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A travel expert who has taken 100 cruises has warned of five to stay away from.
Travel YouTuber Gary Bembridge discussed the different types of cruise packages available and the drawbacks of each, from inaugural sailings to peak season trips.
With between £500 and £2000 per person, you’ll want to be sure you’re making a good choice.
From inexperienced staff to faulty boats and bad weather, these are the five cruises you should avoid, according to experts.
Travel YouTuber Gary Bembridge has advised his followers on the different types of cruise packages available and which ones to avoid.
Maiden voyages
While being one of the first paying passengers on a trip brings a certain amount of prestige, it can be fraught with problems.
Gary cautioned against taking a new boat on its first voyage because they often cancel the trip.
One of those cruises was cancelled with only three days’ notice because it was not ready, he said.
He went on to describe slow service, frustrated people and staff who had not yet adjusted.
Ships can be left unfinished due to supply chain problems, meaning materials never arrive on time.
There are often contractors on board, at least on early voyages, who are tasked with modifying and controlling things like Wi-Fi routers, elevators, and even water slides.
He advised looking for older ships, with smaller fairs and more experienced staff.
Gary warned against taking a new boat on its first voyage because they often cancel the voyage (file image)
Dry dock
Cruise ships must dry dock every five years for safety checks and maintenance.
The ship approaches the floating dry dock and water is pumped in to raise it, along with the ship, above the water.
This is so that the entire hull of the boat can hang above the waterline and be inspected and worked on.
Major improvements are also made during this time, including adding new decks and even cutting ships in half to extend them.
Gary says this work is often rushed so as not to lose revenue and things are not always finished.
The travel expert advised to “let one or two trips go by before booking.”
But he advised against being on the ship just before it enters dry dock because “things are being removed in preparation.”
The main dry docks at Babcock Marine’s Rosyth shipyard, with HMS Queen Elizabeth
High seasons
Gary advised cruise fans to avoid high season cruises in the Mediterranean because “it’s hot and spicy” and ports like Rome, Venice, Barcelona, Pisa and Florence fill up “completely.”
On Caribbean cruises, resort-style ships are overcrowded and have a “crazy party crowd,” he continued.
He added that there are always stories of “arguments and fights that arise.”
Other boats in high season are packed with “between 400 and 500 children,” he said.
The same goes for Alaska’s peak season, where ships will be packed, and he said to instead look at the “shoulder months,” which are much cheaper and quieter.
For Mediterranean cruises, it is best to go in May and September to avoid the crowds.
Traveling during these months means that temperatures are more comfortable and ocean liners may have lower prices.
Gary advised cruise fans to avoid boarding during peak season due to crowds (file image)
Royal Caribbean’s ‘Wonder of the Seas’ cruise ship, the largest cruise ship in the world, docked in a port in Malaga, Spain
Tasting cruises
Another type of cruise to avoid are Taser cruises, which are two- to three-night cruises offered as an introduction to cruising if you’ve never cruised before or if you want to try a different cruise line or ship for the first time.
But Gary says they are too big and have too many activities.
There isn’t enough time to test them all and get a good idea of how they work, he added.
Gary says the test cruises are too big and have too many activities (file image)
Cruises susceptible to inclement weather
He also asked the population to avoid cruise ships that travel on routes susceptible to bad weather.
This is because the outer decks cannot be used and are especially bad for seasickness.
There is also the added inconvenience that some activities, such as water slides or other desk courses, are closed.
But this is not due to danger, since on a cruise ship the captains can quickly weather a storm.
The ships also have thick steel hulls that can withstand the storm.
Gary told people to avoid cruise ships that are on weather-sensitive routes because desk-based activities may be suspended (file image)
There is also the added inconvenience that some activities, such as the water slides or other desk courses, are closed (stock image)