Recommendations For First Time Cruisers
Before deciding to go on a cruise, there are all sorts of things to consider in order to make it really special and much more memorable for you, especially if it’s your first cruise. What are the basics that make a really fulfilling cruise? Is it the cruise line? Does the destination matter? Or is there a particular time of year to spend your hard earned money for that special getaway?
Getting the correct information at the right time means a great deal for a newbie cruiser. It’s not just about paying for your ticket, getting on board and you float yourself away to the destination that you wanted. If you think that’s the way it’s done then you are seriously in for a rude awakening.
Shopping around for the best cruise line that can give you your money’s worth and be the right fit for your particular lifestyle is the first thing you should do. If you know of anyone who’s been on a cruise, start by asking them for information about their cruising experience.
Figuring out a rough estimate on how much you can actually spend is helpful, plus putting aside a contingency fund will prepare you for some unexpected expenditures towards the duration of the trip, otherwise you may be the only one empty handed while the rest of the tourists carry a handful of souvenir items from a shopping spree.
Keeping in mind that each cruise line caters to different crowds and needs, here’s a short list of some of the cruise lines that you might want to consider:
* Carnival Cruise Line
* Celebrity Cruises
* Disney Cruise Line
* Holland America
* Norwegian Cruise Line
* Princess Cruises
* Royal Caribbean International
The next step in planning a cruise vacation is deciding which destination you want to go to. Let’s take a peek at the most common destinations that these cruise lines travel to. Keep in mind the seasons change the itinerary of some of the cruise lines:
* Alaska
* Canada and New England
* Caribbean (East, West or South)
* Mexico (Pacific or Caribbean)
* Panama Canal
* Europe
* Hawaii
* Bahamas and Bermuda
Next, Be Prepared, here are some of the things you will need to bring with:
* Passport
* Digital Camera
* Binoculars
* Clothes and Footwear
* Credit Cards
Seasoned cruisers and newbies alike are always on the lookout for the latest news about cruising. They want to know the hottest trends in cruising and just want to keep up-to-date with the latest deals from the assorted cruise lines giving out specials and discounts to attract more vacationers.
What better place to visit and scour cruising news than the Internet. From destinations, cruise lines or ships that are available, to the numerous activities and the special deals check out:
* Cruisemates (www.cruisemates.com)
This site was recommended by Fortune magazine as the best site for cruising articles and features. It constantly lives up to the expectation to the virtual public by making sure that their articles really have something that cruisers are looking for. Cruisemates can give you anything you need that has to do with cruising including, everything you need to know about and the most up-to-date reviews on cruise lines and ships. Since Cruisemates is run and operated independently, it gives unbiased reviews on cruise lines and ships. Providing fair assessments and allowing the cruisers enough information on which cruise ship to choose and from which cruise line.
* Cruisecritic (www.cruisecritic.com)
This is a good site for those who are planning to take a cruise but don’t know where to start. Cruisecritic provides the most up-to-date information on the best destinations to go to or tips and suggestions for first time cruisers.
Cruisecritic caters to a variety of different of cruisers depending on your specific style. Everything you need to know about cruising you can find from this site. You don’t have to look for anything else once you pay a visit to this site, in short you will get hooked.
Now get out there, book your cruise and send me a comment on where and when.
