The Ultimate Guide for Your First Cruise holiday

Thinking about taking your first-ever cruise holiday but feeling a bit nervous about the unknown? 1Cover's Cruise Guide is here to help, providing you with all the details you need to know to ensure a safe and happy holiday on the high seas.   

​​​​​Picking a Cruise 

Cruise Lines

Different Cruise lines cater for different experiences. Think about what sort of holiday you might like when booking a cruise. Different cruise lines also cater for different budgets 

💡 Top Tip: 

Checking reviews or looking on Facebook and reddit forums can help you decide if a cruise is for you by hearing from other people's experiences 

 When and Where? 

Different locations will have different peak seasons, and not all locations are available year-round. However, off-peak seasons (shoulder months) are cheaper with fewer crowds 

Some of the top destinations for cruising internationally include: 

💡 Top Tip: 

Use holiday schedules to avoid expensive peak times (e.g. Euro summer,  Christmas, and other local holidays) and use historical weather patterns to avoid dangerous weather! 

​​​​Choosing Your Cabin 

Picking the right cabin is often one of the most daunting tasks for the novice cruiser. Cruise ships love spoiling you for choice, and some ships have up to 30 different cabin categories. This begs the question: how do you choose the cabin that’s right for you?

To begin with, don’t let the brochures overwhelm you. Take those 30 cabin categories and cut it down to four: 

1 Inside Cabins: Generally, the smallest-sized and least expensive cabin on the ship. Of course, being the least expensive, inside rooms are in the interior of the ship and as such do not have a window. 

2 Oceanview, or Outside Cabins: In Oceanview rooms the devil is in the detail. While not much bigger than an Inside Cabin, these rooms come with a view. The view, it turns out, is everything. Choose from a floor-to-ceiling window, picture window or porthole window. The type of window on offer also depends on the deck level of the room.

3 Oceanview, or Outside Cabins: In Oceanview rooms the devil is in the detail. While not much bigger than an Inside Cabin, these rooms come with a view. The view, it turns out, is everything. Choose from a floor-to-ceiling window, picture window or porthole window. The type of window on offer also depends on the deck level of the room.

4 Suite: Suites offer a wide variety of benefits (think hot tubs and butler services). They can range from a two-room cabins to multi-roomed suites. But know that such luxury will come at a price. 

At the end of the day choosing the right cabin often comes down to how well you know yourself. Do you just want a spot to sleep? Do you prefer to lounge about in luxury? Do you pine for open-spaces? If decisiveness is not your forte, then we’d recommend you whip out the ship’s deck plan and use that as a starting point. The deck plan is the cruise ships tell-all: it’ll tell you which rooms are furthest from the nightclub, closest to the day spa, and nearest to the restaurants that whet your appetite most.

💡 Top Tips: 

• Mid-ship, lower decks = less motion sickness 
• Aft-facing balconies = located at the back of the ship and offer amazing views. They are also often slightly bigger than those on port or starboard providing more space and privacy. 
• Guarantee cabins = cheaper but assigned randomly 

​​​​​The Three Essential Tips To Remember 

Take Two

• There are two must-haves you should never leave your room without when onboard a cruise - your key, and the ship’s daily program.

Cruise-Specific Travel Insurance

• Even if you're not leaving Australian waters, Medicare and private-health policies do not cover medical expenses, which can be enormous on cruises. For more information on cruise travel insurance, click here.

The Deck Plan Is Your BFF

• Cruise ships often cater for up to 3,000 people. So, for a first-timer, the idea of navigating a 15-deck mega-ship, which can house the population of a small town, can be terrifying. This is where your deck plan will come in handy. Check out where the restaurants are, the adult-only areas, the pool decks, and the entertainment precincts before you board.

Budgeting On Board 

• If you enjoy the occasional holiday pamper, then make sure you book your spa treatment before you step on the ship. Long queues at the reception desk are almost inevitable, so booking in advance will save you a lot of wait time. 

• If your cruise is playing host to an award-winning musical, or must-see entertainment event, don’t assume that lining up for hours to make a reservation is the only way in. Cruise liners like to reward impulsive buyers with a standby line. Standby lines form about 30 minutes prior to the start of the show, and you’re almost guaranteed a seat. For some unknown reason, a significant portion of those who have reserved a spot turn out to be no shows.

• In 2016, alcohol-inclusive fares became a common feature across most cruise liners. Alcohol-inclusive fares take the stress out of choosing a drinks package, and generally they are reasonably priced. Otherwise, be wary of alcohol packages. They may only include house wine, or drinks below $11. Ask yourself how many nights you will spend on board the ship. For example, a 34-night cruise might spend 18 of those nights in port where you will pay full price for a drink at any bar or restaurant you choose to visit.
• Shore excursions can often be pricey. If you’re the type of traveller who likes to make his or her own rules, then consider paying for a local guide, or opt to wander the city centres and beaches on your own. However, while the ship will wait for passengers that are on a tour run by the cruise company, they won’t wait for a passenger that has wondered off on their own.

Cruise Safety Tips

• Double Check Your Doors
  
  Shore excursions can often be pricey. If you’re the type of traveller who likes to make his or her own rules, then consider paying for a local guide, or opt to wander the city centres and beaches on your own. However, while the ship will wait for passengers that are on a tour run by the cruise company, they won’t wait for a passenger that has wondered off on their own.

• Don't Drink Too Much
  
  Always be careful if you've been drinking. If in a bar or club, watch your drinks and if you have a bag, always keep it on your body or looped around your foot if sitting, and never leave it unattended.

Still Unsure about Cruising?

Everything You Need All In One Place (And It’s Free)

• On some Royal Caribbean ships, you can see “Mamma Mia!” and “Saturday Night Fever”, while on Norwegian Cruise Line ships musical enthusiasts can wonder into a performance of “Rock of Ages” or “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”. And yes, these award-winning Broadway shows are included in your cruise ticket.
• In recent years, cruise providers have taken up the cause of celebrity chef-affiliated restaurants. On Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Crystal or Oceania, foodies can access world famous restaurants for no extra cost.
• You can try your hand at almost anything, from surfing and sculpting to rockclimbing or skydiving. Yes, that’s right, even adrenalin junkies can get their fix on board a cruise. On Royal Caribbean ships your first skydive is free. 
• Spending time on the open water can be an enlivening experience; the air is clean and the vastness is beautiful and overwhelming all at once. From sunrises to whales, you're exposed to a natural wonderland 24/7 while having all the creature comforts you could ever want at your fingertips.