Planning a Cruise in 2024/5?: Do THESE SEVEN THINGS!

[@shawnkeys4963]

The fact that you mentioned looking at other content creators videos shows how great you guy's are.

[@elizabethblevins5736]

Happy you started Inside Cruise again. 😊

[@cmccloskey56]

And love the new studio space!

[@michaelvoisey8458]

I know I am late but download the ship deck plan that way you can see where various cabins are and the venues on board

[@shanaw95]

Great tips! I'll add my personal experience on booking excursions. If you do book 3rd party, make sure you know their cancelation policy. When we were in Skagway Alaska in May 2023, the ship had to use tenders to get us to shore, and there was an issue that delayed everyone leaving the ship. We had an excursion booked with the cruise line and they made sure we made it on time. Everyone else who had 3rd party bookings, didn't get that and many missed their train up Whitepass.

[@tammypitarch]

Great tips! I'm a long time cruiser, 60 plus. Stopped cruises for a while. I'm back as I've realized there are still smaller ships! Going on HAL in December! Love you guy's ❤

[@Glynn1965]

I love watching you guys. Now considering an Explora cruise when I never would before

[@lillis887]

I broke my ankle while on a cruise!!! Thankfully wasn’t left behind in an island hospital! No shade but I’d rather be home. I will NEVER travel without insurance ever again!!🥰 Accidents happen! Be prepared!!!🙏🥰

[@diannew1373]

Will you still be doing the Cruise with Ben and David videos please? This video is extremely well done and heaps of great info for new cruisers but hubby and I just love the Cruise with Ben and David videos where you are showing yourself enjoying cruises and port stops. Awesome job though guys.

[@CharleneCTX]

They said in another video that they'll be doing the cruising videos and adding more of these how-to and tips type videos. More to love.

[@InsideCruise]

Yes nothing changing at our other channel!

[@meatpockets]

One thing that’s nice about booking shore excursions through the cruise line is that you get automatically refunded if there’s bad weather or they can’t make that port. 9:19

[@HeavenWithouttheE]

Old sub/new sub here!! Happy to have allll the Ben and David content🫶💯🥰

[@barbaralazier8352]

Super tips. As a solo mid-70 traveller I have found that Viking and Celebrity are best for me. I would also highly recommend getting a great travel agent. They can make things happen that most of us cannot

[@cathyparsons8878]

The problem is trying to find one.

[@kathleenyoshida8170]

I love that you are doing these type of vlogs again! So much wonderful and important information.

[@mariaaguila1274]

Your newest cruise line review is incredibly helpful! Sure this will help so many plan their cruises, esp first timers as it can be overwhelming to choose and book, then activities, excursions, etc.

[@TeishaWieden]

Great tips Ben and David. Very informative. Much appreciated. I always enjoy watching your videos.

[@Lovesapuzzle]

In addition to trip insurance, check with your private US heath insurance provider to see if you will be covered outside the US, if there are any restrictions & what paperwork is involved if you need to file a claim.

[@shuggaD]

make sure to put your phone in Airplane mode

[@KenS-z6r]

Good points! It sometimes cost me more to get off the ship than it did to get on!!!

[@Disneyobsessed23]

Omg your back yay!!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳 going on harmony of the seas this thanksgiving I can’t wait!

[@angieking8193]

Great video thanks. Makes a nice change from the cruising videos. Could you cover how to get the most for your money, ie when to book, book directly or through the a travel agent, are packages such as added flights worth it? You haveawealthof experience, so please share with us! Thanks

[@Lovesapuzzle]

Yes Please. What are the most affordable times to cruise different locations? Also, what is the best time to book those bargains?

[@SouthMainTravelers]

Just a point of clarification. I believe at this time ONLY Royal Caribbean is banning power strips with multiple outlet connections, I do know some other cruiselines do not allow surge protectors, or extention cords, but they still allow adapters and power strips with multiple outlets ports on them. The only thing allowed on Royal Caribbent are multiple USB port charging adapters.

[@Marie-ClaudeHuard-wt5vs]

I’m very happy that you’re back with Inside Cruise! Thank you!

[@happycruiser]

So nice to see this channel with new info. Thanks!

[@danielleschilk9845]

Love Viking cruise no young children , I’m 65 years old!! Very relaxing ❤

[@cicsman]

Glad to see you back adding content to this channel.

[@RaoulLB]

Great to see the Inside Cruise channel active again!

[@randa200771]

I would have put the sizes into 4 categories. The large going upto around 3500 and then MEGA up to those new ships holding 6 to 7000 passengers.

[@lindapeterson3613]

Love having you on two channels.

[@cydneystephen2814]

Ben!! Good seeing you on this channel. It’s been a minute. Ben. All great points for the new and seasoned cruiser. We need refreshers sometimes 😂. Thanks so much and you and David have a great weekend 🤗

[@danasandoval624]

Paying the extra for cruise excursions are worth it for us. We did one on our own and they dropped us off but when they were supposed to be back no one showed up, in a foreign country when the language isn’t yours this is upsetting. We finally flagged down a policeman, there were no taxis or anything else for us to get, luckily the police knew who was supposed to pick us up and managed to get ahold of them. We got back to the ship but with very little time left. After that harrowing experience we do only cruise excursions. We have always enjoyed them and really haven’t ever felt rushed or too crowded. They give you enough time but not so much it gets boring, if you really like the place come back on your own and stay. It’s a way to get to do and see several things usually in one excursion.

[@laughremixsquad]

MSC Yacht Club is incredible! I'd hardly call it budget.

[@julianigoe1291]

I'm in my late 40s and love cruising Princess here in Australia. I have a great time cruising with the oldies. Tried the family oriented ships there not for me. Happy cruising everyone. Love your channels Ben and David.🍻🇦🇺🍻

[@Lovesapuzzle]

From an "oldie's" perspective, I still see myself as if I'm 40. I'm still just as fit and interested in life. Just the other night I attended a community presentation. Arriving late & seeing that the room was full, I headed toward the standing room only area. When a younger person stood up and offered my his chair, my first impulse was to politely decline and felt a bit put off that he saw me as old. My second though was to accept his kind offer when I remembered that I was, indeed, a senior citizen.

[@julianigoe1291]

@@Lovesapuzzle I love to listen to the stories of their lives. It helps keep the memory of my grandparents alive ❤️

[@Lynn-kh5rs]

Thank you for the tips! As a future first time cruiser I have been watching all the various videos because for us, "size matters". lol! On our land vacations we sometimes go to large cities but frequently we choose smaller venues so we already know the mega ships are not for us. Finally ended up booking a U.S. river cruise. $$$ yes, but with all the "new" upcharges being implemented with the cruise lines and them seeming to add additional charges at the drop of a hat the all-inclusive of the river cruise suits us. I don't like financial "surprises".

[@gwynethglas-brown9171]

Thank you for your Tips Great video 🥰. Hope your both doing well setting in to your new home 🫶 Take care

[@MichaelQing]

The best months to book a cruise are January through March, when nearly every cruise line launches some kind of wave season promotion, and November through December, when Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales often start well before Thanksgiving and end days or weeks after.

[@Podgey25]

I used to book then but I always got sick! Too many nasty bugs around in those months 😢

[@salliestewart4713]

Very informative. Thanks

[@debbief2882]

Great tips Ben. So happy to see you back here. ❤ Hugs to you both.

[@zacharymarjan2087]

I was on icon when that thumbnail pic was taken

[@Lovesapuzzle]

Great, well presented information. I found myself taking notes! Is this channel a new venture or will it replace Ben & David Cruise?

[@InsideCruise]

No it's an addition, nothing changing over there!

[@burnm6078]

Great advise. may take quite a few cruises before you find the one that is best for you.

[@lifewithgrandmabev]

Hi Ben. Thanks for sharing these tips.

[@rayapupwing]

im looking for a relaxing "no thrills" 7 day cruise "boring cruise" with max 2 ports. Does such cruise exist?

[@SherryAnnOfTheWest]

I generally cruise NCL (in the "cheap seats") or MSC in the Yacht Club. Unlike the two of you, I've had nothing but excellent experiences in all my YC cruises and it's just one of those things that takes the hassle out of travel for me and I always have a quiet, comfortable place to go when the rest of the ship is too crowded or loud. There is no scenario in the world that would see me planning a Disney cruise - not only am I not a "family" cruiser, but I am definitely not a "Disney Adult." I am interested in some of the more specialized cruises (like river cruises) and am quite interested in the high-end ones and also Tui river cruises or the "cruise and bike" cruises.

[@gthbtn]

It's also worth considering the costs of getting to and from the cruise... Virgin have some interesting one way offerings on Brilliant Lady but the cost of flights has put me off going. I'm booked on a round trip from Athens next year and even that was a minefield as my local airport is only convenient one way so a return from Heathrow is saving a few hundred quid compared to single flights with different airports/operators...

[@kestag2110]

Great tips. Our next cruise is Viking next year

[@sharonh2172]

Carnival can be good for families too!

[@Lovesapuzzle]

Yes and no. Unfortunately, Carnival has gotten a lot of bad press lately. I don't believe bad behavior is limited to Carnival but, they seem to be having the biggest problem with it lately.

[@sharonh2172]

@Lovesapuzzle I've been on 24 Carnival cruises from 5 to 10 days and have never seen an incident on any of them once. I've also been on a 2 Royal Caribbean cruises one 5 day and one 3 day. The 3 day cruise there were two fights on the pool deck over a lounger. From my experiences, I think it has more to do with the short cheaper weekend party cruises. Carnival does get a bad rap, but bad behavior isn't exclusive to Carnival.

[@Lovesapuzzle]

@@sharonh2172 I think you are correct that the problems are most prevalent on short, inexpensive cruises. We cruised on Carnival once for 7 days. While we were underwhelmed by every aspect of that cruise, we didn't see any bad behavior. That was many years ago. I'm sure Carnival has upped their game but I suspect that line is still not for us. As Ben says, the key to a good cruise is finding the one that fits your expectations.

[@ilselauwers6009]

Thank you . Could you also make a video about your experience with Seasickness and the stability of the different ships plz

[@Lovesapuzzle]

That's a good suggestion. If I recall correctly, the only cruises they had that problem with were trans-Atlantic sailings.

[@lindapeterson3613]

The multi plug outlets have been banned by some lines just this last week.

[@patevans3709]

Royal Caribbean reworded the announcement. Chargers with USB/USB C ports are permissible--i.e. for phones, laptops, etc. See their website for the clarified announcement.

[@suerobinson844]

Good tips, thanks. ❤ Sue

[@lindapeterson3613]

We are going on Oceania for the first time. What do you think of this line? We have done celebrity and NCL which was too big, but did have good food.

[@aimeerogers4542]

I love Oceania and the food is fabulous,!

[@lindapeterson3613]

@@aimeerogers4542 thank you. We are looking forward to the food.

[@PamWright-f8r]

What would you recommend as a last minute booking- month out- 2 months??? Thank you

[@Sherriedc]

How about Holland America?

[@Kparc1212]

Is it better to purchase Travel Insurance from the cruise line or from another vender?

[@MartaGee]

what category would virgin voyages be? im so surprised you didnt mention them.

[@TinaLee2042]

Great video! But I would advise that many lines no longer let you bring a fan aboard, and if they see it on a scan it may be confiscated or you may get called down to the naughty room and they’ll keep it. Wish you had addressed the ship within a ship. I’ve been shocked by the sheer number of people who don’t understand parts of the ship may be forbidden to them… “but I saw it on a KZbin (or Instagram) video!”

[@alexandrahall2012]

I used a portable, USB POWERED fan and it was fine. as long as it's not a regular sized and regular plug - then it should be fine. I was on NCL in August of 2024- so, not too long ago. I think USB is a game changer as it doesn't use as much power. In fact, if you can find a USB rechargeable fan, like I did, it can be super helpful. Odd things I have found that are USB rechargeable as of late: Toothbrush, Light-up makeup mirror, foldable portable fan, and even a fold up keyboard.

[@helenaalicia6987]

Problem when you have a beer budget but champagne tastes. We would love to cruise smaller (I mean real small) ships but can't afford it. So... we are trying Carnival out of a small port (smaller ships - not small enough but beggars can't be choosers) . I don't care about entertainment, but I do care about good, quality food and drink. and a carved out quieter space which I am thankful that Carnival has on their Serenity deck areas. I look forward to trying out Celebrity next time

[@Podgey25]

I say- What do you want from your cruise vacation? Is it the destinations itenary or the ship? Because if theyre going to be getting off every port stop, book a cheaper cabin . If they dont tend intend to stay onboard much, go for an older ship to save!

[@josephreynoldsii5048]

I guess I'm out of the loop, but no Cruise with Ben & David this week? (I know this is a different channel from this one)

[@rickfeng4466]

Where do you get the thumbnail photo?

[@yeeaahhzz]

LOL @ THE SHOPPING CART 3:16

[@bellaportaustralia]

Short hair 😍

[@mrlogboy]

For Disney you can get 30+ % off cruises 3 to 4 months from a cruise. My last 2 cruises were guarantee rooms and got big discounts

[@Lovesapuzzle]

We got deeply discounted Disney cruises through Costco. I imagine Sam's Club would offer similar deals.

[@TimK2646]

I am aged 66 years and I just hate kids cruise lines. Celebrity cruises had hardly any kids on the 7th September cruise. The lifts were so efficient. For any novices, I would recommend booking maiden voyages as I really enjoyed our 17 night Southampton to Venice on P&O Azura. A decade later that same Ship was so awful in every way.

[@ellenhagen447]

On Celebrity now. I’ve seen 2 children cruising to Quebec.

[@genageeraert8039]

Maiden voyages are not great. They can be moved back and a lot of the entertainment might not be ready. I would suggest doing a cruise in their first year when they worked the bugs out and everything is up and running.

[@Lovesapuzzle]

We've cruise Disney twice and barely saw any children. We sailed in January. I think with it being the post-holiday season, children were back in school and their parents were more interested in resuming a normal routine than taking a family vacation. You do need a high tolerance for all things Disney to enjoy their ships. It permeates all aspects of the cruise except their extra pay restaurants. If you are interested in releasing your inner child, without having to be with children, I highly recommend Disney in January.

[@sheilah4525]

No, I would rather enjoy a healthy vacation where I do more than WADDLE AND TROWEL ALL DAY, THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT IT.

[@AJ12-76]

The food is EXCELLENT on Icon! Not sure why you and David keep saying negative stuff about it

[@bigguy1403]

These guys complain about everything! EVERYTHING!!!

[@AJ12-76]

@@bigguy1403 I used to be a fan of now starting to second guess that decision

[@rhondawilson1206]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

[@bigguy1403]

@@rhondawilson1206 correct and my opinion is they complain about EVERYTHING...they never go on a cruise without hating. Always a massive inconvenience or a massive mistake...massive this and massive that....I use to subscribe but to much complaining it ruins my cruise high.

[@bigguy1403]

@AJ12-76 correct the food is awesome on Icon.