Virgin Cruises expert Lucy Southerton has warned first-time cruisers about a common mistake they make when booking their maiden voyage. The 28 year old, who shares her insights on her YouTube channel ‘Cruising as Crew‘, says that many newbies often choose the wrong type of cruise for their first experience.
She advises against booking a cruise with too many sea days, suggesting a maximum of two – and ideally not being away fro land on two consecutive days. “The reason for this is that this is your first cruise. You don’t know if you like it yet. I can almost guarantee that if you go on a ship and you spend two to three to four days at sea, you’re probably not going to like it,” she explains.
Lucy also highlights the joy of exploring various ports, which should be considered when planning your trip. However, she acknowledges that long ocean voyages aren’t for everyone: “There are those people who want to spend 15 days at sea, reading their book, having no internet access, and there are some people who will say ‘I can’t think of anything worse than that’.”
First-time cruisers often make the mistake of not giving enough importance to their travel insurance. While flight delays can be a nuisance when booking a resort holiday, you can rest assured that you will eventually reach your hotel, albeit late.
However, if your flight to the port where your cruise begins is delayed, it could result in a complete disaster – you might miss the boat and lose your entire holiday.
For this reason, Lucy insists: “Travel insurance is a nonnegotiable in my opinion when it comes to booking a cruise.”
She also advises first-time cruisers to stick to popular routes, reports the Express.
“I would urge you to stick to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Alaska,” she says. “These are well-trodden routes. All of the towns and cities that your cruise ship will be stopping at are geared up for cruises… the tour guides in those cities are used to taking cruise passengers on tour. They know the drill. This means you can just relax into it a little bit more.”
With many more useful tips – including which cruise lines to pick, and how to select the ideal cabin, Lucy’s channel is an essential first stop for anyone considering their first cruise holiday.