Cruising - Part II

• Level of luxury: From barefoot Windjammer™ cruises, to very commercial mega-cruises that are sold at discounts and feature very basic rooms and food and cater to the masses, your options for level of luxury and refinement are many. At every size level you will find more- and less luxurious options; it is simply a matter of taste and budget. More mature, business-oriented people may prefer a higher-end cruise such as those offered by Princess, Celebrity or the Windstar™ cruise line, while younger people in search of a party atmosphere may not care as much about service, food and room quality and may opt for a Carnival™ cruise or something similar. Even within cruise lines such as Carnival™, there are higher-end and lower-end options, and those geared towards kids, vs. adult-oriented cruising. If oyu are after a family-oriented vacation, try Disney or Royal Caribbean. Do your homework, and select a vacation that suits your style and needs.

• Ports of call: Are you interested in the nightlife of cities foreign and exotic, or the waterfalls and mountains of a Caribbean hideaway? Would you rather spend your days golfing, riding horses on a beach, or shopping? Do your research and/or ask your travel agent about which cruises stop in ports of call you would enjoy. While there is much to do onboard, half the fun of cruising is enjoying the land-based activities available in the various ports you will stop at. If the activities or ports are not of interest to you, then you will be stuck hanging out on the ship for days on end…although for certain passenegers (honeymooners, for example!) this is less of a concern than for others!

• Theme - packages for daytrips: Are you a vegetarian? A golfer? A waterfall lover? Many cruises either cater to certain crowds, or have theme weeks. FIf you are an avid golfer, for instance, look for cruises which offer packages on day-trip golf games, onboard driving and putting ranges, and storage space catering to golfers. For those with food allergies or who need food prepared in certain ways, check into this before booking, as some ships do cater to such needs, and others will not as they simply do not have the time and resources required to devote to individual needs which vary from the norm.

• Meal style: Many larger ships with hundreds or thousands of passengers organize meals by having pre-assigned seating times. In this way, they can serve a large number of people quickly, and then have a second seating and serve the same number again. The meal choices will usually be of decent quality but fairly limited as far as choice, to allow for efficiency. Most ships also offer more casual options such as buffet and outdoor grill-type restaurants and snack shops. Some dining rooms also now offer the option of a ‘normal’ restaurant experience where they allow you to either reserve your dinner time each day or just show up when you are hungry and be seated to dine.

• What is included: From all-inclusive (which on a ship usually means all meals but no alcohol included in the price) to á la carte, where you pay at the end of your cruise for whatever expenses you incurred - be it spa services, meals, room service or day trips - be sure you book a holiday which meets your budget. If you need your food to be included, make sure it is!

There you have it…some of the main things to consider when booking your cruise. Bon Voyage!