Which first cruise should you take a gamble on?
MORE and more travellers are trying a cruise – which means there are more first-time cruisers than ever. But if you’ve never been on one, it’s hard to know where to start with so many ships and destinations to choose from. Here are five of the best current choices for a debut cruise:
FOR ANXIOUS FIRST-TIMERS
AS THE biggest cruise line focusing on the UK market, P&O is a good safe bet for beginners. Its relaxed British style is combined with modern twists, such as celebrity chef restaurants and ‘Strictly’ dance sessions. Try a mini-cruise from Southampton for a taster without risking your main annual holiday.
There are plenty of two-night cruises from Southampton to Bruges and back over the coming year, with a choice of ships and departure dates. From £199pp. Visit pocruises.com.
FOR FAMILIES
WITH some of the world’s biggest ships, Royal Caribbean can offer enormous floating playgrounds filled with things to keep the kids happy, such as bumper cars and simulated skydiving. And you certainly won’t get bored on Harmony of the Seas – it’s the largest of the lot, with a huge list of activities for all ages.
Try a one-week Caribbean holiday to see whether you’ll catch the cruising bug. Harmony offers regular monthly sailings on the tried-and-tested eastern Caribbean route from Fort Lauderdale. From £1,606pp, including flights. Visit royalcaribbean.co.uk.
FOR PARTY ANIMALS
WORRIED that a cruise will be slow and boring? Try the American cruise line Carnival, with its younger vibe and fleet of ‘Fun Ships’. You’ll find great nightclubs, cocktail bars and DJs on board. And how about sampling the thrill of setting sail from the city that never sleeps – New York? A perfect sampler would be the four-night Bermuda cruise departing from Manhattan. It’s available on five dates in 2018 aboard Carnival Horizon, which has its own Imax cinema. From £519pp, excluding flights. Visit carnival.com.
FOR THOSE WORRIED ABOUT THE SEA
FORGET worries about storms and seasickness and relax on a gentle cruise along the famous River Danube from Budapest to
Munich. The seven-night Danube Waltz sailing on Viking River Cruises’ Ingvi is offered on a long list of dates until the end of the year. Ingvi offers proper balcony cabins, something of a rarity on river ships. From £1,795pp, including flights. See vikingcruises.co.uk.
TO RECAPTURE CRUISING’S GOLDEN AGE
BANISH your fears of booze cruisers and noisy neighbours with a transatlantic trip on the marvellously traditional Cunard Line. Sailing from Southampton to New York on Queen Mary 2 should be a grand enough experience for any cruise beginner. The seven-night voyage is offered on more than a dozen dates over the coming year. From £749pp, including flight back to the UK. Visit cunard.co.uk.