New to Cruising? 5 Tips for First-Timers

Travel experts offer tips on choosing a cruise line, booking excursions, and tipping.

(Illustration by The Epoch Times, Getty Images, Unsplash)

Cruise ships are floating resorts laden with luxury amenities. They visit sun-drenched islands and exotic ports. To ensure a great experience, we asked travel experts to share their top advice for booking a cruise.

1. Choose the Right Cruise Line for You

One important thing to keep your target audience in mind. Some lines, such as Disney, are always geared toward families with active children, while others may be full of senior citizens or hordes of rambunctious college kids during spring break.

William Lee is a senior travel agent at Chima Travel, which has been booking cruises since 1918 and is run by the family’s fourth generation. Mr. Lee has amassed a wealth of knowledge to help ensure his clients have the best cruise ever. He began with the basics, telling The Epoch Times, “There are really three categories to cruising—ocean, river, and small cruise/yacht. Ocean is classic cruising, ranging from budget-friendly ocean liners such as Carnival, to luxury liners such as Regency.”

To decide which of the three categories is ideal for you, Mr. Lee suggested working with a travel agent “who can match your budget, personality, and preferences to the perfect cruise experience.” But before you do that, read on for a breakdown of each of these three categories and what they offer.

Ocean Liners: If You Want to Get Away

“These big ocean liners are great for families or those who just want to get away from it all,” Mr. Lee said. “The draw for these ships are the ships themselves and the experiences while traveling, rarely the destination. If you are looking to relax by the pool, see some Las Vegas-style shows, and dine at great restaurants, you'll probably want to cruise on a ship from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Disney.”

Each cruise line has some sort of specialty, for example, Mr. Lee told The Epoch Times, “Royal Caribbean combines the fun of a resort and a night out in Vegas. They have shows for all ages, jazz bars, karaoke, aquaparks, and specialty dining. They are great for people of all ages.”

Families seeking a high-seas vacation might want to consider sailing aboard one of Disney’s four cruise ships, which are floating theme parks specifically designed to keep kids—and their parents—happily occupied. The ships have kids’ clubs with activities for children aged 3 to 12, as well as other activities for teenagers. As just one example of the outrageous entertainment guaranteed to delight the kids, Disney Dream welcomes kids aboard a replica of Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon on which they can take lightsaber lessons from a Jedi master.

Celebrity Cruises also caters to families with a Camp at Sea program for ages 3 to 12, featuring arts and crafts, sports, theme parties, and other traditional “camp” experiences. Older children can take part in the Teen Club’s video game competitions, teens-only parties, and fun classes. Counselors keep a close eye on all the kids so the parents can relax and enjoy a refreshing vacation.

On the topic of a large cruise line versus a smaller river cruise line, Mr. Lee told The Epoch Times, “The service differs greatly. Carnival operates huge ships that offer more economic options for travelers, so you won’t see the same personalized amenities of a Tauck, Avalon, or Viking River cruise. Those cater to passengers that want to explore rivers and ports off the beaten path. You’ll never see things like waterparks and slides on those smaller lines, either.” For those considering booking a Virgin Atlantic cruise, the rumors are true—they are adults-only.

(L to R) The Sunset Bar aboard Celebrity Cruises; the penthouse suites feature a terrace, a private hot tub, and a butler on hand; the Magic Carpet is a dining and performance space that rises 13 stories above sea level, the world's first cantilevered platform on a cruise. (Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises)

Small Yachts: If You Want Luxury

If you want an upscale experience, “Luxury cruises like Tauck only allow a limited number of guests, and some even supply each room with a personal butler to take care of the passenger’s needs. These cruises focus completely on luxury,” Mr. Lee said.

Tauck’s ships are smaller than those operated by “large” firms like Carnival or Virgin, accommodate fewer than 300 passengers, and can able to explore exotic, off-the-beaten-path ports like the Galapagos Islands, the Great Lakes, and Alaska’s Inside Passage. Their intimate river boats ply the Mississippi, Danube, Rhine, and other rivers, with accommodations at 5-star hotels along the way.

Other options for small ship cruises include Lindblad Expeditions, which visit all seven continents with unique destinations including Antarctica and the Arctic. Silversea’s four vessels, the largest of which accommodates a mere 274 passengers, feature spacious suites and butler service.

For adventure addicts, Quark Expeditions specializes in Arctic and Antarctic trips. Their 128-passenger ship, 50 Years of Victory, is capable of navigating through 10 feet of ice to reach the North Pole.

Scenic has cruises to the Baltic, South America, and other unique destinations. Their luxurious 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse is outfitted with two helicopters and a mini submarine capable of reaching depths of almost 1,000 feet.

These lines pride themselves on fine dining, educational seminars appropriate for the ports visited, and intimate shore excursions led by experienced local guides.

Gentoo penguins on Wiencke Island in Antaractica, one of the stops on Lindblad Expeditions's tours. (Courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions)

River Cruises: If You Want Sophistication

“If you want to explore a country but don’t want to worry about transport, river cruises are perfect,” Mr. Lee said. “They tend to be more luxury-focused, but aren’t an ideal setting for families with active children. The majority of the customers on river cruises are 40 to 70 years old.”

The beauty of river cruises is the ability to start in a place like Amsterdam and end up in France, while enjoying luxurious accommodations and service, exploring the cities by daylight and traveling at night. “These ships tend to be much smaller than typical cruise ships, so you don’t have to wait a few hours to embark or disembark to explore the new location,” he said. “You can find river cruises in the United States on the Mississippi River, South America cruising the Amazon River, all across Europe, as well as Asia visiting the Mekong River, the Nile in Africa, and many more.”

“These cruises are ultra-luxurious, pricey, and as such, are not a good choice for the passengers seeking the traditional boisterous cruise ship experience,” he said. “These smaller ships often have Michelin-Star chefs, private butlers, and can even have a personalized itinerary. In my opinion, they represent the ultimate in cruising.”

Those seeking a budget-friendly river cruise experience may wish to consider Emerald Cruises’s Danube Explorer, which travels from Budapest to Munich during June or October at deeply-discounted rates. Uniworld has a 2024 Cruise Savings Event that can save travelers up to $3,000 per person on river cruises in Egypt, India, Peru, and other enchanting destinations. Consider pre-booking one of their 2025 voyages for more savings.

Those with flexible schedules can travel in luxury for up to 50 percent less than standard rates by taking advantage of CroisiEurope’s Special Offers. This line operates 50 ships ranging in size from small liners to canal boats, serving from 16 to 200 passengers.

The Emerald Luna sails through Cochem, Germany, a picturesque town known for its wineries. (Emerald Cruises)

2. Act Quickly When It Comes to Dining, Drinking, Excursions

Regardless of the cruise you choose, there are some universal elements to consider, starting with booking. “Book excursions and specialty dining well ahead of time, as they can fill up quickly,” Mr. Lee said. “As the cruise date approaches, work with your travel agent to make sure the moment popular excursions, special dining deals, and tickets for quickly sold-out entertainment become available they can lock it in through their cruise line app.” He also suggests planning to use your cell phone as a portable hotspot during the voyage to avoid being charged for the ship’s Wi-Fi.

Mr. Lee offered a few tips for cruise newbies. “There are specialty dining options and standard dining options. Every passenger has access to the standard dining options, but for most cruises, specialty dining is an extra cost. The exceptions to this rule are small ship cruises like Viking, AmaWaterways, Avalon, etc. With these cruises, specialty dining may be included, but for all dining options you’ll need to make a reservation beforehand, including the standard dining.”

Paul Gauguin Cruises is known for its fine dining options. From left to right: a grilled vegetable terrine; zucchini rolls stuffed with spinach and ricotta; and mahi mahi with vegetables, white bean puree, and an herb butter croquette. (Paul Gaugin Cruises)

The same goes for drinks. If you enjoy alcoholic drinks but don’t like the high prices the ship charges, ask your travel agent to find out when the free drink package promo will become available. In years past, many cruise lines launch this kind of promo in July.

Excursions are another thing to think about ahead of time. “Each cruise line has excursions available for clients to enjoy,” he explained, “however, most cruise lines offer limited spaces for the excursions, so it’s a first come, first served type of deal. For carriers like Viking, the type of cabin booked dictates when you can book your excursions. Those in suites can book sooner than those in a standard cabin.”

There are a few exceptions. Quark Expeditions, Lindblad voyages to Antarctica, International Expeditions in the Galapagos islands, and Paul Gauguin Cruises in Polynesia all offer truly amazing, one-of-a-kind cruises where the time on land equals or exceeds the time spent at sea.

3. Tip Like a Seasoned Cruiser

For many who are new to cruising, knowing how, to whom, and when to tip is a mystery—or whether to tip at all.

According to Mr. Lee, “Cruisers are typically billed by the cruise line at the end of their vacation. While most mainstream cruise lines have raised their tipping to $18 per person per day for standard cabins, Norwegian Cruise Lines raised their tipping to $20 per person per day for standard cabins. Some luxury cruise lines include tips in their price, like Seabourn, Regent, and Silversea.”

Normal tipping protocols apply for food and drinks. Even when enjoying “free” drinks, don’t forget to tip the bartender or server.

The Silver Note restaurant aboard Silversea Cruises. For food and drinks, tip like you would at a typical restaurant. (Courtesy of Silversea Cruises)

4. Before You Cruise, Book a Flight

Many cruise lines allow you to purchase flights with the cruise, but with some lines, you won’t be given flight details until 30 days prior to departure. “This means it is possible you may not be able to book a seat next to your companion(s), or bring extra luggage,” Mr. Lee said.

Cruise lines may offer earlier access to flight info and special discounts on flights, for a fee. “In my opinion,” Mr. Lee said, “it’s worth the cost.”

Booking a flight you’re comfortable with is important. Jeremy Clubb, cruise expert and founder of Antarctica Cruises and Rainforest Cruises, told The Epoch Times, “One mistake that travelers make is flying to their cruise departure destination on the same day the cruise commences. There’s always a risk that they won’t make it on time, so I recommend that travelers build in one or two buffer days into their trip plans. Doing this offers travelers the opportunity to relax before their cruise and explore their departure city at their leisure, which they likely wouldn’t have the time to do otherwise.”

5. Buy Travel Medical Insurance

Cruising is all about relaxing, but passengers need to be aware that a medical emergency can transform a dream vacation into a nightmare.

According to CruiseCritic.com, most ships operated by major cruise lines have medical facilities staffed by at least one doctor and two nurses, with care available 24/7. If a passenger gets sick or otherwise needs medical care, costs are charged to their cabin. In the event that a passenger requires care in a foreign hospital, they may incur charges that are due in cash at the time of treatment.

Carrie Pasquarello founded Global Secure Resources to provide risk-reduction services to business and pleasure travelers around the globe. She told The Epoch Times: “Cruising the seas is an incredible way to explore the world, but safety can’t be assumed, so I advise travelers to consider buying travel medical insurance and a hospital-to-hospital transfer membership program. A simple mishap can quickly become incredibly expensive.

“In one recent example, a couple was vacationing in Punta Cana when the husband had a stroke,” she said. “He was medically evacuated to North Carolina, which cost him $40,000 out-of-pocket. If he had purchased a short-term membership plan, his membership cost would have been $198, and his medical transportation would have cost him $0.”

The bottom line? Do a lot of research on cruise lines and upcoming trips, work with a knowledgeable, experienced travel agent or cruise consultant, and don’t forget to pack lots of sunscreen!

On Paul Gaugin cruises, the trip experience includes water sports like paddleboarding. (Paul Gaugin Cruises)

Do you have any cruising tips? Feel free share your advice in the comments.