I would definitely recommend a cream for a beginner. Not only are they easier to lather but, as people have said, it is easy to measure out a consistent amount.
The other thing to bear in mind is what kind of water you have. Where I live the water is very hard, which makes lathering with a soap nearly impossible. If I only had a soap when I started, I would have quickly given up. Creams lather easily in hard as well as soft water.