Let’s start with a few questions.
- Have you cruised before?
- Who will be going on the cruise?
- How many days do you want to sail for?
- What type of stateroom should I have?
- Do you have a specific destination?
Have you cruised before?
No – if you have never cruised before you are in for a fantastic vacation whatever destination you choose! If you are choosing a cruise vacation for the first time, you probably have a lot of questions. I hope walking through some of these questions will help you be confident in your decision.
Did you know the number one questions people ask, will I get seasick? Most likely not, you will notice the ships movements and they can be worse if the swells (waves) are big. If you are nervous about this, I highly recommend cruising to an area that tends to have calmer waters. This could mean a timeframe of March or April Caribbean cruise although most Caribbean cruises are smooth. Alaska’s inside passage is said to be very calm.
Yes – You liked the first one so much you are ready to come back! Did you know that about 8 in 10 people book a second cruise after taking their first one! If that doesn’t convince you to try cruising, I am not sure what will! Cruise ships have so much to offer on board but then you add in the port stops and this makes for some amazing adventures!
Who will be cruising with you?
Just you?
Love to cruise solo? If you want to just be and do what you want when you want? Do it! I took my first Solo cruise and loved it. Relax by the pool, go see the shows, there is no shortage of things to do, you will never be bored, there are so many things to try on a cruise. Norwegian, Celebrity, Cunard, MSC and Royal Caribbean have studio staterooms. Some even offer balcony solo rooms! There are some cruise lines that have started to offer special room rates for solo travelers. For first time solo travelers I would recommend a 3- or 4-night cruise.
You and your partner?
A couple’s trip is always nice to relax and spend time with each other. For these types of cruises, you will not be disappointed if you splurge a bit and get that balcony room. Want to try out the spa? Most lines offer couples treatments that are fun to try if you have never tried one. If you have an adventurous side take that fun excursion that no one will believe you really did! In my opinion the longer the better! I would recommend a 6- or 7-night cruise. There are so many cruises to choose from with this one, Alaska would be an amazing couple’s cruise I would recommend July and August. The Caribbean is a good choice about 80% of the year August and September is the peak of Hurricane season, if you book a cruise during this time frame just be aware ports and destinations may have to change if there is a storm. Want to travel to Europe or Australia for a cruise?
Family?
Just your family is a great way to reconnect. Adults can have some relaxing time in the adults only areas. The kids will have an amazing time with that kid’s club. If you are planning special excursions, be sure to check out the ages and sometime height requirements. Each ship will offer unique family friendly things to do so I highly recommend doing some research if there are items you want included on your ship. Most cruise ships have different class types and their websites have ship layouts so you can see what is one different classes of ships. A 5-to-7-night cruise is ideal for families! If your kids are like mine by the time, we got off their first 5 night cruise they were already looking into when we could go again and they kept saying next time let’s do a longer one!
Family Reunion Style?
Are you looking to bring the whole family along, you may be able to get a discount depending on how many state rooms you need to book. I would also recommend booking as far out as possible to get the room types desired or in a close proximity to each other. Depending on how many people you can also look at booking a private lounge area for a night. There are a lot of fun things you can do together or apart on cruise ships! I would recommend a family friendly cruise line with a kid’s club. To be cost effective I would recommend a 4-to-6-night cruise.
How many days do you want to sail for?
I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here! Sail with what fits your budget best. If you can only go during certain months of the year or parts of the month, I encourage you to do a bit of research to see what options are available. There are sailing out there for as little as 2 days that could be paired with a pre or post destination.
What type of stateroom should I have?
Only you will know the right answer, but I can help with some guidance.
Inside Stateroom – choose this if you plan to be out and about for most of the day. Pool side, shows, bingo, if you know you are going to want to be doing all the activities then this might be the best and cheapest option.
Balcony – choose this if you plan on spending some time relaxing in your room or if going on an Alaskan cruise. If you want to have a nice space to enjoy the views, then definitely book a balcony room!
Ocean View – these rooms are normally a bit more expensive than an inside stateroom but not as expensive as a balcony room. These rooms will sometimes be lower on the ship or higher around the sides of the ship where there can’t be balconies. These are a good combination and can make for a great room choice.
Suites – these are normally much more spacious and sometimes come with added amenities. The most expensive room type but would make for some amazing memories! Some can sleep more than average be sure to check before booking.
Do you have a specific destination?
Again, I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer with the destinations you pick! I think whatever you choose you will be happy!
If you do have a special place that you want to travel to, most cruise sites will allow you to search for a destination in the cruise filters. This can help you narrow down the ships and durations that may be available for the destination you have in mind.
If you are looking at different cruise lines to compare, look at the ports of call. This may help you decide on what cruise you want to take. Sometimes 5-day cruises have 2 port days others may have 3, depending on what type of cruiser you are you may prefer the extra time on the ship to enjoy the food and drinks. You may decide that another port has a really neat excursion that you can’t do anywhere else. If you don’t care where you cruise to the price point may be what you are looking for. Maybe you want to compare by class of ship, or maybe you want a newer ship. There are a lot of different ways you can find your destination, but I promise you will most likely be back on another cruise sooner than you thought.
Final Words
A cruise vacation is fun whether you are gone for 3 days or 14 days there is tons to do on the ship. Finding the right ship, ports and excursions are just part of what makes cruise vacations unforgettable. Make those memories of a lifetime!
