Best Cruise Lines Welcome Onboard

My first experience on a cruise ship was definitely not an experience on one of the best cruise lines. I sailed from New York, over 30 years ago, on a transatlantic crossing of Holland America’s Staatendam to spend two months trekking across Europe and returned on a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel (the name has long since been forgotten) – in the midst of a major hurricane off the Canadian coast in the Atlantic Ocean.

That trip marked the beginning of my continued thirst for travel – but many years passed before I wanted to step aboard a cruise ship again. Time has totally changed the character of the cruise industry (and fortunately, good stabilizer systems have greatly improved a ship’s ability to resist rocking and rolling….).

About 7 years ago when our lives revolved around fast-paced, high-stress jobs in a major congested urban location, my husband and I decided we needed a relaxing vacation and chose a 7-night cruise to the Western Caribbean. The articles I read on the Internet about advanced stabilization systems aboard the new ships calmed my concerns about seasickness and hurricanes and we ventured into the world of cruising.

We chose an itinerary that had the fewest days at sea and stopped at several ports in Mexico and Central America. Off I went to the Internet to find the best deal for our cruise. Little did I know (at that time) that not all ships are created equal and purchasing a cruise vacation from an Internet-based call-center type operation may be a good way to find the lowest price if you are a really experienced cruiser, but it wasn’t a good move for a busy executive/novice cruiser type.

I called the 1-800 phone number on the web site and stated our choice to the order taker; several weeks later, we received our cruise documents in the mail and set off for Fort Lauderdale. The nameless person on the internet did not mention that my choice of ships would not ever make it on any “best cruise lines” list or that my husband, with a UK passport, might have a Visa problem. Let The Buyer Beware – we learned a hard lesson on our first cruise together.

Must fly, just heard my boarding call - it's a long haul from DownUnder back to Lake Winnipesaukee. Will complete my welcome when I get home on Sunday - all about the hard lessons on my second cruise...