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Randy and Noreen are cruise newbies. The couple from Saskatoon, Canada had never cruised before, but finally took the plunge in March after many years of debating whether they’d enjoy a vacation at sea.

They had been resisting a cruise for the same reasons that keep many vacationers landlocked. They were worried about getting seasick; they were afraid the cabin would be too small; they thought there might not be enough to do; they thought the ship would look old and boring.

But the moment they walked up the gangplank of the 138,000-ton Navigator of the Seas to begin their four-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Royal Caribbean had them.

“It was mind-blowing to see how beautiful the ship looked as we walked off the gangplank into the atrium,” say Noreen and Randy. “We were expecting an old-fashioned ship, but we were overwhelmed by how new and modern it looked. It was awesome.”

And their nascent love affair with cruising just kept getting better.

Noreen has mild claustrophobia, so after being escorted to their balcony cabin, she was pleasantly surprised at how large and beautifully decorated it was. “The cabin was beyond my expectations,” she says. “I thought we would be stuck in a cabin the size of a closet. But instead we had a bedroom, a sitting area and a large patio door that led to a balcony and provided a beautiful view of the water.”

After checking out the ship, they went top decks for the sail away party where they toasted their departure and met fellow cruisers. “It was an exciting beginning to our cruise,” says Noreen, “although it was so windy up there that my hair was standing straight up!”

The food was another winning feature aboard the 3,114-passenger Navigator of the Seas. Our newbies ate breakfast and lunch at the Lido deck café, and dinner in the main dining room which they describe as “fabulous.” However, while they were assigned to a dinner table of 12 people, they ended up dining alone every night.

“We wanted to meet new people, so we requested the largest table available,” says Randy. “But our tablemates never showed up because they ate in alternative restaurants. So every night we sat alone at the head of this long table, getting funny stares from people who must have thought we were the worst tablemates in the world!”

The entertainment was also a hit, particularly the casino. However, Randy made an important discovery about shipboard gambling: “The casino pays very well on the first night!”

They also loved the service aboard ship, which they described as 5-star. “We were amazed that our room steward always knew when we were out and he could make up our room,” says Randy. “We’re sure they have a hidden camera in every room!”

As for ports of call, their ship called at Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Georgetown, Grand Cayman on its way to and from Fort Lauderdale. Their first stop was a big disappointment.

“The moment we got off the ship in Ocho Rios, we were harassed by street vendors who were in our face all the time trying to sell us stuff,” say the couple. “We didn’t feel safe the whole time we were there.”

Fortunately, their experience in Grand Cayman was completely different – they were able to walk around on their own and enjoy the local surroundings. And they had a fantastic time on their shore excursion aboard the Trolley Roger, an open-air trolley ride conducted by a pirate that took them through Georgetown and along the coast to Hog Sty Bay.

And what about sea sickness? “We could hardly tell the ship was moving most of the time,” says Noreen, who is prone to motion sickness. “Even on our last day when the seas were a bit rough, we felt fine.”

Randy and Noreen do have some suggestions for other first-time cruisers. First, try everything there is to do on the ship at least once. Second, don’t request a table for more than 6 or 8 people. Third, if you don’t have kids with you, try the adults-only pool if your ship has one. And fourth, if you are worried about getting seasick, book a cabin mid-ships about half-way up like they did.

So what advice do Randy and Noreen have for people who have never cruised before?

Try a good quality cruise line on a reasonably new ship (the Navigator was launched in 2002). And take a mini-cruise of about 4 or 5 days just to see if you like it.

And what does the future hold for our newbie cruisers?

“Oh yes, for sure we will be taking another cruise,” they promise. “We’re currently thinking about Alaska.”

And that’s how thousands of cruise newbies have become millions of cruise aficionados the world over – one wonderful cruise experience after another!

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