Starting investing, should I prioritize funding an IRA or REI?

[Sarah Shadle]

I would love some advice! The past 4 years since graduating, I've been hustling to pay off student loans with ugly interest rates. In the meantime I've been reading, listening to podcasts, learning as much about real estate investing as possible. I'm finally debt free with an emergency fund, but with zero investing experience. 

I work and live on a cruise ship currently making a modest paycheck but with absolutely no expenses, so it's easy to save quickly. Since my employer does not offer a 401k, I feel that my priority should be contributing to an IRA asap.

Here's my question: If I plan on investing in real estate (specifically buy and hold), should I contribute to a Roth IRA? Regular or Self directed IRA? Is it better to have the diversity of a specific retirement account, or to have the flexibility to use the investment in different ways in the future?

Any wisdom from the BP community is very much appreciated!