MISTAKES FIRST TIME CRUISERS MAKE....oh boy!

Total bummer, like a herd of cattle, gives new meaning to the blind leading the blind.

There is a secret world of cruising aboard the ship, those who find it are only seen at embarkation and , disembarkation......spa treatments, captain's table, specialty dining, and those oh so luscious suites! I'll be inducted one day. Gold status and counting my coins until they grow.

I like that "secret world of cruising" comment......shhhh! not to mention "crowd avoidance skillset"...

First time cruisers (we've all been there) try to do it all and sometimes buy it all. I thought the first cruise would be my only cruise and I wanted to do everything. You can't do it all as there isn't enough time to do so. Now, I say I'll try "that" next time and if it isn't available next time, at least I enjoyed what I did without the pressure of doing more than I should. Peer pressure is alive and well when cruising with friends, sometimes it turns out well, other times it can lead to ... hangovers.

well said. I never could do a cruise "by committee"...I know some folks do it all the time...the only consulting we do is with each other, and the internet...rarely have we relied on other folks advice. If 20 peeps thought an excursion was fun, "you MUST do it"...and 2-3 thought it sucked, we might be inclined to try it. But I digress...another mistake is the thinking that you can't POSSIBLY book a cruise yourself...you MUST have a TA...(I think really good TA's are rare birds...most can smell a newbie right thru the phone, or KB...) But the plain fact is if you can read, and pound keys, and occasionally call the cruise line direct, you can do it ALL yourself...and learn quite bit in the process..

I used to book off the cruise lines website, then haunt the website daily hoping for a discount, obsessing over whether or not I made payment deadlines, etc. I have since found a good TA that pretty much makes it a much easier, and therefore more enjoyable cruise.

In addition to the TA sweating the deadlines and navigating the myriad of possible discounts, I also draw on their vast experience as to whether or not I would actually like that ship, that cabin location or that itinerary.

I agree that you won't find that level of TA on a mass travel site or big box store, but you might be surprised to find one in your own back yard!

Not understanding the seasonal timing of rates - peak $$ vs off-season for a particular area.

[quote=BDRebel

I agree that you won't find that level of TA on a mass travel site or big box store, but you might be surprised to find one in your own back yard!

[/quote]

If I did, he'd be underwater......

Well we do travel with friends and we have a simple rule. If you want to do something do it and if I don’t want to don’t get your feeling all hurt. If you can’t do that don’t travel with me. It works out most of the time.

One of the things I used to see first times cruisers do was cry over their bar bill at the end of their cruise. With the packages not so much these days, but it still happens from time to time. It gets real easy just handing over that card.

We have 2 really good TAs.

We do as much online booking as we can.

Absolutely. When traveling with a group, people shouldn't get their knickers in a twist if someone doesn't want to do every single thing the group is doing. The group we are going to cruise with in Feb. like to eat lat and we like to eat early. Also, they party later than we like.