Tips for booking a first time Cruise!

With the advent of booking online has made access to booking travel easy. One area that I would suggest to talk to a Travel Agent is when you are booking your first cruise. The first thing that people want is a deal, but a deal doesn’t mean the best cabin. You can go online and research tips on how to book your first cruise, but the first thing you should always have ready is your passport! Having your passport is going to make the process of boarding very easy. You can travel with a Driver license or ID with birth certificate if you are a US citizen for a certain cruise, but the check-in process will be longer. Having a passport makes things easy!

The next step is to figure out your destination. In the US we have sailings that leave from US ports. If you are on the West Coast the top destinations are Alaska, and Mexico. If on the East Coast you have the Caribbean, Canada and transatlantic from New York. Then you have sailings from Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, South America. You can find sailings from all over the globe.?

Next step is pricing. When you go online and see a rate that states starting from, it doesn’t include taxes, beverage packages, travel insurance, air and shore excursions or any pre and post stays. Certain cruise lines like Viking Cruises do offer all inclusive sailings. The starting price is an Inside Cabin if you never cruise, what does that mean? Means you have no view. Certain Cruise lines offer virtual views. The next category is Ocean view which can be a port hole or a window and the next category is Balconies. Certain sailing don’t offer balconies depending on what part of the world you are traveling.?

Once you choose your price range budget then it's the cabin location. Cabin location is important for many reasons. If you get motion sickness it is best to be midship and toward the back. If you are not then any cabin works. Next check the cruise line deck plans. You don’t want to be below the busy area of the ships in regards to the cabin or next? to the elevators.?

It’s important to get the advice of a Travel Agent that can help you make the decision on the best cabin location and also know that Cruises are booked years in advance and you can get a good cabin position by just making a deposit. Also, many of the cruise lines are doing everything online and your travel agent can guide you and also help you understand travel restrictions requirements. If you are in the Bay Area and are planning to book your next Cruise you can contact me.?

The more you know will help you to have a great cruise vacation!