New to cruising? Consider....

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-complete-guide-to-cruise?mbid=nl_071718_Daily&CNDID=29512118&weekday_row2_photo=0&spMailingID=13895323&spUserID=MTMzNDgzMDA4MDkwS0&spJobID=1441519515&spReportId=MTQ0MTUxOTUxNQS2

I didn't drill into all the links, but question some of what they have at the beginning:

I thought you needed to exercise caution with TA's, that some are very good at land travel but have little to no (or incorrect) information about cruising. I do think there are good ones out there (just like most industries), but not a good blanket statemnet.

I agree with not trying to do too much;)

I thought several ships charge for room service, or at least an additional gratuity is expected/recommended.

Some ports don't require any excursion, and the "good ones" might not be good for your traveling party. I do agree that if there is something that really interests you to book early though and not assume it will be available if you wait to board.

I think we would enhance what is in the article. When it comes to travel/cruise agents...all are not the same so you need to conduct some due diligence before using an agent. Our own experience (more then forty years) has shown us that the best cruise agents are generally not found locally, so one often needs to explore some of the reputable online cruise agencies.

As to cruise line excursions we always shout out a warning. Tours/excursions are fine for many folks, but the one's sold by cruise lines tend to be overpriced and overcrowded. There are plenty of local tour options (you can find them online) or you might want to try getting together with a few others, on the CC Roll Call boards, to arrange for a small group private tour. And since many first cruises are in the Caribbean, folks should be cognizant that nearly all Caribbean islands are easy to do on your own.

Hank

I agree with the other posters that seeking a travel agent who has experience with cruises is the best thing a new cruiser can do. Using their expertise is not going to cost you one extra cent and may well save you money as compared to booking directly with the cruise line. If some type of snag occurs with your booking, the agent will be your ombudsman and help resolve the snag.

Don't disagree that seeking an agent working in other parts of the country/world(depending on where one lives) is a bad idea. It's a good one! I usually work with an agency two-thirds across the U.S. from me. But, I also have found an agent locally who is knowledgeable and dependable, but who works for an agency where the pricing is not always the best that I can find.

As to tours in ports of call: if this is one's first international travel experience, having the security of booking a ship provided tour might be preferable than a DIY tour. You will probably pay more by doing so. But, if something goes awry on the tour, having the Shore Excursion Office personnel available once the tour is over can provide relief if there was a problem. As was said, for some ports of call, no tour is needed. I have come to enjoy wandering around on my own, stopping at a cafe for a tropical adult beverage or two--maybe a snack, just soaking up the ambiance of where I am.

I thought you needed to exercise caution with TA's, that some are very good at land travel but have little to no (or incorrect) information about cruising. I do think there are good ones out there (just like most industries), but not a good blanket statemnet.

 

Sure, there are bad travel agents out there, but I still think it's a good blanket statement, because it's reasonable to expect people to put some thought into choosing which one to work with. I think it's a good blanket statement to say "Go to a hair salon get your hair cut; they know more about cutting hair than you do and how to make it look good".......even though there are pretty bad hairdressers out there that could leave you with a haircut you hate. I could fit a whole bunch of other professions and trades into that type of sentence with the same result. Recommend using X (professional or tradesperson) instead of doing it yourself is a pretty safe -- but not foolproof -- recommendation.

For the average cruiser, this is not terribly helpful--their "road tested itineraries" & their cruise line recommendations are mostly high end; not really mainstream lines (or itineraries if you figure most cruises sail the Caribbean)