An Expert's Guide to Cruise Holidays

Flight Centre’s Steven McLean has been to 34 countries, and his all-time favourite way to travel is by ship. There are many different ways to cruise; here Steve shares all there is to know about sightseeing by boat, deck lounging and more...

There are three main types of cruise: river cruises, which are usually on small, intimate vessels designed to manoeuvre along the rivers of the world; ocean cruises, like the ones listed on this page; and expedition cruises, which are more destination-led and include trips to Antarctica, the Arctic and the Norwegian Fjords. A fly-cruise is when you need to fly to a destination to board the ship.  

Most cruises offer amazing excursions in port; on an Alaska cruise you could add a tour of Denali National Park & Preserve and Mount McKinley. You can usually pre-book your excursions from three months before departure.

Be prepared to gain a few pounds! The food is incredible, from à la carte fine dining to snack shacks.  It’s essential to know that not all restaurants are included in the price of your cruise; some speciality restaurants have a cover charge and need to be pre-booked.

Pick the correct kind of cruise line for you, and then the correct type of ship. Each brand will have various ships, and they can differ a lot. We’re here to help you make the right decision. If there’s somewhere you particularly love and you want to do something bespoke, just ask one of our Experts to help. For example, a holiday to the west coast of Canada could be tailored to include a cruise and a Rocky Mountaineer train Journey.

Consider what you want to experience and get out of the cruise: it’s definitely not a one-cruise-fits-all type of holiday. Are you going to experience the ship, or do you want your Journey to be destination-led? And who do you want to share it with? Then think about what you want included in the initial cost.