Your first cruise, minus the first-cruise mistakes
Your first cruise is easier than the internet makes it look. Here are the handful of decisions that matter, explained once, so you can skip the mistakes most first-timers make.
Choose the ship for who is going
A ship built for families with young children is a different holiday from one built for couples who want quiet. Tell us who is traveling and what a good day looks like for you, and we will send you three ships that fit rather than three hundred search results.
Cabin location, not just cabin type
Midship and mid-deck cabins feel the least motion. Avoid cabins directly under the pool deck, the buffet or a nightclub, and directly above the theater. A balcony is worth it on scenic itineraries like Alaska; on a port-heavy Caribbean week an oceanview may be plenty.
Gratuities and packages
Most mainstream lines add a daily gratuity per person and offer beverage, Wi-Fi and specialty-dining packages. Whether a package pays off depends entirely on how you travel. We will do the arithmetic for you before you buy, and we will tell you when the answer is no.
Embarkation day
Fly in the day before. A delayed flight on embarkation day is the single most common way a cruise goes wrong, and a hotel night costs far less than missing the ship. We book the hotel and the transfer so the morning is simple.
What booking with an agency changes
The fare is the same as booking direct. What you get in addition is a person who has sailed the ship, who tells you which cabins to avoid, who handles changes when something shifts, and who is on the phone when you need one. There is no fee for simple bookings.
