Sea cruise: how it works and how much it costs

There are some things that you should definitely try in life. For example, going on a cruise ship trip. And it doesn't matter if it's a 3-day mini-vacation to the islands of of Greece or Italy or a 14-day transatlantic trip to South America. The most important thing is the sensations we experience during such a vacation.

In this article we have collected the most important tips for first-timers in the "sphere" of cruise travel, as well as consider the main locations of Mediterranean and transatlantic cruises.

How does boarding take place?

The procedure of boarding a liner is very similar to boarding an airplane. You check in your luggage, which the porter leaves at your door, pass passport control and security control.

How much does a ticket cost?

The cost of cruise ship tickets varies greatly, depending on many criteria: class, size of the liner, variety of cuisine, presence of famous chefs. The main difference between tickets on the liner itself will be the presence or absence of a window in the cabin. Almost always the price of the trip does not include tips to the staff. The average price ranges from $10 to $15 per night per person, these are deducted from your on-board card.

What's not included in the price?

Annoyingly, Wi-Fi and alcohol on cruises are chargeable. The cost of an average bottle of wine starts at $15 and up. Bringing alcohol onto the ship with you is prohibited by the rules of most companies. The only way out is to buy different alcohol packages/sets, which can help you save a lot on the cost.

What to do on a cruise?

• Swim in the pool, Jacuzzi, sunbathe on deck.
• Sit for hours in several bars and taste drinks.
• Visit a cruise casino.
• Go to the theater for a daily performance.
• Take part in master classes, theme parties.
• Do yoga, dance, go to the gym.
• Go shopping.

The most famous and big cruise companies:

Azamara, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Cunard, Crystal, Disney, Holland America, Oceania, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Silversea, Windstar.

Transatlantic cruises

Main ports of call for liners:

Lisbon, Barcelona, Genoa, Venice, Gran Canaria, Funchal, Praia, El Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Colon, St. Marten, St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Buenos Aires.

Main departure countries:

Most transatlantic cruises start from three countries: Portugal, Spain and Italy. It is important to note that most of these cruises are only one-way - you will have to fly back by air. Even so, in terms of price/quality/impressions, a transatlantic cruise is unparalleled. Unlike Mediterranean cruises, on transatlantic cruises you spend most of your days on the high seas. But often companies try to dock mini cruises to the Caribbean or Mediterranean, as well as Azores/Madeira or Cape Verde to the main cruise.

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Average cost (per person, economy option):

Three main factors affect the cost of a cruise: number of days, class of liner, and availability of a window/balcony in the cabin. The average price for 2018 is $700 dollars (usually includes an alcohol package). But there are cruises even cheaper.

Mediterranean cruises

The main ports of call for liners are:

Marseille, Monaco, Barcelona, Rome, Genoa, Corsica, Sardinia, Dubrovnik, Tunisia, Malta, Savona.

Main departure countries:

Mediterranean cruises are often organized on a circular itinerary where departure/arrival points overlap. Cruise ships call at most of the safe and well-developed countries: France, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus. The main feature and advantage of Mediterranean cruises is a rich sightseeing program on land, which allows you to visit 3-5 countries during the cruise and see the main Mediterranean ports. The best time to go on a cruise is the second half of spring or early autumn, when there is no strong heat and the weather is favorable for swimming in the sea.

Average cost (per person, economy option):

Often companies offer promotional tours when the cost of a 7-day cruise is $200. For example, COSTA offers a late January 2017 cruise from Savona to Barcelona for $199 euros for 6 nights. The average 2017 price in this region for a 5-7 day cruise, however, is $350. The price of a cruise, in addition to the above factors, is influenced by the season - in winter the price can be 40% lower than in summer.