a ship and am ready for a cruise. Looks like so much fun, appreciate your advice so much. Thank you!
Try taking a cruise on a Destroyer taking 30 degree rolls with each swell and totally blacked out at night, Nothing on a floating hotel can begin to approach the thrill of that experience.
And my worst cruise nightmare (as well as hilarious) was having packed ALL my clothes the night of departure. That’s right… I had NOTHING to wear but a Royal Caribbean bath robe off the ship, on the bus from the ship, and onto the cruise terminal (and waited 45 minute in my robe for our luggage to be sorted before my luggage section was ready for me to collect). At least I have a picture for memories and laughs!
If it makes you feel better, I saw where a husband had packed up all the clothes trying to be helpful while his wife was showering recently and she also had nothing to wear but the cruise's bathrobe out lol!
I LOVE sea days! I can sit and watch the ocean for HOURS and not be bored.
Same here.
Yes. That's what I look forward to, the sea days!
Really? I won't go on a cruise that has more sea days than port days. Boring, boring, boring...I guess each to their own. I travel to explore, not vegetate...maybe my curse, but my preference.
@@Skoogman13 You think chilling out to the sea is vegetating?
@@Skoogman13 same old tourist crap at every port, that's boring to me.
As an ex Shore Excursions Manger for P&O Cruises I'm so glad you included the warning about the ship not waiting for guests. Seen that happen far too many often with independent explorers. 👍👍
The fact some people are so entitled that a ship with 500-6000 passengers and 600-2500 crew would wait on them is beyond me. An airline doesn't wait so why do they expect a cruise ship to do so?🤦♂️
If I recall correctly there is always a very loud announcement from the ship.. "do not get back late. you may wind up staying here"
All true! First cruise on Carnival, never again. Love smaller ships, less party types so cruise Holland America and some NCL now. Don’t understand all the roller coasters, water slides etc. can do all that at theme parks. I want to relax, quiet ship with great ports. Save the partying and excitement for ports, that’s me
I'm with you, Amy!
The entertainment ships are geared for families with kids primarily. Parents can relax, while their kids are entertained. Win win for that category of cruiser.
Holland America, best cruise ever, no kids !!!! Carnival, nope, Disney, hell no...
Amy Bradley...You will like the Azamara.
I think I just want to do nothing, but read a book and sit and look out on the sea.
I'm leaning to being one of the very few freighter ship passengers. I don't care to constantly be "on" and be witty and amusing to scores of people from New Jersey and the outer boroughs.
I live in Manhattan; I'm not a foodie.
I have plenty of theater and film and great food here.
I really just want to do nothing.
And no evening clothes and not even a jacket and tie.
My first cruise was in 2005 and I lucked out - I had access to a travel agent through work. I wanted to take my mom to Alaska but she gets motion sickness easily so I wasn't sure about cruising. They asked me where we typically ate out (standard fare franchise restaurants) and where we typically went on vacations (we're Floridians so typically Orlando theme parks at the time) and she advised me to book a cruise on one of the bigger lines and to get an inside cabin as low and to the middle as I could get and to pick one of the 7 day ones in and out of Vancouver (common at the time). She also recommended sticking to the cruise excursions as not to worry about the times as well.
I listened and we ended up on Norwegian as Mom despises formal dress and I figured their "freestyle" dining would appeal and booked all the excursions through the cruise. We had a BLAST. We were quite surprised when we found people who weren't enjoying it and looking back I realize that agent basically walked me through this vid - to be honest, I'd forgotten she asked me about eating out and vacations until I watched this! The ones that weren't enjoying it were folks that were not on the right type of cruise or the right kind of cabin.
I hope first timers see this prior to booking. These things really do make all the difference.
Took my first cruise in August, Holland America to Alaska, and was helped immeasurably by your videos. And I turned many of my fellow cruisers on to your site. Good info needs to be shared!
His tips are so helpful and I find it sad that he hasn't hit 500K subscribers yet...
holland to alaska??
Any tips?? Were are taking that same cruise in July 2023
@@heathertirak6051 Best tip I can give you is watch Gary's channel before you go, both with regard to Alaska and cruising in general. I thought Holland America was first rate, by the way.
Thanks! Yes I subscribed!!
I took a 14 night Norwegian cruise (a last minute cruise) and right above my cabin was the teen club and the good news was there was only one teen on board that cruise so it was quiet…the cabin was chosen for me and it was a cabin for the hearing impaired.. it was large as well, and was the best cruise ever👍🏻! Once mask conditions are removed we will cruise again. ..we might be senior citizens by then.
I did Norwegian last month for 7 nights. The ship was only 38% occupied! It was wonderful.
We cruised months ago and didn’t have to wear masks. NCL didn’t require it.
Princess does not require and now have religious exemption 🙏🏼✝️🙂
I did a 7 day MSC Cruise in the Baltic Sea last month and the only requirement for masks were in the Theater and medical room. The ship was 1/3rd full. Definitely the best of the 4 cruises I've been on!
I typically take the Cruise excursions whenever I'm visiting a new port. Once i've visited a port I'm more informed and can decide which way is best.
I LOVE long cruise days out at sea!! We used to sail will my dad...he was a master mariner on cargo ships. Our longest sea voyage without touching shore was 30 days!!! It was AMAZING. 🇮🇳
my preference would be to only be at a port to leave or return. I prefer long stretches at sea.
Wow
Me too. On the last Royal Caribbean cruise I was on they had a huge dessert buffet on our days at sea.....so there's one more reason. ;)
wow! lucky you!
What a wonderful way to present such a wide range of choices without letting your personal prefs clouding every statement. Very helpful! I love the lack of drama in your videos, you just get on with it.
Our first cruise was a family reunion cruise to Alaska, sponsored by my mom. She said it was the only way to get us all together in one place at one time. 😊 We learned a lot about how to choose a cruise from that experience. Bless you, Mom!
How was it traveling through the Northwest Passage? It's on my bucket list.
@@TarenaD Do it. The inside passage is stunning. We had a balcony cabin and every time we were out on the balcony, we saw sea otters, dolphins and whales (twice). The view is so beautiful.
Recently returned from an Alaskan cruise. We loved it! I would definitely do it again.
On my first cruise. I sailed with carnival. I love this Cruise line. I also learned, before I went . I would plan everything out. I pre booked those items, that I wanted to do or not. I would then, included them in my booking and paid for the shore actives. I wanted to do then added in my booking.
I also booked my sailing a year inadvance. I do the deposit. Then paid threw out the year on my sailing. And then watched the fair. And if it dropped. I call and request a price adjustment. And saved me over 200 on my first sailing.
I planned a set Budget to spend and stuck to it. If I go on a 4 day sailing. I plan on saving a extra 200 for drinks and on ship actives. I never pay extra for the pay dinning restaurants. I stick to the buffets,free dinning offering and dinning room.
It made me more relaxed and stress free. I also never just give them a credit card or debit card. I set up on board cash account. I put the 200 in and that's all I spent.
On my cabins I always book a middle deck and middle of the ship cabin. I never book a cabin by a gym , spa ,dinning room,night club or elevator or Lobby..
Inside cabins are very quite and dark and I never have a issue with noise or disturbing my sleep.
When I'm on the ship. I always walking around the ship and exploring it. I also never do long sailing. I stay with a 4 to 5 day sailing or mist 7 days. I also look at how the sea days on the sailing are on the internery.
I sail to the Bahamas, western or southern Caribbean sailing. I been on 7 sailing and only had one sailing that was not so enjoyble. But all my others were relaxing and stress free . And loved them
learned that when I booked to check the fair. to always book a middle ship inside cabin. I'm a ac
The thing I'm most excited for believe it or not, is being able to look at the night sky without all that ambiant light around. I grew up in a city where there's streetlights and 24 hour stores everywhere. I feel like I'm misding out on so many stars up there.
Good luck with that! On our three Celebrity cruises there were so many ship lights that you could barely see the sky. From any deck.
Better join the Navy for that one. The cruise liners are lit up like christmas trees.
@@kirbrit1 I had heard that as well, but I think it depends on the ship for sure. On the Disney magic I was able to see quite a few stars, saw orions belt and such. Definitely couldn't see the whole band of the milky way though, but it's certainly a LOT more stars than what I see in the city
Your best bet for seeing the stars in all their beauty is a night trip into a desert. We went into the Sahara whilst visiting Egypt. It was breathtaking. Black velvet liberally studded with diamonds is how I described it.
Thank you so much for your guidance 🙏🏽 I've recently booked our first cruise with P&O, departing from Auckland NZ & visiting the South Pacific (New Caledonia, Vanuatu etc.). I didn't book the balcony room I wanted, Instead settled with the Oceanview room - to allow for the $ difference for a few excursions. I'm very grateful P&O have gifted a complimentary birthday cake & have waitlisted us for a room upgrade (if possible).
My first cruise was a theme one on RC Explorer of the Seas, so even though there were too many kids, I had a good time with the people in my group. I am planning a transatlantic QM2 one in 2023, and hope it is mainly kid free.
On my first cruise I discovered the extremely rare Other People’s Screaming Children. Not only do they scream endlessly, they also touch food and plates on the buffet line when they had no intention of using the plate or eating the food they put back on the buffet with their hand that’s dripping pool water into the rest of the food. Lesson learned.
My cruisemate and I book our cruise through Yankee Trails. We get bused directly to the port, Luggage is handled and loaded on board. Prices are great, don't have parking fees, no crazy traffic, no luggage to pull along. For first timers, We recommend you carry sunscreen and a few necessities on your person. Luggage takes a few hours to arrive to your stateroom
This was an extremely useful video. These are the ever important details that can make or break your cruise experience.
Our first cruise was 10 nights on the Dawn Princess in the Caribbean and it hooked us into cruising. We booked all our shore excursions with the cruise line as recommended by our travel agent. Our port stop at the Isla de Margarita was cancelled due to a port strike so we had an extra sea day.
Gary, thank you for the greatest informative videos…EVER! My wife and I learn so much about cruises thanks to you! We’re part-time tracer agents, and when we do ship inspections, we don’t get this kind of information to pass on to our clients! I understand now why you’re the top cruise TH-camr out there!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
1) all excursions and exclusive on board restaurants are bookable in advance. If you wait til you board you will be disappointed. 2)look at the ship’s itinerary and where the afternoon sun will be: most cruises are N/W, W/N , W/E, E/W so if you want to sip sundowners on your own balcony, work out whet.her you want port or starboard.
I totally agree with the cabin selection point - I was on a ship (which I'll not name and shame here) that had a horrendous creak outside my room, and I had 7 nights of AWFUL sleep. Had I planned better, I'd just have packed ear plugs and been absolutely fine!
I always enjoy your videos and advice, and not because I want to take one, but to reinforce that a cruise is not for me.
I will say - we listened to a coworker who cruises a lot and selected a cabin with large porthole window on the second deck, and we loved it, having grown up sailing it was great reconnecting with the see and I spent an hour every morning just drinking my coffee and watching the sea/wake, later we did a cruise with a balcony and enjoyed it much less. One cruise they moved our cabin from the second deck to being above the theater, and the noise was unbelievable and we had no choice to complain.
Thanks for a very informative video. One little correction should be made at 6:08--the more luxurious cruises have a higher CREW to PASSENGER ratio, and NOT the reverse as stated in the video.
This may sound like an stupid question, but as they say, the only stupid question is the one that's not asked, so here goes: Is there such as thing as an alcohol-free cruise? I don't drink, so I don't want to pay for something I don't use, and in addition it avoids having to be around or bothered by drunk people.
Another good video.
I would vary your first tip. Decide first if you are travelling for the cruise experience or the destination. If the destination, pick somewhere you would go whether or or not on a cruise. So for example the Caribbean doesn’t interest me at all. Our first cruise that we chose was to Tasmania, because we wanted to see it.
Just got back from a cruise on Royal Carribeans Ovation of the Seas, a beautiful experience on every level. The staff and food were wonderful. Its a massive ship so lots of walking and beautiful New Zealand tour . If youre not too fit I recommend Radiance of the Seas, smaller but had an incredible vacation at Vanuatu
For my first cruise ever solo Oct 1-9, I sailed on Royal Caribbean to the ABC islands. It was the best experience I've had in my life up unto this point and I met so many different people. The buffet was awesome and it was such a relaxing feeling knowing I was in full control of what I wanted to do at any moment :)
Update: Just finished my second cruise this time taking my mom. She had an amazing time and we got to explore Costa Maya, Harvest Caye, Roatan bay, and Cozumel.. This has been my favorite cruise by far. Went on the Norwegian Breakaway
I went into my first cruise completely blind. I started watching cruise vlogs after booking. I got lucky. Went with P&O Aust. The ship was huge to me but was, in fact, smaller. I was blown away by the buffet. The entertainment was good, the itinerary was beautiful. The cabin (guaranteed balcony) was awesome. My travel companion left much to be desired. It ended a 25 year friendship. I regret she ever said yes. But I’m super excited for my Covid-delayed cruise which will now take place in 2023. I can’t wait. I’ll certainly know a lot more about cruising by then and will have 4 years of videos behind me. I might still be a green (new) cruiser but I’ll certainly be more prepared.
I’ve also not felt friendship anymore after going on vacation and sharing hotel rooms.
I had a driving holiday ruined by my 2 companions so, when I went on my first cruise with two other friends, I subtly laid down some ground rules. As we liked different activities, we only met up for evening meal, evening entertainment and some ashore excursions as a general rule. It worked perfectly, no one was pushy or needy.
My second cruise was with a group of 5 others and two of them were the most horrible people I have met. They ruined it for everyone. To me, the thing that makes or breaks any holiday is the companions. I would rather be alone than with a difficult person.
@@genxx2724 awww I’m sorry 💕
@@PetroicaRodinogaster264 we had ground rules too - every base was covered. Unfortunately it was my snoring that did it and i really tried to stay awake until like between 1-2am to give her some sleep without my snoring but apparently that wasn’t good enough. My sleep was then interrupted with the tv, chip eating, having things thrown at me and culminated with (joking? 🤨) death threats? When we got back she ghosted me for 2 months. By the time she decided to talk to me again I was all ‘Nope, I’m done!’
She basically wrecked my first vacation in 20 years and I still cannot bring myself to stay overnight at other friend’s place in their spare room. It just makes me so scared and anxious.
@@andreagriffiths3512 Oh, my. You can stay in a spare room. Sharing rooms is what you can’t do. Lol I don’t like sharing rooms. I need my privacy or I feel bristly and resentful. My friend gave me a graceful excuse. I can tell prospective travel companions that I have poor sleep habits and have to have the TV on, so I need my own room.
We went on our first cruise in January 2020. Boy, was our timing good.
I watched a number of your videos, and talked to others who had been on many cruises, do we were better prepared for the experience. Our Travel Agent was very good at making recommendation and plans. This was especially true for a first-timer.
Can't wait to go on another cruise in the future.
And then...there are those of us surprised by what we discover we like. I would count myself as the opposite of a Carnival-type cruiser. But I booked my first cruise on Carnival because it was so inexpensive (10 years ago). I found out that I love the Carnival vibe. Before my first cruise I thought I didn't like ships, being out of sight of land, or crowds--what could go wrong on a Carnival cruise? But as we pulled away from port, I discovered my favorite way to vacation.
We learned this some 15 tears ago after two cruises two on HollandAmerica. Since then we have sailed 20 times with NCL all over the world and have four more booked. You have to determine what is right for you.
My wife and I are going on our first cruise soon, can't thank you enough for this VLOG and the many others you've produced.
A southeast Asia Celebrity cruise 5 years ago had to skip my most anticipated port due to bad weather. Tough. Suck it up. A couple years later on a Viking Med cruise, my first with them, one port was skipped due to weather, another in North Africa for security reasons. As both ports were why I booked that particular cruise, I let Viking know I was disappointed but still really enjoyed sailing with them. They contacted me and issued a future cruise voucher that was for considerably more than I would have asked or expected. Several cruises later, I'd be hard pressed to cruise with another line.
Royal Caribbean would never do this or MSC.
I just cruised with Viking on the Mediterranean and it surpassed my expectations. I've become a Viking fan!
My first cruise was on Soviet time cruiseship, at Black Sea only, and yes, first timers mistakes are very common. Thank you Gary for making that useful video for newcomers.
Don't forget that for many people there is no "first cruise" implying that there will be many more. For some, a cruise will be a once in a lifetime thing.
We've been on 18 Carnival Cruises and each time it feels like are first Cruise again we absolutely enjoy them....
Even if it’s your only, you may as well avoid mistakes if possible.
Very valid point, and well said. I thought the same thing regarding those who save up that money to only cruise once.
Saying, well I've been on 18 cruises, etc. shows a serious lack of empathy.
Yes. One might as well be educated for one's first or 18th cruise, so good point, thus the need for the video.
Great point. For most bang for the buck, when planned properly, cruises are the best value. If you drink alcohol. Pay for the package. Don’t mess that up. For the most part. The regular dining is good enough. In my opinion. We go carnival because of the resort style feel. So. If we don’t want o go on excusrsions, there’s plenty on board to do. Great video by the way.
This video should be on every first-time cruiser's most frequently played videos! Gold dust advice, particularly the categorisation of the different lines.
One important tip is to set your watch to the local time for that port. If you have your time wrong you might miss the departure.
I want to take a cruise vacation some day. pretty high on my bucket list. I want one of these cruises thats spends days on the sea. Would absolutely love it
In re: cruise line offered excursions. Amen! Our first cruise we booked one at every port. The train was an hour late getting back and our ship (NCL) had a list of passengers to expect back from the train and it waited for us. We were so scared our ship was gone.
Check out the food. I was about to join a family friend on a Jazz cruise they do yearly. They told me the food was wonderful and anything was available in the buffets and off the buffet was not in the price which is fine. I contacted the cruise line and the buffet was set dishes rotated over the trip between the various dining areas. If I wanted to have healthy or vegan or vegetarian or low sodium or anything like that it would be USD10 more per person per meal even if I notified them in advance. I didn't go.
Cruising right now is crazy.
Corona is a scam
QM2 Transatlantic....Boring? Not in the least. I found the ship was the destination. It never even occurred to me that we never set foot on a port or island the whole 7-days. One of the most memorable cruise ship experiences my wife and I ever took. And we have been to a lot of cruises including river cruising. Thank you for a video well done. First time cruisers take heed.
I am not new to cruising but, I must say, this is one of the most informative videos I have ever watched on this topic. Learned several things I didn't previously know. Thank you!
Never went on a cruise. Well, did with the US Navy twice, but that's not the same. You are making me very excited to book one in the next year or so! Thinking 5-6 days, Caribbean, a suite and a line that is upscale but still likes to party. Don't want to be surrounded by people much older than us.
You are so right about choosing the correct line, we were lucky in that we chose Cunard in the Caribbean for our first few cruises and then on to Princess for the Caribbean, UK and Alaska. Both were just right for us and then we moved on to Viking and Celebrity and those are now our favorites. We will do our first Oceania cruise at Christmas and New Years in the Caribbean and it is a 12 day cruise and I am certain that we will love them as well. We know we like smaller luxury ships with great food, wonderful destinations and excursions and excellent service. I booked an inside cabin on my very first cruise and learned quickly that was not for me so from that point on it was either ocean view or balcony. We always do balcony now and also choose out own cabin so we are on the ship where we want to be. I also want to cruise with all inclusive lines so that I am not getting nickled and dimed on board. I will never be on an MSC or Carnival line ever, and not likely on an RCL or NCL unless one of the smaller ones. I always do ship excursions for my own peace of mind knowing that I will never miss the ship and the tours are managed quite well by the lines so you have reputable guides.
...once you go balcony ... it is hard to ever not have one ...go for the assigned cabin every time to avoid noisy ones ...and don't forget to pack sunscreen ...that Caribbean sun can get awful bright when you haven't seen it in a while ...
You will be so spoiled on Oceania. Returned from 14 day Mediterranean cruise Oct/Nov 2021. Over the top service, exquisite food (and I have a fine dining group), O Life choice worked well. Travel Agent said would get more value by choosing the tours vs credit on the ship. She was correct. Also loved Viking on a 2 week Grand European Trip arranged with a few others from my Travel Meet Up group. Also excellent service, food, service, tours. Wonderful. Before those lines Celebrity and Holland American were also good, with no negative experiences. So happy to be cruising again
My husband and I prefer not having a lot of kids around, and are not party animals. So we started on Regent. But when we found we loved cruising, but don't like flying off to different places to cruise. So Regent was just too limited for us. Eventually we found that in spite of not wanting a lot of kids around and not wanting a party feeling, we've loved the Royal Caribbean mega ships, because they also have, what you didn't mention, many places where you can find quiet and privacy AND they have great people watching, which for us. And choosing a suite on a mega ship gave us the best of both worlds.
Thanks for adding this! Greta point !
Even though I probably won‘t ever go on a cruise I still watched the video from start to finish and found it very interesting! The personal experiences and the good story-telling / editing made the difference I guess. Well done!
If you can afford a land holiday then u can efford a cruise
If touring on your own... ALWAYS plan to be back at the ship at least 1 hour early. Maybe 2 hours.
Absolutely. There is just so much stress worrying about being late.
A very basic symbol piece of advice is to take some earplugs for a sound generator with you on your cruise. Any cabin can be noisy because of its location or the time of day or night. You might get noisy neighbors you might have a dance hall above you so just bring some earplugs or music and relax.
Agree whole-heartedly with your strategy regarding excursions on first cruise/cruises. Get to understand how all the parties behave and the timing of port departures before taking more risk yourself. Some of the first excursions we took on our own were to beaches on fairly simple routes out of the port. Get info from the seminars on board the day before arrival on places to eat, drink, connect to Wi-Fi, etc. You’re there to relax and have a good time, not burden yourself with stresses!
You are right
Yeah, that's so true. You gotta find the "right" cruiseline that matches your lifestyle.
I have a shirt that says”The wake view is the best view” most certainly my favorite place to sit and watch the water!
My first cruise was on Carnival. I think it was a good choice for a first cruise. There were numerous announcements throughout the day to keep you updated on what is going on. We got a kind of newsletter slid under our door early every morning outlining the daily activities and any important information. Of course, there were a lot of silly activities around the pool every day which doesn’t really appeal to me, but I know lots of people like that. And there was another pool, an adult pool, where it was quieter and more relaxing. There were plenty of excursions to choose from, and it was easy to get signed up for them. And the food was good! Also, the service was great. There was ALWAYS a crew member close by to get you a drink when you wanted one, and the dinner service was great! Unlike some other cruises I’ve been on where you’re lucky if you can find a crew member!
I was lucky that I was with my future wife on my first cruise and she had already cruised a half dozen times since she was in high school. I generally recommend short 3-5 day cruises for newbies, so they get a taste but aren't 'stuck' in a situation they don't enjoy. I'm a Platinum member on Carnival, but have also done Princess, Celebrity & Holland America. You're right in saying they all have very different vibes. Never even heard of a few of the high-scale lines you mention. Way out of my range, for sure. Our one and only 'guarantee' cabin gave us an obstructed view balcony. Never again for that price.
Agree,. Steve !
The premium cruise lines have sales. Viking river cruise in August was half price. The Oceania cruise this Oct/Nov 2021 was a great price also--O Life included free air, credit on the ship, no charge specialty restaurants, no charge wi fi, etc. Just need to look for the prices. Highly recommend.
My brother travels on cruises all the time and loves it. I understand why now after watching a few of these videos. He's really outgoing and loves being around people so he fits right in. Me? Not so much. For me, a cruise means being around people with no escape except sure death overboard.
Went with Marella, all inclusive. Flight, shuttle, food, drinks etc.. Adults only. Was great to see if we liked cruise ships. Mapped our own way at all the ports, lots to do close by. Though we prefer to travel and stay in countries, taking it all in, hoping on a no frills flight to another place for a bit, we will be doing TUI or P&O Mediterranean soon.
Dear Gary
I would like to thank you for your wonderful, detailed and practical videos!! I have close to 10 cruises under my belt but your videos have taught me so much more that I did not know. I am loyal to one cruise line and thus they have given me quite a few perks but you opened my eyes to many more. Thanks so much for everything!
We have been cruising for thirty years. Now, we always select our cabin. A few years ago, neighbors told us they were going on their first cruise. We asked them about it and they told us they were going on the same cruise as us. Unfortunately, they selected guaranteed cabin. They ended up with a balcony cabin, but close to the main show lounge. Of course, it was noisy at times. It was annoying for them, but generally ok. Unlike Jeremy, we book a veranda cabin under the Lido deck, which he says is a poor choice. But our cabin is high and almost as furthest cabin forward. Neither of us is affected by motion, so we are ok with high and forward cabin. Also, being far forward, we are on a short corridor going nowhere. So, virtually no all night drunk passengers yelling, etc. As far as under the Lido deck, ours is far enough forward that is under the spa area, which is closed at night. Also, the spa rooms above our cabin are for massage that is a very quiet activity. So, while Jeremy is generally correct, there are exceptions.
We picked TUI for our first cruise in the Caribbean, and we loved it, my parents and I wanted around 1000 guests
Even though I have cruised several times, I find videos like this helpful. Thank you !
Here's my 2 cents on the subject for beginners and experienced cruisers: Avoid Carnival and Norwegian. Pay a little more but get better quality, whether you are a party person or the quiet type. OH! And whatever you do, DO NOT BUY STUFF ONBOARD. The biggest ripoffs are there, particularly jewelry and art.
Agree on Carnival, but disagree about Norwegian (NCL). NCL offers the “Haven”, an exclusive premium area within their ships. Book that, and you can enjoy both the quieter, more upscale area and venture out into the livelier big venues. I very much like the variety possible on NCL.
Norweign is the only cruise I would go “solo”. They offer so much to do and you are never lonely!
@@lindasirmeyer3228 Maybe I took the wrong cruise.
@@lindasirmeyer3228 NCL was the first cruise line to offer single cabins without any surcharge for solo travelers. I'm not even sure any other major cruise lines offer that deal.
That's so true. I bought a wristwatch marked 70% off original price on a cruise ship only to come home and find it cost way cheaper on the company's website.
My first ocean cruise was the Baltic with Viking Ocean and it was a great choice, despite not being on your list of three.
I did the Caribbean cruise as my first, it was fantastic. I went through a travel agency and asked a lot o questions. I was going solo and I wanted an experience that didn’t have set meal times with the same people. Norwegian cruise line was awesome for my needs, I didn’t realize how the excursions worked but got into it right away and ended up enjoying everything. They even had gatherings for single people to meet people who are doing the same thing, it was a good opportunity to network and find people to go on excursions and join for meals. My regret was not reading the ships event papers from the start. I missed out on a few things I would have like to participate in on board. Going through an agency may not be the cheapest method, but they are pretty knowledgeable on what type of trip you might be expecting and they make all the arrangements so you don’t have to think about all the different stuff like: cruise tickets, plane tickets, insurance, gratuities, transportation to and from air port. Everything is discussed and worked out upon your interview with agency, makes for smooth sailing as first timers.
All those fees, restrictions, among other things makes going on a cruise seem like a big hassle. I would enjoy very little of the cruise experience. It would be cool to take a tour of a modern cruise ship while at port.
I have just booked a cruise on the Ventura. I'm hoping for a good trip as it is a bucket list item and will be my one and only cruise.
Our only mistake on our first cruise (CMV) was to take an inside cabin, we found it claustrophobic and I packed too much, but we found we were quite happy to just take it easy and enjoyed dressing up for formal nights, so over the years we have found that Cunard and P&O are our favourite cruise lines. We did have a lovely couple of days with RC and have done two cruises with MSC - one to the Med from Genoa which was a bit too much partying and small children and the other one from Southampton to Northern Europe which was a lot more us. We have just done a seven all sea day cruise with P&O which was great. I limit myself to one excursion per cruise at the most and never pay for extras. The Caribbean and Alaska, along with the small luxury cruise lines, are outside our budget unfortunately.
Hi We done the Mediterranean with MSC from Rome to Rome . One to two speaking English people on board. We found out it was a milk run for the Mediterranean. We were in the yacht club and first time for breakfast, we had smoking in side and outside. Not again!
I love Celebrity Cruise Line. You feel so spoiled from the instant you step on board. And you’re right about having a nice room. There’s nothing better than sitting on your balcony enjoying the view with a loved one drinking coffee,,tea, beer, whatever.
I prefer sea days to any other days when cruising
I've been on 3 cruise ships:
Thomson Majesty - Eastern Med.
P&O Aurora - North Sea.
TUI Discovery - Western Med.
All three were very different in size, style and formality and the cruises themselves were very very different. I had a different kind of room on each ship too - window, inside and balcony. To be honest I enjoyed them all and had a fabulous time.
We are booked next year onto Icon of the Seas for a Western Bahamas cruise. It's going to be a wild departure from any cruise we've been on previously but the wife and I, and the kids are really looking forward to it.
My random cruise tip - if the ship you are on has decent water based facilities (nice pools, slides etc) then pack your swimmers in your carry-on luggage so you can head straight to the water before it starts to get busy on the first day.
My first cruise was to Mexico, on the Sapphire Princess. It was easier to get to the port in LA than have to travel cross country to Florida for the Caribbean cruises.
All great info which boils down to - do your research and practice patience and kindness. There will be crowds and line ups, waiting, changes and some mistakes but it can all be sorted with a more friendly approach. Focus on the positive as much as possible.
I tried getting a credit because the fare was lower. This was on Norwegian. All they did for me was offer a $50 credit off my next cruise. My daughter was refunded the fare. She is booked on Royal Caribbean. WTH?? She checked the prices throughout the year and ended up paying half of what she was originally charged. Next time I'll book Royal Caribbean for sure!
We’ve only been able to go on one cruise but we booked excursions with ShipMate and had excellent experiences with their tours. They have lowest price and ship return guarantees and will pay for any costs if you miss the ship from one of their tours.
I went on royal Caribbean and lugged our dive gear. Had a dive at each stop. Customs loved the smelly gear coming back. But we had a great trip. Did another one with gear and arranged dive boats while on board. Cancun, cozumel and Grand Cayman was cool back on ship by 2pm cleaned up ate a nice lunch and beautiful evening dancing.
Traveling is best and most memorable when you get out of your comfort zone. I thoroughly enjoyed and vividly remember getting lost in the Tokyo subway.
I also clearly remember getting stopped and searched by the Egyptian military while traveling in a van on the Sinai peninsula. Great memories.
Hi! Former Disney Cruise Line Technician here. Let me disagree with you on the "smaller productions". The theater on board DCL ships is without hesitation, the biggest thing I've seen in my life. The production display on these ships is simply amazing.
best line going--- HAL. Love all those Dam ships!
Instead of going on a cruise and taking an excursion when docked in Barcelona, how about just going on your own to Barcelona? The cruise ride almost seems like a hassle. If I’m there, I want to see the city on my own terms and schedule and not have to worry about the ship leaving.
In Alaska, We had both self researched and paid excursions and ship arranged excursions. We planned it so there was ample time to have plenty of free time. It would have been way to costly and take a lot of calls and research to do them all apart from the cruise line and it would be extremely hard to see the cities, food and glaciers on our own. Juneau doesn't have a road going there from the mainland. Being disabled, we were able to see many cities and have varied experiences only available on a cruise and my wife didn't need to pack and unpack every night. That was a big cruise line. Our next was an Ultra-luxury which was incredible.
I would do it again, but Karen would like a little larger. I think Viking would be perfect, which we had planned, but the pandemic changed that. Now my ALS has progressed that we won't fly to a port, but may try a cruise on a "premium" line out of LA or SD. Cruising is a great option and I wish we had gone on a couple before.
Either way, no regrets. Take a cruise and see what you think. I like both and will do both untilI die (not to far off, but we all die, don't we).
Never been on a cruise before but I am so glad I watched this video. I am planning one and my informed decision is very much guided by this video.
Also be careful if there is a time change from leaving the ship to a port where its a different time.
I love your framed posters behind you. Reminds me off old travel postcards. 👌
Love your tips
excursions are interesting. I prefer organising them myself and not using the ships excursions which are usually double the price and more crowded. If the next day or 2 are sea days and impossible to catch up, I'd be tempted to get a ship organised excursion. St Petersburg was a classic. we did a tour with 16 of us through Alla tours. It was half the price of the ship one and they were very committed to getting back to the ship on time. The tour was 5 star too but that's just an example. Other tours we have taken have also been committed to get back to the ship on time. Most of them also don't require payment unless you use them. If ship doesn't dock, then no charge. That does require a bit of research though.
I hated every cruiseline excursion I ever took, and I loved every private excursion I ever took. Just saying.
You are good and informative but in the same time your very good information just justified my feelings. Nobody can convince me to go on a cruise! Maybe on a boat for 10-20 ppl max!
I went on a MSC all inclusive cruise from Venice round to Santorini, and had a huge bill at the end of it. Even sitting down in the restaurant came with a daily surcharge, all the smokers headed for the casino, and my clothes stank. My room was next to a lift shaft, and the room had a drone all day and night. There was little to do on board The show was the same people pretending to be someone else each night. The excursions were not very cheap. Getting back to the UK it took hours to find a contact address , MSC were not interested in my feedback at all.
Your detailed knowledge is amazing! Thank you!!
On my first ever cruise, I was once part of a group, that was the cause for the ship to wait for almost 2H after departing time, because we were in the middle of a traffic jam in Penang. Some people, we meet that evening told us, the cruise director had to make multiple announcements, because other guest got nervous for not departing.
It was quite funny, but the excursion also opened my eye: If you book/plan an excursion at a destination, LOOK UP LOCAL HOLIDAYS! We went up Penang Hill on a national Holiday, and it was not fun.
Sea days are fun. It’s like a mobile beach. The shows, the food, the onboard nightclub, and the pools and hot tubs are fun. Don’t discount sea days. If you know the events on sea days, you will have a good time.
I love cruising and love days at sea to just relax with a good book or around the pool.
Got off my last cruise with $0 bill!
All my drinks, gratuities, everything done ahead😊
Vegetating, YES...If you have lived on a Pacific Island for 40 years as I have, swimming, surfing, diving, and snorkeling weekly, then yes...especially when you are not really looking at the sea, but sitting around an over crowded pool, with people who often have drunk too much and ate too much for the last five years of their life. It is just my view on the experience, if you enjoy it then go for it! As emphasized before, different strokes, different folks...I was just giving balance to a lopsided love fest for sea days. Obviously a majority of guest take advantage of (sometimes) exciting visits to ancient ruins, world famous museums, trekking or zip lining through primitive forests, etc. on shore excursions, people go on different cruises to different locations to see those sites, not sit on the boat for a week.
Cabin really important to me. Little oasis
So true! I cruised in an inside one out of 14 cruises. Then went to Balcony's on the 2nd cruise and for us, that was like going from economy seats to 1st class!!
Fantastic tips! Thank you. I was totally unaware about the strict cancellation policies and how the cruise line can change their itinerary at will, and you still sometimes can’t cancel once that happens, even if it’s before the cruise starts.
For our family our goal for a cruise is being together as in a regular land vacation in summer. We usually stay in the pool with no water slides, in the hot tub or if there is a Finnish sauna...not a lot of noise or just watching the flying fish while reclining on deck. For the ports of call, we go to an art or history museum or historical sites. We choose medium sized ships with about 1ooo to 2000 passengers.Even when our children we're young, we didn't go to a Disney cruise so that the trip is a learning experience for all of us.
My hubs was on the water for 20 years, more or less, he's not enthusiastic. Lol I on the other hand have never been on a ship and am ready for a cruise. Looks like so much fun, appreciate your advice so much. Thank you!
Try taking a cruise on a Destroyer taking 30 degree rolls with each swell and totally blacked out at night, Nothing on a floating hotel can begin to approach the thrill of that experience.