What Are You Looking for in a Cruise Vacation?
In a general sense there are two kinds of cruise passengers, those who regard the ship as a "destination resort" expecting to be pampered in luxury and don't much care where the ship goes; and those who want to see a piece of the world, and think of the ship as a means of comfortable transportation. Most people fall somewhere between these two extremes.

Choosing Your Itinerary, Selecting a Cruise Line and Picking a Ship
One of the ways to go about this is to wade through a pile of cruise brochures.  That's OK, but don't let yourself get carried away by poetic text and seductive pictures. The important thing is to be informed. Go online to the various cruise forums and bulletin boards and learn what other cruisers think about the itineraries, cruise lines and ships.

Book with a Travel Agent or Book Directly with the Cruise Line
A really good travel agent can help you find the right cruise and they can advise you about all the details that might otherwise go unnoticed. The major cruise lines no longer permit travel agents to make bookings at less than the advertised brochure rate or their special promotion rates. But, if there is a special promotion in effect, you can bet the agents know about it, where the general public might not be aware. Also, agents can give perks to their clients, like a bottle of wine, or $$ towards your shipboard account. This comes out of their standard 7-10 % commission.. On the other hand, If you book directly with the cruise line, it's fewer people involved in the transaction and therefore, there's a lesser chance of a major screwup.

Cabin Location
Check out the deck plans which are published on the cruise lines' websites.  Decide generally where you want to be. Forward or aft, port or starboard. You may want to be close to an elevator or you may want a mid-ship location for a smoother cruise. If you book late, you may not have much choice.

Air Transportation
If you include the round trip air in you cruise booking, you will probably pay more than if you booked it yourself separately. However, the cruise line assumes a responsibility, and if for any reason the flight is delayed or canceled and you miss the ship's departure, the cruise line will probably fly you to the next port of call to catch up with the ship. If it was you own airline booking, you're on your own. It's a good idea to arrive at your departure port a day early, especially in winter weather, just in case.

Travel Insurance
To buy it or not to buy it: It depends on how much you stand to lose. Consider lost luggage, airline cancellations and delays, accidental death, emergency medical (medical evacuation can cost many thousands) and trip cancellations. Both the travel agency and the cruise line will want to sell you travel insurance. We don't recommend that you don't buy it from them, but It's a good idea to read the coverage first and then go online and compare cost and coverage with some of the reputable travel insurance companies.

Passports
If you don't have one, get one. Under the new State Department regulations, passports will be required after Dec. 31, 2005 for all air and sea travel to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America . On Dec. 31, 2006 they will be required for all travel to and from Mexico and Canada. Then at the end of 2007 they will be required for all air, sea and land border crossings.

Ship Sponsored Shore Excursions
Cruise lines contract with local third party tour operators, then mark up the cost considerably. If you feel uneasy about the port and the foreign surroundings, take the ship-sponsored tour. But, there's a downside. You are likely going to be put on a bus with fifty other passengers where everything is based on the lowest common denominator. That is, loading and unloading is painfully slow, the tour guide has to answer a lot of dumb questions, there is usually a mandatory stop at a some store that holds no interest for you and you get hustled through places where you would like to stay longer and see more. The alternative is to take a private tour with the many van and cabs that are waiting at the end of the dock. The cost is usually half or less than the ship sponsored tour. They will take you where you want to go or they will suggest an interesting itinerary.

Dining Aboard
On the major cruise lines you will have four dining location options, the main dining room, an alternate upscale restaurant, a cafeteria and room service. There is usually an extra charge for the alternate restaurant. There are two sittings for dinner in the main dining room. You will be assigned one of the two sittings. The early sitting is about six pm and the late sitting, about eight pm. On days you are in port and you are going to be ashore it might be wise to request the late sitting to give yourself time to dress and prepare for dinner. If you have special diet requirement, check to see if the cruise line can accomidate you. Most of them can, but they must know ahead of time.

Looking for a Bargain
You are more likely to find cruise bargains for off-season sailings. That is, between September and mid-December, the two or three weeks right after New Years and after spring break until mid June. If you sign up, several of the cruise lines will e-mail you their "last minute" promotions for cruises that are not fully booked, These are usually cruises that are scheduled within three or four weeks. If you are free to travel on short notice, these can be great bargains.

What to Take
Pack clothing that's appropriate for your ports of call and for shipboard wear. If your cruise is to the North Atlantic or Alaska you'll probably need a sweater and a windbreaker. For the Caribbean or Mexico it's shorts and light weight shirts. There are usually two formal nights aboard on seven day cruises. For these occasions formal gowns and tuxedos are appropriate, but cocktail dresses and dark suits are equally acceptable. U.S. currency is accepted most everywhere in the western hemisphere, but take small bills for tipping cab drivers, baggage handlers and tour guides. A small roll of duct tape can come in handy for temporary repairs to torn luggage. Don't forget your prescription medication. It's also a good idea to take your doctor's written prescription with you in case of a loss.

Shipboard Tipping Policy
Many of the cruise lines have instituted a policy wherein $10 per day is added to each passenger's billing in lieu of individual voluntary gratuities. On one hand, this helps those crew members whose work assignment puts them in a not so tip-lucrative position. On the other hand, with the $10 per day added policy, it's no longer a gratuity. It's the passengers helping the cruise line with its payroll. Or put another way, it can be seen as a fare increase without the cruise line increasing their advertised prices.

Extra Costs
In establishing a budget for your vacation cruise, don't forget to include gratuities, tours and excursions, spa and beauty shop, ship's laundry/dry cleaning, the mini-bar in your cabin, clothing and jewelry shops and your bar bill (drinks will run from $5 to $8 each).