Cruises can make for a relaxed break, even if you are a first-time solo traveller.
But there’s a lot to work out before you book. Get your choices right and you’ll create memories that last for years.
Faced with a sea of choices (ahem!), it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
I’ve clocked up more than half a dozen cruises now. Here’s what I’d tell myself before planning the first one.
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1. Decide how long you want to cruise for
Cruises range from a few days to entire round-the-world voyages lasting hundreds of nights.
For a first cruise, a two-week trip can feel like a gamble. A six or seven-day cruise is usually a safer starting point. It gives you two or three ports and a good sense of what cruising is actually like.
If you’d rather test the water first, look at a two or three-day cruise. From Southampton, you can cross the Channel to Zeebrugge for Bruges or Le Havre for Paris. From Piraeus near Athens, Celestyal runs a range of short itineraries.
2. Work out your budget and your cruise line
Unless you’re one of the lucky few, budget will shape most of your decisions.
One analysis put the daily cost of cruising at $286, of which $194 is the ticket price and $82 is onboard spend. However, as many factors affect the final price, I would take this estimate with a liberal pinch of salt.
Here’s what pushes the price up or down.
Cruise line
Like hotels, you pay for the level of service you want. Cruise lines fall roughly into three tiers.
- Mass market: MSC, Carnival, Costa and Royal Caribbean. A wide range of activities at a broad price point.
- Premium: Celebrity, Princess and Holland America (HAL). A more elevated experience and better dining.
- Luxury: Seabourn and Silversea. Smaller ships and personalised service.
Beyond price, ask yourself what matters more: a well-appointed ship, or the destinations themselves. Some lines put their energy into the onboard experience. Others focus on getting you to interesting places.
For a European feel, try MSC (they are the Eurovision of cruise lines). I did an Adriatic Sea cruise with them. If a West End or Broadway-style show on board matters to you, Royal Caribbean or NCL are a safe bet. For a good time with a touch of class, look at Celebrity.
Age group matters too.
A longer cruise during term time tends to attract older passengers, as do lines such as HAL, Fred Olsen and Saga. Sailings during school holidays fill with families.
If you’d rather avoid children, cruise during term time or pick an adult-only ship (Virgin Voyages’ ships are adult-only). Carnival and Costa tend to draw a younger crowd.
Cabin type and occupancy
Unsurprisingly, suites are more expensive than interior cabins. You will also pay a premium for an unobstructed view, a larger cabin and that cabin’s location (deck and position).
Occupancy matters if you’re travelling solo, since most operators charge per cabin rather than per person. Some cruise lines offer single cabins , including NCL, P&O, Cunard, Fred Olsen, Saga and Cruise & Maritime. Even so, it’s still not a level playing field, with solo cabin fares run 125 to 160% higher than the per-person rate for a shared cabin.
Season and itinerary
Prices rise with demand. A Mediterranean cruise in summer costs more than the same itinerary in spring or autumn, when the weather is less predictable.
Repositioning cruises, when a ship moves from one region to another such as the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, can be good value. Expect more days at sea in return.
Ports also charge cruise lines a fee to dock. The more port-intensive your itinerary, the higher your fare is likely to be.
3. Look at the itinerary and research your destinations
When you are planning your first cruise, think about how many ports are included in the itinerary and how many days at sea there are.
Restless by nature, I find days at sea difficult. However, my veteran cruiser friend relishes them and adores repositioning cruises for that reason.
It’s horses for courses.
For me, it’s about balancing new places with rest. My ideal week would be four ports and three days at sea. What would yours be?
Where the ship berths matters too. In an ideal world, you will be able to jump off the ship and be right in the thick of things.
On my cruise of the Norwegian fjords, all four ports were in the centre of town. This meant I could walk off the ship and explore at my own pace. Perfect!
That’s not always the case.
On a Western Mediterranean cruise, the port for Rome is Civitavecchia, around 80km from the city. Getting into Rome by train can take up to 80 minutes, and you’re at the mercy of the local transport system. Miss the ship’s departure time, and reaching the next port is down to you.
This is where shore excursions come in.
They cost more, but the ship will wait for you if your return is delayed. For some people, that peace of mind is worth the extra cost. Independent operators also run excursions from cruise ports, often for less.
Independent operators also run excursions from cruise ports, often for less. When I visited St. Petersburg on a Baltic Sea cruise, I booked a two-day excursion with Alla Tours and was glad I did.
Cruise lines and port authorities often run shuttle buses to the town centre or nearby beaches, sometimes for free. Many don’t advertise this, so it’s worth checking online or asking on board.
Check how many tender ports are on your itinerary too. If a ship can’t dock, it anchors offshore and passengers are ferried in by smaller boats. This shouldn’t cause problems for most people, though it can be tricky if you have restricted mobility.
If a particular port is the reason you booked, keep your expectations in check. Cruise lines can’t guarantee they’ll stick to the advertised itinerary. Weather and operational issues can force a change.
This has happened to me twice.
On my first cruise to the Western Caribbean, Belize was dropped from the schedule because conditions were too rough for the tender.
On another sailing, P&O swapped Santander for Bilbao because the harbour wasn’t deep enough for the ship. I was thrilled, since it meant a visit to the Guggenheim. Not everyone on board felt the same way.
4. Choose your cabin carefully
You pay for what you get.
An inside cabin is the cheapest option. It’s smaller, with no natural light. If you’re only using it to sleep and change, that might suit you fine.
An outside cabin costs a little more and gives you a porthole or window.
I usually book a balcony cabin. It costs more again, but you get fresh air, the sound of the sea, and space for a coffee or a cheeky G&T outside
Top of the tree are suites, which usually have a separate living area from the bedroom. They’re larger, and service tends to be better too, sometimes including a butler.
Solo travellers now have more single cabin options than ever. It’s still worth checking whether one works out cheaper than a single occupancy booking in a standard cabin.
Think about how much time you’ll spend in your cabin most days. If your itinerary keeps you close to a port each day, a private balcony or suite won’t get much use.
Location on the ship matters as much as cabin type. Consider whether you want to be fore, aft or midship, and which deck suits you.
Check a cruise ship map before booking to rule out a poor spot. Avoid cabins opposite the launderette, near service areas, next to the lifts or bars, or underneath the public decks, unless you enjoy the sound of furniture being dragged above your head.
A stateroom category upgrade can bring useful perks. Concierge Class on Celebrity, for example, gives you priority embarkation and disembarkation, upgraded toiletries and a personal concierge.
I’ve written this guide to choosing your cruise ship cabin.
5. Consider a specialist cruise agent
Choosing a cabin can be exhausting, and it is one area where a specialist cruise agent can be worth their weight in gold.
They can often secure perks like upgrades, drinks packages or extra onboard credit. Their knowledge of ships, itineraries and cabins usually beats anything you’ll find online alone.
An independent traveller by nature, I resisted this for years, but finally caved in and used an agent when booking a Baltic Sea cruise. I never looked back.
6. Think about a package deal
Consider what happens if you miss your cruise departure because of a cancelled or delayed flight. It happens more often than you’d think, and I can share a few stories to illustrate this.
Several Canadian families embarking on a cruise from Hong Kong missed their departure as their flight from Toronto was delayed. They had to fly from Hong Kong to Hanoi and hire a mini-bus to take them to Halong Bay, the ship’s next port of call.
Then there was the British guy whose transatlantic flight to Rio was grounded because of the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland. Arriving later than planned in Brazil, he had to make his own way to catch up with the ship in Santos.
A package deal, with flights and cruise booked together, means the cruise line is more likely to help if your flight is delayed or cancelled. Book them separately, and reaching the next port, or losing your cruise, is down to you.
If you’d rather book flights yourself, check whether your travel insurance covers disrupted arrangements. Or build in a spare day and fly out early.
7. Book your cruise early
The early bird gets the best deal here. Time it right and cruising can work out as affordable luxury.
Booking 18 to 24 months ahead isn’t unusual for popular sailings, especially if you want a specific cabin on a specific date.
Some operators, particularly at the luxury end, give early bookers extra onboard credit, free flights or bundled packages.
Ready to plan your first cruise?
Planning a cruise can feel like a lot. Take it one step at a time and you’ll be sailing sooner than you think.
For more inspiration, here are some of my favourite cruises:
- Western Mediterranean Cruise: Essential Tips
- Baltic Capitals Cruise on Celebrity Silhouette: Review, Port Guides & Essential Tips
- Norwegian Fjords Cruise: Essential Tips, Review & Port Guides
- Highlights of a Western Caribbean Cruise
- The Ultimate Greek Islands & Adriatic Cruise Guide (on MSC Sinfonia)
And for a bit of inspiration before you book, curl up with these movies set on cruise ships.
Happy sailing!
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.
I need help l to book a ceuise to Mauritius from Durban . I would also need quatation, we are 10 adult pensioners my email nkelekr@gmail.com phone 0827151530. And the quatation to Portuguese island and Port Elizabeth I want to comapare prizes thanks
Good morning. I think that there has been a misunderstanding. The Flashpacker is not a cruise booking agent. Suggest that you try a local agent or online, cruisedirect.com for example. Good luck!