Tackling the topic of how to book a cruise for the first time has always been somewhat daunting, with a dizzying assortment of itineraries, companies, destinations, and ships to choose from. It’s even more so in the wake of the pandemic: cruise lines garnered mass media coverage as the CDC suspended operations for the industry beginning spring 2020. Now, cruising is re-emerging, reconfigured and ready to tackle new ways of taking to the water.
With this in mind, how can first-timers book a cruise without going wrong? We asked three Traveler-approved experts for their seasoned advice. Carolyn Spencer Brown is Cruise Media’s Chief Content Officer and an industry stalwart, while Doug Parker, of Cruise Radio, leads one of the best podcasts covering the business. Tom Baker has been recognized as one of our top travel specialists, and runs one of the best cruise-focused travel agencies in the U.S. Here’s what they had to say.
The ideal cruise length for a first-timer
A week or so is the sweet spot for most first-time cruisers, which will offer two or three ports. Three-day sampler itineraries won’t allow you to explore more than one destination, and you can’t decompress as thoroughly, either. Trips that are 10 days or longer, on the other hand, skew heavily toward retirees, and others less reliant on vacation allowances for every day they’re not checking emails. If you’re truly a newbie, says Parker, book a day out on a boat at a local lake first, just to make sure you’re not overly prone to seasickness.
The best way to book a cruise
Sure, you can book a cruise online—but it’s a rookie mistake. Smart cruisers always rely on a travel agent. Though agents’ roles have diminished in the mass-market travel biz, they remain crucial for cruising. Not only can specialists offer seasoned advice, but they can also wrangle deals and promos: ask them about shipboard credit, which is the ocean equivalent of a gift card to spend onboard—$100 or so is a standard bonus.
As the industry reinvents itself in the wake of the pandemic, it’s never been more important to have expert counsel, says Brown. “At the end of the day, you’re going on this trip to relax, have fun, learn something, and get away from your everyday world. I want that support system.”
Veteran agent Baker says he’s as much a medical PA as a travel pro, having created documents for each cruise line’s COVID-19 protocols that he always sends to clients mulling a booking. “I’m not a physician, but I’m brutally honest upfront about the requirements, so we can talk about them,” he says.
Parker emphasizes that you’re not paying agents’ wages, either, or a surcharge for their expertise. “They make their commission from the cruise lines,” he says. “I book everything that way, and I’ve never paid a dime extra.”
The best time to book a cruise
If you're looking to leverage new cruise deals, consider joining the first phase of rebooted sailings. “They have lots of space, have to start from scratch, and can’t fill the ships up to the brim otherwise,” says Spencer Brown. For 2022 and 2023, she notes, prices are robust. “There’s so much pent-up demand. People haven’t traveled for a year, so they’re spending more money on the trips they’re going on—upgrading to a nicer suite, perhaps.”