Cruise travel has been the vacation of choice for many people for a century or more. Once the domain of the wealthy and well heeled, a holiday cruise is now affordable and accessible to anyone planning a vacation. If you’ve never taken a cruise before, figuring out where to start can be daunting as you face the seemingly limitless choice of vacation destinations, cruise ships and available options on offer. But don’t get overwhelmed by it all. The first key to a great cruise experience is to give yourself plenty of time to investigate the field.

Shop around. No two cruise packages offered are exactly alike, but there are so many good cruise lines today that you can rest assured there are excellent voyages to be had on most of them. Standards are high. The world of cruising is a competitive field and your vacation dollars are the object of that competition. The more amenities the cruise lines can offer you, the more likely they are to win your business. The internet has made researching great cruise deals not only infinitely easier but also fun. You'll find more cruising ideas and options than you could possibly imagine so fire up the computer and surf before you cruise.

How Far In Advance Should You Book Your Cruise?

A year in advance? Six months? It depends on your priorities. If this is your once in a lifetime honeymoon cruise, painted indelibly in your imagination, book it a year in advance and lock in your favorite ship, honeymoon dates, and first choice of cabin. On the other hand, holding off booking your cruise for as long as possible will often get you a great price break, but remember the prime cabins may be gone and the dates may be limited. Just as with the airlines, if you are flexible on your departure and return dates you will get a better price. If work and/or family commitments make it necessary to take your vacation on specific dates, your options may be more limited. But don't worry, there are always great new cruise deals and alternative ports of call to be discovered.

Cruise lines sometimes offer perks and bonuses in return for an early confirmed booking. You may be eligible for a free cabin upgrade, or a complimentary entertainment package or shore excursion, so instead of a discount on the price of the cruise you’ll get more bang for your buck… also good.

On most cruises balcony cabins, especially on newer ships, usually sell out long before the less desirable interior accommodations. Though outside cabins carry a premium price, the demand is usually high enough that getting in early is a must if daylight is going to make or break your experience. As a rule, you can expect to pay an additional $100-$200 per person for an ocean view cabin.

Holiday time cruises, not surprisingly, sell out first. Spring Break week (when college students flood every tourist destination), the Christmas-New Year week, and of course July and August are the most desired times. For the best deals, avoid cruising during these peak holidays if you can, and consider some of the less frequently visited destinations. Even with the enormous number of cruise lines servicing the Caribbean, summer demand is so high that you'll need to book almost a year in advance to get your choice of on-board accommodations.

The late winter/early spring cruises will start to book up next. By then, many of us in the Northern Hemisphere who must cope with long cold winters are looking for relief from the weather. In the depths of winter, even though the boat won't sail for months, just the act of booking a cruise to sunny climes has the power to lift us from our winter doldrums.

Cruise bargains abound for September-early December and you may find a good cabin available as little as 60 days before departure. Take advantage of the deals when you can. The weather will still be pleasant and in case it should take a turn for the worse, remember there will never be a shortage of indoor activities and entertainment on board ship.

Cruise lines are launching bigger, grander, and ever more spectacular vessels every year. You'll have more options which require shorter booking times by selecting an older ship. Luckily, cruise ship technology has long been very advanced so even the older ones are still floating palaces. Though it was exceptional, the Normandie, for example, was as fine as the finest hotel 70 years ago and things have continued to improve since then.

After you've done some initial research to get the range of prices for the season and destination of your choice, you can start to zero in.

If Your Cruise Plans Are Flexible

Check the cruise line websites regularly. You’ll be in a position to take advantage of the deals and special promotions on offer as they come up. If you can travel on short notice you stand a better chance of snagging a superior cabin on a stellar voyage at a deeply discounted price. Be prepared to act quickly. That means having a passport and other documentation already in hand and being ready and able to pack and go.

The best deals go to those who are willing to try a less popular destination or travel outside of peak season. For many people these are the preferred conditions anyway… fewer crowds, a more relaxed experience and a great price for a good cabin.

If you don’t relish the idea of a long journey to a far off land, you can cruise the American coasts. San Diego to Cabo is an ever popular trip, as is New England to Florida. Though not as glamorous perhaps as a Caribbean or European cruise, the ships are still first rate. You'll have a great time on board and there are some excellent stops on the way. Booking for these cruises is often less competitive and less expensive.

So now it’s up to you. Hunt down the best deals you can find, read up on your ports of call and imagine your delight at spending a few days, or even a few weeks on a floating palace at sea. Cruise lines work very hard to accommodate travelers’ needs and keep their customers happy. They know that happy customers become repeat customers, who will also spread the word and recommend their service to friends and relatives. All aboard!

In recent times, cruise ship safety has come under scrutiny more often than cruise ship operators would like. Ships returning to port with one less passenger than they departed with have made headlines, as have on board outbreaks of gastro-intestinal illness.

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Obviously, all cruise operators strive to maintain an A+ report card, and for the most part, they do very well. Their reputation and livelihood depends on their ability to provide impeccable service and optimum conditions for their passengers. It is the traveler’s satisfaction with the cruise experience which determines whether or not the cruise line will have a repeat customer for future business. So it's worth remembering that every year, millions of individuals cruise the world without mishap and it is only the rare and extraordinary incident which makes the press.

Whether you are considering a cruise for your family summer vacation, sailing off on a romantic honeymoon, cruising for your spring break party, Thanksgiving escape or Holiday season getaway, the chances are good that you will have a resounding good time and memorable experience on board a cruise ship.

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