Before you book your first cruise
The short answer
Before you pay a deposit, decide four things: how long the trip should be (four to seven nights is ideal the first time), where you'll sail from, who is going, and your real budget including gratuities, drinks and WiFi. Those four narrow hundreds of cruises down to a handful.
1. Decide how long
For a first cruise, four to seven nights is the sweet spot. A three-night cruise is over just as you work out where everything is. A two-week voyage is a big commitment before you know whether you like sea days. Seven nights gives you a mix of port days and sea days and enough time to relax.
If you are nervous, a three- or four-night cruise is a cheap way to find out. Just go in knowing that short cruises are often the busiest and liveliest sailings on a ship.
2. Decide where you'll sail from
Sailing from a port you can drive to saves a flight, a hotel night and a lot of worry. Florida alone has several major cruise ports, and Galveston, New Orleans, Baltimore, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and more all have regular sailings. If you do have to fly, plan to arrive the day before.
3. Decide when
School holidays and spring break cost the most and carry the most children. Early December, late January and the weeks after Easter fall outside the main school breaks. Alaska runs from roughly May to September; Europe peaks in summer. The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (NOAA National Hurricane Center, nhc.noaa.gov/climo, checked 2026-10-03). Ships sail through it and change route when they must, which is one more reason for travel insurance.
4. Decide who is going, and what they need
- Young children: a line with a strong kids' club and family cabins. See family first cruises.
- A couple wanting quiet: a line or ship known for a calmer, adult crowd, or an adults-only line. See first cruise for couples.
- Someone with mobility needs or a medical condition: check the line's accessibility policy before you book, not after.
- Anyone prone to motion sickness: plan the cabin around them. See choosing a cabin.
5. Work out your real budget
The advertised fare is not the price of the vacation. On the mainstream lines you will usually add:
| Cost | How it's charged |
|---|---|
| Taxes, fees and port charges | Added to the fare, per person |
| Daily gratuities | Per person, per day, added to your onboard account |
| Drinks beyond basic tea, coffee, water and juice | Per drink, or a daily package |
| WiFi | Per device, per day or per voyage |
| Shore excursions | Per person, per port |
| Specialty restaurants | A cover charge or menu prices |
| Getting to the port, parking, a hotel the night before | Yours to arrange |
| Travel insurance | Bought separately |
Look up the daily gratuity for the line you're considering; we list each major line's figure, with its source, in Tipping on a cruise.
6. Understand what 'included' means on each line
Lines package their fares very differently. Some sell a fare that bundles drinks, WiFi and gratuities; others sell those separately. A more expensive fare that includes them can be the cheaper vacation. Compare the whole cost, not the headline.
7. Decide whether to use a travel advisor
Booking direct with the cruise line and booking through a travel advisor usually cost the same, because the line pays the advisor. What an advisor adds is judgment: which ship suits your group, which cabin to avoid, and someone to call if something goes wrong. For a first cruise, that is worth a lot. See booking your first cruise.
Your decision at the end of this step
A trip length, a rough time of year, a departure port you can reach easily, and a total budget that includes the extras. Next: choose a cruise line.
First-timer questions
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