How to Take Your Best Cruise Ever

Seasoned cruisers provide tips and advice on the voyages that could be better

Amy Alipio, Ed Condran, Maisy Fernandez and David Swanson,

AARP

Published February 17, 2025

There are so many factors to consider when booking a cruise. Where will your journey take you? How many days will you be at sea or in port? In what type of cabin will you rest your head? What entertainment will pique your interest? Will you take prearranged shore excursions, or set out on your own? And you’ll likely encounter dozens of other small decisions along the way that can impact your vacation.

So we asked the real experts — older Americans who have roamed the lido deck — to share their stories. About times they experienced a brag-worthy vacation. And also about times that things could have gone better.

Before you head off into uncharted waters, learn from these travel tales. Bon voyage!

My Best: I won a trip to a private island

I took a seven-night Carnival cruise to Mexico from Galveston, Texas. The first day, they did a presentation on their shore excursions and drew one name to win a free experience. My then-husband and I won the big prize: two passes to Isla Pasion, a private island off Cozumel. That spoiled me! Now every time I cruise, I expect to win the big prize, and am disappointed when I don’t. My advice to others: Always go to those presentations and enter the drawing. You never know. — Michael Palmer, 52, Henryetta, Oklahoma

An Ike and Tina Turner performance turned passengers into stars on the ship.

Alamy Stock Photos; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Best: The ship turned passengers into stars

My favorite cruise was on Carnival, leaving out of Miami and going to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman. It had a talent show, with a sign-up sheet. I’ve never been on a cruise that allowed passengers to be part of the show. My friends performed as Ike and Tina Turner, and the whole ship loved it. They were walking around the ship feeling like stars. — Yvonne Howard, 53, Smyrna, Delaware

Pay attention to special deals that might alter the cruise’s demographics.

Alamy Stock Photo; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Worst: I didn’t know there would be so many kids

My last cruise, to the Dominican Republic, was my least favorite. There were too many kids. The Jacuzzi was filled with kids who never got out, and parents weren’t really supervising them. It wasn’t spring break or anything, but what we didn’t realize upon booking the trip was that the cruise line was running a special where kids cruise for free. So make sure you know what kind of cruise it is, and whether any special packages might alter the typical vibe or passengers on board. — Yvonne Howard

A port-intensive trip can mean more time on land than at sea.

Riccardo Spila/Sime/eStock Photo; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Best: I spent most of my time on land, not at sea

I was on a 12-day Princess cruise, leaving from the U.K. and going to Ireland, Scotland and all the way around the British Isles. It was port-intensive, so we spent more days at port than at sea, on excursions that included castles and cathedrals — top tier. — Jazminn Davis, 64, Pittsfield, New Hampshire

What’s New for 2025

The latest in amenities and itineraries

So many new ships. Several new ships are expected to launch this year. They range from two 125-passenger American Cruise Lines vessels that are designed for cruising the Atlantic coast, to Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, a massive ship that can hold more than 5,600 guests.

Revamped menus. Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based menus — along with no-alcohol mocktails — are found on lines such as Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Celebrity, Windstar and Carnival. Holland America Line has developed a global network to source and serve 80 types of fresh fish.

Special ports. Cruise line-developed hot spots are multiplying in the Bahamas. MSC Cruises has developed the Ocean Cay. Disney has opened Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. And coming later this year: Carnival’s Celebration Key and Royal Caribbean’s Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

Charting remote waters. Western Australia’s Kimberley region is luring cruisers to see rugged red gorges and ancient rock art (Seabourn, Silversea and Ponant offer cruises). Viking has announced new China-focused itineraries along the coast.

— David Swanson

My Best: We made friends with locals

My wife calls me a human GPS because I can find my way around anywhere. When I retired, we went on an Alaskan cruise with Princess, and we would walk into the port towns and talk to people. We wouldn’t take an excursion offered by the ship. In Ketchikan, we saw what looked like a run-down little store, but the sign said “radio station.” And we talked to the DJ and found out that he knew my brother! The best experiences are just getting to know the locals. — Glenn Kessler, 67, Sugar Land, Texas

Sometimes a second, unfamiliar option can become a dream trip.

Rosemary Behan/Alamy Stock Photo; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Best: Our second choice turned out to be a dream destination

In 2007, we wanted to go to Antarctica. My partner, John, had retired four years before, and this was our way to start exploring the world. We called Lindblad Expeditions Cruises, but Antarctic cruises were sold out for the season. They suggested going to Svalbard, Norway, instead. We’d never heard of it but we said, “Let’s do it!” That first cruise to a destination that wasn’t our first choice became our dream trip. We saw over 30 polar bears. We saw walruses. We had a blue whale right alongside the ship. We went past these bird cliffs that probably had 100,000 birds nesting on them. I kayaked for the first time. The naturalist said to stop paddling once in a while and just listen and I’d hear the “ice crispies” — which is the air being released out of the glacial ice. It really does snap, crackle and pop. — Annabelle Lee, 68, Thousand Oaks, California

There may be constant motion if you have a cabin in the bow during rough seas.

Shutterstock; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Worst: A cabin in the bow made for a bumpy ride

When we tried to book an Antarctic trip again in 2014, it was still hard to get reservations. So we just said, “It doesn’t matter; whatever the lowest price cabin we can get, let’s go for it. We’re not going to spend that much time in the cabin anyway.” We had been told that the Drake Passage can be one of the worst crossings in the world because of the strong current. And so as we’re cruising down, sure enough, we start getting those big splashing waves over the railings. And I wasn’t feeling so great, so I went down to the cabin to lie down for a while, not realizing that our cabin was in the bow. Ships have stabilizers, but the stabilizers protect you from the sideways rocking. What it doesn’t stop — and nothing can stop — is the bow bouncing in the waves. And there I was in what I ended up calling “the elevator cabin,” going up and going down and feeling weightless every 10 seconds. So you want to be on lower decks and midship. That way you’ll be at the part of the ship that has the least amount of movement. — Annabelle Lee

There was no space to chill out with two sets of bunk beds in a cramped cabin.

Shutterstock; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Worst: Family time ... in a cramped cabin

Our goal was the destination — Alaska. But we learned an important lesson, which is that you shouldn’t put four people (two adults and two teenage boys) in one stateroom. We didn’t realize how small the room was going to be. We had two sets of bunk beds in our room. There was no place to chill out. So, the journey is as important as the destination. — Ranu Muttreja, 56, Philadelphia

Passengers expecting a snorkeling excursion were sidelined when told they were too old.

Getty Images; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Worst: We were considered too old to have fun on an excursion

I started scuba diving in the 1960s. I was inspired by Lloyd Bridges and Sea Hunt and taught by a Navy frogman. These days, although we’re still certified divers, Donnelle and I tend to take snorkeling trips. We booked a Caribbean cruise and learned about age limits for “active” shore excursions. A snorkeling trip in Costa Maya had a 65-year age limit. We called and questioned that. Even in our 80s, we’re capable snorkelers. We jumped through hoops, and even sent a letter from our doctor. Eventually they OK’d us. But when we checked in, the guy with the clipboard told us we were too old, and they put us on a silly glass-bottom boat tour instead. We were so annoyed and insulted. We prefer sailing on lines that don’t discriminate against older cruisers. — Dale Leatherman, 80, Northern Virginia

More cruise tips

Be weather-aware. Michael Johnson, 71, of Fredericksburg, Texas, remembers traveling on a cruise from Boston to Montreal in mid-October. “I had visions of relaxing on a big veranda, looking at the fall colors,” he says. “But it was cold and drizzly.” At one shore excursion, he asked a sales clerk at a store in Maine when she thought the storm would end. “She looked at me with a puzzled look and said, ‘This isn’t a storm, this is the weather!’ ”
Study the brochures. Every cruise line will say it’s the right one for you and there’s something for everyone, but there are clues to tell you more. Look for advertising photos that showcase people who appear to be of your age, Palmer says.
Ask an expert. There are so many cruises out there; it’s easy to go down a rabbit hole looking at them. A cruise expert can help you narrow it down, Davis says. They ask questions, such as how far are you willing to travel to the departure point and your desired port-to-at-sea ratio, and find the right fit.
Variety is the spice of life. Do something different every day of your cruise. Go to karaoke night even if you don’t sing, Palmer says. If cruising alone, do activities where you meet others. You may make a friend to cruise with again.
Manage your money. Carolyn Spencer Brown, former editor in chief of Cruise Critic, is a fan of package pricing for amenities. “As we get older, we want less hassle,” she says. “We want our brains at rest when we’re on vacation, not totaling up sums of extra fee options. ”
Create extra storage. Rooms can be tight, but bringing a few small items can maximize space, Davis says. The ship’s walls are metal, so take magnetic hooks to hang purses, hats, sandals and more. A portable, over-the-door shoe rack keeps shoes out of the way, and a netted shower bag can be used to hold your products in a tight cabin bathroom.

Tulips and history lessons were everywhere on a cruise to the Netherlands.

Getty Images; Illustration by Christine Rösch

My Best: I got to experience stunningly beautiful Dutch landscapes

Have you ever been in Kansas and seen its miles of flat plains? Imagine that as tulips and that’s what it was like visiting the flower fields on Viking’s Tulips and Windmills cruise in the Netherlands. Tulips to the left, to the right, tulips behind you, in red and orange and yellow. Just unbelievable beauty. I learned so much on this tour, not just about tulips, but about Van Gogh and Rembrandt, World War II history, and the technology that exists to help prevent flooding in a small country that’s partly below sea level. The cruise is only available for a few weeks, but don’t go the first couple of weeks; you’re not guaranteed the full flower experience because of the weather. —Rachel Sinnett, 74, Rockville, Maryland

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Amy Alipio is a former managing editor of National Geographic Travel.

Ed Condran has written for the Points Guy and other media outlets.

Maisy Fernandez is a regular contributor to AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin.

David Swanson has covered the cruise industry for National Geographic Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Cruise Critic and The Los Angeles Times.

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How to Take Your Best Cruise Ever

Seasoned cruisers provide tips and advice on the voyages that could be better

My Best: I ﻿won a ﻿trip to a ﻿private ﻿island

My Best: The ﻿ship ﻿turned ﻿passengers ﻿into ﻿stars

My Worst: I didn’t ﻿know ﻿there ﻿would ﻿be ﻿so ﻿many ﻿kids

My Best: I ﻿spent ﻿most of my ﻿time on ﻿land, ﻿not at ﻿sea

What’s New for 2025

My Best: We ﻿made ﻿friends ﻿with ﻿locals

My Best: Our ﻿second ﻿choice ﻿turned ﻿out to ﻿be a ﻿dream ﻿de﻿stination

My Worst: A ﻿cabin in the ﻿bow ﻿made for a ﻿bumpy ﻿ride

My Worst: Family ﻿time ... in a ﻿cramped ﻿cabin

My Worst: We ﻿were ﻿considered ﻿too ﻿old to ﻿have ﻿fun on an ﻿excursion

More ﻿cruise ﻿tips

My Best: I ﻿got to ﻿experience ﻿stunningly ﻿beautiful Dutch ﻿landscapes

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