What I loved and hated about my first European cruise!

[@nealeTH]

It was great to meet you and have chance to thank you in person on the Anthem cruise to Norway. It was our first ever cruise and through your channel you helped us prepare and get the best out of a fantastic cruise. We loved the cruise. We are from the UK (just 45 minutes from Southampton) and were very impressed with the embarkation experience including porters meeting us as we parked our car to take our luggage to the room. Packing, even for someone from the UK, was a challenge. The weather forecast continually changed in the run up to the cruise including forecasting snow and even a week of rain at one point. In the end we packed everything including the kitchen sink - winter hiking clothes, casual clothes, formal, spring weather, everything. Thankfully the weather was very kind and we had a fabulous time, and we are glad we took the full range of clothes as we needed them all for all the types of weather as we experienced most seasons most days! Because we drove in our car to the port, taking an extra suitcase wasn’t a problem.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

We had great weather all week!

[@michaelneuburger418]

Here are a few tips I have. First relax. You won't see everything there is just to much to see, so make sure you enjoy (and remember) what you do see. Getting home and saying it was all a blur you don't get the experience you should have. Second consider leaving more time to travel. (See Toni's video from this week.) It takes longer to get there, so if something goes wrong it will take longer to catch up. You are going farther (if coming from a place not in Europe), so give yourself more of a buffer and see a few extra things if all goes well. Third if it is a bucket list type trip give yourself a bigger budget for things and room in you suitcase like you said. Things in Europe are expensive save a little extra to get that small souvenir or maybe that local special drink.

[@ronanborus4067]

Thanks a lot Matt!! I am from Colorado originally but have since moved to Amsterdam recently due to work. I used to travel on Royal Caribbean cruises a lot in Alaska and the Caribbean but I have struggled to find cruises in Europe which is much easier. This video helped a lot. Thanks so much!!

[@yolandaklimasewski2996]

Ah man! The views are beautiful!!!

[@daisydix3238]

We did a 9d Norwegian Fjords cruise on Jewel OTS last 8/31/22-9/9/22. We were SUPER lucky to have seen the Northern Lights from our balcony 3 nights in a row after leaving Flam (9/3), Geiranger (9/4) & Alesund (9/5) - the captain gave stateroom announcements sometime between midnight and 1am and we just jumped out of bed, threw on our jackets, and rushed out to our balcony! Yes, 1 more reason to have a balcony on a Norwegian Fjords cruise 😃

[@GYX2021]

Wow, that sounds amazing! What an incredible experience! I am planning my trip next year, will try to book around those days.

[@daisydix3238]

@@GYX2021 Norway weather is very unpredictable, don't get your hopes up high. In order to be extremely lucky to see the Northern Lights this early (it's usually recommended to travel in the winter), a whole set of circumstances need to align - clear & dark skies, further north & away from light pollution, the sun cooperating with timely solar blasts, a wonderful & thoughtful captain willing to make stateroom announcements in the middle of the night, and just plain luck! But even if you don't get to see the lights, I still highly recommend a Norwegian Fjords cruise as it's just breathtaking. Also, Norway is going to restrict access to their UNESCO fjord sites starting 2025, so make sure you get to Geiranger by 2024!

[@Brittanyb0509]

I could never stay in a interior room, never, ever, ever!!!! I'd feel like I'm in jail!!!! I'm a huge fan of natural light. Even at home the first I do when I wake up in the morning is open all the windows in my house. Sitting on the balcony of of my cabin watching the ocean go is litterly one of my favorite parts of the criuse.

[@compuwakito]

Haha, I'm with you. I feel it is unnatural to wake up in a pitch black cabin. I actually do not even close the shades at night and let the sun welcome me to a bright new day and watch the water go by. That is a healthy, de-stressing habit! :)

[@JamesCrichton-m1g]

from Heathrow Coach station to Southampton I always travel by National Express bus and a taxi from the bus station to the cruise terminal. A little longer journey than train however for me more relaxing.

[@CeciMami]

This video is perfect timing for us since we’re doing the 13 night arctic circle cruise with RC in 2024! Our August dates were cancelled so had to rebook for July so sadly won’t be seeing any Northern Lights but really looking forward to it anyway. Hope our experience on JOTS is wonderful…thanks for the great tips!!! 😊

[@travelingbeyondboundaries]

Are you on the July 5 sailing? That's the one we are on and can't wait!

[@phox1515]

I have the same mindset when I travel to a new foreign country. I want to eat something the locals eat. I can get pizza and burgers at home, I want something I can't get at home. Isn't that why you travel in the first place? To experience something different.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

I wish we had more time in Bergen to be able to eat more!

[@phox1515]

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog I took it a step further in cartagena last month. Did a cooking class I found on trip advisor. Not only did I get to eat Colombian food, I learned how to make it first. Cevive, something similar to an empanada and red snapper basted with a coconut milk sauce. We made everything from scratch.

[@c_the_world]

Have this cruise booked for May 2024. Can’t wait!!

[@kenyattaclay7666]

I used to live in Germany & at the time I could only afford economy. Let me tell you flying 9 hours round trip on a nonstop flight from Frankfurt to Chicago sucks and this was over 20 years ago so no smartphone, tablet or computer with the ability to download movies or games. However if you can get a bulkhead seat where you can stretch out your legs or if you can get a seat in the middle aisle seat & are lucky enough that there's an empty seat next to you it's a little better. Also, the best trick I found to reduce jet lag is take a later flight & stay up as late as possible before your flight that way when you wake up it's morning & you kind of tricked your body into thinking it's on the new time.

[@bronzefox9035]

I like packing a smaller suitcase inside my bigger suitcase. Sometimes I use the extra one and sometimes I don't. It is great to have though!

[@antonytsai6611]

I loved my anthem cruise even though we missed the first 3 days due to us being denied boarding it is a beautiful ship with so many things to do

[@MeredithHM]

I did a Transatlantic cruise at the beginning of May & then we had a few days around UK & Ireland. I also underpacked & ended up buying another suitcase to fit all the stuff I bought 😂

[@nicktorimills5049]

We went on the Anthem the week after you did. We went to Geiranger but were unable to go to shore because the wind made it unsafe and the sea walk was damaged. I say that to mention that Key members were first in line to get off the boat, had they found a solution, so I thought that was a nice bonus. We loved Norway so much. I personally wasn’t a big fan on Anthem but I have littles so I think that played a role.

[@erikjackson1777]

Adding a small or medium foldable duffle comes in handy in situation such as the one you had. One of the items you discussed was the business class fight. They are very expensive and for many who are traveling on a budget they are not an option. I would guess due to your viewers and their generosity you were able to have those accommodations. Your it was a very good change from regular Caribbean cruising and had quite a bit of useful information. Thank you

[@daynaal-shammary5141]

Good information to have. There are one beautiful scenes. Flying business class sounds like it is something I do want to try.

[@37wall81]

matt just hates the key always lol. i did for the first time last november 22' on symphoy. my girl and i loved it. i dont have a clue what matt is talking about with the show(s) seating. we literally sat in the front row and have the videos to prove it. i will say it isnt a super amazing add-on, but we did enjoy it and took advantage on what it had to offer.

[@willmo-music]

hey matt i went on anthem before they moved to europe this year, their I hope you met my man Ko (komang) attendent on deck 8 and my man igor in chic dining room, both of them made my stay fantastic treating me like one of their friends, they were great i hope to see them onboard again

[@jdhdavis]

Important to add that European cruises help you pay for many travel expenses in USD rather than foreign currency that in some countries like a Norway is adverse. Less of an issue with the Euro conversion than years last. Norway is a great cruise-unique but some overlap with Alaska cruising. Baltic Sea and the Med are also great.

[@david_de_sousa]

Great video, glad you went over a couple of bits specially Southampton port as boarding there on anthem on my first ever cruise soon so nice to know it is straightforward. Also, checked in and got an early boarding time so getting the key would have been pointless for me too on this situation!!

[@cathydrew2569]

Your trip looked amazing.

[@cruisecrazy7066]

I am Elite on Princess (15 cruises) and get UNLIMITED, FREE laundry and dry cleaning, so I only bring carry-on luggage. Do laundry every 2 or 3 days.

[@abrown4green]

We did a 14 night European cruise on Royal, it was amazing

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Don't get me wrong, I loved my cruise

[@abrown4green]

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog I’m actually glad you gave your honest review on the Key, we’ve been contemplating trying it. Love all the content, even as an experienced cruiser I always learn stuff from your channel and site

[@travelingbeyondboundaries]

Doing a 13 night Arctic Circle cruise on the Jewel in 2024, can't wait! I'm too cheap to pay for premium things because it means I pay for more cruises instead! There are lots of ways to deal with jetlag and just not worth it for me personally.

[@orthodiva7487]

Ok. You might be an expert cruiser to the Caribbean but it shows that you’re a novice with Europe. 1- pack a foldable duffle for souvenirs. You know you’re going to buy them, why didn’t you pack one. 2- when packing carryon only to ANY destination, you know you’re gonna do laundry. Why worry? You’re worried because you’re alone and your wife wasn’t there to do it for you. 😊3- if you want to eat local cuisine, venture a couple of blocks away from the major streets 4- you should have read the reviews on that excursion prior to booking. Then you would have found that what you will see would have been repetitive cuz your ship would take the same route. Europe is amazing. Love traveling there.

[@jksparkle2799]

This wasn't a cruise trip, but I can vouch for the collapsible bag. I went to Europe about a year ago, and that really helped in terms of bag space. When flying there, it stayed packed flat in my suitcase (I did all carry-on method btw), then after a while, I utilized that as my souvenir bag, which took the place of my carry-on when flying back (my suitcase was checked on the return trip).

[@ashtonbackup934]

I miss the iconic UP NEXT 😂😂

[@Mattsana]

What did you expect to see that was different from the sailing in the Geiranger fjord on the rib boat tour? Didn't it say it was gonna take place in the Geiranger fjord?

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

I didn't anticipate the repetition. Not a big deal, the tour was still fun. But ultimately, un-necessary

[@Mattsana]

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog I see. I would suspect the repitiveness of it if I knew it would take place in the very same area where the ship travels. However it would be cool if it took you to Hellesylt which isn't too far away for a little tour in that little town.

[@maurinet2291]

Did you do other cruise line excursions besides the one you described? Were the others more successful or would you recommend to avoid them altogether and self-explore or book privately?

[@daisydix3238]

By looking at 1 of the pictures he posted, looks like he may have hiked to the Briksdal Glacier in Olden

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

I did 3 tours through Royal (Haugesund, Olden, Gairainger) and walked around on my own in Bergen

[@PatrickWagz]

Here is the best tip to avoiding jet-lag on your journey to catch your European cruise.... Book a Transatlantic cruise and spend 12-15 days *cruising* to Europe instead of *flying* to Europe to ensure that you're fully adjusted to the time zone upon your arrival in Europe! 😁 And, was the Bionic bar still broken onboard Anthem? We were onboard in February... and the crew said the bar had been broken for *MONTHS!*

[@CaptScott-ff6mf]

We're doing this cruise next season. which airport did you fly in/out of? Would you have chosen a different airport to do it again?

[@nichtsistkostenlos6565]

If you're going to fly on business class, you should do it on an airline miles redemption. You can get 5 - 10 cents per point on business or first class redemptions especially on international travel, so it's the best deal in comparison to spending money. Obviously you need the points to do this, so it's a good reason to play the points game with credit cards for travel.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Good tip!

[@jhmcd2]

We did this cruise last year, loved it. I sort of disagree on the key because food in Europe is pricey and we knew it, so getting the key and having a nice lunch on embarkation and breakfast on disembarkation was nice. I loved the RIB boat, but we did get another tour which was canceled, so we got a tour of the town and the RIB boat. It's more about the adventure than the view. But we also saw those EVs but they go extremely fast. As for getting to Southampton, we drove. It just worked better, and we were still dealing with some COVID restrictions. But we also got in two days early so we spent time in London as well. But this is a definite do trip.

[@DartyVic]

While I really appreciate all of your reviews, I think that you have quite a limited experience cruising on Royal Caribbean outside of North america. It's great that you expanded your trips to europe, but I am surprised that you didn't do any research ahead of time. Norway is a very expensive country, because their tax structure allows for a lot of Social services for their citizens. They don't necessarily have to rely on tourist money to bring in all of the revenue. Also, a lot of the bakeries in Norway are phenomenal! I think you should probably do another European trip.

[@charlesschroeder4062]

Key is good if you did not get an early embarkation, want the internet, you like the seats in the theaters (we did!), have tender ports without excursions but want to get off and don't plan to pay for specialty dining but like a good first lunch! I won't get it every time, only when all the check boxes exist.

[@maurinet2291]

I've heard on a tender-heavy itinerary, it's worth it for that alone.

[@dawnboyd1784]

We bought VIP (key) for our European cruise as there are two tender ports. The first few cruises have had horrible experiences with Tenders at one of our port stops. So if we can get off early it will be worth just that port.

[@charlesschroeder4062]

@@maurinet2291 I have a cruise planned for Alaska this year. We have early excursions at every stop. IF they were all tender ports I still will not need The Key to get off as the excursions get priority. In Europe last summer we had one tender port, which also had an excursion, so the The Key did not apply / need to be used after all. So it depends on what you have planned.

[@lolplzlolplz1]

Asian cruise on board Spectrum next? 🤔

[@CK_CC___]

Can you share the cruise campass of this cruise? I will go to the same cruise in September.

[@MegansiCast]

The only reason I stayed in an inside cabin during my Norway cruise was because of how long the sun stays up 😕

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Good point!

[@bigguy1403]

So you cruised to Norway solo? Without your wife!

[@RC-1290]

6:02 "Seven sisters? He must be in Geiranger. Wait, THAT'S what he said?" ^_^

[@fullsailaway]

imagine flying business class and feeling more rested after an 8-hour flight than one would in economy class. such insight.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

This is the hard hitting info we share here!

[@muskhavetesla]

I think we both were on the same cruise! Was embarkation on May 14th out of Southampton?

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Yup!

[@Freethecommons]

Fly economy and show up 3 days early in Europe. Use the extra thousands to stay in a beautiful room and explore the city.

[@lindastover9541]

Great video ❤❤❤❤

[@livingweirdestherc6644]

I would love a European cruise

[@susanwestfall2051]

Our Southampton embarkation was probably the smoothest and fastest ever in our 31 cruises! I don’t know what their secret is, but it sure worked!

[@lyramidsummer5508]

If you are buying Wifi any way, the key isnt a lot more?

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

It's enough more that I don't think it's worth it

[@ss_sailaway]

Yikes!! The travel bill total had to be over $5k!! Glad you enjoyed it anyway!

[@jackiebyers3424]

YOLO!

[@markolwick2223]

Your first mistake was thinking it was a traditional European cruise and using tips for that. You were on a Norwegian cruise. Completely different.

[@ModernMyths]

I would LOVE to fly Business class. I'm just too poor XD But being 6,5 it would save my knees

[@soremekun]

It was alluded to but the length of the flight is a major turnoff for me.

[@jackiebyers3424]

It’s all a matter of perspective. After flying to Australia from USA, I will take a 7-8 hour flight anytime.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

I felt same way going in, but the truth was it wasn't as bad as I thought. The fact my flights were on time and I was able to splurge with business class really helped make the transit far more enjoyable than I could have imagined.

[@michaeldianewynne8414]

So the first 2 things you hated were both to do with Royal Caribbean and nothing to do with being in Europe!!! The underpacking issue also had nothing to do with Europe - it was your choice!

[@hugoleonardo3762]

Need Barman?

[@maries7058]

After previously flying to Europe 2x economy I won't do that again...business or not at all.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Ditto!

[@Ann-gl2gu]

Are there washing machines on cruise ships.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

No

[@travelingbeyondboundaries]

Some cruise lines do have them. Royal doesn't, Princess does though. Some others do as well.

[@erikagholston6610]

I would love to take a European cruise one day. I also struggle not to over pack.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Just overpack and accept it. It's easier!

[@compuwakito]

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog Matt, I'm in Central Florida and might have to give you a few classes on packing light, lol! I constantly take 1 and 2 week trips abroad and sail on cruises with an European sized hard case carry on (which is about 20% smaller than the standard US carry on). Never needed extra clothes or shoes! I can fit a gala suit, dress shoes, flip flops, pants, shorts, gym stuff, etc., and up to 10 shirts! Actually, the last time I checked a bag was 15 years ago!

[@tonydiaz4097]

Duh. You didn’t like that your best buds weren’t with you 😂😂😂

[@jamesthomas8370]

Royal Caribbean Key to your money with out extra service

[@fabiendalmasso]

As a european, I always wonder if Europe feels as exotic as Carribean feel exotic to us. Someone would like to testify ? 🙂

[@courtneybowers2341]

As somebody that is landlocked in Indiana, USA. Almost everywhere feels exotic. Europe and Caribbean alike!

[@fabiendalmasso]

@@courtneybowers2341 Well, at least you have Gary, birthplace of Michale Jackson (that's the one and only thing I know about Indiana ^^)

[@rigobertobautistaperez3245]

En mi agenda presente conocer Royal Carribean excelente crucero 🚢

[@JoeFrohlich]

Ludafisk and lefsa are not the most appealing meals.

[@anneadeline]

Lutefisk og lefse

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Very true

[@compuwakito]

I tried lutefisk and it isn't that bad; it just the idea of it...