First Time Cruisers

As standard, most cruise lines offer a full board basis, which includes all meals in the main dining room and evening entertainment.

Occasionally, cruise lines may offer promotions that include additional elements of your holiday, such as drinks packages, wifi packages, speciality dining, gratuities, or shore excursion credit. These details will always be clearly outlined in the 'What's Included' section of your bespoke package holiday.

Some of the luxury cruise lines we feature may also provide extra benefits, which will be discussed with you at the time of booking.

To find out exactly what is included in your holiday, ask our Cruise Specialists at the time of booking, or our dedicated Customer Service team can support you once you have a booking with us.

Dress codes can differ depending on the cruise line and type of cruise. Generally, casual attire is acceptable during the day, but many cruise lines request smart or resort casualwear in evenings. Keep in mind that swimwear and flip-flops are usually not permitted in indoor dining areas.

Some cruises also feature formal nights, where guests can dress up for a more elegant dining experience. If you choose to wear a suit or evening gown, you'll likely be in good company. Each cruise line provides specific guidance for formal nights, so be sure to check their website for details. Additionally, some cruises offer themed events, such as "white nights," so it's helpful to review the activity schedule before packing. 

Here are the dress codes for some of our partnered cruise lines:

Celebrity Cruises - Casual Chic

When packing for a cruise with Celebrity Cruises, think of the dress code as “casual chic.” Smart-casual attire is required for entry to main dining, specialty dining, and the Celebrity Theatre. On formal nights, the cruise line goes with “evening chic,” where guests are encouraged to wear their most sophisticated attire. 

Norwegian Cruise Line - Freestyle

Pioneering the concept of ‘freestyle cruising,’ Norwegian Cruise Line does not require any semi or formal dress code. Casual clothing is allowed in almost all facilities across the ship. However, guests are encouraged to dress more smart-casual in the main dining room and the upscale speciality restaurants. 

MSC Cruises 

Casual attire is recommended for daytime on board MSC Cruises, whilst guests are encouraged to dress more polished during gala dinners and formal nights but not necessarily required. 

Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean has three dress codes: casual, smart-casual, and formal. When you’re on board, the official dress code may vary depending on the venue and time. Casual is allowed for breakfast and lunch, and smart-casual clothing with closed-toe shoes is your typical dinner wear. Formal attire is lightly enforced for formal nights, as well as for the Chef’s Table.  

Princess Cruises

The dress code for Princess Cruises is smart-casual, with formal nights on some cruises. Casual clothing is acceptable during daytime, including shorts and T-shirts, but these are not allowed in the dining venues. For formal nights, an evening gown, cocktail dress or pantsuits are suggested for ladies, whilst suits or dinner jackets are for gentlemen.

The general policy for all cruise lines is to add a daily gratuity charge onto your onboard account, which is then paid at the end of the cruise. The amount varies by cruise line and can be found on their respective websites.

As a UK guest, if you wish to remove your daily gratuity charge and tip as you wish, you will need to arrange this onboard with the guest services desk. You may be required to fill in a form to request this.

A cruise ship operates similarly to a hotel, where all purchases are added to your onboard account and a bill is generated at the end of the sailing. Prior to boarding the cruise, you will have completed your online check-in, where you will register a card for your onboard account. Once your cruise has finished, you will be issued with a final bill and this will be charged to the registered card.

Cruise lines invest a lot into their entertainment onboard, and depending on the cruise line, you can experience Broadway-style shows, poolside entertainment, a daily list of activities around the ship, children’s clubs, comedy acts and much more.

Some cruise lines also have some amazing facilities including F1 simulators, 4D Cinemas and waterparks, which are sometimes chargeable. 

Many ports around the world are unique, but due to their size and location, some cruise ships cannot dock directly at the port. In these cases, the ship will anchor offshore, and tender boats will be used to transfer guests to the shore. Boarding the tender typically involves a small gangway, which may be challenging for those with limited mobility.

Your cruise line itinerary will highlight any tender ports and provide details on the procedures for disembarking.

Excursions are a fantastic way to enhance your cruise experience, allowing you to make the most of your time in incredible destinations. Some cruise lines offer Shore Excursion Credit to encourage you to join their organised tours, and many luxury lines even include excursions as part of your package.

However, excursions aren't necessary for most ports, as you can often disembark and explore on your own in many locations. We recommend taking some time to research and plan your days ahead of your trip to ensure you get the most out of each destination.

In some European ports, the transfer to the city centre can be longer than usual, so booking a tour may be a good idea. For example, in Rome, the port is about an hour away from the city centre, so planning ahead is essential to make the most of your time.

Be sure to check the available excursions on your cruise line's website before departure to plan your activities and timings effectively.

A resort fee or city tax is an additional charge imposed by some destinations or hotels on visitors. Resort fees are typically applied to cover amenities and services provided by the hotel, such as Wi-Fi, pool access, or fitness centre use. City taxes are often levied by local governments to help fund tourism infrastructure or services.

These fees are usually paid directly to the hotel upon check-in or check-out and can vary depending on the location. It's always a good idea to check with your hotel prior to departure to ensure you're aware of any resort fees or city taxes that may apply during your stay.