Sailing the seas, seeing the world: planning for your first luxury cruise

Alaska Cruise (Creative Commons)
Alaska Cruise (Creative Commons)

Forget everything you have read about cruises. There is an entirely different cruise experience for those wanting to experience first class luxury travel on the water!

Luxury cruises offer a variety of amenities that your run of the mill cruise simply does not. Exotic and highly skilled chef-prepared meals are the standard on a luxury cruise, as well as top shelf beverage service. Expect your ticket to be all-inclusive. Some amenities may not be included, but the vast majority of luxury cruises try to be as all-inclusive as possible so that those on vacation don’t have to worry about a thing but enjoying themselves.

Picking your destination

With so many places to go, it can be hard to choose a route. An agency such as Royal Holiday can be a big help when selecting your ideal holiday destination. Some popular luxury cruises include the following:

Alaska. Glaciers, whales, and untamed wilderness – you can experience all this and more on a luxury Alaska cruise.

Australia and New Zealand. The land down under offers thousands of miles of beautiful coastlines and towns. Experience the Great Barrier Reef first hand as well as one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

Africa and the Indian Ocean. The romantic adventure of Africa is hard to match. With a wide variety of terrain, from snowcapped mountains to open savanna, you will never forget the sights and sounds of Africa and the beautiful Indian Ocean.

Seeing the sites

Cruises have an exciting array of activities available at many of the stopping points or layovers during the course of your cruise. Make sure to explore your options for add-on adventures! With a luxury cruise, you will never experience a boring layover as you might when you use air travel.

Luxury cabins

Standard cruise cabins are anything but luxurious. When it comes to the facilities on a luxury cruise, however, there is strict attention to detail right down to the high thread count sheets and plush robes. Spacious cabins are the norm, so you will feel like you are in a luxury hotel on the water!

Luxury cruise cabin (creative commons)
Luxury cruise cabin (creative commons)

Paperwork

If you are entering a foreign port, you will need a passport. If you don’t have a current passport, it is advisable to apply for one six months before you travel out of country, as processing can take a while. Many cruise lines will hold on to your passport for you, so they can more easily clear customs at various ports. It is advisable to keep a scan or photocopy of your passport with you just in case. This can be as simple as taking snapshots of it with your phone, which can potentially save you a lot of hassle later. It is also your responsibility to check with your local health department or doctor to make sure that you have the necessary vaccinations for your destination countries.

Packing

To ensure you have an enjoyable trip, it is important to pack appropriately for your destination. If your cruise is going to offer a lot of climatic variation, you should pack clothing that is easy to layer. Also have some more formal attire on hand, but don’t over do it with packing. Separates that you can mix and match can extend your wardrobe with class without having to bring a lot of extra luggage. If your cruise includes specialized activities, make sure you have the appropriate attire before embarking.