Cruises – tips for a successful cruise trip
Many cruise ships are huge installations. Photo: Roel van Deursen, Flickr CC
It’s time to forget the clichéd images of the Love Ship cruises and American cruise tourists who come to Helsinki’s market square in shorts and Hawaiian shirts and ask if they’ve reached Norway yet.
Cruises are experiencing a new boom, and in addition to lost American retirees, cruises attract a wide range of travelers, from families to honeymooners.
In addition to Caribbean cruises, there are cruises on almost every ocean in the world – and on many magnificent rivers. Unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime cruise experiences include Antarctic cruises, Galapagos cruises, Hurtigruten cruises on the Norwegian fjords and Nile cruises.
The best aspects of cruises
It's easy to understand why cruises are so popular. The ease of cruising is a great fit for our busy and stressful times. At sea, worries are forgotten, and you can easily see many countries and cities in a week - even if only superficially.
How much do cruises cost?
The price of cruises is also attractive: there are cruises for all budgets, and we are not talking about Tallinn cruises. You can travel on a good cruise for about a hundred euros a day – which includes accommodation and meals!
What do cruises include?
The price of cruises usually includes accommodation and meals on board (but not necessarily drinks). Excursions in ports usually have to be paid separately. Similarly, some of the programs on board may be subject to a fee.
Some cruise packages sold by travel agencies include flights to the destination, while others do not.
What is the best shipping company for cruises?
The world's leading cruise companies are Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. They have their differences.
Royal Caribbean focuses on huge cruise ships and activities, while Celebrity Cruises focuses on personalized service and quality. Royal Caribbean tends to be more popular with families and Celebrity Cruises with older travelers.
If you want a more intimate experience instead of a large cruise ship, Seacloud offers cruises on luxury sailing ships.
Finnish Kristina Cruises
Kristina Cruises is a Finnish cruise operator. A Finnish tour leader always accompanies Kristina Cruises cruises. Some of the cruises are organized on large cruise ships with passengers from all over the world, while on some cruises the entire ship is reserved for the Finnish Kristina Cruises group.
Kristina Cruises' cruise selection is diverse, and the program also includes many cruises along rivers.
Some of Kristina Cruises' cruises feature Finnish experts. For example, the Mediterranean cruises have featured the Finnish archaeological legend Jaakko Frösen, who has been called Finland's Indiana Jones.
Good to know about cruises
Don't pack bags that are too big – they can be difficult to fit in the narrow wardrobes or under the beds in the cabins.
Consider the time of year you are going on a cruise. For example, Caribbean cruises offer good deals from September to early December – because that is hurricane season.
It is a good idea to book at least one night between the arrival of your flight and the start of your cruise, just in case any luggage left on the plane has time to get on board.
It is especially worth booking the most popular excursions in ports in advance – they may sell out and then you may be disappointed.
Cruise Experiences
Do you have any experience with cruising in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean or any other ocean in the world? Or have you cruised along the Nile, the Danube or another river? Share your own cruise experiences and help other travelers choose the right cruise for them.
