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Things to Think About For Your First Cruise Vacation
By CruiseDirector | January 12, 2010
When you decide that you want to take your first Cruise Vacation, there are a number of issues that you need to work out to assist you with your preparation.
Who is it that is going on this cruise vacation with you? Everyone is welcome on most cruises, if you are going to take children be sure to enquire about what entertainment and activities are offered for kid’s age.
Financially, you need to settle on how much money you want to spend, and figure out a practical financial plan for yourself. As a rule, approximately $100 US per day is adequate, not including the price of traveling to and from the cruise ship itself. Ensure you find out exactly what is built-in in your cruise fare; some extras that used to be included are currently an additional cost. There are a few different methods to save, like taking advantage of the early bird fares and booking in advance. As well, while it’s chancy, for those of you with flexible schedules, booking last minute can save you a bunch as well.
So, what’s the most affordable way to get to your cruise ship? The most popular ways are driving or flying. A cruise can be a great finish to a road trip. Some cruise lines are able to give you a flight and cruise package, which is easier, and less stressful way to plan your trip, plus it normally includes the costly transfers from the airport to your cruise ship. In addition, most cruise lines typically take care of your luggage, which means they can move it directly to your cabin.
The next big decision for you is to decide what time it is that you wish to travel. Timing wise, if you are planning on only spending a week on vacation, you are limited to the sunny areas, such as Mexico, most of the Caribbean, or the Bahamas. If you are going without family and have a flexible timetable, the fall and spring are usually the least expensive times. In the more tropical areas, the temperature does not vary too much, but what does change is the amount of rain. Remember that most places have their rainy season in the winter, and the dry period is the summer.
When choosing where to cruise to, a good starting point is figuring out what sort of activities you wish to do, since each destination comes with a definite ambience. There are always many water sports offered on the ships, such as snorkelling and pool activities and more energetic things such as scuba diving. Port calls often take you to the “tourist” sites, such as museums and historical sites. If you choose to wander off on your own, be careful of ‘friends’ that will willingly show you the so called good shops to browse in, because they are working off of commission with those stores. Usually a polite no thank you is good enough. The cruise line will give you a directory of activities for the port stops that are available. There are limited availability for some of the tours, so sign up in advance if it’s something you really want to do.
If you are anxious about your first cruise vacation, an excellent thing to do is make sure you obtain a cabin you are going to be comfortable in for your cruise, because it is going to be your home for the duration of your holiday. If small spaces trouble you, a cabin with a balcony may be better for you.
The last question nearly all of us have is food related. You get to choose your dinnertime yourself, either an early seating, which is usually around 6, or a late seating, around 8pm, or an open alterative, where you are given a timeframe of a few hours. There are benefits to all of them.
If you take into account all of these issues before booking your first cruise vacation, you will have an enjoyable vacation.
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