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csma Cruise Club guide to cruising

Not sure which cruise company to travel with?

If you're new to cruising it can be a little daunting trying to decide where to start in your search for your holiday on the sea. Or perhaps you've cruised before and you're looking for something a little different. With so much choice, not just in where cruise ships can take you, it is important to base your decision on a sound understanding on what to expect from your holiday. There is no such thing as "best cruise line" or "best ship" as it really is a personal choice and a perfect ship for one person can be another's worst nightmare.

The following guide provides an un-biased view on these important factors which we hope will help you choose the cruise that is right for you.

Size of ship

Cruise lines most popular with csma members are generally either mid-size or large ships. Choose a mid size ship (500-1,000 passengers) for a more intimate atmosphere with some entertainment and a basic range of facilities. You are likely to get to know a good number of passengers and perhaps make new friends on board particularly if you are cruising for more than 1 week. Mid-size ships benefit from being able to penetrate more remote environments such as the Norwegian Fjords. A down-side is that they can be a little less stable than their larger counter-parts making turbulent seas a little less welcoming.

Large ships (over 1,000 passengers) appeal to those that enjoy big city lifestyle and feel comfortable in a busier environment. Facilities will generally be more varied and you are likely to find a more lively atmosphere on board with a wide choice of entertainment. Large ships can provide more steady sailing by being able to tolerate rougher weather compared to smaller ships.

Duration of cruise

Today's cruises can offer you anything from short "taster cruises" (from 1 to 5 nights) through to round the world voyages often taking 3 months or more. The most common durations are either 7 or 14 nights. Some cruise lines will repeat the cuisine and entertainment programme during the second week although the ports of call will be different. Certain cruise lines such as Ocean Village and Island, both based in Mallorca offer cruise and stay packages where you can combine a week's cruise on the Mediterranean with a week on the beach in Mallorca meaning you benefit from only paying for one return air fare. Cruise and stay holidays are also popular in the U.S. with many people choosing to combine a holiday in Florida with a Caribbean cruise.

UK departure versus "fly-cruise"

As an island we are blessed with a wider choice of departure ports than most other countries. Many of the cruise lines shown below offer UK departing cruises although some are solely from Southampton. Discounted or free travel by coach from a range of local pick up points is usually offered as part of the deal. The broadest choice of UK ports is available from Travelscope and Fred. Olsen. The up-side of UK port departures are obvious in terms of cost as no air fares are included. As well as avoiding the compulsory taxes added nowadays to flights, you also avoid the whole airport experience which can be rather stressful and often not the best way to start a relaxing cruise based holiday. The down-side is that you are limiting the destinations that you can reach and that you are mainly restricted to April - September departures. The most popular itineraries are round the UK, Norwegian Fjords, the Baltic Sea, Iceland and Greenland, Canaries, North Africa and the Mediterranean. A regular transatlantic service to New York is serviced by Cunard's QM2 from Southampton and at the beginning and end of the European cruise season you can usually find one-off "re-positioning" cruises operated by a number of cruise lines between European waters and the Caribbean. Nowadays you can cruise almost anywhere in the world. The most popular fly-cruise destinations for UK passengers include the Caribbean (great in the winter time), Alaska and the Red Sea. Cruising here will involve a flight to the departure port and a return flight sometimes from a different destination.

Cabin type - how much to spend

You want to feel at home when at sea. It is therefore important to choose the right accommodation for your needs. Cabins are like miniature hotel rooms and provide more or less the same facilities, except space. The higher grade cabins may include a bath but most will provide only a shower. Unlike hotels, most cruise lines will assign you a specific cabin number upon a deposit being received. Your room can therefore be checked in terms of location on a ship map found in the cruise line's brochure or on-line. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. The prices you see advertised will, unless stated otherwise be for the basic lead-in cabin based on maximum occupancy. The lowest price cabins are generally found on the lowest decks, perhaps with some engine noise and in all cases be an "Inside" - a cabin without windows. An "Outside" cabin is recommended for first-time cruisers as you more easily able to orientate yourself, gauge weather and the time of day. Cabins in the centre of the ship are more stable and tend to be noise and vibration free. Generally speaking the higher up the ship you go, the more natural light you receive and the closer to the middle of the ship the cabin is, the more you will pay.

Obviously size is a determining factor and if you choose a cabin with a balcony, which is becoming increasingly popular, a further price premium will be charged. Some cruise lines (such as Travelscope) will base their lowest prices on 3 or 4 people sharing a cabin (where bunk beds or "berths" are used) but most cruise lines use 2 sharing as their lead-in price. Suites are the most luxurious and spacious of all shipboard accommodation and sometimes come with butler service. These are generally located on the highest decks and in the quietest area of the ship. Most cruise lines will offer some sort of preferential treatment such as separate check-in and priority dis-embarkation to those passengers paying the premium for Suite accommodation. Above all, you should choose the highest grade cabin you can afford and check with the cruise company reservation staff their own recommendation before booking.

Extras on board

Traditionally cruises have been sold as an "all inclusive" product. This is however a little mis-leading. Generally speaking accommodation, food, entertainment, most facilities and flights (for fly-cruises) are included in the price. The extras to take into account are drinks, shore excursions and optional facilities available on board such as spa treatments, hairdressers, photographs and in most cases, tips to staff. With each excursion averaging around £50 per person and tips for a 7 night cruise totalling around £70 per couple it is important to budget for these "extras" when choosing your cruise. Many ships now offer upgraded dining options as an alternative to the main dining room for which a premium of approximately £15 per person applies. Expect to find a quieter and more intimate environment, superior service and generally higher standard of food in such premium facilities.

Dress code

Many cruise lines have a more relaxed attitude towards formal dress than in the early days of cruising. If you wish, on many cruise lines you will be most welcome to continue to dress formally for the "formal" evenings but it is not compulsory. The vast majority of those on board will be casual during the day and will dress more smartly in the evenings - sometimes gentlemen may wear ties, but a smart casual choice is quite acceptable. Some of the more modern cruise lines positively discourage formality to attract a different type of cruiser and are anxious to dispel the stereo-typical view of cruising. It is best to ask when you are checking availability to be sure what dress code is expected. Use the guide below to help you in the first instance.

Access and mobility

By the very nature of taking a cruise, it requires transporting one-self on and off ships. It is therefore vital that you consider your own (and others you are travelling with) physical mobility before embarking on such a holiday. Each cruise line will expect you to be honest when asking you about any mobility issues you may have as they need to ensure their ship can meet your expectations. Cruise lines will have their own rules on what passengers they are able to carry and those that they cannot and this is often governed by the facilities on board for the less mobile such as specially adapted cabins. For example, at most ports where the ship can dock, access to shore is often by the ship's brow (a short gangway that is often level with, or just above the quayside). However, at ports where a large tidal range is experienced it may become necessary to use the ship's accommodation ladder (a narrow gangway which pivots to take account of the tide). Due to the height and length of the accommodation ladder, if any passenger using a wheelchair is not sufficiently able to walk with assistance from their companion or, if necessary, from a crew member, it may not be possible to go ashore. This could obviously affect the enjoyment of a cruise. At ports where the ship is unable to dock alongside the berth, passengers are usually taken ashore by the ship's launches or tenders. Crew members are not permitted to lift wheelchair confined passengers into launches. So unless passengers are able to bear their own weight in order to step in and out of the launches with assistance from their companion, passengers will be unable to travel ashore by launch. In cases where passengers using wheelchairs are able to go ashore by launch or accommodation ladder, the cruise line will usually transfer the wheelchair into the launch or onto the quayside. The passenger's companion will usually be responsible for dismantling and assembling the wheelchair. We would encourage you to carefully consider the issues above when choosing your cruise.