I haven't been to a cruise yet. but i have been diligently doing my research on cruising for the last 3 years. I already know how to deal with the expected and unexpected and am yet to step on a cruise ship!
To be fair I assume every travel agent has probably never been to the place they're helping YOU to go to. Why should I expect they've wanted to go to America or Japan?
I went to a travel agent where the booking clerk said they were cruise experts. They queried why I changed the date of a selected Mediterranean cruise because Lido cabins were not available quite where I wanted. I switched to a same itinerary, same cruise line a fortnight later and bagged the correct cabin. The lady dealing with me said she was getting married in the summer and for their honeymoon was going on a cruise. She said "When do you book the excursions?" which told me she had never cruised. Then she said "This will be my first cruise".
When we booked our first cruise back in 2005, I knew NOTHING about cruising, and there were very few sites online offering advice, so it was a step into the dark. Mercifully, after a lot of checking and comparing, we booked with Princess. Good choice! Since then we've been with numerous others companies-including Cunard-and the differences are pretty startling. I've got to say, the older I get, the more I like the formal ships. Perhaps it's because I've acquired more cufflinks and bow ties and want to use them.
Never done a cruise, but your videos are making me think about it! This was a very good video to do, because, as someone who has never cruised i had no idea there were so many differences.
I have a severe seasickness problem so I go to my doctor and get a patch. I apply it behind my ear, it's good for 3 days and if I am on a long cruise I get enough to last the whole cruise. They are perfect.
you more than likely already know why lol, but the reason for Magellan (and most of the original Carnival vessels) having those weirdly angled windows near the bow is because that was where the stage/theater was, and it was angled like a traditional...well...theater (with seating and whatnot leading down to the stage itself (also I wish the Marco had survived...she was pretty much the LAST vestige of a bygone era of "Soviet Cruising", even if she was WAY overdue for her retirement :( )
This video highlights what I feared most about cruising. It's one of the reasons besides being frugal (cheap) that I enrolled in your course. I sort of view ships as mobile hotel rooms within a mobile town going to stationary towns. Since I haven't cruised my knowledge was based on what friends or acquaintances told me and sales brochures. From this I was under the impression that all cruise lines were basically the same other than itineraries. Your course and video's almost from the very beginning informed that although cruising can be for everyone, it is important to a cruise line that both suits your esthetic and the ports you wish to visit. Ships are not like hotels. You just can't switch to the one across the street if the one you're booked on doesn't suit you. Things I would never of thought of prior to your course is that ship A makes port in X is actually in X. Another ship Y who makes port in X actually docks in Z, which is a two hour train or bus ride to and from X. However, in the itinerary it says both make port at X. Both ships have ten hours in port but one has ten hours in X, the other you have five hours at X and five hours of travel. This alone would affect your feelings about the cruise and the port. One thing about some travel agents is they'll book you on anything you think you want, but your lack of knowledge means you may be totally wrong in your assessment. However, many travel agents know little about the place you wish to go and how long it will take to get there. They will book whatever comes up first on screen. I almost never use travel agents for land/air travel, but at this point for a cruise, I'd want a travel agent who specializes in cruising to help me get the right cruise for me. What you don't know, you don't know.
YES!!!!!! This is exactly it. Thanks Jim. For anybody reading this and wondering about my course, it's everything I know about cruising in one place and you can find it here >> emmacruises.com/cruiseforless/ 😀💕
For a cruise on a smaller ship, I enjoy the experience but it definitely is different than a mid-size or mega-size cruise ship. What I really like about the smaller ship experience is that I find it to be more of a personal and relaxing experience with more opportunities to get to know both the passengers and the crew. Since the crew does not seem to be as overwhelmed by their roles, they seem to have more time and energy to interact with the passengers on a direct level. I really appreciate meeting people from around the world, so this is a key plus for the smaller ships. Thanks for the explanation of Tannoy. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know this company name! 😆
As a travel agent specializing in cruising, it behooves me to try as many lines, and ships, as possible (and besides, it's fun!) I suppose this means I may go on a cruise I don't like at some point, but so far I haven't. I am glad your friends did not give up on cruising. Do they come to you for advice now?
We cruised on cmv magellan to the Baltic and it was fabulous. We didn't feel the dress code was too formal at all my hubby just wore a normal suit and tie ( a bit of duress) on formal night but plenty didn't. However we did choose the cruise for specific reasons, the destinations and leaving from a local port! We knew the risks of the arranged dining but hit very lucky with fantastic table mates which really enhanced the holiday. It's the same with any holiday, you need to pick the area, hotel or resort that's right for you.
I’ve been on cruises with CMV , in fact I has one booked for the Baltic when they went bust .. I’ve also done Royal Carribean and various other more modern ships … I liked them all ! I tend to look at the itinerary and what’s best value for money as I prefer the destinations rather the the ship
We love the sea days. But I will say we do sail with NCL. The ship is more our holiday not necessary where it goes. My wife is disabled so sometimes going around different port can be hard for wheelchairs
My first cruise was in 1994 on the Carnival Sensation. We went with a large group and had a blast. It was also where I proposed to my wife of 26yrs now.
Smaller, English cruise lines can be great, as long as you know what to expect. Worth trying them if the deal is good. Just booked Fred Olsen’s ‘new’ ship Bolette for a 13 night cruise round trip Dover to Spain. They have much cheaper than usual, late saver prices until early October and I got it with only a 25% single supplement. It’s the best prices I’ve seen in the last few years!
I went on the Magellan in 2017 as my first cruise too. I was sailing solo so had an inside cabin but I fully enjoyed it. Yes the ship was tired and old but I spent a lot of time outside at the back reading and watching the sea go by. I've since sailed on the Queen Elizabeth and that's the ultimate contrast:) I believe Ambassador cruise line has been born from the ashes of Cruise and Maritime but I could be mistaken.
@@authunhx3129 Did she feel 60 years old? I guess she has been refurbished a number of times, but real age is often seeping through. I, myself loves old ships. A bit of a nostalgic remembering all the ships anchoring outside Åndalsnes, where I grew up.
@@rhkavli Yes. She was traditionally built, not the block design. Most was covered up but on the bottom decks, the watertight doors fitted to the bulkheads still had to be swung to shut them and there were small raised sections in the corridors where the structural beams were. I guess they'd be banned today as a trip hazard. We went to Andalsnes in March 2020 on Magellan. We were supposed to go on Astoria in November 2020, an even older ship. Astoria is most famous for her collision with the Andrea Doria in 1956 whilst Astoria was still known as the Stockholm.
My 1st cruise was my honey moon and besides for my new bride being sick, it was horrible. A smaller ship and we were at the very front of the ship in a “closet” cabin when all I knew of cruising was from the Love Boat. 10 years later we did an Alaskan cruise with Princess and have been hooked ever since.
An experience cruiser once told me to try to get a room in the middle of the boat and relatively lower deck. This area of the ship is least affected by the seas if they do get choppy
I'm sorry to hear about your friends first time cruise experience, but it's good they learned from that experience. As for being sea sick, I took my first cruise in 1986 on Carnival and it was a Carribean cruise, and I got sea sick on the way back to Miami as the whether and ocean was rough.
Hey Jeff, Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼 I'll definitely make a video about it in future. For now though, here are a few of my tips >> emmacruises.com/seasickness-tips/. Hope this helps! :)
Great video. We have booked our 1st cruise and we have done OK then as we are going with Royal Caribbean on a very large ship, not many sea days and only 7 nights. Plus we are mid ship with balcony. Fingers crossed we love it. Would love to see your seasick video as that's my main worry x
The cruise line, size of ship, itinerary, ratio of port-calls versus sea days, number of days… price point are all factors to consider. We did a cruise to Hawaii- return from San Diego- 17 days and there was a couple at out table who were on their first cruise…Well, the gentleman was seated at our table while his wife was sick in their room. He told us that she was not a fan of the motion of the ocean…and being out on the open seas. She suddenly realized that cruising was not for her. They disembarked in Hawaii. Lesson of the day: Take a shorter cruise on your first taste of cruising. Good one, Emma.
I am American, I like like small ship cruises. To me the worse cruise for a first timer is a weekend cruise (a three day cruise is awful if you are over 28 yo).
The Marco Polo which Emma mentioned was built in East Germany as a liner for the Soviet Union sailing the Leningrad to Montreal route. Full of character, a real sheer line, unlike some modern ships which just paint them on for effect, cambered decks, ice strengthened hull and the best aft decks I have seen on any cruise ship. But of course, you have to like old ships.
My first cruise was 3 days. I am claustrophobic and I wanted to see how I would handle it. It was a booze cruise from Long Beach to Ensanada. I knew that going in, and I went with a group of 100+. Considering everything, I decided I liked it enough to book my second cruise, a much more elegant cruise to Alaska. You gotta do your research.
I would say 4 days is the sweet spot for NEW cruisers. If they don't like it, they aren't "trapped" and miserable. If they do like it, then they can start going longer. Even on a short cruise they can get a feel for what they do and don't like about it and use it to guide their future cruise bookings.
I used to sell cruises and I always tried to get to know my customers so that I could recommend a cruise line that would fit them. I sometimes miss small cruise ships and have considered going on one of the older ships, but certainly not one from the 60's! I also love sea days, but I learned that on my first Royal Caribbean cruise in 1974. It's good to first try a cruise that's 50/50 sea days & ports, or at least 2 sea days out of a 7-day cruise, I think.
I have always cruised with Viking. As a solo traveller it fit me well. I just took a cruise with Celebrity through the Panama Canal. It was terrific. Now am looking at cruise lines where the fit is best. I get sea sick on a glass sea so I take meds each morning and night-all is well
I went on a Caribbean cruise back in 1985 on the Mardi Gra owned by Carnival Cruise Line.The ship was old built I believe in 1937 and had been restored. However, it wasn't fancy still had early 1960s decor,but there was entertainment and free food,and different port of calls.Had fun,and it was only for 7 days.
Yes, please! It was my biggest worry prior to my first cruise and still drives my room and itinerary choices. I'd love to try a fore balcony someday cuz that sounds awesome, or pay less by letting my cabin get chosen for me, or do a trans-ocean, etc., but not if I can't eat or sleep because of nausea. 😅 I know I get sick on smaller boats like ferries and my mum has gotten sick on a cruise so I'm just very wary. Any insight would be much appreciated! Thanks for all the great advice 🥰
This is definitely one of the reasons I subscribed here. I haven't been on a cruise yet, but making sure you talk to people who have is vital to booking the right cruise for you. A travel agent that hasn't been on a cruise shouldn't be booking anyone on them. Or at least learn about them more from those who have in their office, etc. Awesome info!! And a new word for me too....Tannoy. Haha.
Thanks for the nice video! I liked your new Celebrity Silhouette Video a lot, too. You are a very nice & charismatic person and I like your honest & down-to-earth cruise reviews! Keep 'em coming :-)
We did a CMV transatlantic cruise and we enjoyed it very much, the staff was very attentive and the food was very good and the itinerary was great. We are a very seasoned cruiser with over 80 of them and you have to choose a ship and cruise that will fit your interest.
Magellan and Astor both received low scores in Douglas Ward’s Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships guide. I hope your friends follow your advice and give it another go on an more modern ship.
Our first cruise was booked by a travel agent (Carlson Wagonlit as I remember) and the agent did an excellent job. That was how we got on QM2 in its inaugural sailing season and on its first voyage from Southampton to NYC. That was also my wife's first time out of the US/Canada so we also booked a week in London with a tour company. The value was phenomenal. No way we could have gotten everything for that price individually. Our second cruise was also a package deal with a different agent as we had moved. My wife has booked all our cruises since then herself just using the Internet and phone. It does pay to do research, though. I think you said that some people had booked a cruise and didn't realize there was a buffet and that the dining room and shows were included. Sad...
If they sailed the Astor, there’s a UA-cam channel Exploring the Unbeaten Path where they get to board the Astor in the Turkey breaking yard and did a tour. Really interestedly to see what it looks like just before scrapping.
Did 6 cruises with CMV and was due to go on the last sailing of the old lady, Astoria, built in Gothenburg in 1944. They were very much passive cruises, just sit down, be looked after and get taken to interesting places. My sister in law remarked, "sometimes you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a care home". Except, care homes are much more expensive, the food is not the best and just try to find the bar, impossible. Going on my first cruise with Marella tomorrow Emma. Booked after I saw your enjoyable videos.
I like the days at sea vs port visits. I love the gentle rocking of the ship and just watching the water go by. Never got seasick when I was in the US Navy even when we went through typhoons so no worries there. Port visits just seem like a hassle. Excursion planning, getting back to the ship on time, etc. Meanwhile, the ships themselves have so much to see and experience. I much prefer cargo ship cruising however. Less people, plenty of sea time. You eat with the officers and most have a small pool. Plenty of time to just relax, read, watch movies, whatever.
Tannoy is a British manufacturer of loudspeakers and one of the oldest in the world, I have a lovely set of Tannoy M3s for my home theatre system. Brits have a lot names for things that come from the best known manufacturer at the time the item was becoming popular, Hoovering, Sellotape, Biro, Perspex etc
Gosh Emma, it sounds like your friends didn't do any research into the type of cruise line they were cruising with. It's such a pity for them when it's so easy to just checkyour UA-cam for all the info. I'm researching for my own first cruise for next year or 2023 and as a very young at heart 41 year old I know I'll be looking for a fun, lively cruiseline that caters for couples amongst other demographics with loads of entertainment, great food, loads of relaxation etc. I don't mind busy and noisy places, I like to people watch and enjoy the buzz so I think RCCL or NCL is the way to go for me, once I can get a good fly cruise out of Ireland. Roll on!
I cruised on Oasis of the Seas last month. I took sneakers and sandals. I wore black jeans and cheap shirts to dinner. No carrying dress clothes and extra shoes. I took one sun dress which I wore over my bathing suit and it was also worn to lunch and dinner. It was great to not take too much clothes.
My first cruise was on the P&O Fairstar in 1991. The ship was old, even for that era. It started with 5 seadays, and there was not much to do on board back then but eat and sunbathe. No balcony cabins, and we had an inside 'berth' that you could not move in. I remember the morning we pulled into our first port, being SO glad to get off the ship! I had a nice time, but swore I'd never cruise again. Fortunately cruising changed. I still dont ever want to go on the mega ships, but Princess's Grand class is my best fit.
My first cruise was in 1991 on Regent Seven Seas, formal, assigned seating and time every night. The ship was so old it still had the bulk head doors down the corridors you had to step over. It didn't stop me from cruising, but I did learn how to pack smarter!
I haven't done a cruise, my wife and acquaintances have several times. I just can't see it being any more fun than drinking, eating and sight seeing on dry ground in St. Augustine. Florida. Still I enjoy your presentation, Thank you.
I was worried about boredomtoo, but there is much to be appreciated when you watch the land dissappear and all your stress and worries are still on that land! I have never been board on a cruise. #6 coming up in May.
Born in the 1950s, my vision of a cruise was being on a transoceanic trip, a classic style boat, with not much to do except relax, read, eat, and be at sea. Are there merchant marine based experiences that are closer to my 1960 vision here in the 21st century?
I truly enjoy your honest, forthright approach, but I'm a little disappointed this time that you seem to emphasize big, new ships. I've cruised on several older, less fancy ships--small ones with fewer amenities and activities--and loved every one. Each had superior food and service, interesting port visits, and fun activities on board. I hope you'll mention sometime in the future that the cruise is what you make it--and doesn't have to be the "latest and greatest"!
Hey Elinor, totally agree some of my favourite cruises (and my favourite ship ever) is pretty small. Around 2500 passengers is my favourite size. For my friends though, they wanted that big exciting ship. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Tannoy makes some very good hifi loudspeakers. They are famous for their innovative speaker that combines the woofer and tweeter into a single unit. I had never heard their name used as a descriptive noun and, furthermore, didn’t know that they made public address (PA) systems. I Love the English expressions of teh week!
Hahah!! I only just learnt it wasn't called that from my last video. At work we would always call it the tannoy, what else would you say instead? 'Emma, I need you to do an announcement on the _____?' Ha ha.
I recently booked a solo cruise on Celebrity Edge. But I feel I was fortunate and lucky as I did very little research about companies and ships prior to booking. In fact I started looking on a whim and 30 minutes later I was booked. However I did look at the star ratings and made my choice based on the 5.5 stars for Celebrity. Since that time I have done a deeper dive and have heard only fantastic feedback for this Ship. Not sure how cruising solo will turn out but I see in movies and TV shows of people traveling by themselves and thought I’d give it a go.
Former US Navy, once spent 8 months at sea without hitting a port, we only had one place to eat, the mess deck, and this was before email and cellphones, reading and listening to music and the ship played movies in the evenings. Sea days on a luxury cruise lIner? Not a problem. Also the more days at sea you the sooner you will get over your seasickness, not all Navy personnel are immune to seasickness, your body adjusts and adapts and it usually takes about 48 hours so if your still seasick after 48 hours it’s probably because you’re thinking about it too much.
Oddly enough I’ve never cruised but exploring a first cruise on the QM2 transatlantic. All sea days, very formal, no amusement park type rides. Perfect for us! Lol
Thank you for clearing up a question I’d always meant to research but it always slipped my mind: why do the British call the public address the tannoy? I knew that’s what you called the PA, but now I know why!
Must admit my least favourite cruise ship was QM 2 too formal for me and and not very good entertainment great kids club though .I prefer Royal carribean or P&O .
Our first cruise, if you can call it that was a DFDS mini break to the Hamburg Christmas Markets over 20yrs ago. Crossing the North Sea on a car ferry in December was something else, but what a laugh. I figured if we’d enjoyed that experience then we could handle anything. Best cruise to date was on the Pacific Princess from Sydney to Auckland via French Polynesia. Unforgettable!
First cruise was a 12 night P&O and although the sea was a bit rough on night one it never put me off , 2nd cruise the sea was worse but still loved it
My first two cruises were on the Dawn Princess. Loved it. As long as you wore a suit and tie that is okay. My next cruise is 11 nights from Freemantle to Sydney on Queen Elizabeth
CMV had an even older ship than 1965 - namely the Astoria built in 1948 as the SS Stockholm. It collidedwith the Italian flagship Andoria near New York in 1956 and sank it ! I sailed on her in 2006 as the Athena to Canada and New York. She was very unstable in rough weather and when I last saw her it appeared to have had a stern modification. It was small but beautiful with lots of mirrors, glass and marble. I can't imagine what life is like on the modern very large ships but expect a lot of queueing
Very disappointed in your posting this as Cruise and Maritime have not traded for over a year. They were a great little company and had many loyal and happy passengers.
Hey Geoffrey, absolutely, lots of people loved CMV (as I mentioned in the video) but for my friends, it just wasn't a good fit. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Hi Emma our first cruise was also on cruise Maritime to the fjords, we had a great time. The first night we ate in the MDR but we’re not impressive, next night my other half was not a hundred percent so I went to the buffet and it was really nice. We had a fantastic time if we were not on shore we were at the buffet in the stern admiring the scenery, it was only while waiting to disembark we found out that there were bars and entertainment below.
Really enjoy your channel. We were reluctant cruisers but decided we had to try. Was concerned about being stuck at see for many days. We chose a cruise to New Zealand from Sydney with 2 sea days each way, but port days for the rest of the trip. Radiance of the Seas was a great introduction to cruising as we had a balcony, who wouldn’t going to NZ and relatively small in passenger numbers.
Never heard of it being called a Tannoy, but the fact that it was the name after a big company does make sense. I took a gamble on my first cruise with Princess, possibly not my age group, but the relaxed style was perfect, personally I love the sea days... Something calming about looking at the water and hearing the sloshing noises as the ship pushes through it. Never got seasick... Well I have been once, it appeared after 1 hour journey on a norwegian ferry crossing in bad weather... Carts with plates were rolling with the ship and banging into the walls so I suppose it was expected.
I personally love cruising but it's definitely not for everyone. This is why I also stick to Princess. I'm curious about Royal Caribbean and Holland America as well as Cunard but I know that I like Princess so I stick with them but I can't cruise atm because of my cat (also ginger). I also love sea days.
I had pretty much the same situation with a work colleague who wanted to try cruising after I raved so much about it. But she chose the worst possible cruise for a first timer, a pre Christmas two nighter on P&O's Oceana. I don't think two nights can give a true impression of a cruise, they are two frenetic and often a bit boozy. Plus being December there was awful weather and my friend and her husband spent the whole first night throwing up in their bathroom. Me and my daughter were on it too, but knew a bit more what to expect. We were only bothered that the theatre show was cancelled because it was so rocky! Needless to say, she said it was her first and last cruise which is a shame because I know how fantastic it can be.
I cruised once and CMV because it allowed Irish people board in Cobh. Unfortunately the food was dire. The Indian cooks did great savory food but potatoes were badly cooked and they were unable to do anything sweet.
Oooo, that doesn't sound good. My friends didn't mention anything about the food (I think they liked it) but that doesn't sound great. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Hi Emma, just discovered your channel. I'm looking for a nice holiday for me (dad) and my 11 year old daughter. We've never been on a cruise before but something is drawing me towards a week sailing around the Med. Can you recommend something that will keep her entertained that won't break the bank please?
the only thing I would caution people about a sea day is go easy on the weed so smoke in small amounts if your someone that gets paranoid, I smoked some ditch weed and felt like jumping off the bar roof into the pool
Sorry if you mentioned this. But why did they not come to you for advice or let you know they were to book a cruise? A pity but part of leaning I guess. I think the cruise line you select is the biggest choice and the size of the ship second. My first cruise was 14 nights from Singapore to Sydney on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, which is pretty small to the new ships. I got an aft balcony room, in case I found the cruise boring. But turned out I loved it all and have been hooked most of the time since :)
Any holiday is what _you_ (the traveler) makes it! I’m gutted my Cunard transatlantic has just been cancelled. I actually cried at that as it will be 2023 before we can do that as we have lots of travel plans in place for 2022 and we don’t have an infinite amount of cash (New York to Southampton has gone up by 40% too) Just remember, only boring people get bored.
Hey Lewis, thank you. Nope! I picked the QM2 (I really want to do a transatlantic on her one day but not thre yet). I've been on Queen Victoria before and Elizabeth and Victoria are quite similar from memory. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Our first cruise was on the Magellan. In fact we did three cruises in a row on her. She was a great starter ship - I don't know that I would like to have started on a giant ship. We did six cruises with CMV and we enjoyed them all apart from one to Amsterdam and Ghent where we had rotten weather. There were balcony cabins on the Magellan but they were suites and expensive. We did have a few rough nights. We liked the Columbus better. We love formal nights. Our next cruise after that was on Queen Mary 2 where we really had to dress up. Since then we have only been on big ships - we were on the Iona last week. I do prefer bigger ships.
Used to love cruising , cruised for over 20 years , then made the mistake of booking a cruise on RCCL, from Cape Liberty NJ. Nearly ruined my life,. The sight of a cruise ship now makes me sick.
Think we shouldn't be afraid to admit mistakes- based on my past experiences I would avoid trips with lots of sea days & any risk of stormy weather, while I'd never use an agent again. Not everyone likes the large resort ships which can be overwhelming. Would agree that a 7 night fly cruise in the Med or Caribbean is a great intro for someone used to beach holidays.
I am about to go on an 8 night (7 day) cruise on carnival with 4 sea days and a 5th day that is a partial transit of the Panama Canal, so it is essentially 5 sea days. I am extremely excited for the Panama Canal and I’m also getting another country (Costa Rica). This will be my 14th cruise ever and my 12th on Carnival. I do agree, however, that first time cruisers should NEVER go on a cruise that has that many sea days.
I think our first was jewel of the seas? Brand new ship at the time and a short cruise! We were amazed at the time and it was fantastic! Got the bug and done about 12 cruises now! Iona next I hope, in November! 😎
Seems to me that with some decent Google-fu you can view ship layouts, room layouts, and the dress code for a particular ship/cruise, even before purchasing a ticket or getting on board. Research and some planning beforehand can make any vacation better.
That reminds me of this mother and daughter I came across a few years on my way home form work a few years ago. The bus i get on goes though a few different places one of which is a town that gets the odd cruise ship and they got on the bus they left the ship a day early because they didn’t like it and chose to fly back instead. Now I watched this they were on the wrong cruise for them
My question, when looking for cruise options, would be about the ship's decor. I like the delicate, vintage look. This sounds bad, but it's the best way to describe it...I liked the background in the movie Titanic. I don't know if you can still find elegance like that in a safe, modern cruise ship, but maybe there is one out there that comes close.
The fact that they used a travel agent who had NEVER BEEN ON A CRUISE before to book their VERY FIRST CRUISE is just bananas!!!
Yeah, I gather the person was very confident and keen to sell the cruise... of course. ha ha.
I suspect their first task will be to get a different travel agent.
I haven't been to a cruise yet. but i have been diligently doing my research on cruising for the last 3 years. I already know how to deal with the expected and unexpected and am yet to step on a cruise ship!
To be fair I assume every travel agent has probably never been to the place they're helping YOU to go to. Why should I expect they've wanted to go to America or Japan?
I went to a travel agent where the booking clerk said they were cruise experts. They queried why I changed the date of a selected Mediterranean cruise because Lido cabins were not available quite where I wanted. I switched to a same itinerary, same cruise line a fortnight later and bagged the correct cabin. The lady dealing with me said she was getting married in the summer and for their honeymoon was going on a cruise. She said "When do you book the excursions?" which told me she had never cruised. Then she said "This will be my first cruise".
When we booked our first cruise back in 2005, I knew NOTHING about cruising, and there were very few sites online offering advice, so it was a step into the dark. Mercifully, after a lot of checking and comparing, we booked with Princess. Good choice! Since then we've been with numerous others companies-including Cunard-and the differences are pretty startling. I've got to say, the older I get, the more I like the formal ships. Perhaps it's because I've acquired more cufflinks and bow ties and want to use them.
That is a good point!! Don't get to wear them much at home. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Never done a cruise, but your videos are making me think about it! This was a very good video to do, because, as someone who has never cruised i had no idea there were so many differences.
YES!!! This is exactly why I wanted to make this video. Thank you so much. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I have a severe seasickness problem so I go to my doctor and get a patch. I apply it behind my ear, it's good for 3 days and if I am on a long cruise I get enough to last the whole cruise. They are perfect.
I am so glad they tried again! As a travel advisor, it pains me to hear when people have gotten horrible advice from a so-called professional!
you more than likely already know why lol, but the reason for Magellan (and most of the original Carnival vessels) having those weirdly angled windows near the bow is because that was where the stage/theater was, and it was angled like a traditional...well...theater (with seating and whatnot leading down to the stage itself (also I wish the Marco had survived...she was pretty much the LAST vestige of a bygone era of "Soviet Cruising", even if she was WAY overdue for her retirement :( )
Oooo! I never knew that. That's amazing. Thats interesting 😮❤️
This video highlights what I feared most about cruising. It's one of the reasons besides being frugal (cheap) that I enrolled in your course. I sort of view ships as mobile hotel rooms within a mobile town going to stationary towns. Since I haven't cruised my knowledge was based on what friends or acquaintances told me and sales brochures. From this I was under the impression that all cruise lines were basically the same other than itineraries. Your course and video's almost from the very beginning informed that although cruising can be for everyone, it is important to a cruise line that both suits your esthetic and the ports you wish to visit. Ships are not like hotels. You just can't switch to the one across the street if the one you're booked on doesn't suit you. Things I would never of thought of prior to your course is that ship A makes port in X is actually in X. Another ship Y who makes port in X actually docks in Z, which is a two hour train or bus ride to and from X. However, in the itinerary it says both make port at X. Both ships have ten hours in port but one has ten hours in X, the other you have five hours at X and five hours of travel. This alone would affect your feelings about the cruise and the port.
One thing about some travel agents is they'll book you on anything you think you want, but your lack of knowledge means you may be totally wrong in your assessment. However, many travel agents know little about the place you wish to go and how long it will take to get there. They will book whatever comes up first on screen. I almost never use travel agents for land/air travel, but at this point for a cruise, I'd want a travel agent who specializes in cruising to help me get the right cruise for me.
What you don't know, you don't know.
YES!!!!!! This is exactly it. Thanks Jim. For anybody reading this and wondering about my course, it's everything I know about cruising in one place and you can find it here >> emmacruises.com/cruiseforless/ 😀💕
For a cruise on a smaller ship, I enjoy the experience but it definitely is different than a mid-size or mega-size cruise ship. What I really like about the smaller ship experience is that I find it to be more of a personal and relaxing experience with more opportunities to get to know both the passengers and the crew. Since the crew does not seem to be as overwhelmed by their roles, they seem to have more time and energy to interact with the passengers on a direct level. I really appreciate meeting people from around the world, so this is a key plus for the smaller ships. Thanks for the explanation of Tannoy. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know this company name! 😆
That is so true. Me neither!!!! I've just admitted I didn't know on the internet to everybody so it's okay. ;D Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Thanks for sharing! Would love to see a video about seasickness aboard cruise ships ⚓️
Yes! Me too.
Thanks guys, I will do. Maybe next week :D
As a travel agent specializing in cruising, it behooves me to try as many lines, and ships, as possible (and besides, it's fun!) I suppose this means I may go on a cruise I don't like at some point, but so far I haven't. I am glad your friends did not give up on cruising. Do they come to you for advice now?
Yes! Wish I had talked to them in time to steer them in another direction, but yeah. AGREED!!!!
agreed. Also a cruise consultant here. Havent found one I cant find some joy in, but as Ive said that I avoid ship that are older than 90s
We cruised on cmv magellan to the Baltic and it was fabulous. We didn't feel the dress code was too formal at all my hubby just wore a normal suit and tie ( a bit of duress) on formal night but plenty didn't. However we did choose the cruise for specific reasons, the destinations and leaving from a local port! We knew the risks of the arranged dining but hit very lucky with fantastic table mates which really enhanced the holiday. It's the same with any holiday, you need to pick the area, hotel or resort that's right for you.
Sounds good! 😁🥳 Thank you! 😁❤️
I’ve been on cruises with CMV , in fact I has one booked for the Baltic when they went bust .. I’ve also done Royal Carribean and various other more modern ships … I liked them all ! I tend to look at the itinerary and what’s best value for money as I prefer the destinations rather the the ship
Ooo yes, absolutely. I've never found a cruise I didn't like. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
We love the sea days. But I will say we do sail with NCL. The ship is more our holiday not necessary where it goes. My wife is disabled so sometimes going around different port can be hard for wheelchairs
Totally understand that, yep. I love NCL too. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
loveeeee NCL just got off the Encore
Waiting to fly to Rome to get on NCL and cruise back home, can't wait. November will be here soon
My first cruise was in 1994 on the Carnival Sensation. We went with a large group and had a blast. It was also where I proposed to my wife of 26yrs now.
Oooo!! That's amazing. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Enjoy these videos much more than live, which is much too long so I tend to skip them. Thanks for sharing.😎
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Smaller, English cruise lines can be great, as long as you know what to expect. Worth trying them if the deal is good. Just booked Fred Olsen’s ‘new’ ship Bolette for a 13 night cruise round trip Dover to Spain. They have much cheaper than usual, late saver prices until early October and I got it with only a 25% single supplement. It’s the best prices I’ve seen in the last few years!
Oooo!! That's amazing. They're loveeeeeeely ships though. That'll be amazing. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I went on the Magellan in 2017 as my first cruise too. I was sailing solo so had an inside cabin but I fully enjoyed it. Yes the ship was tired and old but I spent a lot of time outside at the back reading and watching the sea go by. I've since sailed on the Queen Elizabeth and that's the ultimate contrast:)
I believe Ambassador cruise line has been born from the ashes of Cruise and Maritime but I could be mistaken.
Marco Polo sailed until 2020?! Wow! I remember that ship from my childhood! And I'm 54!
Sailed on her in 2019, to Iceland.
@@authunhx3129 Did she feel 60 years old? I guess she has been refurbished a number of times, but real age is often seeping through. I, myself loves old ships. A bit of a nostalgic remembering all the ships anchoring outside Åndalsnes, where I grew up.
@@rhkavli Yes. She was traditionally built, not the block design. Most was covered up but on the bottom decks, the watertight doors fitted to the bulkheads still had to be swung to shut them and there were small raised sections in the corridors where the structural beams were. I guess they'd be banned today as a trip hazard.
We went to Andalsnes in March 2020 on Magellan. We were supposed to go on Astoria in November 2020, an even older ship. Astoria is most famous for her collision with the Andrea Doria in 1956 whilst Astoria was still known as the Stockholm.
Always good to be reminded to look for a ship and itinerary that are best for that person.
Yep yep, Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
My 1st cruise was my honey moon and besides for my new bride being sick, it was horrible. A smaller ship and we were at the very front of the ship in a “closet” cabin when all I knew of cruising was from the Love Boat. 10 years later we did an Alaskan cruise with Princess and have been hooked ever since.
Happy to hear you are "hooked" now. Also glad to see a fellow Texan watching Emma!
Yesss! Glad you were hooked in the end. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
@@debbichrissinger9764 I’m a Texan too! ❤️
An experience cruiser once told me to try to get a room in the middle of the boat and relatively lower deck.
This area of the ship is least affected by the seas if they do get choppy
@@penelopepitstop762 No one cares.
I'm sorry to hear about your friends first time cruise experience, but it's good they learned from that experience. As for being sea sick, I took my first cruise in 1986 on Carnival and it was a Carribean cruise, and I got sea sick on the way back to Miami as the whether and ocean was rough.
I love sea days! Next I want to do a repositioning cruise, the more sea days the better!
A video about sea sickness would be interesting. How do you overcome it? Treat it? Tips and tricks.
Hey Jeff, Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼 I'll definitely make a video about it in future. For now though, here are a few of my tips >> emmacruises.com/seasickness-tips/.
Hope this helps! :)
Drink alcohol.
I always watch video tours of ships before booking.
Great idea! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Great video. We have booked our 1st cruise and we have done OK then as we are going with Royal Caribbean on a very large ship, not many sea days and only 7 nights. Plus we are mid ship with balcony. Fingers crossed we love it. Would love to see your seasick video as that's my main worry x
Gotcha, will do.Thank you! 😁❤️
The cruise line, size of ship, itinerary, ratio of port-calls versus sea days, number of days… price point are all factors to consider. We did a cruise to Hawaii- return from San Diego- 17 days and there was a couple at out table who were on their first cruise…Well, the gentleman was seated at our table while his wife was sick in their room. He told us that she was not a fan of the motion of the ocean…and being out on the open seas. She suddenly realized that cruising was not for her. They disembarked in Hawaii. Lesson of the day: Take a shorter cruise on your first taste of cruising. Good one, Emma.
Great shots of my beloved little ASTOR...such a fun little ship.
We did a few trips on her out of Fremantle.
YEsss. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I am American, I like like small ship cruises.
To me the worse cruise for a first timer is a weekend cruise (a three day cruise is awful if you are over 28 yo).
The Marco Polo which Emma mentioned was built in East Germany as a liner for the Soviet Union sailing the Leningrad to Montreal route. Full of character, a real sheer line, unlike some modern ships which just paint them on for effect, cambered decks, ice strengthened hull and the best aft decks I have seen on any cruise ship.
But of course, you have to like old ships.
@@authunhx3129 I meant, most first timmers go on a Friday evening to Sunday afternoon as their first cruise.
My first cruise was 3 days. I am claustrophobic and I wanted to see how I would handle it. It was a booze cruise from Long Beach to Ensanada. I knew that going in, and I went with a group of 100+. Considering everything, I decided I liked it enough to book my second cruise, a much more elegant cruise to Alaska. You gotta do your research.
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I would say 4 days is the sweet spot for NEW cruisers. If they don't like it, they aren't "trapped" and miserable. If they do like it, then they can start going longer. Even on a short cruise they can get a feel for what they do and don't like about it and use it to guide their future cruise bookings.
I used to sell cruises and I always tried to get to know my customers so that I could recommend a cruise line that would fit them. I sometimes miss small cruise ships and have considered going on one of the older ships, but certainly not one from the 60's! I also love sea days, but I learned that on my first Royal Caribbean cruise in 1974. It's good to first try a cruise that's 50/50 sea days & ports, or at least 2 sea days out of a 7-day cruise, I think.
That sounds good! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I agree! I would rather support the local economy at a port
I have always cruised with Viking. As a solo traveller it fit me well. I just took a cruise with Celebrity through the Panama Canal. It was terrific. Now am looking at cruise lines where the fit is best. I get sea sick on a glass sea so I take meds each morning and night-all is well
If your friends had eaten more cookies at the buffet, maybe they would have enjoyed the cruise more haha
YEAH!! Maybe that's it. I didn't get any cookie reports at all :')
I went on a Caribbean cruise back in 1985 on the Mardi Gra owned by Carnival Cruise Line.The ship was old built I believe in 1937 and had been restored. However, it wasn't fancy still had early 1960s decor,but there was entertainment and free food,and different port of calls.Had fun,and it was only for 7 days.
A vid on sea sickness and cruising would be great. Many folks shy away for this single reason.
Will do! Thank you :-)
Yes, please! It was my biggest worry prior to my first cruise and still drives my room and itinerary choices. I'd love to try a fore balcony someday cuz that sounds awesome, or pay less by letting my cabin get chosen for me, or do a trans-ocean, etc., but not if I can't eat or sleep because of nausea. 😅 I know I get sick on smaller boats like ferries and my mum has gotten sick on a cruise so I'm just very wary. Any insight would be much appreciated! Thanks for all the great advice 🥰
Oh the old Holiday from Carnival. I cruised on that ship more than a decade ago! It’s in the scrap yard now.
This is definitely one of the reasons I subscribed here. I haven't been on a cruise yet, but making sure you talk to people who have is vital to booking the right cruise for you.
A travel agent that hasn't been on a cruise shouldn't be booking anyone on them. Or at least learn about them more from those who have in their office, etc.
Awesome info!! And a new word for me too....Tannoy. Haha.
Yesss!! Thank you. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Thanks for the nice video! I liked your new Celebrity Silhouette Video a lot, too. You are a very nice & charismatic person and I like your honest & down-to-earth cruise reviews! Keep 'em coming :-)
Thanks Alex, really appreciate that! 👍☺
We did a CMV transatlantic cruise and we enjoyed it very much, the staff was very attentive and the food was very good and the itinerary was great. We are a very seasoned cruiser with over 80 of them and you have to choose a ship and cruise that will fit your interest.
Yes! Exactly. So glad you enjoyed it.
Totally off topic - I love the world map you have in the background.
Magellan and Astor both received low scores in Douglas Ward’s Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships guide. I hope your friends follow your advice and give it another go on an more modern ship.
Our first cruise was booked by a travel agent (Carlson Wagonlit as I remember) and the agent did an excellent job. That was how we got on QM2 in its inaugural sailing season and on its first voyage from Southampton to NYC. That was also my wife's first time out of the US/Canada so we also booked a week in London with a tour company. The value was phenomenal. No way we could have gotten everything for that price individually. Our second cruise was also a package deal with a different agent as we had moved. My wife has booked all our cruises since then herself just using the Internet and phone. It does pay to do research, though. I think you said that some people had booked a cruise and didn't realize there was a buffet and that the dining room and shows were included. Sad...
If they sailed the Astor, there’s a UA-cam channel Exploring the Unbeaten Path where they get to board the Astor in the Turkey breaking yard and did a tour. Really interestedly to see what it looks like just before scrapping.
Did 6 cruises with CMV and was due to go on the last sailing of the old lady, Astoria, built in Gothenburg in 1944. They were very much passive cruises, just sit down, be looked after and get taken to interesting places. My sister in law remarked, "sometimes you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a care home".
Except, care homes are much more expensive, the food is not the best and just try to find the bar, impossible. Going on my first cruise with Marella tomorrow Emma. Booked after I saw your enjoyable videos.
Ha ha!! YES! Marella are great fun, have an amazing time. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I like the days at sea vs port visits. I love the gentle rocking of the ship and just watching the water go by. Never got seasick when I was in the US Navy even when we went through typhoons so no worries there. Port visits just seem like a hassle. Excursion planning, getting back to the ship on time, etc. Meanwhile, the ships themselves have so much to see and experience. I much prefer cargo ship cruising however. Less people, plenty of sea time. You eat with the officers and most have a small pool. Plenty of time to just relax, read, watch movies, whatever.
Tannoy is a British manufacturer of loudspeakers and one of the oldest in the world, I have a lovely set of Tannoy M3s for my home theatre system. Brits have a lot names for things that come from the best known manufacturer at the time the item was becoming popular, Hoovering, Sellotape, Biro, Perspex etc
It’s cool your friends gave it another shot. So many people book an old ship cruise and never give it another try.
Yeah! That was my fear. Glad they tried again. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Gosh Emma, it sounds like your friends didn't do any research into the type of cruise line they were cruising with. It's such a pity for them when it's so easy to just checkyour UA-cam for all the info. I'm researching for my own first cruise for next year or 2023 and as a very young at heart 41 year old I know I'll be looking for a fun, lively cruiseline that caters for couples amongst other demographics with loads of entertainment, great food, loads of relaxation etc. I don't mind busy and noisy places, I like to people watch and enjoy the buzz so I think RCCL or NCL is the way to go for me, once I can get a good fly cruise out of Ireland. Roll on!
Too bad. They must not have done any research at all. That's a shame since so much good information is available. Glad they finally had success.
Yeah! Totally. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I cruised on Oasis of the Seas last month. I took sneakers and sandals. I wore black jeans and cheap shirts to dinner. No carrying dress clothes and extra shoes. I took one sun dress which I wore over my bathing suit and it was also worn to lunch and dinner. It was great to not take too much clothes.
My first cruise was on the P&O Fairstar in 1991. The ship was old, even for that era. It started with 5 seadays, and there was not much to do on board back then but eat and sunbathe. No balcony cabins, and we had an inside 'berth' that you could not move in. I remember the morning we pulled into our first port, being SO glad to get off the ship! I had a nice time, but swore I'd never cruise again. Fortunately cruising changed. I still dont ever want to go on the mega ships, but Princess's Grand class is my best fit.
Yesss! Oh yes, love those ships. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
My first cruise was in 1991 on Regent Seven Seas, formal, assigned seating and time every night. The ship was so old it still had the bulk head doors down the corridors you had to step over. It didn't stop me from cruising, but I did learn how to pack smarter!
Blimey! That sounds like an adventure for sure. 😀💕
I hope your friends try a cruise again. Royal Caribbean is a really good ship I feel they might enjoy it
I haven't done a cruise, my wife and acquaintances have several times. I just can't see it being any more fun than drinking, eating and sight seeing on dry ground in St. Augustine. Florida. Still I enjoy your presentation, Thank you.
@@chriswilliams6568 Thank you, my current style is Dry Land.
Haha, that's fair enough! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I was worried about boredomtoo, but there is much to be appreciated when you watch the land dissappear and all your stress and worries are still on that land! I have never been board on a cruise. #6 coming up in May.
Born in the 1950s, my vision of a cruise was being on a transoceanic trip, a classic style boat, with not much to do except relax, read, eat, and be at sea. Are there merchant marine based experiences that are closer to my 1960 vision here in the 21st century?
I would love to spend 2 weeks on a just see days cruise with my favorite Aida Nova cruise ship. 🙈
Thank you for your good advice.
I truly enjoy your honest, forthright approach, but I'm a little disappointed this time that you seem to emphasize big, new ships. I've cruised on several older, less fancy ships--small ones with fewer amenities and activities--and loved every one. Each had superior food and service, interesting port visits, and fun activities on board. I hope you'll mention sometime in the future that the cruise is what you make it--and doesn't have to be the "latest and greatest"!
Hey Elinor, totally agree some of my favourite cruises (and my favourite ship ever) is pretty small. Around 2500 passengers is my favourite size. For my friends though, they wanted that big exciting ship. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Tannoy makes some very good hifi loudspeakers. They are famous for their innovative speaker that combines the woofer and tweeter into a single unit. I had never heard their name used as a descriptive noun and, furthermore, didn’t know that they made public address (PA) systems. I Love the English expressions of teh week!
Yay, glad you do. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I would really like to see the video on sea sickness.
This video gave me a different perspective on cruise ships.
Lived in England for 9 years, and I never heard of Tannoy. LOL. Learn something new everyday.
Hahah!! I only just learnt it wasn't called that from my last video. At work we would always call it the tannoy, what else would you say instead? 'Emma, I need you to do an announcement on the _____?' Ha ha.
@@EmmaCruises we would say “Loudspeaker”. I’m not sure if there are any other words we would use. Good question.
"Make an announcement on the overhead (speaker)"
@@jacquelyns9709 OH yeah. I forgot about that one.
@@EmmaCruises we call it the "PA system" - Public Address
I recently booked a solo cruise on Celebrity Edge. But I feel I was fortunate and lucky as I did very little research about companies and ships prior to booking. In fact I started looking on a whim and 30 minutes later I was booked. However I did look at the star ratings and made my choice based on the 5.5 stars for Celebrity. Since that time I have done a deeper dive and have heard only fantastic feedback for this Ship. Not sure how cruising solo will turn out but I see in movies and TV shows of people traveling by themselves and thought I’d give it a go.
Oooo!!! I think that's a great choice for Solo's, the new Celebrity ships look AWESOME. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
BTW I learned about the Tannoy reading Ian Fleming's James Bond books.
Oooo that's cool! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Former US Navy, once spent 8 months at sea without hitting a port, we only had one place to eat, the mess deck, and this was before email and cellphones, reading and listening to music and the ship played movies in the evenings. Sea days on a luxury cruise lIner? Not a problem. Also the more days at sea you the sooner you will get over your seasickness, not all Navy personnel are immune to seasickness, your body adjusts and adapts and it usually takes about 48 hours so if your still seasick after 48 hours it’s probably because you’re thinking about it too much.
In Australia your Tannoy is called a Squawk Box.
Oddly enough I’ve never cruised but exploring a first cruise on the QM2 transatlantic. All sea days, very formal, no amusement park type rides. Perfect for us! Lol
Ooo, yes! If you know that's what you'd like, go for it absolutely. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Love doing tannoy announcements.
Thank you for clearing up a question I’d always meant to research but it always slipped my mind: why do the British call the public address the tannoy? I knew that’s what you called the PA, but now I know why!
Yay 😀❤️ Thanks for watching! 🥳👏🏼
I heard you say another British-ism! “It’s not the done thing.” First time I heard that was on Bluey and second time was on this video! 😂
Really?! Adding it to my list! ha ha.
6:17 my first cruise will be 7 nights, but if i had the money i would immediately take the 120 days world cruise 😁😁
Must admit my least favourite cruise ship was QM 2 too formal for me and and not very good entertainment great kids club though .I prefer Royal carribean or P&O .
Ooo yeah that's totally fair enough. Not for everybody. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Our first cruise, if you can call it that was a DFDS mini break to the Hamburg Christmas Markets over 20yrs ago. Crossing the North Sea on a car ferry in December was something else, but what a laugh. I figured if we’d enjoyed that experience then we could handle anything.
Best cruise to date was on the Pacific Princess from Sydney to Auckland via French Polynesia. Unforgettable!
Ha ha!! Wow. Goodness that sounds INCREDIBLE. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
First cruise was a 12 night P&O and although the sea was a bit rough on night one it never put me off , 2nd cruise the sea was worse but still loved it
My first two cruises were on the Dawn Princess. Loved it. As long as you wore a suit and tie that is okay. My next cruise is 11 nights from Freemantle to Sydney on Queen Elizabeth
That sounds AWESOME!!! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
CMV had an even older ship than 1965 - namely the Astoria built in 1948 as the SS Stockholm. It collidedwith the Italian flagship Andoria near New York in 1956 and sank it ! I sailed on her in 2006 as the Athena to Canada and New York.
She was very unstable in rough weather and when I last saw her it appeared to have had a stern modification. It was small but beautiful with lots of mirrors, glass and marble. I can't imagine what life is like on the modern very large ships but expect a lot of queueing
Yessss! I remember Astoria, Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Very disappointed in your posting this as Cruise and Maritime have not traded for over a year. They were a great little company and had many loyal and happy passengers.
Hey Geoffrey, absolutely, lots of people loved CMV (as I mentioned in the video) but for my friends, it just wasn't a good fit. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Hi Emma our first cruise was also on cruise Maritime to the fjords, we had a great time. The first night we ate in the MDR but we’re not impressive, next night my other half was not a hundred percent so I went to the buffet and it was really nice. We had a fantastic time if we were not on shore we were at the buffet in the stern admiring the scenery, it was only while waiting to disembark we found out that there were bars and entertainment below.
Oh wow haha!
@@EmmaCruises life is what you make it
Really enjoy your channel. We were reluctant cruisers but decided we had to try. Was concerned about being stuck at see for many days. We chose a cruise to New Zealand from Sydney with 2 sea days each way, but port days for the rest of the trip. Radiance of the Seas was a great introduction to cruising as we had a balcony, who wouldn’t going to NZ and relatively small in passenger numbers.
That sounds like a great one to start with, those ships are great I love them. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Ive never been on a cruise but dramamine would be a must
Never heard of it being called a Tannoy, but the fact that it was the name after a big company does make sense.
I took a gamble on my first cruise with Princess, possibly not my age group, but the relaxed style was perfect, personally I love the sea days... Something calming about looking at the water and hearing the sloshing noises as the ship pushes through it.
Never got seasick... Well I have been once, it appeared after 1 hour journey on a norwegian ferry crossing in bad weather... Carts with plates were rolling with the ship and banging into the walls so I suppose it was expected.
Ha ha! Blimey. If you were okay then, you'll always be okay. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Yes would definitely appreciate an episode abour the sea day, sea sickness thing
Will do! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
@@EmmaCruises You might want to include what NOT to eat on a ship if you are prone to sea sickness including bananas and orange juice!
Bananas?! I always eat bananas when I feel seasick. Is that a bad thing? ha ha. I'm scripting the video as we speak, so will do! :-)
I personally love cruising but it's definitely not for everyone. This is why I also stick to Princess. I'm curious about Royal Caribbean and Holland America as well as Cunard but I know that I like Princess so I stick with them but I can't cruise atm because of my cat (also ginger). I also love sea days.
I had pretty much the same situation with a work colleague who wanted to try cruising after I raved so much about it. But she chose the worst possible cruise for a first timer, a pre Christmas two nighter on P&O's Oceana. I don't think two nights can give a true impression of a cruise, they are two frenetic and often a bit boozy. Plus being December there was awful weather and my friend and her husband spent the whole first night throwing up in their bathroom. Me and my daughter were on it too, but knew a bit more what to expect. We were only bothered that the theatre show was cancelled because it was so rocky!
Needless to say, she said it was her first and last cruise which is a shame because I know how fantastic it can be.
I cruised once and CMV because it allowed Irish people board in Cobh. Unfortunately the food was dire. The Indian cooks did great savory food but potatoes were badly cooked and they were unable to do anything sweet.
Oooo, that doesn't sound good. My friends didn't mention anything about the food (I think they liked it) but that doesn't sound great. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Love sea days. Sleep in and no rush buffet before the excursion. PS, ASDA is no Walmart!! Walmart’s are amazing in the US. Wish we had those here.
Yessss! Oh yeah the Walmarts are about 65478 times bigger than our ASDAs but Walmart does own ASDA :-)
Hi Emma, just discovered your channel. I'm looking for a nice holiday for me (dad) and my 11 year old daughter. We've never been on a cruise before but something is drawing me towards a week sailing around the Med. Can you recommend something that will keep her entertained that won't break the bank please?
the only thing I would caution people about a sea day is go easy on the weed so smoke in small amounts if your someone that gets paranoid, I smoked some ditch weed and felt like jumping off the bar roof into the pool
Sorry if you mentioned this. But why did they not come to you for advice or let you know they were to book a cruise? A pity but part of leaning I guess.
I think the cruise line you select is the biggest choice and the size of the ship second.
My first cruise was 14 nights from Singapore to Sydney on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, which is pretty small to the new ships.
I got an aft balcony room, in case I found the cruise boring. But turned out I loved it all and have been hooked most of the time since :)
Any holiday is what _you_ (the traveler) makes it!
I’m gutted my Cunard transatlantic has just been cancelled. I actually cried at that as it will be 2023 before we can do that as we have lots of travel plans in place for 2022 and we don’t have an infinite amount of cash (New York to Southampton has gone up by 40% too)
Just remember, only boring people get bored.
Haha that's what my mum always says to me :')
@@EmmaCruises smart lady your mum 🤫🥰
Love your content Emma, keep it up!😄 Is your Cunard cruise onboard the Queen Elizabeth?
Hey Lewis, thank you. Nope! I picked the QM2 (I really want to do a transatlantic on her one day but not thre yet). I've been on Queen Victoria before and Elizabeth and Victoria are quite similar from memory. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Our first cruise was on the Magellan. In fact we did three cruises in a row on her. She was a great starter ship - I don't know that I would like to have started on a giant ship. We did six cruises with CMV and we enjoyed them all apart from one to Amsterdam and Ghent where we had rotten weather. There were balcony cabins on the Magellan but they were suites and expensive. We did have a few rough nights. We liked the Columbus better. We love formal nights. Our next cruise after that was on Queen Mary 2 where we really had to dress up. Since then we have only been on big ships - we were on the Iona last week. I do prefer bigger ships.
Used to love cruising , cruised for over 20 years , then made the mistake of booking a cruise on RCCL, from Cape Liberty NJ. Nearly ruined my life,. The sight of a cruise ship now makes me sick.
Think we shouldn't be afraid to admit mistakes- based on my past experiences I would avoid trips with lots of sea days & any risk of stormy weather, while I'd never use an agent again. Not everyone likes the large resort ships which can be overwhelming. Would agree that a 7 night fly cruise in the Med or Caribbean is a great intro for someone used to beach holidays.
Totally agree, Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I am about to go on an 8 night (7 day) cruise on carnival with 4 sea days and a 5th day that is a partial transit of the Panama Canal, so it is essentially 5 sea days. I am extremely excited for the Panama Canal and I’m also getting another country (Costa Rica). This will be my 14th cruise ever and my 12th on Carnival. I do agree, however, that first time cruisers should NEVER go on a cruise that has that many sea days.
I think our first was jewel of the seas? Brand new ship at the time and a short cruise! We were amazed at the time and it was fantastic! Got the bug and done about 12 cruises now! Iona next I hope, in November! 😎
Oooo, Sounds good! 😁🥳
going on the jewel in July.
Thanks Emma as usual straight down the line if only they had asked you they would have had a great cruise we can rely on you superb advice
Ha ha, hindsight is an amazing thing! :')
In Jan im booking QE2 going to Quebec.and back
Seems to me that with some decent Google-fu you can view ship layouts, room layouts, and the dress code for a particular ship/cruise, even before purchasing a ticket or getting on board. Research and some planning beforehand can make any vacation better.
^^ Exactly! They trusted their travel agent to make a good decision for them, but they didn't unfortunately. :(
That reminds me of this mother and daughter I came across a few years on my way home form work a few years ago.
The bus i get on goes though a few different places one of which is a town that gets the odd cruise ship and they got on the bus they left the ship a day early because they didn’t like it and chose to fly back instead.
Now I watched this they were on the wrong cruise for them
At 0:55 the ship has the Union Flag upside down. If a British ship can't get that right, it doesn't bode well for any thing else
My question, when looking for cruise options, would be about the ship's decor. I like the delicate, vintage look. This sounds bad, but it's the best way to describe it...I liked the background in the movie Titanic. I don't know if you can still find elegance like that in a safe, modern cruise ship, but maybe there is one out there that comes close.
Check out my latest video and you’ll see the vintage look in action 😀❤️