When booking a cruise, there are many things to consider: the destination, activities on the ship, and size of the ship. For first time cruisers this can be overwhelming. I found a website called Cruiseable that not only helps you save time by matching you up with the perfect cruise ship vacation, but also gives you options of narrowing down your search based on what you are looking for without the hassle.
Cruiseable aims at matching those who want a cruise vacation to the experience that will fit them best. The site also offers some great articles and advice from fellow travelers, and it allows you to connect with like-minded cruisers.
You can go nuts researching all the possibilities and searching each individual cruise line booking site for your next cruise. Each cruise ship is unique, and if you’re not familiar with the cruise line, then you won’t know what to search for. That’s where Cruiseable’s site and mobile app come in handy.
Top Deals
The first thing that caught my eye when I visited Cruiseable were the “Top Deals” on the front page. This is where you find special deals offered by the cruise line industry. Included are the itineraries listed, name of ship, and days remaining on the deals. Another way for finding deals is their Deal Flow tab on the top of the home page.
Where Would You Like to Cruise
There are several simple ways to navigate the menu options in order to select and refine your search on the Cruiseable website and pinpoint the best matching cruise vacation for you.
One of the ways is narrowing down your search by destination. If you click on the destination tab, next to “Plan Your Escape”, a map opens up and you can click on the map of the country you would like to travel to, then hit the DONE button at the bottom.
This brings you to a page that lists all the available cruises. You can scroll down the page to see all of them or use the Bliss Filter.
Cruise Tools
Cruiseable gives you plenty of resources to help you search, compare, and plan your next cruise.
Bliss Filters
For first-time cruisers, the BLISS FILTERS search feature might be the best way to provide some initial options as you begin to plan your vacation. It helps you fine-tune cruise search results by selecting your travel preferences. All you do is move the sliders to the right if the item is more important to you, and to the left if it’s less important. On the left side of the screen, you’ll see live updated results.
You can use the other options on the screen (destination, price, dates, cruise line, ship size, and departure port) to zero in on the perfect cruise for you.
Once you have picked a cruise line, pick the number of days (3, 4, 5, etc.) and select the trip from the available ones…
Ship Discovery Tool
Once you have selected your cruise, you can use the Ship Discovery Tool to compare your cruise ship by size, age of the ship, passenger to crew ratio, and roominess index (square footage of room), with some of the other cruise ships in the market.
Compare Cruises Tool
The COMPARE Cruise tool is a great way to save an itinerary that peeks your interest. You can compare the differences between two or three cruises at a time, side by side, to see what each ship has to offer. From ports of call, itineraries, length of cruise, and price range, this feature will help you find the perfect cruise.
My Planner Tool
The My Planner Tool is a place for you to save photos, articles on the site, reviews by other travelers, and cruises found on Cruiseable page. You can easily retrieve them at any time in one easy place and begin planning for your getaway. To find them simply log in and click on your icon at the top right, then “Choose My Planner”. The page is organized into two sections with articles at the top and photos at the bottom.
One of my favorite things about Cruiseable is that they have an amazing team of travel writers that have shared their travel experiences, travel guides, pictures, and videos from previous cruises. Also, it’s extremely easy to navigate especially for first-time cruisers!
Shannon Kircher
Great write-up, Carmen! Thanks for sharing!
Shannon Kircher recently posted…St. Barths: The Hotel Scene
Carmen Edelson
Thanks Shannon! It’s a great app to use when your looking at booking cruises.
Emma Raphael
Brilliant tips for cruise lovers, I will forward this to my Mother in Law who has to be the biggest cruise customer ever! 🙂
Carmen Edelson
I’m sure your mother-in-law will find it very useful, comparing ships and finding her next cruise.
Lisa
Thanks Carmen for all the great tips. It’s so nice to be able to take a lot of the guesswork out of the planning and still get what you want.
Lisa recently posted…The Twisted Olive
Carmen Edelson
I agree, I’m one of those people that hate to spend days researching to find what I want. The Cruiseable site cuts that time in 1/2 and it’s easy to use.
Kirstie
What a useful site! Will keep it in mind for the next time I plan a cruise — hopefully not too long from now!
Kirstie recently posted…Whirling Through Phnom Penh’s Nightlife by Vespa
Carmen Edelson
It’s a great tool to help you narrow down your searches when you’re looking to book a cruise.
Heather Cole
I do like the idea of being able to match up a cruise to your specific requirements, so often I’m put off by cruises because I’m very picky and wouldn’t want to end up on a massive party ship. Will have to check this out!
Carmen Edelson
I’m the same way. I like ships that have a lot of activities but prefer ones that don’t have a lot of kids running around.
Rebecca
Great tips for choosing a cruise. I love cruising, the best way to see different cities and not have to go from hotel to hotel. I was on an Alaska cruise with Princess quite a while back and it loved it!
Carmen Edelson
We went to Alaska two years ago with the family. It was in the summer and the weather was still cold and miserable. We really enjoyed seeing the glaciers.
Lara Dunning
I didn’t know about this. I’ll have to tell my parents. They just went on their first Alaska cruise with Holland America and loved it.
Lara Dunning recently posted…5 Yakima Valley Wineries You Must Visit
Carmen Edelson
It is the best way to organize a cruise , so you can select the best destinations at the best price.
Castaway with Crystal
This looks perfect for people looking to save money on a cruise! Nice one 🙂
Crystal recently posted… Budget Guide: Cuba
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Carmen Edelson
Most people don’t consider this information when making travel arrangements and therefore they spend large amounts of money.
Vicki Louise
Great tips for first-timers booking a cruise – I had never heard of this site, will be sure to check it out now!
Vicki Louise recently posted…48 Hours in Venice: Top 10 Things To Do
Carmen Edelson
I’ve booked many cruises and have spend countless hours on research. The site is so easy to navigate and helps you find the right ship for you.
Jessica
To be on a cruise is one of my dreams. I like the efficiency of cruiseable as it can easily be navigated according to the customer’s preferences.
Jessica recently posted…Best Man’s Speech during our Wedding – Kach and Jonathan Howe
Carmen Edelson
Exactly, this site allows travel packages adapted to the needs of customers so that they receive personalized service.
Elena Nemets
Thanks! I am starting thinking about a cruise next spring. What’s your experience on the best timing to book a cruise (i.e., how long in advance should a cruise be booked to get the best deal?).
Carmen Edelson
It’s a good idea to book a few months in advance this way you get the best prices and cabins.
William Simpson
Hey Carmen,
Thank you for your great tips. Actually, I am planning to take my kids on a cruise soon. I found your post on right time. I have finalized on Blount small ship adventures for a small ship cruise from New York to Montreal. We have really wanted to do a cruise, preferably a Disney cruise while our kids are still young. Hope that my kids will have a great time on a cruise.
Also,
Carmen, can you do me a favor?
Please..
I would love to read some safety tips from you.
Thanks a ton.
Carmen Edelson
I’m happy to hear that you found my post helpful. A Disney cruise with young kids is probably the best way to go.
Carol Colborn
Cruiseable looks like a great website to use! We have just come home from a 4-night cruise and now remember how nice it could be to spend not more than a week on a luxurious cruise ship.
Carmen Edelson
Yes, I love having at least a week on board!