How was your first time?

Taking the plunge and choosing your first cruise is a big decision, but once you have done your first cruise, you will be hooked. As a cruise specialist, we often get asked which is the best cruise line for a first cruise, but the answer is that there is no hard and fast rule. The best cruise for your first time will depend on what type of holiday you like to take, where you want to go, your personality, what you like to do etc.

My first cruise was a transatlantic crossing on the QM2, and I was lucky enough to be upgraded to an A1 balcony stateroom. This isn't what people would think of as a typical 'first-time cruise', but as I said, there is no hard and fast rule. This experience then really wet my appetite for cruising. The downside was that it then spoilt me! My next cruise on NCL's Norwegian Pearl seemed a bit of a let down after the Queen Mary 2, but I guess looking back, it was just a very different ind of experience.

As I said, choosing your first cruise is about finding something that matches your personality. Each different cruise line, and even each ship has its own personality, and it is important to make sure that you both 'gel'. This way you will have a perfect cruise and will be addicted to cruising for life! My only advice therefore is to contact your specialist cruise consultant and chat through what you are looking for. Hopefully you will never look back.