What to
Expect - My First Cruise Experience
By John Gibb
Some years ago my wife and I decided to take a cruise. We headed
for Southampton to join our cruise ship, weighed down with luggage.
(Why do women take twice as much as men?) Not knowing what to
expect, we arrived at the terminal whereupon our cases were taken
from us and firmly assured that they would be sent to our cabin. We
checked in with one of the many assistants, boarded the ship and
that would be it.
As this was our first cruise, we had been advised to choose an
outside cabin which had natural light coming through the 2
portholes in our cabin. (See inside or outside). Once we boarded,
we were escorted to our cabin by one of the many cabin
stewards.
Our luggage had
not yet arrived so we decided to wander around the ship to get our
bearings. This is always well worth doing as this also helps to get
a feeling for the ship and its luxurious surroundings. We had also
been advised that we would have to attend a lifeboat drill just
after departure that was mandatory.
We wandered back to our cabin to find our luggage had arrived and
proceeded to unpack. Yet again my wife managed to take most of the
wardrobe space, although space in cabins has increased
significantly since our first cruise. The cabin also had a TV, and
private facilities that were more than adequate.
The ships alarm sounded and we made our way with life jacket to our
muster station, generally shown on the rear of your cabin door.
Once finished, we could sit back and totally relax.
The ship had lots to offer with two swimming pools, a casino with
Black Jack and Roulette, a card room, show lounge which also
doubled up to give advice on forthcoming ports of call and the
excursions available, plus a well stocked library.
A misconception of cruising is that it is solely for the elderly.
This is far from the truth with many younger couples and even
families on board. There are also clubs and meetings for single
travelers.
Our first port of call was La Corunna and we arrived one and a half
days after departure. We arrived early in the morning which gave us
the whole day to explore the Atlantic City. Others had taken the
full or half day excursion that are bookable on board. (Prices vary
according to content but as a guide 25 for a half day and 45 for a
full day excursion.) Our cruise took us on to a number of ports
including Lisbon, Cadiz, Casablanca, Tenerife and Madeira.
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1st Cruise Holiday Tip
Once you have decided on your excursions try and book these as
early as possible as many are on a limited basis and it is easy to
miss out on the best excursions.
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Food on board is a major plus and what you would expect from a
floating hotel. Breakfast and lunch can either be taken in one of
the ships main restaurants or in the open air around the outdoor
swimming pool .On board our 3 star ship, the dress code alternated
between, formal with dinner jackets and cocktail dresses to
informal and casual, although no dress code is compulsory. (If you
do not possess a dinner suit, these can be hired on board most
ships, although a suit and tie will suffice in most cases.) The
food is varied from vegetarian dishes to roast sirloin of beef,
from sticky toffee pudding to passion fruit salad. The problem is,
not knowing when to stop. If at the end of the day you are still
hungry, you can always participate in the midnight buffet, before
you wake up and it starts all over again. There was also a range of
good wines to suit all tastes, and all drinks are very reasonably
priced. (The house red was of a high standard and very good
value.)
Life on board is so relaxed and you can either join in all the
activity or sit back and watch the world go by. Information came
via a daily bulletin with a full timetable of events, weather
forecasts and special offers in the many shops on board.
The captain and officers are regularly seen throughout the ship and
this commences early in the cruise with The Captains welcome
cocktail party. This generally happens on the first formal night
where you are introduced to the captain, and have the pleasure of
having your photo taken with him. This ceremony happens again all
too soon at the captains farewell party. (If you are lucky you may
be invited to dine with the captain one evening.)
Our cruise holiday had gone all too soon when we pulled back in to
Southampton. The previous 14 days had been the perfect antidote to
the dull grey weather of Good Old England. Some of the passengers
on our 14 day adventure became friends who to this day remain in
touch. It is certainly a most wonderful way to relax and it
transformed my life completely.
I entered the cruise business shortly afterwards and since my first
cruise with Fred.Olsen, I have had the pleasure of cruising with P
& O, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Festival, Star Clippers,
Holland America, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Orient Lines.
In addition I have visited ships from Thomson, Island Cruise Line,
Cunard, Discovery Cruises and Costa Cruises.
Our team at 1st Cruise Holidays have a wealth of knowledge and like
myself will help where possible to ensure that the cruise you
choose is right for you and will I am sure, like many others become
a frequent cruiser.
About
the Author
Since enjoying
his first cruise, John Gibb now works in the Cruise industry,
helping new cruisers have enjoyable experiences. First Time
Cruiser? Click for More Info
www.1stcruiseholidays.co.uk
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