How to choose a cruise

Cruising is the UK’s fastest-growing holiday but how do you choose a cruise when every year there are more ships and voyages on offer?

A recent Virgin Holiday Cruises survey showed people are unsure of what to look for when choosing a cruise. So with their help, YourHols has put together this handy guide…

How long can I cruise for and where should I go? The world is your oyster – depending on your budget and time you have to ride the waves. If you want the trip of a lifetime, you can sail for an incredible 106 nights on P&O’s Arcardia, above – 41 ports in 28 countries. Bit too long, how about 40 nights on Princess Cruises from New York to Sydney? Or 39 nights experiencing the Tale of Two Continents with Oceania Cruises setting sail from Miami and finally docking in Southampton.

If seven or 14 nights is more realistic, your options are endless with most cruise lines offering Mediterranean and Caribbean destinations from Turkey and Greece to Tobago and Grenada. And then of course there’s Alaska and the spectacular Northern Lights.

But if you would prefer to cut out the airport and sail from one of the many UK ports, you can opt for anything from three nights on the Short Western Med visiting Rome, Naples and Barcelona to 14 nights with Celebrity Cruises discovering Iceland and the Fjords.

Southampton is the home port for P&O Cruises, Princess, Cunard, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, MSC and Fred. Olsen so you don’t have to fly anywhere if you don’t want to.

You must decide from the offset what size ship you feel you would be comfortable on. Do you want to be with 5,400 passengers on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas – the largest ship in the world? Or, would you prefer to be Hurtigruten’s 266-passenger Fram.

Also, think how old you want your fellow passengers to be? You are more like to find party animals on Carnival than Saga, which caters  mainly for those aged 55 plus.

You might not even fancy the high seas. There’s a huge selection of river cruises such as Europe’s Rhine, Danube, Mosel and Main Rivers. Check out companies such as AmaWaterways or Viking River Cruises.

You can literally cruise anywhere in the world and choose. Here’s just a flavour of the destinations:

Caribbean Cruises
With more than 7,000 islands to explore in the Caribbean Sea, a cruise visiting just a few will send you into a warm tropical cocoon of relaxation. Snorkel your way through colourful coral reefs, sip on delicious rum cocktails while swaying on a hammock, or explore tropical rainforests and jungles with amazing on-shore experiences to sink your teeth into.

Mediterranean Cruises
Delightful beaches come as standard in the sun-drenched Med, yet there’s so much more to this incredibly diverse region. Let Greek mythology come alive as you explore ancient Athens, gaze in awe at the wealth of art treasures to be found in Rome, and rub shoulders with the glitterati in the French Riviera.

Far East Cruises
Full of intrigue and excitement, the beautiful Far East never fails to fascinate. Starting in the hectic city of Hong Kong, you can snake down the coast of Vietnam, stopping off to marvel at the marine life of Halong Bay and squeezing in a day trip to Hanoi, before heading further down south to inspirational Bangkok and stunning Singapore where a melting pot of Chines, Indian and Malay cultures collide.

There’s a multitude of choices – add lecture cruises, polar cruises and sporting event cruises to the list!

How much will I need to spend? You can spend anything from a few hundred pounds on a budget cruise and still have a fabulous time to thousands on a luxury ship.

The overall price includes a lot more than most land-based holidays such as accommodation, meals, most on board activities, evening entertainment and flights if your departure port is abroad. The cost of an average cruise is roughly similar to a half-board holiday at a moderately-priced hotel, only a cruise price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Of course luxury cruises – the equivalent of staying in a five-star plus hotel such as with Crystal, above, and Regent Seven Seas – and voyages on smaller, selective ships, Seadream and Seabourn, are bound to cost more. Put in the research to find a cruise that suits you best. And always ask people you work with or parents outside the playground – you are guaranteed to find someone who has taken a cruise and are happy to give you the lowdown. Also, don’t be afraid to ring the cruise lines’ helplines.

Read ship reviews and look for opinions on cruise forums too. Use them like you would use TripAdvisor.

Money saving tips…

• Shorter cruises are a good way to experience luxury without breaking the bank. Some cruise lines offer weekend cruises as well as 3-4 night voyages.
• Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean and Carnival offer lower rates on some ships, simply because they are a bit older.
• Drinks packages are a great idea for families, those who aim to hit the bar every night and if you are cruising in hot climates and likely to need more refreshing drinks.

What can I do when the ship docks?  Most cruise lines offer both active and sightseeing tours. You have a choice, you can book one of the ship’s own excursions or make your own way once on shore. You’ll probably find ship excursions are more expensive. But you are picked up from the ship, coached around the island or city (or taken to an experience you have chosen) and then driven back before the ship sails for the next port of call.

Just remember that the ship waits for no man. It will sail without you.

If you prefer to ”do your own thing”, there will be plenty of taxi drivers and tourist guides waiting at the ports ready to take your business. Always haggle and make sure you know where you are going. Do a bit of research beforehand.

Active Tours
An active tour can include anything from horseriding, above, off-roading in a 4×4, snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing or trying a massive selection of watersports. You can also play golf, learn how to cook, how to make wine. There is a massive range of on-shore activities. Always check the ports of call and itineraries.

Sightseeing Tours
These are the more traditional type of tour where you’ll take a coach trip to tourist destinations, historical buildings, museums, art galleries and other points of interest nearby. And, at the end of a city tour, expect to end up in a specified shop, which will be expecting you! Guides can be on commission so will be willing you to buy a rug, piece of glass or jewellery. Don’t think twice about saying No.

What will I find on board? On board entertainment is now expected on the majority of cruises – whether it’s for the kids, strictly adults-only or the whole family. You’ll be treated to live theatre, sports, games, music and even stand-up comedy.

Celebrity Cruises offer an impressive array of entertainment with musical theatre, circus shows, live music, guest performers and dance classes. Pantomimes are also on show for the kids during the day. At night, there are bars, nightclubs, lounges and casinos for adults only.

On MSC Cruises, families can visit the Aqua Park, play on a Nintendo Wii or head to the bowling alley. And at night, there are regular screenings at the on board 3D cinema.

Most cruise lines offer an extensive range of activities on the ship. These vary somewhat depending on the cruise line, but if you like to be active while on holiday then there are a multitude of things to do, from hitting the gym and chilling out in the spa to going to a lecture or taking salsa lessons.

Dining:
Set menus and meal times might have been standard on cruises but not now. Most cruise lines boast an array of flexible dining options whether you fancy glamming up for a multi-course meal in an a la carte restaurant or grabbing something quick in the all-you-can-eat buffet.
One of the best parts of going on holiday is indulging in the culinary delights and celebrity chefs now have restaurants on board such as Saturday Kitchen’s James Martin, Marco Pierre White and Atul Kochharon on P&O.
It’s true what they say about cruising, expect to put on weight as you can eat pretty much any time of the day or night.

Dress Code:
You can stroll across the deck dressed like you’re ready to hit the beach or go for something a little classier. Whatever you’re into, the majority of cruise lines have you covered.
But choose your cruise carefully if you don’t like wearing a dinner suit. Some cruises do have black tie evenings during the voyage. Still worth taking at least one suit and a couple of plain white shirts for some of the fancy restaurants on board, should the mood take you.

Can everyone go on a cruise? Cruises are accessible to all. People with different levels of disability are catered for. Getting around a multi-deck cruise liner should be pretty easy, as most ships have elevators on board.

The majority of cruise lines have provisions in place for disabled passengers and are sufficiently staffed to ensure that all your needs are taken care of. Most cruise liners including Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Disney have accessible cabins with customised bathroom facilities and wide corridors and elevators.

Is a cruise OK for a toddler or baby? Cruises are a great family holiday option so check out facilities available. Some cruise lines including Royal Caribbean have their own clubs for toddlers. Their Royal Babies and Royal Tots clubs are great for letting them have fun without you worrying about their safety and wellbeing. There are on board crèches where little ones can rest while you take the time to relax or enjoy the ship’s amenities on your own.

For more information and tips see Virgin Holidays Cruises Ultimate Guide to Cruising

Here are some links to cruise lines
P&O Cruises
Princess Cruises
Oceania Cruises
Celebrity Cruises
Cunard
Royal Caribbean
Fred Olsen
MSC Cruises
Hurtigruten
Carnival Cruises
Saga Cruises
Swan Hellenic
Seadream
Seabourn
Cruise & Maritime
Silversea
Thomson Cruises
NCL
Crystal Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Holland America
Disney Cruises

For more information on cruises, also see Discover Cruises