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 Captain’s
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.