Royal Caribbean short cruises begin in the most fabulous places, departing from Barcelona, Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Southampton and the newest departure port of Malaga. Socruise has put together the Royal Caribbean short cruises you might like to try. (more…)

“Cruise companies should have been more aggressive trying to cancel or at least delay the out-year ships,” Kent made the contrast between the downturn in the building industry as the economy worsens. (more…)

The Veendam Antarctic cruise sails three times in 2010. The cruises starting December 21st and January 30th depart from , while the January 10th cruise reverses the itinerary.

These cruises provides a great with strong cultural aspects such as dance and music with scenic cruising that offers wildlife views unparalleled at this time of year. There are stops in Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas, Chile, as well as Ushuaia, Argentina and the rounding of Cape Horn allows the ship to explore Antarctica for three days. The return journey visits Stanley, Falkland Islands, Buenos Aires and Montevideo, Uruguay.

It’s Summer Time. There Are Storms. Don’t Be Late.
While no one plans to take a chance on missing the ship, an amazing number of people ignore the basic adage: get there early. Particulary in the summer. People who worry about blizzards in the winter and wouldn’t think of trying to arrive at the port the day ofdeparture seem totally oblivious to the thunderstorms that play havoc with air traffic in the summer. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that because the cruise line has booked your flight, you have no problem. There is no guarantee that the ship will delay departure for guests arriving late to the port, regardless of whether you made air arrangements through the cruise line or on your own. Insist on getting there a day early.

Don’t Assume That a Higher Category Is Better
While many passengers on Celebrity’s Millennium-class ships have eagerly upgraded to its new Concierge Class staterooms, a number of cruisers have been distressed to find their rooms — located immediately under dining or pool areas — noiser than staterooms on decks that have other cabins above and below. A number of passengers have stated that they would gladly forego the extra amenities associated with Concierge Class for a good night’s sleep

If You Can’t Stand Your Tablemates, Don’t Suffer
It’s the first night, and as you leave the table, you are thinking that jumping overboard might not be so bad if you didn’t have to ever see these people again. Well, there’s no need to apend a cruise suffering in silence. While changing tables was once consider “inappropriate,” you should not go to the Maitre d’ following that first night and request a different table. By some estimates, as many as 20 percent of cruisers now request a table change.

From January to April 2010, RCI will home-port a ship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Brilliance of the seas will offer seven-night sailings and itineraries for the new cruises from Dubai will be announced soon. The line commits itself to ‘combining distinct onboard amenities with compelling itineraries including the Arabian Gulf’s most popular destinations.’ (more…)

If you are not spending the majority of your life cruising or thinking about cruising, there are likely a number of little things — that perhaps never occurred to you — which can make a major difference in your cruise experience.
First Cruise Tips plans to try to collect these and share them with our fellow cruisers under the heading: Cruise Tips and Traps.

These are for the most part little things — things that may seem obvious now that simply never previously occurred to you — that we intend to bring to your attention in the hopes that they may enhance your cruise experience.

We also invite our readers to submit their own favorite tips (or traps) so we can all share the best of them. We will have a prize (to be determined) at the end of the year for the cruiser (or cruisers) with the most useful hints. Please click on tbe link at the bottom of the page to submit your favorites.

First Cruise Tips’s Tips
School Calendar Is Important If You Don’t Have Kids
Why do cruises tend to be more expensive in June? Because school is out for the summer, and families with kids are ready to set sail. But the weather in many areas tends to be similar in either May or September, and the cruises tend to be better values. You will also want to be mindful of the winter and spring school breaks, which also are peak periods — read higher-fare periods — for the cruise lines.

Last Minute Deals May Not Be a Bargain
A number of cruise agencies are now offering what at first blush are extremely attractive last-minute deals. But they may not turn out to be such bargains if you need airfare. Frequently, the airfares obtained by the cruise line for passengers booking earlier are no longer available. So while you may be able to get a cruise-only price that is a bargain indeed, when you add on the last-minute airfare, the total package me be quite expensive.

Worried About Seasickness? Bigger Is Better
While there are a lot of remedies on the market today designed to prevent or minimize seasickness, there is one very simple way of enhancing your chances of having a mal de mer- free cruise. Book your trip on one of the newer larger, heavier ships. Ships weighing 50,000 tons or more generally provide more stability than smaller ships, and the newer megaliners ranging up to 140,000 tons are better yet. While even the largest ship is going to be moving about in a st orm, this is one case where the generality holds true: bigger is better.

If you are trying to decide whether to try a cruise, or are preparing to take your first cruise, you are hardly alone. The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) reports that of the more than 10 million Americans who will take cruises in 2004, 5,000,000 will be cruising for the first time. That amazing statistic is a reflection of the fact that crusing can be not only fun, but a tremendous vacation value. But picking the wrong cruise — and even worse, overpaying — can turn your long-awaited vacation at sea into a floating nightmare.

Let us start by saying there is no right cruise for everyone. But if you understand what to look for, there should be a right cruise for you. The trick lies in finding it. The Savvy Cruiser™ is ready to help. At our original site,www.Savvy-Cruiser.com, we provide tips and advice for people already hooked on cruising. Now, we have created this site to provide useful information for the millions of people who are about to become first time cruisers. Under the heading “Tips for First Cruisers,” we look at all the decisions you will be asked to make in the weeks before you actually set sail on that “carefree” cruise.

In addition to providing tips on how to choose a cruise and how to choose a cruise travel agency, we look at the different personalities of cruise lines, the attributes of different ships, and the diffences you may expect to find depending on length of cruise, time of year, and where the ship goes. Since we are not affiliated with either a cruise line or a travel agency, and are not trying to lure you into buying “cheap cruises” or “discount cruises,” you can rely on us as a source of independent advice. We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we can assist you in asking the right questions.