How to choose the best cruise for you
Want to dip your toes in the popular world of cruising but don’t know where to start? Here’s our simple guide to choosing the right cruise for you.
Start short – there’s no sense in committing to a month onboard if you’re not sure you’re going to like it. One of the best way to test the waters (all puns intended) is a ‘cruise to nowhere’. These cruises are a great way to get a taste of the whole shipboard experience. It’s a chance to try out the onboard restaurants, bars, pools and facilities, like rock climbing, ice skating or zip lines. Because there are no ports the staff will organise lots of activities each day, so you can play trivia, sing karaoke, take a dance class or learn to make animals out of towels (a cruise ship staple). Sometimes they are themed around a specific topic, like food and wine, comedy or opera. It’s worth noting that these cruises can have more of a party atmosphere than longer voyagers, but they are still a good way to see if cruising is for you.
If you’d like to include some port stops on your first cruise, Australia is a great place to start. From east coast ports like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, you can easily cruise New Zealand or the South Pacific in one or two weeks. These cruises will include a few days at sea and around five to 10 port stops. You can enjoy the activities onboard during sea days and then explore the ports when you’re docked. From Perth, you can sail along the coast and into Southeast Asia. Or you could stay entirely within Australia and cruise to Tasmania, along the Queensland coast, around Kangaroo Island or through the Top End.
In terms of choosing a cruise line for your first cruise, you’ll need to think about who you’re travelling with. If it’s a few generations of the family, one of the larger resort-style ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess or P&O Cruises are the way to go. There’s something for every age group on board, from kids’ clubs to adventure activities, spa treatments, bingo games and cabaret shows. If you’re travelling as a couple or solo and are used to the finer things in life, a smaller luxury ship would suit you best. There are fewer passengers onboard, a higher staff to guest ratio, high end dining and a more sedate atmosphere (with fewer children). Try Azamara Club Cruises, Silversea, Sebourn or Crystal Cruises.
If you don’t like the sound of setting off on the open ocean, then a river cruise could be more your speed. River cruising is incredibly popular in Europe with small, narrow ships carrying less than 200 people sail along famous rivers like the Danube, Rhine, Rhone and Seine. At only a few decks high and a few metres from shore you’re travelling close to the action, so you’ll see all of the scenery and landmarks up close. Unlike ocean ships which have to use a sea port, river ships can dock right in the centre of town so you can walk off and straight into the action.
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