In this article, we look at what cruising is actually like. It is aimed at people who are worried they might book a cruise – and then hate it!
It addresses common worries and misconceptions and explains why many first-time cruisers are surprised by how much they enjoy it.
Cruises Aren’t For Me…
Many people think cruises aren’t for them. I understand that.
People may worry that they would feel trapped onboard with people they don’t like, unable to get off if they want to.
Others worry about crowds, boredom, watching cheesy entertainment, or getting ill.
These assumptions do make sense if you’ve never been on a cruise, but the reality is usually very different.
Why So Many People Think They’d Hate Cruises
There are many reasons people think they would not enjoy a cruise. These include:
Fears Around Crowds
If you sail on a mega ship in peak season, you will see a lot of people. If you sail on a mid-sized ship, out of school holidays, things will be a lot less busy.
If you can afford a luxury cruise line like Viking, there will be no crowds at all!
When I sailed on Viking Star, people kept asking me if I had got up really early to take photographs. I hadn’t, the ship just had a lot of space per person.
If you are anxious about crowds, maybe consider splashing out on a balcony cabin. You can retreat to your own private space with a cup of tea or coffee, away from everyone, if things ever get overwhelming.
You will find crowds in the theatre, often in bars with entertainment, or by the pool on the top deck on a sunny day.
There should be plenty of quieter spaces onboard where you can sit and read a book or just watch the world go by.
Seasickness
If you have never put yourself in a position where you are at risk of seasickness, you might worry about how you would react to being on a cruise ship.
I get seasick sometimes. I am a very motion-sick person in general; I feel carsick, coach sick, and I feel ill on some fairground rides or even using VR games. It doesn’t put me off cruising!
I have taken 84 cruises and have only felt unwell on a handful – and that is usually because I have chosen a ridiculous itinerary for someone who gets seasick!
If you don’t have to cross the North Sea in winter, sail across the Bay of Biscay, or take a winter transatlantic crossing, why would you?
I do these things for the sake of my YouTube channel, but if I wasn’t, I would stick to cruises with few “sea days”. Picking the ones that hug the coastline and stop in port every day will reduce the risk.
Find out about my top seasickness tips here:
13 Actionable Tips to Prevent and Treat Seasickness on a Cruise
My Mum always says me and my Dad could get “seasick walking over a puddle”. That is where I get my seasickness genes from. We rarely feel ill on a cruise ship though.
Cruise ships are designed to feel as stable as possible, and you will feel far less movement than if you were travelling on a small boat or ship.
Modern cruise ships have stabilisers that can be deployed to steady the ship in rough seas.
Find out more about that here:
How Cruise Ship Stabilisers Actually Work (And Why They Are Important To Me!)
Boring Days At Sea
People often think that they will get bored when the ship is sailing, but there will be plenty of entertainment and activities going on to keep you occupied.
Again, I would pick a cruise with few – if any sea days for a first cruise.
You will be in port every day, you get back on the ship for dinner and a show, maybe watch some musicians in a bar, go off to bed – and wake up the next morning somewhere new, ready to do it all again!
I would avoid repositioning cruises where you have days on end at sea, and no opportunity to get off. They may be cheaper, but if you aren’t sure if cruising is for you, why put yourself in that position?
Full Of Retirees – Or Families
The cruise line you pick will have a huge bearing on who you will find onboard – as will the time of year.
If you choose a big Royal Caribbean ship during the school holidays, it will be full of families.
If you choose a smaller ship, with the line Fred. Olsen or Cunard, expect there to be an older passenger demographic.
Even ships within the same fleets can feel very different. If you sail on P&O’s mega ships, Iona or Arvia, they are aimed at the family market.
If you sail on their smallest ship, Aurora, it is adult-only on many sailings and is far more formal in feel than the newer ships.
I believe there is a cruise line and ship to suit everyone, it’s a case of working out what will suit you best.
The services of a good travel agent can really help with this. Find out more about that here:
Concerns about taking your first cruise are normal and understandable. But you might find the reality of cruising is much better than you thought it would be!
Worried About Getting Ill…
We have all heard about norovirus breaking out on cruise ships, and this frequently makes the headlines.
I know that lots of people worry that they will automatically get norovirus, and their holiday will be ruined.
I have been on over 80 cruises, and get sick now far less than when I used to work in an office and commute to work on the train. I’m also convinced that a lot of the report norovirus cases aren’t really norovirus. I’ve had people tell me that they had norovirus but still went on their excursions during the day, that is definitely not possible with norovirus!
I have been ill because I have been seasick, I have been ill because I have eaten something that doesn’t agree with me – but that happens to me on land too. It certainly isn’t a cruise problem!
The actual statistical risk of contracting norovirus on a cruise is low – roughly 1 in 5,500.
Norovirus is a common, highly contagious stomach bug that spreads in any crowded, confined environment, such as schools, nursing homes, and hotels.
Cruise ships account for only about 1% of all reported norovirus outbreaks.
The risk is generally not higher on a cruise ship than on land, but it is perceived as higher because outbreaks are tracked differently.
Cruise ships are required to report to the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) if 2% or more of passengers or crew report gastrointestinal symptoms.
Land-based hotels or restaurants have no such mandatory reporting.
So if people are ill with Norovirus on a cruise ship, everyone hears about it. If people are ill in a hotel on land, they don’t. That seems very unfair!
If there are reports of norovirus on a cruise, the crew take all the appropriate action and deep clean. It is not uncommon for cruise departures to be delayed because of norovirus on the previous sailing.
That happened to me when I sailed on P&O’s Aurora. I didn’t feel at risk, I didn’t get ill, I met up with lots of cruise blogging friends – and I had a lovely cruise!
Find out more about that here:
What A Cruise Holiday Is Actually Like
I love cruising because it gives me the flexibility to do as much or as little as I want, whilst travelling to new and exciting destinations.
Sometimes I want to see lots of shows and enjoy the entertainment onboard, other times I just want to go to bed early and catch up with my sleep.
Often I take my laptop with me, and work onboard. (WiFi allowing) The choice is mine.
I think it’s great that two different people sailing on the same ship at the same time can have entirely different cruise holidays!
Some people stay up late in the bars or night club – i never do.
Others enjoy time around the pool on a sunny day, but never go to the theatre. I always go to theatre shows, but I never go to the gym and rarely go to the spa (unless it is free entry or a perk of a loyalty program!).
You are never forced to do anything ( apart from the safety muster drill at the start of the cruise!)
You can holiday your way.
Food Is Easier And Often Better Than Expected
Cruise food isn’t limited, boring, or rushed.
I am often disappointed when I go to a restaurant on land. It often can’t match the variety and standards of cruise food – and then, they give me a bill at the end, I have to pay!!
On a cruise, you don’t have to plan every meal. There are often multiple dining venues that you can pick from.
If you don’t want a sit-down meal in the main restaurant, you can go to the pool bar, the buffet, or often other restaurants on the ship.
There are usually lots of choices. The Marella ship I sailed on recently had seven different (included in the cruise fare) restaurants you could go to. Find out all about that here:
This Cruise Ship Has 7 Included Restaurants – I Tried Them All (Marella Voyager)
It is nice to be able to go with the flow and do what you feel like on the day without needing to plan ahead.
You Don’t Have To Be A “Cruise Person”
You don’t need to love schedules, group activities, or entertainment to enjoy a cruise.
Many people onboard are just relaxing, reading, watching the ocean, or doing their own thing.
Cruising works even if you’re not particularly sociable.
Some of my friends love group cruises where they can make new friends and join in activities together. That doesn’t suit me; I tend to spend time with the friends and family I am travelling with.
We can stay together as a group or go off on our own and do our own thing.
Younger members of the family might want to go off for a pizza in the buffet, whereas older members want to sit down and be waited on – the flexibility of cruising makes it a great holiday for everyone.
Why People Are Often Surprised By How Relaxing It Is
Booking a cruise can take a lot of the stress out of your holiday planning.
Step onboard, unpack once. There is no need to worry about getting from A to B, and no need to be constantly make decisions.
This makes cruising feel genuinely restful. You can just sit back and relax and wait for the destinations “to come to you”.
Who Cruises Actually Work Well For
People often end up enjoying cruises even if they were sceptical in the first place.
Couples, first-time travellers, solo travellers, people who like comfort, people who want to see multiple places easily, and people who don’t want to plan every detail should all enjoy a cruise holiday.
Why Trying One Is Often The Only Way To Know
Cruises are hard to understand from the outside when you have never been on one.
Maybe look at your first cruise as an experiment, rather than a commitment!
My Recommendations For a First Cruise:
- Try booking a cruise from your home port, rather than a fly-cruise.
- The holiday begins the moment you set foot onboard.
- There is no stress of getting to and through the airport to catch your flight.
- No worries about transfers at the other end or missing flight connections.
- Pick an itinerary without lots of sea days
- By choosing a cruise that visits a port most days, you will minimise the risk of seasickness, boredom, and feeling trapped onboard.
- The ship will sail while you sleep. You will wake up to a new view every day.
- Avoid short cruises.
- Three or four-day cruises can end up as “booze cruises” with groups of Stag and Hen do’s (bachelor/bachelorette parties).
- They don’t really reflect what normal cruising is like.
So many people who expected to hate cruising end up booking another one!
Before You Go
Read the article below to find out what you need to know before you book your first cruise:
7 Things You Need to Know Before Your First Cruise
I don’t like to spend a lot of extra money when I cruise. Cruiselines are very keen for you to splash out on “extras, but what you want to spend your hard-earned money on is entirely up to you! Find out more here:
6 Things First-Time Cruisers Get Tricked Into Paying For (That You Don’t Actually Need)
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We combine great prices with personal service. Just click the button below and we’ll find you the perfect cruise. No request is too big or too small, we’re here to help.