Tips And Advice For First-Time Cruisers

In 2018, cruise ship statistics for boarding passengers in the Philippines stood at 166,725.000, a significant increase from the same time the year before. Gone are the days when cruises were only aimed at attracting mature travelers; modern day cruises cater for couples, families, singletons and party animals to travel all across the world. For a first timer, choosing the right cruise and all it entails can be an overwhelming experience, and while it’s one way to combat jet lag when traveling abroad, it can be difficult to know what to expect, so here’s some advice to get you started.

Choosing the right cruise

While certain cruises around Alaska or the Caribbean are still some of the most popular choices, you can find a cruise for a modern adventure to anywhere, however remote. Whether you want to go traveling around the ports of Florida or take a day trip to Corregidor Island will depend on how long you wish to travel for and the budget you have. If you decide to opt for a bigger ship, you’ll be more likely to have a greater variety of amenities on board, but a smaller cruise can offer you more intimacy and exclusiveness to the less busy ports.

Manage your money

How much money you need will depend on whether you’ve booked an all-inclusive cruise or not. Either way, you’re likely to be spending extra cash on anything from amenities such as spa treatments to racking up a bar bill over a few nights! It’s also a good idea to budget for the times when you’re exploring off the ship, but look out for the ship’s special offers for excursions and any other ways you can save cash while traveling around the globe.

Be practical and prepared

While no one is going to care what you wear, you should review a ship’s dress code before packing your case, but generally, it’s a good idea to pack light. However, you may want to do excursions during a port stop, so comfortable walking shoes should be high on the list. Make sure you bring any medical supplies and are aware of health issues that could arise. Check the cruise guide for information such as roaming charges for your phone and WiFi services, as you don’t want to be caught out with a sky-high phone bill when you arrive on dry land.

After a week of being catered for, visiting beautiful places and enjoying the high life on a cruise ship, you might end up wondering why you haven’t done it before, and find yourself left with a lifelong cruising habit.

This is a contribution from one of our contributing writers.

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