I used to be continuously on the transfer in 2022, with 10 cruises, 44 flight segments, and 13 nations beneath my belt. While I actually made recollections this yr, I additionally discovered a couple of classes that can change how I cruise with Royal Caribbean in 2023.
I began 2022 with two back-to-back solo cruises to the Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean.
In March, I boarded Wonder of the Seas—the biggest cruise ship on the earth—for a 7-night crusing to Labadee, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas.
Just a month later, I headed again to the Caribbean with a cruise to Mexico and one other to the Bahamas.
In June, I cruised from England to Spain and France and later from Greece to Montenegro, Croatia, and Italy.
As summer time got here to an finish in August, I boarded the least expensive Alaska cruise I may discover.
Just three weeks later, I cruised to Mexico earlier than ending my 2022 travels with a 4-night cruise to the Dominican Republic in November.
I turned a seasoned cruiser in 2022, however the yr got here with a whole lot of trial and error, from regretting reserving shore excursions to realizing solo cruising isn’t my cup of tea. Here are 8 issues I discovered in 2022 that can change how I cruise in 2023.
I cruised solo for the primary time in 2022. While I loved it, I believe I’ll follow cruising with family and friends.
In 2022, I spent most cruises crusing with associates or household, however I additionally tried solo cruising for the primary time on two ships. Cruising solo appeared daunting at first, nevertheless it wasn’t as nerve-wracking as I initially thought it might be.
Related: What I discovered from my first solo cruise
On my solo cruises, I discovered that I struck up conversations with fellow passengers extra usually than ordinary, resulting in new friendships and connections onboard. I additionally beloved the liberty I needed to do no matter I wished, each time I wished.
However, I discovered myself wishing I may have shared the expertise with a pal or member of the family. Some of my greatest cruise recollections have been these I’ve skilled with family members, whether or not island hopping with my dad and mom within the Bahamas or sipping rosé in France with one in all my greatest associates.
In 2023, I plan to convey a pal or member of the family on most of my cruises. I don’t thoughts spending a while alone in port or on shore, however as a complete, I believe I favor to share the cruise expertise with another person.
I discovered a $240 cruise deal to Alaska in 2022. In 2023, I plan to search for extra low-cost last-minute cruise offers
I booked the most affordable Alaska cruise I may discover in 2022 and set sail on a 7-night one-way crusing from Vancouver to Seward. While the worth ended up being greater than the $240 cruise fare after taxes, charges, and gratuities, it nonetheless provided a incredible worth for such an outstanding trip.
Video: I attempted the most affordable cruise cabin to Alaska
Finding low-cost cruise offers is all the time a pleasant shock, and I plan to maintain my schedule open to last-minute cruises in 2023. Even although we sometimes advise reserving cruises far prematurely, my expertise with a budget Alaska deal made me desirous to see which last-minute cruise offers pop up this yr.
Related: How to get last-minute cruise offers
I felt seasick on a cruise ship for the primary time in 2022. In 2023, I’ll make sure that I all the time pack motion-sickness remedy.
After cruising as soon as a month in 2022, I felt invincible when it got here to seasickness. Even in what I believed have been “choppy” waters, I felt utterly tremendous!
On my Alaska cruise in August, nevertheless, I felt seasick for the primary time ever. As we started crossing the Gulf of Alaska, I began to really feel sick. Luckily I by no means received bodily sick, however the identical can’t be mentioned about my journey companion!
Related: How to forestall seasickness on a cruise
I used to be relieved I remembered to pack movement illness remedy in my toiletry bag to Alaska, as I hadn’t all the time finished this on earlier cruises. While you possibly can receive movement illness remedy onboard, it’s rather more handy to have seasickness cures in your cabin already.
I’ll you should definitely pack Dramamine or different motion-sickness cures for all my cruises in 2023.
I discovered myself missing freedom on organized excursions in 2022. This yr, I gained’t ebook cruise line excursions.
Almost each time I ebook an organized shore tour I discover myself regretting the choice. I’m not a fan of structured sightseeing to examine gadgets off a listing; I favor to discover locations by myself schedule.
I discover that the majority shore excursions are inclined to contain a whole lot of ready round for different members within the group. When I discover by myself, the tempo of the day is as much as me. Plus, organized excursions are nearly all the time costlier than exploring by yourself.
Because of my previous experiences with organized shore excursions, I gained’t be reserving any cruise line excursions in 2023. I’ll, nevertheless, make an exception for excursions that supply experiences I can not do by myself, such because the Discover Scuba lesson I took in St. Thomas final yr.
Related: Excursion Focus: Discover Scuba Diving in St. Thomas
While I can see some good thing about reserving by means of the cruise line for shore excursions that require lengthy journey instances from port to the vacation spot (i.e. excursions to Rome or Paris), I’ll be sticking to exploring by myself in port this yr.
I employed a non-public information in port for the primary time in 2022, and the expertise was so nice that I plan to do that a number of instances in 2023.
I encountered an sudden itinerary change on a cruise in November, with our itinerary altering from the Bahamas to the Dominican Republic. Having by no means been to the Puerto Plata cruise port earlier than, I had no concept what to anticipate.
While the port itself affords greater than sufficient to maintain guests busy for the day, I wished to expertise the town highlights exterior the gated port space. The metropolis’s important points of interest didn’t appear walkable from the cruise port, so I employed a taxi driver for $100 for the complete port day.
Related: 7 issues I did proper (and three errors) on my latest cruise ship port day
I had full management over the place I wished to go and the way lengthy I wished to spend in every place, which was a incredible method to see the port in comparison with a crowded tour bus. I additionally had a personalised, pleasant native information with me alongside the way in which to level out fascinating locations to go to in Puerto Plata.
I’ve already booked a non-public tour information for a port cease in Roatan this February and am trying ahead to exploring different ports this manner in 2023.
In 2022, I flew on 44 separate flight segments. Luckily, I by no means missed a connection, however I’ll you should definitely ebook longer layovers in 2023.
Unfortunately, regardless of being a cruise blogger, I don’t reside inside cheap driving distance to a cruise port.
Because of this, I discover myself spending a lot of time in airports. My residence airport is sort of small, so I usually have 1-2 layovers to achieve most cruise ports. Traveling to port—together with private journey—led to 44 flight segments in 2022, essentially the most I’ve ever flown in a single yr.
I’m all the time paranoid about lacking my cruise because of airline delays and cancellations, so I normally schedule layovers which are round 2 to three hours lengthy as a substitute of an hour or much less. This ensures I’ve wiggle room in case my first flight is delayed.
Related: The 20 worst errors that can wreck your cruise trip
Just a few instances in 2022, nevertheless, I had layovers that have been beneath an hour in size. Whenever this was the case, I used to be a nervous wreck. If my first flight was delayed even a half hour, I may miss my connecting flight to the cruise port.
Luckily this by no means occurred, however I’ll be extra cognizant of layover instances when reserving flights in 2023. I’d a lot quite wait in an airport lounge for a couple of hours than frantically run to my gate!
After 10 cruises in 2022, I discovered myself becoming bored on sea days. I plan to ebook extra port-intensive itineraries in 2023.
While there are numerous actions to maintain passengers busy on a Royal Caribbean cruise, I spend extra time than most on cruise ships because of my work with Royal Caribbean Blog. After 10 cruises in 2022, I discovered myself feeling stressed on sea days.
One means I’ll counteract this in 2023 is to sail on extra port-intensive itineraries. Cruises with just one or two sea days in per week versus three or 4 work a lot better for my journey model. I like with the ability to discover a brand new port almost every single day on a cruise whereas nonetheless having a sea day or two to calm down.
Related: Top issues to do on a sea day on a Royal Caribbean cruise
As an instance, I nearly all the time choose a Western Caribbean cruise over an Eastern Caribbean cruise. 7-night Western Caribbean sailings sometimes embrace 4 port stops whereas 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises (from Florida) solely embrace three port stops.
Having an additional port cease within the Caribbean means I can take pleasure in extra time on the seaside, attempt extra scrumptious Mexican meals, and have further time to apply my Spanish expertise.
In 2022, I sailed from 6 embarkation ports. In 2023, I’ll plan to spend extra time in my embarkation ports earlier than my cruise.
From Vancouver to Athens, I sailed from quite a lot of cruise ports in 2022. For most sailings, I arrived within the port solely someday earlier than my cruise started. And though this offered ample time to reach earlier than my ship set sail, it didn’t go away a lot time for exploring these world-class locations.
In 2023, I plan to spend extra time in my embarkation ports earlier than and after my cruise. I’m already trying ahead to exploring Sydney earlier than my South Pacific cruise this fall and consuming my means by means of Vancouver earlier than my Alaska cruise this spring.