Cruise vacations are one of the most exciting and fun vacations you
and your family will ever have. Planning your cruise vacation is the
key to making the most of the cruise experience.

Cruise ships are floating hotels that sail through ocean while you
enjoy all the hotel's amenities provided. They have casinos, swimming
pools, theaters, restaurants, shopping centers or boutiques, spas,
gyms and more.

As great as taking a vacation on cruise ships may seem, you still need
to know how to plan a cruise ship vacation properly so you have the
perfect cruise experience. You need to know about the different types
of packages the cruise lines offer.

When planning a cruise ship vacation you need to know how to choose
one that will meet your expectation or tailor to your needs. Here are
some guidelines that you can follow to plan your cruise travel and
enjoy the perfect cruise experience:

Think of who you want to take with you on your cruise vacation. There
are many different packages offered by cruise lines. There are
packages for the whole family and there are packages for single
travelers.

Will you be taking the cruise vacation with children? Maybe you will
take your significant other for a romantic getaway. There are cruise
ships that are tailored for children and there are cruise lines that
cater to single cruisers and honeymooners. There are even some ships
that offer wedding services. What could be better than to get married
on the ship and have your honeymoon built in?

Decide how long you want to cruise. If you just want to try it out,
opt for a three day cruise. Normally, cruises start at three nights
and can go anywhere from seven to fourteen days. But there are also
world cruises that can last as long as three months. My advice is if
you are going to cruise in Europe you should pick a fourteen day
cruise because of the expense and long plane rides to get to your port
of embarkation. If you live near a port and you just want to take a
long weekend choose of three or four day cruise. Decide what cruise
travel is best for you.

Choose the perfect destination for you and your family. Alaska is
beautiful but can only be cruised in the summer months. If you live in
the colder climes you may want to take a mid winter cruise to the
Caribbean or even South America. If you want your cruise travel to be
in the Caribbean and you want to spend two weeks on your cruise
vacation, choose a line that alternates between the Eastern and
Western Caribbean. This cruise vacation takes you to many different
islands.

The cruise lines have a variety of destinations to choose from. Visit
your cruise travel agent to go over the different itineraries or check
out the individual websites of the cruise lines.

Consider the port of departure. Since 9/11 cruises have been
emphasizing home port cruising. Now there are many cruises that depart
from Bayonne, New Jersey, Galveston, Texas, or Seattle, Washington,
not just Miami and Fort Lauderdale.. Depart from the one closest to
you and you will save money on expensive airfare.

Speak to a knowledgeable cruise travel agent. Make sure they have
personally sailed on many different cruise ships so they can give you
an honest opinion on what each cruise line has to offer and which
would give you the perfect cruise experience.

A cruise travel agent will also be able to supply you with cruise
tips. Scour the cruise reviews for additional cruise tips.

Large cruise lines have a variety of activities and facilities that
you can use on the ship. If you like to gamble then choosing a cruise
ship with casinos is probably right for you. Or if you are taking your
kids with you, a cruise ship that offers activities and facilities for
children would be the best choice for your cruise travel. For
instance, Disney is, of course, geared toward children but they do not
have casinos. So if you are taking the family but you want to gamble
steer away from Disney and choose one of the other major cruise lines.
Almost all of them have children's programs. If you don't want to be
on a ship with children sail on one of the fancier lines that don't
cater to children. Here, again, it pays to read as many cruise reviews
as you can to pick up additional cruise tips.

Cruise vacations do not necessarily mean that you have to spend all
your vacation time onboard. All the cruise ships offer land and shore
excursions. The cruise lines offer pre and post cruise land vacations
usually for two or three days.

Land excursions are a great way to explore different cultures and
destinations when taking a cruise vacation. You can choose from many
activities once you reach a port of call. You can go kayaking, scuba
diving or go shopping in the markets of the ports of call.

Following these guidelines will give you some ideas on planning your
cruise vacation properly. Proper planning will give you a more
exciting cruise experience.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright ? Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

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