Baltic Cruising

[Khandro]

Mrs. K. and I would like to go for a Baltic cruise next year - they appear to start in May - never been on a cruise before. Does anyone have any experience and advice please?

[VHG]

I did my first cruise last month, November. Cunard from Southampton for 10 days to Western and Southern Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Is there anything particular you want to know about cruising?

One thing to consider, if you go from Southampton or other UK port you can pretty much take as much luggage as you like. If you fly you are limited to the plane companies limit.

Often on a cruise you need a wide range of clothes (formal, informal, casual etc) so a couple of suitcases is useful.

There is a useful website called Cruise Critic with loads of information.

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/

Also loads of web sites and even YouTube videos giving advice for first time cruisers.

[atalanta]

You'll get fat. The food is so irresistible, you'll eat far too much. You had better hope there is a fitness centre on board.

[jno]

don't pay brochure prices, look at the ads in Saturday's Telegraph or the Sunday Times travel pages; there's constant discounting. Sign up for emails from cruise travel agents like cruise.co.uk, iglucruise, travelzoo etc rather than the cruise lines themselves. There's a wide range of ships an clientele from noisy drunks to people who dine in formal suits. Decide if you want to spend time at sea or time in ports. Decide if you want ones with alcohol, tips and excursions included (usually at the expensive end of the market); if you want excursions, independent operators will be cheaper than the ships' own ones. Decide if you want to sail from the UK and back or fly out and fly back.