Before booking our first cruise, we did loads of research. So many cruise choices are available but we decided quite quickly on a Southampton departure with P&O cruises around the med.
Our cruise that we booked was 14 days, stopping at ports in Spain, Italy and France. That way, we could travel from the UK without any flights and maximise our holiday time. We selected P&O as we knew of others who recommended them. Therefore, making sense to book “Arvia” as we wanted to experience this new and very large ship of the P&O fleet.
Having never cruised before, we watched various vlogs on You Tube which included “Emma Cruises” and “Brogan Tate”. Brogan’s videos were particularly good and we liked the informative style. I would recommend that you check out these channels as they have lots of cruise videos for those still wanting to choose which cruise to book.
Both have videos about our choice of cruise company and ship – P&O Arvia. I would recommend watching as there is quite a lot to consider and think about to get the best out of your holiday if you have not cruised before.
We carefully planned as much as we could, studying up about the cruise line, ports and all we needed to know in advance to have a decent time. It is quite the minefield, so you can either go in blind and hope for the best or learn from more experienced travellers to get the best out of your cruise.
We decided to book a balcony room for the three of us (wife, daughter and myself). Though aware it would cost more, we at least wanted the balcony as at time of booking we did not know if it may be our only time cruising. That way, we would have the sea view and light in the room. Particularly useful if we got sea sick.
When booking, prices do of course vary dependant on room type and location on ship etc. Room types include inside cabins, sea views, balcony and suites. With P&O you also get a choice of different fares that is explained here. We opted for a “Select fare”. These fares then include coach transfers or parking at Southampton, onboard credit and other features. For us, it made sense to upgrade as the cost of a coach and then the onboard credit made sense. A cost effective choice.
P&O also have a helpful new to cruising page here.
Insurance wise, all I would say is to shop around. We opted for Avanti travel insurance as they accepted my pre-existing medical conditions and the price was reasonable. Definitely take out cruise cover which will then protect for missed ports, cabin confinement and changed itineraries.
We booked our cruise and insurance in January this year (2024) for a late April departure. In cruise terms, that is quite a late booking. We needed to apply as a family for a complete set of new passports as we had not been overseas in a while. This is an expense in its own right. We used a local photography firm who gave advice on the photos and what was needed to be achieved. Definitely worth the money as they digitalise the photo and provided a number that can be used in your passport applications. They also know what to look out for to make sure your passport photos pass and meet the required standard.
As we applied for our passports in the January, they only took about 2 to 3 weeks to come through and the turn around was quick without any issues. As our previous passports were expired and we could not find them to return, we were then required to declare them as lost.
The countdown to the cruise was very exciting over a few months. My wife and I devised lists to make sure that we packed everything. The great thing about cruising is that even the largest of cases will fit under your bed. Certainly next time we will buy some larger cases to cut down on the volumes of cases/bags we had.
Essential purchases pre cruises included magnetic hooks that you can buy from Amazon. They were handy to attach to cabin walls and hang caps and other items etc for extra storage. Also, clips for towels on your chairs which is handy on your balcony. Make sure you steer clear of anything with a pineapple unless intentional – lol. A cruise signal for be up for swinging!
A couple of weeks prior to the cruise, P&O’s website allowed us to pre-book some entertainment and restaurants. While many restaurants are inclusive, some require additional payments. If paying deposits in advance for restaurants, it works out to your advantage as not only is the money deducted off the overall bill, you often get an additional discount.
As soon as our booking was confirmed, we arranged the coach through P&O. Definitely organise any coaches or car parking as soon as you can.
Lastly, dependant on where you are travelling, don’t forget a little local money for ports. Though you can exchange onboard your cruise. As going to 6 ports in Europe, we had a few hundred for notes and small change. That way, a little money available for a coffee. Otherwise for big spends, we just used our phones and our standard accounts. Also make sure that you attach a credit/debit card to your booking and for use by all travellers. On board the cruise, you charge everything to your booking using your cruise card.
Keep an eye on the cruise section for more posts that are planned about P&O cruises over the coming weeks.
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