What First Time Cruisers Should Know!

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First you need to know when you can go and for how long. Then of course consult your travel specialist, they can help with any sales, special offers or upgrades that are available.

What’s the best time to book your cruise? Well insiders know about Wave Season, that’s when there are some really good deals. Wave season starts in January and ends in March. It’s also the time when cruise lines offer up some pretty amazing deals. It’s also a time when everyone is feeling the effects of winter and are dreaming of beach destinations. If you’re more of the spontaneous type, you’re in luck! Last minute deals offer big savings, even better than Wave season. One more tip, keep your passport up-to-date.

Choosing your stateroom. Just like real estate, it’s about location, location. Keep your likes and dislikes in mind. If you like to be close to the action then choose staterooms close to the pools. Traveling with children, you may want a stateroom close to the kids clubs and activities.

Every ship is divided into forward, mid-ship and aft. For first time cruisers I would suggest mid-ship, lower down. You will feel less motion there. Now the ships are all built on great suspensions and balanced so you don’t feel movement, but if the waters are rough due to weather, you will feel it less mid-ship on the lower decks.

We’ll talk about what to pack in another post.

Who and how do you tip? Well gratuities are added to your bill. You can either wait and pay when you disembark, or have them added in the beginning and they are all paid for when your cruise is paid for.

When you book your cruise, you only have to pay a deposit. It is usually $500.00 with the balance due 90 days before sailing. If you watch for specials or have a good relationship with your travel specialist, they will let you know when you can book with a reduced deposit.

You can add excursions on board ship, or before you go and have them all paid for as well. Just let your travel specialist know what you like to do and they can help make suggestions.

Once you’ve come home from your first cruise I am willing to bet that you’ll be hooked for life and want to cruise more and more.