Expert Tips For Booking Your First Cruise

As part of our ‘Everything you need to know about cruising’ series, we take a look at how to book your first cruise.

We’re not here to frighten you, but there’s little about cruising that isn’t daunting for first-timers.

There’s a dizzying assortment of cruise lines, itineraries and destinations for one thing, and a whole lot of industry jargon that might as well be Aramaic for those who’ve yet to acquire their sea legs.

This isn’t to say you shouldn’t book a cruise almost immediately, only that a considered approach is required to match your expectations with the right vessel for you. Not quite sure how to go about that?

We’ve got the pros and cons of every which way to book a cruise, and between the two of us, we’re feeling pretty confident we can help you swipe right on the trip of a lifetime.

Booking on a cruise deals website

Is it a good idea to book your first cruise through a deals website? Probably not.

As far as heart-stopping moments go, stumbling across a ‘sail for 18 nights and pay only for three’ deal on a daily deals site is up there with finding a suitcase stuffed with cash on the side of the road.

If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is, says Carl Frier, managing director Australasia, Cruise 1st, who advises first-time cruisers to avert their eyes and keep walking.

the ship of Celebrity Edge — Experience your first-ever cruise with Celebrity Cruises.

“One of the biggest mistakes first-timers can make with these sites is that they see a ‘sail three nights for the price of a bag of chips’ and think it’s an excellent way to dip their toes in the world of cruising, but they’re often the worst experience on a ship you could ever have," he explains.

“Often, these cheap deals attract those keen to get on the piss – hen nights, buck’s nights and every other kind of night you can think of – and if this is your first experience of cruising, you may end up with a distorted view of what cruising really is."

Another thing to note is that many of these sites purchase whole blocks of cabins – the good, the bad and the downright uncomfortable – so that while you might think you’re getting a good deal initially, there’s every chance you could end up sharing a wall with the engine room or having your balcony view obstructed by a great big life raft.

This isn’t to say the deals advertised through these sites can’t be of great value or have their place in the market, but they’re a far better bet for those who are either experienced cruisers or at the very least, those who have sailed with the advertised ship before and are therefore familiar with the ship’s layout, amenities, pros and cons.

the iconic suite facing the sea onboard Celebrity Edge — Take in panoramic views of the sea from the Celebrity Edge Iconic Suite.

Booking direct with a cruise line

Should I book my first cruise direct with a cruise line? Certainly but pick up the phone.

It might make sense to want to book through a cruise line’s website after you hear good things about one of its ships (after all, the advertised deals are often some of the best you’ll see), but in a world where there are in excess of 30 different cabin types, are you able to work out which one will be right for you and your family?

Are you across jargon such as ‘guaranteed stateroom’ or ‘starboard’ and do you have in-depth knowledge of hurricane seasons and school holiday periods across the globe?

Armchair cruising wizard or not, you’ll also have to factor in time and effort spent organising the extras that go hand-in-hand with a cruise yourself, says Emma Mumford, former marketing and communications manager, Cruiseco.

“This means you’ll need to work out what flights you need to make the cruise, what accommodation you’ll need to book at either end of the cruise, whether you need visas and vaccinations for ports and stay on top of organising everything yourself," she says.

the beer garden onboard Norwegian Cruise Line — Norwegian Cruise Line ships are highly rated by first-time cruisers.

The time-poor and the inexperienced need not apply. Calling the cruise line and speaking with one of its sales representatives is a far better option.

Obviously, you’ll be locked into its portfolio of ships, but this is a great way of getting some of the best rates around because they’re keen for your custom and to keep you as a loyal passenger for life.

Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions but remember that you will need to do the legwork where extras surrounding the cruise are concerned.

an indoor pool onboard Ovation of the Seas — Soak in the rays at the adults-only solarium onboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas.

Booking a cruise through a travel agent

Is a generic travel agency ok to book my first cruise? Probably not.

Ask Mumford the question, “Why shouldn’t I book a cruise with my local, garden-variety travel agent who normally does our flights?’ and she volleys back a question of her own: “If you knew you needed a blood transfusion, would you attempt to get one from your local GP or would you undergo the procedure with someone who specialises in that field? As with any other industry, you need someone experienced in a particular skill set."

It’s a particularly dramatic way to kick off why talking cruises with a generic travel agency won’t work for a first-time cruiser, but it’s accurate, agrees Frier, who explains that there’s not a lot of variance between what the cruise lines offer agents in terms of commissions.

Coral Discoverer sailing across Great Barrier Reef — Coral Expeditions will take you to the Great Barrier Reef.

“This means that [an agent] who isn’t particularly passionate about cruising will be influenced by the simplicity of a sale," he says. “As in they’ll want to make a sale regardless of whether they truly believe a particular itinerary or cruise line is suitable or not and move on to another sale with someone else quickly."

Inexperience and a lack of emotional investment in cruising itself could see you and your family end up on a family ‘unfriendly’ cruise simply because the agent read it had a kids’ club, or you could find yourself keeping company with a ‘knitting with pet hair’ convention simply because it looked to be the best deal on the cruise you said you’d ‘heard good things about’. It is highly likely you’ll end up on a product that won’t meet your expectations.

the pool onboard Celebrity Edge — Do laps in Celebrity Edge’s long pool.

Booking with a cruising specialist

Should I book my first cruise with a cruising specialist? It is a good bet.

By now, there’s every chance you just want someone to listen to you, get you and tell you not only have they got their finger hovering over the cruise of your dreams at a great price, but that you will be together, booking such trips, until the end of time.

Enter the cruise specialist.

As the cruising market has exploded, so too has the number of specialist cruise agencies available – each one up to date with the latest developments within the industry, and each individual agent full to the brim with specialist knowledge.

an aerial view of the Ponant ship sailing from Broome to Darwin — Cruise the iconic Kimberley with Ponant. (Image: Nick Rains)

Deb Long is the former owner and founder of Weston Cruise & Travel and says not only is she a master cruise consultant who regularly cruises herself, but she also undergoes extensive training, attends trade days and conducts numerous ship inspections a year so that her Yoda-like skills when it comes to pairing the right itinerary with the right customer are second to none.

“Some of the questions I would ask a first-time cruiser is why do you want to go on a cruise? What do you want out of a holiday? What kind of hotel or holiday do you normally stay in and what kind of interests do you have? What are you looking for in a ship? And the list goes on," Long explains.

“I already know the ships inside and out but I also need to take my time getting to know the client so we can work together to find the right cruise that not only meets their needs but gives them some surprise and delight moments."

Long has a success rate that says she is doing something right. “Ninety per cent of our customers who book a cruise will book a second one within 18 months," she says.

True North cruise ship on West Coast of Australia — True North has purpose-built ships to access wilderness areas that bigger ships cannot go.

New best friend and peace of mind aside, cruise specialists are independently owned so they can give recommendations and sell products across the board – often with access to discounts or special offers you may not be able to find anywhere else.

Not sure where to get started? Long recommends visiting Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to find a cruise-accredited agency and start packing your bags. “With a dedicated specialist in your corner who is as invested in your holiday as you are, you really can’t go wrong."

the Ponant ship sailing across Montgomery Reef — Come aboard the Ponant ship and sail across Montgomery Reef.

Wind through fern tunnels, stop for a wine in a tram bar, or chase giant murals across the wheatbelt. These drives and rides prove Victoria’s best stories are found off the straight and narrow.

There’s something unmistakably Australian about a road trip: car packed, playlist on, landscapes shifting. Travelling down the highway toward Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley , the mountains rise, flanking me on both sides. I feel its embrace, a silent invitation to explore what lies beyond.

Moss-covered embankments rise on either side, and towering mountain ash trees form a green tunnel overhead. Road signs warn of wombats and cyclists but with giant ferns lining the roadside, the landscape feels prehistoric, as if a dinosaur might suddenly emerge. This, the Black Spur , is one of my favourite road trips.

The Black Spur

Location: Yarra Ranges
Duration: 30 kilometres / 30 minutes

The Black Spur is short compared to other Victorian road trips, just 30 kilometres, stretching from Healesville to Narbethong. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in scenery. Just outside Healesville, Maroondah Dam offers bushwalks and scenic views. However, if pressed for time, Selover’s Lookout is an easy roadside stop offering uninterrupted views of the dam.

In Narbethong, close to the Marysville’s snowfield, is the Black Spur Inn , a charming double-storey brick hotel that’s been welcoming travellers since 1863. Here, diners cosy up by the roaring fire or gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows, imagining horse-drawn coaches carrying hopeful gold seekers to the eastern goldfields.

Victoria’s Silo Art Trail

Location: Various towns across the Wimmera Mallee region
Duration: More than 200 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

What began as a way to draw travellers back into town bypassed by highways – places such as Nullawil, Sea Lake and Patchewollock – has grown into a celebrated outdoor art movement. The Silo Art Trail now includes 23 silos, each transformed with large-scale mural portraits sharing local stories, celebrating community heroes, Indigenous history, farming life, or regional identity.

The Nullawil silo, for example, is a portrait of a local farmer in a chequered flannelette shirt alongside his loyal kelpie, painted by artist Sam Bates (AKA Smug). And the silos at Albacutya in the Grampians, painted by artist Kitt Bennett, depict her joyful memories of growing up in the countryside. Many of the murals sit right in the heart of small towns, such as Rochester and St Arnaud , making them perfect spots to pause for a country pub meal or something sweet from a local bakery.

Metung to Mallacoota

Location: Gippsland
Duration: Approximately 220 kilometres / 4 hours

The Gippsland Lakes are a much-loved holiday spot in Victoria, but road-tripping further east reveals much more. Begin in Metung and time your visit with the monthly farmers’ market, or simply linger over lunch on the lawn of the Metung Hotel. Twenty minutes away is Lakes Entrance , where you can watch the fishing boats return with their catch.

Lakes Entrance. (Image: Visit Victoria/Iluminaire Pictures)

Continue to Marlo, where the Snowy River spills into the sea, and Cape Conran for its many beaches and walks. If needing to stretch your legs, Croajingolong National Park is home to the historic Point Hicks Lighthouse and the Wilderness Coast Walk. Birdwatching and rainforest trails near Bemm River are worth a pit stop before arriving in Mallacoota, where the forest meets the sea.

Great Ocean Road

Location: South-west Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford
Duration: Approximately 250 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

Victoria’s most famous road trip delivers it all: world-class surf breaks, rainforest walks, clifftop lookouts and wildlife encounters. The journey begins in Torquay, the state’s surf capital, then hugs the coast past Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay, before curving inland through the lush rainforest of the Otways. Stop at Cape Otway Lightstation or take to the treetops at Otway Fly.

Between Cape Otway and Port Campbell lies the most photographed stretch – seven of the Twelve Apostles still standing, alongside the golden cliffs of Loch Ard Gorge. Further west, Warrnambool is a winter whale-watching hotspot, before the road winds to Port Fairy, a charming fishing village of whalers’ cottages, walking trails and offshore seal colonies further along the coast.

Bellarine Taste Trail

Terindah Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Bellarine Peninsula
Duration: Approximately 80 kilometres / 2–3 hours

The Bellarine Taste Trail is a feast for the senses, winding through coastal towns, past boutique wineries and artisan producers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure style trail – simply grab a map and build your own delicious journey.

You might wander historic, seafront Queenscliff, sip wine in a converted tram bar at Terindah Estate , sample a locally distilled whisky at The Whiskery in Drydale or pick up a jar of honey at Wattle Grove in Wallington. Seafood lovers can head to Portarlington, famous for its mussels. Eat them fresh at local restaurants or head out on the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours.

O’Keefe Rail Trail – Bendigo to Heathcote

Pink Cliffs Reserve in Heathcote can be seen on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 50 kilometres / 4 hours cycling

Travellers first journeyed between Heathcote and Bendigo in 1888, when the railway line was built to link the towns. Trains stopped running in 1956, but today the route has a new life as the O’Keefe Rail Trail . The path is mostly level for easy riding, and along the way you’ll cycle past bushland, waterways and reserves. There are plenty of places to picnic, birdwatch, and if you’re lucky, spot a platypus.

The trail is well supported with water stations, bike repair points, shelters, and signage. Axedale makes a great halfway stop, with the pretty Campaspe River Reserve for a rest and local cafes for refuelling. Begin in Heathcote, known for its wineries and cafes, or in Bendigo, which is easily reached by train from Melbourne/Naarm. Shorter sections, such as Heathcote to Axedale, are also popular.

Goldfields Track – Ballarat to Bendigo

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 210 kilometres / 2–3 days cycling

The Goldfields Track traces a route once so rich in gold it made Melbourne one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Starting at Mt Buninyong, south of Ballarat, the trail leads mountain cyclists and walkers north through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine before finishing in Bendigo. Along the way, you’ll encounter granite outcrops, eucalypt forests, rolling farmland and remnants of the region’s mining past.

As it passes through the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the track shares gold rush history and Indigenous stories brought to life by interpretive signs. Walk or ride the full trail or choose from one of its three distinct sections. With cosy stays, cafes and pubs, it’s easy to mix wilderness with comfort.

The best way to book your first ever cruise