So here's one time my profound hearing loss will be a benefit. I booked a "guaranteed/ship chooses" balcony cabin on Majestic Princess. They can put me right under the disco if they want: once my hearing aids are out, it will be blissful silence.
You make a good point about taking sea days into consideration. I found I didn't mind them because as a solo cruiser it gave me the opportunity to explore the ship (I'm an introvert, so I was extremely nervous of doing something wrong). On my first time I didn't get off the ship until Day 4 of a seven-day cruise. That experience was the best because all subsequent cruises I felt at ease to handle both shore excursions AND long sea days.
Spot on with the cabin selection discussion. On my second cruise ever I had zero clue about this important planning factor and took a cabin directly under the Lido deck and it was a nightmare. Every night it was deck chairs being dragged along the wooden deck above and I literally could not sleep. Never again.
Great points. My only point I disagree -personally I look at itineraries 1st then the ships. Also don’t want port port port love my sea days. Excellent video
First time cruiser here. I watched a 1000 clips before booking but I really wanted that I would have seen yours sooner. Thank you for this ESSENTIAL information . Love your voice and presentation . ❤
This was great information. I just booked my third cruise... 1st on Carnival (Hated it!), 2nd on Sun Princess Mediterranean, and now another on Sun Princess to Greece. Never wanted to cruise, but I love it now, even after that horrific cruise on Carnival. After hearing your perspective, i went back to check my room plaxemebt choice, and I'm in a great place. Thanks for your insight!
Sailing from Sydney means that you most always get a sea day on the second day, which is a lovely way to ease into the cruise. I sailed from Auckland and it was a big shock to have to get up early on day 2 to go on a shore excursion and then 6 days back to back of excursions before we had another sea day. That was far too much. So I like a bit of a relax time, and sea days either side of port days.
Cruise lines hate my Wife and I! We've been on three trans-ocean cruises during the past year (2x Atlantic, 1x Pacific) and we've spent a total of $125 extra combined during these cruises. For example, if we want alcohol we either drink the free offerings of champagne or wait for port days since we have no problem going weeks without a drink while still being happy.
Regarding insurance, in addition to checking that cruising is included, also ensure that cruise evacuation is included (eg. in case of accident or illness requiring transportation to your home country, to a specialist hospital etc) and that the insured amount is high enough for this, as it can cost a huge amount. When it comes to choosing a cabin, try to avoid one with an adjoining door to the next cabin, as the sound-proofing won’t be as good as with a solid wall. These cabins should be indicated on the deck plan.
So honest and true. What your saying is something that most people may never understand. Wish you the best and do what you feel, take care your grandma
I love the bloopers! 😂 I’ve been following your videos since the COVID pandemic. I just finished another cruise with Royal Caribbean. Thanks for sharing!
Always follow the Bembridge Rule of cabin selection: Every cabin I will accept has cabins above, below, and on either side. Preferably, also across the hall. And no connecting doors that I don't intend to use.
Another great video, Lucy. You've provided another confirmation of things to look out for regardless of being a first-time or seasoned cruiser. I also loved the editing outtakes! Those were great! Thank you!
I am going on a 30 day USA Canada cruise next Septemeber and done 5 other cruises and love it, the best kind of holiday you can have, unless you don't like the sea.
Happy New Year Lucy. I know you were crew, but it is important to tell first time cruisers that gratuities are not compulsory and can be removed, unless you are on P&O or MSc where they are included in the price.
Merry Christmas, Lucy! I'd add a few more points to the cabin selection conversation. In addition to "choose your category, then your cruise line, then your itinerary" I'd say then "choose your ship." Not that newbies will innately know which ships are for them, but doing *a little* homework (reading reviews, watching RUclips videos, looking up deck plans) to see how big or small the ship is and what features each one offers goes a long way in planning your cruise, as I'm sure you know. Someone who decides on a Royal Caribbean cruise is gonna have a very different experience on the Icon vs the Grandeur or even the Explorer. It also helps when it comes to cabin selection. I can imagine a bourbon lover who books a week on the Wonder of the Seas and plans on spending a fair amount of time in the Mason Jar (Deck 15 aft) would prefer not to have a cabin on Deck 6 forward. We've found that looking up deck plans and figuring out which decks and areas you're going to spend the most time really helps make smarter decisions. Also, newbies worried about motion sickness should stay on low decks toward the middle of the ship to minimize the movement they feel in their cabin.
well done on your new style and some great advice, really enjoyed it! I always remember sitting next to a person who was upgraded to a (partly obscured) balcony stateroom on deck 8 of QM2...... they showed me a photo and it was great in the unlikely event of having to leave the ship (in a hurry) the rescue craft/tenders were the view lol!
I found the P&O Norwegian fjords sailing from Southampton was a great first cruise. It gets the first sea day out the way straight away so you’re not fretting how you’ll be and you aren’t tackling the sea of Biscay on the first go
I see the gratuity topic come up in a lot of cruising forums. Some say it's better to cancel auto gratuity and pay cash, or that the cruise line deduct it from crew pay. Would be great if you could clarify it.
OMG! Carnival for newbies is ok,...but I get it. P&O is much better! My first was horrible and outrageously expensive on Oceania. I was skeptical to try again. 6 months later I got a super deal on Maiden Voyage of Ascent and had a great time! You have to know which line is for you! Ultra luxury doesn't mean the best for you! Xmas earrings are cute. Outtakes are fantastic! 🤣
Having only recently started cruising (5 times) and only been on P&O (Mainly Iona and Arvia) I fit their demographic. My challenge now is to find an alternative cruise line which works for me. PS Have a great Christmas and New Year🥳
Just about to do my 8th cruise and I can honestly say that Virgin Voyages was the worst I've ever done. We had lots of sea days due to unforeseen circumstances and there is absolutely nothing to do onboard at all unless you're a gym bunny! Didn't even have a decent pool. To top it all I caught Covid and they wanted to chuck me and my friend, who also had Covid, off the ship at 22.30 with a five hour drive to face. They eventually found us a hotel but we had the distinct impression they didn't inform them we were sick. Will never sail with Virgin Voyages again.
1st question when choosing a cruise line: are you a partier or prefer a quieter environment. 2nd Do you like a lot of action or a slower pace. Those 2 questions will cut your choices in half or more.
I have done several Cruises from Los Angeles to Galveston all the Florida ports NYC and San Francisco and Vancouver and have done a lot of 4 day cruise but I really enjoyed the sea days and I have done 5 Hawaii Cruises from Los Angeles Long Beach and have really enjoyed it. But she is correct do a shorter cruise first because a long cruise like that to make sure you will enjoy it. Merry Christmas Happy New Year Happy Hanukkah happy Kwanzaa for everyone listening
The advice I received, if you've never been on a cruise, if you don't know if you're going to like it: go on a three night. If you hate it, it's only three nights. It's better to find out on a three-night cruise that you don't like it than day two of a seven night.
My wife and me love travelling in Europe and Asia and did it so far by our own. Now we had the idea to make a cruise and I watched many videos about this topic. The result: we will not go on a cruise. Merry Christmas.
I would respectfully disagree about first time cruisers not doing long trips with lots of sea days. My very first cruise was a transatlantic crossing with VV on Valiant Lady from Barcelona to Miami. Just booked another transatlantic cruise on VV and have decided that I only ever want to do repositioning cruises.
I'd rather pay extra for a cruise booked excursion with a guarantee the ship will wait than appear in one of these videos 😂 ruclips.net/video/MJjAlUwe3to/видео.html
I have found that to be true apart from Disney Cruises. On Disney the entertainment department is huge nomatter the ship size. But yer, generally speaking, the bigger the ship, the bigger the entertainment department. That being said, it will be any of your mass Cruise lines on their bigger ships. So, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC etc x
Book a Hawaii Cruise on NCL Pride of AMerica...ZERO sea days...you are literally in port from dawn to dusk every day...and you will go to the 4 major islands...IMO its the best way to see the most of Hawaii in 7 days...and again...NO SEA DAYS!...Alaska isnt bad either...1 sea day at the beginning and 1 towards the end...with 5/6 ports
sorry.....i love sea days. we rarely even want to get off the ship. the ship is the destination. and that ship is a Disney one. spending days with the love of my life 'alone' on a ship is the very best vacation for me.
Dear new cruisers, Alaska over the Caribbean, the Caribbean over Western Mexico, Northern Europe over Northern Africa, Norway if you like fjords, seafood, nature, and quieter, safer destinations, Hawaii over Western Mexico.
Noooo. I normally would agree with that statement when you go to restaurant, but these people work hard, and they don't make a ton of money. And a lot of people are really bad tippers..
Lucy is absolutely breathtaking lately, she was always beautiful but something is different. I have to watch her videos twice, once to see her, which completely distracts me to what she is saying, and the second time to listen from the next room so I can hear what she said. Breathtaking. I hope she's not in love as I was planning, when my crypto takes off this year, to renounce my American citizenship, become a British citizen, buy her the biggest engagement ring, so big she'll need a finger brace, buy her the biggest house I can find and be her ladies gentleman for the rest of my life. All she has to do is walk around and speak in that wonderful British accent and laugh that wonderful laugh. That's my simple Santa request
please give Jordan Bauth's channel a shout out...she is a pro ice skater on Royal and she is at 98,000 on her channel trying to reach 100,00 in the next 10 days... can u guys do a virtual vlog together. ...can u interview her??? please ❤😊🎉
Heey, I know, she is doing really well. I've asked her before now but, I don't think it's her thing which is cool. I wish her the best of luck though! X
So here's one time my profound hearing loss will be a benefit. I booked a "guaranteed/ship chooses" balcony cabin on Majestic Princess. They can put me right under the disco if they want: once my hearing aids are out, it will be blissful silence.
You make a good point about taking sea days into consideration. I found I didn't mind them because as a solo cruiser it gave me the opportunity to explore the ship (I'm an introvert, so I was extremely nervous of doing something wrong). On my first time I didn't get off the ship until Day 4 of a seven-day cruise. That experience was the best because all subsequent cruises I felt at ease to handle both shore excursions AND long sea days.
Spot on with the cabin selection discussion. On my second cruise ever I had zero clue about this important planning factor and took a cabin directly under the Lido deck and it was a nightmare. Every night it was deck chairs being dragged along the wooden deck above and I literally could not sleep. Never again.
Great points. My only point I disagree -personally I look at itineraries 1st then the ships. Also don’t want port port port love my sea days. Excellent video
We look at ships first then ports.
First time cruiser here. I watched a 1000 clips before booking but I really wanted that I would have seen yours sooner. Thank you for this ESSENTIAL information . Love your voice and presentation . ❤
"Unless you're on Carnival." ☺ I'm definitely watching the best cruise ship channel. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Ha ha ohh Carnival 😅. Thank you have a great Christmas!
Sea days are great, buffet to bar to pool, repeat! Like a broken record...lol
Oh we ate allllll the day long on sea days!! 😊
Yes😂
This was great information. I just booked my third cruise... 1st on Carnival (Hated it!), 2nd on Sun Princess Mediterranean, and now another on Sun Princess to Greece. Never wanted to cruise, but I love it now, even after that horrific cruise on Carnival. After hearing your perspective, i went back to check my room plaxemebt choice, and I'm in a great place. Thanks for your insight!
Sailing from Sydney means that you most always get a sea day on the second day, which is a lovely way to ease into the cruise. I sailed from Auckland and it was a big shock to have to get up early on day 2 to go on a shore excursion and then 6 days back to back of excursions before we had another sea day. That was far too much. So I like a bit of a relax time, and sea days either side of port days.
I'd rather not have any port stops nor excursions. For me the holiday is the ship and the sea. If I could I'd live on a ship for the rest of my life.
Cruise lines hate my Wife and I! We've been on three trans-ocean cruises during the past year (2x Atlantic, 1x Pacific) and we've spent a total of $125 extra combined during these cruises. For example, if we want alcohol we either drink the free offerings of champagne or wait for port days since we have no problem going weeks without a drink while still being happy.
Ha ha well you're doing it smart by the sounds of it!!
I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and an Happy new year
Thank you so much. To you aswell! Have a fabulous time!
Regarding insurance, in addition to checking that cruising is included, also ensure that cruise evacuation is included (eg. in case of accident or illness requiring transportation to your home country, to a specialist hospital etc) and that the insured amount is high enough for this, as it can cost a huge amount. When it comes to choosing a cabin, try to avoid one with an adjoining door to the next cabin, as the sound-proofing won’t be as good as with a solid wall. These cabins should be indicated on the deck plan.
So honest and true. What your saying is something that most people may never understand. Wish you the best and do what you feel, take care your grandma
I love the bloopers! 😂 I’ve been following your videos since the COVID pandemic. I just finished another cruise with Royal Caribbean. Thanks for sharing!
Always follow the Bembridge Rule of cabin selection: Every cabin I will accept has cabins above, below, and on either side. Preferably, also across the hall. And no connecting doors that I don't intend to use.
Another great video, Lucy. You've provided another confirmation of things to look out for regardless of being a first-time or seasoned cruiser. I also loved the editing outtakes! Those were great! Thank you!
I always tell people to look at cabin selection like a sandwich, cabins above and cabins below. Best advice I can give anyone who asks!
Great advice!
I am going on a 30 day USA Canada cruise next Septemeber and done 5 other cruises and love it, the best kind of holiday you can have, unless you don't like the sea.
Happy New Year Lucy. I know you were crew, but it is important to tell first time cruisers that gratuities are not compulsory and can be removed, unless you are on P&O or MSc where they are included in the price.
This was a great video. Good reminders for everyone. The outtakes were fantastic. 😅 Enjoying the switch in content. Keep the advice coming.
Love you, Lucy! Thanks 4 the information. Happy Holidays! Be well. ❤
That was the best info on cruising I have ever heard.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! ❤
@@FraserAtSea Merry Christmas 🤶
This advice is crucial if you haven't cruised before. Well done.
Merry Christmas, Lucy!
I'd add a few more points to the cabin selection conversation. In addition to "choose your category, then your cruise line, then your itinerary" I'd say then "choose your ship." Not that newbies will innately know which ships are for them, but doing *a little* homework (reading reviews, watching RUclips videos, looking up deck plans) to see how big or small the ship is and what features each one offers goes a long way in planning your cruise, as I'm sure you know. Someone who decides on a Royal Caribbean cruise is gonna have a very different experience on the Icon vs the Grandeur or even the Explorer. It also helps when it comes to cabin selection. I can imagine a bourbon lover who books a week on the Wonder of the Seas and plans on spending a fair amount of time in the Mason Jar (Deck 15 aft) would prefer not to have a cabin on Deck 6 forward. We've found that looking up deck plans and figuring out which decks and areas you're going to spend the most time really helps make smarter decisions.
Also, newbies worried about motion sickness should stay on low decks toward the middle of the ship to minimize the movement they feel in their cabin.
This is great advice. Thank you for watching and helping us further!
well done on your new style and some great advice, really enjoyed it! I always remember sitting next to a person who was upgraded to a (partly obscured) balcony stateroom on deck 8 of QM2...... they showed me a photo and it was great in the unlikely event of having to leave the ship (in a hurry) the rescue craft/tenders were the view lol!
Oh nooo ha ha, poor them! That would be so disappointing! Thanks for watching. Have a great holiday! X
I found the P&O Norwegian fjords sailing from Southampton was a great first cruise. It gets the first sea day out the way straight away so you’re not fretting how you’ll be and you aren’t tackling the sea of Biscay on the first go
This is a great suggestion!! You're right, the Bay of Biscay is enough to put anyone off, ha ha.
If they stay near land, that sounds great, but the north sea too can be a bit of a bother.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Can't wait to see your next cruise journey.👍❤️
Thank you so much Mark!
Hey Lucy, have a great christmas and thank you for the great entertainment and information.
Thank you, you also! X
I see the gratuity topic come up in a lot of cruising forums. Some say it's better to cancel auto gratuity and pay cash, or that the cruise line deduct it from crew pay. Would be great if you could clarify it.
Thanks Lucy, All great suggestions.
Thanks a ton for tips for first timer ...me...🙏🙏
Great video! Have a lovely holiday.
Thank you! You too!
OMG! Carnival for newbies is ok,...but I get it. P&O is much better! My first was horrible and outrageously expensive on Oceania. I was skeptical to try again. 6 months later I got a super deal on Maiden Voyage of Ascent and had a great time! You have to know which line is for you! Ultra luxury doesn't mean the best for you! Xmas earrings are cute. Outtakes are fantastic! 🤣
Ha ha I know right. I'm glad you enjoyed Ascent! Thank you so much and have a wonderful Christmas!
I’ve never heard that before from any of these other influencers that sea days are difficult. Great info.
I love sea days
@@hellysullyDITTO!!!
Great video!
Having only recently started cruising (5 times) and only been on P&O (Mainly Iona and Arvia) I fit their demographic. My challenge now is to find an alternative cruise line which works for me. PS Have a great Christmas and New Year🥳
Oh I love Arvia! Such a beautiful ship. Thank you! You also have a great time!
I heard recommendations to add extra tips to your account for a crew member? I think they would rather cash in hand. Thoughts
Like your new focus lots
Bring a white noise sound machine and you won't have to worry about being woken up.
I always travel with a white noise machine and it doesn't cover up all sounds.
Nicely done lady.... PS, Merry Xmas to you too...
Thank you! You too!
Just about to do my 8th cruise and I can honestly say that Virgin Voyages was the worst I've ever done. We had lots of sea days due to unforeseen circumstances and there is absolutely nothing to do onboard at all unless you're a gym bunny! Didn't even have a decent pool. To top it all I caught Covid and they wanted to chuck me and my friend, who also had Covid, off the ship at 22.30 with a five hour drive to face. They eventually found us a hotel but we had the distinct impression they didn't inform them we were sick.
Will never sail with Virgin Voyages again.
Went on an 8 day Carnival cruise that only had 3 ports, I almost went insane.
Will never take another cruise on that line.
Same
1st question when choosing a cruise line: are you a partier or prefer a quieter environment. 2nd Do you like a lot of action or a slower pace. Those 2 questions will cut your choices in half or more.
I have done several Cruises from Los Angeles to Galveston all the Florida ports NYC and San Francisco and Vancouver and have done a lot of 4 day cruise but I really enjoyed the sea days and I have done 5 Hawaii Cruises from Los Angeles Long Beach and have really enjoyed it. But she is correct do a shorter cruise first because a long cruise like that to make sure you will enjoy it.
Merry Christmas Happy New Year Happy Hanukkah happy Kwanzaa for everyone listening
Thank you for sharing! Have a wonderful Christmas! X
You missed the budget category of 1000 to 2000 Marella, Fred Olsen, ambassador
The advice I received, if you've never been on a cruise, if you don't know if you're going to like it: go on a three night. If you hate it, it's only three nights. It's better to find out on a three-night cruise that you don't like it than day two of a seven night.
It beggars belief that there are people of adult years unable to entertain themselves.
My wife and me love travelling in Europe and Asia and did it so far by our own. Now we had the idea to make a cruise and I watched many videos about this topic. The result: we will not go on a cruise. Merry Christmas.
I would respectfully disagree about first time cruisers not doing long trips with lots of sea days. My very first cruise was a transatlantic crossing with VV on Valiant Lady from Barcelona to Miami. Just booked another transatlantic cruise on VV and have decided that I only ever want to do repositioning cruises.
OK, Lucy, I'll bite on the excursions. What about the kickbacks to the cruise director or whomever books the excursion?
I'd rather pay extra for a cruise booked excursion with a guarantee the ship will wait than appear in one of these videos 😂
ruclips.net/video/MJjAlUwe3to/видео.html
Is it true that the bigger the ship the bigger the entertainment department? Do you any a recommendation for a line with the biggest entertainment?
I have found that to be true apart from Disney Cruises. On Disney the entertainment department is huge nomatter the ship size. But yer, generally speaking, the bigger the ship, the bigger the entertainment department. That being said, it will be any of your mass Cruise lines on their bigger ships. So, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC etc x
Book a Hawaii Cruise on NCL Pride of AMerica...ZERO sea days...you are literally in port from dawn to dusk every day...and you will go to the 4 major islands...IMO its the best way to see the most of Hawaii in 7 days...and again...NO SEA DAYS!...Alaska isnt bad either...1 sea day at the beginning and 1 towards the end...with 5/6 ports
Oh wow, that sounds amazing. Have the best time!!!!
I have the biggest crush on this woman. ❤
Your audio isn’t working in the right channel/earbud😊
sorry.....i love sea days. we rarely even want to get off the ship. the ship is the destination. and that ship is a Disney one. spending days with the love of my life 'alone' on a ship is the very best vacation for me.
Dear new cruisers,
Alaska over the Caribbean, the Caribbean over Western Mexico, Northern Europe over Northern Africa, Norway if you like fjords, seafood, nature, and quieter, safer destinations, Hawaii over Western Mexico.
Thank you for this! X
I feel like being charged & being forced to pay gratitudities is wrong. Tipping should be your choice, not something you should have to do.
Noooo. I normally would agree with that statement when you go to restaurant, but these people work hard, and they don't make a ton of money. And a lot of people are really bad tippers..
Lucy is so beautiful
Lucy is absolutely breathtaking lately, she was always beautiful but something is different. I have to watch her videos twice, once to see her, which completely distracts me to what she is saying, and the second time to listen from the next room so I can hear what she said. Breathtaking. I hope she's not in love as I was planning, when my crypto takes off this year, to renounce my American citizenship, become a British citizen, buy her the biggest engagement ring, so big she'll need a finger brace, buy her the biggest house I can find and be her ladies gentleman for the rest of my life. All she has to do is walk around and speak in that wonderful British accent and laugh that wonderful laugh. That's my simple Santa request
Oh wow ha ha. What a proposal! Have a good Christmas 🎄 😊
please give Jordan Bauth's channel a shout out...she is a pro ice skater on Royal and she is at 98,000 on her channel trying to reach 100,00 in the next 10 days... can u guys do a virtual vlog together. ...can u interview her??? please ❤😊🎉
Heey, I know, she is doing really well. I've asked her before now but, I don't think it's her thing which is cool. I wish her the best of luck though! X
Great information about cleavage, oh wait, I mean cruises. What could possibly have caused that confusion? :) :)
I would add, think twice about taking really young kids and use a travel agent.
Im looking forward to my first cruise. Thank you for the tips! ❤
And happy holidays to you!