From “Never Again” to Cruise Vlogger: How I Found the Kind of Cruising I Love
by Guest Blogger, Jo Hilton
Never Again!
I once said I would never go on another cruise. Now I love cruising so much that I’ve started a YouTube channel about it. It’s quite a change of heart and one I probably wouldn’t have predicted when I stepped aboard my first ship.
Big Red Boat
Travel has always been part of my working life. I started out as a travel agent and later worked as a tour operator. I often took travel agents abroad on familiarisation trips, showing them destinations and helping them understand the holidays they would be selling. I knew a lot about travel, but cruising wasn’t something I’d really tried for myself.
My first cruise was in my mid-twenties, on Disney’s Big Red Boat, this was the nickname for the Cruise Ships operated by Premiere Cruise Lines which served as the official Cruise Line for Walt Disney World between 1985 and 1993. It was a short 4 Day Trip to the Bahamas which we’d tagged on to a longer land-based Holiday in Florida. I loved visiting the Bahamas, but I didn’t enjoy the experience on board. It felt quite old-fashioned to me: there were set dining times, and you sat with other people at dinner. I didn’t like feeling tied to a particular time or having to share a table. We were also in an inside cabin, and I found that difficult. When I woke up, I couldn’t tell whether it was light or dark outside, or whether it was sunny or raining. By the end of the trip, I couldn’t wait to get off! In fact, I was one of the first passengers on the gangway when we arrived back in Port and I distinctly remember the Cruise Director announcing that one lucky passenger had won a free trip back to the Bahamas, I was just relieved it wasn’t me!
Not So Epic
I didn’t give up on cruising straight away. About 18 years later I decided to give it another go, this time on the Norwegian Epic from Barcelona on a Mediterranean itinerary, travelling with my daughter India, who was 13 at the time. The ship was huge, with so much going on that it felt more like a shopping centre or a city at sea than a ship. We had a balcony cabin, which I did appreciate, but the overall experience still wasn’t for me. The pool area was crowded and very noisy and I came away thinking that cruising just didn’t suit me. However, India absolutely loved it, and I distinctively remember her announcing that “When I’m older Mum, I want to cruise the world!” I, on the other hand wasn’t too sure about that.
Fast Forward 15 years
Mark and I started looking at cruises because there were so many places we wanted to visit and the best and sometimes only way to see them was on a Cruise. We had done quite a few long-haul trips which involved lots of different destinations and lots of packing up in between and mainly living out of a suitcase, never really staying anywhere long enough to warrant unpacking fully. We watched YouTube videos to see what the ships and destinations were like, but I kept hesitating. I was worried there would be too many people being herded around, and Mark isn’t keen on crowds either.
Then I spoke to a friend I’d known for years. She had been on lots of Marella cruises, and I trusted her opinion because I knew her well and felt we liked similar things. She told me she’d never had a bad Marella cruise and thought we should give it a try.
Marella to the Rescue
We booked a Marella cruise, but before we’d even taken that trip, we decided to try a Marella Caribbean cruise over Christmas, sailing on Explorer. That was the one that changed everything. The welcome on board, the friendly staff and the homely, almost family-like atmosphere made us feel comfortable. I felt included rather than overwhelmed. For us a Balcony is an absolute priority too and on the Caribbean Cruise, we treated ourselves to a Junior Suite which had a huge balcony with a table and chairs and two sunlounges. So, if it ever felt too busy for us up on deck, we had the option of the peace and tranquillity of our balcony.
The way the cruise worked suited us too. We could unpack once, then wake up on a different Caribbean island and go off to explore. The itineraries we chose were very port-heavy, so we spent much of our time ashore, with fewer days at sea. For us, the ship became a comfortable floating hotel and a way to see more places.
Marella’s flexible dining was another big difference. We could choose a table for two and didn’t have to sit with other people if we didn’t want to. That freedom mattered to me after my first cruise, when set dining times and shared tables had made me feel restricted. The other bonus was that Marella Cruises are All Inclusive, so flights, Transfers and Drinks are Included in the price.
We also found that having busy areas on board didn’t mean the whole ship felt busy. There were quieter spots where we could escape the crowds, and our balcony gave us somewhere private to relax. On that first Marella cruise, Mark had injured his Achilles just two days before we travelled and wasn’t very mobile. Having a beautiful junior suite and our own balcony made a real difference. We could enjoy the ship, then return to our cabin for some peace and quiet.
And because we love cycling, the e-bike tours became a highlight. We got to explore the places we were visiting in a way we both enjoyed. That combination, interesting destinations, activities we love, a welcoming ship and the freedom to find our own space, showed me that cruising could be a very different experience from the ones I’d had before.
And There's More!
After that first Caribbean cruise, we booked another Marella trip to the Greek Islands for the following April for Mark’s 60th Birthday, this time on a different ship, Discovery. In September, we finally took the cruise we had originally booked, Highlights of the Mediterranean on Discovery 2. We’ve since booked more cruises, including another Caribbean trip in December again with Marella, this time on Explorer 2 and a Norwegian Fjords Trip in July 2027 on Ambassador Ambition. We are hoping to squeeze another one in in May too but haven’t decided where to yet. Somewhere along the way, the holiday I once thought wasn’t for me became something I couldn’t wait to do again. We are hoping by May next year we will have completed the whole Marella fleet.
Little or Large?
I’ve recently been on MSC Virtuosa too which sailed from Southampton to Northern France and Spain, although Storm Austen forced a slight change of itinerary and an extra day in Southampton. I went because it was a chance to make a vlog, and this time took my daughter back again to see if her thoughts had changed at all, she is now 28. Being back on another big ship confirmed to me that very large ships still aren’t really my preference, however I appreciate that other people love them. I’m happiest on a ship with around two or three thousand passengers at most and strangely my daughter also felt it was just a bit too busy for her as well. That doesn’t mean one style of cruising is right for everyone. It just took me a while to discover which style was right for me.
On that trip, I met several first-time cruisers who said they would never cruise again, saying the ship was far too crowded, I understood how they felt because I’d said the same thing myself. I couldn’t help thinking they might simply have started with a ship that wasn’t a good fit for them.
YouTubing
After I retired from my dog-walking business, I wanted a new hobby. We’d always used YouTube to research our holidays, so sharing our own travel experiences felt like a natural next step. With my background as a travel agent and tour operator, I also felt I could offer useful information. The hobby grew into much more than I expected, and I started Travel with the Hiltons to share our cruises and other travels.
The Right Fit
It still makes me smile that I went from being someone who vowed never to cruise again to someone who now plans cruises, talks about them and makes videos about them. I didn’t suddenly discover that every ship was for me. I discovered that the right ship, itinerary and onboard experience could make all the difference.
Think about what you enjoy, what you'd rather avoid, and choose accordingly. That simple step made all the difference for me. I'll still sail on bigger ships for my channel, even when they're not my thing, because showing it as it is, helps people decide what is going to be the best fit for them.
You can find Travel with the Hiltons here https://www.youtube.com/@travelwiththehiltons
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