WILL I FEEL RESTRICTED?

Bamboozled by choice in booking your maiden cruise? John Wilmott and Teresa Machan are on hand to help

If you’ve never booked an ocean cruise holiday before, it can be a pretty daunting prospect. With more than 300 ships to choose from and hundreds of itineraries that cover the world, choosing a particular voyage is just the start. You might also want to consider the type of room you select and work out just how much your holiday will really cost. An attractive headline price is not such good value if you end up forking out for most of the extras that make cruising such a pleasure. Below are some of the essential questions you need to ask – of yourself and of the cruise lines or a travel agent.

Once the ship has docked, you’re a free agent and there are few restrictions now regarding dress (most use the same codes as resort restaurants ashore) and dining, with food often available around the clock. If you want breakfast in bed, order it to your room – just like you would in a hotel. If you want to remain there for the rest of the day, no one – assuming you’ve used your do not disturb sign – will come knocking. of adult-only or adult-orientated alternatives. Don’t assume that a bigger ship will allow more space per person. If you can do the maths, working out the ratio of the ship’s tonnage to the number of passengers is a fair guide to how crowded, or otherwise, it may feel. to have, but few guests actually spend much time here and often pay a hefty premium for the privilege. Check out the price differential. Those with limited mobility will prefer to be near a lift – corridors on bigger ships can be very long. If you suffer from motion sickness, book a cabin on a lower deck near the middle of the ship.

Deck plans for most ships can be found online to help you decide – and remember, “stateroom” is just a fancy word for cabin. you’ll see, crew on board ships work incredibly hard.

Your biggest expense is likely to be shore excursions – a few of these can easily run into the hundreds of pounds. Choose well from a ship’s own options and you can considerably enhance a voyage, but ask yourself if you really need a guided coach drive or walk around small city. A bit of homework and an app or map could save you lots of money (it’s worth checking out local guiding services and independent excursion operators, of which there are now many).

Using a ship’s Wi-Fi can be very pricey, and may not be as speedy as you’d like. If this is important, choose one that includes it or at least offers a good package.