Booking Your First Cruise? Watch This Before You Book and Watch It Again Before You Board!

[@EmmaCruises]

Team soda package woohoooo! On a cruise 99% of my blood is made of soda. ha ha. Great video! 🤣

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks so much Emma! I guess you're a soda package buyer - no consideration required!

[@edvaira6891]

QUEEN OF THE PEPSI MAX!

[@EmmaCruises]

@@edvaira6891 🤣🤣🤣

[@billsirname8514]

Hi Matt. You are correct about embarkation times ,we were given a time of 15.00 but arrived at 13.00 and no one batted an eyelid. Just got off the msc virtuosa today, lovely ship ,but too many people on board 5k+. Superb videos keep them coming.

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks Bill - 5k on the Virtuosa is a lot - in January too! Sailing on that ship in May and expecting it to be a lot busier than last Summer...

[@nathanlloyd]

Some good info here. I’m going on my first cruise in March on the MSC Virtuosa. Looking forward to seeing what it is like!

[@MattsOceans]

You're exactly my target market for this video! I hope it was helpful!

[@dospalmascb]

My dad (82 at the time). Went to Caracas and did his usual own thing. Long story short , the police had to rescue him from a rogue taxi trying to rip him off. Needless to say he has been travelling the world from when he was 14 and is still travelling at 86, still doing his own thing lol. In certain places it’s far safer to go on organised excursions, either ship or locally organised. I’d be the guy with the kilt lol, recently took 15 full sets of kilt, socks, sporrans etc to Israel, those extra bags in WTP were a godsend lol.

[@MattsOceans]

Wowser - Caracas would have been a funky place to go 4 years ago... I went there in 1996 when they were in the middle of a revolution and didn't stray far from the hotel all visit... Fortunately I was working at the hotel so didn't need to stray! I can't really think of many places cruise ships would go that aren't safe?? Plastic sgian dubhs or could you get away with real ones in checked baggage?

[@dospalmascb]

@@MattsOceans we only had a couple, 2 real and 1 fake. But no issues in checked bags. My partners wheel chair was more of an issue in Ben Gurion because it was his own lol. 100 questions on where it had been and who had access to it etc .

[@mars2100]

Always really intresting stuff

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks! I try!!

[@kenlawdavis1742]

First rate video Matt. My wife and I just completed a trans Atlantic on a first for us: Viking. We have sailed dozens of times on the big guys, but found that Viking's inclusions (beer and wine for lunch and dinner, specialty restaurants, wi-fi, shore excursions) didn't end up costing more than the same itinerary on Holland when you add in these inclusions. Plus the intangible smaller ship experience. As 3 star Mariners with Holland, our loyalty is being put to the test now.

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks Ken. Didn't get too bouncy on a small ship crossing the Atlantic in the winter? A friend of mine who is quite wealthy and a frequent cruiser now prefers Viking over all the luxury brands that you'd might expect to be superior...

[@kenlawdavis1742]

@@MattsOceans In fact we had to avoid a storm and missed Funchal. But went to Gran Caneria instead which was lovely.

[@wessexTim]

Really helping me plan our first cruise.....Thanks Matt.

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks for all the comments Tim!

[@dospalmascb]

Happy New Year Matt. Thanks for an interesting video.

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks - HNY to you too!

[@edvaira6891]

Excellent timing, sir! We are leaving on our first cruise in 32 years (!!) on Navigator of the Seas from Los Angeles Tomorrow Morning! Well done video!

[@MattsOceans]

Perfect - I really hope it helped. Have a great time!

[@coleboneri2145]

Great video and hit on so many of the key points. Spot on with the drinks package analysis. The only thing I would add is on 7 day+ cruises, if you do not plan to consume around 8 drinks every single day, then the math to go al la carte provides better value.

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks Cole. I will make a dedicated "drinks package" video as there's so much more to say! And you are absolutely right - even on a 7 night cruise you do feel the conflict between "I need a day off drinking" and "I've paid for it so bring me a margarita"!

[@rogerbird380]

I definitely want to try Hurtigruten at some point 🇳🇴

[@MattsOceans]

Yes - interesting case study on how to extend operational range based on brand recognition... They sail from Dover too, which is just up the road from where I live so I have been keeping an eye on them... Do prefer it a bit warmer though!

[@mp-no9yv]

Very good video MAtt.

[@MattsOceans]

Thanks!

[@stevecraven3502]

matt. Yes planning my first cruise ship experience (only 3 nights Miami - Bahamas)on Carnival Conquest. Its part of a longer Miami trip with my brother. I noticed you Have'nt sailed or reviewed this ship so have checked out other vlogs. (Sorry) some good some bad, some just about the person doing the vlog, so I will make up my own mind. Have you had any experience going through Miami airport recently? I've heard its a little time consuming getting through passport control. Keep up the good work and keep the faith. Steve. C. YNWA. PS. on your Chrimbo pressie vid, the Amazon link for the travel adaptor does'nt work. Cheers ears.

[@MattsOceans]

Cheers Steve - cruised with Carnival years back - I quite like them... A younger crowd in general... Miami usually sucks... Although when I arrived on the A380 we parked in a different part of the terminal and I was through in minutes... Generally it can be a pain... That adaptor got delisted but there is another one - I'll update it!

[@lisafarmer6730]

Do you usually book your port excursions thru the cruise? We have a $50 credit per port and have only used the cruise excursions in the past but I’m curious. Rome to Venice on the NCL Gem in late April

[@MattsOceans]

It's probably 10/10/80 - 10% independent excursion, 10% ship excursion, 80% no excursion!!! Last year, I didn't feel that the independent excursion sector was back on its feet yet so the options were limited... I've also found it easier to take independent excursions in the Caribbean versus Europe... Sounds like you're on a Norwegian cruise - I tend to stick with the cruise excursions in that situation as I'm thrifty and wouldn't do something big enough to have a £50 price difference...