[AD – blog post sponsored by Cruise 118. As always, content and opinions are all my own!]
If you’d told me a few years ago I’d be keeping an eye out for bargain cruise deals with a view to enjoying a cruise holiday in the future, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. For a long time I had presumed cruising wouldn’t be doable for me, but after a somewhat spontaneous cruise around the Canary Islands over Christmas 2022, I found that on the whole I fared, and enjoyed myself, a lot more than I expected to while managing my chronic illness.
That cruise was booked very last-minute: only a couple of weeks before we travelled. And come to think of it, almost every other time my family and I have been lucky enough to enjoy a cruise it’s been booked fairly last-minute – because often, that’s where you’ll find the very best prices and deals.
If you’re in the market for a cruise holiday of your own, my best advice is to keep an eye on the websites and mailing lists of trusted retail agents like Cruise118.com. These websites are especially great if you don’t have a fixed destination in mind – you can browse the various itineraries that different cruise companies are providing and compare deals, and if you’re anything like me, you may find your bucket list of travel destinations growing at a somewhat alarming rate while you’re browsing.
Cruising With A Chronic Illness
My parents were always seasoned cruisers, and I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy a handful of cruises over my lifetime – a couple of them pre-disability, one mid-diagnosis, and one in more recent years when my health is thankfully a lot more stable and I feel much more robust to travel. There are certain elements of cruising that I’ve found difficult to manage alongside my condition, namely dealing with the motion of the ship, but there are so many factors that lend themselves especially well to travelling as a disabled person. I cannot tell you how special it is to go to bed at night in one country and wake up the next morning in a totally different one.
If you’re interested in booking a cruise holiday or considering whether it might be a suitable option for you, you can find some of my top tips and tricks for cruising with a chronic illness in this blog post. There’s so much I’ve learned even from my limited experiences of cruising as a disabled person so far, and I’m already keen to put my new-found knowledge into action!
My Current Cruise Bucket List
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy a handful of cruises in the past. I’ve experienced a few different cruise lines, but I’m especially keen to try MSC Cruises at some point over the coming years. MSC is one of the world’s largest cruise lines, and when I’ve spoken about my experiences of cruising in the past, many people have been quick to recommend them to me.
So, I just happened to trip and fall onto the MSC Cruises Cruise Promotions page on Cruise118.com. Whoopsies.
At the time of writing there are cruise deals starting from just £299 per person which covers your accommodation, entertainment, food (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in selected venues), sailaway parties and themed nights, and so much more. There are currently huge reductions on Winter sailings for the 2024/2025 season, and many of the ships begin their voyage from Southampton – perhaps making this type of holiday particularly convenient for chronically ill people who avoid flying.
My bucket list cruise for the future might take you by surprise – I’d love to see the Norwegian Fjords one day, and I’m told that cruising is one of the best (and most accessible) ways to do so. However, browsing the Cruise118.com deals lately, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to book MSC’s Northern Europe 14-night cruise, with an itinerary that includes Alicante, Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon, and more. It’s a yes from me.
A Note On Access Needs
If you’re booking a cruise and have access needs, there’s no harm in using retail agents to see what’s out there and keep an eye out for current deals. If you see an offer you’re seriously interested in, you can either contact the travel provider for further information in advance of booking and they will point you in the right direction, or contact the cruise line directly and speak to their access team.
The only real exception to this is if you require an accessible cabin on board, in which case you will need to specify this in advance. But if, like me, you’re an ambulatory wheelchair user, I encourage you to do some background research on cruises and destinations that are suitable for you, bag yourself a bargain, and then get in touch with the cruise liner’s access team to discuss your requirements and ensure your experience will be the most magical it can be. Happy sailing!
