If you’ve never cruised before, cutting through the marketing waffle to choose the right trip can be a minefield. Helen Raine guides you through the questions you need to ask yourself in order to get the most out of your maiden voyage.
How much cash have you got to spend?
If money were no object, we’d all be sipping mai tais on the Queen Elizabeth, but sadly most of us need to cut our coat according to our cloth. Budget will naturally determine to some extent your destination and the length of your cruise.
The usual rule of thumb is to take the basic price of a cruise and then double it because that’s what all those extras are likely to cost you- Helen Raine
You need to understand exactly what is included in the cruise, such as flights, transfers and ‘all inclusive’ food and drink.
The latter is particularly important because many first-time cruisers are in for a shock when they come to pay the final bill. Cruise liners make most of their money on the drinks, excursions, gifts and other add-ons that they flog their captive audience (alcohol is usually not included in your ‘all inclusive’ deal).
You will also need to budget around €7.50 to €15 per person per day for tips and sometimes there are port charges or fuel surcharges.
The usual rule of thumb is to take the basic price of a cruise and then double it because that’s what all those extras are likely to cost you.
Once you’ve got a handle on the true price of the trip, you’ll be able to find cruises that are genuinely within your budget.
How long and where to depart from?
If you can only spare a few days and prefer not to fly, then a Mediterranean cruise departing from Malta is going to be your best bet. Local travel agents are currently hawking Mediterranean cruises for next season at competitive prices, so shop around for the best deals.
If you can just manage a fortnight, you could leave from Malta with Swan Hellenic, taking in the walled cities of the former Venetian Empire, Delphi in Greece and the beauty of the Dalmatian Coast (departure August 15, approx €2,500 per person, www.swanhellenic.com). You’ll end up near Athens and can connect with a reasonably priced Air Malta flight home.
If you are going to fly to your departure destination, you can buy the flight in connection with the cruise. You are likely to pay more, but should have assistance if the flight is delayed and you miss the cruise (make sure you check this).
If you book an independent flight, you’ll need travel insurance that will cover a missed cruise departure.
Where have you always dreamed of going?
If you are more flexible about flying to departure ports and have plenty of time, then this is the fun bit; spin the globe and put in a pin. Two-thirds of the earth is covered by ocean and cruise ships dock in over 1,800 ports, so there is plenty of scope.
To avoid being overwhelmed by choice, consider what you want to get out of your trip. If you love sightseeing, pick a cruise with limited days at sea and lots of long port stops. If you have your heart set on seeing wildlife, there are specialist cruises that can oblige.
You can also consider locations which you might struggle to visit independently. For example, Alaska’s coastal wilderness is pretty inaccessible except by small cruise boat.
Lindblad Expeditions are offering seven-night cruises with National Geographic experts on board to see whales, bears and other wildlife using zodiacs and kayaks to get you closer to the action (www.expeditions.com).
How do you like to travel and who are you taking with you?
You really need to match your personality and companions to your ship. If crowded tourist destinations and being compelled to be sociable with strangers over dinner sounds like purgatory (particularly if there’s an entertainer belting out the soundtrack from Titanic at the same time), it’s probably best to opt for as small a cruise ship as you can find.
You might even consider one of the genuine sailing ships, such as Star Clippers or Sea Cloud cruises.
Culture vultures might also prefer smaller vessels so that the disembarkation time is quicker and you can spend longer in the museum; there are also ‘learning cruises’ where you could brush up on a foreign language or do some pottery (presumably only in calm weather).
Smaller ships can also access many ports that the ‘mega’ cruise liners can’t get to. For example, Hebridean Island Cruises trace the Western Isles of Scotland, manoeuvring into smaller ports to get you closer to the coastal communities there (www.hebridean.co.uk).
Captain Cook Cruises in Australia will reveal the spectacular Great Barrier Reef from a small ship that allows lots of access for snorkelling and diving in more remote locations. Three nights cruising will set you back around €1,150 (www.captaincook.com.au).
However, smaller ships are not for everyone. They have far less facilities, they are perhaps less family friendly, and in rough seas, there are no stabilisers, so you are likely to get tossed around a good deal more.
So if you have kids and would prefer to see as little of them as possible so that you can relax on a lounger with a cocktail and a novel, then a super cruiser with the full works (pool, cinema, climbing wall, ice rink...) is probably the way forward, particularly if there are children’s clubs on board.
These floating resorts are fitted with stabilisers for rough weather which should reduce seasickness. Look for family or connecting cabins and don’t forget to pack the pushchair – the corridors on large ships stretch for kilometres.
How fussy are you about your accommodation?
If you plan only to be in your cabin to rest your weary head, then cheaper is undoubtedly better. But if your accommodation could make or break the trip, you will need to pay a bit more for some luxuries.
Regular cruisers swear by cabins with balconies, and failing that, it is a delight to have a window so that you watch each new destination turn from a dot on the horizon to a lively port (double-check that your view will not be obstructed by a lifeboat or similar).
If you are worried about seasickness, then the centre of the lower decks is the most stable part of the boat.
What do you want to do while in port?
Cruise ships are most anxious to sell you their excursions and will tell dire tales of the perils of going it alone. If you want to book an ‘official’ cruise tour, do it quickly as the best tours sell out rapidly.
Also, be aware that these tours generally cater for the masses. That can mean lots of people and a less than authentic experience.
There is a risk associated with the alternative of booking with a local company. If you are delayed (for example, if your bus breaks down halfway up a volcano), then the ship will sail merrily without you and you’ll be left booking a flight to the next port. But the cruise will usually wait for official excursions to return.
The other problem is that you’ve just very obviously sailed into a location with thousands of other rich-looking tourists, and the locals are more than canny enough to extract as much cash from you as possible by means fair or foul.
However, if you use your common sense, don’t carry a lot of cash and jewellery and bargain hard, you are likely to get a much better deal than what’s been offered on board, as well as contribute to the local economy.