Royal at Sea

It’s time to plan your next vacation and you like to do it a few months ahead so you can get better prices and availability, which is always a good decision. Now, the big question is where to go and what  to do. For some time you have been wondering what it would be like to go on a cruise and since you have never been on one, you might as well get all the information you can in order to make the best decision, since there are so many options out there when it comes to cruising. When you have decided you want to go on a cruise you have to make sure you gather all the possible opinions from your friends and family, or find reviews and testimonials on the internet so you can be absolutely confident that the cruise you have selected is the perfect one for you. Many people become expert cruisers because the first time they did it, they thought it went so well, they decided cruising was the way they wanted to continue exploring the world. Cruise lines even have special prices and gifts for those who become frequent cruisers, and some even take the same cruise again and again. Other people just decide never to go on a cruise again because they either didn’t like the idea of being on a boat for more than a day or it turns out the cruise they selected wasn’t quite the proper one for them so the expectations they had are completely different than what they found on the cruise and that is when you can become a one-time cruiser, which is pretty sad, because just because you made a bad decision, it doesn’t mean cruising is one of the coolest, completest, fun and exciting ways to explore the planet.  People who are not happy with the cruise they chose, are people that after the cruise ends, will start telling their friends and family all the negative things they experienced on their last vacations, and that is something you should definitely try to avoid, if you don’t want to miss the magic you can experience and the lifetime memories you can take with you forever after choosing and taking the perfect cruise for you. So now that you know the importance of picking “the right one”, take a look at these tips that will make the decision making easier for you.

Image courtesy of Brook Ward on Flickr.com

Who?

The first question to ask yourself is Who will you be taking the cruise with. Depending on the answer you give, the choices will vary, because there are types of cruises for every single type of companions you decide to go with. If it’s with your family, meaning there will be children coming along with you, then you will have cruise lines and options that specialize in family entertainment and activities, destinations, and even type of accommodation that will be right for you. If you decide to go as a couple on a romantic getaway, the family type of cruise is not really what you´re looking for. There are some cruise lines that can offer luxury cruises, specialized in comforting couples, with special cuisine on board, spa options, wine selections and of course romantic destinations that will be also different from those you can select if you travel for example with a group of friends where your biggest interest is to have fun together and share nice experiences.

Where?

The destination is also very important. Where do you want to go? Which part of the world are you interested in exploring? Are you looking for nice warm sunny weather or are have you been dreaming about winter and iceberg landscapes? This may be one of the most important details you may want to be sure of before you decide which cruise to take.

When?

The time of year is crucial in the decision making of which cruise you are going to take for your next vacation. There is a proper destination for every season. If it is the summer, you might want to consider a cold destination like Alaska, where the weather is probably the best in that time of the year. If it is in the winter that you want to travel because you want to escape from the ice cold weather you have at home, then you should probably choose a tropical paradise like the Caribbean. It doesn’t matter when you want to go on a cruise, there will always be a great destination for the exact time that you want to take your vacation.

How?

How is actually for “How much”. Budget is always a big factor when it comes to making decisions, mainly for those that involve leisure. When you decide taking a vacation the top priorities are to have fun, relax and forget about reality for a few days. This means that part of those priorities is the fact that you don’t want to have to worry about anything, especially not money. So take a good look at how much you can afford to spend and what types of cruises fit your budget. There are cruises for all types of budgets. Cruise prices can vary also depending on the number of days you want to take the cruise. The more days you are on a cruise and the more destinations you want to visit, the more the cruise will cost. The type of cabin is also something you can choose depending on how much you want to spend. If the cabin has a window or not, if it has a balcony or not and the type of bed you want in it, will definitely make your cruise more or less expensive. So make sure you take all of these options into account and finding the perfect cruise for you will be a sure thing.