5 mistakes first-time cruisers make (and how to avoid them)

Cruising is one of the best values in travel, but it is also one of the easiest to get wrong if you book on a price-comparison site without thinking through the details.

1. Picking the cheapest cabin without reading the deck plan

An interior cabin is a great deal, unless it sits directly under the buffet or above the engine room. I always pull the deck plans before quoting.

2. Booking shore excursions through the ship

Ship-run excursions are convenient but often double the price of a local operator. For most ports I have a vetted local guide I can hand you off to.

3. Underestimating gratuities and drink packages

Daily gratuities add $15–25 per person per day, and a drink package can be the difference between a $1,800 cruise and a $2,800 one. We model both before you book.

4. Treating embarkation day as a vacation day

Fly in the night before. Always. A missed-port-of-call story is funny later, but it ruins the first 48 hours of your trip.

5. Skipping travel insurance

Cruise lines cancel itineraries more than you'd think. A $200 policy can return five figures.