CRUISE CLUES FOR NEWBIES
Follow these tips and tricks from travel experts for smooth sailing on your first ship trip
You always remember your first — whether it’s a kiss, a car or a cruise — because of that heady combination of anticipation and trepidation. (My first cruise was to the Caribbean in 1999.) For a first-timer, all the decisions that come with taking a cruise — ship, cabin, clothes, tipping and so on — can be overwhelming, especially when you’re clueless about how a cruise works.
To help ease the anxiety felt by novices, I asked colleagues and cruise veterans, “What do you wish you knew before your first cruise?” Then, I phoned David Swanson, president of the Society of American Travel Writers, who has taken more than 40 cruises in the past six years. What follows is our collective wisdom, which will help ensure smooth sailing.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT CRUISE
Instead of spending days researching cruise lines and itineraries, “find a travel agent who specializes in cruises and, more importantly, actually takes many of them,” Swanson says. “Each cruise line and ship has its own personality, and a cruise specialist can find you the best match.”
While the Caribbean, Alaska and the Mediterranean remain the most popular destinations, a seasoned agent can find a cruise to a remote Indonesian island, if that’s what you prefer. There are cruises tailored for singles, couples, families with children, older adults, party animals and adventurers. Different ships offer laser tag, waterslides, hands-on kitchens and butler service. Some are as compact as 125 passengers, while megaships such as Symphony of the Seas can sail with more than 5,500 passengers, plus crew.
There are benefits to each. With more amenities, restaurants and diversions, large ships keep you entertained all hours of the day and well into the night. Small ships (fewer than 500 passengers) can reach ports the large ones can’t access. Plus, you get to know the crew and they get to know you by your name and preference, be it hot English breakfast tea with milk or extra bath towels.
Whatever ship and destination you settle on, buy travel insurance, which protects you if you fall seriously ill, have an accident, are delayed in transit or lose your luggage.
PICK THE RIGHT CABIN
Cabin choices are typically simple: interior (no view), exterior (ocean view with a window or porthole), balcony (exterior room with a private balcony) and suite (a larger cabin often with separate living and sleeping areas and a private balcony). New ships such as the Oasis Class from Royal Caribbean have added another option: Cabins overlooking park-like atriums.
Scrutinize deck plans to determine the exact location of the stateroom you’re being sold. Light sleepers will want to avoid one underneath the nightclub dance floor or just above the engine room. For maximum stability, book a midship cabin. That’s where you’ll feel the least movement.
PRE-BOOK
Popular shore excursions with limited space, such as dog sledding or cooking classes in a chef ’s home, fill fast. As soon as it opens, access your ship’s online reservation system to secure your spot. The same holds true for tables at specialty restaurants, spa treatments (especially on sea days, when you do not stop at any ports) and shows.
PACK LIGHT
No one cares if you wear the same outfit more than once. Pack enough washable, quick-drying clothes for half your voyage. Toss in a sweater; even on warm-weather cruises, ships can get chilly. Bring a couple of pairs of shoes — one for walking and a dressier pair for the dining room — plus flip-flops for warm-weather cruises.
A long time ago, I used to man the DVD counter in the basement of the downtown Vancouver Virgin Megastore. I remember it well: I received a whopping eight-cent raise shortly before Virgin founder Richard Branson drove an amphibious car across the English Channel. He set a Guinness World Record that day; I took my eight cents and decamped for a career in film and television.
Now, worlds collide again. I’m not fishing my old Virgin Megastore T-shirts out of storage just yet, but things are definitely coming full circle. Branson is getting into the cruise business with a new cruise line and a purpose-built megaliner set to debut in Miami in 2020.
Dubbed the Scarlet Lady,
Virgin Voyages’ first ship will include gratuities in the cost of the cruise; come with most non-alcoholic drinks free of charge; and will be limited to adults over the age of 18. Families with kids need not apply.
Passengers — or sailors, as Virgin Voyages calls them — will be treated to unique amenities like an on-board tattoo parlour (the first at sea) and a unique choice of cabins that includes ones designed for solo travellers, adventurous accommodations that can sleep up to four in chalet-style bunks and rooms with “sea beds” — beds that convert into lounger-style seating during the day.
Rooms will also boast something else that’s truly unique: A collection of in-room vinyl records, a nod to Branson’s early days when he launched Virgin Records. Balconies — er, sea terraces — will even feature custom hammocks.
It’s cool, unique and different, and I am very excited to see the end result when Scarlet Lady hits the waves in 2020.
The ship’s inaugural itineraries also might surprise you. Instead of weeklong round-trips to the Caribbean, Scarlet Lady will sail four- and-five-night runs departing Miami at 7 p.m. They’ll typically feature one key port — like Havana, Cuba; Costa Maya, Mexico; or Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.
Virgin says that all of its voyages will feature either an overnight stay in port or an extended evening call. It also states that all itineraries will include a second port of call, but Virgin hasn’t revealed the secondary ports for any itinerary yet.
Unconventional, sure. But give Virgin Voyages credit for developing a product unlike anything currently afloat. Most adults-only ships are smaller, luxury-based affairs — few lines actively cater to the 18-plus market on a big ship. That Virgin is going after a younger demographic in a way that is interesting and not insulting is also commendable.
Details are still being teased in advance of Scarlet Lady’s debut next year, but its first itineraries go on sale on Valentine’s Day for those who are eager to hop on board as soon as possible. I know I’m excited. I may not know exactly what to make of it all, but I know this: This sailor is eager to see if Virgin Voyages really can deliver on its promise to change the face of cruising as we know it. And I just might wear that old Virgin Megastore shirt — if it fits.
Happy cruising.
Visit portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia Cruiseshipcenters, 1-800-707-7327, cruiseshipcenters. com, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behindthe-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly at portsandbowsaaron@gmail.com