Have you ever wondered what it would like to take a vacation on a cruise? 
Since I have never been on a cruise, I’m curious about what the experience is like, so I interviewed travel and cruise expert Janis Jones. In part 1 of my interview, she answered my first four questions about cruising.
In this post, Janis answers the rest of my cruise questions.
5. Can you describe your first experience on a cruise?
My first cruise was more than 20 years ago on the Costa Allegra which had been converted from a container ship. A girl friend and I booked our 7-day-long Caribbean cruise about two weeks prior to departure to escape the winter cold. We cruised to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Cozumel, Mexico and the Cayman Islands.
The week long cruise was much more expensive than it would be today, and we were about 25 years younger in age than most of the other guests. Still, re both loved the cruise experience. See all of the details of my first cruise in this post: Celebrating 20 Years of Cruising: What Has Changed Versus What Has Stayed the Same.
6. Was the cruise what you thought it would be or was it completely different?
As a kid, The Love Boat was one of my favorite television shows.
My first cruise was just how I imagined it would be – being whisked from one sunny Caribbean location to another while soaking up the sun and fun on the high seas.
I love sun. I love the ocean. And, I love exploring new places so of course I loved cruising.
7. Which cruise was your favorite and why?
That’s a tough question, as I loved every cruise I’ve ever taken for different reasons. Two that stand out: our honeymoon was on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam, and we sailed from Rome (via the port of Civitavecchia) to London. It was a romantic, magical 12 days away from work and phones, and allowed Mr. Jones and I to visit Rome, Malaga, Spain (the Alhambra), Monaco (with a train trip to Eze and Nice on the southern coast of France), Casablanca, Morocco; Gibraltar; Vigo, Spain; LaHarve, France (we went to Paris for the day); Rotterdam in the Netherlands (we visited Gouda and Oudewater); Antwerp in Belgium, before ending in London. The cruise allowed us to explore nine countries (all new to me) within a 12 day vacation, but still at a very relaxed, romantic and luxurious pace.
Another unique experience was an 18-day Top of the World cruise on Holland America Line’s Prinsendam. This cruise sailed round-trip from Amsterdam up through Norway’s fjords to the North Cape, the northernmost point in continental Europe. For 5 days while we were far north of the Arctic Circle, the sun never set. Next, our 800 passenger ship cruised to Longyearbyen, and then even further north where the captain took the ship into the Polar Ice Cap, which was water filled with ice chunks. It’s hard to describe but was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience. This cruise also visited the Shetland Islands and Edinburgh, Scotland on the way back to Amsterdam.
8. Do you have any tips for planning a cruise vacation?
I have many tips to share on cruising (click here and here to see them) but the most important is to match the right cruise itinerary and cruise line to the person who is cruising.
Someone who hates beach vacations and hot weather won’t enjoy a Caribbean cruise but they might love a cruise to Alaska, the Norwegian fjords or to Scandinavia and Russia. 22-year-olds looking for a happening pool and nightclub scene will not find it on a Cunard transatlantic cruise.
Working with a travel agent who specializes in cruises and has first-hand experience with most cruise destinations and cruise lines will help ensure that you get the cruise that best suits your needs, and it doesn’t cost any extra.
If you missed Part 1 of the 2-part interview about cruises with Janis Jones, be sure to take a look! Or if you have more insights or questions about questions, leave a comment below!
This post was written by Kathryn Johnson, a junior majoring in Spanish at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Kathryn’s passion for travel blossomed from her love for foreign language In August, 2015, she plans to volunteer in France or Morocco before traveling to Spain for a semester-long study abroad experience.
Kathryn is currently learning about travel marketing and social media during an internship with VentureTime Travel.
View her LinkedIn profile at to learn more about her accomplishments and future goals.
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This post was written by Kathryn Johnson, a junior majoring in Spanish at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
