Your Cruise Questions Answered #2: Cruise Lines, Ports, Excursions, Solo Cruising & More

Every week on my Tips For Travellers live cruise Q&A I focus on getting your cruise questions answered. I get asked dozens of questions and as many I know will be of interest to other cruisers like you, I have this Your Cruise Questions Answered series, where I include some of the popular and frequently asked useful questions asked and share my answers.

In this edition, the questions range from whether Virgin Voyages is changing and which European river cruise lines I recommend, through to cruising Japan, Antarctica with limited mobility, solo cruising with Cunard, and even where I think you should stay before a cruise from various cruise ports.

Your Cruise Questions Answered: Cruise Lines

Is Virgin Voyages Going Downhill?

I am certainly seeing more mixed reviews of Virgin Voyages than I used to, including within Virgin Voyages groups.

Some of that may simply be because Virgin is becoming more popular, so more people are trying them and inevitably there is a wider range of opinion.

But I also think Virgin is becoming less different from the mainstream cruise lines than it once was. They have changed the fare structure and moved away from some of the inclusions that helped make the original proposition feel distinctive.

I’ve also seen some particularly mixed feedback around Brilliant Lady.

I will be experiencing Virgin again myself, so I’ll be interested to see first-hand how much has really changed. But yes, there does seem to be more mixed feedback than there was.

Should You Avoid Cunard Queen Anne?

No. I wouldn’t completely avoid Queen Anne, but I do think she’s a rather different Cunard experience.

For me, Queen Anne feels less traditionally Cunard than Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. She’s more contemporary and modern, and some traditional Cunard spaces, such as the Queens Room, don’t work quite as well for me.

However, there are areas where Queen Anne works extremely well.

Britannia Club, for example, has a very attractive dedicated restaurant. The Princess Grill restaurant is also very good.

So, Queen Anne may work particularly well if you’re looking for a more contemporary Cunard experience.

Personally, if I had the choice and wanted the more traditional Cunard experience, I would gravitate towards Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth. But I certainly wouldn’t say you should simply avoid Queen Anne.

Is Cunard Good For Solo Cruisers?

Yes. Cunard is good for solo cruisers, and you’ll usually find plenty of other people travelling alone.

Cunard does have dedicated solo cabins, although not very many. That means they can sell quickly and the pricing can sometimes become strange.

In fact, one of the mistakes solo cruisers make is assuming a dedicated solo cabin must be the cheapest option.

It isn’t.

You can sometimes find that booking a standard ocean-view or other double cabin with a low or no solo supplement actually costs less than the dedicated solo cabin.

Cunard also runs solo get-togethers, although many are unhosted, and because there are usually plenty of solos on board, meeting other solo travellers is relatively easy.

Your Cruise Questions Answered: Regions and Destinations

Is A Cruise A Good Way To Visit Japan For The First Time?

I think a cruise is a great way to experience Japan for the first time.

However, I would strongly recommend combining it with a four- or five-day pre-cruise stay in Tokyo.

There is an enormous amount to do in Tokyo itself, but you can also use the Shinkansen bullet train to venture further afield. You could head to Nagoya, for example, and visit the Toyota museums, or even go as far as Kyoto, although many Japan cruises will call there anyway.

An itinerary that takes you right around Japan gives you a great introduction to the country and lets you experience a range of destinations without having to constantly move hotels and luggage.

It also gives you confidence and familiarity with Japan that can make returning for a more extensive land trip much easier.

How Do You Pack For A Cruise From Alaska To Japan?

This is one of those itineraries where layers are essential because you’re packing for two very different climates.

Alaska in September can be cool and rainy. You need layers, waterproof clothing and something warmer for days outside.

Japan can be completely different.

I’ve been in Japan in October and it was still warm enough on many excursions for shorts and T-shirts. September can be even warmer.

So, don’t pack one wardrobe based on the coldest destination. You effectively need to pack for cool, potentially wet Alaska and warm Japan on the same trip.

What Are The Best Cruises For Seeing The Northern Lights In Norway?

If seeing the Northern Lights is the main objective, I would start with Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages.

They operate the Norwegian coast year-round and are particularly well positioned for Northern Lights voyages.

Hurtigruten has also offered Northern Lights guarantees on selected sailings, where there is some form of future voyage offer if you don’t see them. Check the exact current terms when booking.

If you’re sailing from the UK, also look at lines such as Fred. Olsen and Saga, which offer Northern Lights itineraries, and Viking has also operated relevant voyages.

There is one warning, though.

These cruises tend to operate on smaller ships and you’re sailing Norway during the colder, darker months. The sea can be much rougher than people expect.

I’ve seen plenty of passengers and cruise vloggers surprised by just how choppy these voyages can become.

So choose the cruise for the Northern Lights — but go prepared for the possibility of some lively seas too.

Can You Cruise To Antarctica With Limited Mobility Or A Wheelchair?

There are options, although the right one depends on your level of mobility and what you want to experience.

The most straightforward and cost-effective option is probably an Antarctica sail-by cruise on a more traditional cruise ship.

Lines including Holland America, Princess, Norwegian and Celebrity have offered South America itineraries, often between Buenos Aires and Santiago, that include scenic cruising in Antarctica.

You won’t step ashore in Antarctica, but you can still experience some of the magnificent scenery from the ship.

An expedition cruise is more complicated, but not necessarily impossible.

I’ve now been on three expedition cruises to Antarctica, and all three had somebody using a wheelchair on board.

They generally couldn’t make many of the landings. However, when conditions allowed, I saw expedition teams get passengers with limited mobility into Zodiacs so they could cruise among the icebergs.

On one or possibly two of my trips, conditions were calm enough for the expedition team to get a wheelchair user ashore so they could say they had actually set foot on the seventh continent.

But that is entirely dependent on conditions and the expedition team’s assessment, so it cannot be guaranteed.

Where Should You Stay In Venice Before A Cruise?

If you’re travelling in January, the first thing to remember is that Venice can be very cold.

I’ve been there in January and the wind can be particularly biting, so go prepared. The upside is that it can be considerably less expensive than during the main tourist season.

One hotel I particularly enjoyed was the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice.

It isn’t on the main cluster of islands, but there is a shuttle across and you can also use the water taxis. I found the rooms and service very good and getting backwards and forwards straightforward.

I used a water taxi from the airport, which was a great way to arrive, although they are expensive.

If I were returning to Venice, the Hilton Molino Stucky would certainly be high on my list again.

Should You Stay In Dover Or London Before A Dover Cruise?

I would stay in London.

Dover Castle is interesting, particularly its wartime history and tunnels, but Dover itself is very much a working port town. There isn’t a huge amount to do and the hotel choice isn’t particularly exciting.

London obviously gives you vastly more options.

On embarkation day, take the faster train from London St Pancras to Dover rather than one of the slower services. The fast journey is around an hour, and you’ll then need a taxi from Dover station to the cruise terminal.

I have stayed in Dover before cruises, but personally I wouldn’t do it again unless there was a very specific reason.

Is Trieste Worth Staying In Before Or After A Cruise?

Yes. Trieste itself is an attractive place and worth considering for a stay, particularly now that it is increasingly being used as a gateway for cruises marketed as sailing from Venice.

The important point is that Trieste isn’t Venice.

If your cruise starts or ends there, don’t automatically treat it simply as somewhere to rush through on the way to Venice. Consider spending some time there.

I haven’t personally visited the nearby wineries, so I can’t recommend specific ones, but Trieste itself is certainly worth exploring.

Where Should You Stay Before A Fort Lauderdale Cruise?

I’ve tried several Fort Lauderdale hotels and, to be frank, I’ve never found one I particularly love.

I’ve stayed at Hilton, Marriott and Renaissance properties. Of those, I would probably choose the Hilton again. I found the staff friendly and the rooms perfectly okay.

The problem is price. Fort Lauderdale hotels can be expensive, just like Miami.

These days, particularly if I’m flying into Miami anyway, I often prefer to stay in Miami and take an Uber to Fort Lauderdale on embarkation morning.

There are less expensive airport hotel options around Fort Lauderdale, and some offer cruise-port transportation, but personally I would choose based on what else I wanted to do before the cruise rather than feeling I had to stay beside Port Everglades.

Is A Tuk-Tuk Tour A Good Way To See Lisbon From A Cruise Ship?

I haven’t personally done one, but having seen the tuk-tuk tours operating in Lisbon, I think they look like an interesting option for a short port visit.

The big advantage is that they’re small. I saw vehicles taking two or four people, so it’s potentially a much more personalised experience than a large coach or hop-on-hop-off bus.

Lisbon also has frequent hop-on-hop-off services, which I’ve used before and found good.

For a couple of hours in port, though, I would certainly consider the tuk-tuk option, particularly if you want something more personal and don’t want to spend your limited time waiting for a large bus.

Your Cruise Questions Answered: River Cruising

Which Is The Best River Cruise Line In Europe?

There isn’t one river cruise line that I would say is best for everybody because it depends enormously on your budget and the experience you’re looking for.

At the higher end, take a look at Riverside Luxury Cruises and Uniworld.

My personal go-to is often AmaWaterways, which sits towards the upper end of river cruising and is a line I particularly like. I also like Avalon Waterways.

For something more cost-effective, look at CroisiEurope. It is a family-owned French company with an enormous choice of itineraries. One thing to bear in mind is that you could find 80% or more of your fellow passengers are French, although they do provide English-language programmes.

Riviera Travel is another line I would look at for good value.

So, rather than asking which river cruise line is “best”, decide what level of accommodation, inclusions and service you want and, importantly, how much you’re prepared to pay.
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Your Cruise Questions Answered: On Board Issues

Can You Give Your Cruise Booking To Someone Else If You Can’t Travel?

Unfortunately, very often you can’t.

This is one of those things buried in cruise contracts that many passengers don’t realise they’ve agreed to.

On many cruise lines, changing the name of the passenger — particularly the primary passenger or everyone in a cabin — can be treated as a cancellation rather than a simple name change.

That means you may not simply be able to give your fully paid cruise to a friend if you can no longer travel.

There can sometimes be more flexibility if only one person on a multi-person booking is being changed, but this varies between cruise lines, contracts and the country in which you booked.

If you’ve booked through a travel agent, I would certainly get them involved because they may have contacts or some ability to negotiate with the line.

But don’t assume that because you’ve paid for the cabin, you can simply transfer it to somebody else.

Can A Large Group Sit Together At Dinner On A Cruise?

Cruise ship dining rooms tend to have plenty of tables for six or eight and some for ten, but tables for 11 or 12 are much less common.

Even if the ship can create a table that large, I’m not convinced it’s the best option.

I’ve seen this on my own group cruises. Even with eight people around a large round table, you often end up talking primarily to the people immediately beside you because having a conversation across the whole table is difficult.

For a group of 11, I would prefer two neighbouring tables.

Then mix up the seating each evening. Over the course of the cruise, everybody gets a chance to sit and talk with everybody else.

It is also easier for the dining team to serve two smaller tables efficiently than coordinate 11 meals arriving together.

What Do Cruise Lines Do If You Have A Birthday On Board?

Most cruise lines will make some acknowledgement of your birthday, particularly at dinner.

My advice is to eat in the main dining room on your birthday.

Usually the dining team will know it’s your birthday. On many lines, some of the waiters will gather around, sing Happy Birthday and bring you a small cake or dessert.

Cunard does this too.

Don’t automatically expect your cabin to be decorated. Many cruise lines sell birthday packages that include cabin decorations, cakes and other extras, but you pay for those.

Your cabin steward may also do something, but that is much less predictable.

So, if you want the cruise line to make a fuss without paying for a special celebration package, dinner in the main dining room is your best bet.

Should You Tip On A Luxury Cruise When Gratuities Are Included?

I do sometimes, but I certainly don’t feel I have to.

For example, Regent Seven Seas includes gratuities in the fare.

If I’ve had exceptional cabin stewards who’ve really gone above and beyond, I will often give them an additional tip at the end of the cruise.

On Regent I’ve found the cabin stewards can almost fill part of the role of a butler even in lower-category suites. They’ll organise things for the minibar, help with laundry and sort out particular requests — in my case, things such as caffeine-free Diet Coke and the feather pillows I prefer.

If they’ve been exceptional, I’ll tip extra.

I don’t normally tip maître d’s or restaurant waiters individually on these ships because you often don’t have the same dining team every night.

And if the service has simply been what I would expect from an all-inclusive luxury cruise, I don’t feel obliged to tip extra. That’s the point of gratuities being included.

If you found this helpful, check out another of Your Cruise Questions Answered.

 

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