First cruise

[toadie57]

We have booked our first cruise for September 2014 travelling from Southampton to spain and canaries including maderia are we better booking the cruise line tours or doing our own thing and how do I find out where the port is compared to nearest town we are travelling with RCI

 

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[t_car]

For a first time cruiser, using the ship sponsored excursions is recommended. Please remember that if you are delayed with a cruise sponsored excursion, the ship will wait for the group to get back to the ship. If you did you own planning and are delayed, you will be left on the pier watching the ship sail away. ( Check out some of the videos on You Tube )

 

For information on the ports, check out cruise critic for the posts under those ports. Just scroll down the list, or do a search.

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

You may want to join the Roll Call for your cruise. There you can meet others sailing with you. Some may be planning private tours and have space available. To join, go to the top of this page and move the cursor over "Community". Select Roll Calls from the drop down. Scroll to your cruise line and then Click on your ship. Finally, find the thread for your sailing.

[toadie57]

Many thanks will try that

 

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[cb at sea]

First, get a guidebook on the ports you'll visit. With info, even first-timers can do things on their own! A guidebook will let you see what there is and how easy/hard it will be to do what you want.

[jocap]

There will probably be a shuttle into the centre of town in Madeira, and the Hop on/off bus starts near by. If you go to the ports of call page, then Europe, you'll find information about most of your ports.

[Tiggertastic]

welcome to CC and to your first cruise

 

Ok, you will get told conflicting things and you have to decide what to do for the best. As you do more cruises (which you will as you will be hooked so warn your bank manager) you learn so much from other cruisers.

 

The roll call with have people booking private tours that are less money than the ship and between them they will make sure it comes back on time. Our first cruise we were not aware that you could do your own (naive I know) but we soon learnt that sharing with others off the ship was a great way to make new friends from around the world and to share experiences and get great tips from them.

 

Try one of each - you find the ship ones book really large groups on big coaches and private ones are often mini bus size and you can hear the guide better and tailor it a little more to what you want as they will ask your opinion.

 

The crucial marker is the time the ship leaves - always make sure you are back before the time it states to be back as it will not wait for latecomers.

 

Many of the places you are going are doable on foot and some just need a transfer - you don't always need a tour. I recommend Madeira for a tour.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on booking your first cruise.

You may want to read and ask questions about your ports on the Ports of Call board here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

[toadie57]

Many thanks all

I have started buying my guide books I think I am going to get a real buzz doing the research 430 days to go not that I am counting

you guys are really great this holiday is going to be one in a million

 

 

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[cruiseaholic777]

The safest way is to book through the cruise line. You will only pay alittle more but you will have the security that the ship will not leave without you. :rolleyes:

[toadie57]

Many thanks hubby thinks we should book through the cruise line but I am going to be rebellious and do are own thing in lidbon and maderia hope I don't get it wrong put a roll call out but no one answered yet hsppy cruising to you all

 

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[paul929207]

Just do you homework so you know what you want to do and how to do it.

 

Plan to be back to the ship early. Go to the furthest point and work your way back. If time starts to become an issue, skip one or more stops. People make it sound like if you go on your own you will miss the ship. This is wrong. Few people miss the ship and it is almost always because the lost track of time while in a bar or shopping.

[dondon1]

I have booked my first crude IOTS for aug canny wait ;)