It’s easy to let your guard down while dreaming of a relaxing holiday. Especially a cosseted cruise, where so many things are done for you. But if you don’t plan ahead, you can make some seriously costly mistakes that can ruin your enjoyment.
I’ve cruised all the world’s oceans and have made many mistakes. Now I’m sharing my blunders so that you can avoid them and make your next sailing as smooth as possible.
1. Not planning your ports
If you’re not going to shell out on excursions, check that there is plenty to do easily in the port, or that it’s simple to reach attractions. Once you start messing about with taxis, the “expensive” excursions suddenly start to look more manageable.
It’s fine in places like the Canaries, where every port usually offers access to the island’s capital, but that’s not always the case elsewhere. Meanwhile, Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, is roughly around 90 minutes from the Eternal City’s centre, while Le Havre, the port for Paris, is a good couple of hours away by coach or train.
2. Flying last minute
If you’re required to sort your own flights, don’t fly in on the same day as your cruise departs to save cash on a night in a hotel. It can backfire if your flight is delayed or cancelled, or your luggage is lost, and create high-stakes stress. Instead, plan to arrive a day or two before to provide a buffer for unexpected, uncontrollable travel issues.
You can also ensure a relaxed, worry-free start to your holiday at sea by booking a cruise with a line like Viking, P&O Cruises, or Regent Seven Seas Cruises – all of whom include flights as part of their fares.
3. Not leaving enough time to return to the ship
It may look hilarious watching passengers running along the pier in a vain attempt to catch their cruise ship before it leaves without them on social media reels. Less so when it’s you.
All it takes is forgetting the time difference, mishearing or not paying attention to the all-aboard time, or struggling to get a taxi in a rain-ravaged rush hour. Plan, plan and plan some more.
I always aim to be back an hour before, sometimes rewarding myself for my promptness with a stress-free beer in a waterfront bar overlooking the ship.
4. Not checking the fine print
I’ve been on some cruises where guests, while on board, have spent over double what they paid for the cruise, solely on food and drink. Even “all-inclusive” cruises are not always what they seem – sometimes only a narrow range of alcoholic drinks are included, and things like speciality restaurants cost extra.
If you want to set sail without worrying about too many extra costs, I’d recommend looking to the ultra-luxury likes of Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC), Silversea, Seabourn and Viking – all of which include drinks, speciality dining, Wi-Fi, gratuities and, in the case of RSSC, excursions in its fares.
Out of the mainstream lines, Marella Cruises is probably the best all-inclusive option: meals in the main dining room, drinks, flights, transfers and tips are included.
5. Presuming you can bring drinks on board
Think you’ve snared a brilliant bargain cruise to the Canaries for a fortnight? I met a couple who thought as much and planned to bring their own booze on board at each port to enjoy in their cabin, so as to keep costs down further.
Turns out, they’d booked their holiday at sea with P&O Cruises, which, like a lot of cruise lines, has strict alcohol policies. (The British cruise line permits passengers to embark with a bottle of wine or champagne, limited to one litre.)
Some other cruise companies may let you bring drinks on board as souvenirs, but they’ll be taken away and returned on disembarkation.
6. Picking the wrong cabin
Again, you might think you’ve bagged a great deal, only to realise, upon embarkation, that the cabin you’ve booked is essentially a windowless box.
Or, you might dream of blissful long lie-ins, but find your cabin is located right next to the engine room. My otherwise epic Antarctica cruise with Swan Hellenic was blighted by being right below the dance-floor and piano, with revellers’ late-night partying reverberating through my cabin.
There can be 15 (or even more) cabin types on one ship, each appealing to different needs – and budgets. Considering it will be your home at sea for the duration of your holiday, it’s an important decision to get right. To prevent mishaps, check the ship’s deck map or see our guide to choosing a cruise cabin.
7. Not checking the weather
Most cruises run according to seasonality. That said, you may still spot a sprinkling of ships cruising southern Europe in December, which, if you’re hoping for sun, might leave you seriously disappointed.
Similarly, there are Caribbean cruises on offer year-round. However, if you set sail during the off-season, from June to November, you might unlock lower prices and fewer crowds but there’s also the potential for rain and even hurricanes.
This is especially important when planning a longer voyage that may cruise through large regions, as different areas may be affected by microclimates. For example, in Indonesia, Raja Ampat and the Maluku (or Spice) Islands are best visited during the monsoon season, typically from October to April, yet outside of this time, conditions are optimal for the Komodo Islands.
8. Wasting money on unnecessary Wi-Fi packages
Yes, many cruise lines do provide complimentary Wi-Fi these days, especially the luxury ones. However, those that offer tiered Wi-Fi packages with separate charges vary in quality and speed. If you’re not going to be streaming movies and instead simply sending a few emails, you probably don’t need the top package.
And make sure your roaming never latches on to the ship’s satellite comms – I did this once, and it cost me an eye-watering £300.
9. Not buying adequate travel insurance
Cruise travel insurance is often an optional add-on to a standard travel policy, which covers medical care, cancellation and lost luggage. It’s designed to cover the peculiar realities of life at sea, whether that’s missing the vessel in port, having your itinerary changed mid-voyage, being confined to your cabin or being helicoptered off in an emergency.
As with any travel insurance, it is best to secure your policy as soon as you book your trip. Insurance companies do due diligence, so you want to be watertight.
10. Presuming you won’t get seasick
I’ve seen veteran cruise passengers green around the gills after declaring the ill-fated phrase “I don’t get seasick”, so even for the most confident seafarer, don’t forget to pack a travel sickness tablet before you set sail.